16 tips for a budget visit to Thailand

29.10.2023 - 08:21 / lonelyplanet.com

Travelers looking for adventures on a shoestring flock to Thailand.

With its heady blend of pocket-friendly travel experiences, cultural surprises, easy transport, spicy-not-pricey food and one of the world’s friendliest backpacker scenes, Thailand could well be the perfect budget travel destination.

However, the cost of a trip can vary wildly depending on where you go and the levels of comfort you're looking for when you get here. Spend too much time in Bangkok, take lots of tours and drink lots of bottled beer, and you're looking at spending a whole lot more.

Here are our top tips for traveling further for less in Thailand.

Prices for accommodations and transport shoot up from November to March, coinciding with the driest weather and travel-friendly temperatures. The July to September low season is the rainiest time of year; some ferry routes and island resorts close down completely, but accommodation prices drop significantly. Hotel rates also dip during the spring and fall shoulder seasons, which can be a rewarding time to visit without the winter crowds. 

Bangkok is one of Asia’s cheapest destinations to reach by air, particularly if you come with Qatar Airways, Etihad or another Gulf carrier, but prices creep upwards during the peak winter season. If flights to Bangkok are looking costly, investigate flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other Asian hubs, and see if you can find a cheap connection to the capital on Air Asia or another budget carrier.

Alternatively, connect to Bangkok by train. Regular trains run from Johor Bahru – just over the causeway from Singapore – to KL, Butterworth (for Penang) and north along the isthmus to Bangkok for around US$80 one way. It’s one of Asia’s most enjoyable rail journeys. 

Most new arrivals fly into Bangkok’s busy Suvarnabhumi International Airport, 30km (19 miles) east of Bangkok, though a few budget carriers still use Don Mueang International Airport near Chatuchak Weekend Market. At either hub, eager agents will try to talk you into expensive airport taxis.

Instead, take public transit; Suvarnabhumi has Airport Rail Link trains that connect with the downtown Skytrain and MRT network, and a free shuttle bus to a local transport terminus with cheap city buses into the center. Don Mueang has regular overground trains and slow but inexpensive local buses to the middle of Bangkok. 

At airports all over Thailand, you can often find a cheap taxi ride by flagging down a cab on the highway outside the airport-terminal complex, avoiding airport charges. Just remember to check if any highway tolls apply for the journey into town.

Accommodation prices in Thailand have been climbing steadily for years, in line with rising standards. Many backpacker places are edging into