Thai Islands on a Budget, with a Pinch of Luxury
Hey little Wandering Soul! Hope you are doing well! Have you ever caught yourself dreaming of Thai white sandy beaches, zipping a young coconut, listening to the ocean waves and watching the sunset while laying on a beach massage bed, all this without ruining yourself? Me too! But have you made that dream happen yet? Or are you still finding excuses, thinking that’s impossible cause only rich kids or famous peeps can have some fun on Thai Islands? Well, let me tell you something right now, YOU, yes you, can make that dream of yours come true on a budget and this, with a pinch of luxury too! And here I will tell you how through 1 video and 36 photos which will inspire you to book your tickets to the Southern Thai Islands the second you finish reading this post!
Whether you only have 10 days or an entire month, here are some of the Thai Islands you cannot miss when visiting exquisite Thailand:
1) Koh Phi Phi
To swim in the crystal water of Koh Phi Phi on a budget, you have two easy options:
1) You fly to Phuket Airport, take a speed boat to the islands and stay at a typical Thai bungalow on Koh Phi Phi Ley or Don.
When we stayed at “the jewels of the Andaman Sea” during our first trip to the Thai Islands, we only had 10 days and had organized a pretty crazy schedule… We flew with Qatar Airways for exactly 450€ per person, including return tickets (if you book 6 months prior to your departure you can get the same and sometimes even find cheaper!)… So we flew from Barcelona to Doha, then from Doha to Bangkok and then from the Thai capital to Phuket. Once arrived in Phuket, we took a taxi that brought us to Phuket Harbor where we then took a speed boat and then near the islands, we had to leave the speed boat for a taxi-boat in order to be able to reach our hotel on Koh Phi Phi Don. Can you imagine that this trip took us 28 insane travelling hours in a row? Crazyyy I know but that’s part of the adventure and that is how we could easily afford to visit Thai Islands on a Budget, with a Pinch of Luxury!
Where to stay?
If you are looking for an affordable and typical Thai Bungalow when in Koh Phi Phi Don, you can check out and book the one we stayed at here: Paradise Pearl Bungalows.
You can also find and book any other hotel/resort on Koh Phi Phi right here: Best Hotels in Koh Phi Phi
2) You fly to Phuket or Krabi, get an affordable typical Thai hotel there and then treat yourself with a one-day boat excursion which is worth less than 70$ per person.
This is the option we picked the second time we went to Koh Phi Phi as we also wanted to enjoy some relaxing time in Phuket. There are plenty of places in Phuket which propose you One-Day Boat Excursion to the Phi Phi islands but the best and easiest way remains you to ask and get your tickets from your hotel/hostel concierge or receptionist. Then nicely bargain a little by telling the hotel staff that your friends got the tickets for 65$ per person last week and chances are the staff will offer them to you for the same price, especially during the low season. By booking it with your hotel, you know it is safe and you will be picked up at your hotel directly on the day of the trip and brought back there too.
Where to stay?
If you are looking for affordable and beautiful typical Thai Resorts in Phuket, you can check out and book the ones we stayed at here: Kata Lucky Villa & Pool Access and/or Thavorn Beach Village Resort & Spa Phuket
Want to compare the above hotels with others in Phuket? Check it out here: Best Hotels in Phuket
2) Phuket
Best Beaches in Phuket?
When in Phuket, soak up the sun at Kata Beach and Freedom Beach.
Best Thai Food restaurant & Massage Place on a budget in Patong – Phuket?
Although Patong offers a great quantity of restaurants, it is a bit difficult to find one that offers authentic and tasty Thai food. Thus, we were really happy to find some great reviews on Blue Horizon – Authentic Thai Food Restaurant which was only one and a half street away from my absolute favorite massage and beautician place called “Vayo Massage” in Patong. The restaurant is a bit hidden and is situated in a street full of other restaurants not far from the beach of Patong. The menu looked so yummy and the prices were really attractive, we sincerely wished we could eat it all! 🙂 But being big Pad Thai lovers we could not escape to our tradition and thus ordered 2 plates accompanied by refreshing Coconut water. I was in paradise! The food was really tasty and fresh. The presentation of the food was nice and the place was cosy and a bit away from the noise of Patong and all the tourists. I will definitely eat there again when we will be back in Phuket so I highly recommend this restaurant to you too!
3) Koh Samui
Koh Samui is one of the most developed Thai island and it is where you will find many beach clubs and night life. When you go there you cannot miss the fire show at Chaweng Beach and the cocktails at Fisherman’s Village in Bophut.
Where to stay?
Looking for an affordable and beautiful typical Thai Resort in Koh Samui? Check out and book the one we stayed at here: Samui Palm Beach Resort
Want to compare some more Koh Samui hotels? Check them out here: Best Hotels in Koh Samui
Where to eat?
Everywhere but especially the Cafe 69 in Bophut! It’s foodgasmic! So thank me later! 😉
4) Koh Phangan
Have you ever heard of the crazy and colorful Thai Full and Half Moon Parties? Well Koh Phangan is the home of it! Now, a ticket to access this insane party is about $30 and the fluorescent body paint is not included in the price! We went there with our group of backpacker friends and it was really special… I personally did not enjoyed it that much as it is full of crazy young Westerners who get drunk AsF and drug is sold all over the place. So if you are going there with a group of friends like we did it is fine but I would not recommend it to you if you are only 2 peeps.
Now although there is a lot of party on this islands, there are also places which I truly loved such as the Amsterdam Bar, where you get to experience stunning sunset and chill with some reggae music on the top of a hill and drink right under a sky full of shining stars. Then there was a hippie chocolate bar called “The Organic Chocolate House“, where you realize Swiss Chocolate truly sucks compared to this artisanal Thai Dark Chocolate, which melts in your mouth! The biggest similarity between the Swiss and this yummy Thai Chocolate is probably the price as it is quite expensive, but totally worth every bite!
Where to stay?
Looking for THE pinch of luxury of your stay in Koh Phangan? Use some extra dollars and book the stunning boutique hotel we stayed at here: Buri Rasa Koh Phangan
If you are looking for a budget option, you can book your hotel here: Best Budget Hotels in Koh Phangan
See it’s that easy! Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that on the Thai Islands, a 1-hour Thai or Coconut Oil Massage will only cost you $5! So now you really have no more excuses; Select some dates well in advance, book your tickets and discover how life should really be lived! 🙂
Want to discover more heavenly destinations? Just click on your dream destination here: Bali / Singapore / Barcelona
