Summer is here, and Thailand is heating things up. With average summer temperatures around 40°C, visitors to this tropical country are naturally looking for ways to cool down – we have a few tips.

Although Thailand offers countless ways to cool off on the hottest days, here are just a few favorites that come highly recommended by the locals.

Watermelon with slices of fish (Pla-Heang Taeng-Mo)

Pla-Heang Taeng-Mo is a popular summer dish in Thailand. It consists of dried fish and fresh, juicy watermelon and is served cold to refresh even on the hottest summer days. Typically, Pla-Heang Taeng-Mo is prepared with snakehead fish and shallots, with the watermelon served separately. This sweet and savory dish is a Thai favorite and can be made at home with the following ingredients (recipe courtesy of Thai Food Heritage):

  • 1 cup sliced ​​red shallots
  • Sauté the shallots in vegetable oil.
  • Grill the fish, first removing the skin and bones. Then lightly crush the flesh in a mortar with the pestle until it is soft.
  • Fry the soft-cooked fish in a little more oil until golden brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the shallots and sugar until well combined.
  • Serve with slices of watermelon.

    • Thai Shaved Ice (Nam Kang Sai)

    Anyone craving something sweet while in Thailand should definitely try Nam Kang Sai – a delicious Thai ice cream that's a refreshing treat. Unlike other Asian ice creams, such as Korean ice cream, this unique dessert can be customized with various toppings and syrups to suit your taste. Here's a simple recipe for Thai ice cream that you can easily make at home if you can't try it in Thailand or visit a Thai ice cream shop in the US. (Recipe courtesy of Cooking With Nart).

  • 1 tbsp dried basil seeds
  • Approximately 0.35 ounces of diced bread or croutons
  • 1 tsp sweetened condensed milk
  • Soak basil seeds in ½ cup of warm water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Place the ingredients in a dessert dish, layering first soaked basil seeds, then ice cream, and finally croutons.
  • Drizzle with condensed milk

    • For adventurous foodies with a sweet tooth: grass jelly adds a refreshing, minty note to your shaved ice. To intensify the flavor, add it to recipes with sweet ingredients, such as this shaved ice with grass jelly – another perfect way to beat the summer heat in Thailand or in your own kitchen. (Recipe courtesy of Serious Eats)

  • 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ¾ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 19 ounces of chilled black grass jelly
  • 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
  • Mix orange juice, lime juice and water, then add sugar until dissolved.
  • Strain the mixture through a sieve and stir in the orange and lime zest. Then place the mixture in the freezer on the coldest setting.
  • After about an hour, remove the mixture from the freezer and stir in the ice crystals from the sides. Then return the mixture to the freezer.
  • Check the mixture every 20-3 minutes and stir in any ice crystals that may form. Once the ice is completely dry (after about 4-6 hours), remove it from the freezer.
  • Serve the ice cream in a bowl, garnished with grass jelly and condensed milk.

    • Thai iced tea

    One of Thailand's most famous drinks, if not the most famous, is Thai iced tea. This cold, refreshing beverage is served over crushed or shaved ice and is a delicious way to cool down on hot summer days. And the best part? You can find it everywhere in Thailand, and it's also super easy to make at home! (Recipe courtesy of Arbor Teas).

  • A pinch of star anise, ground tamarind and cardamom
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • After the tea leaves and spices have steeped for 5 minutes, remove the leaves from the water.
  • Stir in the sugar while the tea is still hot.
  • Fill the glasses with crushed ice.
  • Pour the tea into glasses, leaving about a quarter of the glass empty.
  • Cover with condensed milk (do not stir).

    • Other ways to cool off in Thailand

    heat rash

    In Thailand, Prickly Heat is a special cooling powder used by Thais to stay dry and cool during the hot summer months. Made with cooling ingredients such as menthol, camphor, and triclocarban, this refreshing powder also contains kaolin, fragrances, and talc.

    To use, simply apply to the skin after bathing to keep your skin feeling dry and fresh all day. Can be used daily to combat heat rash.

    A spa ice bath

    If you visit a spa during your stay in Thailand, a refreshing ice bath can provide relief from the heat, soothe inflammation, and relax sore muscles after activities such as Muay Thai, yoga, hiking, and cycling. Be Fit Retreat offers ice baths as an add-on to its fitness package, and Phuket Action Point Spa offers both hot and cold baths.

    Ice is nice

    Anyone who wants to feel a winter chill on a hot day in Sukhumvit-Ekkamai, Mega Bangna or Ngamwongwon-Khae Rai is in the right place to experience winter chill all year round when ice skating at the Sub-Zero Ice Skate Club.

    With courses and fun penguin-themed walking aids for beginners, the Sub-Zero Ice Skate Club offers fun for all ages.

    Dive in

    And finally, one of the best ways to cool off in Thailand is to visit one of the country's stunning beaches and take a dip in the sea. Whether swimming, surfing, snorkeling, kayaking, or diving – the sea is the ultimate refreshment in Thailand.

    Although Thailand has no shortage of stunning beaches, the Similan Islands, Pattaya Beach and Patong Beach are among the most popular destinations.

    Not near the beach? Many hotels offer pools where guests can relax after a long day of sightseeing. Resorts with beautiful pools include the Santhiya Koh Phangan, the Beyond Kanda Buuri, and the Four Seasons Koh Samui.

    Keep cool

    No matter where your travels through Thailand take you this summer, these tried-and-tested tips will help you keep a cool head and regulate your body temperature so you feel comfortable throughout your stay. And the best part? Many of them can be implemented anywhere in the world with just a few ingredients and a little time.