Preparing your trip: a short practical guide for going to Thailand

We are entering the high season here in Thailand (and by the same token, "winter" 😉 yes, even here), it's time to take a break and head off to sunny, welcoming lands.

But then you may have questions about the organization. Here is a small, non-exhaustive checklist on what you need to prepare before your departure to the land of smiles.

Find out about your destinations

This is the very purpose of this blog. You will find here already a lot of information on many destinations in Thailand. Some being specialized on particular places, you can also complete your visit to my blog with others, I am thinking for example of rainier blog, specializing in the south of Thailand and in particular Phuket, since that is where he is based.

Phuket remains one of Thailand's top destinations...

Organize your stay

Whether it is the choice of the route, which you can take inspiration from those that I give you here, or the organization of transport and accommodation, this is the stage that is often a “headache”.

There are often choices to be made depending mainly on the length of the stay but also on the season, make an overall overview, think about coming back to complete the visit? It will be easier if it is not your first stay in Thailand (in which case this article does not concern you much 😉)

Because I try to be as complete as possible on this blog, there are already some beginnings of a track. For transport, I invite you to read the article on this subject here.

For accommodation, while waiting to make a complete page on my experience and choice of hotels made so far, I give examples of hotels according to the choice of districts for respectively Bangkok, Chiang Mai et Phuket.

You can also use the search engine below to get an idea of ​​the offers available in each destination of your stay.

You can also make room for improvisation, which is quite feasible given the large offer in terms of accommodation in Thailand. Some exceptions can be around the international new year (Dec 31/January 1), Thai new year (mid-April week) and some important weekends in the Thai calendar (with public holidays), where they will willingly move to visit their family and their country.

Think about your health

Of course, we don't think about and don't really want to get sick during our holidays... However, don't forget to update your vaccinations. Mainly DT Polio. The hepatitis A vaccine is possibly recommended, as well as against Japanese encephalitis, but this mainly concerns a stay in a rural area.

Generally speaking, there is no mandatory vaccination.

If you plan to rent a scooter (and even in all cases, accidents are also possible on public transport), do not forget to take out insurance. Basic bank card insurance can sometimes be sufficient (if your stay is less than 3 months) but does not necessarily cover everything.

If you want to be better equipped in the event of a problem, you can take out a subscription with a specialist insurer, Chapka being very well-known, ACS being also renowned for travel.

What should I pack?

Thailand is developed enough to allow you to find everything on site. It is common advice here to say, travel light!

For two reasons :

– You can find everything there, sometimes at attractive prices (but not always, I want to point out).

– You have to leave some space 😉 Because you will probably need it to bring back your personal purchases (clothes, gifts, souvenirs, etc.)

Generally speaking, we will remember this among the essentials:

• International license (essential if you plan to rent a vehicle, scooter or car)
• Passport (obviously yes) but also one or more photocopies, particularly useful in case of loss or theft (you never know...)
• Unlocked smartphone, in order to use a local SIM card, practical for calling your loved ones at a lower cost and staying connected, for searching or confirming information at any time on the internet, using GPS, etc.
• Cash, not necessarily enough to cover your entire stay, but to avoid fees related to a withdrawal made abroad (will obviously depend on your card and bank), you can change once you are there. Just change the bare minimum at the airport but the rest in town, especially at "Super Rich" (you can find one at the airport, next to the entrance to the train, the Airport Railway Link).
• Some clothes, t-shirts, shorts, pants for the temples, trekking, but above all, a sweater or a long sleeve, because yes, in winter it can also be cold here, especially in the northern mountains (valid between November and February, and if you go to the mountains)
• Travel first aid kit, with possibly basic medications: paracetamol, anti-diarrhea, dressings, anti-nausea medication if you are prone to seasickness, etc. Possibly, because you can supplement and/or buy on site.

It can quickly become a mess in these cases...

What can I take there?

• To return to the last point above, you can supplement your mobile pharmacy by purchasing Tylenol or Temnol, an equivalent of our Doliprane 500, the alternative being a medication called Sara, a paracetamol. Against diarrhea, there is "Carbon", charcoal, you can find it in all 7/11s (the famous convenience stores that are everywhere and open 7 days a week, 7 hours a day), it is super effective.
• In case of heavy rain, again in the 7/11, you will find a choice of umbrellas and some kind of plastic poncho, which will do the trick if you don't hang around outside for too long either (after that it only costs 20 baht...).
• If the heat is too intense, you can buy refreshing wipes (sometimes you can find them on the street, otherwise 7/11 and other convenience stores).
• Tiger Balm, the all-purpose cream, against mosquito bites, muscle pain, etc., don't hesitate to bring some back home, it will surely be useful to you one day or another.
• Mosquito repellent can be found either in small single-dose sachets or in spray form (I use this, Off! by Johnson & Johnson).
• You probably already have some at home, but caps and sunglasses are easy to find here.
• Small flashlight, always practical if you choose a more “roots” accommodation (sometimes without electricity), walk early in the morning to get to a viewpoint for the sunrise, etc.
• Earplugs, sometimes necessary when you sleep near a boat crossing in particular, and a light mask if you are a light sleeper.

Out of all my photo collection, this is the only 7/11 photo I could find…

When these are really necessary, mosquito nets are usually already included in the accommodation, hung above the bed/mattress.

If you have children, unless you have really specific needs (related to allergies for example), you will also find everything on site (wipes, diapers, smiling people ready to help you 😉)

For all general information, find the practical guide to Thailand.

Missing things? Any other tips on things to think about and do before your trip to Thailand? Feel free to share your experience!