If you are planning a short stay in Bangkok and you have a limited budget, there are many ways that you can economise; as you can imagine, there are many hotels and resorts that are happy that Thailand has reopened its borders to tourists and that means competitive rates.
Here are a few tips to help keep your holiday spending in check when you visit Bangkok.
- Eat street food – Let’s face it, the street food in Bangkok is the best in the world; for a couple of dollars, you can enjoy a bowl of noodles or some BBQ pork sticks and sticky rice. The variation is such that you could spend a month in Bangkok and still discover street vendors with delicious dishes. If you really must have fast food sometimes, all the major outlets are present and it is cheaper than at home.
- Cheap accommodation – If you want 4-star accommodation at an attractive price, check out Novotel Bangkok, Sukhumvit 20, which is conveniently located for SkyTrain stations. Once on their website, browse the many suites and take a look at the in-house amenities, making your stay an enjoyable one. Prices are lower than normal at the moment, as tourism is only just recommencing after the pandemic.
- Bartering – In Thailand, you can’t barter in shopping malls or convenience stores, but in the local markets you can haggle and save a little when buying souvenirs. The weekend market at Jatuchak is a must for souvenir shopping and you can haggle there. They sell absolutely everything at this huge weekend venue; you can even order heavy teak furniture to be shipped to your home country. As a general rule, vendors start off at double their real asking price
- Getting around – There is the Sky Train for inexpensive city travel, while the buses and canal taxis are also great value for money. Taxis are everywhere, although they can be expensive in rush hour traffic., then there are the motorcycle taxis if you fancy a thrill. If you wish to travel to the provinces, luxury air-conditioned coaches run to every destination. Let’s not forget to carry a few Covid tests when travelling.
- Changing money – Avoid changing too much money at the airport; in the city, there are exchange booths and companies like Super Rich, where you get the best rates. This can save you a lot of money, while you should also know that when you use a foreign credit card to withdraw cash at a Thai ATM, they charge you a few dollars per transaction.
If your travel budget is limited, we hope that the above tips can go some way to making your money last a bit longer and if you do run out of money, most stores do take credit cards. The Internet can help you find out about local attractions and planning various day trips, while it is possible to buy weekly Sky Train tickets that are a little cheaper and if you are planning to travel around the city, a weekly pass is preferable to paying for each trip.
