Book a travel buddy in Thailand for the plans you'd rather not do alone
Street food in Yaowarat, a night market, a gig, a beach day, a hike up Doi Suthep. Pick a Thai friend, tell them the plan and meet them there.
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How do you find a travel buddy in Thailand?
There are three usual ways. Free Facebook groups and LINE OpenChat rooms, where travellers post their dates and split costs. Travel-buddy apps that match you with other visitors. Or booking a Thai friend through a service like Rent Thai Friend. The free options cost nothing, but you're meeting a stranger nobody has checked, and plans change when their trip does. Booking a friend costs an hourly rate, and in return you get someone who lives here, speaks Thai and turns up at the time and place you chose. On Rent Thai Friend every friend is picked by hand, members give us their real name and phone number before they can book, the first meet-up happens somewhere public, and everything is platonic. You decide what you're doing, whether that's dinner in Yaowarat, the Chiang Mai night market or a day at Kata Beach. Your friend comes along.
Free groups or a booked friend?
| Free groups and apps | A friend from Rent Thai Friend | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free. You split the costs of the plan. | The friend's hourly rate in credits. You also cover their food, drinks and tickets on the day. |
| Who you meet | Other travellers, mostly strangers nobody has checked | A Thai friend we picked by hand |
| Whose plan | Whatever the group agrees on | Yours. They come along. |
| Speaks Thai | Not usually | Yes, and they'll order when the menu is only in Thai |
| Checks | None | Friends picked by hand, every member gives a real name and phone number, first meet-up somewhere public |
| Timing | When someone else is free | The date and time you book |
What your travel buddy does
Eat your way through the city
Street food in Yaowarat, a mookata grill, the khao soi place everyone talks about. Thai food is better shared, and your friend can order when the menu is only in Thai.
Nights out
Live music, rooftop bars, a club in Thonglor. You share a Grab home at the end, and either of you can call it a night whenever you like.
Hikes and day trips
Doi Suthep at sunrise, a waterfall outside Chiang Mai, a viewpoint you saw on someone's feed. It's easier to get up early when someone's waiting for you.
Beach days
Kata, Kamala or Nai Harn, a longtail to a quieter cove, sunset drinks after. Someone to watch your bag while you swim, too.
What they don't do
- Plan the day for you. You decide what you're doing, and they come along.
- Anything romantic. Every booking is platonic, and if anything makes either of you uncomfortable, our team steps in.
Travel buddies in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya
Bangkok
Rooftops, malls, street food and big concerts.
Chiang Mai
Mountains in the morning, night markets after dark.
Phuket
Beach days, Old Town cafes and sunset drinks.
Pattaya
Beaches, a boat to Koh Larn and night markets.
What a travel buddy costs
Each friend sets an hourly rate in credits, shown on their profile, with a minimum number of hours. You buy credits in packs, priced in baht. The rate covers your friend's time. Food, drinks, tickets and transport for your plan are paid by you on the day.
See credit packsIs it safe to rent a friend?
Yes, when it's run properly. Every friend is picked by hand, everyone on the site is 18 or over, first meet-ups start somewhere public, and if anything makes either of you uncomfortable, you can end the meet-up and our team steps in. Anyone who asks for romance or sex loses their account. These are the rules everyone agrees to.
SafetyQuestions people ask
Will my travel buddy plan the day?
Can I find a travel buddy in Thailand for free?
Is it safe to travel with someone I booked online?
Who pays for food and tickets?
Can a travel buddy come for a whole day?
Do the friends speak English?
Keep reading
Solo travel in Thailand: how to meet people when you're on your own
Solo travel in Thailand, made social: where to meet people in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, nine ways compared, and the basics for getting around.
Read the guide
Travel companion for Thailand: six ways to find one, free or paid
How to find a travel companion for Thailand: six free and paid ways compared on cost, safety checks and who you end up with, plus a safety checklist.
Read the guide
Bangkok at night: 15 things to do beyond Khao San Road
Things to do in Bangkok at night beyond Khao San Road: jazz bars, rooftops, Muay Thai, a river cruise and late food, with stations, hours and last trains.
Read the guide- Rent a friend in Thailand What it is, who the friends are and what people do together.
- How renting a friend works From picking a friend to meeting them, step by step.
- How much it costs to rent a friend Hourly rates, credits, and what's paid on the day.
- Is it safe to rent a friend? Our rules, how we pick friends and where first meet-ups happen.
- Questions about renting a friend Paying, languages, cancelling and the rest.