Travel companions for first trip to Thailand in autumn 2026

Hi, I’m Ruben, I’m 22, live in the south of France, and I’m finishing my studies. I’d like to plan a trip for September-October or October-November. Since this would be my first long-haul experience, I’m a bit hesitant to go alone. So if anyone’s interested in traveling with me—or even sharing several parts of the trip together—I’m open to it. I don’t have any specific expectations. Age and gender don’t matter. I’m pretty mature, open-minded, and can hold a conversation or build a temporary friendship with just about anyone.

For this trip, my main interests will be: cultural visits, sports (personal hobby), nightlife, meeting locals, and fun activities.

DM me if you’d like more details. Thanks.

Hi Ruben,

With that in mind, I could go alone, but as it’s my first experience so far away, it bothers me. So if anyone’s interested in coming with me

Noob alert! ;) You don’t need hand-holding to visit Thailand—it’s one of the easiest countries on the planet to travel in.

Better to aim for October-November (or even better, November-December) for milder weather.

How long are you thinking?

September and October, right at the peak of the rainy season.

Have you thought about getting a head start on the planning? Passport valid for 6 months after your return flight date, insurance in case of hiccups, booking flights, DTAC formalities 72 hours before departure, and maybe mapping out your itinerary?

Did you think about getting a head start on the research? Passport valid 6 months after the return flight date, insurance in case of hiccups, booking flights, DTAC formalities 72 hours before departure, maybe planning the itinerary?

At 22, you don’t think about all that! ...Maybe these days you do? At that age, I took a bus to Chiang Mai and told the driver to drop me off in the middle of the forest near Wiang Pa Pao. The locals laughed a lot... I’d been told there were opium-farming tribes in the area. I then set off on foot with my little backpack, taking a side path that led me to my first tribal village, Musseu (or Moussu, depending on pronunciation). I walked like that for 6 or 7 days among the opium farmers... from Yao village to Lisu village, then Akkas, ending up near Pai in the Mae Hong Son district. In February, the weather was perfect—no rain, but a bit chilly in the mornings when I woke up.

hahaha very much a beginner here, but honestly, I just can’t wrap my head around how people manage traveling alone in another country… I’d actually prefer October-November, or even November-December, to avoid the rain. I’m thinking of a two-month trip!

I just can’t figure out how people manage on their own in another country...

They do the same as in their own country, using common sense. Except that in Thailand, it’s easier to find accommodation (loads of hotels and guesthouses at all prices), easier to eat (countless restaurants and street stalls everywhere because Thais eat all the time and often outdoors), and easier to get around (public transport is much more developed than back home), all at prices 4 to 5 times lower.

To know where to go, how, and why, first head to the travel section of the Carcassonne library-media center and borrow a Lonely Planet or Routard guide (it doesn’t matter if it’s not the latest edition) and dive in. Secondly, read some travel journals on this forum to see just how easy it is to get by when traveling in Thailand. You can also check out blogs online, but I’d advise avoiding those that aren’t dated or are more than 3 years old without updates since they were created.

Then, once you have a rough idea of where you want to stop, you can ask questions in the forum to get help organizing everything in the right order regarding transport (but planning an itinerary in advance isn’t "mandatory"—you can also decide everything as you go once you’re there. It’s super easy in Thailand, and you gain a lot of freedom that way). And of course, you can also ask questions here for anything you haven’t found answers to.

I’d say over a two-month period!

Oh yeah, you could do something great. Just be careful not to turn your trip into a marathon—make sure the average number of full days per stop is at least 2, meaning at least 3 nights in each place.

As for "finding" a travel buddy, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Before you leave, they’ll seem perfect on paper—your interests, tastes, and personalities will match perfectly—but once you’re there, true personalities come out, and living with them might not be as cool as you thought. The same issue can even arise when traveling with a partner or a long-time friend, so with a stranger...

We just found our young travelers' mentor on VF. We wouldn’t trade you for anyone else 😎

Alright, I’ll take notes on your feedback and check out the resources you mentioned—thanks so much! That’s really kind of you. As for the travel companion thing, I’m still pretty unsure about it…