country
Thailandไทย
First trip: 3–4 nights in Bangkok as an air hub, then fly north (Chiang Mai) or south (islands) for 4–6 more; the trips that fail try to cover all three in ten days.
Thailand is 1,600 km long and Bangkok is its hub for flights, trains and buses. Heat, traffic and touts are the three rules that apply everywhere. Fly between regions, keep one bed per base, and treat the rainy season (June–October) and the hottest months (March–May) as planning constraints, not surprises.
All regions, cities and parks in Thailand (Atlas) →
Regions
Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai
3–5 nights
Phuket, Krabi and the islands
4–7 nights
Capital and major cities
Choose Chiang Mai for temples, food and mountain day trips in northern Thailand: three to four nights, best outside the burning season.
Go to Phuket for beaches and island trips, in the dry season; pick your beach first because the island is large and traffic is slow.
Treat Pattaya as a short, beach-and-nightlife stop close to Bangkok: one or two nights, or use it as a base for nearby islands.
Routes that work
Bangkok only, 5 nights
Keep the Bangkok bed; take a small bag for an overnight away.
- Land in Bangkok and sleep there first; the airport-to-city ride is 30–90 minutes depending on the airport and the hour.
- Fly between regions: overnight buses and trains cost a day of recovery.
- Avoid Songkran (Apr 13–15): water fights everywhere, and transport is packed.
- The rainy season (Jun–Oct) is workable with a plan; March–May is the hottest.
Arrive
Time math
- 3 days
- Bangkok 3 (Grand Palace + Wat Pho, Siam, Yaowarat)
- 7 days
- Bangkok 3 + fly to one region for 4 nights
- 10 days
- Bangkok 3 + north 3 + south 4 (two flights)
Country rules
- Check entry rules and any arrival card on the official Thai government sites for your passport; visa-exempt stays and pre-arrival forms change.
- Do not criticise or mock the monarchy: insulting the royal family is a criminal offence.
- Temples and palaces: shoulders and knees covered, shoes off before entering halls.
- E-cigarettes and vapes are illegal to import or use; do not pack them.
Etiquette
- The head is sacred and the feet are low: do not touch anyone's head or point your feet at people or Buddha images.
- Greet with a wai (hands together) if someone greets you first; do not touch monks (women especially).
- Take shoes off at temples and many homes and shops.
- Stand for the royal anthem in cinemas and public places if it is played.
- Songkran (Apr 13–15)
- National New Year with water festivals; many shops close and transport is packed.
- Loy Krathong (Nov, full moon)
- Evening crowds at rivers and lakes; some roads close.
- Rainy season (Jun–Oct)
- Daily storms; flooding in low areas and some island boats cancelled.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 3/5
- Currency is the Thai baht (THB, ฿). Cards work in malls, hotels and many restaurants; street food, markets, boats and small taxis are cash.
- ATMs charge a fee of about ฿220 per foreign-card withdrawal (varies by bank): withdraw larger sums less often.
- Carry ฿20 and ฿100 notes: taxi drivers and boat operators often cannot change ฿1,000.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · E-visa and entry
Safety
- Scams: a stranger says the Grand Palace is closed and offers a tuk-tuk tour; walk on, and check the official site or the gate.
- Insist on the meter in taxis or use a ride-hailing app; refuse flat-fee quotes near tourist sites.
- Heat (Mar–May) and heavy rain (Jun–Oct): plan an AC stop every 60–90 minutes; streets flood in short bursts.
- Traffic and motorbikes: cross at lights, never rent a motorbike without a licence and insurance.
- Drugs laws are strict: do not carry or use drugs; rules on cannabis have changed several times, so do not assume anything is allowed.
- Emergency: 191 police, 199 fire, 1669 ambulance, 1155 Tourist Police.
- Some governments advise against travel to the far south provinces and parts of the Cambodian and Myanmar borders: check your own government's advice before you go.
Thailand is the air hub of the Southeast Asia corridor (planned): Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are short flights or long overland legs.
Sources
- Thailand e-visa portal (official) (official)
- Thailand Digital Arrival Card (official) (official)
- Tourism Authority of Thailand (official)
- Wikivoyage — Thailand (secondary)