Well it’s that time of year again. Many students are celebrating their academic year being finally over and going on their summer jollies. It seems this year, pretty much everyone (Bar me) is going to SE Asia and specifically Thailand. I remember that day when I landed in Bangkok to kick off my serious travels and not having A CLUE what I really should do. But thankfully, I had the time of my life. But a beginner’s guide would have come in handy so HostelBookers now bring you, the students, the chance to have one! Check it out!
Don’t turn down a chance to experience Bangkok just because your travel budget’s a bit slim, this city understands the need to travel cheap with great bargains for transportation (15-cent train rides), accommodations (under 15 euros) and cheap dining (dollar meals)! With a little preparation and insider info, there’s no reason you can’t plow through Bangkok’s delights while leaving very little cash in your wake!
Cheap Public Transport
Whether you want to travel by sky, land, or water — Bangkok’s public transportation system delivers easy access to all these options! The BMTS Skytrain goes overhead to popular Bangkok destinations with all-day passes running around €3. The Bangkok Subway (nicknamed the MRT) serves other areas of town and accepts only tokens that you can buy at the station with the most expensive ride costing only €1 and quick trips are only a pittance.
Another thrift-conscious option is the Chao Phraya River Express that starts at .25 cents for short rides and tops out at €1 that entitles you to on-and-off privileges on the Chaophraya Tourist Boat. If you want to take a short trip around a neighborhood and enjoy negotiating your fare, flag down a Tuk Tuk (motorized rickshaw) since the drivers expect savvy travelers to barter them down on their proposed price. A cheap way to get to outlying provinces for day trips is aboard the Bangkok buses that operate 24/7 and also only charge €3.5 for express airport transport (less for the hourly airport buses) to major Bangkok stations.
Photo tuk tuk by nac888
Tip: If you don’t know Thai, bring along a map (written in Thai) and circle your destination so you can direct drivers and get advice from friendly fellow passengers if you get lost. You will also want to collect business cards with addresses written in Thai for your hotel and any places you plan to frequent.
Cheap, Cool Quarters
Don’t think you’ll have to sacrifice quality, safety or location to get a great deal on a room in Bangkok. You’ll be delighted to find top-notch amenities like free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfasts and balconies overlooking pools or tropical gardens in very reasonably-priced establishments. On top of the already low rates, many hotels offer discount prices for extended stays and off-season travel. You’ll also find that hotels and hostels near the airport even include free round-trip shuttle services to flights!
Photo Bangkok Market by basilstrahm
TIP: At Hostelbookers.com you can find a list of accommodations all over the world for under 15 euros like the The Lub d Bangkok – Silom that deliver super-clean rooms, friendly common spaces and family-style dining!
Eat Cheap
You don’t have to resort to cheesy fast food chains to fill up for a peanuts in Bangkok where even gourmet Thai food is quite reasonably priced! So just imagine how cheap you can eat once you forgo the fancy settings! For example, Took Lae Dee (which means “cheap and good” in Thai) serves up delicious, fresh-made meals with wholesome ingredients 24 hours a day for €1 to €3. If you are craving Western-style grub, Black Canyon Coffee (with over 50 outlets in Bangkok) has familiar “comfort foods” and popular caffeine drinks along with ‘fusion’ cuisine that blends the best of Thai and international dishes like their famous Pasta Curry Chicken. For those with communal kitchens at their disposal, a trip to one of the daily Bangkok’s floating markets yields lots of low-cost, fresh fruits, fish, meats and vegetables and on weekends the Chautuchak Weekend Market not only has great buys on regional foods but some of the cheapest, and best, street food anywhere!
Tip: Get A Bangkok Guide app can assure you don’t miss those tucked-away restaurants that local’s keep to themselves.
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