Safety: water, food and sea

Don't drink the tap water — Thais don't either. **Bottled and filtered water** is cheap and everywhere; ice in established restaurants and bars (the uniform cylindrical kind) is factory-made and generally safe. Street food is a highlight and generally safe at busy stalls with high turnover; pick places where locals queue and food is cooked fresh and hot. Mild stomach upsets happen as your system adjusts. At the beach, respect red flags and seasonal currents — drownings occur in monsoon swells — and watch for occasional jellyfish. Mosquito-borne dengue exists, so use repellent, especially around dusk.