If sampling the local cuisine is one of your favorite parts of vacationing or living in different countries, a visit to Thailand should be on your calendar. Whether you plan to visit Thailand for a vacation or you're looking to live there on a short-term or long-term basis, as a "foodie" you'll be delighted with everything this country has to offer. Here are a few tips you can use in order to sample everything Thailand has to offer during your next visit.

Enjoying the Outdoor Dining Venues

When visiting Thailand, you'll have plenty of opportunities to dine outdoors. Food stalls and shops are commonplace at most outdoor markets. Sampling the street food is often one of the best ways to sample the local cuisine and experience Thailand as it's meant to be experienced. It can be a lot of fun to watch food prepared right in front of you in the outdoor food stalls and shops. You'll also get to experience a wide swathe of culture, since everyone from the rich to the poor frequents these outdoor eating establishments. These outdoor stalls can be one of the best ways to really enjoy some "fast food" in Thailand while taking in the sights at the same time. Many of these stalls are quite popular, and some could even be considered famous. If you take the time to do some research, you'll undoubtedly uncover some real gems that you simply must visit.

Hotel Buffets

If you love the experience of eating at a buffet, there are numerous hotel buffets in Thailand that you simply must try. As is the case in most areas of the world, many Thailand hotels pull out all the culinary stops when serving a buffet. In addition to being able to sample some of the regional cuisine, most buffets also serve dishes from almost every other major cuisine as well. As such, you'll almost certainly find something that will please everyone. These buffets can be quite crowded during peak time periods, so reservations are often a good idea.

Vegetarian Cuisine

Although you can generally find vegetarian cuisine in Thailand no matter what time of the year it is, Bangkok's Chinatown Vegetarian Festival should not be missed. Held during the September and October timeframe, this popular event is a great time to sample non-meat dishes. In fact, many restaurants that normally serve meat dishes will change their menu to highlight vegetarian dishes. If you're looking for vegetarian fare, keep your eyes open for yellow flags, which are symbol for the establishment's meat-free status.

Lunchtime Dining

If you're trying to keep your vacation budget under control, there's something to be said for dining out for lunch instead of dinner. Although restaurant prices as a whole in Thailand are quite affordable, you can save even more money by sampling the lunch menus instead of the dinner menus. Some restaurants offer terrific lunchtime specials, so this is a great way to sample some of the best local cuisine for a less than what you would pay at dinner. After all, you don't have to spend a lot of money in order to have a good time when traveling.

Alyssa Davis is a staff writer and decorating specialist with Metal-Wall-Art.com and she offers stylish suggestions for decorating with sunburst metal artwork and decorative large wall cross.