Travel Guides

Thailand

5s%Car rentals Thailand

Thailand is one of Asia’s most popular travel destinations. A combination of sunny tropical weather, gorgeous islands, friendly people, exotic culture and tasty food add up to a rewarding vacation. With 14 million visitors a year, many from the US, Thailand is very welcoming to Americans and has been since the Vietnam era. It’s worth the 18-hour flight via Taiwan, Japan or Korea.

Travelers’ favorites

Bangkok is the bustling heart of this Kingdom and one of the region’s largest and most sophisticated cities. It’s the main entry point for most visitors and certainly has enough impressive attractions to keep you busy for a few days, including the Grand Palace, pretty temples, great value shopping malls, a pulsating nightlife and excellent hotels. A rental car isn’t much use here but is very much worth it once you venture north to the World Heritage site of Ayutthaya and onwards to Sukhothai ruins and the ancient city of Chiang Mai.

Southwards are the lovely islands, including Phuket, one of the most popular in Southeast Asia, while Krabi, Samui and Hua Hin are also great seaside destinations. Exploring these coastal areas or islands by car gives you freedom, though some of the most impressive scenery is offshore, such as the phenomenal Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nga Bay.

Best time to visit

The cool season is most recommended, when you can avoid the intense humidity or heat, besides, it’s a great escape from chilly North American winters. From November to March expect hotel prices to be at a premium, even if they are still very affordable. The crowds don’t get too overwhelming, but you can avoid them by visiting during the rainy season from June to October, which is still very agreeable. March and April are hellishly hot.

Driving in Thailand

A rental car in Thailand is a good idea and quite practical, since the road network is good, as is the quality of cars, though you should note that Thais drive on the left side of the road and many of the cars are stick shift. There’s plenty of lovely countryside to explore, but be warned, the locals tend to ignore rules and basic safety. You don’t need an international drivers’ license, but need to be over 18.