Tag: Thailand

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Do South Africans Need a Visa to Visit Thailand?

On By Yours in Travel, Lindsay QuailIn Destinations, Editorial, Exotic Holidays, News, Travel Information, VisaLeave a comment

Last updated: May 2026

Do South Africans need a visa to visit Thailand?

No, South African passport holders do not need a visa to visit Thailand for tourist stays of up to 30 days. Recent policy changes in May 2026 have revised the previous 60-day exemption back down to a 30-day window, which safely covers standard holiday itineraries.

Can you extend a visa-free entry in Thailand?

Yes, if you intend to stay longer than 30 days, you can apply for a single 30-day extension at a local Thai immigration office, allowing for a total stay of up to 60 days.

Thailand - serene view of a traditional Thai temple reflecting on a calm lake in Bangkok.
Photo by Kirandeep Singh Walia on Pexels.com

What the Current Rules Say

South Africans are among the nationalities eligible for visa-free entry to Thailand. Until very recently, that meant you could arrive without a visa and stay for up to 60 days. That 60-day window was introduced in 2024 as part of Thailand’s post-pandemic tourism recovery push.

On 21 May 2026, Thailand’s Cabinet approved a revision to the 60-day visa exemption scheme. Once the revised measures take effect, countries previously covered by the 60-day scheme will revert to the entry conditions applicable before the programme was introduced.

In practical terms for South Africans, that means the visa-free allowance is being reduced from 60 days to 30 days. The new rules take effect 15 days after publication in Thailand’s Royal Gazette. Foreigners already in Thailand under existing visa exemptions are allowed to remain until their approved stay expires.

As of the date of this post, the Royal Gazette publication had not yet appeared, so the exact effective date was still to be confirmed. If you’re planning a trip, check with us before you travel.

What This Means in Practice

For most South African holiday-makers, the change to 30 days will make no difference at all. Around 90% of foreign tourists already leave Thailand within 30 days, meaning standard package holidays are completely unaffected.

If you’re planning a longer stay of more than 30 days, you’ll need to either apply for a tourist visa before you depart, or extend your stay once you’re in Thailand. A single extension of 30 days is possible at a local immigration office, which effectively still gets you to 60 days if needed.

The Thailand Digital Arrival Card

One practical requirement that catches travellers out is the Thailand Digital Arrival Card, known as the TDAC. This replaced the old paper arrival form and is now mandatory for all foreign nationals entering Thailand at major airports and most land borders. You need to complete it online before you arrive, through Thailand’s official immigration portal or the Thailand Immigration Bureau app. It’s straightforward, but don’t leave it until you’re at the airport.

A Few Other Things to Know

Photo by Ekaterina Belinskaya on Pexels.com

Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your date of arrival. You’ll also need to show evidence of onward travel and, in practice, be able to demonstrate you have sufficient funds for your stay. These are standard requirements at most borders, but Thai immigration does apply them.

The Bottom Line

Thailand remains visa-free for South Africans for stays of up to 30 days, with the possibility of a 30-day extension. For a typical holiday, nothing has changed. For a longer trip, a little extra planning is needed.

Visa rules do change, sometimes quickly as we’ve just seen, so always confirm the current requirements with the Thai Embassy or a trusted travel consultant before you finalise your plans.

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Asia's Best Beaches

On By Yours in Travel, Lindsay QuailIn Travel InformationLeave a comment

There are still pristine and picturesque getaways all over the region.

HONG KONG — Crowds tend to flock to the most popular beach destinations: Patong in Phuket, Kuta in Bali, Bondi in Sydney and so on. And where sunburned tourists go, tacky bars and overpriced restaurants follow. So what options exist for a traveller in search of an under-developed, peaceful stretch of sand?

Not many, especially if you’re planning a trip on your own and don’t have a lot of time to spare on potentially disastrous detours taken in search of far-flung locales. So Forbes called upon the experts.

To determine our list of Asia’s best beaches, Forbes assembled a panel of those in the know: Graham Uden, a photographer based in Hong Kong; John Borthwick, a Sydney-based travel writer and photographer; Bart Kluskens, a marine biologist and conservation advisor working in Cambodia; Anchalika Kijkanakorn, who runs two hotels in Thailand; Robert Carmack, a food stylist, cookbook author and leader of Asian food tours; and Eliza Anderson of Intrepid Travel, an adventure tour operator for small groups. Their recommendations helped Forbes compile 22 top oceanfront destinations.

Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia are home to the most sunblock-worthyhaunts, but out-of-the-ordinary beach vacations also await in China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.

Unsurprisingly, some of these paradises are remote. Sulug Island, for example, is the least accessible part of Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, located off the cost of Malaysian Borneo. “This is the quintessential deserted beach. You can be forgiven for thinking you’ve found paradise,” Anderson writes. “Get dropped off on this deserted beach and while away the hours under the shade of an aru tree and snorkel the crystal clear waters.”

In Cambodia, where the tourist industry is nascent but growing, an island called Koh Rong Samleon earns Klusken’s praise. “It’s more pristine; it’s more undiscovered, because it’s only over the last few years that more people go here,” he says. “There are beautiful coral reefs. There is a forest on the island that you can walk through. It’s untouched.”

Graham Uden, who has captured scenes in countries from Oman to Laos, favours several quiet sites in Indonesia, including one in East Java called Balekambang Beach. “It has a lot of Hindu temples on a little island 20 to 30 minutes offshore that you can walk to by a bridge,” he says. “It’s peaceful and quiet; there are no hotels anywhere near.”

Just a 30-kilometer drive from Hua Hin, the Thai king’s vacation spot, is a beach called Pranburi, according to Kijkanakorn, who runs two hotels in Thailand and is managing director of Akaryn Hospitality Management Services.

“It’s beautiful, it’s wide, it’s long and there’s a beautiful fishing village nearby. You have little boats that you can go on and go squid fishing if you want, at 1 or 2 in the morning, and come back at 3 or 4. It’s only for the adventurous souls,” she says. “It’s the best beach for windsurfing. Good wind direction, not a lot of people, no coral underneath, no rocks to hurt yourself. ”

Even in the most touristy destinations, there are hidden gems to be found–if you know where the look. Travel journalist and photographer Borthwick likes Aow Yai, a beach on Koh Phayam in Thailand. “I found out about it from a local. You get there by one-hour speedboat from Ranong,” says Borthwick. “It faces west, so you’ve got a lavish sunset every day. … the low islands of southern Burma floating off on the horizon. There is a tranquil sea most of the time. … There are a couple hundred visitors at the most.”

Even on packed Phuket, Uden advises visitors to try Bang Thao beach to get away from the masses. “I like that it’s in the north, because it’s quiet and it has these little offshore islands,” he says. “It hasn’t got thousands of European holiday-makers lying on the beach.”

And on Phu Quoc, an island that is one of the major beach destinations in Vietnam, Asian food tour leader Robert Carmack prefers one particular spot. Bai Sao beach, on the southeast corner of the island, boasts treats for the taste and the eyes. “There are a couple of extraordinary restaurants. Local Vietnamese go there for restaurants and recreation,” Carmack says. “The water in Phu Quoc is so wonderfully warm. … It’s clear; it’s underdeveloped. At least for now.”

Experts agree: Catch these places while you can.

Sourced from: http://www.forbes.com

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Phuket – Local Attractions

On By Yours in Travel, Lindsay QuailIn Exotic Holidays, Travel InformationLeave a comment

Phuket Town is home to about 50,000 of the island’s 180,000 population, this lively little settlement is at once a lazy tropical port, a bustling Asian bazaar and an international meeting point. Grand old stucco houses in Sino-Portuguese architectural style hark back to the days of rubber barons, and there are many beautiful temples throughout the city.

Patong Beach – This has long been Phuket’s most popular beach, and is nowadays one of the island’s main social and entertainment centers. The gently sloping beach is an ideal place for children to swim. Long-tailed boats offer excursions along the Indian Ocean coast, and there are facilities for windsurfing, boating, snorkeling and fishing.

Thai Boxing – Known in the local language as Muay Thai, this seriously aggressive activity is Thailand’s national sport, and is particularly popular in the south, including Phuket. If you are prepared to watch some highly skilled mayhem, there are matches every Sunday at the Saphan Hin Arena in Phuket Town.

Khao Ping Gan – Known as “007 Island” because scenes from a James Bond movie were filmed there some years ago, this scenic and popular spot is easily reached by long-tailed boat from Phuket. Khao Ping Gan’s most spectacular attributes are its weirdly-shaped water-worn limestone cliffs and deep caves that beckon underground explorers.

Night Life – Phuket is as famous for after-dark activities as for beaches. The island boasts as many restaurants, bars and nightspots as most major cities, in Phuket Town and all the resort areas. These range from elegant to raucous, and there are special places including one that resembles a Swiss chalet, and one that’s full of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

Wat Chalong – This classical building is Phuket’s most striking and most famous Buddhist monastery, and is extremely photogenic from almost any angle. The monastery enshrines gilt statues of monk-heroes Luang Pho Chaem and Luang Pho Chuang, who preserved peace in the area by stopping a violent tin miners’ rebellion in 1876.

Phi Phi Island – these two rocky, tree-covered islands offer long white powder-sand beaches and magnificent coral reefs for snorkelers and divers, mountain and jungle trails for hikers, and Viking Cave, where daredevils on rickety ladders collect birds’ nests to make into delicious soup.

Sunset – There are many places in tropical Asia where you can see spectacular sunsets, but Phuket’s sunsets have been famous for centuries and have drawn huge crowds. Every day, thousands of people flock to Kata-Sai Yuan Hill and Promthep Cape to enjoy the daily show, and they are hardly ever disappointed. Be prepared to take many photographs.

Kata and Karon beaches are another world away from Phuket’s busy, noisy and increasingly congested Patong Beach. Beautiful white sandy beaches, relaxed and easy going, tropical and idyllic are the words that we would use to describe them. Kata and Karon beaches are the choice beaches for those people who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, for those who want to relax and soak up the Andaman Sun, yet, be close enough to all that Phuket Island has to offer.

Sourced from: http://www.clubabsolute.com/?page=Thailand

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Why is Thailand so Popular?

On By Yours in Travel, Lindsay QuailIn Exotic Holidays, News, Travel InformationLeave a comment

Thailand is one of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations and offers something for everyone. But what makes it so popular? We regularly ask our visitors what they enjoyed most about their stay. Here’s a short selection of why they chose Thailand.

1.  The people.

Friendly, smiling, charming, polite and graceful are the most common descriptions. Thais also have an infectious sense of fun and humour. It really is pleasant to have so many strangers offer a ready smile. It’s natural to smile back in return. Suddenly, you are happy to be here.

2.  The hospitality.

It’s no accident that many Thai hotels feature in the Top 10 lists of the world’s best hotels. Whether its business, leisure, golf, spas, or beach resorts, you’ll see Thai hotels at the top of most lists. Thais are genuinely hospitable and offer a level of service that’s the envy of their neighbours.

3.  The scenery.

Thailand’s islands and beaches are amongst the most scenic in the world. The cities retain a surprising amount of scenic attractions including Wats (temples) and Palaces. The National Parks offer a tremendous variety of tropical rainforests, hill-tribe villages, coral reefs, mountains, rivers and lakes. Whichever you choose, you will not be disappointed.

4.  The food.

Thai cuisine is world-renowned and justifiably popular. Whilst the hot spicy curries and soups are trademark dishes, the fresh seafood, crisp salads, fresh vegetables and, of course, the rice and noodle dishes are all very tasty. Then there’s the fruit, and the desserts, and the. . You’ll never go hungry!

5. The value.

The Thai baht offers a favourable rate of exchange for most major currencies. This makes eating out, travelling around, shopping, enjoying the nightlife and even staying at the world’s leading hotels surprisingly affordable.

Now we haven’t yet mentioned safety, climate, transport, nightlife, shopping, golf, spas, diving, sailing, fishing, trekking, rafting and so on.

Our visitors do mention all of these, and they keep coming back!

Sourced from: www.gothailand.com

Dos and Don’ts in Thailand

On By Yours in Travel, Lindsay QuailIn Exotic Holidays, Travel InformationLeave a comment

Compared with many popular holiday destinations Thailand is relatively safe. However, while the thai people are generally very tolerant when it comes to the behaviour of tourists it would pay to be aware of things that may cause offense or even unwittingly land you in jail.

The following list contains just a few pointers that might aid you in avoiding trouble or injuries as well as some that may help you have a more pleasant stay.

DO SMILE – Be respectful when bartering or doing business. It’s a game, so smile. It is good manners to smile frequently in Thai culture and it seems that you can never overdo it. Never lose your temper or if you cannot help it, at least try not to show it as it is considered very poor form and will gain you no respect at all. Being pompous and argumentative can unfortunately allow someone to get their own way in western society but the opposite can be expected in Thailand.

DO WEAR A CRASH HELEMET – Wear a helmet if renting a motorbike or riding as a passenger on a taxi-bike. The police don’t usually enforce the law with foreigners but there’s a huge number of bike accidents so it’s probably an even better idea to wear one in Thailand than it is in your own country.

DO CARRY ID – Carry your photo driver’s license or passport at all times in case you are stopped by police. It may save a fine and a visit to the station. But take care that you don’t lose that Passport!

DO WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES – It’s a good idea to wear sensible footwear as dangerous obstacles are apparently mandatory on Thai footpaths. Back-less flip-flops may seem like a good idea but get caught in a rain-storm and they’ll quickly become slippery. A far better idea for open footwear are sandals which can be bought very cheaply just about everywhere in Thailand.

DO USE MOSQUITO REPELLANT – Repellent containing a high concentration of “deet” is most effective, the most crucial time to use protection is in the evening especially around dusk and at all times if you are near standing water. For some reason the nasty little blighters seem particularly attracted to soft untanned skin so take particular care to splash some on until you’ve managed to tan slightly. Also take care to close your hotel room windows before sleeping and if you spy one in the room don’t sleep until you kill it or he WILL come and feed on you during the night. If mosquitoes are a big problem in your room insist the cleaning staff spray it regularly.

DON’T TOUCH A THAI PERSON’S HEAD – The head is the most important or “highest” part of the body to a Thai and casual touching of it even in a friendly manner can cause offense. The feet, however, are considered the “lowest” body parts and using them to do such things as point at someone or resting with them pointing in the direction of pictures of respected ones is considered very bad manners. You may be familiar with images of Thai Buddhists and monks sitting cross-legged in temples. This is so they avoid pointing their feet in the direction of images of Buddha or others.

DO TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF – When entering a Buddhist temple, someone’s home and even some shops you should leave your shoes at the door. It’s not needed in most shops but if you see a pile of shoes at the doorway then its best to take yours off before entering to avoid offense.

DO BEWARE OF SCAMS – As with many holiday destinations there are a host of scams to beware of. Basically, if someone in the street or a cab driver offers you a deal on things like gems or jewellery that appears to be too good to be true then beware.

Not quite a scam but very irritating can be the time-share operators’ sales tactics. They pay usually pleasant young Thai people to approach tourists with short “tourist surveys” which are really nothing better than a ruse to get your hotel name and room number. Before you know it, you’ll be pestered with notifications that you have won a prize that you can only collect by turning up to one of their meetings. Some can be annoyingly persistent even if you tell them you are not interested.

DO NOT DO DRUGS – Thailand has extreme penalties for drug offences including the death penalty for trafficking. Even use of a small amount of marijuana could land you in jail. Do not consider it during your time in Thailand. If you are ever offered anything while you are there do not be tempted to even joke about it as the person you are talking to could well be an undercover police officer.

DO RESPECT THE ROYAL FAMILY – The Thai people adore their royal family and speaking ill or even flippantly about them can cause offense. In fact, it’s not seen as just bad manners, it’s also illegal and could lead to a jail sentence. In 2007 a Swiss man was sentenced to ten years in prison for defacing the King’s picture in a fit of drunken pique (he could not buy alcohol as it was the King’s birthday). He did eventually receive a pardon from the King himself. His Majesty King Bhumipol is a genuinely good man who has done much for his country and it might be of interest to know that he is not in favour of this law.