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Thailand Travel Guide
Curated by Our Guild Explorers · Updated July 2026
A kingdom of gilded temples and street-food empires, of limestone islands rising out of a warm sea and cool green mountains in the north. From the tuk-tuk clamour of Bangkok to a silent longtail boat under the cliffs of Krabi — this is the Guild's chapter on Thailand.
Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, on the Chao Phraya River — Bangkok. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
Why visit Thailand
Few countries pack this much variety — culture, coast and mountains — into a single trip, or make it feel this easy.
Temples and the sacred
The Grand Palace, the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, dawn over Wat Arun — Buddhist Thailand is gilded, living and everywhere you look.
Two seas of islands
The Andaman on the west, the Gulf on the east — clear water, powder beaches and limestone karsts on whichever coast is in season.
The food
One of the great cuisines on earth, at every price: a 60-baht boat-noodle stall, a floating market, a night bazaar, a Michelin room.
Your money goes far
The baht stretches. A lot of comfort — good hotels, massages, feasts, longtail boats — for what the same day would cost at home.
The regions of Thailand
Each region is its own trip. Six cities have a full Guild guide today; the rest are on the shelf next.
The country's beating heart — temples, markets, river life, and the old royal capital an hour to the north.
The postcard Thailand — limestone cliffs, clear water and island-hopping off the west coast.
The east side — resort beaches near Bangkok and the palm-fringed islands of the Gulf.
- Koh Samui Guide
- Pattaya Guide
- Hua Hin soon
- Koh Phangan soon
Cool air, forested hills, hill-tribe villages and the old Lanna kingdom's temple towns.
- Chiang Mai Guide
- Chiang Rai soon
How the country divides up
Bangkok & the central plains
Almost every trip begins here, and it should. Bangkok is loud, hot, endlessly alive — the Grand Palace and Wat Pho by morning, a longtail down the canals, Chatuchak market, rooftop bars and some of the best eating on the planet after dark. An hour north lie the brick temple ruins of Ayutthaya, the Siamese capital the Burmese sacked in 1767, an easy and worthwhile day out.
The Andaman coast
The west coast is the Thailand of the postcards. Phuket is the big, well-connected base with its own airport; Krabi — Ao Nang and the cliff-ringed beaches of Railay — is quieter and more dramatic, all longtail boats and vertical limestone. From either you can reach the Phi Phi islands and the sea stacks of Phang Nga Bay. Best from November to April, when the sea is calm and clear.
The Gulf coast & islands
The eastern seaboard runs on a different weather clock. Koh Samui is the polished resort island, with Koh Phangan and its famous Full Moon Party next door and diving off Koh Tao beyond. Closer to Bangkok, Pattaya and the seaside town of Hua Hin are the capital's own weekend coast — quick to reach, easy on the budget. The Gulf's driest, brightest stretch tends to run roughly January to September.
The mountainous North
North of the plains the land folds up into cool green hills. Chiang Mai is the gentle capital of it — a moated old town studded with temples, a famous night bazaar, cooking schools, ethical elephant sanctuaries and trekking into the hills. Chiang Rai reaches further still, toward the white temple of Wat Rong Khun and the old Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.
Top things to do in Thailand
The experiences worth building a trip around.
Bangkok's great temples
The Grand Palace, the golden reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, and Wat Arun catching the first light across the river. Go early, dress modestly.
Island-hop the Andaman
Longtail boats to Phi Phi, Maya Bay and the karsts of Phang Nga, or the climb-and-kayak coves of Railay near Krabi.
Eat your way through
Boat noodles, mango sticky rice, som tam, a Chiang Mai khao soi — from street cart to night market to white-tablecloth room.
The North around Chiang Mai
Doi Suthep above the city, an ethical elephant sanctuary, a cooking class, and a trek into the hill-tribe villages.
Dive and snorkel the Gulf
Koh Tao is one of the cheapest places in the world to learn to dive; Koh Samui and Koh Phangan sit an easy boat away.
Ancient Ayutthaya
A day trip from Bangkok by train, minivan or river cruise to the brick spires and Buddha-in-the-tree of the old capital.
Best time to visit & getting there
When to go
November–February is the cool, dry season and the most comfortable time to travel — also the busiest and most expensive, especially over the December holidays.
March–May is very hot, building to Songkran, the water-fight new year in April.
June–October is the green rainy season: lower prices and short, heavy downpours rather than all-day rain. Remember the coasts differ — the Andaman is wettest roughly May–October, the Gulf later, around October–December.
Getting there
Bangkok is the gateway, served by two airports: Suvarnabhumi (BKK) for most long-haul and full-service flights and Don Mueang (DMK) for low-cost and regional carriers.
Phuket (HKT) and Chiang Mai (CNX) take international flights directly, and cheap domestic hops link everything else — Krabi (KBV), Koh Samui (USM) and beyond.
The currency is the Thai baht. Cards work in cities and resorts; carry cash for markets and islands. Always check your current visa and passport-validity requirements before booking.
Thailand travel FAQ
When is the best time to visit Thailand?
November to February is the cool, dry season and the most comfortable time to travel — it's also the busiest and priciest. March to May is very hot; June to October is the green rainy season, when rates drop and rain tends to come in short bursts. Note the coasts differ: the Andaman is wettest roughly May–October, the Gulf islands later, around October–December.
What currency is used in Thailand?
The Thai baht (THB, symbol ฿). Cards are widely accepted in hotels, malls and city restaurants, but cash still rules at markets, street stalls and on the islands. ATMs are everywhere and usually the best way to get baht — though local machines add a fixed foreign-card withdrawal fee.
Phuket, Krabi or Koh Samui — which should I choose?
Phuket is the biggest and best-connected, with its own airport, the widest range of hotels and easy boats to Phi Phi and Phang Nga. Krabi (Ao Nang and Railay) is quieter and more dramatic — limestone cliffs and longtail boats. Koh Samui sits in the Gulf on a different weather pattern, with a resort-island feel and Koh Phangan next door. Many travellers pick one base and day-trip from it.
How many days do you need in Thailand?
For a first trip, ten to fourteen days is the sweet spot: a few days in Bangkok, a few in the North around Chiang Mai, and the rest on a beach or island. With only a week, pair Bangkok with a single island region rather than trying to cross the whole country.
Is Thailand safe for travellers?
Thailand is one of the most-visited countries in Asia, and the main tourist areas are travelled safely by millions of people every year. Use the usual sense: watch for taxi, tuk-tuk and gemstone scams, hire reputable boat and dive operators, ride motorbikes only if experienced and helmeted, and check your government's current travel advisory before you go.
Ready to plan your Thailand trip?
Compare hotels, flights and tours across Thailand — booked through Trip.com.
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