Help me plan this cheap holiday

[georgegeorgia]

So my 24yo nephew will go to Pattaya ,he has been to Phuket before but not Pattaya 

 

I will pay for him to go so need a plan which I'm excited to make for him.

He is into gym and muay Thai , not a drinker .

 

So as I'm paying and he is not into comfort , I have decided early  June he will travel from Sydney to Bangkok and stay 18 days 

June 2nd Sydney to Bangkok

 June 19 departure to Sydney 

,

I know you guys mostly are not from Sydney so can't help with the air flights but I'm thinking Scoot .

 

Anyway moving on ,I have designed a plan,he will take the  Bus from airport to Pattaya , would be cheapest , do we have the latest web link ,I have no idea because I always have a car waiting ,can I pay the tickets online before he travels?  ,I know the dates will be arriving  June 2 

 

Secondly  he needs to be near a cheap hotel near a gym , are those rooms next to Tony's gym still going ?

 

He needs a room not necessarily by himself maybe a backpacker doesn't really matter sharing shower toilet ,I'm not paying more than 600 baht a night for the 17 nights 

 

If he was into picking up  girls I suggested to him beach road ,he doesn't drink a lot that I know of  but unfortunately smokes the green

He needs to find other younger people his age to hang around with not that there is any backpacking hostel in Pattaya I know of ????

 

Tattoos,he wants to get some ,cheap places U recommend?

 

Anyway point of this thread is to help me plan his budget vacation,

 

Cheap accommodation flights and close to a gym , doesn't have to be Muay Thai gym though he will go there I guess maybe Soi 6 area ?

Any cheaper airlines in June Sydney to Bangkok?

Accommodation cheap under 600 a night ? That I can pay BEFORE he arrives 

 

So I will pay his airfare , accommodation and any left over he can use as spending money ,from the 2k Australian 

 

 

He can eat in Thai places 

My budget is $2000  Australia dollars including the airfare 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by georgegeorgia

[Thailand J]

Just give him the money. Let him plan his own holiday.

 

[georgegeorgia]

3 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

Just give him the money. Let him plan his own holiday.

 

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

[jacko45k]

31 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

I think you are over coddling him...... part of the maturing process is being able to take care of yourself.

Bus from airport.... https://airportpattayabus.com/

Tattoo shops are like 7-11s, all over the place.

Cheap hotels, try Agoda and Google maps to look for a gym... doesn't have to be close, getting about is easy. 

Send him on his way, with any luck he will make it back, maybe as a married man. 

Edited April 24, 2023 by jacko45k

[gearbox]

20 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I think you are over coddling him...... part of the maturing process is being able to take care of yourself.

Bus from airport.... https://airportpattayabus.com/

Tattoo shops are like 7-11s, all over the place.

Cheap hotels, try Agoda and Google maps to look for a gym... doesn't have to be close, getting about is easy. 

Send him on his way, with any luck he will make it back, maybe as a married man. 

24 yo going to Pattaya for 18 days and coming back as a married man...the way to go! ????

[stoner]

58 minutes ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

24 years old is not mature enough ?  wow what a world now. 

 

 

[georgegeorgia]

2 minutes ago, stoner said:

24 years old is not mature enough ?  wow what a world now. 

 

 

That's a whole new topic !

I noticed the Australian government a few years ago raised many of the ages to 21 for government jobs .

I remember police you could apply at 19 now it's 21 

Kids nowadays are not mature unfortunately and that's worldwide ,I see these tiktok videos of some 25yo girl dancing in public 

 

I see 17uo girls saying they are children etc but it's a whole new topic 

Edited April 24, 2023 by georgegeorgia

[gearbox]

At least $600-700 airfare return, the best is if you have Qantas FF points, flights to Bangkok are possible for around 25k points + around $120-150 taxes one way, that with 30kg checked baggage.

 

$40 minimum to go to/from airport in Sydney.

Around $30 with bus to/from Pattaya.

 

Around $100 for proper travel insurance.... don't forget this one!

 

The remaining $1100-1200 need to pay for accommodation, food, transport, tattoos, entertainment, etc, around $60 AUD per day, which is doable as long as he doesn't pay for sex and women drinks.

[georgegeorgia]

Yes I forgot the travel insurance!!

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

If he's not that mature, why the <deleted> are you sending him to Pattaya?

He's a young guy and the ladies will part him from his cash in a flash. Beach Road for an immature guy- are you wanting him to get fleeced?

Send him to a nice island, NOT Phuket.

 

Tattoos- why are you paying for him to be inked?

 

Gyms- he can go for a run every day. It's a holiday not to live there.

 

Backpackers and young people in Pattaya 555555555555555.

If he wants that send him to Had Rin- plenty of them there, and plenty of weed too no doubt. Might even be a gym or three.

Just tell him not to buy hard drugs as the dealers apparently tell the cops who they sell it to, so they get a cut of the "fine".

Don't send him near a full moon or dark moon as accommodation is difficult, but he doesn't have to stay there. Plenty of beaches up near Chaloklum that are great, and have lots of young tourists.

 

If he stays the first night near Khao San the yellow brick road to Phangan/ Had Rin starts from any travel agent.

[thaibeachlovers]

43 minutes ago, stoner said:

24 years old is not mature enough ?  wow what a world now. 

 

 

I live near lots of young adults working as fruit pickers, and mature they are not. Can't even clean up after themselves.

[stoner]

45 minutes ago, gearbox said:

as long as he doesn't pay for sex and women drinks.

so he is going to pattaya for .........the temples ? hahah

[Henryford]

Smokes weed and likes tattoos, sounds a class act.

[gearbox]

6 minutes ago, stoner said:

so he is going to pattaya for .........the temples ? hahah

Hopefully hansum enough to get laid for free.

[Mike Teavee]

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

So as I'm paying and he is not into comfort , I have decided early  June he will travel from Sydney to Bangkok and stay 18 days 

June 2nd Sydney to Bangkok

 June 19 departure to Sydney 

If he can go out on 28th May he can get a direct flight on Thai Airways for the same cost as a Scoot flight (via SG) on the 2nd

 

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

he will take the  Bus from airport to Pattaya , would be cheapest , do we have the latest web link

Bell can be booked online https://belltravelservice.com/ 

 

Roong Reung https://airportpattayabus.com/ can probably be booked via sites like 12go but you typically pay a premium for this that will probably make it more expensive than Bell. 

 

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

He needs a room not necessarily by himself maybe a backpacker doesn't really matter sharing shower toilet ,I'm not paying more than 600 baht a night for the 17 nights 

Should be no problem finding a decent room < 600baht for 17 nights e.g.https://www.agoda.com/sawasdee-siam-hotel/hotel/pattaya-th.html?finalPriceView=2&isShowMobileAppPrice=false&cid=-1&numberOfBedrooms=&familyMode=false&adults=2&children=0&rooms=1&maxRooms=0&checkIn=2023-05-28&isCalendarCallout=false&childAges=&numberOfGuest=0&missingChildAges=false&travellerType=1&showReviewSubmissionEntry=false&currencyCode=THB&isFreeOccSearch=false&isCityHaveAsq=true&tspTypes=3&los=17&searchrequestid=126c44e9-3e29-4186-846b-d5c327a41a66 

 

 

 

 

[jacko45k]

14 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I live near lots of young adults working as fruit pickers, and mature they are not. Can't even clean up after themselves.

I think this generation must be far removed from ours then. At 24, I was living in my own place working full time..... looking back I was immature, but could take care of and clean up after myself. Had to  do it for 3 years at college, 

[gearbox]

19 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

If he's not that mature, why the <deleted> are you sending him to Pattaya?

He's a young guy and the ladies will part him from his cash in a flash. Beach Road for an immature guy- are you wanting him to get fleeced?

Send him to a nice island, NOT Phuket.

 

Tattoos- why are you paying for him to be inked?

 

Gyms- he can go for a run every day. It's a holiday not to live there.

 

Backpackers and young people in Pattaya 555555555555555.

If he wants that send him to Had Rin- plenty of them there, and plenty of weed too no doubt. Might even be a gym or three.

Just tell him not to buy hard drugs as the dealers apparently tell the cops who they sell it to, so they get a cut of the "fine".

Don't send him near a full moon or dark moon as accommodation is difficult, but he doesn't have to stay there. Plenty of beaches up near Chaloklum that are great, and have lots of young tourists.

 

If he stays the first night near Khao San the yellow brick road to Phangan/ Had Rin starts from any travel agent.

Don't know how it would be in June, but the accommodation prices this year in Koh Phangan are insane. His budget would be probably good for a dorm or ultra cheap fan bungalow. He would need a motorbike to go around, the prices went up as well, probably 250-300 baht per day.

[thaibeachlovers]

2 minutes ago, gearbox said:

Don't know how it would be in June, but the accommodation prices this year in Koh Phangan are insane. His budget would be probably good for a dorm or ultra cheap fan bungalow. He would need a motorbike to go around, the prices went up as well, probably 250-300 baht per day.

OP said he's fine with cheap accomodation, and any one that hires a m'bike is IMO asking for trouble on those roads. Does he even have a m'bike licence in Australia, and if does would need to make sure covered by insurance.

I never had a problem getting around on the songtheaws.

[driver52]

7 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

My budget is $2000  Australia dollars including the airfare 

very kind, I could travel around the world on that ????

ie flew to Bkk from Germany <€300 return

use airbnb and agoda to get accomodation <€12 a night

bus to Pattaya from the East Bus terminal - 131 baht

pickin up 'loose women' Thai Friendly app (advice from an acquaintance)

getting around and keeping fit, really decent Giant bike off faceache €160

not being overweight and understanding OMAD - priceless ????

[gearbox]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

OP said he's fine with cheap accomodation, and any one that hires a m'bike is IMO asking for trouble on those roads. Does he even have a m'bike licence in Australia, and if does would need to make sure covered by insurance.

I never had a problem getting around on the songtheaws.

Valid point, without Oz motorbike licence he won't be covered by any Oz insurance as a driver.

 

Songtaews - Pattaya yes, Phangan no. AFAIK there are no baht buses in Phangan, everyone operates in a taxi like mode. Not 100% sure although, we always bring a motorbike from Samui with Raja ferry.

[sandyf]

10 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Cheap accommodation flights and close to a gym , doesn't have to be Muay Thai gym though he will go there I guess maybe Soi 6 area

You should check Agoda, plenty of budget accommodation that can be booked online.

[Lemsta69]

Why are you paying for him, is he work-shy?

[bignok]

10 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

Book rooms thru agoda. Easy. Buses are done over there. How hard can it be? Buy ticket get on bus.

[bignok]

19 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You should check Agoda, plenty of budget accommodation that can be booked online.

Yes with maps too. Plenty of cheap rooms.

[bignok]

8 hours ago, gearbox said:

Don't know how it would be in June, but the accommodation prices this year in Koh Phangan are insane. His budget would be probably good for a dorm or ultra cheap fan bungalow. He would need a motorbike to go around, the prices went up as well, probably 250-300 baht per day.

Not true. My friend is paying 470 baht nice room with pool in Pattaya. Might even be cheaper in June. Koh Pha Ngan has far less rooms and beaches are better so you pay more.

[bignok]

8 hours ago, Henryford said:

Smokes weed and likes tattoos, sounds a class act.

Average 24yo these days.

[bignok]

9 hours ago, gearbox said:

around $60 AUD per day, which is doable as long as he doesn't pay for sex and women drinks.

Why go to Pattaya then?

[PingRoundTheWorld]

10 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

If he's not mature enough to plan a vacation - he's not mature enough to travel.

Pattaya in a dorm and meeting girls (I assume you're thinking of freebies) on beach road? Which he will then take to his dorm? ????????????

The proper way to do Pattaya is go by taxi, stay in a cheap hotel close to the action (~600 baht a night is possible), do a gogo tour paying too much for drinks and lady drinks, pay more at a nightclub, end the night with a cutie who's name and face you'll immediately forget after she leaves with 1-2 crispy bills.

Not a "budget holiday" destination...

[brianthainess]

10 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

No , he is not that mature unfortunately

 

And you want him to go to Pattaya and beach road of all places for 'ladies' . I'd start a go fund me page now.

[MrJ2U]

11 hours ago, Thailand J said:

Just give him the money. Let him plan his own holiday.

 

Nice of you. 

 

Hopefully he's got some money of his own. 

 

Unfortunately,  Thailand isn't the cheap,  backpacking paradise it once was.   

 

I just got back from buying some cheap street food for myself and wife.   With a couple of sodas it was 400 baht. 

Edited April 25, 2023 by MrJ2U