Thailand in cash.
Night markets, taxis, islands: cash-in-baht rules the moment you leave Bangkok's malls. Break your big notes early — the ฿1'000 embarrasses small traders.
Helvetica Exchange prepares your THB travel envelope at Rue Pierre-Fatio 19, 1204 Geneva (Rive district) — the posted rate, no separate commission, Monday–Friday 08:30–18:30 and Saturday 09:00–17:00. Reserve and your rate is held for 3 hours during opening hours; ID from the LBA thresholds.
The cities, chosen.
Bangkok
The capital of golden temples and vertiginous rooftops, between canals and skyscrapers.
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaeo — The Emerald Buddha in a jewel-box of mosaics — shoulders covered.
A Thai cooking class — Market in the morning, wok in the afternoon — you leave with the recipes.
Chiang Mai
The Rose of the North — 300 temples, misty mountains and hill-tribe crafts.
An ethical elephant sanctuary — A day feeding and bathing the giants — no riding.
Sunday night market — A kilometre of craftwork and skewers through the old town.
Phuket & Krabi
Karst cliffs, emerald water and Andaman sunsets.
Phi Phi / Maya Bay by speedboat — Lagoons, snorkelling and postcard beaches.
Railay by longtail — The climbers' peninsula, reachable only by sea.
Getting around.
Domestic flights are cheap (Bangkok → Chiang Mai or Phuket from about CHF 30), overnight sleeper trains are full of charm, and everywhere tuk-tuks and songthaews are negotiated before you climb aboard.
Cash & banknotes.
On the islands nearly everything is cash — and local ATMs charge ฿220 per withdrawal. Compose your envelope in Geneva: plenty of ฿100 and ฿500 for street food and taxis, a few ฿1'000 for hotels, broken early.
| Rate reservation | held 3 hours, during opening hours |
| Counter hours | Mon–Fri 08:30–18:30 · Sat 09:00–17:00 |
| Commission | none — the margin lives in the posted rate |
Before you go.
How many baht per day?
฿1'500 backpacking, ฿3'000 in comfort, ฿7'000 in style — hotels aside. Royal street food starts at ฿60 a plate.
Do the islands take cards?
Rarely outside the resorts: island life runs on cash — carry enough before boarding, ATMs there charge ฿220 per withdrawal.
Indicative amounts — rate reservable for 3 hours · Rue Pierre-Fatio 19, Geneva · Guide complet en français