Thailand travel tips

What this page is for

The destination side of a Thailand trip is the fun part — choosing a coast, picking islands, building a route. The practical side is the part people put off, and it's where avoidable mistakes happen: a missed arrival card at the airport, a scooter rented without insurance, all your cash in cards on an island where the only ATM is empty. None of it is hard. It just needs settling once, before you fly, and then a few habits once you land.

This page is the index for all of that. Each section below is a short, plain-English orientation to one practical topic — what it is, what catches people out, and what to do about it — and then a link down to the dedicated guide that holds the full detail. Read this hub top to bottom for the whole checklist; click through to a single page when you want the depth. Think of it as the contents page for the practical cluster, not a replacement for it.

One standing caveat applies to everything on this page. Entry rules, visa categories, fees, tax rules and the arrival-card procedure are exactly the kind of thing governments change with little warning, so we keep the volatile specifics on the dedicated pages with a clear pointer to the official source — and we'd rather send you to verify the current rule than print a number that might be stale by the time you read it. Where a topic touches entry, money or the law, confirm it on the official government source before you act.

First time in Thailand

The beginner planning decisions — how many stops, what to book, and the mistakes to avoid.

Getting around Thailand

The transport hub — flights, trains, ferries, vans and how to read the route pages.

Before you fly: visa, entry and the TDAC arrival card

Two things have to line up before you land: a valid basis for entry, and the arrival card. The entry basis is either a visa or — for many nationalities and short trips — a visa exemption that lets you in for a set number of days without one. Which applies to you depends on your passport, your length of stay and your purpose, and the rules shift, so the visa page is where to check your own situation rather than assume a friend's experience still holds. Have a passport valid well beyond your trip and be ready to show onward travel.

The arrival card is the part that's new to returning visitors. Thailand replaced the paper TM6 with the Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC), submitted online within three days before arrival, including the arrival date. Most non-Thai nationals entering through immigration by air, land or sea need it. Thai nationals, airside transit or transfer passengers who do not pass immigration, crew and Border Pass users are published exceptions. The official TDAC is free; use only the government address and verify the URL before entering passport details.

If you're staying longer to live or work remotely, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) may fit. It is a five-year multiple-entry visa allowing up to 180 days per entry and generally requires financial evidence of at least 500,000 THB. The statement period and accepted document types vary by the mission processing the application: some request three months, some six, and some explicitly accept pay slips or sponsorship evidence. Follow your responsible Thai mission's current checklist rather than a universal third-party document rule.

Thailand visa & entry requirements

Visa, eVisa, exemption, passport validity and onward-travel checks — with official caveats.

Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

The TM6 replacement — when to submit it, how the online form works, and how to avoid fee-charging copycat sites.

Thailand DTV visa guide

The long-stay visa — 500,000-THB financial evidence, stays, validity and mission-specific document rules.

Money, cards and tipping

Thailand runs on the baht (THB). Hotels, larger restaurants, shopping centres and many tourist businesses accept cards; street-food stalls, fresh markets, songthaews, long-tail boats and small shops often want cash or a Thai QR transfer. Thai QR is dominant locally but is not available to every visitor with a foreign bank, so keep a working float of baht rather than relying on either QR or cards alone.

ATMs are everywhere, but foreign cards usually incur a fixed per-withdrawal fee on top of your home bank's charges, which makes lots of small withdrawals expensive — take out a sensible larger amount at once rather than dribbling cash from the machine. On smaller islands, ATMs can be sparse or temporarily out of cash, so top up on the mainland before a ferry. Tipping is appreciated but modest and not the rigid obligation it is in some countries; the money page covers the realistic norms by setting — restaurants, spas, drivers, hotels — without overstating them. Exchange rates and fees move, so verify current rates before relying on a number.

Money & tipping in Thailand

Cards, cash, ATMs, fees, QR payments, realistic tipping norms and island-cash strategy.

Thailand on a budget

Where the money actually goes, and how to cut hotel, transport and food costs without wrecking the trip.

Staying connected: eSIM and SIM cards

Data is what makes Thailand easy — maps, Grab, ferry and train bookings, translation and QR payments all assume you're online. Two routes get you connected. An eSIM you buy and install before you fly means you land already online, with nothing to swap; it's the simplest option if your phone supports it. A physical tourist SIM, bought at the airport or in town, is cheap and gives you a local number, but you'll need your passport to register it, as Thai SIMs are registered to the traveller.

Coverage is strong across the cities, the main tourist areas and most islands; it thins out in deep national parks and remote corners, which is worth knowing if your route runs through the mountains or the jungle. Pick the data package to your trip length and how heavily you lean on maps and uploads. The eSIM/SIM page compares the options, the registration step and what fits different routes.

Thailand eSIM & SIM card guide

Tourist SIMs vs eSIMs, airport pickup, coverage, registration and which data plan fits your route.

Safety and scams

Many visits to Thailand are trouble-free, but the practical risks include road crashes, drowning and rough seas, drink spiking and theft, heat, and region-specific security warnings. Check current government travel advice before departure and again if your route approaches a warned border or southern district.

Two laws often missed in older travel guides are important now: recreational cannabis is not permitted and cannabis flower is restricted to medical use under current Thai rules; possession or use of e-cigarettes and vaping products is illegal. Do not rely on shopfront availability as evidence that an activity or product is lawful.

Scams, where they happen, are mostly of the persistent-nuisance variety rather than the dangerous kind, and they cluster in predictable places: the rigged taxi meter or 'the temple is closed today, let me take you somewhere better' gem-and-tailor routine, the rental deposit you don't get back over invented scratches, and — increasingly — fake official-looking websites for visas and the arrival card that charge a fee for a free government service. Knowing the common scripts in advance defuses almost all of them; the scams page walks through each so you recognise it the moment it starts.

Is Thailand safe?

Practical safety for scams, roads, nightlife, boats, weather, solo travellers and families.

Thailand scams to avoid

Taxi, temple, gem, rental, ferry and fake-official-website scams — and how to sidestep each.

Health, water and the heat

Most travel illness in Thailand is the ordinary stuff — an upset stomach, dehydration, sunburn, the odd insect bite — rather than anything exotic. Tap water isn't for drinking; bottled and filtered water is cheap and everywhere, and reputable street food, eaten hot and freshly cooked from a busy stall, is generally a safe and joyful part of the trip. The heat and humidity are the under-rated hazard: pace temple days for the early morning and evening, drink far more water than feels necessary, and respect the midday sun.

For specifics — mosquito-borne illnesses and how to reduce bites, pharmacies and clinics, what to pack in a small medical kit, and when to see a doctor — the health page is the master. Check current health guidance from an official travel-health source for your departure point before you go, especially for any recommended vaccinations, since that advice is updated over time.

Thailand health & safety guide

Food and water safety, mosquitoes, pharmacies, clinics, heat and the common health issues.

Street food in Thailand

How to eat the street food safely and well — what to order, and where it shines.

What to pack

Thailand asks little of a suitcase. It's hot and humid almost year-round, so light, breathable, quick-drying clothes do most of the work, with one important exception: temples have a dress code, so pack at least one outfit that covers shoulders and knees for visiting them. A light rain layer matters more in the green season; a small dry-bag earns its place for boat days and waterfalls.

The classic over-packing mistake is bringing too much and too heavy — laundry is cheap and quick everywhere, so you can travel lighter than instinct suggests, and ferries and scooters reward a small bag. The packing page runs the full list by season and trip type, including the temple-appropriate outfit, beach and rain gear, electronics and the small medical kit.

What to pack for Thailand

Clothes, temple-appropriate outfits, rain and beach gear, electronics, medicines and island-packing mistakes.

Best time to visit Thailand

What the season means for what you pack — cool, hot and green, and the coast split.

Getting around: transport, scooters and ride apps

Moving around Thailand is its own skill, and it's where a trip is won or lost — the country is cheap and well-connected by flight, train, night train, bus, van and ferry, but the decision on any leg is rarely about distance. It's flight versus sleeper train, the last-ferry risk on an island day, the weather buffer, and whether to reorder your route. The transport hub and the individual route pages cover all of that; start there for any city-to-island or cross-country leg.

Two on-the-ground modes deserve their own caution. Scooters are a high-risk choice: many rentals are uninsured, helmets are required, and most non-ASEAN visitors need an International Driving Permit with motorcycle entitlement alongside the home licence. Qualifying ASEAN-issued licences are an exception under Thai guidance, but insurance terms may be stricter. Read the scooter page before renting and confirm that the policy covers the bike and engine size. For short city hops, ride apps can provide an upfront fare; the ride-app page explains their limits and alternatives.

Getting around Thailand

Flights, trains, night trains, buses, vans and ferries compared — and how the route pages connect.

Scooter rental in Thailand

Licences, insurance, deposits, road risk, helmet rules, scams and safer alternatives.

Taxis, Grab & ride apps in Thailand

Using Grab, Bolt, songthaews, tuk-tuks and airport rides without overpaying.

Travel insurance — the one thing not to skip

If there's a single non-optional item on this list beyond the entry rules, it's insurance. Private hospitals in Thailand are good but bills are paid by you, and a scooter accident, a diving mishap or a medical evacuation can run to figures that dwarf the trip's whole cost. The catch most travellers miss is the small print: many standard policies exclude riding a motorbike, scuba diving and certain adventure activities unless you specifically add them — so the cover has to match what you'll actually do.

The insurance page covers what to check — adequate medical and evacuation limits, the motorbike and diving exclusions, ferry and flight-delay cover, theft and cancellation — so the policy holds when you need it. Read it alongside the scooter and diving pages if either is on your itinerary, and confirm the specifics with the insurer before you buy.

Travel insurance for Thailand

Medical and evacuation cover, motorbike and diving exclusions, ferry, flight-delay, theft and cancellation.

Etiquette and travelling responsibly

A little cultural fluency goes a long way in Thailand and is genuinely appreciated. The headline customs are easy: dress modestly at temples and remove your shoes where asked, treat images of the King and Buddha with real respect (this is taken seriously and protected by law), keep your cool in disputes since visible anger loses face for everyone, and learn the wai greeting and a couple of polite words. The etiquette page covers greetings, temples, shoes, bargaining, nightlife and beach norms in one place.

Travelling responsibly overlaps with all of it. The big one is animal tourism — choose genuine no-riding, no-bathing elephant sanctuaries over rides and shows, and skip attractions built on captive wildlife. On the reefs and in the marine parks, follow the rules on sunscreen, touching coral and feeding fish; some sites close seasonally to recover, so verify before you book a tour there. The responsible-travel page pulls together ethical wildlife, reef and temple care, overtourism and supporting local operators.

Thailand etiquette guide

Greetings, temples, shoes, tipping, bargaining, nightlife and beach norms for visitors.

Responsible travel in Thailand

Ethical wildlife, reef and temple etiquette, overtourism, plastic and choosing local operators.

Putting the checklist together

A simple order keeps all of this manageable. Before you book, settle the entry basis — confirm your visa or exemption, and if you're staying long, identify the Thai mission that would process a DTV and read its financial-evidence checklist. In the weeks before you fly, arrange connectivity, sort travel insurance that matches what you'll do, and read the scooter page if you intend to ride. In the final days, submit the TDAC if it applies once you're inside its three-day window, and pack the temple-appropriate outfit and a rain layer.

On the ground, the habits are short: keep a baht float for cash-and-QR places, top up money before island ferries, ride apps for city hops, helmets and care on any scooter, water and shade through the heat, and a respectful eye on temple and wildlife etiquette. Do those, and the practical side of Thailand fades into the background — which is exactly the point. Use the linked pages above whenever you want the full detail on any one item, and verify the entry, money and visa specifics on the official source before you act on them.

First time in Thailand

Turn the practical checklist into a first-trip plan — what to book and in what order.

Biggest Thailand planning mistakes

The avoidable errors — overpacked routes, bad ferry timing, scooter mistakes and visa assumptions.