Pha’ngan is ‘most affordable’ island – TripAdvisor

[Lite Beer]

Pha’ngan is ‘most affordable’ island – TripAdvisor

Koh Pha’ngan comes out the cheapest in a new survey by TripAdvisor, the TripIndex Island Sun 2013, a cost comparison of a day out and overnight stay for two people in 20 key island holiday destinations around Southeast Asia.

The index is based on the combined costs for two people of a one-night stay in a four-star hotel, a two-course meal with coconut juice, beers, a massage, and the rental of bicycles and snorkeling equipment.

The most affordable island for a day out and an overnight stay for Thai travellers is Pha’ngan with a total index cost of B7,322.50 while Koh Tao takes second place with B7,766.89.

Phuket ranks 14th, with an index cost of B11,946, slightly pricier than Phi Phi Don at B11,917, but cheaper than Penang at B14,294.

At more than three times the cost of Koh Pha’ngan, Singapore’s Sentosa Island is listed as the most expensive at B26,815, followed by Langkawi in Malaysia at B17,447.

“In light of the upcoming year-end holiday season, TripIndex Island Sun helps travellers identify where their money goes furthest,” commented TripAdvisor spokesperson Jean Ow-Yeong.

“The list shows that Thailand’s Koh Phangan is the most affordable island destination, while Singapore’s Sentosa Island is most expensive. The biggest driver of costs is the price of hotels, followed by [the cost of] a massage for two.”

The least expensive average hotel room is priced at B3,947 in Penang, Malaysia, while the most expensive, at nearly three times the cost, is Palawan in the Philippines at B10,649 a night.

But while hotels account for much of the cost, the biggest disparity in in the cost of bike rental. While it costs B200 a day to rent one on Koh Pha’ngan and Koh Phi Phi Don, on Sentosa it costs a whopping B3,658 – more than 18 times the price.

TripAdvisor concludes, “Islands in Thailand provide the best value for money, with five places in the list of the top 10 most affordable islands.”

The full list:

Koh Phangan (Thailand) 7,323

Koh Tao (Thailand) 7,767

Gili Trawangan (Indonesia) 8,108

Ko Chang (Thailand) 8,737

Cebu (Philippines) 9,075

Batam (Indonesia) 9,383

Bali (Indonesia) 9,589

Ko Lanta (Thailand) 9,962

Koh Samui (Thailand) 10,083

Boracay (Philippines) 11,043

Bintan Island (Indonesia) 11,166

Phu Quoc (Vietnam) 11,454

Phi Phi Don (Thailand) 11,917

Phuket (Thailand) 11,947

Penang (Malaysia) 14,294

Pulau Redang (Malaysia) 14,712

Pulau Tioman (Malaysia) 14,886

Palawan (Philippines) 15,338

Langkawi (Malaysia) 17,447

Sentosa (Singapore) 26,815

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/pha%E2%80%99ngan-is-%E2%80%98most-affordable%E2%80%99-island-tripadvisor-42814.php

-- Phuket News 2013-11-12

[Sunderland]

Where's the island of Rattanakosin in Bangkok? You can sleep in a tent around the Sanam Luang for free and get some free/discounted food, water and rock and roll at the local rally at Democracy Monument from dawn to dusk and through the night. Top value.

[Neilly]

Where's the island of Rattanakosin in Bangkok? You can sleep in a tent around the Sanam Luang for free and get some free/discounted food, water and rock and roll at the local rally at Democracy Monument from dawn to dusk and through the night. Top value.

Maybe there isn't any coconut juice or bicycles there? ...thinking about it, are there any fountains you can snorkel in at Rattanakosin

The index is based on the combined costs for two people of a one-night stay in a four-star hotel, a two-course meal with coconut juice, beers, a massage, and the rental of bicycles and snorkeling equipment.

[Tropicalevo]

'Her indoors' would not be happy with a coconut juice. Please do it again with the cost of a glass of champers.

[saweden]

'Her indoors' would not be happy with a coconut juice. Please do it again with the cost of a glass of champers.

Word! Who the hell drinks coconut juice

[pokerspiv]

Dubious. Phangan is more expensive than Samui for most things. Given the basket of goods they are using, the hotel you stay at seems to be the only important question, since staying at a 4 star hotel would make up at least 90% of the total cost. Choosing a different hotel on each island could have resulted in a completely different rankings for all the islands.

In Summation: What a useless article.

[Samui Coconut]

Dubious. Phangan is more expensive than Samui for most things. Given the basket of goods they are using, the hotel you stay at seems to be the only important question, since staying at a 4 star hotel would make up at least 90% of the total cost. Choosing a different hotel on each island could have resulted in a completely different rankings for all the islands.

In Summation: What a useless article.

Totally agree, utterly useless attempt by Trip Advisor to compare apples with oranges. How can you compare a 4 star resort on Koh Phangan with a 4 star resort on Sentosa. Every beach hut in Phangan can award itself 4 stars.....at Baht 450 per night not a bad deal. Motorbike rental.....200 Baht, yes, with no insurance etc all possible. Sentosa surely has insurance....

We should not forget that Trip Advisor is a business, and a business has to make money, so there is more behind these articles than just free info. and whilst I am at it, when looking for a place to stay, I look at online agents where only guests who actually stayed in the property are able to post a comment, not as with TA where every Tom, Dick & Harry can write a review for a place he has not even heard of before......

[carmine]

Dubious. Phangan is more expensive than Samui for most things. Given the basket of goods they are using, the hotel you stay at seems to be the only important question, since staying at a 4 star hotel would make up at least 90% of the total cost. Choosing a different hotel on each island could have resulted in a completely different rankings for all the islands.

In Summation: What a useless article.

Totally agree, utterly useless attempt by Trip Advisor to compare apples with oranges. How can you compare a 4 star resort on Koh Phangan with a 4 star resort on Sentosa. Every beach hut in Phangan can award itself 4 stars.....at Baht 450 per night not a bad deal. Motorbike rental.....200 Baht, yes, with no insurance etc all possible. Sentosa surely has insurance....

We should not forget that Trip Advisor is a business, and a business has to make money, so there is more behind these articles than just free info. and whilst I am at it, when looking for a place to stay, I look at online agents where only guests who actually stayed in the property are able to post a comment, not as with TA where every Tom, Dick & Harry can write a review for a place he has not even heard of before......

Probably another example of inaccurate garbage spouted out by Trip Advisor. A site that allows any Tom, Dick or Harry to post false, unfounded lies about rival businesses, all in the name of good advice to tourists. Shame someone can't put Trip Advisor out of business.

[Bsd]

Is there any source on when the stay is for, it is low season on Koh Phangan right now, run the pricing on December 31st and you won't find a 4 star hotel room for 7,000 baht a night.

[Taco]

I have lived in Koh Phangan for ages and I have good news to report! For 7300 baht you should be able to get your 4 star resort style hotel room (2000-2500), motorbike 150 all activities and still have money left over to bring home a bar girl to spice up your night! Unfortunately, we have the least attractive bar girls in all of Thailand. So another option would be to buy 10 or 15 of the annoying neon day glow full moon party shirts for your posse back home.

[thrilled]

When I stayed on Koh Phangan it wasn't all that cheap.But I eat at nice restaurants.I believe the hotel I stayed at it Bantai was about 500 baht A night with a/c.Could hear the waves washing ashore in the morning.Gotta love it.