Beaches beneath limestone cliffs, temples of the cool north and ancient rainforests.
Russian passport: visa-free · 30 daysRussian Foreign Ministry: avoid parts of the countryprices 1.1 times lower than in Russia
Photo: Wendy Harman · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wendy Harman · CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Krabi, Thailand
Railay and Krabi
Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND
The Railay peninsula is cut off from the mainland by cliffs, so you arrive by longtail boat. Phra Nang and Railay West beaches lie beneath sheer walls that climbers from all over the world come to scale.
Boats run from here to the Hong Islands and Phi Phi, and you can kayak through the mangrove lagoons.
Getting there
Fly to Krabi (or Phuket), then 30 minutes to the Ao Nang pier and 15 minutes by boat.
Photo: เทวประภาส มากคล้าย · CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Northern Thailand
Chiang Mai
Access 1/5 · easyJFMAMJJASOND
The old city of Chiang Mai is ringed by a moat and the remains of its walls, with dozens of temples inside. On a mountain above the city stands Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, with a golden stupa and a view over the valley.
Around it are Doi Inthanon National Park with the highest point in Thailand, waterfalls, rice fields and the villages of the hill tribes.
Getting there
Fly, or take the night train from Bangkok (about 11–13 hours).
Khao Sok National Park is one of the oldest rainforests in the world. Rafflesia, the largest flower on the planet, grows here, and gibbons and hornbills live in the forest.
Cheow Lan Lake among limestone cliffs is the signature view of the park. You spend the night in floating bungalows on the lake and get up at dawn to see the mist over the water.
Getting there
From Phuket, Krabi or Surat Thani, 2–3 hours by car to the village at the park entrance; to the lake, another hour and a boat ride.
Fees and tickets
A boat to the floating huts on the lake costs from 1,800 baht; park entry for foreigners is a separate fee.
Thailand: entry, safety, money, flights, laws and budget — with sources.
Entry
Russian citizens: visa-free for up to 30 days under a bilateral agreement: since 15.09.2026 Thailand has cancelled the 60-day visa-free stay. You can extend for another 30 days at an immigration office (1,900 baht, according to media reports).
Since 01.05.2025 the TDAC electronic arrival card has been mandatory — free, only at tdac.immigration.go.th, and no earlier than 3 days before arrival. You may be asked for a return ticket and funds — from 10,000 baht per person.
Checked 2 November 2026. These are the rules for a Russian citizen with an international passport on a tourist trip. For other passports and purposes, see the official website — the button above.
The Russian Embassy strongly advises against visiting the provinces on the border with Cambodia: Ubon Ratchathani, Sisaket, Surin, Buriram, Sa Kaeo, Chanthaburi and Trat. The atlas places — Krabi, Chiang Mai, Khao Sok — are far from that border.
prices 1.1 times lower than in Russia · price level 0.32 (US = 1), 2025
Prices are slightly lower than in Russia. Extending the visa-free stay costs 1,900 baht; parks charge foreigners a separate fee.
The price level is the ratio of purchasing power parity for household consumption to the market exchange rate (World Bank). These are national averages: resorts and capitals cost more, the countryside less. Flights are not included.
