Thailand’s biggest city – which is the capital city as well – has become one of the most bustling and lively cities of the world lately. Most Europeans have been dreaming about visiting this exotic city once, and now it has became easily accessible, through low cost airlines and many affordable accommodations, like cheap hotels or hostels . Traditionally, this city was famous for its luxurious boutique hotels and world class shopping malls, but today more and more tourists seek out Bangkok’s paradise of backpackers, the famous Khao San Road.

There are several smaller houses that also offer cheap hotel rooms , in the Watthana, Phloencit and Khlong Toei area, not far from the markets and bazaars. The flowing markets on the canals are slowly getting reduced to tourist attraction, still it is a unique form of commercial, really fascinating for visitors from Europe.

The easiest way to explore the beauties of the city is to join some guided, English-language tour, which are not expensive, and impart you with a wonderful daily program, usually combined with a meal at one of the best restaurants. You can choose between morning or afternoon programs to survey the most exciting sights, like the Vimanmek Palace (the world’s largest teakwood mansion), the Royal Grand Palace, or the chapel of the emerald Buddha, the Wat Phra Keow. If you decide to visit the water markets, food and drinks will be served for you throughout the whole trip. Of course you have the possibility of renting a car, and then you don’t have to adapt yourself to a group. You can book the low cost flights, the cheap hotel rooms and also rent a car on Liligo.com.

Some things to take care of when planning your trip

To have a holiday without setbacks, it helps a lot to take into consideration what simple measurements can be done that would save you many bad shots.
First of all, always check your documents that will be requested at the entrance of your destination country, consult the competent government agency, and even if you do not leave the country, keep in mind that it is obligatory to carry along your identification papers. Moreover, many accommodations request documents at registration. You may also want to rent a car, so you'll have to take your driver's license with you (get informed about the international driving license, too). Do not forget your travel insurance, your health insurance card (we strongly recommend you to take your health card). There are some countries where a visa is required to be allowed to enter the country at all. But do not worry, in most countries you can enter and stay without visas or special permits for some months (usually 90 days).
A good tactic is to photocopy important documents you might need, so in case they get lost or stolen, it will be really useful. Furthermore, it is also a good idea to carry along two extra passport photos.

Thanks to the Schengen agreement, one can freely cross the borders of ‘Schengen countries’, so EU travellers travelling within this area won’t be asked to identify themselves. Even so, you should always carry along identity documents, because police might ask for identity checks, any time. The following countries form part of the Schengen Agreement:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Holland, Hungary, Iceland (non-EU), Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway (non-EU), Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland (non-EU).
EU countries that do not belong to this agreement are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, UK and Romania. Citizens outside the EU will need to apply for visas and documents to enter the Schengen area. The maximum length of stay for travellers is 3 months.
Bear in mind that some documents and visas are not that easy to get, one has to wait for them. Therefore it is recommended that you plan the travel and learn about these documents well in advance.

In addition to paperwork, when travelling within or outside the borders of the EU or the Schengen area, don’t forget to be informed of the required or recommended vaccinations in certain countries. If you know exactly the health care situation of the country which you plan to travel to, you can avoid many unpleasant surprises.
Again, please note that some vaccines require more than one dose, sometimes with large temporary spaces between them, so it is advisable to act well in advance. Be cautious with consuming food, especially fruits, and for your security, drink bottled water only.
Also, the maximum weight of your luggage is usually around 20 kilos –depending on the airline-, so it might be a good idea to make a list of most necessary things before packing your suitcase. Your passport (and anything fragile) is best to be guarded in your hand luggage that you bring along into the cabin.
Note that you can’t have scissors (or any kind of cutting or stabbing tools) with you, nor liquids of any kind (water, tee, juices and all types of cosmetics), or at least only a small amount.

Unfortunately, sometimes it happens that your luggage gets lost. In this case it might be helpful to have some clothes with you in your hand bag, until your luggage is found.

Further information:

Foreign and Commonwealth office

European Health Insurance card

Healthcare abroad