Thailand has beautiful beaches, delicious food, and amazing heritage and culture. Thailand is also known as a cheap destination to southeast Asia, and that's true. It's still possible to enjoy a holiday on a shoestring budget.
It doesn't matter if you're backpacking your way through Thailand, going as a couple or a family.
What actually matters is how you plan a cheap vacation to Thailand on a budget you can afford. And a vacation that'll be enjoyable, so everyone gets something out of it. The first question is where to start.
The steps involved are easy, once you know how. Here is how you start and where you follow through the process:
That's all there is to it. Just be wary of staying flexible with your dates. The sooner you can secure cheap flights and accommodation the better, believe it or not.
If you are prepared to plan 3, 4 or more months ahead of yourself you'll find a better deal on the essentials. The worst you can do, anybody can do, is to leave things to the last minute. Yes, we've found great bargains too but there's usually a twist. That is, you may have to compromise on something:
Think about it. How long do you think, before you lose your sanity? Children can be rowdy and boisterous but when bored out of their minds as well, that spells disaster. If your hotel is as good as out of town, will your tight budget include cover for hiring taxis.
If you're serious about a Thai holiday vacation, think about one months in front. When you do, you get the best flights and accommodation at the best price.
This is what we do.
We first decide on where to go and with a certain time of the year, say Christmas and New Year. We then look for flights and accommodation when its summer. Both the flights and accommodation paid in full, for the 7 days, 10 days or how long we go.
That knocks our savings. No worries because we've got that 5 or 6 months to save up for the vacation proper, that covers everything else. Or we are saving for a second holiday vacation, yet undecided.
That's the formula we've stuck with for years and it works, least amount of stress, budget wise. Put in your holidays to your boss and get confirmation and then you must secure flights and accommodation. Don't go back on your plans to change something because you'll be hit with fees.
You go or you cancel and forget about the vacation.
In answer to the best itinerary for your Thailand vacation? It depends on the size of your budget. With flight costs and accommodation out of the way you are free to focus on the day-to-day matters. Let's work with a 10 day vacation holiday:
Ask yourself how much you are prepared to spend on each, per day. Let's consider a family of four:
Our figures are accurate for today. They tell you, you can "get away" with a budget of US$150 per day but not for any less. You could, if you're vacationing as a couple. And backpacking solo, staying in hostels, you could half the figure for what you'd need daily.
In our example, that's roughly US$1500 for your vacation, excluding flights and accommodation, of course. But there's more.
Our examples are for a mid-range vacation. It's quite feasible for a vacation that's cheaper still, or more expensive (depending on your idea of what luxury is).
Island hopping, for example, makes securing accommodation in advance rather hit or miss:
You may find an island is more than you expected and decide on staying a night. Things like that increase your costs and make budgeting more difficult to predict.
Which is why you always add an extra 15% or 20% of your expected budget total, on top to cover miscellaneous. We recommend you err on the side of caution and go with 20% extra. If you're of a nervous disposition, opt for 25% and ease your worries.
Then you are free to decide to stay a night somewhere, or not. When on an inexpensive holiday you are thankful of any accommodation, meaning:
How often have we been fortunate to book a guesthouse or 3-star hotel a few days before needed? Quite a lot actually, so it's possible. Provided you forgo certain expectations, you can secure a roof over your head in emergencies.
Also, be prepared to pay more (over the odds) for the convenience of short notice. That's happened to us on one occasion, and we were relieved (to say the least) we put aside the extra money.
Pro Tip #1: One way of ensuring a low budget vacation goes as planned is to cut your outgoings on attractions. Go with quality over quantity and find free attractions to visit which also fill up your time.
It's unnerving when deciding on when to travel to Thailand. Like India, it's a big decision. By that, we mean think about the weather side of things first of all:
So, from May until the end of September you face temperatures of 90° F and above. The rain contributes to higher levels of humidity. As luck would have it, two things about the rainy season:
The question, thus, is do you go on vacation during peak season, or not? Peak season in Thailand is from early November until early April. Those months are a safe bet for your vacation:
The months of December and January are the most expensive for traveling to Thailand. You'd expect that, wouldn't you? Being a winter break in the tropical sun for Christmas, that would be amazing for most people. From our own experience, we can tell you Christmas and New Year is the dream vacation holiday.
And those 10 days are more than enough. The low season months are July, August, September and October. What you need to know is this, and it's what's most important. If you do want a cheap(er) vacation to Thailand then it's best to choose a time in April, May or June.
And no later.
By the time July arrives, temperatures fall a little (by about 10 degrees) but it's still humid. And because, from July here are more days with rain than not, when compared to April, May or June. The heaviest rainfall arrives by the time July comes around.
Taking a vacation for the beginning of the rainy season (April to June) is cheap. It means some attractions are closed, but not all. It means you can get a reasonable bargain on accommodation. And because there are fewer crowds you feel more relaxed. But wait. The low season is even cheaper, albeit there's little to do.
Any downsides to the low season?
Yes. Beaches are great when there is no rain but there's few activities and fewer tours. You may also find cafes and restaurants closed or opening hours are sporadic. That's especially true in smaller towns and resorts.
Pro Tip #2: Don't mistake in believing that Thailand's low season means the same as the rainy season. They're not. The rainy season begins in April, but the low season begins in July.
Almost all the popular, and not so popular, destinations in Thailand are enjoyable on budget travel. Our favorite haunts include:
For backpackers, without doubt Kanchanaburi is a top destination. The history intrigues and the landscapes heighten senses. Not so far away from the town is the Erawan National Park, and the parks famous 7-tiered waterfalls.
Krabi, we love for the town and its laidback style but also for the amazing kayaking. The town has this airport only 10 minutes from the center. With daily flights from Bangkok there's no excuse at all for not staying 2D1N at least.
There are of course the Islands aside from Phuket. Those Islands are Ko Samui, Ko Lanta, Ko Tao, Ko Phangan and the Phi Phi group of Islands.
Related Reading: 7 Most Beautiful National Parks in Thailand for Vacation
Sometimes it isn't the budget that's the problem but the lack of time. If you've little annual leave coming to you then Bangkok City is a marvelous place to be for a short city break. Are you heading there on a business trip? Remember to relax a little too. Here are some ideas for you:
Two of the best places to go for a relaxing walk in Bangkok include Khao San Road and Yaowarat Road. Both will give you a terrific insight into local life and Bangkok's Chinatown. The city is one of the top cities in Asia, did you know? With modern shopping malls, luxury restaurants and spas.
Albeit without a hefty price tag of course.
Related Reading: The Most Visited Attractions in Bangkok Today
If you want to give your family the best possible experience, then holiday during the peak season. It'll cost you more, but you can make the budget work for you with fewer days on holiday. Dropping down from 10 days for example, to 7 days could very well keep you within your budget goals.
Or, if no kids to think about then you can increase your holiday time. Do so either by staying in cheaper accommodation and/or choosing low seasonal months.
Which way you play it, you're going to come out on top. Thailand is this country that gives you a great deal of flexibility on budget and pleasure. So, fear not. If it's your first time to Thailand, you need to prepare yourself for a thrill.
That's because you'll be stunned with what you can get for so little a budget. And there is more. You will for sure want to go back to Thailand. No one we've ever met returning from Thailand have had a bad vacation experience. That's zero complaints.
Now that you've got a better idea of what's involved and what to think about, off you go.
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