As travelers across Southeast Asia grapple with rising prices, one question keeps surfacing: Is Thailand still affordable?
A detailed 16-day trip report from South Thailand provides the answer — along with exact costs, strategic choices, and lessons learned that could save future travelers hundreds of euros.
The bottom line: €2,100 per person for 16 days, including flights from Europe. That covers accommodation, food, day trips, massages, and transportation across Krabi Province and Koh Phi Phi.
But here's what makes this report valuable: it's not backpacker-style travel. The couple, both 31, chose "slightly more expensive accommodation" because they've "aged out of the dirtbag travel style." This makes their budget more realistic for travelers seeking comfort without luxury.
The Strategic Choices
Facing the eternal Krabi dilemma — Ao Nang or Railay Beach — they chose Ao Nang for convenience. "Ao Nang is not nearly as pretty as Railay, but it is very convenient," the traveler explained. With abundant restaurants, massage centers, tour agencies, and better hotel options, Ao Nang proved ideal for their needs. And Railay? Just a 10-minute, €2 longtail boat ride away.
For Koh Phi Phi, they avoided the crowds of Tonsai and Long Beach by staying in Laemtong, the island's remote northern tip. isolation (a 1,500 baht longtail ride or limited ferry service) and higher restaurant prices, but also and beaches where
