Ten Essentials for Your Trip to Thailand - Part I

 Thailand, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia due to its beautiful beaches, its delicious cuisine, and its cheap prices, has never been colonized by a Western nation, and its exotic culture has remained intact. Visitors to Thailand can use some special advice- even world-travelers. First time travelers or globetrotters, traveling on a budget or a luxury tourist, this list of essentials is must have if Thailand is your destination.

Make sure that you bring sunscreen, preferably SPF 40 or above, when traveling in Thailand, especially if you are going to be outside for any length of time. Thailand is extremely hot. Thailand is situated between 15°00 N latitude and 100°00 E longitude. The weather there is always hot, and you will be much closer to the sun. Put that sunscreen on in the morning before you go out and remember to put on another coat later in the day.

This should be a given, but a passport is definitely necessary when traveling in Thailand. Thailand is a country the size of Texas, meaning it takes no more than thirteen hours of travel by car to reach any of the borders from Bangkok. While you are in Thailand, you could easily visit Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, and Burma. You just need your passport to hop over there. If you are in Thailand for no more than 30 days and are a U.S. citizen, you do not need a Visa.

Bring large bills in order to get the best exchange rate. If you are using USD, bring $50 bills or $100 bills, and exchange it all at once. You will get a better rate, and your money will go further. Exchange facilities can be found in the airport, any major hotel, banks, or bank kiosks in the large malls. In Bangkok and Chiang Mai, these are all easily accessible.

Definitely bring a camera to Thailand, even if it’s a small disposable one. Since the King’s 72nd birthday in 1999, the Thai government has continually improved its roads and made changes to increase the ease of tourism in Thailand. It is now much easier to access famous or beautiful sites in Thailand, and almost all road signs also sport English along with Thai. You will have plenty of opportunities for pictures even driving casually through Bangkok. You can easily purchase film, if you prefer that to digital, all over Thailand, and it is likely cheaper there. All the major brands are available, so there is no need to bring some from home.

Resources for learning Thai