When getting ready to travel somewhere, a lot of people like to do some research about the country they will visit. They will, look at pictures of tourist attractions and see what the food is like. However, no matter how much we research, we will always be surprised when we reach our destination.
Thai food, famous in Western countries, won't fail to surprise you. There is always something unknown, something we never thought could exist. For example, the lack of baked food, or putting ice in a glass of beer; or some dishes that even Thai people find strange; or the dining etiquette.
Read our quick guide and learn some interesting facts about Thai food.
Highlights
- Many dishes are regional, and it can be hard to find them outside their place of origin
- Baked food is not really a thing in Thailand; it will be hard to find it
- Drinking beer with ice is not something strange in Thailand
- Etiquette is important; always try to respect your host
10-Day Best of Thailand with Koh Samui:
Recommended Itinerary
|
I have never hear of this company…
I have never hear of this company before , and after reading all these reviews ,I decided to give it a try . The professionalism and communicative skill received by one of the agent , Sharon of Asia Highlights , convince me that She was the right travel agent for my trip in Asia . Very quickly she communicated with me and got all the detail of my desire vacation . Sharon made me a great itinerary with great experiences that I am dreaming to experience and I am looking forward to it . Thanks Sharon for been so great and crafting me a dream vacation with great suggestions.
More
orge alvarez,
May 2023
|
Coco Yang worked tirelessly to…
From the moment I landed in Bangkok, Ms Noi Ying was there to welcome me and get me settled into my hotel. We enjoyed several days together touring Bangkok and Kanchanaburi. In Chiang Mai, Mr Ekachai took my son snd I on an amazing trip to the Elephant Jungle Sanctuary and to visit a community Lanna home, gardens and a hands-on cooking class preparing an authentic Thai meal. Lisa arranged a last-minute speedboat tour of 5 breathtaking islands in Phuket. From start to finish, the guides exceeded my expectations!! Thank you, Asia Highlight!! Debbie Woods
More
Debbie Woods,
May 2023
|
Sharon from Asia highlights has been…
Sharon from Asia highlights has been amazing. She offered her amazing ideas to other tours I wanted. We have planned the perfect 9 day itinerary to Thailand. She worked in my budget and was very flexible when I had to change my flights. Thank you sharon. Can’t wait for the trip.
More
Heather Stern Wilensky,
Apr 2023
|
Ms. Ning first review 4-2023
Ms. Albee Ning has been doing a great job accommodating my requests and itinerary changes. Remember the first itinerary is a rough draft and you may modify it to suit your tastes. Remember you can not do it all and see everything in 3 weeks. If the flight wasn't so long I would visit Southeast Asia more often. I will update my review in a few months. We don't leave for 9 more months. Asia Highlights is working well for me so far!
More
Chiefray,
Apr 2023
|
Perfect Trip To Thailand…
We had so much fun in Bangkok with Tanni and Tom as they kept laughing at all of our silly jokes. Paul, our guide and Chiang Mai was really thoughtful, fun and full of great information about the temples and sights. Thanks so much! Brian and Michelle
More
Scott Orchard,
Mar 2023
|
I highly recommend Asia Highlights
I highly recommend Asia Highlights. I worked with Alisa and she is fantastic! I was planning my honeymoon trip, and I changed the destination multiple times. Each time, Alisa provided me an updated itinerary with activities that matched my interests. Whether I had a small change to an activity, a question about one of the arrangements, or a change or destination, Alisa was helpful, thoughtful, and knowledgeable, providing me with updated options in an extremely timely manner. In the end, despite the fact that I changed my mind on location multiple times, I ended up booking a 17 day trip to Thailand for this upcoming November. I am extremely excited to experience everything that Alisa planned for us. I recommend Asia Highlights to everyone and look forward to using them again on any other trips to Asia in the future. Thank you Alisa and Asia Highlights!
More
Britt Rosen,
Mar 2023
|
Three weeks encompassing Vietnam
A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport.
More
Deby,
Feb 2023
|
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia…
Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible.
More
Todd Atwell,
Feb 2023
|
Family Trip to Thailand
Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves.
So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back.
More
Roger Pyle,
Feb 2023
|
Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights!
I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia
More
Nancy Parker,
Feb 2023
|
Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended
Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip
More
AZ,
Feb 2023
|
5 STAR CUSTOMER SERVICE BY MONICA
Monica is a very sweet young lady who speaks excellent English via email/WhatsApp, and knows the importance of excellent customer service.
More
Trent,
Jan 2023
|
We had an awesome experience with Asia Highlights
We started our trip in Bangkok, where Mr. Prassert our tour guide, met us. He was on time and the van was clean and well-maintained. Mr. Prassert was our guide for the 4 days we spent in Bangkok. He was helpful, kind, and willing to accommodate our pee and coffee breaks. The driver was safe and punctual.
Next, we went to Chiang Mai.Gemma exceeded every expectation we had for our tour of Chiang Mai! She had a great attitude that made exploring the city fun and exciting, as well as an abundance of knowledge and experience. She was always spot on with figuring out logistics and coming up with unique ideas that suited our interests and schedules. Gemma was incredibly generous with her time and even walked us to security at the airport to make sure we could carry all of our luggage. That’s just one example of how far out of her way she went to make our trip easier and more enjoyable. Gemma was sincerely interested in making every minute of our trip count. We’re very grateful to have met her and feel like we have found a friend in Gemma! Our driver in Chiang Mai was also great and very accommodating to our changes in schedules.
More
Lois Paskow,
Dec 2022
|
Thailand & Cambodia 2022
Albee went above and beyond to make our trip perfect. She rearranged flights due to a mistake of mine. She made sure we were still picked up and escorted to the airport. I felt comfortable and safe with all our reps. She did an excellent job and I highly recommend her booking your next trip. Thank you, Albee.
More
Karen Brooks,
Dec 2022
|
Perfect vacation thanks to Albee we…
I can’t say enough about how much we appreciate all the efforts, attention to details and immediate responses to all questions that Albee and her team provided. The Asia Highlights team deserves more stars than the maximum allowed because of continually going above and beyond all expectations. Thanks Albee for making our vacation through south east Asia absolutely perfect!!!
More
Michael Sharp,
Dec 2022
|
2023 Chiang Mai CAD Yipeng Festival
We got early bird ticket and Bella was assisting us through whatsapp. Easy, competitive price, front row tickets. Thanks Bella, for being patient explaining everything to me. Highly recommended.
More
lily hartati,
Dec 2022
|
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep
Bella has been an outstanding customer service rep. She was responsive and knowledgeable. Buying tickets from their website was super easy and the whole process was straightforward. Highly recommended.
More
Khai,
Nov 2022
|
I was ever so grateful to have a point…
I was ever so grateful to have a point of contact while in a foreign country for the first time, alone, that helped me through the Ins and outs of getting to and from my destination. Albee was readily available which brought me much comfort and feeling of safety. If in this part of the world again, I will not hesitate to use your services..
More
Omega,
Nov 2022
|
Memorable Experience!!!
I booked tickets to the Chiang Mai Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Nov 2022. Bella was extremely responsive and helpful!!
More
Bowen,
Nov 2022
|
Personalized
It is the attention to detail and what we specifically wanted to see that made the reservation experience so exciting.
More
Peter Bongiovanni,
Nov 2022
|
1. No baked food, thanks!
You will have a hard time finding baked food in Thailand. Thai people almost never use an oven, but they love to stir-fry, deep fry and grill their food.
The only traditional bakeries are in the Thai Chinese areas and they mainly sell Chinese bread and filled buns. You will also find Western bakeries here and there because of the high demand from tourists. If you want to enjoy the real Thai experience, though, and get your taste buds used to Thai flavors, stick to traditionally-cooked food, you won't regret it.
2. Regional differences? Of course!
There are a few dishes that are ubiquitous in Thailand: Pad Thai, papaya salad, mango, and sticky rice, green curry, etc. However, some dishes are strictly regional, and it will be almost impossible to find them elsewhere. Learn about the best 30 dishes to order in Thailand.
For example, traveling in the North you will come across Gaeng Hanglay (Northern Thai curry) and maybe fall in love with it, but it will be difficult to find it in other places.
In Chiang Mai, everyone loves khao soi, a coconut-based curry soup made with blanched egg noodles and topped with crispy fried egg noodles. Khao soi is the most eaten dish in the Lanna region of Northern Thailand.
Classic Northern Thai food: Khao Soi
In the south of Thailand, the dishes tend to be hot and sour. Gaeng tai pla, a sour, searingly hot soup made with fish organs and vegetables is a regional specialty and is not something you will find in the north. If eating fish organs doesn't sound very appetizing, try southern gaeng som (which, confusingly, isn't the same as gaeng som in Central Thailand). It's a delicious sour orange curry made with fresh local fish and green papaya.
In Central Thailand (Bangkok), you must try a traditional green curry but do as the locals do and eat it with khanom jeen (fresh fermented rice noodles), which is a tradition in the capital and, in our opinion, the best way to enjoy the most famous Thai curry.
People elsewhere might not have heard of these dishes but there is still hope! Just look extensively, and you will probably find all the dishes you are looking for.
10-Day Best of Thailand in Yi Peng Festival:
Bangkok - Chiang Mai - Phuket
3. Beer On the Rocks
Something that might sound unthinkable to many is the delight of a lot of Thai people. It is common to find Thai people sitting in a restaurant, sipping their beer with ice in it. It is just a way to fight the brutal heat of Thailand's daytime.
It is common to drink Chang, Leo, or Tiger on the rocks, and many foreigners start liking this new method to drink beer. Not only does the ice keep the beer cool but it also waters it down slightly, meaning you won't get too drunk too quickly. Learn everything you need to know about Thai Drinks.
Beer "on the rock" in Thailand
4. Sugar is widely used
Thai cuisine likes to combine different flavors: spicy, sour, salty, and, last but not least, sweet. Many dishes, also those you wouldn't expect, have sugar in them. From Pad Thai to green papaya salad, it is pretty common to add a couple of spoonfuls of sugar during the preparation.You can ask for the sweetness to be tweaked to suit your preferences and if you don't want your food to be too sweet, just say 'waan noi', which means slightly sweet.
8-Day An Idyllic Honeymoon in Thailand:
Recommended Itinerary
5. Chili is not in every dish
Spicy food is extremely easy to find, and one might think that it is impossible to avoid. This is of course no true. While a lot of dishes come with a good amount of spices, many others don't. Spicy dishes are usually indicated on the menu, and most of the time the word 'spicy' is in the title itself. And the waiters always ask how spicy you prefer your food.
Kway teow (noodle soup) is one of the most popular dishes in Thailand. There are lots of different types but, typically, the dish is quite mild and you are left to flavor the soup with the condiments provided to suit your taste preferences. Dried chili flakes (prik bon) and chili vinegar (prik nam som) are always left on the table so you can get your chili hit when you need it but you can also eat it with people who don't like their food too hot.
So, if you don't love spicy food, don't worry! You will still be perfectly able to enjoy Thai food.
6. Some dishes require experience
Thai food is everywhere, and everyone loves it. It is so omnipresent that a lot of people would know at least one dish for every part of the meal, and they could order from a menu without any help. This doesn't mean that Thai cuisine ends here.
There are some dishes that are so strange that also Thai people think of them as an acquired taste:
- Larb Dib: a salad made with ground, raw beef. It often comes with a lot of blood.
- Som Tam Pla Ra: a variation of the beloved papaya salad with fermented and unpleasantly smelly fish or crab.
- Khaaw Niaw Thu Rian: another way to eat the famous stinky durian, a smelly fruit banned in hotels, taxis, and public buses. It is eaten with sticky rice and with the addition of sweet coconut milk.
- Yum Khai Maeng Daa: a salad of roes or mantis shrimp eggs served inside the shell of a horseshoe crab.
- Gaeng tai pla: a sour and hot soup made with fish organs and vegetables.
- Gaeng pa gob: Also known as 'jungle curry with frog', this is a hot curry soup made without coconut milk.
7. Food is important
To Thai people, food matters. A lot! One of the first questions a Thai can ask you is: 'Have you eaten?' Eating is seen as a sort of celebration, a reason to be happy, a moment to share with you and the ones you love. It is common to see big tables of people eating together; all dishes have to be shared, everyone must have the chance to enjoy them. Eating alone is a sign of bad luck.
Not surprisingly, the formal presentation of food is an important aspect of Thai culture. It was developed initially to please the King, and nowadays the formal presentation is extremely delicate, with richly designed cutlery and wares.
8. (Almost) No chopsticks
This might be a surprise to many, but Thai people don't use chopsticks to eat Thai food. Chopsticks are used only to eat noodles, and never to eat rice. Thai people use a fork and a spoon. This is how it's done: Use the fork to push the food on the spoon, and then use that to eat your food. The fork is used only for items not eaten with rice (chunks of fruit, for example).
Food comes to the table already cut into bite-size pieces, and there are no knives on the table. If a dish includes glutinous sticky rice (usually served in a small basket), eat it using your right hand. Compress a small ball of rice with your fingers and use it to eat sauces and the like.
6-Day Bangkok and Chiang Mai Highlights Tour:
Recommended Itinerary
9. Respect seniority
Thailand is no different from other Asian countries; age and social status are really important. The most senior or highest ranking person is the one that usually organizes the dinner. He chooses his seat before everyone else, and he is usually the one who starts the meal. Wait for his signal before eating, or, if he doesn't say anything, simply wait for them before starting to eat.
10. Desserts aren't served cold
Unlike desserts in the West, traditional Thai sweet treats (khanom waan) aren't served cold, unless it's coconut ice cream. This is because until fairly recently, most people didn't have refrigerators and, even if they did, electricity wasn't cheap in Thailand.
Thailand dessert: coconut icecream
To keep costs down, desserts are made fresh daily, typically using palm sugar sweetened coconut milk with various different toppings. Tub tib krok, for example, is made using water chestnuts and pandan.
You will also find a few toppings that may seem a little strange at first, such as red kidney beans or sweetcorn, which most Westerners would see as being more of a savory snack. Keep persevering, however, and you are bound to find something that you like. Pumpkin in coconut milk (fak thong gang buad) combines salty and sweet flavors, and is always a firm favorite with anyone trying Thai sweets for the first time.
6-Day Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai Highlights Tour:
Recommended Itinerary
11. Eat where the locals eat
If you want a truly memorable dining experience in Thailand, you have to get off the beaten path and eat where the locals eat. Food served in hotels and shopping malls can be fantastic at times but the flavors of the dishes are often changed to suit tourists' palates.
Do your research and find out where the best local restaurants and street stalls are in the area, then get outside and start exploring. If a place is full of Thais, it's usually a good sign.
Food tourism has grown in Thailand over the last few years and there are a number of great street food tours available, especially in Bangkok. If you are not comfortable finding local places to eat on your own, you can always join a group and let a local expert lead the way. Learn more about the best 20 Thai street food you can't miss and the best street food area in Bangkok.
12.No one cooks!
Home cooking isn't that common in Thailand, especially in the big cities, such as Bangkok. People don't tend to have big kitchens and condos rarely have ovens. A lot of Thais work long hours and are much more likely to get together at a local restaurant or at a street food stall than go home and cook.
Thailand food in street restaurant
It's also a lot cheaper to eat locally than to buy ingredients to take home and cook yourself, as a typical street dish in Thailand can cost as little as $1. Also, as mentioned earlier, Thais don't like to eat by themselves!
Visit Thailand with Asia Highlights
Are you intrigued by Thai food? Curious and eager to try distant and delicious flavors? Start planning your trip to Thailand now with the help of our knowledgeable staff. We will tailor the perfect trip around your needs, doing our best to ensure a hassle-free vacation for you and your loved ones.