I fell in love with Thailand, how could you not?

Thailand was the first stop on my 3-month solo southeast Asian adventure. It is the perfect place for solo travel and for the traveler who is maybe a little weary or new to international travel.

Thailand has tourism figured out.

From any airport in Thailand, you can find relatively cheap shuttles, tours, phone cards and more to make your travels as stress-free as possible. It truly is the Land of Smiles. Check out my tips and itineraries for traveling Thailand.

Some Info on Thailand

Thailand is a staple of southeast Asia and should be on your travel list if you find yourself anywhere near there. Its geography is varied, with mountains, jungles and beaches, it has a variety of things to see and do. It borders Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Its capital Bangkok is the biggest city with a population of 10 million, about 15% of the country’s population.

Getting To and Around Thailand

Do I need a Visa?

First, do you need a visa to get into Thailand? I dunno. Most countries do not need a visa or can get one upon arrival. Find out about your country here.

Where should I fly into?

Most people fly into Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok, spend a day or two there and then hop on another flight out of the city. Thailand has dozens of airports and taking an hour flight to the north or south of the country instead of taking a bus, train or car is very common, and extremely time and cost efficient.

How do I get place to place in Thailand?

Once you’re in Thailand, getting around is a breeze. Most hotels and hostels will arrange pickup from the airport or at least have directions for you.

Don’t hesitate taking a cab, or motorbike cab, wherever you are. I had the most death-defying experience with a motorbike taxi in Koh Phanang, but I survived. They know what they’re doing, so just hop on and hold tight!

Do people speak English?

From my unscientific observation, I’d say 95% of places in the transportation and tourism industry in Thailand have someone that speaks English. I never had an issue trying to find out where to go or how to get somewhere. Some restaurants off the beaten path might not be in English, but pictures work for that. Again, Thailand knows how to do tourism, and they make it easy for visitors.

What to Do in Thailand

Where to even start… I overstayed my visa by 3 weeks (just a little fine I had to pay at customs, but I don’t recommend it). Needless to say, I LOVE THAILAND! Depending on how much time you have, look through my experiences and find what’s most appealing to you for getting the most out of this beautiful country!

Bangkok & Surrounding Area

Bangkok is a whirlwind, a huge city, tall buildings, millions of people; you can feel the energy as soon as you step into the city. Take some time in Bangkok, but not too much time, there’s so much to see outside of the city.

But for the Bangkok essentials, check out my post Wandering Bangkok and get wandering!

An hour or so outside of Bangkok is the Samut Songkhram region, nestled along the Mae Klong River. Its worth venturing out in this area whether its for a day trip you arranged through your hostel or hotel, or do what I did and find a homestay to get a real experience, complete with little crocodiles in the river right next to your sleeping hut!

The draws to the area are the Mae Klong Railroad Market, the Damnoen Saduak floating market and the Amphawa floating market. All of which are worth taking a day or 2 to explore, if you have the time, otherwise a day-trip is a must.

In the North

The 2 large northern cities are Chang Mai and Chang Rai. I visited Chang Mai, bathed with some elephants, and then headed to a smaller town, Pai, a few hours from Chang Mai. Pai is a chilled out town that just recently popped up on the tourist map. You can easily find mushroom dranks in Pai, read about my trippy experience!

Getting to the north is an easy flight into Chang Mai and you can take a shuttle bus or rent a scooter to get around. The ride from Chang Mai to Pai is especially curvy, so a motorbike is a fun option, otherwise take your Dramamine on the bus ride there!

Beaches!

While I loved the north, with the jungles, temples, bathing with elephants and mushroom dranks, if you’re in Thailand, hitting a few southern beach spots is a must. Here’s a rundown:

Koh Tao

On the east coast of Thailand is the little island of Koh Tao, a world-renowned spot for scuba diving. You can get scuba certified in a week there. I met people who came on vacation to scuba and never left, it’s one of those places. Koh Tao also has a great costal hike!

Koh Tao is one of a few islands on the east coast that are less visited, but they shouldn’t be low on your list, read about it more: Why You Should Visit Thailand’s East Coast Islands.

Koh Lanta

Technically an island on the west coast, Koh Lanta is small enough to scooter around in a day. You’ll find beaches at every turn with cool beachside bars to grab a drink (mushroom and alcoholic), a joint and some good grub. Check out my Ultimate Koh Lanta Scooter Guide to find all the spots worth visiting on Koh Lanta and for more information on how to get there.

Koh Pha Ngan

Koh Pha Ngan is also on the east coast and is the home of the world-famous Full Moon Parties, all-night EDM, drug-fueled parties on the beach every full moon. It’s fucking nuts. But Koh Pha Ngan is more than just the Full Moon Parties, and definitely worth a visit.

Koh Samui

Also on the east coast, Koh Samui is a quiter island and is ideal if you want to relax at a resort or nice hotel. There aren’t too many hostels and getting around the island can be tricky. It’s a nice stop after the Full Moon Party to reconvene and plan your next steps.

Phuket

Phuket was my first stop in the south and I quickly learned that Phuket is the party spot: tons of bars, “ping pong shows,” shady shit, its Tiajuana on steroids. I spent a few days there planning my next adventures, and met some great people at my hostel, but there are plenty of other spots in Thailand worth visiting before heading to Phuket, in my opinion.

Just Go!

Thailand is a breeze to travel for backpackers and tourists. They make it easy to get around and the people are incredibly nice. My 6 weeks spent in Thailand weren’t enough and I will definitely be back to explore more areas and add more to this guide. Let me know if I missed anything, and I hope you got some inspiration to just book that trip and go!