At a glance
The country, before you go.
Population
71.6 million
May 2026 estimate. About 67% urban; 15% of region in north, 33% central (Bangkok), 52% south and east. Steady-state growth with slight decline.
Currency
Thai Baht (THB)
About 23–24 THB = 1 AUD (May 2026, ~0.043 AUD per THB). Cash widely used; ATMs in all cities. Coins for temple donations.
Climate range
16–38°C year-round
Tropical to subtropical. Dry Nov–Feb (cool northeast winds, best for trekking + diving). Hot Mar–May (pre-monsoon spike to 40°C inland). Wet May–Oct (afternoon downpours, lush, cheaper).
Main economy
Services · Manufacturing · Agriculture
Services (tourism, finance, telecom) = 58.5% GDP. Manufacturing = 33% (electronics, autos, petrochemicals). Agriculture = 9%. Tourism contributes ~9% of GDP post-pandemic.
Signature festivals
Songkran · Loy Krathong · Yi Peng
Songkran (Thai New Year) April 13–15 is nationwide water festival. Loy Krathong Nov 25 (float baskets on water). Yi Peng Nov 24–25 in Chiang Mai (sky lanterns — ten thousand in one night).
Cultural foods
Pad thai · som tam · tom yum · massaman
Pad thai (stir-fried rice noodles). Som tam (spicy green papaya salad). Tom yum (hot and sour soup). Massaman (Muslim-influenced curry). Each region insists theirs is the "real" Thai food.
Figures verified May 2026.
The country
Thailand splits itself: north (mountains, temples, cool season October to February) and south (islands, warm year-round, but monsoons complicate both coasts). First-time travellers usually start in Bangkok, then split between Chiang Mai in the north or Phuket in the south. After that, the country opens up.
This page is a starting point. Pick a region below, or tell us when you can go and what you want to feel — we'll narrow the rest down and navigate the seasonal splits for you.
Places to visit
Six regions. Six entirely different Thailands.
Swipe through. Each region has its own pace — the river chaos of Bangkok, the temple slowness of Chiang Mai, the dive sites of Phuket, the quiet Gulf islands.
Bangkok
Chaos and temples at river level.
The city feels like too much — a million tuk-tuks, the river heat, Silom at 2 a.m. The trick is staying in one soi and letting the city come to you. The best meals happen in the alleys behind your hotel. The best temples have almost no tourists.
Talk about this →Chiang Mai
Mountains, temples, and three hundred wats.
The north is slower. Morning alms walks at 5 a.m., afternoon cooking classes, evening markets that close at 10 p.m. One week in Chiang Mai feels longer than one week in Bangkok — and travellers usually like it better. Loy Krathong in November turns the whole city into a lantern festival.
Talk about this →Phuket & the Andaman
Limestone cliffs and dive sites.
Phang Nga Bay, Krabi, the Phi Phi Islands — the Andaman coast is colder, deeper, choppier than the Gulf. October to December is the window. A liveaboard dive trip or a kayak sunrise beats any resort, but the resorts here are excellent.
Talk about this →Koh Samui & the Gulf
Islands, reef, easy swimming.
Gulf islands are warmer and shallower — better for reef snorkelling, easier for non-divers. Samui is crowded; Koh Tao is for dive training; Koh Lanta is quiet. The Gulf stays warm year-round, but August-October can be rough. November onwards is glassy.
Talk about this →Isaan & Khao Yai
Elephants, jungle, the real countryside.
Most travellers skip the northeast. The ones who don't find Khao Yai National Park full of gibbons and hornbills, Isaan food that makes Bangkok look mild, and a whole region without the tour-bus circuit. Three hours from Bangkok and feels like a different country.
Talk about this →Sukhothai & Ayutthaya
Ancient capitals, quiet ruins.
Two hours north of Bangkok sit the ruins of Ayutthaya and Sukhothai — entire cities, half-buried, mostly alone. Rent a bicycle. Dawn at the temples. You'll have the courtyards to yourself. The Chao Praya Valley in 1400s scale.
Talk about this →When to go
Four seasons. Each has its own Thailand.
Cool dry season
November to February.
The peak season — temperate, dry, the best light for photography. The Andaman coast is calmer. The mountains in the north are perfect for trekking. Tourism peaks here, but the season is long. We often book the shoulder months (November and February) to avoid December holidays.
Hot season
March to May.
It gets hot — 35°C+ inland, humid on the coast. This is the second window for Isaan and the north (fewer bugs, blue skies). The Gulf and Andaman can be choppy. Most travellers avoid this month, but it's quieter and cheaper.
Green season
June to October.
The rainy season, though "rainy" means afternoon downpours, not all day. The landscape is emerald. Prices drop. The Andaman coast is rough — the Gulf stays workable. This is best for temples, cities, and national parks. We send beach travellers to the Gulf and non-beach travellers everywhere.
Monsoon split
The Andaman monsoon vs the Gulf.
May-October: Andaman gets heavy swell and southern winds. The Gulf stays relatively flat. This is why Phuket and Krabi are shutdown; Samui and the Gulf islands stay beautiful. Reverse the months and the situation flips. This matters for divers and boat trips.
Culture & customs
What we tell travellers before they go.
Four things you'll meet in the first week. None of them are obstacles — they're the country. We brief every traveller on these before they fly so the first temple visit doesn't feel like a test.
The wai greeting.
Palms together, slight bow from the shoulders. The deeper the bow, the more respect. Thais wai in greeting, goodbye, gratitude, and apology. You don't need to wai perfectly — trying matters more than the execution. We brief travellers so the first temple interaction doesn't feel like a test.
Temple etiquette.
Shoulders and knees covered. No shoes inside. Never point your feet at a Buddha or a person — it's deeply disrespectful. Never sit higher than a monk. The rules feel strict until you understand the reason; then they feel correct.
Buddhist monks.
Ordained men in orange robes who have renounced almost everything. Women cannot touch a monk's skin — they hand offerings with hands pressed together. Photos are fine in most places. Never touch a monk or hand them something directly.
Cash and tipping.
Thailand is still highly cash-based, though Bangkok takes cards everywhere. Small bills are essential — tips go in dishes by the register, usually 20 baht for a meal, 50-100 for service. Tipping isn't required by law, but it's expected in restaurants.
Food
Three things to know before you eat.
Regional cuisines
Northern Thai (Chiang Mai) is milder, built on sticky rice and slow-cooked meat. Isaan is fiery — larb, papaya salad, fish sauce as a staple. Southern Thai leans coconut curry and salt. Bangkok mixes all three. The regional differences matter; each region insists its food is the "real" food.
Street food vs restaurants
The best meal of the day often costs $2. Night markets (talad rot keun) in every city, river-side stalls in Bangkok, khao soi stands in Chiang Mai — this is where to eat. Hotels and rated restaurants are fine; this is where we send people to actually taste the country.
Bangkok fine dining
Gaggan and Err were the top names; both closed. Nahm is still excellent — Thai classical. Paste has branches in Bangkok and Phuket. Saneh Jaan is tasting menu at its best. But honestly, your best meal will be street food in an alley, or a home-cooked khao soi in Chiang Mai.
Plan with us
Three ways our team helps with Thailand.
Take the quick six-question quiz so we know how you travel — then pick whether we plan the whole trip, brief you on a call, or hand you the tools to do it yourself.
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Six quick questions. Then we'll know how to shape Thailand for you.
“When I close my eyes and imagine my perfect travel moment, I am…”
Helava Class
We plan, we book, we handle the suppliers
AUD $97 + AUD $55 per person
Our team designs your Thailand trip with you in a planning session, then books every part of it. Office-hours support with a 24-hour reply window throughout your trip — because we made the bookings, we can call the supplier and fix things on your behalf.
Start the brief →Helava Standards
60-minute planning session, then yours to book
AUD $97
A live session with our team on Thailand — routes, timings, properties to chase. You leave with the plan and book the parts you want via our affiliate links. Complex trips may need extra sessions, each at AUD $97.
Book a session →Do it yourself
DIY — sample itinerary
Free
Answer the Discovery questions on Thailand — we email you AI-generated sample itinerary suggestions plus affiliate links so you can book the trip yourself.
Get your sample itinerary →The country, in nine frames
What Thailand actually looks like.
Tap any photo. Nine frames across six regions and four seasons. None of these are the brochure shot — they're the hour before the brochure shot, or the hour after.
Ready when you are
Thailand is split between
the season, the coast, and what you actually want to do.
We listen first. Then we navigate the monsoons, the temple rules, and the difference between north and south — and we handle every flight, island hop, and resort booking that needs someone who knows the country.
Design my Thailand trip →