General information about Thailand
Thailand has a total area of approximately 513,120 square kilometres. It is the 50th largest country in the world and offers an impressive variety of landscapes, from dense rainforests and hilly areas to breathtaking beaches and islands. Bangkok is the capital.
Thailand’s favourable location is an important hub in South-East Asia. It also borders the following countries: Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. This makes it a perfect starting point for travellers. It is therefore more than easy to leave by bus, ferry, train or flight. It is even possible to take a train from Bangkok to Singapore, but this option is very expensive.
We actually wanted to take a ferry from the island of Langkawi in Malaysia to Thailand. However, it doesn’t run during the rainy season, but only between October and May.
Thailand has a tropical climate that is divided into three main seasons:
- The hot season: from March to June. Temperatures can reach up to 40°C during this time, especially in the central and northern parts of the country.
- The rainy season: from May to October. During these months it is still warm, but temperatures are usually between 26°C and 32°C and there is frequent, heavy rainfall.
- The cool season: from November to February. This period is the most pleasant climatically, with temperatures between 18°C and 32°C. Especially in the north of Thailand, temperatures can drop significantly at night during this time of year, while it remains warm and pleasant in the south.
The people are very friendly and mostly speak English. Whether on the street, in temples, in restaurants, shops or accommodation, we were always greeted with a friendly Sawatdee, where people bow a little and hold their palms together as if praying.
It is interesting to note that Thailand is a kingdom and royal stamps, flags and photos of the king and queen can be found throughout Thailand. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are also based on the birthdays of the royal couple and would change with the new king.
Thai language
The official language in Thailand is Thai. However, English is widely spoken, especially in urban areas and tourist regions.
As it is important to us as travellers in a foreign country to immerse ourselves in the language, we like to look at the most important terms in advance and use them in everyday life. This also builds a good relationship with the locals because you show an interest in the culture and the country. They are also always happy to help you with pronunciation and teach you other words.
It is important to differentiate whether you are speaking as a woman or a man, because for example, hello – Sawasdee – is pronounced Sawasdee-ka for women and Sawasdee-crab if you are speaking as a man.
Here is a small list of words in Thai for beginners:
- Hello – สวัสดี (sawasdee)
- Thank you – ขอบคุณ (khob khun)
- Goodbye – ลาก่อน (laa gorn)
- No – ไม่ (mai)
- Yes – ใช่ (chai)
- Please – กรุณา (karuna)
- Excuse me – ขอโทษ (khor thot)
- How are you doing? – คุณสบายดีไหม (khun sa-baai-dee mai)
- Good morning – สวัสดีตอนเช้า (sawasdee ton chao)
- Good morning – สวัสดีตอนบ่าย (sawasdee ton bai)
- Where is…? – …อยู่ที่ไหน (…yuu tee nai)
- How much does it cost? – ราคาเท่าไหร่า (raa-khaa tao-rai)
- Delicious – อร่อย (aroi)
- Water – น้ำ (nam)
- Food – อาหาร (ahaan)
- Bathroom/toilet – ห้องน้ำ (hong nam)
- Without – ไม่ใส่ (mai sai)
- Meat – เนื้อ (nuea)
- Fish – ปลา (pla)
- Vegetarian – มังสวิรัติ (mang sa wi rat)
Time difference
Thailand is in the GMT+8 time zone, which means that it is six hours ahead of German time in winter and five hours ahead in summer.
Visa
With a German passport you do not need a visa and may stay in Thailand for a full 60 days. Proof of departure must be presented on entry. This is often in the form of a flight ticket or confirmation of onward travel to a neighbouring country.
Currency
The official currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht (THB). The currency code is THB, the currency is also abbreviated with the symbol ฿. The exchange rate fluctuates, but averages around 1 euro = 38 baht. Credit cards are accepted in most urban areas, but it is advisable to always have some cash with you for small purchases. There is no ATM in Thailand that does not charge a fee of at least 220 THB. With a card there is almost always an additional fee of 2-3%. In some shops, such as 7/11, there is a minimum purchase amount of 200 THB before you can pay by card.
Food
There is a wide variety of food in Thailand. Supermarkets are rather rare and very expensive, which often makes even cooking difficult or even too expensive, as meals such as fried rice with vegetables start at €1.40. Thai cuisine consists mainly of rice dishes, meat and fish. A large supermarket chain is Lotus.
As we are vegetarians, it was still easy for us to find vegetarian dishes everywhere, as the restaurants or street parlours simply left out the meat or added tofu and one. Among the most popular dishes are Pad Thai and Tom kha Kai.
Phat Thai or Pad Thai is a traditional Thai noodle dish. It consists mainly of rice noodles, whisked eggs, fish sauce, tamarind paste, chopped garlic cloves, chilli powder and mung bean sprouts.
Tom kha kai or tom kha gai is a dish of Thai cuisine. The main ingredients are coconut milk, chicken, galangal and lemongrass. The underlying curry soup Tom Kha can also be prepared with other meats, seafood or vegetarian instead of chicken. The food is often very spicy, so if you have any intolerances, it is better to order dishes without chilli and not with a little chilli to be on the safe side.
We always enjoyed the Thai cuisine and were pleasantly surprised. Especially Pad Thai and the various curry dishes made with delicious coconut milk. However, we were most impressed by the foreign fruit such as rambutan, mangosteen and longan. In the more touristy places, there was often a variation of western dishes, which was also a change for us.Phat Thai or Pad Thai is a traditional Thai noodle dish. It consists mainly of rice noodles, whisked eggs, fish sauce, tamarind paste, chopped garlic cloves, chilli powder and mung bean sprouts.
Tom kha kai or tom kha gai is a dish of Thai cuisine. The main ingredients are coconut milk, chicken, galangal and lemongrass. The underlying curry soup Tom Kha can also be prepared with other meats, seafood or vegetarian instead of chicken. The food is often very spicy, so if you have any intolerances, it is better to order dishes without chilli and not with a little chilli to be on the safe side.
We always enjoyed the Thai cuisine and were pleasantly surprised. Especially Pad Thai and the various curry dishes made with delicious coconut milk. However, we were most impressed by the foreign fruit such as rambutan, mangosteen and longan. In the more touristy places, there was often a variation of western dishes, which was also a change for us.
Means of transport
The transport system in Thailand is very well developed and therefore perfectly adapted for travellers like us with buses, e-hailing and taxis. For longer journeys from the south to the north or vice versa, there are also trains or flights.
App Grab: It‘ s best to download the app in advance and then call a taxi from anywhere. Comparable to Uber. The difference to regular taxis is that the price is already fixed in advance and is paid directly when booking via the app. This means you don’t need cash and the price doesn’t change during the journey. You get the verified name of the driver, the licence plate number, the type of car and can share the location or the journey with someone, so you feel really safe. We continue to use the Grab app as much as possible. We were able to test a trial month of Grab Unlimited, which included numerous coupons, making it even more attractive to use. Grab not only allows you to book cars, but also scooters, which then transport you from one place to another.
Taxi: There you will find a taximeter and the actual price only becomes clear at the end of the journey. Unfortunately, these taximeters are often manipulated and the previously discussed price is far exceeded. The advantage: taxis are available everywhere, even where Grab is prohibited or not available. They are often more expensive than Grab and charge according to the taximeter. Sometimes the prices can be fixed in advance so that no further costs are added.
Buses: There are many buses throughout Thailand. There are small buses in the form of 9-seater sprinters, 15-seater 25-seater buses and even larger coaches. Tickets can be booked at tour offices or online. We use the 12go website for this . Bangkok has a well-developed bus system. We looked up the routes on Google Maps in advance and then asked on the bus. To stop a bus, you have to wait at a signposted bus stop and then signal to the bus driver that you want to get on the bus, because only then will it stop. Tickets are sold directly on the bus and cost us just 10 THB.
Train: There is a train system within the city. Tickets can be booked via 12go, on site at the ticket counter.
Ferry: We used the ferry to get to the island of Koh Samui. It took around 90 minutes and departed from Suratthani. Tickets are available directly on site, from 12Go or in advance from a ticket agency. The boat was very large, with a minimarket and with the provider Seatrans. From Koh Samui to Koh Pha Ngang and Koh Tao it was the provider Lomprayah and we bought the ticket via Klook. There are two different options from Koh Tao to Chumphon. Either by ferry, which takes 90 minutes, or by night ferry, which has beds and travels overnight, as the name suggests. We took the fast ferry for just under €40 and then a VIP bus to Bangkok and travelled for almost 11 hours in total. From the harbours on the islands, we could either walk to our accommodation or had to take a taxi, which we had booked directly with our accommodation in advance.
Boat taxis in Bangkok: In Bangkok, there is also the option of travelling from A to B by boat. This meant that we had a kind of sightseeing boat trip included. One way costs just 16 baht per person, payable in cash on the boat or directly at the harbour. There are signposts at the harbour where you can see the route. Google Maps also shows you which boat you can take, as the system works in a similar way to a metro line. There are different coloured routes with different stops. Orange, green and yellow. You should therefore make sure you choose the right boat beforehand.
Flight: Sometimes the prices for a flight are cheaper than the bus if you are in a hurry and are not planning a stopover on the way. Thailand is a very long country and therefore it takes a long time even by bus. To get from the south to the north quickly, a flight is worthwhile. If you have the time and inclination, you can make stops along the way by bus or train.
On foot: To save money and work on our fitness, we always wanted to walk as much as possible. Walking is the best way to explore. However, even here the pavements often stopped or were blocked by cars. The sights can often be easily reached on foot, but it is a lot of walking and the favourable e-hailing prices make it worthwhile to be driven.
Scooters: In some places you can easily hire scooters. A scooter should always be used with caution and at your own risk. There are small places where it makes a lot of sense, as there is little traffic, but in the big cities you should leave the driving to the professionals. And wearing a helmet should not be a question, if there is no helmet available, you should hire the scooter somewhere else. The scooter helped us a lot on the island of Koh Samui in particular, but not so much on Koh Tao, as people drive very dangerously there and accidents often happen. On the smaller islands in particular, petrol is available in alcohol bottles by the roadside. They will help you fill up with petrol.
Tuk Tuk: This type of transport is mainly found in Bangkok and is one of the biggest tourist traps. The drivers demand a lot of money and want to sell you whole tours to places where the tourists are then charged even more money. They stop at shops to get a commission.
SIM card
If you want to book your SIM card in advance, you can do this easily and conveniently using the Airalo or Nomad app. This time we used Saily for the first time as it was cheaper. However, you can also find them everywhere and on every corner. They are slightly more expensive at the airport than in the typical tour shops in the city. Here you hand in your mobile phone and the staff take care of activating it. Everything is set so that the German number continues to work for WhatsApp.
Excursions and activities
Klook is an app that allows you to book various activities at a lower price. It is particularly well known and popular in Asia.
GetYourGuide is also a globally recognised and popular app for booking excursions. These can almost always be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours in advance. We ourselves have tested GetYourGuide in several countries, including France, the Netherlands, Tenerife, Turkey, Egypt and the Dominican Republic, and have never been disappointed.
Excursions can also be booked locally the day before or on the day in most accommodation or small street shops. Many accommodations send a WhatsApp list of options after booking or if you want to plan in advance, ask your accommodation directly.
Accommodation
We usually book our accommodation either via Booking.com or Airbnb. If you make several bookings with Booking.com, you get different Genius levels and therefore discounts or other benefits. These often include free breakfast and special offers. However, we often compared the prices with Agoda and Airbnb.
Our itinerary
Phuket→🚌
Thungsong → 🚗 🚌⛴️
Koh Samui → ⛴️
Ko Pa ngang → ⛴️
Koh Tao → ⛴️🚌
Bangkok → ✈️
Thung Song
A cute little place between Phuket and Koh Samui. There are virtually no tourists there and we particularly liked that. We were able to really enjoy life with the locals through our volunteer work in a Waldorf kindergarten with Workaway and gain first-hand insights. There are also many temples and beautiful waterfalls to see here.
Koh Samui
Koh Samui is the largest of the three islands and offers an impressive variety of activities. We hired a scooter and explored numerous temples, relaxed on paradisiacal beaches and went on a tour to Angthong National Park. We were particularly impressed by the beautiful beaches and large temples, such as the Big Buddha Temple or Plai Laem Temple.
Ko Pa ngang
This island is actually known for its extreme full-moon parties, but also for its beautiful beaches. The best way to explore them is by boat taxi or by hiring a scooter yourself. But apart from that, there is very little to see and do here. Diving is also offered, but it is rather expensive, as the next island is better known for it and the diving spots are closer.
Koh Tao
Koh Tao is the most touristic and is mainly besieged by backpackers and divers. With over 60 diving schools, you are spoilt for choice here. As Perhentian Islands is the cheapest place in the world to dive, we did of course and were not disappointed. For example, we saw a cute reef octopus, an eagle ray and an incredible number of beautiful fish.
Bangkok
When we arrived in the capital, we mainly had temples on our agenda, but in the end we decided against the main temples due to the higher entrance fees and simply visited free temples and parks in the surrounding area. We were usually the only visitors there and were able to take a relaxed look at everything. In Saranrom Park there are many banded monitor lizards that we could watch sunbathing and swimming. The best way to explore Bangkok is by boat taxi, with a boat trip along the entire river costing just 16 Thai baht per person. Otherwise, the typical Kaohsan Road, where souvenirs, tailoring, massages, food and bizarre dishes such as scorpions, spiders and even alligator meat can be sampled.
Statement of costs
We always keep our costs up to date in an Excel spreadsheet and divide them into 6 different areas. This means we always know exactly what we have spent, when and on what and can generate analyses. For 44 days in Thailand, we spent a total of €2,027.41 for 2 people, including the outward flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Our conclusion
Thailand is the perfect country to start or end a South-East Asia trip, a backpacking trip or just to go on holiday. We have probably encountered by far the most tourists here during our travels so far, which can be perfect for solo travellers or the inexperienced. But there are also many areas that are less touristy, such as our time as volunteers in Thungsong at the Waldorf Kindergarten with Workaway.
There are numerous ways to get from A to B here and once you have arrived in Thailand, many national borders can be easily crossed by bus or train, which not only saves money but is also more environmentally friendly. The standards here are high compared to the Philippines and the food is very varied and delicious.
The people are very friendly and most of them also speak English, so there are hardly any language barriers despite the foreign spelling. This was rather difficult in Vietnam as English is not yet widely spoken there.
We would like to visit the western islands and Krabi at the right time of year. Above all, however, we are very keen to discover the underwater world on Koh Lanta and the Similan Islands in search of whale sharks and leopard sharks.