Colossal Vacation

When it comes to food, well, who doesn’t love food? And when we are talking of Thailand, food is always a big plus to visit as Thailand is world-famous for its mouth-watering cuisine. Most travellers come and explore the flavors of Thailand, also called the Land of Smile. The food definitely and surely brings smiles and satisfaction to everyone visiting Thailand. Eating Thai food has become one of the important reasons and among the top agendas of traveling to Thailand, not just the major cities like Bangkok, Pattaya, and Phuket but also every small town and island of the country. Thanks to its exotic flavors and fragrances. Thai food is synonymous with flavorful seasonings, such as spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty, which makes you feel hungry as soon as the smell goes into your nostrils. We can say Thai cuisine is popular worldwide. And the good thing is, it is easy to find food in Thailand, you can take a walk through the city’s alleyways which most often results in a stop at a food stall, where you can enjoy skewered meats, fried rice, noodles, and spicy soups with the affordable prices. However, if you prefer dining in a more comfortable setting, Thailand also has plenty of restaurants offering an extensive menu of classic Thai dishes.

In the past year, with lockdown measures being implemented in the situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, all restaurants, and roadside food vendors became temporarily closed due to the government’s policy. Therefore, there were not many travelers visiting Thailand during that period, and also as Thai people, they couldn’t go out for meals at the restaurants, not even a food stall. However, effective November 1st, 2021, Thailand began phased reopening for foreign travelers who are fully vaccinated and coming from the 63 listed countries. As a result, most Thai entrepreneurs are very excited to go back on businesses, especially the restaurant’s owners as their businesses have been temporarily closed for more than 6 months. Reopening the country and businesses, especially food businesses, is not just something Thai people enjoy but it is also something travelers look forward to! Here are some top Thai cuisines that you must try when traveling in Thailand:

Best Thai Cuisine & Traditional Food

• Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup)
• Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
• Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Soup)
• Gaeng Daeng (Red Curry)
• Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles)
• Khao Pad (Fried Rice)
• Pad Krapow Moo Saap (Fried Basil and Pork)
• Guay Teow (Noodle Soup)
• Yam Pla Dook Foo (Fried Catfish with Green Mango Salad)
• Yam Talay (Spicy Seafood Salad)
• Laab (Spicy Salad)
• Pad Phuk Tong (Stir-Fried Pumpkin)
• Pad See Eiw (Thick Noodle Dish)
• Pak Boong (Morning Glory)
• Pad Krapow (Fried Basil)
• Panang (Thai Curry)
• Gaeng Keow Wan (Green Curry)
• Khao Soi (creamy coconut curry noodle soup)
• Gai Tod (Fried Chicken)
• Pad Phak (Fried Vegetables)
• Kai Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts)
• Kai Jeow (Thai Omelette)
• Kao Niew Ma Muang (Mango and Sticky Rice)

Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup):

Is a bold, refreshing blend of fragrant lemongrass, chili, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, shallots, lime juice, and fish sauce. It contains succulent river shrimps and straw mushrooms. This spicy and sour soup is recommended to eat with steamed white rice. 

Gaeng Keow Wan (Green Curry):

Is the spiciest with a perfect balance of sweetness from the added coconut milk. Green curry is made from some of the most mouth-watering ingredients, including fresh green chilies, ginger, eggplant, and, of course, plenty of coconut milk. Very much recommend eating with steamed rice to lower the spice level!

Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles):

Is one of Thailand’s most recognized dishes. Fistfuls of small, thin, or wide noodles, along with crunchy bean sprouts, onion, and egg are stir-fried in a searing hot wok. The dish is also flavored with condiments such as fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic or shallots, red chili, and palm sugar. The stir-fried noodles are often plated with a slice of lime wedge, crushed roasted peanuts, bean sprouts, and fresh herbs.

Pad Krapow Moo Saap (Fried Basil and Pork):

This is a Thai dish you can enjoy for lunch or dinner made of minced pork, holy basil leaves, large fresh chilli, pork, green beans, and soy sauce. The menu is piled onto a plate of steamed white rice and topped with a fried egg.

Som Tum (Spicy Green Papaya Salad):

Spicy green papaya salad comes from Thailand’s north-eastern state of Isaan. It is a very popular dish for travelers. Made of Garlic, chili, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and shredded raw papaya are pounded using a pestle and mortar, which release a sweet-sour-spicy flavor that’s quite distinctive (most of the travelers love it!). Regional variations include peanuts, dry shrimp or salted crab into the mix.

Guay Teow (Noodle Soup):

Is one of the preferable dishes in Thailand, not only for travelers but Thai people also love it. This menu can be found almost everywhere. It describes any type of noodle soup and can be made with chicken, pork, or beef. This dish is best topped with a selection of condiments such as sugar, dried chili peppers, lime juice, and fish sauce.

And many more, such as Gaeng Daeng (Red Curry), Khao Pad (Fried Rice), Yam Pla Dook Foo (Fried Catfish with Green Mango Salad), Yam Talay (Spicy Seafood Salad), Laab (Spicy Salad), Pad See Eiw (Thick Noodle Dish), Panang (Thai Curry), Khao Soi (creamy coconut curry noodle soup), Gai Tod (Fried Chicken), Pad Phak (Fried Vegetables), Kai Med Ma Muang (Chicken with Cashew Nuts), etc. Furthermore, enjoying those dishes might not be enough for most travelers. Thailand does not only have good food but also has plenty of delicious desserts that you must try!

Most people who come to visit Thailand always love our sweet desserts and could not stop trying them, we have very unique desserts dishes or can be called our traditional sweets, such as

Kao Niew Ma Muang (Mango and Sticky Rice):

Is the best Thai traditional dessert and a very popular menu among travelers. Chilled mangos are sliced fresh before being put over steaming sticky rice. This concoction is then drenched in thick coconut milk.

Coconut Ice cream:

Is the perfect dessert for having in Thailand during the heat. It has a variety of toppings to choose from peanuts, sweet corn, and sweet syrups to drizzle on top. Most importantly, coconut ice cream is mostly served in your own personal coconut that has been scraped out, which makes the dessert look yummy!

Thong Yip, Thong Yord, and Foy Thong:

Are another must-try favorite dessert for travelers. Thai desserts have the word thong in their name, which means gold, symbolizing prosperity, increased wealth, and success. This golden-colored dessert is typically made with duck and chicken egg yolks, sugar, and jasmine-flavored water.

Well, there are more favorable desserts, like Khanom tom, Steamed Coconut-Pandan Cake (Khanom chan), Grass Jelly (Chao kuai), Khanom Khrok (Coconut Rice Dumplings), Khao Tom Mud (Banana Leaf Sticky Rice), Khanom Tuay (Coconut Milk Custard), Roti Sai Mai (Cotton Candy), and many more. As you can see, traveling to Thailand not only provides you with the best and most exotic of cultures and arts, but also authentic cuisines that you will surely love and want to come to again and again!

Thai cuisine works easily to lure food lovers into its fragrant spell. These cuisines are rich and smooth curries, fragrant sauces, flavourful snacks, and desserts that will undoubtedly make you return to enjoying them on numerous occasions. The way to cook any Thai dish lies in impeccably adjusting the five key flavors – spicy, sweet, sour, bitter & salty, which takes skills to ace. Every Thai dish is literally very vibrant, which makes you feel hungry whenever you see it. Thai food is influenced by Indian & Chinese cuisine. Which adds on more textures & flavors in the same dish. Thai food contains a range of flavors and surfaces so immense that no two dishes are ever the equivalent. Indeed, even proven dishes — like the widely adored, pad thai —are found in different flavors in different places & over the various regions in Thailand. Thailand’s four locales — Northern, Central, Southern, and Isaan or Northeastern — each have one-of-a-kind societies, tongues, and cherished foods. Just try once this Thai food, you will fall in love with that.