Thai food is traditionally spicy. Most Thai food is prepared with fresh ingredients such as lemon grass and coriander, and rice is eaten with most meals.

You should try the fresh fruit, the most popular are papaya, jackfruit, rambutans and durians.

British passport holders arriving by air or land, can enter Thailand for 30 days without a visa, but you can only enter Thailand through a land border twice per calendar year. To cross more frequently, you’ll need to get a visa in advance of travelling. This doesn’t apply to entry by air into Thailand.

Your passport should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Thailand. Entry to Thailand is normally refused if you have a passport which is damaged or has pages missing.

Thailand’s currency is the Thai Baht (BHT). Banknotes come in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 Baht.

You can take up to THB 50,000 per person, or THB 100,000 per family holding one passport. There is no limit for foreign currencies, however, amounts exceeding USD 20,000. or equivalent, must be declared to a Customs Officer upon arrival by all travellers.

It’s very handy to have some THB before arriving in Thailand, which can be ordered from your bank, Post Office or local money exchange. Online money exchange providers in the UK offer the lowest rate of commissions, so you will get more for your money cashing in this way.

Most Thai banks now charge a 200 baht fee per withdrawal when you use their ATM's with a foreign card. The exception is AEON, which can be found in many big stores such as Tesco Lotus and major shopping malls. They charge 150 baht. Your home bank may also levy a fee.

Mastercard and Visa are the most widely accepted credit cards in Thailand, followed by American Express. Most hotels and restaurants accept all of these, especially in tourist destination areas. It is best to take cash to use in more rural areas.

While it may not always be expected, tips can go a long way and are a great way to show your appreciation.

We would generally suggest that you should tip your guide/driver and we can advise you on appropriate amounts. It is also considered proper to make a small donation to temples, especially if the monks have shown you around.

Many sites across Asia require a fair level of physical activity. The sheer scale of some attractions means walking is involved.

Our local representatives will do their utmost to accommodate any requests, and where possible, suggest alternative routes.

Please advise us of any special needs in advance, and we will do our utmost to provide support, including wheelchair assistance.

Yes, there’s only one thing worse than having to make an insurance claim for some misfortune that may have occurred on holiday – and that’s not being able to make a claim because you’re not properly insured. Travel insurance is a necessity should you become unwell, either before or during your holiday. It not only protects you financially, it ensures the quality of overseas medical care is of a standard you would expect. It also covers emergency repatriation, should it be deemed necessary.

Links Travel & Tours have teamed up with Holiday Extras to offer our customers a bespoke insurance product that is ideal for our holidays. Holiday Extras are fully authorised and regulated by the FSA, and Links Travel & Tours is an Appointed Representative of Holiday Extras, and as such are authorised to provide travel insurance.

When embarking on any holiday, it is important that your insurance cover level is right. The wide range of policies available means that they are sure to have the cover you need for your trip. Single Trip cover is available for a one-off break, while an Annual Multi-Trip policy will cover all your trips throughout the year.

The policy contains restrictions regarding pre-existing medical problems concerning the health of the people travelling and of other people upon whose health the holiday may depend – even if they are not travelling. Holiday Extras can offer specific travel insurance policies for people with pre-existing conditions so please tell us about these in order for us to quote you appropriately.

Please feel free to contact us today to receive a quote for your travel insurance.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO), issues advice to all countries, and their advice for Thailand can be found on the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand