We wanted to make a post to talk about Thailand in general as a destination for beginner travelers. We have both traveled to a few other countries outside of the US (Trang much more than I), but this is sort of the start of our backpacking experience so we still consider ourselves beginner travelers. Before we left the US, we researched what would be the best place to start, and Thailand seemed like a great spot because of a few different reasons:
1. Language
We don’t speak Thai, like at all. A couple weeks before we left the US, we watched some videos on YouTube. That didn’t really work, and we still don’t know Thai. Even still, there have been no problems getting around at all. Our worst interaction was not knowing how to order food because the menu was all in thai at a restaurant, and a waiter ended up helping us out eventually. Most of the people that deal with tourists speak English (even if it is limited) and you can get whatever you need.
2. Housing Costs
Cost was the main reason we wanted to start in Thailand. We figured that we would spend more money at the beginning of our trip because we are newbie nomads. Later in the trip we should know the routine, so we won’t waste money on dumb stuff. Thailand is super cheap. Most travelers stay in hostels for around $5 USD/night, but we are spoiled so we usually get a hotel or Airbnb for about $15/night. The places we have stayed at are usually right in the thick of whatever city we are at, or on a beach.
3. Food
Thai food is a great way to be introduced to SE Asian food. It is definitely the highlight of the trip. I am not the most adventurous eater but I definitely found food that I was comfortable eating. Nothing is going to make you gag by looking at it. Food is everywhere. There are food stalls and restaurants at every corner in each city. The cleaner places are more expensive. The hard part is finding the mix of cleanliness and cheapness. If you go to the cart lady with a salad sitting out all day, you are probably going to get sick if you’re a foreigner. Just look for fresh stuff at nicer looking places until you get used to the food. The price difference is usually very minuscule anyways. If you do end up getting sick (only once so far for me), there is always a 7-11 next door to buy packaged food for a bit.
4. Transportation
Transportation is our biggest cost. The reason is because we haven’t been sitting in one spot for long. Flying across Thailand is still really cheap at less than $100 to go from Bangkok to Phuket. There is so much to see in Thailand, so why would you want to stay in one place? Getting around each city has been super easy and cheap. The metro in Bangkok was really clean and easy to understand. Taxi’s, tuk tuk’s, and buses are plentiful and cheap. Just make sure to negotiate. Don’t get a taxi with a meter. Negotiate before you get in to know how much it will cost to get somewhere. When going to do so many activities, it does add up. So if you can, try to consolidate and hit multiple stops on one route.
Thailand has been really good to us so far. As US citizens, you can stay in Thailand for 30 days without a visa and our time is almost up. It’s going to be hard to say goodbye because we still have so much to see. As beginners, it seems that it was a great decision to start our traveling journey in Thailand. Hopefully, our next stop will be just as kind to us. Thank you Thailand!
Happy Travels!
