Detours Gay Travel Blog
Your Trip Leader’s Dream Menu: Thailand Edition
- Detours
- Apr 22, 2025
The magic of Thailand is sometimes hard to describe, as so much of what makes it magical are the intangibles: the smells of the night air, the light at dusk, the soft breeze by the water, the rustle of a palm tree, the laid-back atmosphere. 🌴
Then, of course, there’s the white sand beaches, the unbeatable nightlife and social opportunities, the warmth of Thai people, the jaw-dropping landscapes and biodiversity, the rich history and culture…
Okay, okay. So it’s not that hard to describe the magic of Thailand. There is, after all, a reason this beautiful country was featured in White Lotus season 3, a Keeping Up With the Kardashians travel special, The Hangover Part II, and so, so many other cult favourites (The Island, anyone?!) 🎬
But even if Thailand was nothing but barren desert as far as the eye can see, I think you could still catch me boarding the next available flight to Bangkok, so long as the country’s vast assortment of delectable foods were still at the ready.
So, without further ado, I present to you the top foods that are an absolute must-try when you visit Thailand.
These foods have been placed in the order of a full, six-or-so-course meal, but there are simply too many mains on this list to ingest in one meal… But if you want to take that as a challenge, then so be it. 😉Happy eating!
Beverage: Thai mango shake 🥤🥭
Allow me to paint the scene. You’ve arrived in Bangkok after a long flight, and you’re smacked in the face with the heat and humidity of Southeast Asia. It may take a couple of days to acclimatize to your new surroundings.
In the meantime, what better way to freshen up than with a Thai mango shake, available at street corners (and restaurants!) across the city?
In the case of the classic Thai mango shake, the old idiom “the simpler the better” cannot ring more true. Typically, the shake consists of crushed ice, mango, and a bit of sugar syrup blended together to create the most refreshing, mouth-watering beverage. 🤤
Soup: Tom Yum soup 🍜
So you’ve arrived at the restaurant now, and you’re overwhelmed with the number of choices on the menu. A safe and satisfying bet is to start your meal off with a traditional Tom Yum soup. Because of Thailand’s heat and humidity, you’ll find that heavy foods are not only uncommon, but they also often don’t sit right. If you’re a soup lover like me, a light soup like Tom Yum is the perfect way to get your soup fix.
Granted, an authentic Tom Yum soup is likely to be spicy, so beware. But the spice can be balanced out by the addition of coconut milk (Tom Yam Kathi), while flavourful herbs like lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves make the soup feel refreshing all the same.
Salad: Papaya salad 🥗
Can you really say you had an unforgettable experience in Thailand if you didn’t try Som Tam Thai, or a traditional green papaya salad? No, you can’t!
Just kidding. But if you’re a fan of sour and tangy flavours, and again, you’re looking for something light, a papaya salad is the perfect food choice. Made with long strips of unripened papaya, green beans, shrimp, tomatoes, chili, and garlic, and topped with a tangy vinaigrette, prepare your taste buds for an absolutely explosive experience!
Appetizer: Thai Satay 🐖
It’s hard to believe we’re only at the appetizer, but work with me here. With so many delectable food items to choose from, I couldn’t very well skip this classic street food.
Truth be told, satay is actually an Indonesian specialty (the country’s national dish!), but it’s prominent across Thailand, too. What makes the Thai version of satay unique is the use of pork as the predominant meat option, which is then grilled on wooden skewers and seasoned heavily with spices like coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Thai satay is almost always accompanied with a peanut sauce, and if you want the real deal, find a place that uses roasted peanuts rather than peanut butter as the sauce’s base!
Entree: Pad Thai 🍜
Calling Pad Thai an entree is a bit of a stretch (it could just as easily be a main!), but this traditional Thai dish is so commonplace, that depending on the size you buy, it can sometimes be considered a lighter meal, or something to be eaten at an in-between time of the day.
At Detours, you know we’re all about structured spontaneity. Imagine it’s 6 o’clock but the dinner reso’s not until 8 p.m.! You’re walking through the Silom Night Market and you pass by a bustling street stand, where someone is cooking up Pad Thai in a giant wok.
The smell is just too good to pass up, so while some of your small group comrades continue to shop, you and a few others (including your trusty trip leader 😉) stick around to watch your Pad Thai cooked right in front of you! Shrimp? Chicken? Pork? You name it. Topped with heaps of bean sprouts and peanuts, this classic stir fried noodle dish is the ultimate “hanger” remedy!
Main: Red curry / Green curry / Massaman curry 🥘
Red, green, or massaman?! Choosing is half the battle, and I know including all three curries is not helping the situation. Then again, that’s another advantage of our gay group travel tours — you’ve always got friends nearby to share food! So, when it comes to choosing a curry, here’s what you should know:
Massaman curry: This is going to be your least spicy option of the three, but also the richest in flavour. Originating in Southern Thailand and brought up from Muslim Malay people, this is the closest Thai curry to a typical Indian-style curry. Massaman curry is typically made with potatoes and beef or chicken, soaked in a rich coconut milk sauce and paired with spices like cinnamon, star anise, and cardamom.
Red curry: With a red curry, we’re back to more well-known Thai flavours like lemongrass and ginger. Dried red chili paired with a coconut milk sauce is what creates the signature red colour of this curry, it’s typically served with proteins like chicken or shrimp.
Green curry: At last, my favourite of the three! But don’t be fooled by the subtle green colour: green curry is actually the spiciest option of the three curries here. This time, it’s crushed green chilis paired with coconut milk that creates the signature colour, while spices like kaffir lime leaves, coriander, cumin, and lemongrass create a surprisingly fresh flavour palette.
Dessert: Mango sticky rice 🍚
Even if you’re stuffed to the brim, we all know there’s always room in the stomach for a sweet treat. And what better way to top off this delicious meal than with an authentic mango sticky rice?
Maybe you already had rice with your curry, and you’re thinking, do I really want more rice? Trust me, sticky rice is different. Think of it more like a rice pudding, served with mango and syrupy sweet coconut milk drizzled on top.
Late night snack: Ham & Cheese toastie from 7-eleven 🥪
I know it’s hard to imagine that you could still be hungry at this point, but imagine that you’ve now had a late night out with your group at a unique rooftop cocktail bar or something and you need a late night snack to round off the day.
At this point, I cannot emphasize enough the joy and satisfaction of a ham and cheese toastie from 7-Eleven. In Thailand, 7-Elevens are open 24/7, and not only do they serve as a beautiful oasis of air-conditioning, they also provide an assortment of food and beverages — including refrigerated beer, and the absolute perfect final snack of the day: the ham & cheese toastie.
Okay, so maybe you weren’t able to eat all of these dishes in one day, let alone in one meal. But let’s all agree that the dishes discussed here are absolute musts when you visit Thailand — ideally on a gay tour with Detours. 😉
And if the food depicted here (somehow?!) doesn’t tickle your fancy, check out Detours’ diverse destinations for a long list of social opportunities and gay tours that may suit you better.
Enjoy your dreams of delectable Thai foods. 😉