Travel Insurance Thailand
>> When it comes to travel insurance, Thailand is a 'must have insurance' country.
It's one of the most popular destinations from Australia with totally drop dead stunning coastal and inland scenery, absolute luxury accommodation and rustic, 'cheap as' beach-front huts, plus airfares and travel insurance to Thailand are both really affordable. But... it's still a high risk country.
Look for fairly comprehensive cover, not only for basic hospital and medical but also lost or stolen luggage, documents, credit cards and cash. We advise this from experience as we know it's simply the nature of many parts of the country. At iTrek we offer 4 levels of cheap travel insurance and make it too easy to get one of our quotes and work out what works best for you.
Best time to go to Thailand for gorgeous beaches and weather is November through February. Naturally the beach locations of Phuket and Koh Samui and the Phi Phi Islands - and the list goes on - plus the exotic old world meets new contrasts of Bangkok are at their best during this period. And the price tags are at their highest.
If eking out your travel dollars is critical, pick the off season times of April through June and September through October or choose less touristy destinations. If this is your budget range, possibly taking out the cheapest insurance cover will be on your list. Ok - but at the least you must have medical insurance to ensure you'll be covered for a safe level of hospital or medical treatment and for evacuation if needed. Our basic Bronze policy provides outstanding value including cash for emergencies and during hospitalisation plus repatriation and personal liability.
Be aware that Thailand is on High Alert for many of the southern provinces and in the Thai-Myanmar border region. The smartraveller.com.au site posts regular updates so be sure to check these out. At this point we need to warn you that going into areas declared High Risk can affect the validity of your travel insurance for Thailand so heads up on this one.
When travelling alone or in a group, one way to see the country and be sure you don't wander into a high risk zone is to join up with one of the many tours for your holidays. They operate for all age groups but do go for a quality operator.
If you're off backpacking, when you purchase 12 or 18 months of travel insurance, Thailand (South East Asia) is on our give-away list of FREE Lonely Planet Shoestring Guides. Click through now and check out all your options.
>> Best Tips...
- Best dive spots: Thailand is littered with great dive spots each for different reasons, so we can only list a few - Phi Phi Islands, Ao Nang, Khao Lak, Phuket, Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock - these should get you started. Best time of year varies between locations.
- Best cultural tips: Never speak against Thailand's king, wear your shoes in a temple or turn your back on a statue of Buddha; never touch another persons head or raise your feet higher than their head; and never ask a taxi driver for the best place to eat.
- Best travel tip: check with www.smartraveller.gov.au before making any plans.
