Many independent travelers agree: Thailand is one of the best countries for hitchhiking. Hitchhiking is not only a great way to reduce your travel expenses, but also an opportunity to get to know the country from the inside, meet local residents and see many interesting places away from established tourist routes. Hitchhiking is a great opportunity to realize from personal experience that the world around us is based on kindness and mutual assistance. Thailand has many quality highways and roads, and the people there are amazingly friendly and hospitable. The travel speed is much faster than by bus. We will talk about the peculiarities of hitchhiking in Thailand and share tips on how to properly hitchhike in this region.
1. First of all, you need the “right” card. All names of settlements must be duplicated in Thai, because many Thais do not know English, and you may not pronounce the name of the city quite correctly. You can buy such a card at a 7-Eleven store or a used bookstore, but you will have to look for the one you need in several stores. From experience, the best maps are made for the entire country at once, and not for individual regions.
2. To hitchhike, you will have to learn a few phrases in Thai. The most important of them is “Pai nai?”, which means: “Where are you going?”. You can ask for the location on the map in case you don’t know its name.
3. Be sure to try a ride in the back of a pickup truck – it will give you an unforgettable experience. The presence of spacious pickup trucks allows you to travel around Thailand in a company of 3-4 people.
4. The hardest thing about hitchhiking is getting out of cities. Especially from large cities such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai or Hat Yai. You can travel outside the city by minibus from the bus station, by rail, or by local type of minibus – songthaew. When you realize that you are outside of traffic intersections and bypass highways, you can start catching cars. You can get around a large city on your way using a bypass road. Carefully monitor the numbering of roads and the presence of detour routes on the map. It is better to disembark on time at the entrance to the city than to take a long time to get out of it. It is difficult to stop cars in the city, but you can go outside of it in several stages if it is absolutely necessary.
5. It must be remembered that clothing is very important for hitchhiking. Thais are very conservative people. Open necklines, men’s tank tops with bare shoulders, short shorts or dresses are not allowed. Outerwear should cover the shoulders, and pants or skirt should be below the knee.
6. The most ideal time for hitchhiking is from dawn to dusk. After dark, locals practically do not stop because they are afraid or simply may not notice you on the side of the road. If night still finds you on the road, you can stop the cargo truck. They drive slowly, but over long distances. Truck drivers take their loved ones on trips: girlfriends, wives, children, and sometimes the whole family at once. You definitely won’t get bored on the road.
7. You will definitely be invited to visit. Don’t refuse, this way you can find new friends and learn about the peculiarities of the way of life in Thailand. Get ready for the fact that they will try to put you on the bus and even buy a ticket for it. Thais are very worried about independent travelers. They will try to give you money, buy food and feed you.
8. Hitchhiking in Thailand is absolutely safe for single travelers, including girls. I have traveled a total of 20 thousand km and visited the most remote corners of Thailand alone and have seen from my own experience how much care and respect the Thais treat tourists.
9. Never immediately name the end point of your route. Especially if you are thousands of kilometers away from it. True, Thais move around the country a lot, so don’t be surprised if it turns out that the car you stopped goes straight to the place you need. Sometimes the driver may even change plans to take you to your final destination.
Where to go
For lovers of outdoor activities, we recommend going to the mountain village of Pai in the Mae Hong Son province in northern Thailand (on the map). There you will find breathtaking views of mountain valleys, steep canyons, national parks and hot spring treatments.
Every evening there is an evening market on Walking street in Pai, where you can buy original designer items, listen to live music, and try Thai, Indian, Japanese and other cuisines from around the world. Book a hotel outside the village and enjoy the picturesque views from your window. If you have a driver’s license, rent a car or scooter to independently explore all the cultural and natural attractions of this protected corner of Thailand.
For a beach holiday, head to the wild island of Koh Pangan in the south of the country (on the map). It can only be reached by ferry from the mainland or the neighboring island of Koh Samui. There is no airport on the island, which avoids mass tourism, although during the peak season all local hotels are overbooked. On Koh Phangan, you can not only relax on the beach, but also learn the basics of yoga or meditation, or take a detox course at one of the many retreat centers. If you love beach parties, then once a month the famous Full moon party is held here on one of the most beautiful beaches of the island, Haad Rin.
Author of the article: Irina Chereponko
