Thailand is such an amazing and beautiful country, filled with so much culture and respect. I learned a lot before going to Thailand because of research, but I also learned a lot while being there. Here are 4 tips for when traveling to Thailand, to help make your trip go smoothly.
Dress appropriately when visiting the Temples
Temples are very important in Thailand and held to the highest respect. Some temples have a board in front, with a list of photos showing which clothes aren’t allowed in the temple. Such as shorts, crop tops, tank tops, short dresses & skirts, no cleavage & shoulders showing, no hats, no sunglasses, etc.
I only came across one temple that didn’t allow hats and sunglasses. That temple is the Blue Temple (Wat Rong Suae Ten). It’s located in Chiang Rai, in Northern Thailand.
There are a few other things you shouldn’t do when visiting temples in Thailand, and this post can guide you: https://sotravelishcom.wordpress.com/2023/02/17/what-not-to-do-when-visiting-a-temple-in-thailand/
Keep Baht on you while traveling around Thailand
Baht is the currency used in Thailand. There are some credit cards that are accepted in many restaurants and attractions, but then there are some places that only accept Baht. Some public restrooms, street vendors, and taxis such as tuk tuks only accept Baht. To be safe, I recommend keeping Baht on you while traveling around Thailand.
There are plenty of currency exchanges throughout Thailand. Where I stayed in Chiang Mai, there were two currency exchanges within a two block radius. It’s good to check if there are any currency exchanges close to your airbnb/hotel, so if you spend all of your Baht, you can get more if needed.
Keep socks either on or in your bag
Almost every temple in Thailand has a “no shoes” policy. You can either enter the temples wearing socks or barefoot. I recommend keeping socks in your bag, definitely if you’re planning to visit multiple temples.
There are also some restaurants and restrooms in Thailand that has a “no shoe” policy. Just like entering temples, you can either enter wearing socks or barefoot. If you’re not the type of person that likes walking around barefoot, then keeping socks on you are a safer way to go.
Keep toilet paper on you while exploring
Most of the public restrooms have toilet paper by the sink, so you have to take your toilet paper before going into a stall. There are some restrooms that have toilet paper in the stalls. From my experience, a few of the restrooms didn’t have toilet paper near the sink or in any of the stalls. It sucks to be a woman who has to urinate but doesn’t have any toilet paper. Or being a woman or man and have a bowel movement, and there’s no toilet paper.
I recommend keeping toilet paper on you at all times when traveling around Thailand, so you don’t end up in a messy situation. It’s best to get used to keeping toilet paper on you at all times even outside of Thailand, when traveling around other countries.
No public display of affection
In Thailand, the public display of affection is seen as impolite and even sometimes taboo. Couples cannot kiss, hug, rub on each other or hold hands in public. I went to Thailand with my boyfriend for our birthdays and everytime we were in public, we just walked side by side, no touching. One time when we were in public I held his arm for a few seconds and I felt uncomfortable. I was so used to not doing it in public, that doing it felt wrong.
If you have any tips for when traveling to Thailand and want to share them, please do. Let’s make traveling a little easier.
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