Party Advice

Planning a trip for the group? You're in the right place. We throw these parties every week, and these guides cover what's on, where to go, and the rules that catch groups out.

Know before you go

Coworking in Bangkok with people sharing tables, using laptops, and chatting beside skyline windows.

Coworking spaces in Bangkok: the best desks and day passes

A coworking space in Bangkok costs about ฿300 to ฿750 for a day pass at The Hive, JustCo or WeWork.

A group of people holding drinks gather around a table with a laptop and candle on a balcony overlooking a river and illuminated city skyline at sunset.

Living in Thailand

Living in Thailand starts with the right long-stay visa: the DTV for remote work, retirement from 50, or Thailand Privilege.

Social gathering in Bangkok with a smiling group in a bright lobby overlooking city buildings.

Hair transplant in Bangkok

A hair transplant in Bangkok is done in doctor-led clinics that quote per graft in writing.

A collage shows an open suitcase with swimwear, sunglasses, an adapter and a passport on a bed, people sharing drinks on a boat at sunset, a daytime pool gathering and a candlelit evening dinner by the water.

Plugs, adapters and what to pack for Thailand

The Thailand plug type is mixed: most sockets take flat US-style and round European pins, at 230 volts.

Beachfront dining in Thailand with a diner handing cash to a server at sunset.

Tipping in Thailand

Tipping in Thailand is optional and small: if the bill has no 10% service charge, leave about 10%.

A group of adults socializes with drinks beside a pool overlooking the sea in warm sunlight, with a passport, phone and sunglasses on a wooden table in the foreground.

Travel insurance for Thailand

Thailand travel insurance isn't needed to enter, but private hospitals want a deposit before they treat you.

A busy Bangkok street in daylight is packed with cars, motorcycles, and a tuk-tuk, with pedestrians on the sidewalks and tall buildings lining the road.

Is Thailand safe?

Thailand is safe for a group trip: the US advisory is Level 1, except the Cambodian border and far south.

Friends relaxing on a villa terrace at sunset.

Is weed legal in Thailand?

Weed is legal in Thailand only for medical use, with a Thai prescription, and smoking in public is banned.

Friends loading bags into a luxury van at an airport arrivals curb at night.

Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC)

TDAC is Thailand's free digital arrival card, filed online in the 3 days before you land.

A private boat party on the river at night.

Thailand drug laws

Thailand drug laws are among the world's strictest: party drugs are illegal and using them carries prison.

A laptop, coffee and passport on a table beside a villa pool.

Thailand DTV visa

The DTV visa in Thailand is a 5-year visa for remote workers; a 30-day party trip doesn't need it.

A group of smiling adults holds drinks around a marble table with candles, a gold card, and a dark booklet in a lounge overlooking a river and illuminated city skyline at dusk.

Thailand Elite visa (Thailand Privilege)

The Thailand Privilege visa, once the Elite visa, is a paid membership from ฿650,000 for 5 to 20 years.

A group of people raise drinks on a yacht deck at sunset while one holds up a phone, with steep rocky islands across the water behind them.

The best eSIM for Thailand

A Thailand eSIM installed at home the night before, from about US$4, gets you online as you land.

When to go

Friends on a yacht in a calm turquoise bay among limestone islands.

Best time to visit Thailand, month by month

The best time to visit Thailand is November to February, when it's cool, dry and sunny almost everywhere.

Friends on a covered villa terrace as a storm passes over the sea at dusk.

Thailand rainy season

Thailand's rainy season runs mid-May to mid-October, but the Gulf islands are wettest from October to January.

Beach day at Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui, with swimmers, shallow waves and palm-lined sand.

Best time to visit Koh Samui

The best time to visit Koh Samui is February to April, the driest months, ideally timed with a Full Moon.

Small waves roll onto a sandy beach under an overcast sky, with swimmers and paddleboarders in turquoise water, a person walking along the shore, and wooded land in the distance.

The best time to visit Phuket, month by month

The best time to visit Phuket is December to March, when the Andaman is calm and the boats run daily.

Wat Arun lit up at night across the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.

The best time to visit Bangkok

The best time to visit Bangkok is November to February, the cool, dry months.

Where to go

Yacht party in Thailand with people drinking and swimming beside limestone cliffs at sunset.

20 best beaches in Thailand

The best beaches in Thailand are Railay for cliffs, Koh Lipe for clear water and Chaweng on Samui for parties.

Friends on a speedboat crossing turquoise water between limestone islands.

Thailand islands: the 10 best for every trip

The best Thailand islands are Phuket for everything, Phi Phi for cliffs, Samui for villas and Phangan for parties.

A yacht party off a tropical island at sunset with a DJ on deck.

6 best party islands in Thailand

The best party islands in Thailand are Koh Phangan for the Full Moon, Phuket for Bangla Road, then Samui.

Sightseeing in Lopburi at Phra Prang Sam Yot, with three stone towers and roaming monkeys.

Central Thailand travel guide

Central Thailand is the region around Bangkok, from Ayutthaya and Kanchanaburi to the coast at Hua Hin.

The gold chedi of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep above Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai tours

The best Chiang Mai tours for a group are Doi Suthep, Doi Inthanon, an ethical elephant sanctuary and Chiang Rai.

Longtail boats are moored beside a sandy beach with forested limestone cliffs in the background under a bright blue daytime sky.

12 things to do in Krabi

Things to do in Krabi start with a longtail to Railay, a Hong Islands boat day and Tiger Cave Temple.

Similan Islands day trip from Phuket overlooking turquoise water, anchored boats and a forest-backed sandy beach.

Similan Islands from Phuket

The Similan Islands have the clearest water in Thailand, a day trip by boat about 70 km from Phuket.

Limestone islands in Phang Nga Bay near Phuket, with a long-tail boat on calm water.

Phuket tours

Phuket tours for a group cover Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi, the Similans and the Big Buddha, all private.

Songkhla travel guide

Songkhla is a quiet old town and beach in Thailand's far south, 25 km from Hat Yai.

Beach party in the Southern Andaman with people dancing and holding drinks at sunset.

Southern Andaman travel guide

This Southern Andaman travel guide covers the quiet islands after Phuket: Koh Yao Noi, Koh Lipe and Koh Phayam.

People sunbathe on a sandy beach and swim in turquoise water beneath towering limestone cliffs on a clear, sunny day.

Where to go in Thailand

Where to go in Thailand is easy: Bangkok plus one beach, like Phuket, Pattaya or Koh Samui.

A group of smiling adults raise wine glasses over a candlelit meal in a restaurant overlooking a river and illuminated city buildings.

Best restaurants in Bangkok

The best restaurants in Bangkok start with Sorn and Sühring, Thailand's only three-Michelin-star tables.

A herd of elephants, including calves, walks through a grassy clearing beside dense green forest and a pink-flowering tree in daylight.

Phuket elephant sanctuary

An elephant sanctuary in Phuket, done right, means no riding and no bathing, like Phuket Elephant Sanctuary in Paklok.

People sit in wooden boats beneath colorful umbrellas on a crowded canal lined with market buildings in bright daylight.

Bangkok floating markets

The classic floating market from Bangkok is Damnoen Saduak, open daily from 7am and best before 9am.

Koh Tapu, the needle rock beside James Bond Island in Phang Nga Bay.

Phang Nga Bay tour from Phuket

James Bond Island, the sea caves and Koh Panyee: how a Phang Nga Bay tour works, what it costs, and why a private boat beats the midday crowds.

Several speedboats and a long-tail boat float on turquoise lagoon water beneath towering, vegetation-covered limestone cliffs in bright daylight.

Phi Phi island tour from Phuket

The best Phi Phi island tour is your own boat to Maya Bay at 7am, before the crowds arrive.

Railay West beach between its limestone cliffs.

Railay Beach

How to get to Railay, what each of its four beaches is for, the viewpoint and the islands, and how to do it with a group.

A diver swimming over a coral reef in clear blue water off Koh Tao.

Koh Tao diving

Koh Tao diving means calm bays, warm water and an Open Water course in about three days.

Seven smiling adults hold champagne flutes beside massage beds decorated with folded towels and orchids in a sunlit treatment room overlooking lush greenery.

Spas in Bangkok

The top spa in Bangkok is the Oriental Spa at the Mandarin Oriental, from ฿9,000, with Health Land for value.

Friends enjoy drinks and acoustic guitar on a boat in bright daylight, with turquoise water and a green island with a sandy beach behind them.

Things to do in Pattaya

Koh Larn, the Sanctuary of Truth and Big Buddha Hill by day, Walking Street and clubs until 4am by night, with 2026 prices.

Golden spires and coloured roofs of the Grand Palace in Bangkok in morning light.

Bangkok itinerary for 2 to 4 days

The best Bangkok itinerary is four days: the Grand Palace, Chinatown and Muay Thai, a VIP club night, then Ayutthaya.

Wat Arun on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok at sunset.

Bangkok tours

Our Bangkok tours are private, with a host and a car; a temple morning is from ฿38,000 for the group.

The prang towers of Wat Chai Watthanaram in Ayutthaya at golden hour.

Day trips from Bangkok

Day trips from Bangkok are Ayutthaya's ruins, the Bridge on the River Kwai, a market train or Pattaya's islands.

Island hopping in Thailand

Thailand island hopping works best one coast at a time: Andaman from November to April, Gulf February to September.

Group gathering in Chiang Mai with mugs on a terrace overlooking misty mountains at sunset.

10 days in Thailand

This Thailand itinerary for 10 days spends three in Bangkok, three in Chiang Mai and four on Phuket's beaches.

Yacht party near Phuket with people raising glasses beside limestone islands at sunset.

7 days in Thailand

This Thailand itinerary for 7 days spends three in Bangkok, then four in Phuket for a villa and a yacht.

Beach day at Ko Kradan with white sand, turquoise water, boats and distant rocky islands.

Trang islands

The Trang islands, south of Koh Lanta, have a sea-tunnel lagoon and empty white beaches, best November to April.

Turquoise shallows and longtail boats on Sunrise Beach, Koh Lipe.

Koh Lipe travel guide

Koh Lipe is a tiny island at Thailand's southern tip, reached by a 90-minute speedboat from Pak Bara.

Ang Thong Marine Park

Ang Thong Marine Park is a boat day of limestone islands off Koh Samui, closed 1 November to 15 December.

Calm turquoise water along the white sand of Chaweng Beach on a clear morning.

Koh Samui beaches: the 8 best for a group

The best Koh Samui beaches for a group: Chaweng for clubs, Silver Beach for snorkelling, Choeng Mon for calm.

Calm turquoise water along the curve of Kata Beach in Phuket.

The best beaches in Phuket

The best beaches in Phuket are Kata for swimming, Freedom Beach by boat and Ya Nui for snorkelling.

Friends with champagne on a yacht among limestone islands at golden hour.

Day trips from Phuket

The best day trips from Phuket are Phi Phi, Phang Nga Bay and the Similans, all by your own boat.

A tall white high-rise stands among coastal buildings and trees overlooking a blue bay with small boats and green hills in bright daylight.

Phuket itinerary: 3, 4 or 5 days

A Phuket itinerary of four days covers Bangla Road, a Phang Nga Bay boat, the Big Buddha and Phi Phi.

Lotus leaves and red lotus flowers across the Red Lotus Sea in Udon Thani.

Isaan travel guide

This Isaan travel guide covers nights in Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, then the Mekong road.

Sunset gathering on Thailand’s east coast with people enjoying cocktails at a waterfront bar.

East coast Thailand travel guide

East coast Thailand means seafood in Rayong, old-town Chanthaburi, and the party on Koh Chang and Koh Samet.

French ships anchored in Bangkok beside the French consulate, featured in an 1893 illustrated newspaper.

Northern Thailand travel guide

Northern Thailand is Chiang Mai's clubs plus old towns with weekend night markets, best from November to February.

Rows of lit food stalls at a Bangkok night market after dark

The best night markets in Bangkok

The best night market in Bangkok for food is Jodd Fairs Ratchada, by MRT Thailand Cultural Centre.

A lantern-lit walking-street market at dusk with rows of stalls.

Chiang Mai night markets

The Chiang Mai night market open every night is the Night Bazaar on Chang Khlan Road.

Turquoise shallows and a longtail boat off a small island beach.

Pig Island, Koh Samui

Pig Island Koh Samui is Koh Madsum, 15 to 30 minutes away by speedboat, where pigs roam the beach.

Pattaya Bay and the curve of Pattaya Beach seen from Pratumnak hill, with boats at anchor and the city behind.

Pattaya's beaches

Pattaya Beach is the city's main beach, about 3 km of sand along Beach Road.

Compare

Rooftop party in Pattaya with friends holding drinks above the bay at sunset.

Bangkok vs Pattaya for a group trip

In Bangkok vs Pattaya, Bangkok is rooftops and big clubs, Pattaya is the beach, and they're about two hours apart.

Friends raising glasses at a Bangkok rooftop bar at dusk.

Bangkok vs Phuket for a group trip

In Bangkok vs Phuket, Bangkok is rooftops and superclubs, Phuket is the beach, about 90 minutes apart by air.

Koh Samui vs Phuket for a group trip

Koh Samui vs Phuket: Phuket for a big party week, Samui for a villa base and the Full Moon.

Friends on a yacht among limestone islands at golden hour.

Phuket vs Krabi

Phuket vs Krabi: Phuket is the party with Bangla Road and Illuzion, and Krabi is the cliffs and islands.

Bali vs Thailand for a group trip

In Bali vs Thailand, Thailand wins for a party trip, with licensed clubs in Bangkok open until 4am.

Thailand vs Vietnam

Thailand vs Vietnam for a group chasing beaches, boats and 4am clubs: Thailand wins, with every stop close together.

Friends on a catamaran anchored off an island near Pattaya.

Pattaya vs Phuket

Pattaya vs Phuket: Pattaya is the party weekend two hours from Bangkok, and Phuket is the beach week.

Plan a party

A plaza entrance in daylight has a large teal sign, blue windows, movie banners, and a person standing below.

RCA Bangkok (Royal City Avenue)

RCA Bangkok, Royal City Avenue, is Bangkok's club street, where licensed clubs may open until 4am.

Bachelor party yacht day in Thailand with people jumping into the sea at sunset.

15 bachelor party ideas for Thailand

The best bachelor party ideas in Thailand are a yacht day, a VIP club section, ringside Muay Thai and villas.

Friends raising champagne on a yacht among limestone islands at golden hour.

Thailand itinerary: 5, 7 or 10 days

A good Thailand itinerary for a group is Bangkok's rooftops and clubs first, then one beach for boat and villa.