THAILAND Pre-departure
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Before you leave home Thank you very much for choosing INSIDE TRAVEL. To help you prepare your trip and make the most of your time when in Thailand, we would like to give you this pre-departure document. It will provide you a comprehensive guide to Thailand before starting the tour with us.
PASSPORT AND VISA REQUIREMENTS • Passport: Your passport needs to be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into Thailand with at least two blank pages for Thailand visa. • Visa: Nationals of more than 40 countries (Australia, UK, US, Germany, Canada, etc) (*) is eligible to travel to Thailand, for tourism purpose, with the exemption of visa and are permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days. • Please be aware that there may be long queues at the airport when obtaining a visa on arrival which normally takes you around 15 to 20 minutes to finish the procedure. (*) Please work with your Travel Consultant to get exact visa policy information before starting your tour in Thailand
WEATHER Thailand has a year round destination with two distinct seasons: dry season & rainy season
NOVEMBER – APRIL
MAY – OCTOBER
dry and hot The hottest in March and April - ~36°C
rainy and humid The coldest in December ~15°C -20°C
CLOTHING • Comfortable lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothing, open-toe sandals, walking shoes, hat are recommended for comfortable traveling. • T-shirts and knee-length shorts are acceptable for visiting temples or pagodas. The dress code for pagodas and monasteries prescribe decent apparel, no footwear is allowed when visiting pagodas and monasteries. Shoes and even socks are generally removed at the entrance to pagodas. • If there is trekking part in your tour, please bring comfortable shoes to for a good trekking trip.
MONEY CURRENCY
You can bring foreign cash (USD, Thai Bath, Euro, AUD, CAD) and change it into local currency: Thailand Bath (Main notes are 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 Bath)
ATMS Easily found in big cities. Please make sure you have enough amount of money when going to the countryside because of there is less ATMS there.
CREDIT CARDS Widely accepted in big cities and big shops or restaurants. For exchange rate of currencies, you can check in this website: http://xe.com/
ELECTRICITY The electric current in Thailand operates mostly on 220 volts – 50 Hz. Round pins, flat pins, are the most common electric plugs.
HEALTH – MEDICAL – INSURANCE HEALTH Please consult your doctor to discuss your particular health or immunization requirements. If you have any medical problem, allergy, dietary restriction, please let us know so we can inform our guide and relevant suppliers.
MEDICAL The quality of medical services in Thailand varies. In big cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Phuket, international hospitals can be easily found. However, in public and rural hospital, facilities are basic. Please kindly contact the hotel or our guides when you are in need of medical attention.
INSURANCE
Travelers are highly recommended to purchase appropriate insurance packages as a cost-effective way for unexpected events like tour cancellation, accidents, property loss or medical evacuation.
ARRIVAL • After luggage and visa procedures, you will walk through the exit gate. Look for our tour guide holding a welcome sign with your names. • If you are unable to find the INSIDE TRAVEL welcome signboard, please request the airport supporters to call us for immediate assistance on the local emergency number listed on your tour itinerary and at bottom of this document for assistance.
TRANSPORTATION WALKING The easiest and cheapest way to explore the surrounding.
TAXI A popular way of getting around streets. Please make sure you use reputable companies and negotiate the price
SKYTRAIN (BTS) An easy and interesting BTS - shopping experience to explore the local life and discover all the interesting sites and activities which is located surrounding each station.
MRT UNDERGROUND A rapid transit system serving the Bangkok Metropolitan Region in Thailand, which runs through all important downtown districts and major transport hubs.
TUK-TUK The most local vehicle in Thailand. It would be fun when your group explores the street by when sitting at the back of the tuk-tuk. Don’t forget to negotiate the price.
FLIGHT • It is recommended to fly with Thailand Airlines – the national airlines. • The luggage allowance policy for the domestic route is 20kg checked baggage and 7kg carry-on. Excess baggage is charged at a specific rate depending on the route and airline.
TIPPING TIPS Tipping is not compulsory but greatly appreciated throughout Southeast Asia, especially in the tourism industry. For reference, we have provided a tipping suggestion as below. - Guides: $5 - $10/traveler/day (depending on group size and performance) - Drivers: $3 - $7/traveler/day (depending on group size and performance) - Restaurant staff: 5-10% of the total bill - Porters: $1 - $2/time/room. - Chambermaid: $1/day/room - Overnight Cruises: $10 - $15/night (Please note that all prices are in US dollars. You also can tip in local currencies.)
PACKING LIST Our packing list should be used as a packing guide for you. Any other items that you wish to pack are at your own discretion but please always keep in mind the baggage allowance of airlines (20 KG allowance when for a domestic flight with Thai Airways). It is recommended to check carefully the activities details (biking, trekking, walking, etc) and weather of your trip when deciding what to pack.
SUGGESTED PACKING LIST • Passport & Copies of passport • Travel Insurance • Flight tickets • Emergency contacts • Personal Medication & First aid kit - with international doctors’ note to ensure easy passage of medication across international borders • Personal hygiene
• Appropriate clothes • Comfortable shoes for walking/trekking • Visa • Mosquito spray & insect repellent • Sun cream, sunglasses and sun hat • Adaptor – 220V, 50Hz; 2 pin plugs (both flat and round pins) • Camera, battery, and charger • Cash in USD small notes
CONTACT US If you have any questions or encounter any problems please contact us immediately at our office so we can provide an immediate solution
Hotline 24/7: (+84) 916 952 668 Email: experts@insidetravel.com Website: www.insidetravel.com