Thailand on TravelTown

Bangkok on a Budget: The Complete Backpacker's Guide

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Bangkok is one of those cities that grabs you instantly. It’s loud, hot, chaotic, and completely addictive — and it’s one of the best value destinations on the planet for backpackers.

I’ve been to Bangkok four times now. The first time I landed with $600 and a terrifying amount of optimism. I’m still here (metaphorically), so it worked out.

Getting there

From the airport: Don’t take a taxi from the arrivals hall — they’ll quote you 600–800 THB. Instead:

Airport Rail Link from Suvarnabhumi to Phaya Thai station: 45 THB (~$1.30). Takes 30 minutes, runs every 10 minutes.
From Don Mueang (budget airlines): take bus A1 or A2 to BTS Mo Chit for 30 THB.

Flights: AirAsia, Nok Air and Lion Air fly domestically for next to nothing. Internationally, look for deals on Skyscanner 6–8 weeks out.

Where to stay

Bangkok has some of Southeast Asia’s best hostels. Budget for $8–15/night in a dorm, $20–35 for a private room.

Best areas for budget travellers:

Banglamphu / Khao San Road — backpacker central, walkable to the old city temples
Silom — slightly more local feel, great food, well-connected by BTS
Ekkamai / On Nut — residential neighbourhood, cheaper than central, on the BTS line

I stayed at Lubd Siam* on my first trip — great rooftop, strong AC, easy BTS access. Around $12/night for a dorm.

What to do

The temples (mostly free or very cheap)

Wat Pho — Home of the massive reclining Buddha. Entry is 200 THB (~$6). Worth every baht — the complex is huge, beautiful, and you get a free traditional massage voucher (well, you did when I went).

Wat Arun — Cross the river on the 5 THB ferry, then 100 THB entry. The porcelain mosaic is stunning at sunrise and sunset.

Wat Saket (Golden Mount) — 20 THB entry, great views over the old city. Far fewer tourists than the famous temples.

Lumphini Park — Free. Go early morning to see locals doing tai chi, or at dusk for the monitor lizards. Yes, monitor lizards.

Markets

Chatuchak Weekend Market — Saturday and Sunday only. 15,000 stalls. Budget 4–5 hours minimum. Take the BTS to Mo Chit. Free entry.

Or Tor Kor Market — The posh produce market next to Chatuchak. Free to browse, incredible tropical fruit for almost nothing.

Talad Rot Fai (Train Market) — Two locations (Ratchada and Srinakarin). Night market with vintage goods, street food and a great atmosphere. Free entry.

Where to eat

This is the easy part. Bangkok street food is world-class and costs almost nothing.

Pad Thai at a street cart: 50–80 THB Khao man gai (poached chicken rice): 50–60 THB Som tum (green papaya salad): 40–60 THB Mango sticky rice: 60–80 THB

Yaowarat Road (Chinatown) is where I go when I want to eat everything. Go from about 6pm onwards. The seafood barbecue spots are pricey, but the smaller stalls lining the street are incredible and cheap.

Pro tip: Eat where locals eat. If the menu only has English and pictures, prices will be 2–3x higher.

Getting around

BTS Skytrain — Fast, AC, 17–59 THB per journey depending on distance. Buy a Rabbit Card (stored value) to avoid queuing for tickets.

MRT — Covers different routes than BTS, interchangeable with BRT and river ferry.

Chao Phraya River Ferry — 15 THB per hop. One of the nicest ways to move between the old city and Silom/Sathorn.

Grab (taxi app) — Like Uber. Always cheaper and more transparent than hailing a tuk-tuk. A 20-minute ride rarely costs more than 80–120 THB.

Tuk-tuks — Fun for a single ride experience, but negotiate firmly and don’t expect to go anywhere quickly.

Money-saving tips

Eat from 7-Eleven for breakfast — Thailand’s 7-Elevens are genuinely good. Toasted sandwiches, fresh coffee, sticky rice, onigiri. Total cost: 60–80 THB.
Avoid the Grand Palace tours — hire a cheap audio guide or just follow the free signage. The touts outside offering “Buddha is closed today” are lying.
Get a DTAC or AIS SIM at the airport — 299 THB for 30 days with data. Don’t pay hotel WiFi fees.
Happy hours are everywhere — most rooftop bars do 5–7pm deals. Cheap Singha, good views.
Walk the canals in Thonburi — hire a longtail boat for about 1,500 THB split between a group, or catch the local canal ferry for 10–14 THB per stop.

Practical info

Visa: Most nationalities get 30 days visa-on-arrival free. Check your country’s current status.

Safety: Bangkok is very safe for travellers. Watch out for gem scams (they’re everywhere near the Grand Palace) and anyone who approaches you unsolicited offering to take you somewhere “amazing.”

Power: Type A/B plugs (same as US). 220V. Bring a universal adapter.

Language: Very little English outside tourist areas, but Google Translate’s camera feature works brilliantly on menus.

Have a Bangkok tip I missed? Drop it in the comments below or get in touch.

2 Weeks in Southeast Asia: The Classic Budget Route

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Two weeks. Southeast Asia. A budget. Where do you start?

After a lot of trial and error (and one very bad overnight bus decision I’ll tell you about), here’s the route I’d recommend to anyone doing their first Southeast Asia trip.

Approximate total cost: $900–1,200 USD including flights, accommodation, food, activities and internal transport. Not including your international flight to Bangkok.

The Route Overview

Bangkok (3 nights)
 → Chiang Mai (2 nights)
 → Luang Prabang, Laos (2 nights)
 → Hanoi, Vietnam (2 nights)
 → Hoi An (2 nights)
 → Bali, Indonesia (3 nights)

Yes, it’s fast. This is an introduction, not an immersion. If you have more time, slow down anywhere along the route — Chiang Mai and Hoi An in particular deserve longer.

Days 1–3: Bangkok, Thailand

Arrive Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport. Take the Airport Rail Link to the city (45 THB).

Check into a hostel in Banglamphu — you want to be walking distance from the old city temples.

Day 1: Jet lag day. Walk Khao San Road (chaotic but worth seeing once), find a pad thai street cart, get an early night.

Day 2: Temples. Wat Pho in the morning (200 THB entry), walk to the Grand Palace (500 THB — yes it’s expensive, yes it’s worth it), Wat Arun across the river (100 THB + 5 THB ferry). Eat everything you see on the street.

Day 3: Chatuchak Market if it’s a weekend. Otherwise Lumphini Park in the morning, afternoon boat along the canals in Thonburi, Chinatown (Yaowarat) for dinner.

Budget: ~$35–45/day

Days 4–5: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Travel: Overnight train from Hua Lamphong station. Second class sleeper costs about 600–800 THB (~$18–23). Saves a night’s accommodation and it’s actually comfortable.

Chiang Mai is slower, cooler and cheaper than Bangkok. It’s surrounded by mountains and temples and has one of the best food scenes in Southeast Asia.

Day 4: Old City temples — Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Singh are free or minimal entry. Rent a bicycle (60–80 THB/day) and explore the moat area.

Day 5: Half-day Thai cooking class (~600–900 THB, includes market visit and you eat everything you make). Afternoon: Doi Suthep temple above the city — songthaew (shared truck taxi) up for 60 THB each way.

Budget: ~$25–35/day

Days 6–7: Luang Prabang, Laos

Travel: Slow boat from Chiang Khong to Luang Prabang — 2 days, but worth it for the scenery. Or fly direct (often under $50 on AirAsia). I’d fly on a 2-week trip.

Luang Prabang is a UNESCO heritage town on the Mekong. Extraordinarily beautiful, very easy to like. Slightly more expensive than the rest of Laos but still budget-friendly.

Day 6: Walk the main street, browse the night market (buy nothing, just look), watch sunset from Mount Phousi (20,000 LAK entry, ~$1).

Day 7: Wake up at 5:30am for the alms-giving ceremony (monks collecting food from locals at dawn — deeply moving, be respectful, keep your distance). Afternoon: Kuang Si Falls (25,000 LAK entry) — turquoise water, rope swings, and a bear rescue centre.

Budget: ~$30–40/day

Days 8–9: Hanoi, Vietnam

Travel: Fly Luang Prabang to Hanoi (Vietnam Airlines or Lao Airlines, ~$60–90).

Hanoi is chaotic, loud, and completely brilliant. The Old Quarter is a maze of streets each historically dedicated to one trade (the Silk Street, the Paper Street, the Tin Street) and the food is outstanding.

Day 8: Get lost in the Old Quarter. Hoan Kiem Lake. Eat bún chả for lunch (grilled pork and noodles, ~35,000 VND/$1.40). Bia Hoi corner in the evening — street beer for 5,000–10,000 VND (20–40 cents).

Day 9: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum complex (free, but closed Monday and Friday), Temple of Literature (30,000 VND entry), afternoon cooking class or street food tour.

Budget: ~$25–35/day

Days 10–11: Hoi An, Vietnam

Travel: Overnight sleeper bus from Hanoi to Hoi An (~$15–18, about 12 hours). Or fly for $25–40.

Hoi An is the most photogenic town in Vietnam. Yellow walls, lanterns over the river, exceptional food. Slow down here — it’s the best reason to wish you had more time.

Day 10: Old Town (combine ticket for ancient houses ~120,000 VND), walk the An Bang beach (free, 4km from town by bicycle), evening lantern release if you’re there for a full moon.

Day 11: Have something made. Hoi An is famous for tailoring — a custom shirt can be made in 24 hours for $15–25. White Rose dumplings and Cao Lau noodles for lunch — both are Hoi An specialities you can’t get anywhere else.

Budget: ~$30–40/day

Days 12–14: Bali, Indonesia

Travel: Fly Danang (nearest airport to Hoi An) to Bali via AirAsia. Often $40–70.

Bali is the end of the road — warm, beautiful, and endlessly photogenic. It’s more expensive than mainland Southeast Asia but still very affordable.

Day 12: Ubud. Rice terraces at Tegallalang (entry donation ~50,000 IDR), Ubud Monkey Forest (80,000 IDR), Campuhan Ridge Walk (free).

Day 13: Temple day. Tanah Lot at sunset (60,000 IDR entry), Uluwatu for the sunset Kecak fire dance (150,000 IDR — absolutely worth it).

Day 14: Beach. Seminyak or Canggu for the final afternoon. Get a massage on the beach ($10–12 for an hour). Eat one last nasi goreng. Catch your flight home.

Budget: ~$45–60/day

Total Cost Breakdown

Category	Estimated Cost
Internal flights + transport	$200–280
Accommodation (mix of dorms/privates)	$200–280
Food (eating mostly local)	$180–240
Activities + entrance fees	$100–150
Miscellaneous	$80–120
Total	$760–1,070

Add $150–200 for comfort (private rooms more often, nicer meals occasionally) and you’re looking at $900–1,200.

What I’d change

If I did this route again with 2 weeks, I’d cut Hanoi and go straight to Hoi An, then spend an extra day in both Luang Prabang and Bali. Hanoi is brilliant but the transit time there and back eats into a short trip.

And I would absolutely not take the overnight bus from Hanoi to Hoi An. Just fly.

Questions about any part of this route? Drop me a message — this is one I know well.