The cost of my Thailand-Laos trip from January 13 to April 9, 2026, was $4,392, for a daily cost of $51 in my 86 days of travel. By redeeming most lodging costs, my actual costs were $2,865 for a daily cost of $34.
- $672 in Travel and Tour costs.
- $1,815 in Food costs, with a daily cost of $21.
- $1,905 in Lodging for 81 nights with a nightly cost of $24. I redeemed $1,527 by using Capital One credit card points, which lowered lodging costs to $378 for a nightly cost of $5.
Note: I redeemed $677 of Korean Air costs using 67,700 Barclaycard points.
Tours and Travel Costs
These expenses were $672, with the following tours and travel activities making up these expenses:
- $140 for Beach Lounge Chair Rentals—I enjoyed using these chairs at the beaches on 43 days for $3.25 per day
- $106 for Entertainment, Park, and Temple Fees.
- $101 for Metro, Sangthaew, and Mototaxi rides.
- $80 for Trains to Chiang Mai, Vientiane, and Bangkok.
- $79 for Buses to Ban Phe, Chiang Rai, Huay Xai, Bangkok, Pattaya, and Suvarnabhumi Airport.
- $33 for Boat rides.
International Flights
- No costs. I used 67,100 Barclaycard points on Asiana Air. The price for this flight was $677. These round-trip flights were on January 13 to April 9, 2026, with a 12-hour layover at Incheon Airport on the way home to Seattle.
Travel Insurance
- $53 for my Travelguard Insurance for this 86-day trip, since my upfront costs were $339 for advanced hotel reservations in Thailand.
Food Costs and Delightful Choices
- $1,815 for food expenses—about $21 per day.
Here are some of the meals I enjoyed:
Breakfasts
Asian Dinners
Panang Curry
Pad Krapow
Cashew Nut Chicken
Musaman Curry
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Coconut Shrimp
Western Style Dinners
Snacks
Lodging Costs
- $1,905 for Lodging that averaged $24 per night. After I redeemed my Barclaycard points, lodging costs were $378 that averaged $5 per night.
Vientiane Ruby Villa Hotel, Vientiane, Laos
I booked through https://www.agoda.com/ and booking.com, usually a few days before I arrived at my next place. It is important to read the customer reviews on these sites and check the map for the location before booking, so you have a better idea of what you are getting.
With the high temperatures and humidity, I usually get A/C rooms. Other features I usually get include: hot water showers, a hot pot, a security safe, and a location near attractions or city centers. Most rooms have TVs, but few have English-language channels.
As an alternative to the TV, I watch news and entertainment on YouTube using my iPad with the hotel WiFi.
Drinking Water
Many travelers and locals buy and use plastic water bottles. Instead, I continue to use a SteriPen along with a wide-mouth leftover 20-oz plastic bottle. The SteriPen has a USB connection for recharging. The purification process is quick—about 1 1/2 minutes of UV light and no chemicals.
Country Travel Visa Expenses and Changes
Thailand now offers US tourists a 60-day on-arrival visa, whether I entered by air, land, or sea, at no cost. Thailand now has an online visa application process called “Thailand Digital Arrival Card” (TDAC) to replace the paper application card. Foreigners are requested to file 3 or fewer days before arrival. Here is the website to apply:
https://tdac.immigration.go.th/manual/en/index.html
If you do not file online, you need to use one of the computers at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to apply for the TDAC system on arrival. I don’t recommend this because of long lines and the need to fill out lots of demographic information, including flight numbers, lodging places, etc.
Laos allows US tourists a 30-day visa using the online eVisa system that costs $50. If you wait to apply for this visa at the border, you need to have a passport-sized photo and pay the $50 fee.
Getting Money
At the Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, I used an ATM to get the Thai Bahts I needed for travel. I then replenished funds at one of the many ATMs found everywhere. Many restaurants and stores charge an extra 2-3% when paying by credit card. The 7-Eleven stores only let you charge if you spend more than 200 Baht and add no extra fee.
Getting Bank Fees Back
When I travel internationally, I usually take about $300 in USD and rely on ATMs to replenish my funds. I used a Schwab ATM card and get reimbursed for all bank fees. Other banks offer similar reimbursements.
For this trip, Schwab reimbursed me $75.89 on these charges for the 9 ATM draws of 10,000 Baht, which they added for each draw a 220 Baht processing fee—$6 USD.
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Daily Walking
For years, I have tried to walk at least 3 miles per day for my health and enjoyment. During my 86 days in Thailand and Laos, I walked about 400 miles, averaging 4.6 miles per day, ranging from 1 to 9.2 miles per day.
Weather
As usual, the weather in Thailand was hot and humid with temperatures ranging from 70 degrees early mornings and 80 to 92 degrees by late afternoons with a humidity of 85%, which made it feel even hotter. Three or more showers per day helped.
It only rained 4 times during the evenings and mornings around the Bangkok and Ko Samet area, with no rain in Laos.
I much prefer this warmer weather in the wintertime compared to the weather in Seattle, where it has been experiencing an atmospheric river and flooding, with temperatures averaging in the low 30s to 45 degrees.
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