Heading back to Thailand for the 3rd time in October.
By no means an expert, but certainly starting to pick some tricks of the trade up...
Just some tips:
- Not sure where you're flying into Asia (Narita, Japan? Hong Kong?), but I've found that Air Asia (www.airasia.com) is the key to cheap flights in South-East Asia
- Airport Express Bus (AE#3 Suvarnabhumi-Sukhumvit) will save you about $5 on your trip to the Sukhumvit area, but if you're new to Bangkok you probably should pony up the extra $5 and just grab a cab from Suvarnabhumi
- Hotel costs will depend on your standard of living. If you want upscale, be prepared to pay over $100/night... have stayed at the Grand President on Soi 11 (family suite; nice enough, but not great value for $100+), one of those Citadines places near Asoke station (not so great value either), Ever Rich Inn (a small boutique hotel right by Gullivers and at the foot of Nana station that's cheap - $40 to $50 - with no amenities, but clean and right in the heart of Sukhumvit), and in October I'm checking out the Admiral Premier by Asoke & Soi Cowboy (had a stay 2 nights, get the 3rd free... and have heard good things about it)
- Soi Cowboy vs. Nana - all comes down to preference, but I prefer Cowboy myself. Keep your eyes peeled for Lolitas by the Circle K (or some convenience store) on Soi 12; dirty, but worth checking out once in your lifetime
- Gullivers & Beer Bar are great places to pick up freelancers, though freelancers can be hazardous to your health
- Chatuchak market on the weekend can be located in the far north at the end of either the BTS or the subway. Imagine a roofed marketplace the size of a football stadium with cheap prices, and that's Chatuchak.
- Get out of BKK fairly quickly unless you're made of money. Pattaya is the obvious choice, but while cheaper it can be much harder on your soul (and more importantly, your man-parts). Cabs can be upwards of 700 - 1000 baht ($20 - $35) from BKK to Pattaya - a better option if you don't have too much luggage is to jump on the BTS at Nana on Sukhumvit and ride it down to Ekamai station and then find the bus depot. For about $5 you can get a 1st class Air-Con bus down to Pattaya (though the bus depo in Patts is a bit farther from the beach so you may have to grab a cab to your hotel from there)
- Check out the Sandy Springs Hotel or the Whitehouse Condotel on Soi 13 in Pattaya - both are very close to the beach & action, Walking Street, but also Soi Post Office (aka Blow Row) and Soi 6 (I'm sure you've heard of raunchy Soi 6). Both are reasonably priced as well.
- If you get tired of shagging your brains out and want some culture, check out the Sanctuary of Truth (huge wooden-carved temple), Mini Siam (miniature villiage of all the world's great wonders, as well as Asia's wonders), or Koh Larn (a coral island you can get to by ferry for about 20 baht; ferry departs from a pier at the end of Walking Street).
That's all I got for now. Guess I didn't answer your budget question, but hopefully all that other stuff is helpful. I know, personally, I usually budget $1,000 more than however many weeks I'm planning to stay to cover the entire trip (flight, hotel, food, shopping, *entertainment*, etc.). So if I'm staying 2 weeks, I expect to pay around $3,000. I don't live too high off the hog, but I don't stay in $17/night hotels or buy too many lady drinks for the bargirls either.
Have fun!
