Thailand travel guide ??

Buriram province

The Buriram province is a primarily rural area in Northern Thailand where most locals earn a living from farming. Due to the areas slower pace it hasn’t traditionally been a large tourist attraction, but to many travellers that’s what’s making it so attractive as a place to visit now. If you want a truly rustic experience of traditional Thailand, the people of Buriram will welcome you with their generous hospitality.

Thailand is full of historic temples but one of its most famous is situated in the Buriram province. Prasat Phanom Rung is a Hindu Khmer temple complex set on the rim of an extinct volcano at 402 metres elevation – the architecture alone makes the temple well worth a day trip.

Bangkok

Of course, much of Thailand’s tourism trade centres around the capital of Bangkok. And more often than not, a trip to Bangkok is combined with a trip island hopping – exploring the natural landscapes and fresh food the coast has to offer.

Bangkok’s reputation of being a lively city quite rightly precedes it. Enjoy the intense flavours of local street food as mopeds whizz by, try your luck at haggling in the Chatuchak Weekend Market, or enjoy a night out in one of the various pubs and clubs along Khao San Road.

An excellent way of getting around any part of Thailand is to rent out a moped for yourself (it will only cost you a few pounds per day for rental and fuel) or to hop aboard a tuk tuk (also quite cheap, and free on holidays such as King Maha Vajiralongkorn's Birthday – 28th July).

If you feel the pace of Thailand’s City of Angels is getting too much, visit the island of Ko Ratanakosin to unwind. The Buddhist temples and royal palaces here are a key tourist attraction but remain a surprisingly peaceful destination.

Island hopping

After Bangkok, head further south to make the most of Thailand’s sunshine and warm waters. Save some money and avoid disappointment by booking your island hopping ferries online in advance of your trip.

Whichever area you choose as your main base for island-hopping (Phuket and Krabi are popular starting points), head down to the harbour the night before your adventure and arrange to go out on a boat extra early. Starting your boat trip early means you can explore the beautiful islands such as Phi Phi before they become filled with crowds of tourists.

Head to Monkey Island to get up close and personal with the wildlife, no points for guessing what sort of wildlife we’re talking about here. Then work up an appetite with a swim in the sea before tucking in to some authentic pad thai or a massaman curry.

Currency

The local currency in Thailand is the Thai Baht and the current exchange rate is around 42 Baht to 1 pound. Whilst many vendors won’t accept card payments directly, it’s a good idea to securely carry your currency on a card and withdraw cash on a day-to-day basis, rather than carry a wad of cash throughout your trip.

Get more tips on spending in Thailand here.

Reuben, a FairFX Card customer, gives us his tips from his recent visit to Thailand:
 
"The FairFX Everywhere Card was an easy way to carry my Thai Baht whilst I explored Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai. I also used the FairFX app daily, to top-up my card whenever I needed a little extra spending money and keep an eye on how much I had already spent.
 
My top tip for anyone travelling to Thailand would be to visit Maya Bay at sunrise (famously known as “The Beach”). No one lives on this paradise island, so to get there you need to travel by long-tail boat from Tonsai Pier in Koh Phi Phi. If you leave around 5:30am you’ll get there just in time for one of the most beautiful sights this world has to offer - and what makes it even better is, more often than not, you’ll be the only people on the entire island."

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