Thailand Travel Guide
Thailand is the country that made Southeast Asia easy — and then quietly kept a great deal of itself in reserve. Beyond the beaches and the famous street food lies a landscape of ruined capitals, teak temples and river towns that most visitors never reach.
Thailand is the only nation in Southeast Asia never colonised, and that continuity shows: in a monarchy and a Buddhist practice woven through daily life, in an architectural tradition that developed without interruption, and in a confidence that makes the country feel welcoming rather than deferential.
Thailand stretches from the misty hills of the Lao and Burmese borders to a tropical isthmus with a coastline on two separate seas — which is why it can offer trekking, temple ruins and world-class diving in a single fortnight. Travel here is straightforward and excellent value.
Explore our Thailand Tour Packages to see the shape of a full itinerary.
Where to Go in Thailand
Most trips combine the capital, one cultural region and one stretch of coast. Two weeks is the natural length; 10 days means choosing between the north and the islands.
Bangkok & the Central Plains
Bangkok is one of the great cities of Asia and rewards more time than it usually gets. The essentials are the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew, the reclining Buddha at Wat Pho, and Wat Arun across the river at sunset. The city is best understood from the water — a longtail boat through the Thonburi canals, or the commuter ferry up the Chao Phraya.
Beyond that: Chatuchak weekend market (around 15,000 stalls), the flower market at Pak Khlong Talat before dawn, Chinatown's Yaowarat road for the best street eating in the country, and a rooftop bar for the skyline at night.
North of the capital, Ayutthaya was the Siamese capital for four centuries until its destruction in 1767, and its brick temple ruins — including the famous Buddha head held in the roots of a fig tree — make the finest day trip from Bangkok. Kanchanaburi, to the west, combines beauty with sombre history: the River Kwai bridge and the Death Railway, war cemeteries and museums, set against limestone hills, waterfalls and Erawan National Park.
The Ancient Capitals
Sukhothai is the birthplace of the Thai state and, for many travellers, the single most beautiful site in the country: a UNESCO World Heritage park of lotus-bud stupas and serene walking Buddhas, best explored by bicycle at first light. Its sister city Phitsanulok nearby holds Wat Phra Si Rattana Mahathat and its revered golden Buddha, and makes a natural base. Si Satchanalai, a short drive north, is quieter still.
The North
Chiang Mai is the cultural capital of the north — a walled old city holding more than 300 temples, a superb food scene, craft villages, cooking schools and the mountain temple of Doi Suthep above it. It's also the base for ethical elephant sanctuaries and for trekking among the hill-tribe communities of the surrounding hills.
Chiang Rai, further north, offers the startling contemporary White Temple, the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet, and quieter mountain scenery. Pai draws travellers to a laid-back valley of hot springs and waterfalls, and Lampang — one of the most underrated towns in Thailand, where horse-drawn carriages still work the streets — holds Wat Phra That Lampang Luang, among the finest surviving wooden temples in the country.
The Islands & Beaches
Two coasts, two seasons. On the Andaman side, Phuket is the largest island and the best connected, with the limestone spires of Phang Nga Bay offshore; Krabi, Railay and Ao Nang offer climbing and longtail-boat beaches; and Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and remote Koh Lipe run from busy to blissfully quiet.
On the Gulf side, Koh Samui anchors an archipelago that includes Koh Phangan (quieter than its full-moon reputation suggests) and Koh Tao — one of the cheapest and best places in the world to learn to dive. Closer to Bangkok, Hua Hin is the royal seaside town, and Koh Chang near the Cambodian border remains comparatively undeveloped.
The Northeast & the Border
Isaan, the vast northeastern plateau, is the least-visited region and the most distinctly Thai — Khmer temple ruins at Phanom Rung, Mekong river towns, silk weaving, and the country's spiciest cooking. Aranyaprathet sits on the Cambodian frontier, known for its border markets and as the overland gateway between Bangkok and Siem Reap.
Best Time to Visit Thailand
Thailand runs on three seasons:
- November–February (cool, dry): the best time to travel almost everywhere — clear skies, comfortable temperatures, peak hotel demand
- March–May (hot): often intensely so, with temperatures above 40°C in the central plains, though it suits the islands and brings Songkran
- June–October (green season): heavy but usually short afternoon downpours, lower prices, lush landscapes
The two coasts differ, which is useful for planning:
- Andaman (Phuket, Krabi): May-October
- Gulf islands (Samui, Phangan, Tao): November-December
So a rainy Andaman season doesn't rule out the Gulf islands, and vice versa. Northern Thailand has a burning season roughly February–April, when agricultural haze can significantly affect air quality around Chiang Mai.
How Many Days Do You Need in Thailand?
Seven days covers Bangkok plus one island or beach. Ten days is the standard first-visit balance: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, then a beach finish. Fourteen days adds the ancient capitals and both Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai before heading south. Three weeks or more suits a second visit into Isaan or the far-southern islands.
Sample Itineraries
- One week: Bangkok (3 nights) with a day at Ayutthaya, then 4 nights on one island or beach — Krabi or Samui, depending on season.
- Ten days: Bangkok → Chiang Mai (3 nights of temples, cooking and an elephant sanctuary) → the south for the beach.
- Two weeks: Bangkok → Ayutthaya → Sukhothai → Chiang Mai → Chiang Rai, then fly south for a week split between an Andaman and a Gulf island. Adding Kanchanaburi at the start is easily done.
- Three weeks+: Add Isaan and the Khmer ruins at Phanom Rung, the Mekong river towns, Khao Sok National Park, the far-southern islands around Koh Lipe, or an overland run to Siem Reap through Aranyaprathet.
Getting Around Thailand
Domestic flights are cheap and frequent, making short work of Bangkok to Chiang Mai or the southern islands. The overnight sleeper train to Chiang Mai is a comfortable and enjoyable alternative, and the southern line runs toward the Malaysian border.
Long-distance buses and minivans reach everywhere; ferries and speedboats connect the islands, with schedules thinning in the wet season. In Bangkok, the BTS Skytrain and MRT metro beat the traffic comfortably, and river ferries are both practical and scenic. Agree tuk-tuk fares before setting off, or use a ride-hailing app.
Where to Stay in Thailand
Thailand invented the modern Asian resort, and it shows:
- Beach resorts — Phuket, Krabi, Samui and Hua Hin span every budget, with the top tier competing with anywhere in the world
- Bangkok riverside hotels — several are legendary, and worth a night even on a short stay
- Boutique shophouse hotels — a Chiang Mai and Bangkok speciality
- Jungle lodges and tented camps — around Khao Sok and the northern hills
- Simple beach bungalows — still plentiful on the smaller islands
- Longtail or liveaboard nights — in the Andaman, or a raft house on the River Kwai at Kanchanaburi
What to Eat in Thailand
Thai cooking balances sweet, sour, salty and hot in every dish, and changes sharply by region.
The essentials: tom yum goong (hot and sour prawn soup), tom kha gai (its milder coconut cousin), green/red/massaman curries, som tam (fiery green papaya salad), and pad thai (far better than its reputation when made properly at a street stall).
- North: khao soi (coconut curry noodle soup with crisp noodles on top), sai ua herb sausage, nam prik ong relish
- Isaan: larb minced meat salad, sticky rice eaten by hand
- Coast: whole grilled fish, pu phat pong karee (crab in yellow curry)
Finish with mango sticky rice, and drink the iced coffee — it's superb.
Festivals and Top Experiences
Major festivals:
- Songkran (mid-April) — Thai New Year and the world's largest water fight, though it originates in water poured over Buddha images and elders' hands as a blessing
- Loy Krathong (November) — candlelit floats set adrift on every waterway; coincides with Yi Peng in the north, when thousands of paper lanterns rise over Chiang Mai
- Vegetarian Festival (Phuket, October) — startling and not for the squeamish
- Candle Festival (Ubon Ratchathani, July) — enormous carved wax sculptures paraded
- Elephant Round-up (Surin, November)
Top experiences:
- Cycling the temple ruins of Sukhothai or Ayutthaya at dawn, before the heat
- A longtail boat through the Bangkok canals or across Phang Nga Bay
- A Thai cooking class, starting with a market tour
- An ethical elephant sanctuary visit near Chiang Mai — observation, not riding
- Almsgiving at dawn, then a night market in the evening
- Learning to dive at Koh Tao, or snorkelling the Similan Islands
- The overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Shopping in Thailand
Thailand is where most travellers do their serious buying, and Bangkok is the centre of it. Chatuchak weekend market runs to some 15,000 stalls and is best approached early with a plan; MBK and the Pratunam district handle the cheap end, and the malls along Sukhumvit the polished one. Asiatique and the night markets are more relaxed browsing.
For craft, the north beats the capital. Chiang Mai offers silverwork, celadon, lacquer, mulberry paper and the craft villages along the San Kamphaeng road, with the Sunday Walking Street the single best market in the country. Look also for Thai silk from Isaan and Jim Thompson, hill-tribe textiles, benjarong porcelain, carved teak and spirit houses. Bargain politely and with a smile — aggression gets you nowhere here.
Essential Travel Information
- Visa: Australian passport holders can currently enter visa-free for short tourist stays — rules change, so we confirm requirements for every booking.
- Currency: Thai baht. Cards widely accepted in cities and resorts; cash needed at markets and in smaller towns.
- Etiquette: Dress respectfully at temples — shoulders and knees covered, shoes off. Never touch anyone's head, never point your feet at a person or a Buddha image, and treat all images of the monarchy with respect — a legal matter as well as a cultural one. Buddha image exports are restricted; do not buy them as souvenirs.
- Health: Consult a travel doctor about hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies vaccination. Dengue is present year-round; malaria is limited to remote border areas.
- Insurance: Essential, particularly for motorbike incidents — the single most common cause of serious injury among visitors, and excluded from many standard policies.
- Safety: Be cautious with jet-ski and motorbike hire, the most common sources of trouble for visitors. Private hospitals in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket are excellent and widely used by international patients.
- Connectivity: A local SIM or eSIM is cheap, fast and available at every airport.
- Responsible travel: Choose elephant sanctuaries that are strictly observation-only — no riding, no bathing, no performances — and avoid tiger attractions entirely. Reef-safe sunscreen is now required in several marine national parks.
Ready to plan your trip?
Explore our Thailand Tour Packages, or speak to an Instatrip Thailand consultant about a tailor-made itinerary.
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