orlaaisha0

Hey there! A group of friends and I are travelling to Thailand in November and have already planned 3 nights in Bangkok after which we will begin travelling down to Surat Thani. We know that we want to Island hop places like Ko Chang etc but would really love some other suggestions that a well priced and perfect for backpackers!!

Our parents have said that places like Ko samui, Ko phangan and Ko Tao are good but nowadays they are more expensive and we are wanting to stay on budget!
Also if anyone has any travel advice or key destinations to see that would be highly appreciated!!

Thanks again !

crellston

In November I would stick to the Andaman coast which will have the better weather. If you want to island hop there are plenty to choose from and you can get to them all by a combination of bus, boat and train. We have done it in both directions all the way down to Malaysia. To save back tracking it may be an idea to go all the way to say Penang and the get a nudge flight back to Bangkok.

There is lots of great info @ https://www.travelfish.org/country/thailand

for getting around by train and bus https://www.seat61.com/Thailand.htm is really good

PS your parents were right. Those are no longer the places to go on the cheap! They are also way over touristed and don’t represent the best of Thailand

orlaaisha0

Thanks so much for the reply! Will definitely be using those websites!

khunwilko

The weather on Samui is just about at it’s wettest in November – it clears up after Christmas usually.



Koh Chang – there are 2 one in the Eastern Gulf and the other one the Andaman side.



The weather one Koh Chang, Trat (eastern side) should clear up dramatically in November – there are other islands to visit there but the accommodation is quite dear – Koh Chang itself is not too bad.



On the Western (Andaman coast) the weather should be fine by November.



There are still “budget” places on Samui archipelago. There are some hostels and still a few places under £20 per night, If there are enough of you maybe book a villa?



All islands tend to be more expensive for food and accommodation than the mainland, if only for logistical reasons.

I lived on the mainland for several years and on Samui – the main difference was on the mainland I could always get a bowl of noodles for 40 baht, but on Samui it was hard to find under 80 baht.

Basically all tourists want their share of a “paradise” beach and that leads to ever higher prices and more developed hotels.

If you have Google maps on your phone (get a Thai SIM Card!) you’ll find it useful if you get stuck for accommodation. Check Samui and “hotels nearby” – there ar e plenty of places around £20 – if you go inland a bit they are cheaper.