Travel around Thailand

Here you will find loads of info about the Most Popular Ways to Travel around Thailand

Thailand is known as one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations.

Its beautiful beaches attract and inspire tourists from every corner of the world. With a flourishing travel industry, there are numerous ways to travel around this vast country and the travel networks are not only highly reliable but inexpensive.

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Here are some examples of the most popular ways to travel around Thailand:

Travel around Thailand – Take a Bus

Bus transportation is quite a popular option in Thailand and if you start from Bangkok you can visit pretty much any spot in the country with ease.

Services in some parts of the country are still under ongoing development but don’t let that stop you considering this option, particularly if you take a bus tour rather than the local bus services.

If you want to get to some of the most remote corners of Thailand and get a taste of the “true” local culture, you just need to get on sorng-taa-ou.

A Sorng-taa-ou is a small pick-up truck where passengers travel in the back sat on benches that face each other. This is quite a random way to travel for most but can be truly rewarding and a great opportunity to meet new people along the way.

While in many parts of Thailand, the sorng-taa-ou operates on pre-defined routes, just like buses, from time to time you may be able to use their services just like a regular cab – hail it down from any location you like and pay for the ride when you disembark.

Air-con buses are an incredibly popular means of transportation in Thailand and come in all kinds of travel classes, depending on the distance you will travel and how much you want to pay. The overall service is pretty good and there are often lots of free items included to butter you up a bit and help you enjoy your day.

It may sound like an unusual idea but a useful tip for travelling on an air con bus is to keep a warm jacket at hand. When you travel long distances inside air-con buses the temperature are much lower than you are used to when you are outside and there is nothing worse than arriving at your destination with a cold…

Overall bus transport across various locations in Thailand is reasonably cheap and at the same time highly reliable. Pick up a tour, a local bus, a aircon bus or A Sorng-taa-ou, these are a top transport recommendation for tourists while you visit there.

Travel around Thailand – by Tuk Tuk
(Sahm-lor)

The sahm-lor is a rather typical Asian Pedi-cab on three wheels and they can be found in almost every small town in Thailand.

Sahm-lor is more commonly known as a Tuk Tuk and using a motorbike instead instead of a person to power it.

This has to be the best way to travel around Thailand in a city or surrounding area, these drivers slightly crazy and traffic ninjas so will get you from a-b in no time. Most speak English and are a good laugh.

Not only are they available practically everywhere and really easy to flag down but you can talk locals into racing these against other Tuk Tuk drivers carrying your friends.

The tuk tuk is a cheap, fun and reliable method of transport.

Similar to other places you may visit it is essential to negotiate the fare prices before departure and sadly it is not uncommon for sahm-lor and tuk-tuk drivers to overcharge tourists and especially in the popular travel hotspots.

If you know where you want to go it is better to avoid stops and go direct, while it may seem an easy way to tour around in my opinion it is better to take a tuk tuk one destination at at time.

Less favourable Tuk Tuk drives may be affiliated to local businesses and this mean that if you are not careful you could end up locked in a jewellery shop or heading to the floating markets where you will be hassled into purchasing over-priced imitated goods before you are allowed to leave – quite scary so best avoided if possible.

Don’t let that put you off, most drivers are good fun and glad to be earning some money and the decent ones can also recommend, and take you to, some great spots you may not have heard of before (if you agree that is).

If you are unsure or travelling alone it is a good idea is to ask someone local that you trust (maybe at your hostel of hotel) to help you with fare negotiations, they will speak the language and are incredibly good at spotting bad practices!

Travel around Thailand – take a Motorcycle Taxi

Small motorcycles (between 100cc and 125cc engines) are quite a popular way to travel around Thailand and in many cities you can easily hire one with various companies or often available at street intersections.

You can spot the drivers by the orange vests they are required to wear at all times.

The rates for these motorcycle taxis are based on the distance you need to cover so again it’s very important to negotiate the fare prior to departure to get a sweet deal.

If you travel light, the motorcycle is definitely the way to go when it comes to travelling in Thailand and useful for avoiding traffic congestion.

I can personally recommend the motorcycle taxis for shorter distances, they are great for when using a traditional cab or walking is not an option. Here it’s also worth mentioning that even though, you do not have to wear a helmet for the trip, if you are pulled over by the local police without one you will be the one who has to pay the fine. If the driver you hire doesn’t have a spare helmet for you it is best to wait for another one who has.

Travel around Thailand – By Taxi

In many cities around Thailand, taxi services are available at negotiable rates, similarly to the motorcycle taxis and sahm-lor.

If you are lucky you can easily split the costs with a fellow passenger if they are travelling in the same direction as you.

Sharing rides is quite popular in Thailand and is seen as great way to deal with busy traffic. In the larger cities like Bangkok the service system is pretty well organized you you may not need to worry about sharing too much.

Just bear in mind that if you plan to use a taxi you will often find a taxi driver doesn’t know where a particular location is or they are not willing to take you where you want to go.

While there isn’t much you can do other than wait for another taxi; it is best to carry a map with you as this may help you get a ride…

Travel around Thailand – By Train

If you plan to visit remote locations across all of Thailand, trains are another great transport option for you.

Trains are more spacious and also much more convenient over long distances compared to a bus.

Another good thing to know is that trains tend to be involved in fewer accidents than buses, so they are definitely the most secure travel option if they go where you want to get to.

Predicting train departure times is quite easy as the train schedule is pretty accurate; most of the time trains leave exactly at the right time and generally arrive within an hour or so of the scheduled arrival time.

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