Plan your Thailand trip in one place

November through February is the cool, dry season and the best overall window — comfortable temperatures, low rainfall, and ideal beach conditions on both coasts. March to May is the hot season (peak Songkran chaos in mid-April), and June to October is the rainy season, which still has plenty of dry days and lower prices. See our best time to visit Thailand guide for a month-by-month breakdown.

A first trip works well at 10–14 days — enough time to combine Bangkok, the north (Chiang Mai), and a few days on a southern beach or island. With one week you're better off picking two destinations rather than racing through five. Two weeks lets you slow down and add a smaller island or a Pai/Kanchanaburi side trip. Browse our duration-based itineraries from 3 days in Bangkok up to 2 weeks in Thailand.

Thailand remains one of the best-value destinations in Asia. Backpackers can travel comfortably on around ฿1,500–2,000 per day (about $45–60), mid-range travelers on ฿3,000–5,000, and luxury travel starts around ฿8,000+. Bangkok and Phuket are the most expensive; Chiang Mai, Krabi, and the smaller islands are noticeably cheaper. See our 2026 Thailand travel cost index for region-by-region figures.

Most travelers do not need a visa for Thailand — citizens of 60 countries and territories (including the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, NZ, India, and Japan) get a 30-day visa exemption on arrival, cut from 60 days on 15 September 2026. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) is mandatory for everyone and must be filed at tdac.immigration.go.th within 72 hours of arrival. You'll need a passport valid for at least 6 months and proof of onward travel. For longer stays, the Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) and retirement visas are popular. See our Thailand visa requirements guide for per-nationality rules and our TDAC guide for the arrival card, field by field.