5 Tricks To Save Money On Your Trip To Thailand
Every other individual dreams of travelling the world and Thailand comes among the top names in the list of countries to travel. Whether it is to learn about the people, observe the lifestyle, try various culinary delights, or marvel at ancient glory, Thailand fits the quota for every traveller. The country’s landscape is filled with both antediluvian temples and modern sky-piercing towers.
That being said, not everybody is a millionaire that can spend large amounts of money with a second of thought. Moreover, rather than worrying about the cost of the trip, you may have to focus on things like tickets and a Thailand Visa. However, that does not mean that you have to simply cancel your plans. Planning a trip with a fixed budget and religiously sticking to it helps you have a great experience without spending a mountain of money. Hence, this blog will tell you how you can save money while you are roaming the enchanted country of Thailand.
Travel to Thailand during low season
When it comes to expenses like airfare, every place has a period during the year that has a high number of tourists visiting. Hence, it is only obvious that it has a season when that number is low. The same can be said for Thailand. For the prominent country, the time between April and September is considered as low season and costs you much less than the usual high season of October to March. In addition to airfare, the cost of accommodation, rentals, food, and much is higher in Thailand during high season. Hence, if you want to save money on your trip, you should book tickets and accommodation during April and September.
Avoid getting scammed by taxi drivers
Thailand is a country that you can buy things at cheap prices through bargaining. Hence, there are certain places and times where you should bargain for lower prices. Apart from shopping, getting a taxi is one instance where you have to bargain for a reasonable price. Many taxi drivers see tourists like you and look at it as an opportunity to advantage from your lack of knowledge. Simply put, any taxi driver will try to get a higher price because you are a foreigner and do not know what the fair transportation rates here are. Many times they will try to get double the price from you. The best way to protect yourself from this is to get the “taxi meter” cabs. These cabs have a built-in meter that tells you the right price of a trip as opposed to what the driver may tell you. Moreover, make sure that these meters are operational and visible.
Travel overnight
When it comes to getting around Thailand, taking overnight buses and trains proves to be a much better option as they save you a lot of money. The simple logic behind this is that a lesser amount of people travel during the nights, hence, the prices are much lower. Furthermore, you may have to travel for 24 hours to reach some locations. In such a case, travelling overnights saves you the cost of overnight accommodation. While these trips can be lengthy and exhausting, the air-conditioned trains and buses are extremely comfortable to travel in. These trips also include stops where you can get access to all the usual conveniences like food, drinks, etc. that you would normally get during day travel. While trains are slightly cheaper, they cover fewer routes compared to buses.
Avoid Thailand’s tourist traps
When you arrive in Bangkok, mostly everything you wish to buy is affordable. When you travel to the northern regions of Thailand like Chiang Mai, these prices are much cheaper. After visiting all these areas with pocket-friendly facilities, you get to the tourist areas of the country that make a big dent in your pocket. While they are cheaper than the rest of the world, they are extremely expensive compared to other parts of Thailand. The worst part is all these products are the same as found in other regions of the country but are still sold at a higher price, simply because they are being sold in a tourist hotspot.
Rabbit travel card
The first place you will be exploring on your Thailand trip will most likely be the capital city of Bangkok. Being a metropolitan city, traveling around Bangkok can be tiresome and also expensive. Hence, your best option to travel around in Bangkok is to use the BTS Skytrain. They currently have two operational lines across Silom and Sukhumvit along with a central station in Siam. For traveling on these lines, you can use a Rabbit travel card available to adults, students, and seniors. A single journey on these trains may cost somewhere between 15 and 45 bahts.
What you need for a Thailand Visa
Arguably, the most important thing you need for the trip is a Thailand Visa. Depending on factors related to application, eligibility, and requirement, a Thailand Visa can be approved or rejected. While the application form, eligibility criteria, and requirements are different across various Visa categories, here are a few things that are common across all of them:
Application form – Every applicant is required to fill the application form in all respects as per the guidelines and regulations set by MFA.
Photograph – Every applicant is expected to provide a passport-sized photograph of himself/herself attached to the application form
Passport – The applicant should have a passport that is valid at least 6 months after the date of travel and have a minimum of 2 blank pages. Only in certain situations, individuals without a valid passport can submit any other travel document valid according to the MFA.
Proof of sufficient funds – Applications for certain types of visas need to be attached with proof of sufficient funds. This proof implies that you have the financial capability of bearing the cost of the entire trip.
Proof of stay – Most types of Thailand Visa requires proof of stay among the documents necessary for Visa approval.
Tickets – A common part of the application of a Thailand Visa is providing a copy of the confirmed return ticket. However, some types of Visa need only an intended date of travel.
If you want to make the most of your time in Thailand, you may have to make sacrifices on certain preferences you may have during travel. Doing so may cause you some inconvenience, but it will be completely worth it when you return home. The reason for this is that you may not remember the 5-star hotel that you stayed at, but you will surely remember the markets you roamed and the food that you ate.
