Thailand travel guide

Temples of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, the cliffs of Krabi, Gulf islands and street food worth the flight on its own.

Cities and regions

• 🏝Phuket 12 places
• 🛕Bangkok 11 places
• 🐘Chiang Mai 5 places
• 🤍Chiang Rai 3 places
• 🧗Krabi 4 places
• 🥥Samui & Koh Tao 4 places
• 🎡Pattaya 2 places

What to see

🎉Patong Beach

The island's liveliest beach: sea and water sports by day, Bangla Road with its clubs and shows by night.

Insider tip Book a room at least 10 minutes from Bangla Road, or the music will keep you up till dawn.

🏄Kata Beach

Calmer than Patong with cleaner water, and in the rainy season the waves are perfect for beginner surfers.

Insider tip From May to October the west-coast beaches get strong currents. Red flag = no swimming.

🙏Big Buddha

A 45-metre white marble statue on a hilltop. You can see half the island from up here.

Price Free entry, donations welcome

Insider tip Cover your shoulders and knees; sarongs are handed out at the entrance. Come for sunset.

🏘Phuket Old Town

Colourful Sino-Portuguese shophouses, street art and coffee shops. On Sundays there's a night market on Thalang Road.

Insider tip Come on a Sunday evening for the market, street food and live music.

🌅Promthep Cape

The island's most famous sunset viewpoint, on the southern tip.

Insider tip Arrive an hour before sunset to grab a spot, then head to Rawai for a seafood dinner.

🛕Wat Chalong

Phuket's most important temple, with a pagoda holding Buddha relics and murals inside. Locals come here to pray for good luck.

Price Free entry

Insider tip Climb to the top floor of the pagoda for a view over the whole temple complex. Don't jump at the firecrackers: it's how people say thanks for a wish come true.

Don’t miss

What to eat

• 🍝
  Pad Thai Stir-fried rice noodles with egg, tofu or prawns, peanuts and lime. Where to try it: Any street stall
• 🍲
  Tom Yum Hot, sour soup with lemongrass and prawns. The "nam khon" version comes with coconut milk. Where to try it: Cafés and restaurants
• 🥗
  Som Tam Green papaya salad. It can be fiery, so ask for "phet nit noi" (just a little spicy). Where to try it: Stalls with a mortar and pestle
• 🥭
  Mango Sticky Rice Ripe mango, sticky rice and coconut sauce. The best dessert in the country. Where to try it: Night markets
• 🌶
  Pad Kra Pao Meat stir-fried with holy basil and chilli over rice, topped with a fried egg. The classic Thai lunch. Where to try it: Simple local cafés
• 🍛
  Massaman Curry A mild, fragrant curry with potatoes and peanuts, perfect if you don't do spicy. Where to try it: Thai restaurants

Day-by-day itinerary

When to go

greatOKoff season

Entry & documents

Many passports get visa-free entry, for most of them currently up to 30 days (cut from 60 in September 2026), so check the exact duration for yours. Fill in the online TDAC arrival card within 72 hours before your flight. Check the current rules for your passport before you travel.

Local etiquette

• 🙏
  If someone greets you with a wai (palms pressed together at the chest and a slight bow), return it. It's polite and much appreciated.
• 👟
  Take your shoes off before entering a home or a temple hall, and even some shops and massage parlours. A row of sandals by the door is your cue.
• 👗
  Cover your shoulders and knees at temples and skip anything see-through. A light scarf or sarong in your bag will save the day.
• 🙅
  Don't touch anyone's head, not even a child's: it's considered the most sacred part of the body.
• 🦶
  Don't point your feet at people or Buddha images, and don't put them up on the table. In a temple, sit with your feet tucked behind you or to the side.
• 👑
  Don't joke about the King or the royal family, and never step on a dropped banknote or coin: they bear the King's portrait.

Did you know

• 📜Bangkok's full ceremonial name runs to 168 letters in transliteration, which makes it the longest place name in the world, according to Guinness World Records. Thais simply call it Krung Thep, "City of Angels".
• 🛡Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never colonised by a European power.
• 🗺Until 1939 the country was called Siam. It briefly went back to the old name from 1945 to 1949, then settled for good on Thailand, "Land of the Free".
• 📅In Thailand, 2026 is the year 2569: the official calendar is Buddhist and runs 543 years ahead of the Gregorian one. Don't be thrown by the dates on receipts and tickets.

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