thailand
thailand- WHAT TO EXPECT
Thailand is a vibrant and exciting country, brimming with tropical beauty, delicious food and ancient temples. Thailand is also a very affordable destination, with cheap accommodation and street food options. Getting around in Thailand is easy and there are cheap domestic flights between places such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi. You can also take night buses to travel between destinations. Thai food is absolutely amazing and there is definitely something to suit everyone’s taste! I can’t recommend Thailand enough, you will fall in love with the country during your trip!
AVERAGE COSTS IN THIS AREA
Transportation– Thailand is a very affordable country to travel around. You can find cheap buses, trains and flights during your trip. Domestic flights are cheap, I like to use Air Asia for internal flights. A flight from Bangkok to Phuket cost me £30 and the flight was only 1 hour long. Ferries in the south of Thailand are cheap and they run regularly, even in the low season. A taxi transfer and boat journey from Phuket to Koh Yao Noi cost £10 per person. I recommend checking online prices and asking local companies for a quote to get the best deal on private transfers.
Accommodation– The standard and quality of accommodation in Thailand is generally very good and you can get a lot for a cheap price. For example, Brett and I travelled in the south of Thailand for 27 days, the price of accommodation on average for us was £5.36 per person per night. We stayed in hotels and always chose a private room with a private bathroom. We didn’t stay in any hostels. This is an incredibly affordable way to travel in Thailand. I personally like to use Booking.com to find the right hotels for me.
Food– The food in Thailand is absolutely divine! It is my favourite food of any country that I’ve travelled to. The dishes are flavourful and can be tailored to your preferences. Some of my favourite dishes include Pad Thai, Thai Green Curry, Thai Yellow Curry and mango sticky rice. Food is extremely affordable in Thailand, especially if you buy street food which is usually made to order. You can easily get a hearty main meal and a drink for £2. Of course, if you are looking for something more upmarket like a nice restaurant or cafe, prices can be higher but still reasonable and affordable.
Suggested Daily Budget– If you were to spend £10 on food, £10 on accommodation and £10 on transport and activities for the day I believe this would be enough to comfortably enjoy your time in Thailand. However, if you have a larger budget you could definitely spend more on food and accommodation to suit your preferences. For me, it was easy to live on less than £30 per day in Thailand!
tips for first visit
1. Plan your travel route in advance if you plan on visiting multiple destinations in the country. Make sure you know how to get from place to place.
2. Learn basic Thai words such as “mai pet” (not spicy), “nit noi pet” (a little spicy), “Sawah dee kha” (for women), “Sawah dee khap” (for men) means “Hello”.
3. Buy an umbrella and/ or a rain poncho when you arrive! You’re likely to get caught out in an unexpected rain shower!
do's and don'ts
Do speak to local people! They are very friendly and kind.
Try all of the delicious food on offer!
Get yourself an International Driving License if you are planning on renting a moped or a car during your visit.
Rental shops won’t always ask for the International Driving License, but if you are stopped by the police and you don’t have one, you will be fined.
Do take sunscreen with you, it is cheaper to buy in your country than in tourist places in Thailand.
Don’t drink the tap water! It is not safe to drink and will likely make you sick.
While smoking cigarettes is allowed, vaping is highly illegal and the consequences for breaking the law are fines and possible imprisonment – don’t do it!
Try to avoid scammers, especially in Bangkok with the tuk tuk drivers who may agree on a price before the journey and then ask for more at the end.
