Pre-Trip Checklist
- [ ] Choose the destination and the beach or neighbourhood; book accommodation with free cancellation - [ ] Read the relevant route chapter, then check…
Two weeks before
- Choose the destination and the beach or neighbourhood; book accommodation with free cancellation
- Read the relevant route chapter, then check current schedules and fares with the operator
- Book sleeper trains and flights (they sell out first); buses and minivans can wait
- Crossing a border? Check that your passport has six months' validity and the latest visa rules
- Book capacity-limited activities (elephant sanctuaries, island tours, cooking classes) now
Three days before
- Buy and install an eSIM (leave it inactive)
- Check the weather, especially island trips in monsoon season; have a fallback plan
- Motion-sickness tablets if the route includes mountain minivans or speedboats
- Download tickets and offline maps to your phone
Travel day
- Arrive at large rail terminals 30 minutes early; domestic flights 90 minutes early
- Keep valuables on you, not in the luggage hold
- Save your hotel's name and phone number to show a driver at the other end
- Carry cash for shared trucks, tuk-tuks and pier ferry tickets, which often do not take cards
Going home
- On Sundays and the last day of a Thai holiday, leave before noon or after 8 p.m.
- Book the return seat when you book the outbound, especially trains and evening departures
- If your eSIM counts days, do not delete it until you are home
Safe travels. If a route has changed since this book was written, let us know at fateatlas.com so the next reader gets it right.