Travelling in Thailand: Exclusive Tips from Our Network

“A friend told me about this place…”
That’s so often how we stumble on the best spots and unearth the real gems. Thailand is one of the ten most visited countries in the world (40 million visitors a year!), so it can be hard to find authentic places that aren’t overrun with tourists.

The trick is to have a good network.
Over the decades, Children of the Mekong has built a web of friendships across Southeast Asia. So we had an idea: to gather the very best tips for a unique, authentic trip — shared by the friends of Children of the Mekong — into one little guide!

Download the guide

Reaching the ancient capital of Ayutthaya by boat, tracking down the best food stalls in Bangkok, learning to plant rice on a farm… just some of the gems our friends have unearthed for you. Tried and tested!

Helping and travelling: how do you add a touch of solidarity to a trip?

Help so you can travel better, travel so you can help better! It can seem hard to combine travel with solidarity. With sponsorship, Children of the Mekong offers you a way to add a humanitarian touch to your next trip to Southeast Asia.

Sponsoring a child in Thailand means giving them the chance to go to school — the chance to take charge of their own future through education.

But it’s also the opportunity for a genuine, one-of-a-kind encounter. Go and meet your sponsored child, their family, and their school. Talk with our local volunteers and our overseas volunteers, and discover an authentic Thailand, far off the beaten track.

Discover our Help & Travel scheme

Travelling in Thailand: Exclusive Tips from Our Network

Jonathan and Kendall travellers

Seeing the sheer joy of these girls, when you also see how precarious their living conditions are, leaves us a little lost for words. A wonderful lesson in life! An unforgettable day that will stay etched in our memories.

An unusual gem in Bangkok

Have you heard of Bangkok’s Lettuce Farm Palace? No? That’s hardly surprising!

This unusual little gem doesn’t appear in the guidebooks — except, of course, our guide of exclusive tips from the friends of Children of the Mekong!

👉 It’s an incredible teak palace in the heart of Bangkok — a green oasis in the middle of the megacity, where a visit will take you right out of time. The staff aren’t used to seeing many tourists, but the tour is well documented and wonderfully varied.