Thailand forum

No problems travelling alone. That said, here are two stories comparing the pros and cons of each -- you may find them helpful.

10 reasons to travel independently
10 reasons to do an adventure tour

Cheers

i too am a 27 yr old blonde and planning on travelling to thailand the same time. i was looking into doing one of those trips also but they seem quite expensive. would you be interested in travelling with me?
Hayley

Hayley - the original post was made in 2009, so I suspect she has done her trip by now.
Regardless of that, I would agree with altmtl - do it on your own. It certainly is cheaper. I guess the advantage of the tour group is that they probably travel more efficiently if you are trying to cover a large number of places in a relatively short period of time - but you pay for it!

A few years ago I spent 5 months travelling through SEA. I did briefly consider looking at a tour with Intrepid for the Vietnam leg but after doing some initial cost comparisons, it was going to be far more expensive and limiting. Because I had a whole month to spend in Vietnam I opted for doing it independently, and it was by far the better choice for me - less costs, more flexibility, etc. But I was travelling with a friend, so that also made it easier/better on that side.

Having said, I have a couple of friends who have done various Intrepid tours over the year and the love it - especially as they would be otherwise travelling on their own and only have a few weeks. They want the company and don't want the hassle of trying to organise transport and accom along the way.

For me, I would always opt for doing it independently though. I like the flexibility, the challenge and I don't want to end up with people that may get on my nerves!

Much too late for the OP who sadly didn't return to the forum to let us all know how she got on, but for any other single female travellers:

Just exersize sensible precautions as you would in any country.
Don't walk around wearing lots of gold, expensive watches, etc.
Don't walk down quiet dark side sois (streets) alone late at night.
Don't drink too much alcohol. You need your wits about you when travelling alone.
Don't put yourself in bad situations, i.e. On a deserted beach where there are only Thai fishermen.
If something goes wrong, don't get angry and shout. Its not done in Thai culture.
Carry a personal attack alarm. (most unlikely to need it).
Use the skytrain & underground to travel in Bangkok in preference to TukTuks & Taxis, especially at night. If you have to use a taxi, look for an older driver.
Scan & email to yourself copies of passport and all important travel docs.
Wear a dogtag with medical/contact details recorded.

If travelling independantly (as others have said, much cheaper) and into Bangkok for the 1st time, head to Khaosan Road. Here you find lots of budget accommodation, will meet lots of other back packers and be able to arrange all your national and international side trips.

Lastly: enjoy amazing Thailand, its a great place.