Thailand Backpacker Central

If you’re looking for a backpacker scene, Thailand is your pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. With a proliferation of charming guesthouse communities and Bangkok’s position as the gateway city to Southeast Asia, Thailand a magnet for young tourists. You may run into your best friend from primary school buying spring rolls in Bangkok or that crazy guy you met two weeks ago in Vietnam getting a sun tan on Ko Chang . You’ll definitely meet people who have unbelieveable stories about near-death experiences with dysentery, malaria, wild tigers, Burmese border guards, or a weird guesthouse owner in Surin . Most of these stories are true. Khaosan Road in Bangkok is the best place for these storytelling sessions. Ko Samet , on the east coast, is the spot for low-key chilling, swimming, and snorkeling. In Chiang Mai , the largest city in northern Thailand, cultural and commercial attractions abound. In the northeast, Chiang Khan is a hidden gem—a backpacking destination without the tourists. And what backpacker trip would be complete without a raging Full Moon party on Ko Phangan ?

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For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.