This artwork highlights greed, desire, and suffering as visitors cross the symbolic bridge to nirvana, free from suffering and desire.
My Thailand-Laos trip from January 13 to April 9, 2026, cost $4,269, averaging $50 per day. After redeeming most lodging, my actual costs were $3,028, averaging $35 per day.
- $654 in Travel and Tour costs.
- $1,768 in Food costs, with a daily cost of $21.
- $1,847 in Lodging for 81 nights with a nightly cost of $23. I redeemed $1,241 by using Capital One credit card points, which lowered lodging costs to $606 for a nightly cost of $7.
Note: I redeemed $677 of Korean Air costs using 67,700 Barclaycard points.
Tours and Travel Costs
These $654 expenses included the following tours and travel activities:
- $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, Tuk-Tuk, 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
- I used 67,100 Barclaycard points to book a round-trip flight from January 13 to April 9, 2026, with a 12-hour layover at Incheon Airport. The total cost was $677.
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
- $1,768 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
- $1,847 for Lodging that averaged $23 per night. After I redeemed my Barclaycard points, lodging costs were $606 that averaged $7 per night.
Vientiane Ruby Villa Hotel, Vientiane, Laos
I usually book through https://www.agoda.com/ and booking.com a few days before my arrival. Read customer reviews and check the map for the location to ensure you get what you want.
With the high temperatures and humidity, I prefer A/C rooms with hot water showers, hot pots, security safes, and locations near attractions or city centers. Most rooms have TVs, but few have English-language channels.
I watched news and entertainment on YouTube using my iPad with the hotel WiFi instead of the TV.
Drinking Water
Many travelers and locals use plastic water bottles, but I prefer a SteriPen and a wide-mouth 20-oz plastic bottle. The SteriPen has a USB connection for recharging. It purifies water quickly—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 at no cost, regardless of entry method. The Thailand Digital Arrival Card (TDAC) replaces the paper application card. Foreigners must file 3 or fewer days before arrival. Apply online at: https://tdac.immigration.go.th/manual/en/index.html
If you don’t file online, use a computer at Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to apply for the TDAC system on arrival. This is not recommended due to long lines and the need to fill out extensive demographic information, including flight and lodging details.
Laos offers a $50 online eVisa for 30 days to US tourists. Applying at the border requires a passport-sized photo and the same fee.
Getting Money
At Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, I used an ATM to withdraw Thai Baht for travel. I then replenished funds at ATMs scattered throughout the airport. Many restaurants and stores charge an extra 2-3% for credit card payments. 7-Eleven stores only accept credit card payments if you spend over 200 Baht and don’t incur any extra fees.
Getting Bank Fees Back
When traveling internationally, I typically carry about $300 USD and use ATMs to replenish my funds. I use a Schwab ATM card that reimburses me for all bank fees, a service offered by other banks.
Schwab reimbursed me $75.89 for 9 ATM draws of 10,000 Baht each, with a 220 Baht processing fee per draw ($6 USD).
Daily Walking
For years, I’ve walked at least 3 miles daily for 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.
Medical Tourism
For years, I’ve received medical services at Bumrungrad Hospital in Thailand. Upon entering, I was impressed by its luxurious appearance, reminiscent of a 5-star hotel with soaring rose-colored granite columns. Many Middle Eastern visitors arrived in large Mercedes limousines, exuding wealth.
4 Upper Front Veneers
In October 2005, I visited Bumrungrad Hospital to repair my severely chipped front tooth.
Before
Dr. Pacharee recommended veneers for either the two upper front teeth or all four, as the outer two were crooked and one was smaller. She suggested doing them in pairs for a more natural look. The cost was about $250 per tooth here, compared to $1,000 to $3,000 back home. The final cost, including a cavity filling, was $1,200.
After
Fillings vs Crown
In 2023, my dentist recommended a $1,507 crown for my lower left molar in Seattle. Dr. Pacharee suggested filling it instead by removing the cracked areas and filling the chipped section. I agreed. She also filled the sloughed-off lower right molar. The cost for both fillings, including X-rays, was $255.
Periodic Dental Checkups
At home, the last dental check-up bill in 2023, including X-rays, was $475. In Thailand, with Dr. Pacharee, the same check-up costs $118. She received her dental training at the University of North Carolina and is a professor here.
Eyelid Surgery--blepharoplasty
In 2017, my ophthalmologist in the US suggested eyelid surgery to improve my vision. The cost was $4,500 for the upper eyelids or $8,000 for both upper and lower.
In August 2017, I researched eyelid surgery at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok. The cost was $1,525 for the upper eyelids and $2,431 for both upper and lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) with Dr. Komwit Kaewchaijaroenkit.
For the operation, I donned an operating gown and was wheeled into a pristine operating room. Several Novocain shots were administered before the cutting began. Surprisingly, I ended up with about 24 stitches in each eye area.
After the drugs wore off, there was only slight pain and a feeling of tightness due to swelling. I had two follow-up appointments: one a week later and another a month later.
Each follow-up visit costs $15. In the first visit, Dr. Komwit removed the stitches. In the last visit, he suggested eye area massages to further smooth the areas operated on.
My Blue Cross reimbursed me $2,400 for the eyelid surgery.
Upper Left Veneer Replaced by Crown
A 20-year-old veneer fell off during a trip to Vietnam in 2025. Dr. Pacharee repaired it instead of replacing it for $160.
I was glad it happened in Southeast Asia since my wife had a veneer replaced in the US for $1,000.
Unfortunately, the replacement veneer didn’t hold, so Dr. Pacharee replaced it with a crown in January 2026, costing $1,200. In Seattle, similar work costs about $2,000.
Weather
Thailand’s weather was hot and humid, with temperatures ranging from 70 degrees in the early mornings to 80 to 92 ° in the late afternoons, and a humidity of 85%, making it feel even hotter. Three or more showers a day helped.
Rainfall was minimal, with only 4 times in the evenings and mornings around Bangkok and Ko Samet, and no rain in Laos.
I prefer this warmer winter weather to Seattle’s atmospheric river and flooding, with temperatures averaging in the low 30s to 45 °.
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