Tips for Backpacking in Thailand

What the Guide Books May Not Mention

Planning a backpacking expedition in Thailand? You already know to pack light with half the stuff and twice the cash, so here's a list of some of the finer points that the guide books may have left out, or only included in the fine print. The pointers listed below all originate from first-hand experience and stand out as significant lessons learned.

Administrative Tips:

-Carry your passport on your person at all times. It's a law in Thailand, but one rarely taken seriously. Police checkpoints line many major roads and stop traffic headed in either direction. Policemen board busses, trains, and vans to check passenger identity. You'll want your passport at hand, not stowed away with your backpack under the bus. Some guesthouses hold your passport while registered. Be sure to get it back for the day if you're taking a day-trip to another town.

-Want to extend your 30-day visa? Your best bet is to walk across the border to Cambodia, Laos, or Myanmar (Burma). Border crossing and re-entry requires an extra passport sized photo, a photocopy of your passport, and $10-30 depending on your point of exit / re-entry. This extension grants you another 30 days of Thai-time. An alternative, and greatly inferior method of gaining an extension, is to use the Immigration Office in Bangkok. You'll still need the photo and copy of your passport, but this method requires 1,900 Baht (~$60) and only yields an extension of 7 days.

Budget Tips:

-Patronize your local street vendors for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. All the large cities and most of the smaller towns boast daily food markets and excellent night markets. This is where you'll find the best and cheapest authentic Thai food. If played correctly, you can score a complete delicious meal for less than 30 Baht ($1). Restaurants, on the other hand, charge two to three times as much as street vendors and rarely provide better quality.