Buzz
Ms. Phuong Hao (born in 1990, Hanoi) recently embarked on a solo 3-day, 3-night trip to Bangkok with just 3 million VND, along with her limited English skills.
3-day Bangkok tour for only 3 million VND
Traveling alone and visiting a foreign country for the first time, the chances of female travelers being denied entry upon arrival are quite high. The local customs officials will ask you many questions, such as whether you have at least the equivalent of 10 million VND. Phuong Hao shared her secret: “At that time, don't show fear, but calmly answer that you have plenty of money but keep it in your visa card, and show them the card. You need to show that you are a serious, confident tourist, and they will not make it difficult for you anymore”.
Hunting for cheap flights
There are many budget airlines flying to Thailand. If you are willing to watch for deals, you can book a round-trip ticket for around 1.5 million VND. If you are determined to travel on a budget, you need to have a proactive mindset.
Book online
Phuong Hao said she booked her accommodation on online booking websites. You should have money in your visa card to book hotel rooms and flights. You can also withdraw money with your card while abroad.
A hostel is a dormitory-style room with bunk beds similar to a dormitory. Each person has a bed, a wardrobe, and a private lock.
Phuong Hao chose her first hostel in the Khao San area (Bangkok) because there are many places to visit and you can walk to many tourist attractions. You should choose a room with air conditioning, as Thailand is very hot, even at night. The room she booked was 135,000 VND per night. The room was a bit old but quite clean, and the hostel owner was very enthusiastic.
“The most important thing is that I got to interact with many young backpackers from all over the world. Most of the people I met on my recent trip were younger than me, and the list of countries they visited was “awesome”. Most of them travel and earn money at the same time. In the evening, we all went to the bar together, it was really fun,” Phuong Hao said.
After that, she chose a hostel in the Pratunam area. This area is less bustling, but the rooms are much more beautiful and luxurious than Khao San. The price also ranges from 135,000 VND per night. The surrounding area is mainly shopping centers and bustling markets.
Experience traveling by bus
Thailand has a very diverse transportation system including buses, subways, motorbike taxis, taxis, tuk-tuks... giving you plenty of choices. You can choose the bus if you want a cheap, safe, and convenient option.
There are many types of buses in Thailand. Among them, shuttle buses are short-distance buses that run for free, with a new trip every 5 minutes. The second type is non-air-conditioned buses. Although they can be hot and take a while between trips, they are clean and cost less.
The third type is air-conditioned buses. These buses have fares ranging from 10-15 baht (equivalent to 7,000-10,000 VND). They are clean, air-conditioned, and have more trips. Bus ticket sellers in Thailand are very friendly, and 90% of them speak English.
There are 2 ways to check the bus route:
– The fastest way is to ask the police or students in uniforms, as they are very likely to speak English. Thais who know English will be very enthusiastic about giving directions to tourists.
– Another way is to use a map. You can use the Here WeGo app on iOS. It has offline maps that do not require a network. You just need to enter your destination and then select the bus as your mode of transportation. The app will suggest routes and bus lines. You get on the bus and follow the route on the map.
Food and Drink
To eat well and cheaply, you should go to the market, especially the local market. Or you can go to the food court in shopping centers, where food is quite cheap and there are many choices.
Thailand is a paradise for fruits, smoothies, and juices. Two famous dishes are pad Thai and mango sticky rice.
Ice cream in Thailand is very delicious, especially coconut ice cream. Street food is clean and prices range from 20-100 baht depending on the type.
Explore on Your Own
Her way of exploring is to open the map and see if there's anywhere she likes, then go there. All experiences are self-discovered and inquired with her extremely limited English skills.
“Traveling alone, the key is to be adventurous and willing to actively socialize and make friends with everyone. If you can't speak English, I use body language, waving hands and feet, they understand in some way. The downside of this approach is that you can't go to many places, but the feeling of discovering a beautiful place on your own is thrilling and joyful,” the 9x happily recalled.
Source: Vu Quynh Khanh Linh/Zing News
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Reference: Travel Guide Mytour
MytourFebruary 24, 2017
