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Grand Escapades’ Budget Guide To Thailand

A Perfect Place To Splurge A Little

Sunset at the Tew Lay Bar, Railey Beach, Krabi, Thailand

Type Of Travel

This trip to Thailand was definitely different: instead of a backpacking or “flashpacking” type of travel, it was more a mid-range to upper mid-range holiday, with comfortable hotels, convenient transports and lots of nice activities like almost one massage a day or scuba diving.

The budget displayed bellow has hence little to do with the one of a backpacker, but shows that you can splurge for a very reasonable price.

 

 

Itinerary & Time Of The Visit

I spent 16 days in Thailand in February 2017, and visited Bangkok (4 days), Ayutthaya (1 day), Chiang Mai (4 days), Koh Lanta (4 days) & Railay Beach (3 days). Yes, this is very much On The Beaten Track… But except Railay Beach, which was mass-tourism at its ugliest, in other places it is still possible to somehow escape at least the larger crowds and have a pleasant time.

 

Global Budget

All parts of the budget reflect the comfortable type of travel and the primary focus on comfort and convenience, not costs.

Costs per Person per Day in € 2017
Long Distances’ Transport € 19,30
Short Distances’ Transport € 5,00
Total Transport € 24,30
Hotels € 33,80
Restaurants & Food €  5,60
Drinks & Going Out €   5,20
Every Day Life €   2,30
Total Living € 46,90
Visits & Tours €  2,60
Scuba Diving € 10,90
Massages €  5,60
Total Tours & Activities € 19,10
Total Country: € 90,30

 

Hostels & Hotels

I normally prefer hostels or small guesthouses to larger hotels, and seldom afford Boutique hotels. Well, this trip was different, and we splurge in some very nice (nothing high-end) hotels & guesthouses… Of course, this had a price! But such quality of service would be much, much pricier somewhere else…

Railay Great View Resort, Railay Beach, Krabi, Thailand

 

City Hotel
Name
Type of Room Price
per Night (€)
Evaluation
(1 to 5 Stars)
Bangkok Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 Double Room 91,86 ****
Chiang Mai 99 The Gallery Hotel Double Room 35,06 ***
Ko Lanta Chaw-Ka-Cher Tropicana Lanta Resort  Bungalow 85,25 ****
Railay Beach Railay Great View Resort Bungalow 91,95 ****
Ayutthaya Luang Chumni Village Double Room 33,39 ***
Bangkok Siam@Siam Double Room 87,35 ***
Total Thailand 71,80  

 

Restaurants & Food

We mostly ate in the street or at markets, at food stalls, or small local restaurants, except when at the beach, where we splurged a little and afforded restaurants on the beach. Yes, Thai food is really outstanding…

City Restaurant
Name
Type of Meal Type of
Restaurant
Price
Food (€)
Evaluation
(1 to 5 Stars)
Bangkok Chote Chitr Lunch Local Restaurant 3,06 ****
Bangkok Food Stall
Sukhumvit
Diner Food Stall 2,92 ****
Bangkok Food Stall
Chatuchak
Lunch Food Stall 2,78 ***
Bangkok Train Diner Train 5,29 ***
Chiang Mai Food Stall
Talat Warorot
Lunch Food Stall 2,50 ****
Chiang Mai Food Stall
Talat Pratu Chiang Mai
Diner Food Stall 2,43 ****
Chiang Mai SP Chicken Lunch Restaurant 3,76 ****
Chiang Mai Khao Soy Fueng Fah Diner Restaurant 1,67 ***
Chiang Mai Local Restaurant
Bo Sang
Lunch Local Restaurant 1,11 ****
Chiang Mai Food Stall
Talat Pratu Chiang Pheuak
Diner Food Stall 2,09 ****
Ko Lanta Bali Beach Restaurant
Hat Khlong Kong
Diner Beach Reastaurant 2,92 ****
Ko Lanta Beach Restaurant
Ao Mai Pai
Lunch Beach Reastaurant 4,73 ***
Ko Lanta Feeling Bar
Hat Khlong Kong
Diner Beach Reastaurant 6,12 *****
Railay Beach Tew Lay Bar Diner Restaurant 6,54 *****
Railay Beach The Last Bar Diner Restaurant 3,34 ***
Railay Beach Great View Resort Lunch Hotel 5,01 ***
Ayutthaya Night Market Diner Food Stall 2,50 ****
Ayutthaya Lung Lek Lunch Restaurant 1,53 *****
Bangkok Food Stall
Talat Rot Fai
Diner Food Stall 2,02 *
Bangkok Nam Pun Thaphrachan Lunch Restaurant 1,25 ***
Bangkok Food Stall
China Town
Diner Food Stall 1,39 ***
Total Thailand 3,09  

Food Stall at the Talat Warorot Market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Food Stall at the Talat Warorot Market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Kow Kah Moo prepared by the “Cowboy Hat Lady”, at the most popular Food Stall at the Talat Pratu Chang Pheuak Night Market, Chiang Mai, Thailand

 

Drinks & Going Out

Depending on where you have a drink, a large beer (64 cl) will cost you on average 2.70 €, quite a bargain! If you want to switch to cocktails or especially wine, prices are much, much higher, though!

Enjoying a cocktail with a view – Rooftop Bar, Siam@Siam, Bangkok, Thailand

 

City Bar
Name
Type of Drink Type of
Bar
Price
Drink (€)
Evaluation
(1 to 5 Stars)
Chiang Mai Moon Pie Large Beer Bar 2,50 ****
Chiang Mai SP Chicken Large Beer Restaurant 1,95 ***
Chiang Mai Zoe Iin Yellow Large Beer Bar 3,34 ***
Ko Lanta MoonWalk
Hat Khlong Kong
Small Beer Bar 2,23 *****
Ko Lanta Bali Beach Restaurant
Hat Khlong Kong
Large Beer Restaurant 3,90 *****
Ko Lanta Long Beach Bar Small Beer Bar 2,23 *****
Ko Lanta Feeling Bar
Hat Khlong Kong
Small Beer Restaurant 2,23 *****
Railay Beach Tew Lay Bar Small Beer Restaurant 2,50 ****
Railay Beach The Last Bar Large Beer Restaurant 2,50 ***
Railay Beach Bar on West Beach Large Beer Bar 3,62 ***
Ayutthaya Coffee Bar Large Beer Bar 2,48 ****
Bangkok Redrose Small Beer Bar 3,34 ****
Total Beer 2,73  
Bangkok Sky On 20 Cocktail Sky Bar 5,56 ****
Bangkok Vertigo at Banyan Tree Cocktail Sky Bar 12,45 ***
Ko Lanta MoonWalk
Hat Khlong Kong
Cocktail Bar 2,75 ****
Ko Lanta Long Beach Bar Cocktail Bar 3,34 ****
Bangkok Siam@Siam
Rooftop
Cocktail Bar 9,17 ****
Total Cocktails 6,66  

 

Transport

Transports are cheap in Thailand, and if you are looking for convenience you can charter a taxi for long distance at a very reasonable rate. This makes traveling very, very comfortable!

Driving a scooter in Koh Lanta, Thailand

Short distance transports can be pricy, especially in Bangkok, where subway will not be significantly cheaper than in Paris, costing between 0,5 & 1,5 € depending on the distance. Only take meter cabs, and avoid Tuk Tuks, which are grossly overpriced for tourists.

From To Ville Type of Transport Distance
Route
(Km)
Travel Duration
(Hours)
Price
(€)
Price per
100 km (€)
Bangkok Chiang Mai Bangkok Train 688 13,10 € 30,41 € 4,42
Chiang Mai Phuket Ko Lanta Plane 1 524 2,15 € 100,47 € 6,59
Phuket Ko Lanta Taxi 225 6,00 € 62,60 € 27,82
Ko Lanta Railay Beach Railay Beach Boat 100 1,75 € 15,27 € 15,27
Railey Beach Krabi Airport Ayutthaya Boat & Taxi 30 € 11,13 € 37,10
Krabi Bangkok Plane 1 463 2,40 € 97,34 € 6,65
Bangkok Ayutthaya Taxi 70 2,50 € 19,48 € 27,82
Ayutthaya Bangkok Bangkok Minibus 70 2,50 € 2,50 € 3,58
Total 4 170 30,40 € 339,20 € 8,13

 

Tours & Activities

Of course it depends on what you do…

Massages are extremely cheap, and if you do not mind being roughed a little, then the traditional Thai Massages (yes, it hurts) are great. Go either for the cheaper ones, where locals go or splurge on a luxury “Spa” experience – Everything in between is not worth it.

Scuba diving in Koh Lanta was globally good, though Hin Daeng & Hin Muang turned out as huge disappointments, whereas less fancy Koh Haa offered some really fine scuba diving. It is pricey, though!

Scuba Diving in Koh Haa, Koh Lanta, Thailand – Photo Credit: Pawel Ciechelski

 

Reduce Costs?

Of course, you can travel with a much, much lower budget than I did! Everything but food was mid-range to upper mid-range, where expenses can easily be cut by 2, and even more if you rough it a little!

Compulsory Picture at the Wat Mahat That, Ayutthaya, Thailand

 

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