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How many days in Thailand?

How many days in Thailand?

This is a guest post by Gillian of One Giant Step. Gillian believes that we are all only One Giant Step from making our dreams come true. She, and her partner Jason, travelled around the world for a year in 2009/2010. She writes about the preparations, the journey, and the returning at her blog www.One-Giant-Step.com.

It’s hard isn’t it? To keep that wallet in your pocket while you dream of visiting somewhere far away.

You can imagine yourself on that beach in Thailand; feel the sun on your skin and taste the salty air…and yet the draw of that new pair of jeans or night out on the town is stronger and you shill out the 60 or 100 bucks now instead of putting it away for that sun drenched holiday.

One of the best techniques we used to save was to play the ‘How Many Days in Thailand’ game.

Khao San Road Food Stall

A night out on the town? Or many nights at a Bangkok Food Stall like this one? Which would you choose?

Want that new pair of jeans? How many days in Thailand do they cost?

Have to see that new movie? How many days in Thailand would that cost?

Need to go on that mountain biking trip? How many days in Thailand would that be?

That night out on the town? How many nights out in Thailand would that be?

Chiang Mai Breakfast

Chiang Mai Breakfast - $3

I am here to tell you that it’s worth putting a lock on that wallet and waiting until you get to Thailand! It is as cheap as legend says and your dollar will go much, much farther.

So, that new pair of jeans? One night’s accommodation at a resort on the beach ($25), 4 fresh fruit smoothies ($1 each), half a dozen beer to take to the beach ($1.25 each at 7-11), and a seafood BBQ dinner on the beach ($12) while you watch the fire dancers and enjoy more beer. Total: $50

Take in that new movie? How about a fresh fruit, granola and yogurt breakfast ($3), more fruit smoothies ($1 each), some pad thai for lunch ($1.50 each), a foot massage ($5) and couple of beers instead? Total: $15

Mountain biking trip? Instead, you could have three nights accommodation at Khao Yai Nat. Park ($10/night), food and drink at the lodge ($10/day including a bottle of Samsung whisky…yum!), a trek to see the bat cave with millions of bats ($20), and a full day jungle tour tracking wild elephants ($40). Total: $120

And that night out on the town? You can’t beat Khao San Road for pulling up a stool at one of the roadside bars that pop up every night, shilling out $1.50 for a ‘very strong cocktail’ or $5 for a famous ‘bucket’ and chatting up the fellow traveler that plunks down next to you. Total: Too Cheap!

We averaged $93/day during our more than 2 months there. For both of us! And we didn’t cheap out. You could go to Thailand on half that; we met many who were easily spending much less than we were. But it’s a place where your dollar goes far and it’s worth enjoying the luxury that you can’t afford at home!!

Flickr Photo: BRivey

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