37 Tips to Save Money during your Thailand Trip

Temple in Bangkok

Touring the world is every curious man’s dream, learning about people, observing lifestyles, different cuisines, ancient glory and most of all the thrilling fun things. Thailand flags up in every traveler’s list, from the antediluvian temples to the ultra urbane towers, from the cascading Chao Phraya River to the umpteen beaches, from risky adventure activities to partying on the 68th floor, from 200 year ago cuisines to the modern French-Thai concoctions, Thailand serves it all, the best of the whole lot. Like a millionaire’s house, many don’t have wads of notes sprouting in their backyard, but that doesn’t mean that one can’t trot the globe. Planning a budget and sticking solely to it is the goal, this saves the unnecessary expenses and adds more insight into the vault of the memories of the strange land. Listed are a few ways to save money during your Thailand trip.

1. Fly to Thailand

Don’t book your e-tickets from advertisements of unpopular travel agencies or airline companies because they can turn out to be a hoax with your money as bait. Search for all the flights to Thailand for that particular date, as you scroll down you might come across some cheaper flights or discounts in some flights. Go directly to the airline website and book your e-ticket from there, such cheap prices can only be found online.

2. Flying on weekdays

When you book your ticket, keep in mind that prices surge a bit higher during weekends. Hence flying on weekdays is the best option, less crowd and more rest. Tuesday and Wednesday are usually preferred the best.

3. Flying off season

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May to September are the off-season months due to monsoon. It clearly doesn’t rain all the time, Bangkok has three tropical monsoon climates- March to June is usually hot, July to October monsoon and November to February stays cool. it might pour hard for 30 mins but the aftermath is a mix of clear blue skies and no-rain days. During this period you might end up with prices slashed to half or more than 50% discounts. If you have a beach plan, come up with it when the sun is high, always check the weather forecast. This is one of the best Thailand travel tips.

4. Adjusting flying times

The red-eye time, between 2-6am some flights offer some discounts or other offers. You can adjust your timings as per these schedules, not much, but you can save a couple of hundred bucks.

5. Adjusting flying dates

Might take a couple of days or weeks to search for some perfect discount, but have faith, you won’t regret. It’s all about being informed about the discounts. Kayak and Vayama are two most opted sites which specialize in comparing thousands of international flight rates at once and finding the cheapest one. Skyscanner instantly provides price comparisons for more than 700,000 international routes.

6. Be updated

Many airlines or airplane booking sites ask to sign up for their newsletters or some frequent flyer programs, in this they send up the notification of any discounts or seasonal offers. Signing up won’t cost anything, sign up on e-mail or social media, they might be helpful. Sometimes discounts are offered for the elderly or the students, this can be helpful too.

7. Staying in Thailand

There are a lot of sites which help in finding the cheapest hotels, apartments and hostels available. Booking.com is the most appreciated, you can scroll down until you find the reasonably cheap and lean stay. Staying over than one night also helps; many such hotels proffer a slight slash in the amount if you plan on staying for more than a night.

8. Hotels in Thailand

When you scroll down to the cheapest hotel, apartment or hostel hunt down their website and call them up. Last minute calls are always fruitful ask for the cheapest room, since the hotels don’t like their rooms empty they can offer a discount at the last moment. Sundays are the best days to stay overnight, since the leisure travelers and the business people book from Monday to Friday or Saturday, Sundays are usually left vacant, many hotels give discounts on Sundays.

9. Apartments in Thailand

Airbnb has the maximum sublets from around 190 countries and low cost vacation rentals, if you’re new to Airbnb the offer a $35 voucher and may extend it. Booking.com is the next in line for rentals. If you’re travelling as a family or in a group, rented apartments or hostels are the best, the cost is divided and the food can either be cooked or bought from street take outs.

10. Rewards, family deals and coupons

Many hotels have rewards and the perks are room upgrades or occasionally- free nights. Family deals are getting common these days, which provide discounted rates and free meals and toy room usages for children. Various sites or even brochures have various coupons enlisted; you can always use the valid ones.

11. Thailand tourist traps

The touristy places especially the islands near Thailand are too expensive, you can have a tour but avoid staying or buying any products as they’re all transported from the Thai mainland and so the cost hikes up. Places down in south Thailand are too costly and total expense can be cut to half if you visit places in the North Chiang Mai, north-east Udon Ratchathani or in south Nakhon Si Thammarat. Stay away from too touristy places like Phuket or Pattaya or Ko Samui.

12. Chiang Mai the savior

You can visit the main tourist attractions in Bangkok, but head off to Chiang Mai if you wish to spend time delving in Thai culture. A bus from Bangkok to Chiang Mai is an overnight journey at 900 baht. Once in Chiang Mai you’ll be amazed at the cheap comforts you’ll be soaking in. there are rooms or hostel in Chiang Mai at just 200 baht per month, they’re clean, comfortable and well furnished. Thai dishes are available from 20-40 baht, cooking for yourself can also be an option. This is the most opted for Thailand travel tips.

13. Locals save it

Talk to the locals, the ones walking by the sideway or some shop keepers, they’ll know the best places to eat and cheapest places to stay in; these insider tips from locals can help in saving a lot of money. Some kind elderly locals even invite the tourists for a meal, in such cases trust your instincts and if the person is genuinely kind, don’t forget to pay your respects. The locals may also know the best places to visit from the flashy ones.

14. Couch surf and Guest houses in Thailand

Couchsurfing is the best way to connect with the locals in various places, to have a drink, a tour and also an accommodation. Usually the local members offer up a free space to crash in for a day or two. Guest houses, especially the cheap ones are usually a family business, in many places in Bangkok and nearby, there are several guesthouses that offer special discounts and cheap accommodations.

15. Woofing and House Sitting in Thailand

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is a global network of organizations that link volunteers with organic farmers for volunteer help; they provide food and accommodation in return for learning and helping in organic farming. House sitters provide free accommodation in return for pet and house sitting services. Usually rich people can afford such house settings, in this case the food may or may not be provided, but the houses are big with enough stuff to care for the pet.

16. Avoid western food

Nearly all western food is imported in Thailand at great expense and by the time it reaches, the taste and the quality differs. At the cost of one plate of western food, you can easily buy to Thai meals, such big is the gap. The cost of one oyster plate you can feed Thai food to twenty people.

17. Street food

Thai street food is very tasty, cheap and clean at some places. Eating like the locals do, at small restaurants or street stalls is very conserving. This way you can actually get to taste the original Thai ingredients and observe the cooking method. This is the most opted for Thailand travel tips.

18. Tipsy tips

Thais rarely tip in small restaurants, living like a local yourself, don’t tip. You’ll be amazed at the amount of money saved by not tipping at all the meals.

19. Travel overnight

Buses although pose to be dangerous but cover most routes, travelling overnight will save a few hundred baht to pay for the room. Longer routes can be covered such way in order to commute different cities, although buses are expensive but taking the cost of the other transport and room for night, you save a lot of baht.

20. Hitchhiking

It’s more dangerous than daring, thumbing a ride to your destination or nearby. People have said to have successfully hitchhiked around Thailand and the people were generous enough to offer one; many hitchhikers have even offered for gas and food but were rarely accepted. Thais are very kind and munificent.

21. Local transport

Songthaews or shared taxis and local buses go anywhere than the rail network. They might be a little slow at times, but at the end of the day you’ll have saved enough to spend another day in Thailand.

22. Water the saver

You can’t go hungry in search of some cheap place to eat, always carry a bottle of water for such cases to keep yourself hydrated. Even if you find yourself out of water, the big-hearted Thais let people fill their bottles in banks, Buddhist temples, hotel foyers and in some shops too. Whilst the water keeps hydrated, you won’t lose strength in your search for a cheap place to eat. Don’t buy water from the shops which cost 20 times more than filling, if you’re not able to find any free drinking filling place then fill your bottles outside tesco for 1 baht per litre you can pay a little more for sport or fizzy drinks.

23. Shopping at Pratunam markets

In search of cheap cloths and accessories to pair with? Pratunam market is the finest, the Platinum fashion mall, the pratunam market and the Pantip plaza are the best; designer clothes, imported goods and all the exquisite stuff can be found here at slashed prices, if you happen to enter any other mall you’ll feel as if you’re getting robbed.

24. The art of bargaining

The actual prices showed at such markets in and around Bangkok are usually less in real. The stuff you get here is quite cheaper than you can expect. Try bargaining and haggling with the shopkeepers, they’re bound to let the prices down. Khao San Road in Silom has the best market with cheap stuff ranging from clothes to bags to wallpapers to framed sceneries. The Chatuchak market will also leave you agape.

25. Rabbit travel card

To tour around Bangkok, BTS Skytrain is the best. They currently have two lines across Sukhumvit and Silom and a central station in Siam. Rabbit travel cards come for adults, students and seniors; a single journey might cost between 15-45 bhat if you travel by bus and more expensive if you travel by a taxi, Rabbit cards provide the whole trip in not more than 21 baht and sometimes offer a discount for the elderly.

26. Hotel taxis

Taxis provided by the hotel or the taxis parked outside the hotels have plagued the city of Bangkok since years. These taxi drivers are usually friendly and can strike up a normal friendly conversation with the tourists and later ask for hiring their shiny taxis. They then offer fixed rates for a tour around Bangkok, which are surprisingly higher than the actual prices. If you really want to hire a taxi you can use a metered taxi or you can even consider the local buses.

27. Drinks in nightlife

As you experience the nightlife of Bangkok and visit the various high- end night clubs or bars, be sure to buy a full bottle of liquor or a tower of beer. Buying single drinks as you might do in your own country will cost more in Thailand, surprisingly you’ll find that the whole bottle or a tower of beer might help in saving loads of money.

28. Currency exchange

You shouldn’t consider exchanging currency in your bank or rather your hotels; they won’t provide the best rates. If you want to exchange at convenient rates and try other currency exchanges like SPR- superrich international exchange.

29. Fancy rooftop bars

Night life in Bangkok is enchanting; every tourist would want to experience such nightlife. While rooftop bars sound amazing and totally enthralling you might end up wasting a fortune in these prominent office towers or hotel bars and restaurants. Cloud 47 in Silom is considered the best if you want to save the money and have a rooftop dusk view. The beers here start from 160 baht which is not even the least price in some bars. Here you can have all the fun and save money in the dusky view.

30. Airport transfer

Airport link taxis are the best way to commute the airport or the metered taxis. From downtown Bangkok it costs roughly 300 baht to get to the airport if you don’t use the highway. But using the airport shuttle costs more as they’ll make you ride the highway and cost double the actual price.

31. Littering in Bangkok

Tourists catch more attention from the police if they break any laws. Littering is clearly an offence in Thailand, so be sure not to drop your empty bottles or cigarette butts, people are heavily fined and the police take quick notice of a foreigner.

32. Rent a vehicle

Hiring a taxi gives tiring cost, but renting a bike is the best option if you want to ride along. Bikes of 125cc can be rented for 3000-4000 baht per months; discounts are given during low seasons. In Phuket and Pattaya renting systems are the best as the whole Taxi business is totally corrupt, while in Bangkok the MRT and BTS systems save the day. This is the best way to save money during your Thailand trip.

33. Unnecessary money charges

You’ll be charged a flat fee for withdrawing money by using a bank card, in these cases make few but big withdrawals. You can always ask for larger denominations before you come.

34. Laundry

If you’re staying at a hostel or a rented apartment, don’t go searching for laundry places. A packet of washing powder and a few minutes to wash will do, buy a sarong to use instead of heavy towels to dry fast. You can also loose and light clothing which gets washed easily and dries easily.

35. Scamming or robbing

Learn about gem shop scams, tuk-tuk rides and airport taxis in Thailand. Know the prices and fares before hand to not get scammed. Always be alert for your cash and valuables and try to put up a ‘no-messing’ façade, this won’t make you an easy in dangerous areas.

36. Making money in Thailand

People in Thailand for business buy beautiful photos or descriptions from the blog for their use. You can always work professionally and sell your stories and photos at a good rate, Advertisements in your blog pages also help in getting loads of cash. Tourists have also posed in photos or advertisements for some companies and have earned extra cash.

37. Guide books

Although there’s plenty of information about Thailand on the internet, but still if you feel the need to have extra information you can buy second hand guide books in tourist stores or book stores. You can also print out your pages for information before you come or get them printed at 5 bhat.

We’re sure you’ll find these Budget Thailand trips handy.

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