With its world-class architecture, clean beaches, lush greenery, variety of delicious food, nightlife, adventure activities, and age-old temples, Thailand is famous among travelers of every age and type. Maybe that’s why Thailand is one of the most visited countries in the World.
We went on a family trip to Thailand with our parents which went really well.
In this complete and detailed guide to a trip to Thailand, we have covered everything (visa, itinerary, budget, and other tips) you need to plan an incredible trip to Thailand.
Table of Contents
Visa for a trip to Thailand
Visa on arrival for Indians
Indian citizens are allowed to enter Thailand under the Visa on Arrival scheme. There is a restriction in place that Indian citizens can visit Thailand under this program for a maximum stay of 30 days. As the stay duration keeps on changing, check Thailand Embassy’s official website for the latest updates.
It cost around 2000 THB (approx INR 4700). You have to pay for it in THB which you can carry from India or exchange at the Airport itself.
Tip: Don’t exchange all your money at the Airport as the exchange rates are very high.
Applying for a Visa beforehand
To avoid the hassle of standing in long queues for Visa On Arrival or filling up application forms or changing currency at the airport to pay for the visa fees, you can also apply for a visa beforehand for your Thailand trip. There are two ways of doing it. One is applying online for Evisa and the other is submitting an offline visa application (the most economical way of applying for a Thailand visa)
Evisa
Evisa for Thailand can be applied on the website thailandevoa.vfsevisa.com. The visa processing time after completing your application and making all relevant payments is between 24 – 72 hours. Fees is 2500 THB (INR 6000 approx). Evisa is valid for a maximum stay of 30 days. As the stay duration keeps on changing, check Thailand Embassy’s official website for the latest updates.
Submitting offline Visa Application
The Royal Thai Embassy allows applicants to choose the offline (on paper) application by contacting one of the VFS Global Thailand Visa Application Centres. The application form can be downloaded from the VFS Global website which needs to be submitted along with the required documents.
Note: Also, if your trip duration is more than 30 days, you have to apply for Visa by visiting a Visa application centre. The visa will be valid for 3 months for a stay duration not exceeding 60 days.
We applied for our Thailand Visa this way as we had a VFS center in Delhi. The processing time for a Thailand visa is approximately four working days. It cost around INR 3000 (including VFS’s fees of INR 500) per person.
How to reach Thailand/ Getting into Thailand
Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok is well-connected to most countries. We took a direct flight (4-5 hours) from Delhi to Bangkok.
Book your flights well in advance (at least 2 months) to get a good price.
Currency in Thailand
The Thai Baht (THB) is the official currency of the Kingdom of Thailand.
1 THB is around 2.3 Indian Rupee.
Currency exchange for Thailand
With a normal international debit card, there is a processing fee for every transaction. To avoid this, you can apply for a forex card from the bank you have an account with or go with a global card with a company like Niyo, etc.
We got an Axis Bank Vistara Multicurrency forex card before our visit to Thailand. Zero processing fee every time you transact. Exchange rates get locked. The amount can be pre-loaded with the currency at the time of applying for the card or can be further loaded anytime you want. After reaching Thailand simply withdraw the amount at the ATM, pay online, or swipe the card.
You can later use this card for other countries as it can hold up to 16 currencies.
Getting a local SIM Card in Thailand
Get a Thailand SIM Card from the Airport itself. There are many options for SIM cards in Thailand.
We got an AIS company SIM Card. For an 8 days plan, it cost us INR 299 THB (unlimited calls, 15 GB internet) and 15 days plan cost around 599 THB (unlimited calls, 30 GB internet). The SIM gets activated in less than 5 minutes. We used it extensively for downloading a few local apps, calling locals, etc., and found it good and sufficient.
Transportation options in Thailand
After coming out of Bangkok’s Airport and getting a local SIM Card, we downloaded Thailand’s local app “Grab” (substitute for Uber/Ola) to book our taxi from Airport to the Hotel. Grab app comes really handy in Thailand, be it booking a Taxi or ordering food online.
If you don’t want to wait for the app to download and initiate, you can also ask your hotel for Airport transfers, beforehand.
Tip: Link your forex card with the Grab app to avoid hassle of paying cash in THB everytime.
Transportation in Bangkok
Bangkok has a well-connected metro system called BTS Skytrain (above ground) and MRT (underground). Considering the traffic of Bangkok in peak hours, using BTS or MRT to the main attractions in the city is considered convenient.
Other options for getting around Bangkok are using taxis or tuk-tuks. Booking a taxi through the grab app is super convenient and this is what we did mostly as we travelled with our parents for getting around in Bangkok.
Transportation in Krabi
You can hire a taxi/scooty/bike or use tuk-tuks (local rickshaws) to get around in Krabi. We hired a scooty for 200 THB per day and also used tuk-tuks to get around in Krabi. Tuk-tuks in Krabi has a capacity of four and charge a minimum amount of THB 100.
Getting around in Phuket
You can hire a taxi/bike/scooty to roam around in Phuket. Grab app can be used to book a cab. We hired scooters from Lambretta Phuket Tours (Instagram @lambretta_phuket_tour). They charge around THB 499 (INR 1000) per Lambretta per day. We found it a stylish and convenient option to roam around in Phuket.
Transport options in Chiang Mai
You can hire a taxi/bike/scooty to roam around in Chiang Mai. We hired a bike for 200-250 THB per day. You can also ask your place of stay for arranging a taxi/bike.
Transport options in Chiang Rai
You can hire a taxi/bike/scooty/cycle to roam around in Chiang Rai. We hired a bike for 200-250 THB per day. You can also ask your place of stay for arranging a taxi/bike.
Best time to visit Thailand
The best time to visit Thailand is from November to February as the weather is pleasant. However we visited during the shoulder season in September and despite occasional rain showers, heat and humidity, we enjoyed our trip a lot.
Also, in the shoulder season/ offseason, not only the places are less crowded, but also it is easier to get good deals on hotels and everything else.
Itinerary for our trip to Thailand
Choose an itinerary that suits your budget and the number of days you have in hand.
The suggested itinerary for 1 week
Day 1: Reach Bangkok
Day 2: Explore Bangkok
Day 3: Reach Krabi and explore
Day 4 : Explore Krabi
Day 5: Reach Phuket and explore
Day 6: Explore Phuket
Day 7: Reach Bangkok and Explore it
Day 8: In the morning explore Bangkok and Afternoon flight back to India
Suggested itinerary for 2 weeks
Day 1: Reach Bangkok
Day 2: Explore Bangkok
Day 3: Reach Krabi and Explore
Day 4 : Explore Krabi
Day 5: Reach Phuket and Explore
Day 6: Explore Phuket
Day 7: Reach Bangkok and Explore
Day 8: In the morning explore Bangkok and the afternoon flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai
Day 9: Explore Chiang Mai
Day 10: Explore Chiang Mai and in the evening reach Chiang Rai
Day 11: An ultimate Spa Holiday experience in Chiang Rai
Day 12-13: Explore Chiang Rai
Day 14: Flight to Bangkok and flight back to India
Our accommodations in Thailand
Day-wise breakdown of our trip to Thailand
Food options in Thailand
If you are a non-vegetarian, there are plenty of options to relish.
For vegetarians as well, there are plenty of options in Thailand. There are Indian Restaurants almost everywhere in Thailand. Fresh Fruits are available in plenty everywhere. Thai food also has many vegetarian options.
Budget for a trip to Thailand : Coming Soon
Money Saving Tips for a trip to Thailand
1. Look for cheap Flights – Book well in advance. For our September trip, we booked the flight tickets (International) in June and got really good deals. For domestic flights in Thailand, you can book at the 15 days prior or same time itself as the price solely depends on traffic that airline receives.
2. There are plenty of budget accommodations available in all the cities of Thailand. You can book one easily for INR 1500 – 3000. Even in an amount, less than this plenty of options are available.
3. Use local transport or hire a scooty/bike– To travel to a nearby location, use metro services in Bangkok, and tuk-tuks in Krabi and hire a scooty/ bike anywhere in Thailand. If you are using a taxi, book it using the Grab App though the price in cities other than Bangkok might get higher.
4. Negotiate while booking activities like Four Island Tour, Snorkeling, Kayaking, etc, and do them in a group. Prices are less when done in groups.
5. Take packaged food or have street food – Instead of eating in high-end restaurants, prefer street food that is affordable as well as tasty. If you are vegetarian, take packaged food (Haldiram/ MTR’s ready-to-eat) along with you. Some vegetarian options are there but you might not like it 3 times a day.
6. Cook your food – If you put up at hostels/ AirBnBs, you can consider this option. Buying groceries from 7-11 Store (grocery store in thailand found almost everywhere) and cook at your place.
Other Information
- Thai is the official language of Thailand. Most of the people speak decent English, you won’t have issues communicating with them.
- Thailand’s Time zone is GMT + 7. It’s 1.30 hours ahead of India.
- Don’t order Vegetarian food without asking about it first. They treat egg, oyster sauce, chicken garnishing, fish oil, etc. as vegetarian.
- Keep your knees and shoulder covered if visiting Thai temples.
- Learn a few Thai Phrases like Sawadika (Namaste/ Hello in Thai), Khop Khun Kha/Khap (Thank you in Thai). Women say ‘khop khun kha’, men say ‘khop khun khap’.
- Take your passport along where ever you go unless you have submitted them for renting a bike/ scooty in Thailand. Also keep a soft copy of passport and visa in your phone as most people consider it in most entries like Bar, Pubs etc.
All in all, we can say that Thailand is a diverse and a very beautiful country. It is way more than just massages and nightlife. If you plan it right, you will get to feel the real beauty of Thailand and its people. We hope this guide will help you with that.
For any further questions/ doubts do let us know in the comments, we would try to help you with everything we know.