33 Things you Should Know Before Travelling to Thailand

 (This post contains affiliate links, for more information read this privacy policy)

Hey there! Heading to Thailand or at least thinking about it? I have been to Thailand three times so far and I really love this country and would always go back! Mostly because there are so many great activities to do in Thailand.

From zip-lining to scuba diving or trekking and visiting temples, there will be something to do for each and every traveller.

But I also thought it would be nice to create a little list of 33 things you should know before traveling to Thailand and planning your Thailand itinerary. I also really love reading these types of posts on other blogs so I thought I could give it a try.

Ok, here we go, here are 33 Things you should know before traveling to Thailand!

1. A lot of times you can bargain to pay less for items at street vendors
2. Thai Food is the best food ever!
3. And street food and food in general is super cheap
4. 7/11 Toasties will make up for breakfast, lunch and midnight snacks
5. You can get some great and cheap shopping done in Thailand
6. And yes, you will probably be ending up with a pair of elephant pants
7. In Thailand itself you will find a whole bunch of first time travellers
8. Maybe because from Thailand you can also really easily travel to the neighbouring countries such as Malaysia, Cambodia or Laos
9. And you can get pretty cheap flights to Bangkok
10. There are so many travel agencies everywhere
11. Most backpackers will stick to the main party islands
12. I guess that explains why some islands are full of garbage and plastic, which is pretty sad
13. Maya Bay does not look like it did in the movie
14. In general, the islands in the South are more expensive than the North of Thailand
15. DO NOT ride elephants or visit Tiger Temples
16. If you want to get close to elephants there are several ethical Elephant Sanctuaries in Chiang Mai, such as the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and the Elephant Nature Park that do not include elephant riding
17. If you travel during the rain-season you will have more luck with the weather on the islands in the East
18. Koh Tao Island is one of the cheapest and best place to get your Open Water Scuba Diving Certificate
19. If you travel to Koh Phangan for the full moon Party, you should book your accommodation in advance and there will often be a minimum stay of 5 days
20. Beach Parties are awesome!!
21. Especially if they include free fire shows
22. You will probably drink your alcohol out of a bucket but make sure you go to a place where you can see how it is mixed to avoid getting drugged
23. Let’s just say, a lot of backpackers only come to Thailand to party
24. But if you travel during religious holidays you will not be able to officially buy alcohol
25. The King is really important in Thailand and you should never show any disrespect towards the king
26. The main religion in Thailand is Buddhism, so you will find a lot of temples around. Be respectful and cover yourself up and wear long clothes
27. Also do not get any Buddha tattoos or Buddha decoration as that is seen as disrespect towards their religion
28. In many houses and stores you are required to take of your shoes before you enter
29. Also get used to Squad toilets
30. And don’t throw any toilet paper in the toilet as it will get blocked
31. Mosquitos in Thailand are awful, so make sure to always carry your mosquito spray
32. Thailand has very strict drug laws, so stay away from drugs
33. And finally, getting from point to another always takes forever because it will include a lot of waiting time in between

And those are 33 things you should know before traveling to Thailand! Or at least 33 things that I could come up with so far. I think Thailand is an amazing country, especially for first time travellers. But I’m really curious if there is anything on this list that you disagree with or that I should add.

Let me know in the comments.

And if you are looking for cheap accommodation in Thailand then Hostelworld will be able to offer you the best possible deals! 🙂

Until next time x

pin this post for later