Tip · Three things worth sorting before you board: your onward transport from the airport, a SIM card or eSIM, and enough Thai baht for your first day. Everything else can wait.
Most first-trip anxiety about Thailand is wasted on the wrong things. Before my first trip I spent weeks researching things that turned out to be non-issues, while the things I didn't research, like the fact that Bangkok has two airports, caused the actual problems. This list is the version I wish someone had given me.
Things to sort before you go
Check which Bangkok airport your flight uses. Suvarnabhumi (BKK) and Don Mueang (DMK) are about 30 km apart in a straight line and closer to 50 km by road. They are served by mostly different airlines and have completely different transport connections. Read the airport code on your ticket, not the airline name: since October 2026 AirAsia flies from both. Get this wrong and you'll be in a taxi for an hour and a half instead of on the Airport Rail Link.
Arrange onward transport from the airport. You don't need to pre-book a taxi, but you should know which option you're taking before you land. At Suvarnabhumi: the Airport Rail Link to central Bangkok (45 baht), a metered taxi (250–350 THB to most hotels, before the airport fee and tolls), or a pre-booked Grab from Level 1. At Don Mueang: taxi, Grab, the A1 bus to Mo Chit BTS, or the SRT Red Line train to Krung Thep Aphiwat and the MRT. The airports guide has prices and pickup points for each.
Get a SIM card or eSIM. Mobile data is essential the moment you arrive, for Grab, Google Maps, hotel navigation, and basic translation. You can buy at the airport (convenient, slightly pricier) or from an official carrier shop in the city (better value). Or buy an eSIM before you leave home; AIS and True both sell them. Full comparison in the SIM card guide.
Exchange some cash. Many places in Thailand are cash-only: street food stalls, markets, temple entry fees, local transport. Arrive with enough baht for your first day. The airport rate is poor, so exchange just enough to get into the city, then use SuperRich or an ATM. If you have a Revolut or Wise card, you can skip this entirely for card-accepting places.
Check your visa situation. Since 15 September 2026, most Western passports (US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia) get 30 days visa-free, down from 60, and you can extend once for another 30 at an immigration office. Some nationalities get less. Check the Thai Immigration website or your country's foreign travel advice before you go. If you're staying longer or returning frequently, look into the Tourist Visa on Arrival vs e-Visa options.
Download these apps before you board. Once you're through security you have time on the plane to set them up: Grab (rides and food), LINE (Thai businesses love it), Google Maps (download your destination offline), Google Translate (camera mode for menus).
Things you don't need to stress about
Cash at the destination. Beyond your first day, ATMs are everywhere. The foreign ATM fee (250 to 350 THB per withdrawal since 2026) stings but is manageable if you withdraw big and rarely. Or just use your travel card. For how much the whole trip costs per day, the budget guide has numbers at three styles.
Adapters. Thailand uses Type A (flat two-pin) and Type C (round two-pin) sockets. Most modern Thai hotels have universal sockets. A single universal adapter is plenty.
Language. English signage in airports, malls, tourist areas, and BTS stations is good. You won't need Thai to navigate the basics. Google Translate camera handles the rest.
Bargaining. You do not need to be a fierce negotiator. Fixed-price shops, air-conditioned malls, Grab, and most sit-down restaurants have no bargaining. For markets and tuk-tuks, gentle negotiation is fine. Accept the first counter-offer if it seems reasonable and move on with your life.
Safety. Thailand is a low-risk destination for tourists. The usual common-sense rules apply: don't leave bags unattended, use Grab rather than unmarked taxis, don't accept drinks from strangers. Petty theft exists but is not rampant. The handful of ways visitors actually lose money, from the copycat arrival-card sites to the jet ski damage claim, are in the tricks that still work on tourists.
The actual pre-departure checklist
- Confirm which airport (BKK or DMK)
- Know how you're getting from the airport to your hotel
- SIM / eSIM sorted, or have a plan for getting one on arrival
- Cash: enough baht for day one
- Visa: confirmed you're covered for your intended stay
- Apps installed: Grab, LINE, Google Maps (offline map downloaded), Google Translate
That's it. The rest sorts itself out.
If the route itself isn't settled yet, how I'd plan a trip to Thailand covers the bigger decisions: which month, how many places, and what to book yourself.
For the month itself, Thailand weather by month goes region by region. November to February is the easy window for a first trip, and the January page shows what that looks like, crowds included.
Trip planner
Turn this into a day-by-day plan.
Pick your dates and the free trip planner shows the seasonal weather verdict for every region, then lets you build the route one stop at a time.