Do I need to book hotels in Thailand ahead of time?

When to reserve hotels for a trip to Thailand

You don't really need to book ahead—unless there's a hotel you really have your heart set on and you want to be sure you get the perfect room there. Still, how that we have the Internet providing all those lovely pictures (and guest reviews) of hotels, at least researching potential hotels ahead of time makes a lot of sense.

A few notable exceptions (when you should book ahead) include:

• During high season in popular places too tiny to support enough hotels to meet demand (like Koh Phi Phi or Railay)
• During major festivals (e.g.: Songkrang in Chiang Mai)
• Koh Phangan during the Full Moon Party (also, the Half-Moon Party—in fact, non-partiers should just avoid Phangan those weeks).

Also, I always make a point of reserving a room for my first night (or nights) upon arrival. This takes some of the stress off of what is already the most stressful point of any trip: when you're just getting into the country and are trying to deal with a foreign language, strange culture, and new city all while heinously jet-lagged. Also, it gives you an address to put on the incoming immigration forms most places make you fill out.

I also tend to book a hotel for the final night(s) of a trip as well; again, takes the stress off of a time when I want to be packing and enjoying my last few days in-country.

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