The Ultimate Guide to Eco-Friendly Travel in Thailand

As globalization and technology have become increasingly available to everyone in recent years, more people have begun to explore the world's beauty. It's a great way to grow and connect, but it has many downsides.

One of the most significant downsides is environmental preservation and how tourists are "communicating" with nature.

It's not strange today to stumble upon many different projects trying to raise awareness of our problems and change people's mindsets so that they can become part of the solution instead of just supporting the issue.

If you're planning to travel around Thailand, you'll experience pollution, along with beautiful places and delicious food. The locals are also poorly educated about the problem.

Many organizations try their best to educate people and help the local community, but it's not enough. Be the change you want to see in the world; you never know who you might inspire.

In this article, we will share a few easy-to-apply tips that will make your experience traveling through Thailand easier. If you choose to travel in these ways, you'll also leave a smaller footprint on the environment.

1. Say NO to Single-Use Plastic Products

Thailand is filled with plastic! According to the statistics, of the 10 most polluted rivers, a whopping eight are located in Asia.

When you go to any store or street food vendor, you'll be shocked at how much single-use plastic they use.

Almost everything you buy comes with two or three plastic bags. The food markets will offer fruits precisely packed in several layers of plastic bags, but do you need that?

Plastic straws are also widely used here, and many end up in the ocean. Ask yourself: Do you need a straw when drinking coffee, juice, or any other drink?

The next big problem is plastic bottles. Almost everyone uses them, and many are thrown away near the roads or on the beaches.

Some parts of Thailand still struggle with filtered water, but many places offer free drinking water.

Our advice is to invest in a reusable bottle and refill it in hostels or restaurants. You'll save a bunch of money and help nature, too. Try to bring daily awareness to your plastic consumption and reduce it as much as possible.

Chances are you don't need most of the plastic products offered to you, and you'll have a fine experience without them. Be conscious about it and educate the people around you as well.

And one more thing. Most Asian countries don't have recycling programs, meaning plastic is usually dumped in a landfill, burned, or buried.

You can't imagine how much harm this causes the environment, people, and animals. Say NO to single-use plastic and educate local communities.

2. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint as Much As Possible

Carbon footprints are huge in many parts of Thailand because of heavy traffic and vehicles circulating through the cities.

Almost everyone has a motorcycle, and in some places, the number of bikes is even greater than the number of people. Imagine that!

Many Asian countries don't have regulations for carbon emissions, so you will see many kinds of vehicles, some of which are self-made. These vehicles produce massive amounts of carbon and are slowly killing the atmosphere.

How can you help fight that? Whenever you have a chance, walk or ride a bicycle. Also, remember to share drives or use public transportation. That will help reduce your carbon footprint, too.

Do you want to travel long distances? The best way to do it is overland, as planes produce vast amounts of carbon. You can use a site like Bookaway to scout routes and buy bus, ferry, and train tickets online.

So whenever you can, skip a plane ride and enjoy the views from the ground while exploring new places.

Did you know Bangkok has a BTS train and other travel methods, like driving on a local boat? Check out the off-the-beaten-track of Bangkok and reduce your footprints. 

3. Eat Locally Produced Food

You might wonder what the connection is between locally produced food and environmental preservation, right? Well, we already talked about the food and plastic connection — one more note on that point.

Try to eat in restaurants or food markets whenever you can instead of getting food to go. The reason is simple - you'll create less waste by eating at the restaurant.

Thailand is very popular for its local food markets and street food. Many families live from the food they prepare and sell.

Supporting locals means that all the money goes into their pockets, and the economy grows, so our advice is always to choose locally produced food.

If you go to restaurant chains, you're not supporting locals, as the workers make pennies per hour.

You're also supporting huge companies that are responsible for the majority of environmental pollution today. Just think about it for a second.

To make eating from small vendors and restaurants easier, compare the Lingapp vs Babbel and pick one to learn basic Thai phrases.

Another thing is to try to eat as little meat as possible. We're not promoting a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, but here are some points to support this idea.

Fruits and vegetables are usually produced locally, and you can get seasoned fruits and vegetables on any corner of the street from locals who are selling them.

They usually use natural fertilizers and equipment to plant and harvest their crops, which doesn't cause as much damage to the environment.

Whenever you choose the food produced by giant corporations, you are supporting deforestation, water pollution, global warming, etc.

Did you know that livestock is one of the biggest producers of methane, one of the most damaging gases contributing to the greenhouse effect on Earth?

Choose wisely when it comes to what you're eating and who you are supporting.

4. Pack Light

There have been many conversations about packing light for trips, but only a small number of travelers follow this rule or advice.

It benefits you, makes your trip easier and cheaper, and hugely benefits the environment.

For instance, the more massive your luggage, the more fuel and power are required to transport it. Heavier luggage means more fuel consumed, which results in more carbon emissions in the air.

It is the same rule for every means of transportation. Pack only the essential stuff in your backpack.

5. Support and Volunteer for Sustainable ECO-Projects

Many projects and NGOs are doing a great job related to environmental preservation. An excellent way to make a bigger impact is to start supporting one of these projects and making a significant change in a local community.

When applying for a volunteer project, always check every detail and see if it is sustainable. Many projects claim they are sustainable, but when you start helping, you will see a completely different picture.

Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as possible when applying for the project, as that will save everyone's time.

Many projects will look for people without any skills, which means if you start working on the project, you're probably taking away the work from a local person. In the end, you're not helping anyone that way.

Be very selective about the projects and always remember one thing - ask, ask, and ask more questions!

Projects focused on beaches and environmental cleanup in Thailand and Southeast Asia have become very popular in the last decade.

If you've ever traveled to any coastal place or island during the low season, you will have a hard time enjoying the beach, as there will be tons of plastic and other waste.

Many people and organizations started their cleanups and education programs for local people.

These projects are outstanding, as you can see your impact immediately.

Once, we were in Koh Lanta, a resort in southern Thailand, and you couldn't see a single grain of sand. It was all plastic! We joined the project Trash Hero (an international project), which is all about nature preservation and cleanups.

We did it twice, and after the second cleanup, we saw a considerable improvement and saw people enjoying and swimming in the ocean. Afterward, we have pictures of so many people, including locals, cleaning up the beaches and forests.

Right now, this project is huge in Koh Lanta, and they have started focusing on educating small children about the subject.

Participating in eco-friendly and sustainable travel isn't so hard. You must change and implement a few new habits in your travel routine. Always aim to be a good example and inspire people to grow and help the planet.

Eco-traveling is also far cheaper, so if you're on a backpacker's budget, this way of traveling will help you prolong your trip!