How you can experience all of Thailand's flavors

To truly taste Thailand, close your eyes and chew slowly. [View in browser]( [facebook]( [instagram]( [TikTok]( PICTURE YOURSELF IN… Thailand There is always something wonderful to eat in Thailand You will never convince me there is a better place to eat than [Thailand](. I love it all – the [regional dishes]( the ease with which you can find an incredible snack, the sheer combination of flavors mashed together in a stone mortar. However, discovering that I could eat noodles at an early-morning market in Bangkok was a level-up that, well, up-leveled my life. Ready to explore by 5am on my first day in Bangkok, I ventured out into the streets just as the sky was starting to get that early-morning yellow glow. I found a little stand not far from my hostel with a few plastic tables topped with plastic caddies filled with various condiments. I ordered pad thai and spring rolls because I was new and didn’t know what else to get. No matter, though: it was a close-your-eyes-and-chew-slowly moment of culinary ecstasy. The flavor explosion, rich and smooth and just the right kind of spicy, convinced me that I’d eat pad thai for breakfast for the rest of my life. I’m happy to report that I ate many other things while in Thailand – and I was curious how the culinary scene has developed since my visit. I recently spoke with Suphawadi Cluckie (June) who works with Lonely Planet’s sister company, [Elsewhere]( creating personalized trips for travelers. She gave me tips on where to go, what to do and – most importantly – what to eat. She even has an early-morning food tour of Bangkok that I feel was created just for people like me. Yours truly, [Sarah Stocking] Sarah Stocking   Destination editor, Lonely Planet           [Thailand beach](     Featured Story How to choose between Thailand’s beautiful islands With so many incredible islands to visit in Thailand, it can be overwhelming to find the one just for you. Check out our guide – or just read on to see what June suggests. [Read more]( [] Immerse yourself Elsewhere’s Suphawadi (June) Cluckie on how to take in Thailand, today [View all stories]( [Thailand on a budget]( While prices in Thailand have been creeping steadily higher over the years, you can still travel on something of a shoestring. Take public trains and buses and enjoy the amazing street food. [Read more]( Local tip: Entry fees at national parks aren’t too onerous, and accommodations (especially camping) are shockingly reasonable. The biggest expense will be booking excursions.   [Best time to visit]( The best weather is in November through March – the high season. Expect crowds along with the perfect temperatures. [Read more]( Local tip: June told me to travel in October. She said as the rains come to an end, you’ll generally get good weather, and prices won’t have increased yet for the high season. You’ll avoid the crowds and minimize your impact on local communities and tourism infrastructure.   [Best places to visit]( June tells us that a lot of travelers arrive in Bangkok and head straight for the beaches. Yet there are so many places to visit in Thailand, research other destinations that might interest you. [Read more]( Local tip: Getting from place to place is fairly straightforward in Thailand. [Trains are plentiful]( and a great way to see the countryside, while domestic flights can be affordable if you’re short on time.   [Getting around]( Tuk-tuks are a great way to travel in the cities, and many of them are electric as part of a sustainability initiative. [Read more]( Local tip: According to June, in Bangkok the electric tuk-tuks are wheelchair accessible, and you’ll find history and food tours via tuk-tuk in both Bangkok and Chiang Mai.   Ask an Insider June is an expert in travel to Thailand working with [Elsewhere](. A particular fan of Thai beaches, she gave me a full rundown of tips covering the whole country. Read on to start planning your trip. I’ve been loving Koh Yao, which is made up of two islands, Koh Yao Noi and Koh Yao Yai. I can find small bays that I can enjoy all to myself there. Koh Yao locals are friendly, the beaches are relatively private and prices offer good value. Koh Yao also provides the opportunity to explore the island’s way of life, which is lost in more developed locations. Is there an experience you always recommend to travelers no matter who they are? Recently, I've found myself recommending [Khao Sok National Park]( quite a lot. The landscape around Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok can feel almost like it’s the land that time forgot. At night you can hear a cacophony of jungle sounds, from the chirping of crickets to the calls of monkeys like macaques and langurs. During the day, you can travel around the lake by longtail boat, eat at floating local restaurants, trek through the wilderness and experience some of Thailand’s best nature and wildlife. Is there a region in Thailand that isn’t on every traveler’s list but should be? Isan in Northeastern Thailand. It’s rarely visited by tourists, but attracts a lot of people who have been to Thailand before and are looking for something a bit different. Also, Nan Province. It feels like Thailand from several decades ago: life is slow and relaxed, and people are keen to talk to you. The experiences here are far more curated and formed through personal connections. You simply can’t access them just by researching online, and you’re unlikely to find them on your own. I love introducing people to experiences like these that might otherwise not be available to them. [June Bio] Snorkeling in Koh Kood was an incredible experience and the clarity of the water took my breath away. I suppose that’s probably my idea of a perfect day. – Suphawadi (June) Cluckie What is one thing travelers are constantly surprised by about Thailand? So many people get surprised when they realize Thailand offers more than just its famous beaches and pad thai. There are some islands that people rarely know to ask for: Koh Khai and Koh Phra Tong in Phang Nga, and Koh Jum in Krabi offer really unique and fresh island vibes. On the food side of things, there are incredible dishes that get completely overlooked because you never see them in the guidebooks, dishes like pad mee korat (stir-fried noodles, similar to pad thai but with a much richer sauce), yam pladuk fuu (fried catfish with a spicy mango salad dressing), laab muu tod (spicy meatballs made from pork laab) and khanom jeen (soft noodles topped with a variety of curry sauces). What is your favorite Thai meal and where should a traveler go to eat it? My favorite dish is probably som tam, which is a spicy papaya salad. There are dozens of variations, and my favorite is probably som tam tam lao, a variation of the dish that adds a fermented fish paste (which tastes much better than it sounds!). I always recommend trying som tam from any streetside vendor – they are always better than what you can get in the restaurants. You can always order som tam just to your taste, no matter how sweet you want it, how salty or how spicy. I always like mine with exactly two chilies. My runner-up would be muu tod gratiem, fried pork in a garlic sauce with rice. It’s not very tasty everywhere, but in Korat they use a special recipe for the sauce which is absolutely delicious. The best one is at Yai Malee restaurant in Pak Thong Chai. This email was sent to you by: Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 © 2022 Lonely Planet [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy](