How to Enjoy Phuket on a Budget

Phuket is a gargantuan place, despite being the second smallest province in Thailand. I was astounded to go around such a well-known province. Roads crisscrossed, went uphill and downhill, were swallowed by trees, and were giving me the urban forest-y side of the country. There are lots of things to do aside from just lying on the shores and sipping cocktails. However, be warned: this province has a higher cost of living than the other Thai provinces, (and honestly, I got fonder of seeing the other provinces of Thailand after my trip on this one.) This province also encompasses both the good and bad side of Thailand tourism. Here are a few ways on how to maximise your experience on this island on a minimal budget:

Eat Street and 7-Eleven Food

The cost of food in Phuket is remarkably almost double in price. This is because of the over-development of the province due to tourism. Hence, eating at restaurants can deplete 300+ THB right away. You’ll need at least 400 THB alone to eat a full meal at Food Bazaar. If you drink out, a pitcher of Singha beer can cost as much as 450 THB. Then add the service charge, and you’ve spent almost 560 THB! I bet you aren’t even fully drunk just yet after that. The best way to cut down on your expenses is to buy the beer and some food on 7-Eleven. Also, street food is a lot cheaper than regular ones, so keep an eye out for those. It’s perfectly safe – well, most of it anyway.

Walk around for Cheap Accommodations

Places like Patong have a higher cost with regard to ho(s)tels. There is a lot of sex tourism involved in that area, and there is a definitely some competition. Hostelworld is a good website to list choices, but the suggested establishments in there aren’t always the cheapest. For instance, we went to the top suggested hostel in Patong and found out that the rate doubled than it said on the website. Hence, we walked around to find an alternative and found one near the area almost half of that rate. The average rate of budget accommodation is 400 THB.

Know the Bus Routes

I cannot even begin to fathom how much we would’ve saved on getting around if we had a fair idea of the bus routes. There is a bus going to Phuket town for only 30 – 80 THB which can save you 150 THB on a tuktuk (moto-taxi) ride. These tuktuk drivers are resilient. If they sense for a minute that you are not “same-same” and are a tourist, they will carry your bags all the way to their tuktuks, and they are quick to negotiate a rate for your destination. Tuktuks are good at times, but they can be expensive if you use them often. Buses and trains are the best alternatives. We even used them to go from Phuket to Bangkok and save a decent amount on the airfare (granted, flights from Phuket to Bangkok are relatively fast and cheap) as well as had a good view of the Thai countryside on the way.

Be in Cohorts with the Taxi Drivers and Get Discounts

From the moment you land in Phuket International Airport, minibuses will offer 180 THB to get to any destination on the island. It can take an hour to reach the south of Phuket where most of the beaches are. However, as far as taxis are concerned, they can be just as expensive (perhaps even more.) Hence, working with them can be a breath of fresh air after splurging your money on lots of tuktuk rides across the country. You can negotiate the price before boarding the taxi despite the meter. Be familiar with the distance first before trying this approach. The Philippines and Thailand have a fairly close difference in the currency exchange rate, so it’s fairly easy for us to calculate how much we should pay before taking the taxi. Afterwards, chat with the driver a bit about how you’re trying to save some money and ask for suggestions. You must do this convincingly for it to work. Taxi drivers usually get commissions for taking tourists to certain shops. Make a deal with them in exchange for a discount in your fare. I’ve spent a good 4 minutes browsing expensive-looking stuff on a shop I have no intention of buying from and save ourselves 50 THB off the taxi fare. Who knows? If I browsed in three more shops after that, we wouldn’t have to pay anything at all.

Enjoy the Beach in the Morning

Most of the activities in the beachside is offered later in the day. However, if you intend to go to Phuket for the beaches, I suggest enjoying them in the morning. The atmosphere is much less chaotic, you can have an early start, and you’ll save on all the gimmicks the beachside has to offer which can only deplete more of your precious travel funds. If you’re looking to enjoy these activities, there are plenty of cheaper places in Thailand to do so. For instance, parasailing costs 1000 THB, but can cost 750 THB in other places.

As one of the Thais we’ve talked to put it, “Phuket is not expensive if you know where to go.”