Which Thai provinces are the cheapest?

[sakoo]

Hey I am planning a rural Thailand backpacking trip (in low season) with my waterproof tent and camping hammock and public transport. 

My question is: Which provinces should I focus on given the following conditions and criteria?

* Lowest population density (laid back vibe, no crowds)
* Lowest accommodation cost (dorm or single)
* Lowest priced basic meal (rice + veg curry)
* Lowest cost for 1 day motobike rental
* Lowest fee for 1 hour of Thai massage
* Lowest number of overall Western tourists

I looked at a population density map, and some provinces stand out. Let me know if any of these would suit:

* NORTH
Nan 
Phayao
Phrae
Lampang
Lamphun
Uttaradit
Mae Hong Son
Chiang Mai (not the city)
Chiang Rai (not the city)

* NORTHEAST
Loei
Mukdahan
Bueng Khan

* CENTRAL
Kamphaeng Phet
Uthai Thani
Phitsanulok
Phetchabun
Sukhothai

* WEST
Tak 
Kanchanaburi
Petchaburi
Prachuap Khiri Kan

* SOUTH
Chumphon
Ranong
Phangnga
Krabi
Trang

* EAST
Trat
Chantaburi
Sa Kaeo

 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Thailand_provinces_en.svg/1050px-Thailand_provinces_en.svg.png

[allane]

1. How many days is your proposed trip ?

2. Do you intend to sleep in a different place every night, or spend an extended period of time in one place ?

3. Do you prefer the sea or the mountains ?

4. How much are you bothered by rain ? (perhaps give the month(s) of your trip for this one).

5. Your need for the lowest price for everything flashes a warning light. What is your anticipated daily budget ?

[sakoo]

Thank you. I will spend 30 days at a time and then fly out to a neighbouring country for a few days (or up to 30 days there) and then back to Thailand again (for another free 30 days). Another option i have is to get a 60 day visa in advance. I will probably avoid the overland visa runs. So let's say 30 days in the North for example, and another 30 days in the South, and maybe another 30 days for the west/east. 

Once I find a guesthouse I like, or somewhere quiet and safe to pitch my tent, I would like to spend 1 week there, mostly to practice speaking Thai, try out all the different massage places, food places, etc..But I will be traveling slowly, not quickly. 

I like the sea if it's not developed, a coconut shack is OK, but nothing expensive. Will probably avoid expensive islands as well. My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal. I like the sea more than the mountains, but if the mountains are a better deal overall, I will choose the mountains. And I don't mind the rain, also not really interested by hiking, more the view from my hammock while reading a book and drinking a fruit juice. Not looking for group tours, expensive activities or liquor parties. And i like the rain, especially the sound of thunder, and the cloud formations and colours. I like planning my day around the rains. And I feel comforted by rain. But I am sensitive to mosquitos. 

 

And why do people feel offended by those of us on a low budget? I am intending to support Thailand (and its people) with my tourist dollars. I just want to be smart about it. I don't like the mass tourism so that is why I avoid upmarket places because I see so many people go down that road. I think it does more harm than good. Also, one of the reasons Thailand is not what it once was. Keeping things low-cost is a good thing, so that is why I travel that way. Also, it teaches humility and minimalism is underrated. 

 

[fruitman]

Don't forget to let the authorities know where you sleep every night...

[BritManToo]

12 minutes ago, sakoo said:

Thank you. I will spend 30 days at a time and then fly out to a neighbouring country for a few days (or up to 30 days there) and then back to Thailand again (for another free 30 days). Another option i have is to get a 60 day visa in advance. I will probably avoid the overland visa runs. So let's say 30 days in the North for example, and another 30 days in the South, and maybe another 30 days for the west/east. 

You're likely to be refused entry after 2 trips into Thailand.

And they may ask to see 20,000Bht cash on each entry.

Why not do 30 days in Cambodia/Laos/Vietnam?

[sillyfool]

15 minutes ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

the force is strong with this one. 

[Orton Rd]

10 minutes ago, sillyfool said:

the force is strong with this one. 

Sleeping in the street and eating out of bins does take some fortitude ????

[Peterw42]

OP, suggest you stop reading Circa 1970 "Backpacking in Thailand" guidebooks, your vision of Thailand, and your planned trip, is a little unrealistic.

 

Thailand does not lend itself to camping in any way, and if you are camping in some remote spot, you wont have fruit juice, massage shops, bike rental etc. No tourists or crowds means no other facilities.

 

You romantic vision of a hammock by the sea, sipping a fruit juice, may be achievable but you will be the only person there (there wont be a toilet or someone making fruit juice), and when you do go into town the 7/11 will be selling the same things for the same price as the rest of thailand.

 

100 baht a night and flying in/out of Thailand every 30 days, seems to be at odds with the Thailand on a shoestring vision.

 

 

[Ventenio]

Mae Hong Son, but what is your budget for transportation?  You might have to spend 1200 baht just to get to your tree and back to BKK, and mosquitoes up north are very, very bad.  You need food, so I would try Chiang Mai and check the dumpsters during the day and then walk into the mountains at night (but most of the forests are very dense, but it's OK).  CM has more options for water, and hospitals if something bad happens.  Westerns tend to waste more food, and more people means you won't stick out as much.  Mae Hong Son, no matter where you go, people will see and remember you.  That means police, everyone.  

 

I would re-think this one.....either Cambodia or maybe wait until you have more money.  Yes, it's irresponsible to travel with a budget of 120 baht per night and meal.  It's a red flag and it likely won't work out well.  

[cornishcarlos]

Here you go champ, can rent my little shack in Chaiyaphum for 100 baht a night.. There's no nightlife, no crowds, come to think of it there's not much of anything !! But you'll be able to practice your Thai and might get lucky with a massage ??

String your hammock up on the deck and listen to the rain ????

[baansgr]

Seriously regarding cost of what you specified...although not rural, Pattaya wins hands down....massage 99 baht, bike rental per day 100, plenty shacks selling food at 30 baht

[mizzi39]

1 hour ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

I live in the NE of Thailand and have been living here for the past 12 years. Even here, which is the cheapest region, you would be hard pressed to find any accommodation for 100b a night-even a bed bug infested place will run you around 150-200b minimum. And food has gone up over the years as well, so that 20b bowl of noodles is now 35-45b. Of course 7-11 Mama noodles are around 10b per pack. 

 

If you are using your tent as your main accommodation then you could find camp grounds charging 100b-150b depending on location per night for you to set up your tent and hammock.  

[Orton Rd]

Looks like another fake post to me by a 'newbie' to drum up a response.

[phuketrichard]

FYI:

Quote

...Well. My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

FORGET IT anywhere in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,Burma, Malaysia
BUT....MIN everywhere can be cheap,

even Phuket or Samui.

Dorms in Phuket town or Patong...less than 250B/night

food under 300B/day, even as low as 150B, if ur happy with fried rice 2x/day

local bus  40 baht

[Assurancetourix]

2 hours ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal

You can sleep for free in all the thailand Wat ;

sleeping on a mat on the floor and bath with cold water ...

on the other hand 20 baht for a meal ... you will not find anything but a soup for so little money;
rather, the double, 40 baht dish is almost everywhere.

[fordguy61mi]

1 hour ago, Orton Rd said:

Sleeping in the street and eating out of bins does take some fortitude ????

I can see us having to throw him some baht on the street so he can get back home. This is how farangs end up homeless and begging in Thailand. Go get a career and save your money so you can afford to travel someday like everyone else has to.

[Orton Rd]

I would guess he has actually lived here for many years ????

[baansgr]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

Here you go champ, can rent my little shack in Chaiyaphum for 100 baht a night.. There's no nightlife, no crowds, come to think of it there's not much of anything !! But you'll be able to practice your Thai and might get lucky with a massage ??

String your hammock up on the deck and listen to the rain ????

Thats really nice...is it yours?

[cornishcarlos]

6 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Thats really nice...is it yours?

 

Yes it is.. 33 rai plot, of which, 7 or 8 Rai is gonna be flooded by a dam project.. Which means potentially we will have a 25 Rai lakeside oasis ???????? Or lose the whole plot if they get their calculations wrong !! 

 

 

[Nanaplaza666]

120 baht a day sleeping , eating , drinking and a massage and a motorbike rent ??? Even if they give you all of this for free you will have other costs unexpected that will be more then 120 baht , so if i were you i would stay home .

[thecyclist]

You probably need a time machine to find a basic clean guesthouse for a hundred or a halfway nutritious meal for 20 Baht. If you travel back to 1979 (my first time in Thailand) 40 Baht for a room and 3 to 5 Baht for food is all you need. 

[wgdanson]

39 minutes ago, baansgr said:

Thats really nice...is it yours?

I've never really liked Mazdas !    LOL

[PatOngo]

3 hours ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

Exactly how much weight are you planning on losing?

[Momofarang]

3 hours ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

I admire your courage, I hope you don't underestimate the level of the contempt from Thai people you are going face. Just a hint: get a new passport in the name of "Farang Keenok".

[sakoo]

The personal attacks aside (which were quiet predictable by the way), I will shed some more light on my situation. I actually do have money to travel, I just don't want to spend more than 200B/night on accommodation. So let's make it 100-200B/night, but 200 is the MAX. And for food, let's make it 20-40B/meal (no meat, no egg, no seafood). A nice spicy, red veggie curry with rice. My prices were from my memories of Thailand 15 years ago, when I first visited as a young one. I remember having a bungalow in Pai for 100B/night, it had a mosquito net, double bed, private room, a very nice garden shower outside with frog sounds, and a restaurant  where they cooked in front of you, for 30b/meal. I also remember Ko Mook, another 100b/night place (in low season) for a tent with a double mattress inside, tent was already set up (not mine), but food was more expensive, so that wasn't idea, also the australian guy running the place was a bit racist. And Pattaya I also remember visiting, but actually found a hotel room there for really cheap. Why is Pattaya really cheap? As for transportation, I prefer those pickup trucks with benches in the back for short journey or motobike taxi or just walk or cycle or rent my own motobike, and for longer journey I like the plane. Not a fan of long bus journeys unless it is a sleeper bus with something that resembles a bed, and the turn off the music/tv for people to actually sleep. Otherwise, domestic flights. But I think I will just fly in to Chiang Mai (didn't really like Bangkok). and then spend the 30 days in Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, maybe Chiang Rai, Nan, etc..that would be a good use of 30 days, (just the north) then maybe fly to Hanoi (and spend 30 days there doing Sapa, Ha Giang, etc..) and then fly back to Bangkok and do another 30 days in just Isan alone. Just don't get the wrong idea, I am not a poor, dirty backpacker with smelly disposition, I am just a minimalist. 

[isaantom]

Beautiful dream, followed by a frightening nightmare and a very hard awakening.

Good luck.

[Tagged]

So you have money, but do not want to use them on the locals, huh

 

selfish, but there is many older widowed ladys who would be more than happy to take you in to their custody for that budget, give you the treatment you deserve. Should be on pair a local decent thai man could provide more or less. 

[khunPer]

4 hours ago, sakoo said:

My budget per night of accom is 100b, and 20b/meal.

I think you will be surprised of today's price level, even in rural Thailand. Sounds like a backpacker Lonely Planet review from 1980ies.

 

I would consider a budget more likely with an allowance of 300 baht for guesthouse or primitive bungalow accommodation, fan only; and 30 baht to 50 baht a meal, depending of location.

 

If you can find spots where you are allowed to sleep in your tent – or in a wat, as suggested by @Assurancetourix – you can travel almost all over with an approximately 50 baht budget for street kitchen type of food, which can be very delicious. Even in tourist areas you can find that, because there are also low-budget Thais living and working in that areas.

 

Travelling by train, normal bus, and normal boat to islands is cheap; and you can still find non-crowded areas even in vicinity of relative crowded tourist destinations.

 

Massage prices, however, might be (very) different at various locations. Avoiding the up-market places one hour traditional Thai-massage would typically be around 200 baht, plus/minus 50 baht. You might be able to use a government hospital for herbal steam room and massage for less, some hospitals offers that service of so-called "alternative treatment".

 

Massage room – herbal steam room in back at left – in a rural Isaan hospital. This photo is from Kap Choeng in Surin. A few years back it was 80 baht (maybe I paid 60 baht only...????) for steam spa and one hour massage treatment – they might ask you where it hurts, it's a hospital treatment...????

[blazes]

It's heartening to find that TV has such kindly-disposed members who will take this out-and-out troller seriously.

 

If he is not a troll, then he is an example of the kind of Westerner who will think he is a "good guy" by showing that he wants to live at the level of the lowest-paid peasant in Asia, when all the peasant wants in life is to live at the kind of level that the OP can CHOOSE (domestic planes!!!! - go to Hanoi!!!!-- fly from the West at the kind of expense a peasant can only dream of).

The peasant cannot choose.  The OP can fly back to San Francisco and live happily ever after..... 

[BritManToo]

1 minute ago, blazes said:

If he is not a troll, then he is an example of the kind of Westerner who will think he is a "good guy" by showing that he wants to live at the level of the lowest-paid peasant in Asia,

From the forum name it's more likely he is Indian, Thailand's current favourite tourist.

Doubt very much it's a white guy.