Perspectives

Bangkok, Thailand Photographer Worachat Sodsri Unsplash

Discovering the ‘real Bangkok’

As Bangkok reaches record visitor numbers and overtourism reshapes the city, what can solo travellers do to experience it more meaningfully? Natt Opasanon, Founder of Your Thai Guide, offers practical ways to move beyond the crowds and engage with a more authentic Bangkok in 2026.

By Tiffany West | 5 January 2026

A man admires a stunning waterfall Photography Faces of Travel

“Solo but never alone”? Please. Let’s call it what it is.

Somewhere along the way, the travel industry convinced itself that solo travellers needed reassurance – or worse, travelling companions we didn’t choose. Cue the evergreen ‘solo but never alone’. Its foreboding omnipotence is everywhere – in advertisements, social media feeds, Facebook reels … you name it. Like a serious threat we can’t escape from, no matter how unreliable our Wi-Fi connection is.