Thailand 2025 | Your Essential Travel Guide

A comprehensive and up-to-date 2025 Thailand Essential Travel Guide blog designed to help you if you're a first-time (or returning) visitor plan an unforgettable trip to the Land of Smiles: Thailand. With Helpful Province information for Bangkok, Krabi, Koh Samui and Chiang Mai, and more from full time travel family from UK to Bali that are currently building their home in Bali and whilst that's happening are slow travelling across South East Asia and beyond (including Bali, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore) worldschooling and earning remotely online. Bringing the best of family travel in each guide on this blog and YouTube so you can have the best time ever on your next travel adventure.

🇹🇭 Travelling to Thailand with Kids? Check out this post

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But otherwise let's jump in to the latest Essential Thailand Travel Guide for 2025, designed to help anyone planning a trip to Thailand this year.

🇹🇭 Essential Thailand Travel Guide for 2025

Everything You Need to Know for an Unforgettable Trip

Planning a trip to Thailand in 2025? You’re in for a cultural feast of ancient temples, tropical beaches, delicious food, and warm hospitality. Whether you’re visiting for a quick adventure or a longer escape, this ultimate travel guide to Thailand covers everything you need to know before you go — updated for 2025. And we know we've spent 2 months exploring this amazing country in 2025.

📍 Quick Overview

• Language: Thai (English widely spoken in tourist areas)

• Currency: Thai Baht (THB)

• Time Zone: GMT+7

• Electricity: Type A, B, and C plugs; 220V

• Best Time to Visit: November to February (cooler and dry season)

• Visa Requirement: Depends on nationality (details below)

🛃 Entry Requirements & Visas (2025)

Thailand continues to update its entry policies to support tourism:

• Visa-Free Entry: Citizens of 60+ countries (including USA, UK, EU, Australia) can enter visa-free for up to 30 days.

• Visa on Arrival: Available for select nationalities for stays up to 15 days.

• Tourist Visa (TR): Valid for 60 days, extendable once for 30 more.

• Thailand e-Visa: Apply online for a smoother experience.

• SG Arrival Card Equivalent: Thailand does not currently require a pre-arrival form, but always check Thai e-Visa Portal for updates.

💉 Health, Vaccinations & Travel Insurance

• Routine vaccines (MMR, Tetanus, Polio) should be up to date

• Recommended: Hepatitis A, Typhoid, and optional Japanese Encephalitis if traveling long-term or rurally

• Mosquito protection is key (especially in rainy season)

• Travel insurance is strongly advised — medical care is excellent but expensive for foreigners

📱 Staying Connected in Thailand

• SIM Card or eSIM: Available at airports and 7-Elevens

  • Popular providers: AIS, TrueMove, DTAC

  • eSIM options: Airalo, Holafly

• Free Wi-Fi is available in most cafes, hotels, and malls however so no need to buy everybody a sim. We mostly just get Dad on an E-sim then assess the situation for Wi-Fi before deciding whether to get Mum and the eldest kid a sim. Sometimes we can save by just jumping on Dad's Hotspot whenever we need it.

  
  

🚕 Getting Around

• Domestic Flights: Fast and affordable for long distances (AirAsia, Thai VietJet, Nok Air)

• Trains: Scenic and reliable (especially overnight trains to Chiang Mai)

• Buses & Minivans: Budget-friendly but can be slow

• Taxis & Grab App: Grab is widely used in Bangkok and other major cities

• Tuk-Tuks: Fun for short rides — always negotiate the price first

• Car Hire: Best for off-the-beaten-path regions, but traffic can be intense in cities

🏨 Where to Stay in Thailand

• Bangkok: Riverside or Sukhumvit for first-timers

• Chiang Mai: Old City or Nimmanhaemin for culture and cafés

• Krabi/Phuket: Ao Nang, Railay, or Kata for families and beaches

• Pai & Chiang Rai: Great for offbeat, slower travel

• Long-Term Options: Monthly condo rentals via Airbnb or local platforms (cheaper with kitchens & space)

🍜 What to Eat in Thailand

Don’t miss these must-try Thai dishes:

• Pad Thai

• Tom Yum Goong (spicy shrimp soup)

• Green Curry

• Mango Sticky Rice

• Som Tum (papaya salad)

💡 Tip: Eat at busy street food stalls for quality and freshness. Hawker markets are very family-friendly and affordable (we often eat as a family for under $25!).

🎟 Top Places to Visit in Thailand (2025 Picks)

🏙 Bangkok

• Grand Palace

• Wat Pho (Reclining Buddha)

• Chatuchak Weekend Market

• Chinatown food tour

• IconSiam Mall with river views

🏞 Chiang Mai

• Ancient temples in the Old City

• Elephant sanctuaries (ethical only!)

• Doi Suthep mountain temple

• Sunday Walking Street Market

🏖 Krabi & Phuket

• Railay Bay or Phi Phi Island tours

• Beach time at Ao Nang or Kata

• Long-tail boat rides

• Snorkeling, kayaking, and cliffside hikes

🌿 Northern Thailand (Pai, Chiang Rai)

• The White Temple (Wat Rong Khun)

• Slow living in Pai with hot springs and waterfalls

• Thai cooking classes and yoga retreats

🎊 Festivals to Know in 2025

• Songkran (Thai New Year) – April 13–15: Country-wide water fights!

• Loy Krathong – November 6: Floating lantern festival

• Yi Peng – Celebrated alongside Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai

• Vegetarian Festival – October (mostly Phuket)

💡 Cultural Tips & Etiquette : Check out my detailed do's and don'ts

• Always remove shoes when entering homes or temples

• Dress modestly when visiting sacred sites

• Show respect with a “wai” (palms together bow)

• Avoid public displays of anger

• Never touch someone’s head (even a child)

• The Royal Family is revered — avoid criticism

🆘 Emergency Info

• Tourist Police: 1155 (English-speaking)

• Medical Emergencies: 1669

• Pharmacies: Widely available, most staff speak basic English

• Hospitals in Bangkok and Chiang Mai are excellent (e.g., Bumrungrad, Bangkok Hospital)

🌐 Useful Travel Apps for Thailand

• Grab – Rideshare & food delivery. Tip: Download this before you arrive so you can add your payment details to be able to use as soon as you touch down.

• Google Translate – Great for menus and signs

• Klook / GetYourGuide – For booking tours

• HappyCow – Vegetarian/vegan-friendly eateries

• XE Currency – Up-to-date exchange rates

✅ Final Travel Hacks for 2025

• Planning on renting a scooter or driving? Get your Thailand International Driving Permit (mandatory for all foreigners). Top Money Saving Tip: Get it before you travel to Thailand from your local PayPoint or Post Office (if in UK) for about £6 (much cheaper than doing it at the above link which costs about £50)

• Bring a reusable water bottle (many refill stations available)

• Use ATMs or currency exchange kiosks at malls (avoid airport rates). We have Monzo Bank (a very good online bank with a great app) and Revolut for Free International Withdrawals and also use Wise to do International Bank Transfer Payments fast (for our long term rental payments)

• Dress light but carry a rain poncho or umbrella in wet season

• Bargaining is expected in markets — smile while you do it!

✈️ Ready for Thailand in 2025?

Whether you're temple-hopping in Chiang Mai, beach lounging in Krabi, or street-food sampling in Bangkok, Thailand offers a rich and vibrant experience for travellers of all ages. With a bit of planning, some cultural awareness, and a lot of adventure spirit, your 2025 trip to Thailand will be unforgettable.

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I hope you found this post helpful. Don't forget to keep up with our daily updates of our full time travel life below and use our handy travel planning tools below to get best prices for flights, hotels and more:

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On YouTube:

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💡HELPFUL PLANNING TOOLS FOR YOUR THAILAND TRIP WITH KIDS 💡

✈️ - FLIGHTS WITH KIDS - We use this flight checker to search the best flight tickets fall or our Thailand flights. We used this flight checker to get flights from Singapore to Krabi with the best prices at the time. Then we took the bus from Krabi to Bangkok. Then onwards to Chiang Mai via the bus also. Use to check dates and flight costs to Bangkok Airport (International and Domestic) now or go to our Flight Planning Page fore more

🚌🚆🚇 - TRAVEL WITH KIDS - We took the overnight bus from Krabi to Bangkok that left Krabi at 3pm and arrived in Bangkok the following morning at 6am. Then onwards from Bangkok to Chiang Mai via the day time bus that set off from Bangkok at 10am and arrived in Chiang Mai at 8pm. Both booked via 12Go.

🏨 - ACCOMMODATION WITH KIDS - We use this hotels checker to search hotels and accommodation for our Thailand trip. Use to check dates and costs to hotels and hostels in Thailand now or go to our Accommodation Planning Page for more

🧭🗺️👣 - THAILAND TOURS & GUIDES WITH KIDS - We use Get Your Guide for all of the trips in Thailand. But we also love Klook too. TIP: Use both to compare offerings as trips will be different.

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