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The Thailand holiday checklist
From Bangkok’s frenetic pace to the gently relaxing beaches of the Krabi
province, Thailand’s a great place to explore. But as with any holiday
destination, whether it’s your first visit, or you’re a seasoned traveler,
you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared. So just what should you do before you
get on that plane? Buy travel insurance: As with any travel
abroad, you should make sure you’re covered by the appropriate level of travel
insurance. Do check for any exclusions or excesses to make sure you’re getting
enough cover.
Get injections: Depending on which parts of the country you’re traveling to you
may need to get injections. Generally, if you’re sticking to built up areas the
major cities such as Bangkok and Chiang Mai you don’t need malaria tablets but
if you’re traveling to rural areas they are recommended. Hepatitis A and B are
recommended for Thailand. Other vaccinations such as tetanus, rabies and
Japanese encephalitis are less urgent but you may want to be vaccinated for your
own peace of mind. Check with your doctor at least a month before departure.
Sort out visa: For those that enter by air, visitors may travel for up to 30
days without needing a visa. However if you intend to stay any longer than this
you’ll need to obtain a valid visa or extension from the Thai Embassy – this can
be done from Britain or once you get there. If you’re arriving via an overland
crossing bear in mind that you only have 15 days, after which an extension must
be obtained. Do check visa requirements online through the embassy website.
Get a guide book: If you want to get the most out of your stay it’s a good idea
to get a comprehensive and up to date guide book. They’re usually helpful when
it comes to orientation ie. going through the airport, and getting yourself to
your hotel. Most also list the most popular attractions, restaurants and
accommodation to suit differing budgets. However you shouldn’t be afraid to go
off the beaten path and explore! Hunt down a bargain flight:
Thailand is now one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and the
increased accessibility of Bangkok and other major airports means that flights
to Thailand are more affordable than ever these days. You can still make sure
you’re getting a competitively prices fight by making use of an online travel
agent such as DialAFlight where you’ll be able to track down flights for as
little as £311.* *Best price at time of writing (07/07/09) for
Heathrow to Bangkok (inc. tax). Visit the website for up to date
Bangkok flight fares. |
