A long soak in a jacuzzi and a luxurious massage sounds like the sort of vacation experiences out of the reach of frugal travelers. But why should budget conscious tourists miss out on all the fun? This article introduces you to several spa resorts that cost a lot less than you’d think.

If you’re looking for a cheap spa vacation, it’s worth taking a trip to Asia. Indulgence is a way of life here, and it doesn’t cost a lot. In Japan they even offer spa experiences in their hostels! You’ll find Spa Hostel Khaosan in Beppu, a friendly Japanese city renowned for its natural hot springs and picturesque beach. The shared dorms and private rooms are pretty plain, but chances are you’ll spend most of your time winding down in the hostel’s own hot spring bath. That natural pool is definitely worth the measly $33 US you’ll pay for the cheapest room.

For a little more money you can stay at Banpu Resort and Spa, an idyllic spot located on Thailand’s Koh Pu Peninsula. The word resort makes us think of big bucks, but its log cabins start at just $40 US a night. If the sea and garden views aren’t enough to relax you then try taking a dip in the pool. You’ll pay a little extra to indulge in the Thai massages or reflexology sessions, but your muscles will argue they’re worth the splurge.

More expensive again but still not unreasonable is Febri’s Hotel and Spa in Bali. Its rooms start from $77 US, but your dollar buys a lot including access to the Jacuzzi, steam room, and sprawling swimming pool. If that calm water feels a bit tame for you, the famous South Kuta Beach is only a short walk away.

Asia really has the market cornered on affordable spa experiences, but Samai Center Hotel-Spa in Ecuador is a great option for anyone wanting to stay a little closer to home. From $70 a night you can experience all the good vibes that radiate from this eco-friendly resort. Its wooden lodges are made from organic materials, and its restaurant serves local seasonal fare, including many items grown in the onsite veggie garden. The resort runs many workshops designed to give you a new lease on life, from Feng Shui classes to meditation programs.

And finally, if you can afford the flight it’s worth checking it to Spa Lodge Backpackers in Rotorua, New Zealand. Just like Spa Hostel Khaosan, this friendly hostel makes use of the hot springs its city is famous for. The natural geothermal spa will do wonders for your aching muscles, especially after an action packed day of extreme Kiwi adventures! Dorm rooms start at around $20 US, and the hostel even offers discounts for weekly visits in winter!

So don’t dismiss that spa getaway out of hand. If you do your research and plan ahead, it could cost a lot less than you think. Just remember to consider the costs of the treatments, as they can add up quickly!

Thailand lures thousands of frugal travelers to its shores each year. They enjoy the country’s weak currency, wile away hours on its pristine beaches, and head back to their relatively affordable lodgings once the sun sets. A vacation in this Asian territory will never break the bank, but with a little local knowledge you can return home with even more baht in your pocket.

Thai hotels are much cheaper than those outside Southeast Asia, but unless you’re staying for a night or two they don’t represent the best value. Hostels and guesthouses are much more economical for a mid-length stay. If you’re holidaying for more than two weeks, consider renting an apartment. Thailand has many vacation rentals, and that competition ensures they’re not too expensive. They give you all the comforts of home, so you can also cut down on meal and laundry costs.

Thailand offers all the delicacies of the Western world including hamburger joints and pizza parlors. However it seems they’re simply there to tempt the tourists with their overpriced dishes. Eating local Thai cuisine is much more affordable, and culturally enriching. Indulging in exotic aromatic noodle and curry dishes certainly doesn’t feel like dining on the cheap. Resist the urge to tip too, as this practice is not a Thai custom.

After a big feed, tourists are typically tempted to knock back a few cleansing ales or cocktails. However anyone wanting to save money in Thailand should give alcohol a wide berth. Avoiding this indulgence will help you save some serious coin. It’s not quite as exciting, but I recommend filling up on water. It’s free in many locations, including Thai banks and Buddhist temples!

Thai business owners can smell a tourist a mile off, so it’s important to have your wits about you to avoid local scams. Everything seems affordable here compared to the Western world, so it’s not unusual for taxi drivers, street vendors and tour operators to quote their services at several times more than their real value. Seek out locals or expats to clue you in to expected prices, and prepare to haggle with businessmen inflating theirs.

And finally, plan your trip carefully. Choosing which Thai locations to visit and when could make all the difference to your budget. Thailand enjoys a spike in travel between November and February, but it’s just as pleasant to visit outside these months. While you’ll likely encounter some rain in the wet season from May to November, you’ll also enjoy warm weather and blue skies. In fact, the showers can cool the country down a little and make conditions more pleasant! Traveling during the low season will help you save on airfares, accommodation, car and motorbike rental, and other holiday services.

A Thai temple protector

The idyllic Thai islands of Phuket, Koh Samui, and The Similans are very popular with tourists, but these locations are much more expensive than those on the mainland. I don’t suggest skipping them entirely, but you may want to limit your island time. Koh Lanta should make any frugal traveler’s shortlist. It’s not as popular as some of the other islands, so it’s quieter and cheaper. However its beaches and coves are just as serene, and its local sea gypsies add some real color.

While you’re planning your vacation budget, remember to save something for a good travel insurance policy. There are many areas to save money in Thailand, but this isn’t one of them.

Haad Rin Beach is known as Thailand’s party capital, a coastal stretch in Koh Pha Ngan that lets its hair down every month at its infamous full moon parties.

Attendance at a full moon party is considered a rite of passage for young travelers passing through Thailand. You’ll wear day-glo clothes and dance to the throbbing techno beats blasted by local DJs until well past dawn. Various bars set up along the beach to ply their wares, and almost everyone overindulges. Prepare for crowds; during peak season it’s not uncommon to see tens of thousands of revelers on the beach.

When you get so many intoxicated party goers together there are a few basic safety precautions you should follow. Remember to wear shoes, ideally covered ones, as the sand becomes very littered as the event wears on. Also keep only the bare essentials, including the cash you’ll need and your hotel room key, on your person. Your passport, credit card, and plane tickets home will be much safer in your room.

And while this is a party, remember to steer well clear of illegal drugs. Thailand’s drugs penalties are some of the harshest in the world, and possession can be punishable by a lengthy jail sentence. It’s simply not worth the risk.

With a full moon party scheduled every 28 days, to coincide with the moon’s natural cycle, it’s easy to fit one in to your Thai vacation. Haad Rin Beach is at the southern tip of Koh Pha Ngan, a budget travel spot just north of the popular resort area of Koh Samui.

The popularity of the monthly event makes it easy to find transport. Overnight trains and buses run from most major Thai cities to Surat Thani, and then it’s just a matter of catching a connecting ferry to the beach. If you’ve got a bit more cash to spare you could fly to Koh Samui from Bangkok, Chiang Mai, or Phuket, and then take a boat out to Koh Pha Ngan.

Revelers at Thailand's Full Moon Party

There’s something magical about spending time with butterflies, and in Thailand you can do it for free at the Bangkok Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.

The butterfly garden is an enclosed space, so at any one time more than 500 butterflies may be fluttering about your head. Some of the most spectacular varieties include the large Golden Birdwing, the delicate Siam Tree Nymph, and the Giant Silkworm Butterfly.

It might seem a bit cruel to keep butterflies cooped up for their short lives, but this spot is so beautiful I hardly think the insects mind. The 1100 square meter enclosure is decorated with rockeries, flowers and ferns, and even a cascading waterfall for them to play in. The plants are labeled with their names in English, Thai, and Latin, so no one need miss out.

You’ll learn plenty watching the butterflies at play, but an informative indoor display complements this. The exhibition charts the life cycle of the vibrantly colored insects and offers other interesting facts.

You’ll find Bangkok Butterfly Garden and Insectarium inside Rot Fai Park, next to Thailand’s Chatuchak Markets. Catch the subway to Chatuchack Park, and it’s just a short walk down Kampaengphet IV Road. The sanctuary is open every day but Monday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

[Image Source: Honey-bee/Flickr]

The revelry of New Year’s Eve may be far behind the Western world, but now Thailand’s gearing up for its annual celebrations..

The Thai New Year is known as Songkran, and it’s celebrated every year from April 13 to April 15 with plenty of free fun.

Songkran is often called the Water Festival, so you’d best come prepared for a dousing. The Thai people believe that water will cleanse them of bad luck, so they spend the three days getting wet and wild in preparation for a successful New Year!

It’s not just the people that get washed down at Songkran. Other rituals look to purify Thailand for the New Year, from cleaning houses to washing down statues of Buddha. Young Thais also show their respect for their elders by uttering blessings and cleansing their hands with scented water. This practice is thought to banish negative thoughts and actions.

The first day of Songkran is called Wan Sungkharn Long. On this day the Thai people offer alms and food to the monks at their local Buddhist temple before returning home to clean their houses. On the following day, called Wan Nao, the Thais return to the temples. They build small pagodas from sand called chedis and clean the temple’s sacred objects with water. And finally there is Wan Payawan, when the fun really begins!
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Wet fun in Thailand's streets at Songkran

Unless you want to be soaked to the skin, you’d best stay indoors on the final day of Songkran. The Thai people wander the streets looking for dry souls to saturate with ice-cold buckets of water and the spray of water pistols. Remember that this is all in fun, and even if you would prefer to stay dry you should accept the pranks in the spirit they were intended
Songkran is a time for family, so many Thais leave the cities to return to the provinces they grew up in. This leaves major tourist areas, including the capital city of Bangkok, much quieter than usual. If you like to avoid crowds, this is the time to see the big cities. However remember that as Songkran is an official Thai holiday, its government institutions including banks and post offices are closed for the festival’s entirety. Plan ahead and you’ll have a great time during Songkran, no matter where you’re enjoying it.

[Image Source: Wyndham Hollis/Flickr]

Lumphini Park is like a little oasis in the center of bustling Bangkok’s shopping districts and eat streets, a place to enjoy life at a slower pace and get back to nature.

It’s also a great place to spend time in Thailand for free, or close to it!

The sprawling parklands are spread out across 142 acres in the heart of the city. Its centerpiece is a beautiful created lake. You can experience its splendor up close by renting a boat or enjoying a picnic lunch on its banks.

If you’re an early riser see locals performing traditional fan dancing, yoga, and tai chi each morning at 6 am. The running trails are also popular amongst businessmen keen to start their day with a workout.

As the sun goes down you can get your heart pumping with a free outdoor aerobics class. Forget about looking silly and enjoy the retro exercise every day from 6 pm. Between February and April, free musical concerts are also held in the park every Sunday evening. Free art exhibitions, fairs, and plays, are also staged at various times of the year.

Make sure you listen out for the Thai national anthem, which is pumped through the park each day at 8 am and 6 pm. Visitors should stand still as a sign of respect during these times.

Lumphini Park in Bangkok, Thailand

Unlike many parks around the world, dogs are not permitted at Lumphini Park. You also can’t smoke there, so the air is always clean and fresh. Forget about flying a kite or tossing around a football, as these activities are also banned. Cycling is permitted but only during certain hours; you can only ride a bike there between 5 am and 3 pm. Anyone caught breaking these rules is fined 2000 baht, so you’d best stay on the straight and narrow!

All those regulations may seem a bit off putting, but they ensure Lumphini Park is a great place for Bangkok locals and tourists alike to enjoy.

[Image Source: Anna/Flickr]

The allure of Thailand’s markets and elephant parks is irresistible to tourists, but if you want to learn about the heart of this Asian nation you’ll need to travel to its temples, known as wats.

These are hundreds of wats around the popular tourist town of Chiang Mai, and as their Buddhist residents want for little they’re often free to visit.

It may seem strange to visit a temple in ruins, but Wat Chedi Luang’s rich history makes it worth a look. King Saen Muang Ma built the wat in 1391 to hold his father’s ashes. His successors expanded the building, which eventually housed the holy Emerald Buddha. Earthquakes and Burmese invasion destroyed the wat, but it is still an active place of worship. It’s inspiring to see the monks in their saffron robes continuing on despite Wat Chedi Luang’s decay. Some parts have been reconstructed, but the historic ruins are arguably more beautiful.

Right next door you’ll find the smaller Wat Pan Tao. It has a subtler charm than the rest of Thailand’s temples, but its wooden structure makes it unique. Lay people are invited to pray in the wooden wiharn, a relatively recent addition moved to temple grounds in 1875. Look for the gorgeous wooding carvings of peacocks and mythical creatures over the main doorway, and the flags and artifacts displayed inside.

Wat Chiang Man

Nestled in the Doi Suthep Mountain to the west of Chiang Mai you’ll find the wat which shares the summit’s name. It’s worth climbing the hundreds of steps to Wat Doi Suthep to see the multiple images of Buddha and feel the energy of the faithful followers. However if you’re feeling particularly lazy you can always catch the cable car!

If you only see one temple in Chiang Mai, make sure it’s Wat Chiang Man. It was built in 1292, making it the oldest in the district. Its Lanna-style architecture has held up remarkably well over the years. The carved elephants which surround the main building and the ornate red roofs on the newer structures are particularly impressive.

Remember though that wats are not simply tourist attractions; they are there to serve the local Buddhist community. You should respect local custom by wearing modest clothes and being quiet and reverential while on wat grounds.

[Image Source: Cindy Andrie/Flickr]

Bangkok is a wonderful tourist destination, with plenty to see and and welcoming people. There’s great Thai food in Bangkok too (as you might imagine).

But just like so many thriving vacation spots, there are scams designed to dupe unwitting international tourist. So keep your wits about you and look out for the following schemes.

Plan your trip, and don’t let anyone divert you from your path. Dishonest taxi drivers might tell you a local attraction is closed, giving a plausible story about repairs or religious holidays. They are likely to tempt you with an alternate spot, such as the famed but non-existent Lucky Buddhist Temple. But you should not give in. Politely leave the cab, and flag down the next one. While they may be telling the truth, it’s much better to find yourself at the entrance of a closed attraction than scammed by a cheat.

Some gift stores claim to be government sponsored, in an attempt to seem more trustworthy. Many go to great lengths with this charade, even hiring uniformed guards to stand around the store. But this too is a scam. The government does not sponsor any retail outlets, so don’t fall prey to this lie.

While shopping for bargains in Thailand, also keep a look out for scam teams. They will spin a tale about a great sale at a store, which is of course ending today. They’ll approach you systematically as you roam the Bangkok streets, and even in your hotel, but do not believe their story. The sale is simply a ruse designed to fleece you for more money.

And of course, don’t do anything in Bangkok that you would do at home. Don’t accept rides from strangers, walk alone late at night, or frequent areas that “just don’t feel right.” Keep your wits about you and you’ll have a fabulous time in Thailand’s capital.

If you’ve never left a prized possession behind in a hostel in some far-flung corner of the world, you’ve probably never backpacked.

It’s very easy to forget your essentials as you struggle to check out of your room on time, but thanks to the new website Backpack Boomerang, all hope is not lost.

While travel insurance can replace big ticket items, it falls down when it comes to sentimentalism. No cash payout can ever replace the vacation pictures on your camera, the music on your iPod, or the digits of people you’ve met abroad stored on your cell phone. That’s where Backpack Boomerang really excels.

The site is the brainchild of seasoned backpackers who know all too well the pain of leaving vital items behind. Its concept is simple. If you’ve lost something, click on the “losers” tab, detail the missing items, and wait patiently for someone to write back. If you’ve found someone’s prized possession, it’s off to the “finders” section with you.

The website’s altruistic concept should appeal to the nature of backpackers. Perhaps this site could even forge some new friendships amongst budget travel enthusiasts!

The main drawback right now is the site’s limited scope. Currently the website is only servicing backpackers holidaying in Thailand, but its creators plan to roll it out to the rest of Southeast Asia before conquering the world. I’m sure backpackers all over the globe are looking forward to that!

We all know that counterfeit goods are bad, but those affordable handbag copies and super-cheap pirated DVDs hawked in Asian marketplaces are mighty tempting.

While we’d never encourage loading up your suitcase with these faux products, if you can’t help yourself we suggest frequenting the following cheap and cheerful shopping centers.

Thailand is the king of the counterfeiters, with most of them doing a roaring trade in Bangkok. The latest bootlegged albums and even fake IDs are available on Khao Sarn Road. Factory seconds and other cheap gadgets are sold at Pantip Plaza. Quality does vary, and you won’t get any of those shiny warranties, but you might just find a bargain. Just make sure that your preferred language is switched from Thai to English before you depart with your new toys. If your needs are less specific, then the Chatuchak Weekend Market is ideal. It’s the world’s largest market, selling everything from live chickens to handicrafts. You might spot Coach and Gucci logos on the accessories, but if they’re sold here don’t expect authenticity.

If Thailand’s capital is a little hectic for you, then enjoy life at a slightly slower pace at Chiang Mai. The city is famous for more than its elephant nature park; its night bazaar has a diverse array of goodies including many impressive designer copies. Shop from sunset each night for these treats, but be prepared to haggle. Prices typically start higher than they do in Bangkok, so you’ll need to do some work to get a bargain.

Hong Kong loves to shop for fine designer goods, but if you want them you’ll need to frequent the country’s malls. For the same looks at much cheaper prices, the markets are your best bets. The Ladies Market in Hong Kong is great for a girl’s night out, with vendors selling handbags, apparel, and other items targeted at fashion-forward females. While you’re spending up, your other half can busy himself at Mongkok Computer Shopping Center around the corner, or the tech-focused Sai Yeung Choi Street South located one street over.

The underperforming dong allows most Western travelers to live the high life in Vietnam, which makes it a great shopping destination. For the best bargains head to Ben Thanh Market, just outside Ho Chi Minh city. I’m not sure any of the Nike shoes, Ray-Bans sunglasses, and Tag watches are genuine, but they certainly look it. The dollar DVDs are also a big attraction for movie buffs.

But before purchasing designer replicas and counterfeit goods, it’s important to remember that you get what you pay for. Often that’s watches that will turn your wrists green, sunglasses that won’t protect your eyes, films that are barely watchable, and apparel that will fall apart quickly. It could also land you a nasty fine when you return home, so make sure you research your own country’s rules on counterfeit goods before shopping up a storm.