Simran Sharma
August 17, 2018
LAND OF SMILES "THAILAND"
Thailand’s nickname says enough! This country is all about its smiles and it is one of the pillars of The Thailand tourism industry. On the banana pancake trail, the most popular island hopping route in Thailand, you will find some fierce Thai people dealing with annoying tourists every day and yes they are grumpy. But this does not mean you can generalize a whole country. Thailand is among the friendliest nations around the world and they are always willing to help out a stranger.For those people traveling to Thailand soon, I wrote this blog about all the things you should know when you travel to Thailand. Everything you can imagine, from places to see, things to do, food, accommodation options, weather, safety issues and many more things.
Things to know when you visit Thailand.
1.Visa
What do you need to travel to Thailand? A passport that is valid for at least another 6months upon entry into Thailand. Most Western countries get a stamp in their passports upon arrival that permits them to stay up to 30 days. May you arrive over land, until December 2016 would only get a 15-day visa, but luckily things changed. Nowadays you also get a 30-day visa if you enter Thailand over land, but be aware that you can only do two over land crossings per year.Overstaying your visa is not recommended, but if it is only a couple days you have to pay a 500 THB ($16) fine per day. It happened to me a couple times and it takes 15 minutes extra at the airport. After you pay you get a lot of stamps in your passport and you are good to go. Be careful with this practice though.If you want to stay longer you can apply for a 2-month tourist visa at any embassy around the world. I have done that a couple times as well so you have enough time to check out all the cool places to visit in Thailand.
2. Weather in Thailand
It does not get extremely hot in Thailand and on the islands there is always a breeze or the ocean to cool you off, but who does not love a tropical climate? The pleasant climate is one of the main reasons to travel to Thailand and even when it rains there are a lot of cool things to do.
3. Currency in Thailand
In Thailand they use the Thai Baht and 1 US dollar is about 30 Thai Baht. Obviously the currency exchange changes over time, but in general the Thai Baht is pretty stable. In 20015 I got 48 Baht for my Euro but the last years it is pretty stable around 38-40 THB. Can you use dollar in Thailand? It is recommended not to use US dollars when you travel to Thailand, always have local currency on you. There are ATMs everywhere and basically everywhere you can change your dollars into Thai Baht.
4. Things to bring when you visit Thailand
If you are planning to go to backpacking in Thailand you basically don’t need much. Definitely put sunscreen, flipflops, beach wear and bug spray on your list. Later I will also talk about shopping and then you will find out that everything you forget you can buy in Thailand. Shopping is a reason to travel to Thailand for many people.
5. Is it safe to travel to Thailand
Thailand is very safe for tourists! Every country has its problems and many people don’t even know that the army officially is in power, but as a tourist there are hardly any dangers. With millions of people a year traveling to Thailand the country knows that safety is an important issue and they are doing there utmost best to maintain this safe environment for tourists. No need to hide the ugly truth either about the Koh Tao Murders that happened only a couple hundred meters away from where I was celebrating my birthday that night.
What to know about the culture when you visit Thailand
Despite all these amazing things to see and do, the Thai culture should also be one of the reasons you want to travel to Thailand. The combination of the Thai lifestyle, the food, the Buddhism, the people, the magical islands and the inspiring temples make it why they call this the country of Smiles.
1. Late King is God
The King of Thailand was the longest reigning king in the world, but unfortunately died in October 2016. The Thai King was and still is like a God for Thai people, so never mention anything about him. After he died the country mourned for 1 year.
2. Don’t touch people’s head
Another thing that is sacred in Thai culture is the head. I am not sure why you are willing to touch someones head anyway, but don’t poke a Thai guys head on your Thailand vacation. ;)
3. Temple heaven
A Thailand holiday is not complete when you haven’t crossed off a whole list of temples. Thailand is not only the land of smiles but also the one and only place to go from temple to temple. Only in Bangkok there are so many temples that you might be templed-out already after a couple days. Visiting the Grand Palace is a must do in Bangkok though. And don’t forget the white temple in Chiang Rai or the ones at Ayutthaya.
4.Take off your shoes
A vital travel tip for Thailand is to take off your shoes when being asked. It is a rule of etiquette to leave your shoes outside a local home, small shops or authentic restaurants. Now you know why you see all these shoes in front of places on your Thailand trip.
5. Muay Thai
Of course Thai Boxing is the number one sport. This martial art is like kickboxing but includes elbows and knees. Attending a Muay Thai show is one of those unique things to do in Thailand on your vacation. In all tourists spots in Thailand you will find a show nearby.
6. Local markets
Wherever your Thailand trip takes you, local markets are always around. If you like shopping go to the ones where they sell fake sunglasses, fake branded underwear and clothes. But if you want a real experience go to the ones where they sell vegetables, fruits, animals and fish. These places are the ultimate occasions to mingle with locals and see how the Thai people live.
7. Street food
There is no better street food scene than in the land of smiles. Asia is heaven for street food, but Thailand is the best when it comes down to finding delicious food on every street corner. You will never have to walk far to stumble upon a street vendor. The food is delicious, it will be prepared per order and very important it can be trusted! Can you trust the street food in Thailand? HELL YES you can! Don’t let all those Thailand travel guides tell you to be careful with street food. I probably ate on the streets about a thousand times and I NEVER got sick. I you go backpacking in Thailand street food is a cheap way to feed you on a daily basis, but be aware that there is a lot of MSG in Thai street food. Order it without MSG by saying ‘Mai Sai Phong Churot’.
Cool Festivals to attend on your trip to Thailand
One of the best Thailand tips is to plan your trip around this incredible festival between 13 and 15 April. During Songkran, Thai New Year, everyone throws water at each other, which is a symbol for washing away sins and bad luck. Streets are closed for traffic and Bangkok becomes one big playground. Buy some goggles and a water pistol and feel like a kid again. Trust me Songkran is a reason to visit Thailand!
2. Lantern festival in Chiang Mai
For some reason I completely missed the opportunity of going to the famous Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai. One of my biggest travel mistakes. This incredible event has been on my bucketlist for a long time now and is the main reason for some tourists to plan a trip to Thailand. Thousands of lanterns are going up in the air to release bad vibes and have a fresh start. The festival is held around mid November, but varies every year.
3. Full moon party
While looking for Thailand travel tips I am sure you found out about the famous.Full Moon party in Koh Phangan. This monthly returning festival is an incredibly popular beach party and listed in every travel guide for Thailand. Dance on the beach during full moon all the way till sunrise with up to 40,000 people. If you decide to go to Koh Phangan also consider the Half Moon or the Jungle Party, read more about that later or click on the link to read about my experiences partying in Koh Phangan. I have been 4 times now and yes it is good fun, but there are also downsides.
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Hello, Simran Sharma with some blogs about my Travel Stories to suggest you and guide you to Get easy while Travelling.