Thailand is a backpacker’s paradise due to its atmosphere, activities and of course, price. Although  mass development over the last decade means you’ll hear many a traveller remark on how it “isn’t what it used to be”, it is still the one place we have been to so far where there truly is something for everyone. If you want culture you have Chiang Mai, for diving you have Koh Tao, if you want to feel lost in paradise (and have the money to be able to afford such a luxury) you have Koh Kood (a small island in the Trat province) or Ao Wai beach in Ko Samet. And of course, if you’re looking to create a warmer version of Blackpool abroad you have Kaosan Road in Bangkok (!)

 

Visas

If you arrive in Thailand by air you are allowed to stay in the country for 30 days and don’t require a visa. If you arrive via an overland border, the stay is reduced to 15 days. More detailed information on Thailand’s new visa rules can be found here.

 

Accommodation

When it comes to sleeping arrangements, you can generally pay as much or as little as you want depending on the level of comfort you desire / require. The last of the unspoilt islands, such as Ko Kood cost a lot more per night, whereas Bangkok and well known islands offer cheaper options for those on a budget. As a rule of thumb, if people have heard of where you want to go, you can probably find as many cheap places to stay there as you can foreigners. If you do want somewhere that’s beautiful and less touristy but also affordable (who doesn’t?) booking in advance is necessary. We found that we had to rule out a lot of islands, simply because the affordable accommodation near the nicer beaches had been taken. If you're not fussy about where you lay your towel, there's generally always somewhere to stay.

 

We paid:

Koh Tao
400 Baht €9 / night to stay in a bungalow in the island of Koh Tao on the main beach, Sairee, as we were allocated a place by the Scuba school Isma had booked dives with. It had a fan, and was very, very basic, but unfortunately we had seen much worse. (If I’m not sharing a room with a cockroach I’m generally happy).

Bangkok
600 Baht €13 / night to stay in a normal hotel with air con. It was not the most central place in Bangkok, an intentional choice because we had to go to the Chinese Embassy (although spending as much time as we did there was an unexpected surprise), but with such a good underground system and public transport, it didn’t really matter.  

Ao Wai (quiet beach on the south of Koh Samet)
1187 Baht / €27 per night to stay in the only hotel (Koh Samet Ville) on the quiet, Ao Wai beach is a hideaway where a few Thais go due to the island’s proximity to Bangkok. Our little bungalow was modest (boiling hot) with a fan, but the beach was beautiful. It’s worth noting that we paid this much as it was our wedding anniversary and wanted to treat ourselves after almost 4 months of travelling. The food was terrible, which is hard in Thailand - so I don’t recommend this hotel but do advise you to find a hotel near enough to this beach.
 

Food and Drink

Most of you will already be familiar with the wonders of Thai food, but for those who haven’t had their country taken over by this popular cuisine, you can expect rice dishes with coconut milk based curries (which make the food taste slightly sweet) and noodles.   
Although the price varies as much as the price of accommodation and depends on the island you’re on, a rough guide to the average cost of a meal can be found below:

70 Baht = rice and meat dish
80 - 90 Baht = rice and seafood dish
360 Baht = 2 or 3 main meals e.g.: rice and chicken + seafood / fish + drinks + salad. With something like this, fruit is often thrown in for free
80 Baht = pancake with fruit (varies according to mainland / island)

 

Money makes the world go round...

At the time of calculating these prices, 1 Eur = 44 THB. Of course, you'll get more for your money if you earn in British Pounds.

You really can spend as much or as little as you want to so work out where you want to go according to what you want to spend.