Serious Change Of Plans! :(

[mindblend]

Right, having booked flights a while ago it looks like my plans have changed, and I won't be staying/sharing rooms with the person I planned to.

While I don't mind wondering around on my own for a couple of weeks, budget will now be a bit of a problem as I won't be splitting accomodation costs or getting a couple of nights bunk down for free either.

Can you guys recommend some really low budget places to go stay please? I'm thinking it would be an idea to spend the first week chilling on a beach in a hut or someting then I can afford to spend the bulk of my cash in week two seeing the sights etc.

Thanks in advance!

[Old Croc]

might help if you said where you're going and your budget

[mindblend]

might help if you said where you're going and your budget

Very true!

Flying into Bangkok. Budget for 2 weeks £500ish...

[rio666uk]

Im affraid your description is not the most helpfull to advise on.. but

on arrival in bangkok, unless you dont intend staying there, head straight to Kao Sarn Road... plenty of cheap rooms here, choose fan over a/c to save further...

thats about it really - you can ask your fellow travellers where the cheapest places to stay are - and having done it before - most of the backpacker tribe will be falling over themselves to explain how to save a few baht..

you dont say "which beach you want to spend the first week chilling on", but i would guess if youre budget travelling you would be well suited to either the beach huts on ko tao, ko phangnan, ko samet or ko chang.... there are obviously more beaches but on a budget with 2 weeks im guessing you dont want to travel too far from bkk.

hope this helps - if not pm me a better idea of what you want to see/do and i may be able to help some more.

666

[Dawn]

Mindblend,

I don't think you'll have a problem with your budget. Me and my fella travel out every year for a month - we have a budget of £1,000 (for the 2 of us) and we always bring a couple of hundred quid back with us.

And we never watch what we spend to be perfectly honest - eat and drink what we want when we want.

Have fun!

Dawn

[mindblend]

Im affraid your description is not the most helpfull to advise on.. but

Yup, understood. I guess this is because beyond what I described I'm not exactly sure what I'm after, as all I was really going to do was stay most of the time in BKK with a specific person.

Cheers for your help though. Will definitely follow your advice.

[Jaffy]

Can you guys recommend some really low budget places to go stay please? I'm thinking it would be an idea to spend the first week chilling on a beach in a hut or someting then I can afford to spend the bulk of my cash in week two seeing the sights etc.

Thanks in advance!

Also, pls consider the travel costs involved in getting to a beach resort.

If you decide upon Samui or Phuket, flights could set you back 5-6000b !

Train or bus is far cheaper but takes much more time. Also, accomodation on Samui or Phuket can be expensive as they seek to attract the type of tourist who wants to stay in homogenous 5 star resorts. You can ofcourse still find cheap beach bungalows at these islands but they are becomming rarer by the day!

Here are some ideas for beach resorts that are still kinda uncommercialised where you can eat, sleep & play for relatively little money:-

Samui Island - Maenam beach, bophut, emerald cove

Phuket - Kata/ Karon, surin or kamala beach

Krabi - Ao Nang, Railay beach

Koh Chang, Koh Samet & Koh Lanta are also worth visiting and transportation will not cost you an arm & a leg.

I would not, however, recommend pattaya. Yes, it has a wealth of cheap accomodation & is easily accessible from BKK. But it is also full of sex tourists & hookers, has the dirtiest beach in thailand and no charm whatsoever!

[Ulysses G.]

I would not, however, recommend pattaya. Yes, it has a wealth of cheap accomodation & is easily accessible from BKK. But it is also full of sex tourists & hookers, has the dirtiest beach in thailand and no charm whatsoever!

If you are a man and like sexy, beautiful, young hookers or the best deals on accomodation, food, shopping and entertaiment of any beach in Thailand, Pattaya is a GREAT place.

I pay 400 baht per night at the APEX hotel with air-con, cable TV, a swimming pool and a room safe.

No one swims at the beach in Pattaya, but it looks fine, and I prefer a swimming pool for doing laps anyway.

If you want to pay MUCH more, hit another beach. There will be plenty of hookers there too, but much less attractive ones.

[Jaffy]

I would not, however, recommend pattaya. Yes, it has a wealth of cheap accomodation & is easily accessible from BKK. But it is also full of sex tourists & hookers, has the dirtiest beach in thailand and no charm whatsoever!

If you are a man and like sexy, beautiful, young hookers or the best deals on accomodation, food, shopping and entertaiment of any beach in Thailand, Pattaya is a GREAT place.

I pay 400 baht per night at the APEX hotel with air-con, cable TV, a swimming pool and a room safe.

No one swims at the beach in Pattaya, but it looks fine, and I prefer a swimming pool for doing laps anyway.

If you want to pay MUCH more, hit another beach. There will be plenty of hookers there too, but much less attractive ones.

One of the reasons i like this forum so much - where else can you get such a panorama of views & advice.

Ulysses, respect 4 telling it like it is!

mindblend, so which is it - you in thailand to get pussy or to get to know the country?

[mindblend]

mindblend, so which is it - you in thailand to get pussy or to get to know the country?

I'd rather see a bit of the country I think. I can get pussy anywhere.

Liking the sound of Chiang Mai, maybe after the beach... 400 baht sounds bloody cheap for the APEX - looking that up.

Cheers guys it looks like a plan is coming together!!!

[mindblend]

Oh and keep 'em coming!

[Glauka]

mindblend, so which is it - you in thailand to get pussy or to get to know the country?

I'd rather see a bit of the country I think. I can get pussy anywhere.

Liking the sound of Chiang Mai, maybe after the beach... 400 baht sounds bloody cheap for the APEX - looking that up.

Cheers guys it looks like a plan is coming together!!!

I normally spend 400 pounds a month...

I like to sleep in clean places - a/c

I like to eat everything I like

I like to go partying any time i feel like

I like to do tours or climbing...

I like to buy presents...

so woth that budget you will have a good time...

[mindblend]

Ok great, looks like I'm in no danger of running out of cash then.

In light of this I'm thinking of maybe booking a slightly more expensive hotel (1500/2000 baht per night) for the first couple of nights there - anybody know of a decent one that has an airport pickup service?

[bkkbound04]

while u may find cheap accomodation in pattaya everything else is more expensive...unless u know the area and where to go..

same for khao sarn...u may get lucky and find a cheap bed..but your first beer in that area would have bought u a better room

chiang mai is beautiful and very cheap, hua hin has a nice beach and is cheaper than pattaya, cha am is 30km from hua hin and is cheaper and quieter than hh

if u're visiting thailand fro the nightlife etc then u'll be up against it with your budget, if u want a relaxing holiday in a beautiful country then your budget will be fine

as they say "up 2 u"

good luck & enjoy yourself

**avoid hotel pickups in bkk...usually hidden charge elsewhere

when u arrive, head up to departures and jump in a cab that's dropping some1 off, failing that and if u don't have too big/heavy a bag then walk across the carpark to the main road, if u get to the bus stop(see it easily) u'll get cab easy without the wait

[rio666uk]

mindblend, so which is it - you in thailand to get pussy or to get to know the country?

I'd rather see a bit of the country I think. I can get pussy anywhere.

Liking the sound of Chiang Mai, maybe after the beach... 400 baht sounds bloody cheap for the APEX - looking that up.

Cheers guys it looks like a plan is coming together!!!

Yeah I can confirm that price for the Apex too.... at least it was last time i stayed there - - swimming pool a bit on the small side but its fine, rooms are fine and food not bad either.

if youre a real tight ass - you can make bacon sandwiches from the breakfast buffet and sneak them out to eat later in the day....

apparently

[gburns57au]

If you are looking at 16 days.....then you will have a budget of just over 2000 baht a day......not a big budget by any means but comfortable.....if you dont take a girl every night or have a few dry nights you can do most things....14 days will give you about 2500 baht per day....you can get many hotels for around 400/500 per night in Patters....clean but not the Ritz.....food about the same...Bangkok for the whole trip may be a bit beyond you as could Chiang Mai with the travel costs etc...But in Patters you would have a good time if you werent silly and blowing it away

Edited January 10, 2006 by gburns57au

[aughie]

Suk 11 Guesthouse on Sukhumvit Soi 11 is 500 baht a night with your own toilet and shower. Breakfast included and "guests" are not allowed in your room. It a good location for getting around Bkk with the BTS nearby. It's a little hippy but not hippy dippy like Kao San Rd. dumps. Have a look at their site.

http://www.suk11.com/

[smacko]

if you decide your going to chiang mai and want to fly.. book online with your cc then it wont count against your budget. (well you can pay it off after your trip)

personally i'd fly, because you'd waste two nights getting there and back.. flights are very cheap, even if you book the day before

[Ijustwannateach]

You can burn a lot of money travelling around. All the touristy places will also rob you blind just from inflated tuk-tuk charges, etc. I'd suggest pick a place- ONE place- that will have what you're looking for- negotiate a smaller rent for prepaying for 2 weeks, and then budget accordingly with what you have left.

"Steven"