Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
The cost of my Thailand trip from October 30 to December 13, 2025, was $2,487, for a daily cost of $55 in my 45 days of travel.
- $507 in Travel and Tour costs.
- $1,344 in Food costs, at $30 per day.
- $636 in Lodging costs for 43 nights at $10 per night.
Note: I redeemed $542 of hotel costs and $889 of Korean Air costs using 143,100 Barclaycard points.
Tours and Travel Costs
These expenses were $507, with the following tours and travel activities making up the bulk of these expenses:
International Flights
- No cost. I used 89,000 Barclaycard points to book a round-trip flight with Korean Air for $890. The flights were on October 30 and December 13, 2025, with a 7 1/2-hour layover at Incheon Airport on the way home to Seattle.
Domestic Flight
- $96 for an AirAsia flight for travel from Krabi to Bangkok.
Travel Insurance
- $61 for my Travel Guard Insurance for this 45-day trip, since my upfront costs were $437 for advanced hotel reservations in Bangkok.
Train
- $37 on the bottom bunk sleeper train from Bangkok to Hat Yai.
Park and Temple Fees
- $24 entrance fees at Wat Po Temple and the Ko Samet park.
Metro Transit
- $43 for Bangkok Sky Train and Airport train rides.
Buses
- $41 for bus rides from 2 to 4 hours.
Boats
- $75 for rides to Ko Samet, Ko Lipe, and the Bangkok Canals and Rivers.
- $53 for rides ranging from 10 minutes to 5 hours.
- $77 for 23 times.
Delightful Food Choices
My biggest trip expense was food at $1,344—about $30 per day.
Here are some of the meals I enjoyed:
Breakfasts
Thai Dinners
Western Style Dinners
Unique Shepards Pie
Thanksgiving meal with pumpkin pie.
Snacks
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. It has a USB connection for recharging. The purification process was quick—about 1 1/2 minutes of UV light and no chemicals.
Lodging Costs
Lodging costs averaged $10 per night, after redeeming $542 of expenses with my Barclaycard points.
La Bella Guesthouse, Ko Samet
I usually book through https://www.agoda.com/, booking.com, or hostelworld.com a few days before arriving at my next place. Reading customer reviews and checking the map on these sites helps me understand what I’m getting.
I usually get 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.
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 days in advance of arrival. Apply online at: https://tdac.immigration.go.th/manual/en/index.html
If you don’t file online, you can use the TDAC system at the Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) to apply on arrival. However, I don’t recommend this due to long lines and the need to fill out extensive demographic information, including flight numbers and lodging places.
Getting Money
Before leaving Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, upon arrival, I used an ATM to get Thai Baht for travel and replenished at ATMs everywhere. Many restaurants charge an extra 2-3% for credit cards.
7-Eleven stores accept charges over 200 Baht without 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 $39.27 for 6 ATM draws of 10,000 Baht, each with a 220 Baht processing fee ($6 USD).
Daily Walking
For years, I’ve walked at least 3 miles daily for health and enjoyment. During my 45 days in Thailand, I walked over 200 miles, averaging 4.5 miles daily, ranging from 1 mile (rainy day—14 inches) to 9.5 miles.
Weather
Thailand’s weather was hot and humid, with temperatures ranging from 70 ° in the early mornings to 80 to 92 ° in the late afternoons, and a humidity of 85%, making it feel even hotter.
It rained only twice around Bangkok and Ko Samet, but on Ko Lipe and Hat Yai for 6 days, it was a monsoon every day, with one day recording over 14 inches of rain.
I got this alert on my iPhone:
That is translated to say:
Informational Alert
DDPM warns of increased rainfall.
Pinned 23-11-2025
2m ago
Prepare for increased water levels in the area. Avoid walking or standing in floodwaters for extended periods.
Beware of venomous animals. Study evacuation routes and methods to temporary shelters near your home. Prepare contact numbers for agencies or organizations that provide evacuation assistance. DDPM
I escaped Ko Lipe and Hat Yai, taking an oversized truck through Hat Yai’s floodwaters to a minivan that took me 5 hours north to Krabi. From there, I caught an AirAsia flight back to Bangkok.
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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