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With its developed lifestyle and friendly people, Thailand can be considered a safe country for independent travel... Before traveling anywhere, you should first learn about the culture, customs, and attractions you want to visit. You can find this information online. I'm just sharing some tips to keep in mind to make your trip easier.
Author of the article - Photo provided by the subject
1. Airline tickets
You can choose tickets from airlines like Vietnam Airlines, Thai Airways, Jetstar, etc. However, if you want to save money on airfare, you can buy from Air Asia or Vietjet Air, as their tickets are cheaper than others, especially during sale seasons.
Typically, cheap round-trip airfare to Thailand is around 2-3 million VND. If you're lucky, you might find a cheaper deal, even half the normal price including tax. Booking online is cheaper than going through an agency, but you'll need a credit card with internet access or a Visa card... Additionally, you'll be charged a fee for card payments, and Visa payments are more expensive than regular bank card payments. When booking, you don't need to select seats or purchase insurance unless you're traveling with elderly people or young children, in which case it's necessary.
Remember to check carefully to choose the appropriate baggage allowance. If you don't have anything bulky, you can choose to buy extra baggage for your return trip to save costs. You are allowed 7kg of carry-on baggage. Low-cost airlines often don't serve snacks on the plane, so when booking your ticket, you should consider whether or not to purchase food because you can only pay in US dollars or Thai baht, and food prices may be higher.
Bangkok has two airports: Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.
Don Mueang Airport - Photo: Internet
Don Mueang is a domestic airport, and AirAsia operates international flights there to alleviate congestion at Suvarnabhumi. If you buy an AirAsia ticket, your destination will be Don Mueang Airport.
Suvarnabhumi is the international airport for the remaining airlines. Getting from Suvarnabhumi to downtown Bangkok via the Airport Rail Link (SARL City Line) is more convenient than via Don Mueang. Vietjetair will fly to this airport.
2. Hotel
You can choose online websites like booking.com or hotel2thailand.com to find a suitable hotel. You can choose according to your desired price range and easily view maps of nearby attractions and malls. Hotel prices on these sites are half the price of booking directly on the spot. On average, a hotel costing between 800,000 and 1,500,000 VND will be comfortable, safe, and include a free breakfast buffet. It's advisable to choose a hotel near BTS (sky train) or MRT (subway) stations for convenient transportation, as Thailand often experiences traffic congestion. Online hotel bookings can also be made via bank card.
3. Luggage
When traveling far, especially abroad, you might be excited to bring lots of beautiful clothes to wear and take pictures with. But in reality, you won't use them all. So, you only need to bring clothes that are lightweight, easy to pack, and wrinkle-free...
If you check in luggage, you can bring as much as you like, but I still recommend bringing just enough to keep it light and easy to carry. Besides, you'll probably do some shopping during your trip, so you won't have to worry about not having enough clothes (especially for girls). Thailand has many temples, so remember to bring long pants or dresses that cover your ankles. You should also bring a pair of sandals for short walks and comfortable walking shoes for longer walks.
Girls, please avoid wearing high heels as the trip will mostly involve walking, so you can opt for ballet flats or sandals instead. Remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, a jacket, a face mask, and socks because the weather in Thailand is usually sunny and hot. If you're going during the rainy season, remember to bring an umbrella.
Regarding personal hygiene items, you can bring them or not, as 24/7 shops in Thailand sell small, short-term sets at reasonable prices. However, to be safe, you should bring your own because some hotels don't provide toothbrushes and toothpaste, except for 5-star hotels.
You should bring essential items - Image for illustrative purposes only, source: Internet
Here are some items you should bring on your trip:
- Personal items: Toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shampoo, body wash, facial cleanser, mouthwash, cosmetics, travel iron, makeup remover, sanitary pads, needle and thread, tissues, nail clippers, perfume (preferably a 5ml bottle), sunscreen
For men, luggage will be much lighter, right? A few sets of clothes, money, and necessary documents, and that's it... If you're carrying luggage, you should pack it into a 7kg backpack, and bring a small shoulder bag for important documents and money.
The important things to keep in that small bag, and which you should keep safe, are: identification documents; passport, plane ticket, hotel reservation, hotel address (give this to the driver because they might not understand or know the location if you just say the name), and embassy address (in case of problems, theft, etc.).
- Money: You should exchange Vietnamese Dong to US dollars, then take the dollars to Thailand and exchange them for Thai baht. Very few Thai banks accept Vietnamese Dong for exchange, and if they do, you'll likely lose money.
- Visa/Mastercard
You shouldn't keep money and documents together.
In addition, don't forget to bring your camera, phone, charger, and a small notebook to jot down important addresses, places to visit, and emergency phone numbers in case your phone runs out of battery or gets lost.
- Essential medications: Digestive aids, stomach ache medicine, cold medicine, sore throat medicine, fever reducer, cough medicine, insect repellent for insect bites/stings, anti-allergy cream, vitamins, motion sickness medication (car/air/boat), oils, prescription medications for those undergoing medical treatment.
These are all the things you should remember and prepare for before embarking on a trip to explore Thailand.
