Thailand, also known as ‘the land of smiles,’ is the place where many backpackers, independent budget travelers, and digital nomads get their first taste of freedom and adventure.
And for good reason – Thailand is the perfect country for your first backpacking or solo travel trip. It’s also become one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads in the world!
I’ve spent many happy months backpacking and living in Thailand as a digital nomad, so in this blog I’ll let you know why I think it’s such a great destination for backpackers, solo travelers and digital nomads.
Why I Love Thailand
Thailand is a place that simply has it all, it’s an exotic paradise filled with natural beauty, golden glittering temples, an intriguing culture, fiery cuisine, vibrant nightlife and some of the best beaches and islands in the world.
There’s so many fun things to do and beautiful places to explore in Thailand and, compared to some other destinations, backpacking or traveling independently in Thailand is a much easier, smoother, safer, affordable and less stressful experience, even for solo female travellers.
And because Thailand is such a popular destination there’s plenty of budget friendly backpacker hostels where it’s easy to meet like minded people.
My Ultimate Thailand Itinerary and Backpacking Route
Why Thailand is so popular with backpackers and digital nomads
The backpacker trail in Thailand is popular and well trodden but it means that backpacking Thailand is super fun, easy and affordable and you’re likely to meet other like minded travellers.
If you are a digital nomad or working remotely while you travel you will find all the modern comforts and fast internet you need to be productive as Thailand is a global hub for digital nomads.
Another thing that makes Thailand perfect for travelers and digital nomads is the people themselves, the Thais are tolerant, hospitable and polite and make backpacking Thailand a breeze, even for the inexperienced traveller and solo females.
I’ve been backpacking Thailand alone many times now and never had a problem, I’ve always felt safe, found it easy to get where I want to go and always made friends and travel buddies really effortlessly.
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Many travellers start their Thailand adventure on Khao San Road in Bangkok which is probably the biggest mecca for backpackers in the whole world!
Bangkok is filled with exciting things to do and see and Khao San Road offers everything you could ever need for your travels, easy onward transport connections and is a great place to party and meet other backpackers.
Where to go in Thailand
Once you’re ready to leave Bangkok the only problem is deciding on your next destination.
Do you go north to experience the jungles, mountains, hill tribes, temples, history and culture of Northern Thailand and the digital nomad mecca of Chiang Mai.
Or do you head south and spend your days island hopping through picture postcard perfect tropical islands, spending your days lazing in a hammock, exploring under the water or partying all night under the full moon on paradisaical islands like Koh Phangan and Koh Lanta – both have a thriving community of digital nomads and remote workers.
My advice is to go north first because there are so many cool things to do in Chiang Mai and the surrounding area and if you go straight to the islands you might never want to leave and then you’d really be missing out on all the amazing adventures in North Thailand!
Read More: My Perfect Thailand Backpacking Route and Itinerary.
The Ultimate guide to your first time backpacking Bangkok and Where to Stay in Bangkok ( for all areas and all budgets)
Tips for Backpacking Thailand
Luckily, getting around this exciting and diverse country is easy due to the good tourist and backpacker facilities and affordable network of tuk tuks, buses, trains, boats and planes that criss-cross the country. You can even make all your travel arrangements and pre book trains, buses and ferries online before your trip with 12 Go Asia.
The best place to book backpacker hostels in on Hostelworld, but even if you’re on a budget you don’t need to be limited to hostels. Check out Booking.com and Agoda where you’ll find hostels and cheap hotels at low prices that might surprise you. Thailand is great value for money! It’s a good idea to plan and book ahead on peak season (Dec – March.)
If you’re visiting during the hot or rainy season then you could go with the flow and arrange transport as you go. Most hostels and hotels will help you with your onward travel plans often arranging combined tickets with mini bus pick ups directly from the hostel to transport hubs.
Thailand has so much more to offer than just temples, islands, beach and bar hopping. There’s also a huge range of activities to keep you entertained from cooking classes, jungle trekking, Muay Thai training, yoga courses, Thai massage, scuba diving, the list is endless – there are so many things to do in Thailand.
Yes, Thailand is popular and quite touristy – its not off the beaten track but this is sometimes not really a bad thing especially if you are backpacking Thailand alone.
Because of Thailand’s popularity you’ll find a safe, easy, fun and well worn backpacker trail and a thriving digital nomad scene with plenty of affordable sleeping, eating and drinking options to choose from and even a taste of comfort food from home is possible if you’re feeling homesick.
Best Places in Thailand for digital nomads
If you’re a digital nomad or remote worker looking for an affordable place to settle for a while and get work done while also connecting with like-minded people and having fun things to do at the weekends, then head to a digital nomad hub like Chiang Mai.
Home to an Old City packed with temples, the modern, trendy Nimmanhaemin Road area and surrounded by mountains, there’s many great places to stay in Chiang Mai for digital nomads.
Some say this city is where it the movement of traveling and working online all began with entrepreneurs from all over the world taking advantage of the low living costs and friendly, inspiring scene to build and launch their online businesses.
In Chiang Mai you can rent a room or apartment for a month for as little as 3,500 (£85) to 8,000 baht (£195) a month. Most include wifi but you can also choose to work from one of the many coffee shops popular with digital nomads or coworking spaces. There’s plenty of things to see and do in Chiang Mai too so you’ll never get bored.
And Thailand’s digital nomad scene isn’t just in Chiang Mai – Bangkok, Pai and the islands of Koh Lanta, Koh Phangan and Phuket also have thriving digital nomad scenes.
Often the people that you meet can make or break your trip and, due to Thailand’s popularity, it’s easy to meet other like-minded travellers or digital nomads to travel with and make memories and friendships that will probably last a lifetime.
This is why Thailand is one of the best places to backpack alone – you’ll never be lonely for long here!
Cost of Backpacking Thailand
Backpacking Thailand is also very affordable and great value for money. It’s not such a bargain as it used to be, but you can still enjoy Thailand even on a budget.
I spent about 1,500 Baht per day on my trips, (that’s about £36/ $50) but you could easily spend a lot less or more. Click here for a breakdown of my average daily backpacker budget for Thailand.
It couldn’t be easier to see and enjoy this incredible country. Thailand is an easy, affordable, popular and yet still exotic destination packed with so many stunning sights and amazing experiences that is simply perfect for your first backpacking trip or your first foray into the exciting lifestyle of the digital nomad!
So many people visit Thailand every year for their first big overseas trip and then go onto discover the rest of Southeast Asia and beyond with their new found levels of self confidence and burgeoning sense of adventure once they have been bitten by the travel bug!
For more tips on traveling in Thailand check out my comprehensive Thailand Travel Guide and more Thailand blog posts here.
By the way, this post was written in collaboration with Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) but all opinions here are my own based on my personal experience of traveling in Thailand over multiple trips. You can get more inspiration and advice for visiting Thailand on their new blog www.fanclubthailand.co.uk. and check out the latest entry requirements for Thailand here.
Are you planning your first backpacking or digital nomad trip?
Let me know if you have any more questions about Thailand in the comments below.
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[…] has been a haven for backpackers for decades. I’ve visited 6 times now and I think Thailand is the best country for a first time backpacking trip. There’s so much to see and do in the ‘Land of Smiles’ that planning a trip to Thailand can be […]