Thailand Trip Planner - DIY Planning a Trip to Thailand

Thinking of traveling to Thailand? You haven’t yet ventured to Southeast Asia’s “Land of Smiles” and not sure how to start planning a trip? Planning a trip to Thailand by yourself is easier than you might think. Thailand has a lot to offer - wonderful beaches, delicious local food, amazing cultural sites and the warm friendly people. You will definitely find there something for yourself.

Steps for planning a trip to Thailand

Here you will find the main steps and essential information for planning a trip to Thailand.

1. Explore destinations to visit in Thailand

An overview of the main tourist destinations in Thailand with the best activities and places to visit there is provided here: Thailand cities & islands.

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is one of the most vibrant cities in Southeast Asia where you will many possibilities for sightseeing, shopping, eating, entertainment or just relaxing. Nearby Central Thailand is rich in history with ancient Ayutthaya, Khmer temples of Lopburi, Death Railway in Kanchanaburi and natural beauty in places like Erawan National Park.

Beautiful beaches can be found on the islands of Eastern Thailand - Koh Samet in national marine park and Thailand’s second largest island Koh Chang, and crazy nightlife can be experienced in the worldwide famous seaside resort Pattaya.

Huge variety of options for a perfect beach vacation are offered by Southern Thailand – choose beautiful limestone islands of the Andaman sea on the West Coast or the Gulf of Thailand, its islands and resorts on the East Coast.

Stunning natural scenery in Northern Thailand is created by mountains and dense jungle, and the cities of the region Chiang Mai and Sukhothai feature ancient temples. Northern part of the country is an ideal place to relax after the chaos of Bangkok and touristic islands, but if you feel that it’s not authentic enough, head to Northeast Thailand and experience Thailand as it once was.

2. Choose the time to visit Thailand

Thailand's climate is tropical with high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Three seasons can be defined in the Northern and Central Thailand - the cool season (November to February), the hot season (March to May) and the wet season (May to October). December and January are the coolest months here and April is the hottest. Southern Thailand has only two seasons - the wet and the dry. These seasons do not run at the same time on both coasts as Southern Thailand is affected by two different monsoon seasons. It means that different islands have good weather at different times of the year.

The peak tourism season of Thailand is the cool season lasting from November to February when the weather is coolest and driest. Crowds and prices are at the highest during that time so if you want to avoid crowds and save some money, you should evaluate other options too. If you have a trip plan in your mind already, checking what is the best time for you to fulfill it might be a good idea. For more detailed weather information, see our Thailand Weather page.

3. Get familiar with Thailand entry requirements

Thailand entry requirements were relaxed lately and now more than 90 nationalities can get into the country by using Thailand visa exemption, which allows foreigners to stay in the country for up to 60 days without any visa. The updated visa policy made planning a trip to Thailand much easier for most of travelers.

Citizens of some other countries can obtain Visa on Arrival that is valid for 15 days and costs 2,000 THB. Other travelers need to apply for a tourist visa at Thai embassy or consulate in the country of residence. For more detailed information on Thai visa options suitable for you, explore Thailand Visa page.

4. Book accommodation in Thailand

Tips on choosing hotels in Thailand cities and islands you will find here: Hotels in Thailand.

Choose your hotel in Bangkok, Central Thailand, Eastern Thailand, Southern Thailand and Northern Thailand on Booking.com and compare with prices and conditions on Agoda.

5. Select tours and attractions in Thailand

Tours in Thailand can be booked online on GetYourGuide. Here you can choose from a wide range of tours, compare their itineraries and pricing, as well as read genuine participant reviews. Most of the tours that can be booked here are offered with a generous refund policy, as you can cancel or reschedule your participation at least 24 hours before. Here you can also book tickets for attraction in Thailand.

Discover the most popular tours and attractions in Thailand.

By booking online, you can get various attraction tickets in Thailand significantly cheaper than you would pay at the door. Lots of great offers are available on the website of KLOOK, which is the leader in the Southeast Asian market of attraction tickets resale. They offer not only attraction tickets, various activities and tours, but also travel essentials like local SIM cards, private transport to/from the airport and much much more.

Check what deals KLOOK has for you in Thailand: Travel deals in Thailand.

6. Plan transportation between destinations

Transportation is one thing that you don’t need to worry about in Thailand. Country's public transport system generally offers excellent value. Buses are cheap and convenient with many routes to various destinations. The railway network connects four corners of the country and is a cheap, scenic but slow way to travel around Thailand. Minivans and songthaews (pick-up trucks with two rows of seats) can help you to reach even the most distant villages.

A combination of public transport, consisting of songthaews, public buses, tuk tuks, regular taxis and motorbike taxis can be found in most cities. Bangkok has a reliable and constantly expanding metro system. Large islands can be accessed by large ferries and smaller islands can be reached by speedboats and smaller boats. Thailand is also well-served by domestic airlines, as most of larger cities in the country have their own airports.

For more detailed information on planning transportation for a trip to Thailand, see our Thailand transportation page.

There is a very useful transportation tool for planning a trip to Thailand. 12go offers a wide variety of transportation in one place. Here you can compare prices and lengths of journey by various means of air, land and sea transportation such as flights, trains, ferries, buses, minivans, and private taxi. 

Different transportation options can be found and transport tickets can be booked with the help of this search form.

7. Stay connected in Thailand

Even if you can use your mobile roaming service to stay connected in Thailand, in most cases it will be very expensive. Therefore, getting a local SIM card for using 

There are 3 main cell service providers in Thailand: AIS, DTAC and Truemove. All three offer ‘pay as you go’ deals for short and long term travelers and provide fairly good coverage in all but the most remote corners of the country. The easiest way for you to buy a SIM card and to set up your phone is to head directly to a provider's shop or service booth. Your phone must be unlocked for you to use a Thai SIM card on it. Discover detailed information about Getting Thailand SIM Card.

All three providers have offices in most major malls and on the arrivals floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport, as well as the other international airports in Thailand. More details about getting SIM card at the main airport in Thailand can be found here: Bangkok Airport SIM Card.

Book a discounted Thailand SIM Card and pick it up at the airport: [SALE] SIM Card for Thailand (Airport Pick Up).

8. Plan a budget for a trip to Thailand

Traveling on a budget is easy in Thailand as there are many cheap accommodations available almost everywhere. By spending as little as 20-30 EUR a day you can get yourself accommodation, street food and a bottle of beer or two at night. Choose fancier hotel, dine at restaurants, drink cocktails at nightclubs and your daily expenses will multiply but it will still be much cheaper than back home.

For a better planning of your trip budget, book your accommodation, transportation, tours, and attraction tickets in advance, and you will only need to think about your daily expenses for food, local transport, and other minor things.

9. Prepare money for a trip to Thailand

Thailand's currency is called the Thai baht (THB) and only local currency is normally accepted for the payments inside the country.

ATMs can be found across the country, and international withdrawals are not a problem. Currency exchange booths are found in all international airports and touristy areas. Credit cards are widely accepted in the tourist industry, at restaurants, shopping malls and some shops. Small businesses usually accept only cash so you should be ready to use cash (Thai baht only) for most of your daily purchases in Thailand. Check Thai Currency page for detailed information about Thai baht - current exchange rates, cost of withdrawal and much more.

If you're not comfortable with carrying a large amount of cash to exchange in Thailand but still want to get much better exchange rate on your payments and withdrawals than your regular bank card is offering, consider getting Wise Card that lets you spend abroad with the real exchange rate and works well in Thailand.

10. Learn about Thai language & culture

English is quite widely spoken by Thais in touristy destinations. Hotel receptionists, travel agents, taxi drivers, vendors and other people related to tourism industry usually speak some English. Learning some basic Thai would be a good idea. Phrases like "hello" and "thank you", numbers and food names can be really handy, especially if you will be visiting more remote areas. Learn some basic phrases and words with our Thai Language page.

When you are traveling to Thailand, no one expects you to be perfectly polite in Thai way. However, it's important to know the basics of local culture before your trip in order to better understand Thai people and Thai language. Discover several things about Thai culture that you should know when planning a trip to Thailand. The list was made by a local Thai and with the help of it you will be able to surprise locals with your nice behaviour in Thai way.