The Ultimate Guide for a Female Traveling Alone in Thailand

Intro

In honor of AAPI Month, I want to reflect on my month-long trip to Asia, specifically Thailand. I will discuss what I saw and did, some great restaurants and activities, some things I missed, really an ultimate guide on a female safely traveling alone through Thailand.

I first traveled alone at the age of 22 through Europe, stopping at 14 cities and 11 countries over two months. I don’t know if I would have been ready at that time to delve into being a solo female traveler through Southeast Asia. It sounds silly because I am comparing 2007 to 2017, but technology and resources just weren’t what they are today. Smartphones were just coming into existence and I wouldn’t own one for another six years. So that left me without the internet on hand to look up directions or information at a moment's notice, have my credit card on the phone in case of losing my wallet, Google Translate to overcome a potential language barrier, or just having the comfort of knowing I could call someone in a pinch, if necessary.

I am sure I was similar to many people from the United States, initially being unfamiliar with Southeast Asia and unsure how safe Thailand would be, especially Bangkok. Many solo female travelers love the thrill of the adventure but always try to keep safety tips and practical travel advice in the forefront of their mind. I don’t mean to exclude men from this as solo travelers alike can encounter less than desirable circumstances, muggings, or a violent crime, and the like. I am glad I didn’t let my assumptions on Bangkok deter me from visiting, as some of the best places I have visited in my travels over the years have been in Bangkok and Thailand. There are so many popular destinations, whether a first time visitor or a seasoned guest.

This was my first trip to Thailand and I picked the rainy season; visiting in the month of August. As a seasoned traveler and seasoned employee of the tour and travel industry, I knew this would be their slow season and also a more economical way to travel, allowing me the best way to stay in luxury hotels that would have been very costly if traveling during their busy season. Thailand’s dry season is between November through June, which is a similar window to Florida’s hurricane season. Oddly enough, during my month in Southeast Asia during their rainy season, it only really rained heavily once.

The best airport to fly into in Thailand, whether coming from the region or internationally, would be Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. There were direct flights in 2017 from Los Angeles International Airport directly into Bangkok. I decided to do a layover in Shanghai before first stopping over to visit family in Hong Kong. Flying into Thailand within the region made it a quicker and cheaper flight. With that said, Bangkok wasn’t my first choice to visit. I initially wanted to visit the elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai and spend some time at the beach in Krabi. Many movies have been filmed on Krabi, Thailand’s beach such as Tomorrow Never Dies, The Beach, and the Hangover II. I was going to travel a leg of the trip with my family, and we even discussed spending visiting Chiang Rai in hopes of the weather during that time of year being a little better than in Chiang Mai. We wound up stopping in Hanoi, Vietnam, which was an amazing experience I will leave for another post. So I wound up visiting Bangkok before heading over to Krabi in Thailand. Flying from Hanoi directly to Bangkok and then taking a quick flight to Krabi. These other locations that I mentioned above all would have been a great place to lay my head and see some sights, but with planning and executing a month of travel to seven countries, not everything went according to my initial thoughts and that’s what I love about travel. Getting to meet new people and make new friends, even if just for a day, and getting out of my comfort zone. And with that, I was able to really experience the Thai people and Thai culture. I think that is one of the many benefits of being a solo traveler, at least for myself, I am more inclined to connect with people I pass. How can you not want to branch out in a place referenced as the Land of Smiles.

The most important thing whether you think Bangkok is a safe place, Thailand is a very safe country, or not is to make sure you are taking the right steps to stay safe because there is no city, state, region, or country that will ever be void of any issues.

Tips for Staying Safe While Traveling

Medical Insurance - even before you depart, it is wise to take the appropriate precautions. Some steps I take are making sure my insurance covers me abroad, getting added travelers insurance, and checking out the area you're visiting and understanding the basics of their health care system. When I visited Asia, I took out a month-long travel insurance policy that covered me for $200,000 in medical expenses and $5,000,000 in medical transport and the policy at the time only cost me $100 through AAA (check out my post on Benefits of a AAA Membership).

Plan - Whether you are a planner, down to every detail or a fly by the seat of your pants sort of person, it is a great idea to have some sort of shell of a plan that you can share with a friend or family member. It’s the buddy system in high gear. If they don’t see or hear from you by a certain time, they know to take the next steps and have information to provide.

Transportation - Some people are all about the Tuk Tuk, haggling with Tuk Tuk drivers, or hopping on a janky bus with the locals. Circling back to what I mentioned above, I think everyone should try and get out of their comfort zone but with what is reasonable for them. For me when traveling alone, I like the occasional paper trail of airline tickets, going through TSA at the airport, ordering a Rideshare through the app, and paying for a hotel room with my credit card.

Money - Within the last decade of travel, I have only ever used my credit card when making a purchase abroad. Some people also exchange cash when they arrive in a foreign country or do it prior to their departure. As a single female traveler, I always like to take that extra step of precaution where I can and have as little cash on me as possible. That avoids me being in public on my own holding cash and not knowing who is around me. It also lessens the likelihood of me losing the cash and not being able to recoup it or my wallet getting stolen and being at a financial loss. During my first solo trip in 2007 I purchased travelers checks, but with the advancement of paying for things on your phone or with a credit card, those aren’t as prevalent as much. Also, check if you took out travel insurance on what that covers.

Common Sense - It sounds self-explanatory but it is the best way to keep you safe. Check out safe areas to visit and stay in. I also try not to stay out too late (I typically follow farmers' hours when I am traveling alone, but isn’t necessary as long as you are being mindful), not drink too much and be aware of my food and drinks at all times. I find Google Translate is a handy tool if trying to communicate in an unfamiliar language. Also, if lost and in a larger metro area I sometimes will seek out a luxury hotel like the Waldorf Astoria, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, and similar hotels as they typically all have a concierge who is usually versed in English.

Public Transportation

The next on my list to discuss is transportation options in Thailand as I find this very important on getting around to different regions in the country as well as getting around within each town and city. When I was going between Bangkok and Krabi, I didn’t have a lot of time for a train or a bus so I flew Thai Airways between the two cities. When I visited the country in 2017, the Rideshare Lyft was prevalent in the country along with a similar company called Grab. From what I have heard, Lyft is no longer operating in Thailand but Grab is still around. You download the app on your phone and use it just like Lyft or Uber. I felt most comfortable with this when getting around the cities so I didn’t look like the confused foreigner and could just go out and meet my ride. In Bangkok specifically there was a metro system I took a couple of times as well, that was pretty easy to navigate and convenient to the locations I was visiting. One time when going back to my hotel, I couldn’t find a Lyft. I was passing a luxury brand hotel that I was familiar with so I stopped there and had them call me a taxi. I don’t want to say Rideshare drivers are more responsible than taxi drivers because I have never had a bad experience in a taxi and there is a rational reason behind me doing this, but it made me feel more comfortable. I just liked the idea of having the ride and driver tracked on my phone.

Bangkok

I spent 3 days in Bangkok and could have used more time in the city. I arrived later in the evening and took a Grab from the airport to my hotel, so the day was pretty much a wash and I just went to bed. I was staying at the Oriental Heritage Residence hotel close to the Bang Rak section of Bangkok, which was a nice section of town close to the Chao Phraya River. First thing the next morning I grabbed a Thai Tea from the Coffee Connection by my hotel and then went for a two-hour Thai Massage. It was a little funny to see signs all around the massage place saying ‘Massage Only, No Sex’. What made it funnier is the signs were all in English, so it was probably mostly an issue with Americans. I spent much of the first day just wandering around Bangkok. I went to have lunch at the Prachak Roasted Duck restaurant I found online. While I was waiting on line in front of the restaurant I wound up talking to a man from the Netherlands who was also traveling solo and we had lunch together. That is what I love about traveling alone. I probably never would have connected with that man if I was traveling with a group and stopped at the same restaurant. But instead I met a new friend and we had such a nice conversation. I also love serendipity type moments. The next day when I was walking around Bangkok, I walked past that same man randomly that I had lunch with the day prior.

The evening of my first full day in Bangkok I met up with a friend who was in the city for work. We met at the MBK Center, which is a local mall. We ate at the Maidreamin at my friend's suggestion, which was like anime coming to life. Not my cup of tea, but definitely a memorable experience. Before calling it a night I went to Patpong, which was one of the popular night markets in the area and did some window shopping.

On my second full day in Bangkok I went to grab breakfast before starting my journey. I had fried rice and tea from a place called Baan Glang Soi that was close to my hotel. I then walked through Chinatown and made a pit stop at a Buddhist Temple. It seemed like a service was going on and I didn’t want to be rude and just walk in. A gentleman in front of the temple asked if I wanted to go in. Prior to entering, I chatted with the man for a bit and he told me about the Temple and Bangkok.

I did not make it into the Grand Palace when I was walking by as you needed your passport to enter. I typically leave my passport in the hotel safe and only walk around with a copy, which was not sufficient. Apparently the Grand Palace was initially built as housing for the royal family as well as some offices. On my way past the Palace I walked through Saranrom Park, mostly because I was lost. I then stopped at Wat Phra because I was closer to it than Wat Arun. I had walked 11 miles that day and didn’t think I had it in me to also cross the river to Wat Arun. Before heading back to the hotel to call it a night, I stopped at a restaurant called Harmonique. Their menu looked good and I was hangry and tired.

I wish I had more time to explore Bangkok and didn’t feel like I needed to cram it into two full days, but at this point I was happy to be going on to my relaxing leg of the journey in Krabi, Thailand.

Railay West Beach

Typically when I travel, I usually only visit major cities. This doesn’t always mean you see the best that the local culture has to offer, but a lot of times the cities have a lot of famous attractions and more transportation options. I have to say the part of Thailand I liked the most was my time at the beach in Krabi. Getting to the beach resort I was staying at was more elaborate than when stopping in the city center of Bangkok. I flew from Bangkok’s airport to the airport in Krabi. Then the airport shuttle took me to Ao Nang where I hopped on a long tail boat to Railay West Beach. I stayed at the Sand Sea Resort Railay Krabi, which was a beachfront hotel and had absolutely magnificent views of the ocean. If you ever want to visit maybe one of the most relaxing and serene places in the world, I recommend this beach. There were no cars and you could only get there by the long tail boat I took. I was glad I brought a backpack as my suitcase versus rolling luggage. They drop you off in the water and not at a dock, keep in mind I am shorter but the water came up almost to my waist and I had to carry my bag over my head until I got to the shore. This was 3 days of outdoor activities like sitting by the beach and pool, water sports, walking around the town, and just Zen-ing out. What also made this leg of the trip extra special was it was the first relaxing part of the trip I had. Prior to this after flying to Asia from the United States, I had spent 10 days traipsing around cities and hopping around from location to location. By the time I had gotten to Krabi, I had already been to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Hanoi, and Bangkok, so I was ready for a relaxing break.

Food, Food, Food

One of the best things about experiencing a different country and culture is trying the food. I was super excited to visit Thailand because Thai food is one of my favorite cuisines. Whether you are adventurous and want to try sticky rice from a street vendor or a fancy meal at a sit down restaurant, you are bound to not be disappointed in Thailand. Where to find the best food, really is up to the individual and what they prefer. The restaurants I visited and mentioned above in the post all had delicious food. I was eager to try Pad Thai and Fried Rice and was not disappointed. My recommendation for finding the best restaurants to fit your taste and budget is to check out Yelp or similar sites as well as shows like Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown and other travel shows. When I was in Hanoi, we went to the restaurant that Anthony Bourdain went to with Obama. Not only was it a really good restaurant but it was also fun going on a sudo scavenger hunt from Anthony Bourdain’s Hanoi show.

Finale

Whether you have several weeks to take the long journey from Northern Thailand down through Southern Thailand or make Bangkok your hub and take a day trip to different parts of Thailand, you will have a trip of a lifetime. Thailand has some of the best beaches in Asia, an amazing nightlife in Phuket, rich history and amazing architecture in Bangkok, and fascinating local culture in the regions in between. From my experience, Thailand was no more dangerous if you are a solo traveler, traveling with your Wolf Pack, or a foreigner than any other country I have been to and you should feel comfortable adding this amazing country to your bucket list.

For more adventures during solo travels, check out my fellow blogger Carolyn Miller’s Conversation With a Solo Traveler. If you are looking for another gorgeous beach vacation, check out my post on Hawaii.

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