Thailand with its beautiful beaches, centenary temples, his eclectic capital, and his sweet northIt may be one of the most complete and beautiful tourist destinations in the world where it is easy to dream and believe to be in paradise ...

But ... is it still the land of smiles? Sometimes it is inevitable to think that the quality of the smile you receive is directly proportional to the thickness of your wallet (always with exceptions). Although judging it is easy and perhaps also comfortable, Thailand has something that enchants the traveler ... and is that it is one of the few countries we visit again and again ... For something it will be, right?

Here we bring our Thailand travel guide for backpackers. A complete guide to our trip through Thailand. Visa, currency, when to go, travel, how much it costs, what is the best and the worst, reference prices, transport and more!

- The trip we have divided into two parts -

Click on each image to go to the one that interests you most! Inside each one we put the travel, the articles writings budget and our expenses, what better and worse, etc. For now we leave you some general information about Thailand.

- General data of Thailand -

VISA

It is not necessary to process any visa for Spanish citizens on a tourist trip to Thailand, therefore the admission is free. For most South American citizens either, although it is best to check each specific country in this link.

The maximum stay in Thailand for Spaniards is of 30 days, whether you enter by airport or by land, although in this case, it can only be done twice a calendar year. It can extend the permit another 30 days in immigration offices. The price of this procedure is THB1,900. You can read our article on how to extend Thailand's visa in Chiang Mai.

IMPORTANT: If your idea is to live a season in Thailand with the tourist permit, it is not legal to be entering and leaving the country every time the allowed period of stay is going to expire (visa run), so it is possible that you may be denied The entrance at some point.

CURRENCY

The official currency of Thailand is the Baht (THB). You can calculate the exchange rate updated in the following table. Eye, to get money at the ATMs, all banks (except Citibank) charge a commission of 200THB (ie € 5 !!). We tried several until our bank saw strange movements and held the card, very careful with this. But there is a way to avoid the commissions of the ATMs of Thailand and it is to enter the bank with the card and the passport and please ask that they withdraw money from your card, invest any excuse so that they do not send you to the cashier. Try it in different banks until you find the one that serves you.

WHEN TO TRAVEL

In general, Thailand has three seasons: hot (from March to May) wet (from June to October) and fresh (from November to February). Therefore, it is best to visit Thailand between november and february, when it does not have the influence of the monsoon and the temperatures are cooler. This can be generalized both in the north, in the center and on the coast of the Andaman Sea in the south (islands such as Phi Phi, Lipe, the Krabi and Phuket area, etc).

However, for the visit to the islands of the Gulf of Thailand coast (Samui, Phangan, Tao, etc.) there is rain in the final months of the year (November and December) and in May and June, so the best time would be in January, February and March or in July and August.

VACCINES

In Thailand there is a risk of dengue and malaria, but in the latter case you don't have to worry too much because it is mostly concentrated in rural areas. The most tourist and urban areas are free of Malaria

The recommended vaccines They are: Hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis and tetanus (you probably already have it).

• More recommendations from the Foreign Ministry for Thailand
• More recommendations from the Ministry of Health

BUDGET

In Thailand you can travel for very little money and also give yourself a whim. It is a destination made for both backpacking budgets and for more luxurious trips, so it depends a bit on your travel style. We spend around € 12-13 per person per day. If you want more detailed data go to each of the two summaries: North and South.

PLUG

The plugs used in Thailand are three-pin type B, or type C, like the ones in the picture. You can buy a universal adapter or get a specific one as soon as you reach your destination.

ITINERARY

Here we leave you a 3-week itinerary through Thailand, visiting the country from Bangkok to the north and we give you all the options you have of islands in the south.

Although in our first trips, as you have seen, we have divided the trip into two parts, the first one visiting the north central and north zone: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, Lampang and Chiang Rai and the south passing again through Bangkok and heading to Krabi (Railay) and the island of Koh Lipe. To see the maps go to the summaries: North and South.

This was the tour we did on our first 9 month trip through Southeast Asia, then we have returned countless times, so below you will find all the articles we have written.

HOW TO MOVE

In Thailand you can move in many ways! In cities like Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, etc. it is normal to do so in knock Knock, although sometimes (and especially in Bangkok) it is almost more convenient to do so in cab. A good option to move is rent a motorcycle, keep in mind that in some places it is a business with traps (they are looking for scratches that were already there or just done and they put you in trouble so that you pay them money for the damage).

To move from one city to another can be done in bus, night bus, train or flights. For buses it is not necessary to book well in advance, it will be enough to approach an agency one or two days before the departure date, do not forget to ask if they include pick up. The prices will be somewhat higher than what you find directly at the stations, but they are usually more comfortable buses and you save yourself having to travel.

For trains and airplanes, you will need some advance notice. Here we leave two search engines with which you can make reservations:

• Search engine for cheap flights.
• Bus, train and ferry search engine.

WHAT TO EAT

The cuisine of Thailand is one of the best in the world, in Thailand you eat luxury, and it is cheap! Be it the spicy curries or the aromatic soups, or the dishes of noodles, rice, vegetables, meats, fish or desserts… we love it all-all-here! Here we put the Thai dishes that are essential:

Pad ThaiPerhaps the most loved dish for tourists: these are fried noodles with eggs, sprouts and soy sauce, chicken or shrimp or tofu and seasoned with peanuts, chili, lime and sugar. If you want to learn how to do it at home, see how it is done.

Khao Pad Goong. Another great classic: rice is sauteed in the wok with onion, vegetables, soy sauce, egg and the ingredient you choose (chicken / pork / shrimp / tofu ...). We love it, especially if it is seasoned with lime. And if you get tired of rice is the version with noodles hehe.

Tod Man. They are cupcakes made with fish, curry paste, lime and spices. They are usually quite spicy.

Tod today. Some tortillas with oysters, coriander and pepper ... very rich!

Kai Muang. Another delicious dish: chicken with cashew nuts sauteed in wok with soy sauce and vegetables.

Tom Yum Goong. It is the most famous Thai soup: shrimp, tomato, chili, lime, onions, mushrooms, lemongrass. Slurp!

Geang Keow Ean Gai. Also called green curry, it is a chicken and spice curry stewed in coconut milk, super good but itchy eye!

Massaman Curry. It is a Muslim dish and our favorite curry because it does not bite hehe, the sweet taste of coconut mixed with spices and a peanut aftertaste. If it's chicken with fancy potatoes!

Som Tam Thai. Strips of green papaya with tomatoes, lettuce, dried prawns, peanuts and chili.

Pad Pak Bung Fai Daeng (or Morning Glory). This is a dish that shocked us a lot, not so much for its elaboration since it is only spinach sauteed in oyster sauce ... but because in many places it was served for breakfast. It is also perfect as a side dish of meat / fish dishes.

Sticky Rice handle. The star dessert, how good it is, to suck your fingers: it is mango with sticky rice filled with coconut milk, so sweet mmm!

→ And if you've been wanting more, check out the full article of What to eat in Thailand?

OUR ITEMS

You will find all the articles we have written about Thailand (which are many):

• WHAT SIM CARD TO BUY IN THAILAND TO HAVE INTERNET IN THE MOBILE
• 3 WEEK THAILAND TRAVEL ITINERARY
• THE BEST CAFETERIA OF CHIANG MAI
• 40 TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO THAILAND (AND DON'T FALL IT)
• WHERE TO SLEEP IN PHUKET: NOVOTEL SURIN
• WAT PAH LAT, THE TEMPLE OF THE ROCK INCLINED IN CHIANG MAI
• KOH MOOK GUIDE FOR BACKPACKERS
• HOW TO GET TO KOH MOOK
• 3 DAYS IN AO NANG, THE DOOR TO THE SEA OF KRABI
• “SAMOENG LOOP”: MOTORCYCLE DAY EXCURSION FROM CHIANG MAI
• 5 TYPICAL CHIANG MAI DISHES (WHAT YOU SHOULD TRY)
• WHERE TO EAT IN CHIANG MAI: THE BEST RESTAURANTS
• BURIRAM, DISCOVERING EAST OF THAILAND
• THE 15 BEST TEMPLES OF CHIANG MAI
• WIANG KUM KAM, THE LOST CAPITAL IN CHIANG MAI
• THAILAND VISA EXTENSION IN CHIANG MAI
• BAAN KANG WAT: THE CHIANG MAI HIPSTER OASIS
• LIVING IN CHIANG MAI: HOW TO FIND GOOD, BEAUTIFUL AND CHEAP ACCOMMODATION
• THE BEST THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CHIANG RAI
• WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN SUKHOTHAI, THE BEST HISTORICAL PARK IN THAILAND
• WHERE TO EAT IN BANGKOK: GUIDE FOR FOODIES
• BANGKOK 4.0.
• VISAS FOR SOUTHEAST ASIA (FOR SPANISH CITIZENS)
• 10 THINGS TO DO IN THAILAND
• WHERE TO SLEEP IN CHIANG MAI: CHEAP ACCOMMODATIONS (AND WITH POOL!)
• STICKY RICE HANDLE RECIPE
• MEETINGS IN (WITH) BANGKOK
• WHERE TO SLEEP IN BANGKOK: IDEER HOSTEL
• 10 THINGS TO DO (AND NOT) IN CHIANG MAI
• HOW TO GET TO KOH LIPE
• SHOPPING & THE CITY: BANGKOK. MARKET AND SHOPPING CENTER GUIDE
• WHAT TO SEE AND DO IN AYUTTHAYA: THE BEST EXCURSION OF A DAY FROM BANGKOK
• HOW TO ORGANIZE A TRIP TO BANGKOK. ALL THE INFO YOU NEED
• WHAT TO EAT IN THAILAND? GASTRONOMY AND TYPICAL DISHES
• THE 25 BEST THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN BANGKOK
• THE BEST TEMPLES OF BANGKOK (INFO AND PRICES 2019)
• BANGKOK GUIDE FOR BACKPACKERS
• CULTURAL SHOPS: THE SPIRIT HOUSES OF THAILAND
• THAILAND GASTRONOMY: TYPICAL FOOD AND THINGS TO KNOW
• THAILAND TRAVEL GUIDE FOR BACKPACKERS
• SUMMARY OF OUR TRIP THROUGH SOUTH THAILAND
• KOH LIPE: WHAT A DOG LIFE!
• RAILAY, WHERE YOU SCALE WITH SPANISH ACENT
• WE WILL ALWAYS STAY BANGKOK
• SUMMARY OF OUR TRIP THROUGH NORTH THAILAND
• WHITE SURPRISE IN CHIANG RAI. THE WAT RONG KHUN TEMPLE
• MOTORCYCLE ROUTE THROUGH NORTH OF THAILAND. THIRD STAGE: LAMPANG
• MOTORCYCLE ROUTE THROUGH NORTH OF THAILAND. SECOND STAGE: PAI, NO WOMAN NO CRY
• MOTORCYCLE ROUTE THROUGH NORTH OF THAILAND. FIRST STAGE: CHIANG MAI
• LOY KRATHONG: A MAGICAL NIGHT

OUR PICTURES

Soon we will publish the album with all the photos of our first trip to Thailand.

We hope our Thailand travel guide for backpackers be useful to you For any doubt, question or curiosity do not hesitate to write to us and we will be happy to help you.

Video: How to travel Thailand in 20 Days!! Thailand Travel Guide (May 2024).