ctcat

heading over to thailand for christmas and new year,can anybody tell me if you have to book somewhere to stay or if you can just wander in and get someplace.

Cicerone

For a nice beach resort, you should already have a reservation. For Bangkok and the northern hills, you may be OK with starting to look now, but I may be wrong on that and you may be booked out by now. The better hotels are probably already booked out. Christmas and New Year are the best weather and the highest season. In addition to foreigners, Thais are on holiday, not to mention tens of thousands of expats from Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and the PRC who don't want to go home for a cold Christmas, or want to escape freezing Beijing.

If you just want an OK hotel, not beachfront and just basic 3 stars or something, you probably can just get "someplace". It may not be the kind of vacation you are thinking of. I don't know your budget or expectations.

Gpanda

Christmas is the highest of high seasons. As Cicerone said, many hotels may be already booked up. You should make your reservations NOW. If you provide your per night budget, we will be glad to make recommendations.

JamesA

You may find a place to stay, but if you plan on particular places or the busy tourist destiantaions then many of the best places will either be full or close to full already, unless you want to wander around place to place to find a bed for the night I would not delay booking at all, also note that around New year all transport whether flights, bus or train would be heavily booked, it is the one time of year when you really 'do' ned to plan transport and accommodation well ahead unless you are on a budget and happy just to find a place for the night when you get somewhere, but in busy places like Phuket, krabi, Pattaya, Samui, Hua hin and others expect much of the accommodation to be getting heavily booked right now.

Where you planning on visiting ?

rhkkmk

you can wander around but if you do that i would bring a sleeping bag with me.....as others have said this is the most busy time of the year....

Kathie

If you are looking for very low budget places (guesthouses) and aren't picky about where you want to stay, I'm sure you'll find a place. You may have to do some looking (is that how you want to spend your vacation?). If you know where you'd like to stay, book NOW. You may still have difficulty finding a place to stay if you are looking for a nice hotel or resort. Beach areas will be most crowded. Also, as others have noted the prices will be the most expensive of the year.

Do you know where in Thailand you want to visit? The whole months of Dec and January are high season.

Guenmai

I go there every year at that time and I have had my reservations in since January 2007. It's a busy time. You'd better get moving and I absolutely would not wait and wander unless you don't care where you might end up staying. Happy Travels!