The streets of Thailand are calm again, and the travel warning has been lifted. However, Thailand’s tourist industry has suffered a major disruption. Of course, the silver lining to all of this is that now that it’s once again safe and pleasant to travel to Thailand, you can find some amazing travel deals there. As Gadling observes:

Hesitant tourists are the unfortunate result of any political instability, no matter how short-lived. The resulting drop in foreign visitors to Thailand has instigated a price war among hotels and resorts across the country–if you thought Thailand used to be cheap, it just got a whole lot cheaper. A number of awesome deals are up for the taking, like Thai Airways’ Discover Thailand pass (fly to any 3 cities within Thailand for $278).

The government is also doing its part to help tempt visitors. Gadling notes that for the time being, the Thai Tourist Authority is waiving Thai visa requirements and fees for tourists who would like to stay longer than the normal 30 days.  Ordinarily, if you wanted to stay longer than 30 days you would need to apply for a Thai tourist visa valid for up to 60 days. But not right now-so feel free to take an extended vacation in Thailand! You can check and see if the requirements are back in force by visiting the Thai Tourist Authority’s website.

Even if you don’t need a Thai visa, you may need a visa if your journey requires you to travel through or stop in another country. RushMyTravelVisa can help you by researching your itinerary and then expediting the application process for any visas you might need.

Apply for your travel visa today!

When you visit another country, even mundane activities like shopping are transformed into interesting new experiences. As Gadling.com notes, shopping is also a great way to interact with local people and experience the culture of the place you are visiting.

If you are visiting Bangkok, one of the coolest shopping experiences is actually located outside the city itself, in the floating market of Damnoen Saduak.  From around 8am to 11am each day, the canals of Damnoen Saduak are packed full of the boats of both shoppers and vendors. This is a great place to buy food of all types, as you can see from the video above.

Most of the produce comes from small farms located alongside the canals-about as fresh as you can get! Still, even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth a trip just to take in the spectacle.

To visit Thailand, you will need a valid passport, of course. Check the expiration date, because you need at 6 months remaining before it expires or they won’t let you in.  However, Americans won’t need a Thai visa unless your trip is longer than 30 days if you enter by air, or 15 days if you enter at a land border crossing.

If you plan to stay in Thailand for more than 30 days, you do have the option of applying for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days before you leave. Here’s what you will need to apply:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your itinerary or round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Depending on what your itinerary is like, you may also need transit visas if you will be stopping in other countries on your way to or from Thailand. RushMyTravelVisa can review your itinerary, help you determine which visas are necessary and expedite them so you get them as quickly as possible.

Apply for your Thai visa today!

If you’re looking for a place to vacation in Thailand that’s far away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok and less touristy than Phuket, Trang would be a good choice.  Much of the area’s inviting white sand beaches are part of a national park, and therefore off-limits to the overdevelopment that beaches the world over seem to attract.

You can get from the Thai mainland to the island either by taking a ferry or by hiring a boat and a guide. If you go, you absolutely should not miss the Emerald Cave, located on the island of Ko Muk.  You can actually swim through the cave, surfacing in the middle of  an idyllic lagoon.

Considering visiting Thailand? This post on Matador Travel Network has more details about the islands.

To get to the Trang Islands, you definitely need a passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months after you arrive in Thailand. However, if you are an American citizen, you shouldn’t need a Thai visa unless you plan to stay past 30 days if you enter by air, or 15 days if you enter by land from another country.

However, if you plan to stay in Thailand for longer than that, you can also apply for a Thai visa valid for up to 60 days before you leave. Here’s what you will need to apply:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your itinerary or round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Depending on what your itinerary is like, you may also need transit visas if you will be stopping in other countries on your way to or from Thailand. RushMyTravelVisa can help you determine which travel documents you need, help you with the necessary paperwork, and expedite your application.

Need to apply for a Thai visa? Contact us today!

Today, Mae Hong Son Province is a land of remote forests, many of which have never been cut. Tourists come for the beautiful scenery and to experience the unique traditional cultures of the local hill tribes.

Since it is so remote, Mae Hong Son province is especially suited to trekking, mountain biking, rafting and other outdoor sports.  Given the region’s history, it’s not surprising that elephant trekking is also a possible activity. Several local elephant camps offer elephant trekking; however, it’s important to check out the elephant camp thoroughly before you use them. For example, this article notes that elephant camps can provide a much-needed source of income for domestic elephants who cannot be released back into the wild, as well as their human handlers. Domestic elephants also provide a valuable source of genetic diversity, as only 2,000 are thought to live in the wild.  Unfortunately, elephant camps are poorly regulated, and some are quite cruel to these intelligent animals.

If you decide to go on an elephant trek, make sure that the animals are not overworked, are not disciplined with sharp hooks, and that they are given ample time to feed themselves in the forest.  Poorly treated and cared for elephants are a danger to the humans around them!

Before you can arrange a trip to Mae Hong Son province, it’s important to make sure you have the right documentation. US tourists can stay in the country without a visa for up to 30 days. If you’ll be staying more than a month in Thailand, you can apply for a Thai visa good for 60 days before you leave the US.  Here’s a list of the required documents:

• Your US passport
• A completed Thai visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

Also, bear in mind that you may need visas to cross into to neighboring countries, or if you have a layover in a third country on the way to Thailand. RushMyPassport can research your itinerary to make sure you have all of the visas you need, as well as helping you expedite your visa applications.

Do you need a Thai visa? Apply for one today!

Ko Tao is also one of the cheapest places in the world to get your open-water dive certification.  If you want to stay dry, there are plenty of other activities available, ranging from rock climbing to just lounging on the beach. However, the real magic is in the water.

Diving at Ko Tao gives you the opportunity to encounter a variety of ocean creatures. Sea turtles, stingrays, fish and even the elusive whale shark all make their home off the cost of Ko Tao. The enormous but gentle whale shark is the prime attraction, but don’t get your heart set on seeing one-whale shark sightings are somewhat infrequent, even here.

If you want to test your luck, the best dive spot for whale sharks off Ko Tao is Chumphon Pinnacle. Even if you don’t see one of these gentle beauties, you’ll still have a wonderful time!

To learn more about the island and see pictures of what Ko Tao looks like for yourself, check out this excellent post from Wayfaring Travel Guide.

Ready to jump in? As you plan your trip, take a moment to make sure you understand Thailand’s visa system.  Americans entering Thailand don’t need a visa for stays of less than 30 days. However, if you’re taking a few months off to travel in Thailand and surrounding countries, you might want to stay more than 30 days.

In that case you can apply for a 60-day Thailand visa before you leave. To submit your application, you’ll need the following documents:

• Your US passport
• A completed Thailand visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

RushMyTravelVisa.com can help you research the visa requirements for your next international trip.  Our visa specialists can also help you with the paperwork and submit your application to the appropriate embassy or consulate for the fastest possible service.

Traveling to Thailand?  Apply for your visa today!

As the name suggests, Full Moon Parties last from sundown to sunup on the beach, every full moon. What happens at a full moon party? Imagine a giant dance party held under the moonlight. Vendors line up on the beach selling both alcoholic cocktails and supercharged energy drinks (Red Bull is based on a Thai energy drink formula, but the original is said to be even more powerful.)

Thai fire dancers and jugglers put on a show for the partygoers, as dance music plays. Everybody dances until they can’t dance any longer or until the sun comes up-whichever comes first. Check out this post from Gadling for a much more detailed, first-person account of the festivities.

Sound like fun? If you want to attend a full moon party, there are a few things you’ll need to do first. To travel to Thailand, you will definitely need a US passport.

You may also need a  Thai visa, depending on how long you plan to stay in the country. Americans can enter Thailand and stay up to 30 days without a visa. However, you may want to stay longer, especially if you are backpacking around the region.

To stay longer, you can apply for a 60 day Thai visa before you leave. To get one, you will need the following:

• Your US passport
• A completed visa application
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your round-trip ticket
• A copy of a bank statement showing a balance of   $500 per person or $1000 per family.

At RushMyTravelVisa.com, we can research your travel needs and help you get the appropriate expedited travel visas.

Apply for your Thai visa today!