Thailand is a super backpacker-friendly country, which makes it easy to spend some time in the country on a very tight budget. We’ve spent almost two months in Thailand and managed to spend only $10 a day, even when we were traveling between places. Of course, not every day is the same, and there were days that we’ve spent way more than this. Especially, when doing tours or activities that cost money, it’s difficult. But still, it isn’t impossible. That’s why we wanted to share our experiences and tips on how we managed to travel cheap in Thailand on only $10/day.
Southeast Asia
Pai, a small town in the mountains of Thailand, has become very famous among the backpackers for a few years now. Many come here to relax and escape the bustling cities of Thailand with its shouting tuk-tuk drivers and busy traffic. Because of this, it’s also called the hippie town of the north. With just 150 km from Chiang Mai, it’s easily accessible by bus or minivan. Although many travelers prefer to conquer the mountain road with its endless twists and turns (762 in total) by motorbike. There a lot of cool things to do in Pai which you can easily combine in one whole day.
Hitchhiking in Thailand is not as common as in European or American countries, but it is certainly possible. People in Asia are so friendly and curious why a foreigner is standing at the side of the street, trying to stop the passing cars. So it won’t take long until someone stops to ask what you are doing. But making them clear what your intention is, is a lot more difficult. After riding our car from Belgium to Mongolia, taking sleeper trains in China, riding a motorbike around Vietnam & Cambodia, and taking local buses in Laos, we decided to hitchhike our way around Thailand.
The beautiful hill town Sapa is the best place in Vietnam to see the rice terraces, the hill tribe villages and to hike the highest mountain of Indochina. There are a lot of tours that offer trekkings and packaged tours in Hanoi & Sapa. Even though they can make the interaction with the locals easier, we think you can do everything perfectly by yourself! By not having a tour or guide, you are free to go wherever you want, and it will save you a lot of money! Keep reading if you want to discover all the great things that Sapa and its surroundings have to offer with this Sapa 3-day itinerary!
When going to Vietnam, the North has to be on your itinerary. In fact, it was one of the best things we’ve done in Vietnam. If we think about North Vietnam, the small town of Sapa immediately comes to mind. This pretty place just can’t be skipped, because it’s the best place in Vietnam to see the rice terraces, the ethnic minority villages and to hike the highest mountain of Indochina. A lot of travelers book packaged tours in Hanoi to get there, but this breaks the budget very quickly. We’ve made this comprehensive Sapa travel guide to make your journey towards Sapa easier and more importantly, much cheaper.