Nicknamed the "land of smiles" due to the hospitality with which tourists are welcomed in this country, Thailand is the right place to spend your vacation, where you can see unforgettable landscapes, wallpaper-worthy beaches with white sand, taste traditional specialties, and get to know the culture of a people with an interesting history.
What should you know before planning a vacation in Thailand?
Although there are practically two seasons in Thailand, the most suitable period recommended by everyone is between November and April, when the weather is dry and relatively cool, with temperatures oscillating around 30°C, suitable for travel.
You should know that this is also the busiest period, when prices are higher. Some prefer the monsoon season, which is not really that scary, because the daily rains generally don't last more than an hour, and prices can be slightly lower. I went in February, when the weather was perfect, I even caught two (torrential) rains, but which left as quickly as they came, and the temperatures were always above 30°C.
How to get there? Most tourists land at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, spending a few days in the capital, then traveling further north to the Chiang Mai region or south to those gorgeous beaches.
The city is also served by a second smaller airport, Don Muang, which generally operates low-cost flights from where you can depart to other destinations in Thailand or Southeast Asia.
Well...Thailand, but where?
You need to pay close attention to the details of the area where you want to spend your vacation depending on what you want to do. If in Bangkok it's relatively simple, because you're in the city and visit the tourist attractions, floating markets, or experience the nightlife, for the other areas things are different.
First of all, you need to know what you want from this country. If you want secluded beaches with few tourists, fine sand, and magazine-worthy landscapes, you need to get away from the well-known islands, both Koh Samui and Phuket have some not very populated beaches, but for a truly special experience it is recommended to visit Ko Rok, Ko Phra Thong, Ko Ra, Ko Phayam, Ko Chang or Ko Tarutao.
If you want historical vestiges and archaeological sites, then the northern area of the country is the most suitable. Chiang Mai is the right place for this, and here you can also have unforgettable adventures in the jungle that surrounds this legendary city.
If you are interested in the other important part of Thai tourism, namely sex tourism, then Pattaya is more than suitable. Many Westerners come here, looking for a soulmate for an hour, two, a night, or even a lifetime. Pattaya can be considered a "Mecca of paid sex."
Thai food is internationally renowned, its most defining feature being the balance of four characteristics: spicy, sour, salty, and sweet. Sometimes the combinations seem a bit odd, but it wouldn't hurt to try everything you can eat. The food served on the street is very cheap and delicious, from the banal rice, or noodles, or grilled meat, to seafood, the offer is diverse and very healthy.
If at first glance, I was shocked by the dirt on the streets, later I got used to it and even tried the dishes prepared and served on the go. As long as everyone eats from there and nothing happens to them, it means they are careful about the ingredients, even if it doesn't seem like it, and look, nothing happened to me.
The main reason for the large number of street vendors is that Thai apartments don't have kitchens and for reasons of space and hygiene, all Thais who live in the city prefer to eat out.
Among the most representative Thai dishes are: tom yum goong (spicy shrimp cream soup with mushrooms), tom kai kai (chicken soup with coconut), pad thai (noodles with various sauces, vegetables, or meat), somm tum (spicy papaya salad with peanuts, shrimp, crab, and tomatoes), fried insects, fried rice with seafood and peanuts served in a pineapple, all kinds of fresh exotic fruits (mango, passion fruit, pineapple, durian, bananas, lychees, coconut).
What initially intrigued me was the fact that no knives are given on the tables, only spoons and forks are used. It is said that the only knife found in a restaurant is the one in the kitchen for two reasons. First: that all ingredients are finely chopped, enough for a bite, and second is that Thais consider the knife a symbol of violence.
How do you get around?
In Thailand, public transportation is cheap and the most recommended. To get from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, for example, you can take the day train, which will indeed steal a good part of your time, but will give you the opportunity to see with your own eyes the true rural life of Thailand.
Phuket can be reached easiest and fastest by plane (you can find tickets for less than 100 euros/person/round trip), but also with the cheaper, long, and tiring option of the bus. In cities (as everywhere else) you have to be careful before getting into a taxi, to make sure it has the official markings and a meter. You will see that drivers often refuse to start the meter, but insist.
Be careful with the famous tuk-tuks, the drivers will always want to overcharge you, so find out about the prices, what the average fare is, this was one of the things that always irritated me in Thailand. Since Thais don't pronounce "r", it was always almost impossible to make myself understood by any driver about where I wanted to go.
No matter what you decide to do or where you go, Thailand will welcome you with open arms, being a paradise for backpackers but also for those who book a vacation with family or friends.
The mix of old and new, of history, culture, traditions, and customs are just some of the things that make Thailand one of the most fascinating and sought-after tourist destinations in the world.