Is it better to arrive in Thailand early in the day or later in the evening (Managing Jet Lag)

[Liningmars]

Looking for some advice from frequent long-haul travellers to Thailand. When I travelled to Thailand back in December, I arrived after midnight and jet lag hit me hard—it took me several days to recover. With a shorter trip planned for this summer, I’m trying to decide what the best time is to land in Thailand to minimize jet lag. To add I managed to get 6-7 hours of sleep on the flight, so don't think sleep itself is the issue. 

From your experience, is it better to arrive earlier in the day (i.e. morning or early afternoon) giving you the whole day to adjust, or have you found it better to arrive in the evening where you have a few hours to settle before going to sleep, or crack straight on partying to maximise the fun times!

Or maybe I can just replace the jet lag with a hangover and everything evens itself out ? 😃

[jaynewcastle]

Makes no difference to me at all, but don't really suffer from jet lag coming here.

When you say it took 7 days to recover from it, what exactly was wrong with you ?, were you ill or felt unwell ?

[Greg_B]

I'll arrive at 2345 and be at the Areca hotel by 0130

I had a few beers at a GGB and then it was time to sleep (0330)

Up and at it by 0900 the next day

[Liningmars]

3 minutes ago, jaynewcastle said:

Makes no difference to me at all, but don't really suffer from jet lag coming here.

When you say it took 7 days to recover from it, what exactly was wrong with you ?, were you ill or felt unwell ?

Several days, around 3 days give or take. Not necessarily unwell but I was super tired during these days but also could barely sleep, i.e. I'd be asleep by 11pm and then wide awake by 3am, made it hard to enjoy the first new nights!

Could have been other factors at play though and not necessarily jet lag, but feels pretty jet-laggy 

[shorty76]

3 hours ago, Liningmars said:

Looking for some advice from frequent long-haul travellers to Thailand. When I travelled to Thailand back in December, I arrived after midnight and jet lag hit me hard—it took me several days to recover. With a shorter trip planned for this summer, I’m trying to decide what the best time is to land in Thailand to minimize jet lag. To add I managed to get 6-7 hours of sleep on the flight, so don't think sleep itself is the issue. 

From your experience, is it better to arrive earlier in the day (i.e. morning or early afternoon) giving you the whole day to adjust, or have you found it better to arrive in the evening where you have a few hours to settle before going to sleep, or crack straight on partying to maximise the fun times!

Or maybe I can just replace the jet lag with a hangover and everything evens itself out ? 😃

I think the best thing is to arrive during day time, then try not to sleep till its dark. Arriving you will be excited so if arriving at night you cant go directely to sleep, so better arriving during day time and when its dark u will be tired enough to sleep. No alcohol, healthy food, sleeping routine and excercise helps with jetlag too. 

To go back home i prefer to arrive late because no excitment in that...

Edited February 16, 2025 by shorty76

[Gonetothedogs]

2 hours ago, jaynewcastle said:

Makes no difference to me at all, but don't really suffer from jet lag coming here.

 

He’s not asking for advice on what to do if you don’t suffer from jet lag, in fact he’s asking the exact opposite 

[ricktoronto]

The way to combat jet lag heading west, e.g. North America to Asia is to change to destination local time on the long haul flight.

Mine leave at 1230 or 130 am. That's roughly noon HK time. I stay awake until 8 or 9 pm HK time then sleep. You wake up at 4.am for breakfast and a 530 or 6 am gate arrival and you're on their local time.

[Joeleg]

Long flights felt it better to land at night and then go to bed. If I got in during the day, I would end up sleeping in the afternoon and screwing up the next 2 days. 

[jaynewcastle]

6 hours ago, Gonetothedogs said:

He’s not asking for advice on what to do if you don’t suffer from jet lag, in fact he’s asking the exact opposite 

Sorry, my response should have been better

I think its more about the mental attitude & being positive,  if you fly out already worrying about suffering from jet lag for several days, then you probably will do

If you fly knowing you're going on holiday & it might just take a day for your body to adjust to a different time zone, you might wake up a bit early but it doesn't really matter as you're on holiday, it won't be a problem.

Its the over-thinking about it in my opinion that is the main cause of the problem

I don't do any of the recommended actions such as adjusting your sleeping patterns a week in advance, changing clocks to local time in your destination, avoiding alcohol (I fly with Emirates so a free bar the whole way), exercise etc & get perhaps a few hours sleep on the plane

[Liningmars]

1 hour ago, jaynewcastle said:

Sorry, my response should have been better

I think its more about the mental attitude & being positive,  if you fly out already worrying about suffering from jet lag for several days, then you probably will do

If you fly knowing you're going on holiday & it might just take a day for your body to adjust to a different time zone, you might wake up a bit early but it doesn't really matter as you're on holiday, it won't be a problem.

Its the over-thinking about it in my opinion that is the main cause of the problem

I don't do any of the recommended actions such as adjusting your sleeping patterns a week in advance, changing clocks to local time in your destination, avoiding alcohol (I fly with Emirates so a free bar the whole way), exercise etc & get perhaps a few hours sleep on the plane

Thanks, this is a fair point - my Dec trip was very structured and had a lot of visiting family/planned things crammed in, so a little less relaxed whereas this summer I'll be on my own and doing things at my own leisure, so should be a lot more relaxed and able to take just go with the flow 

[Mally69]

If you have the choice of flights to be able to able to choose which part of the day or night you arrive, I suggest arriving about lunchtime. By the time you get to Pattaya, you will be able to check in directly to your room, sort your gear out, shower, change and grab something to eat, then carry on with your day as best you can and sleep at night in local time. When you wake the following morning your body should hopefully be on Thai time.

Or not! 😁 Time will tell.

[lovermand66]

I prefer night flight from Europe and landing in BKK around 15-16:00 …
then I only have to stay awake 6 hours before i go sleep around 22:00.
It’s only take me 2 days to get over jet lags..,
But most most flights from my country are afternoon flight and landing in Bkk around 5-7 am…then i have to stay awake many hours before bedtime..l
i hate it…

[Wide_western]

I don't sleep during flights, so prefer to take an (early) afternoon flight.

These flights will arrive early in the morning in Bangkok. Taxi to the hotel and then a 1 to 2 hour nap and a normal day, with plenty of walking around and maybe gym/swimming. I then go to bed around 10pm local time and wake up 6am. I don't get jetlag this way.

I think this is where the issue lies for most guys in Pattaya, they don't want a normal day/night rhythm there..

The key to circadian rhythm and thus preventing jetlag is morning sunlight exposure. 

I have absolutely no idea how Thai girls and pro mongers do their sleep till 3pm and party till early morning routine..

Edited February 16, 2025 by Wide_western

[FarangBear]

Melatonin can help to combat jet lag. Take it a couple of hours before bedtime. Also good to avoid getting too much blue light the last hours before bedtime as blue light suppresses melatonin. 

Personally I never get any good sleep on the flight, but when arriving I have so much anticipation it keeps me up anyway. Still might wake up a bit too early the first nights though. It helps to have a room that is facing west or north so it doesn't get sunlight in the morning. 

Edited February 16, 2025 by FarangBear

[Micky2]

16 hours ago, Liningmars said:

From your experience

Any time is a good time to arrive. Just party till you drop and wake up refreshed and wake up when you are ready. Don’t fight it; go with the flow.

[Clem Fandango]

Flying via Amsterdam with KLM gets me into swampy about 0930ish. I prefer this as I’m at hotel in Pattaya for 12ish and get checked in then. Quick trip to 7/11 and the have two hours of a nap. I never sleep on the flight so the nap helps. Then in bed for 2200hr and wide awake at 4/5am whatever I do so wouldn’t worry about jet lag takes me 3 days. I golf at 7:30am a first few days and have a nap at lunchtime when back.

Dont worry about jet lag pal, have a nap in the afternoon an don’t sweat it, you’ll soon fall into Thai time

[allwet]

I find it easier to take an overnight flight that arrives in the afternoon in Thailand. I sleep on the overnight flight and then stay awake until 10pm on my first day in Thailand and I end up sleeping through the night. I have a more difficult time arriving late at night and then trying to go to sleep right away. But everyone is different and you just need to find what works for you. 

[par47]

I guess it all depends if you can sleep on the plane or not.

If you can get a couple hours sleep on the plane I find thats enough for the first evening partying.

If you can't sleep then you'll probably want to arrive early enough to get an afternoon nap at your hotel before hitting town.

Personally I have worked 24/7 shifts most of my life so I dont have a sleeping pattern and jetlag is a myth to me

[par47]

24 minutes ago, Clem Fandango said:

Flying via Amsterdam with KLM gets me into swampy about 0930ish. I prefer this as I’m at hotel in Pattaya for 12ish and get checked in then. Quick trip to 7/11 and the have two hours of a nap. I never sleep on the flight so the nap helps. Then in bed for 2200hr and wide awake at 4/5am whatever I do so wouldn’t worry about jet lag takes me 3 days. I golf at 7:30am a first few days and have a nap at lunchtime when back.

Dont worry about jet lag pal, have a nap in the afternoon an don’t sweat it, you’ll soon fall into Thai time

I agree, I like KLM's flight times they are perfect for me. However, their recent prices are not!!!!

[megro]

What the hell, almost everyone seem to go to sleep at 10PM when you get in Thailand? Ba. My bed time at home is around midnight and when in Thailand 4-5AM which is midnight at home. Not jetlag problems either way.

[lovermand66]

2 hours ago, megro said:

What the hell, almost everyone seem to go to sleep at 10PM when you get in Thailand? Ba. My bed time at home is around midnight and when in Thailand 4-5AM which is midnight at home. Not jetlag problems either way.

If you land 6 am, then it’s midnight i Europe…
your body will now be tired after almost no sleeping during flight…
so most of us trying to stay awake with no sleep until 10pm the first 2 days to fight jetlag…
when you go to sleep 10 pm you haven’t slept for 24 hours…
is that hard to understand?

Edited February 16, 2025 by lovermand66

[megro]

21 minutes ago, lovermand66 said:

If you land 6 am, then it’s midnight i Europe…
your body will now be tired after almost no sleeping during flight…
so most of us trying to stay awake with no sleep until 10pm the first 2 days to fight jetlag…
when you go to sleep 10 pm you haven’t slept for 24 hours…
is that hard to understand?

Meant no offence bro, that was written in jest. I get it we are not all the same. Personally for me, the smell of fresh pussy blowing from every direction fiercely converts any melatonin in my brain to adrenaline. 

[Clem Fandango]

4 hours ago, par47 said:

I agree, I like KLM's flight times they are perfect for me. However, their recent prices are not!!!!

Wild prices compared to pre Covid. 

[lovermand66]

13 minutes ago, megro said:

Meant no offence bro, that was written in jest. I get it we are not all the same. Personally for me, the smell of fresh pussy blowing from every direction fiercely converts any melatonin in my brain to adrenaline. 

But a old whore monger over 60 like me, I need my sleep…😂🙏

[Liningmars]

6 hours ago, FarangBear said:

Melatonin can help to combat jet lag. Take it a couple of hours before bedtime. Also good to avoid getting too much blue light the last hours before bedtime as blue light suppresses melatonin. 
 

ChatGPT recommended Melatonin as well, so I may have to give this a try next time