Why Thailand Is ‘The’ Destination of 2022
If you ask me to suggest the best overseas tourist experiences for a typical middle-class family, Thailand would definitely find itself in the top few entries as far as value for money is concerned. Its proximity to Indian shores is one of the main reasons why it is more affordable than her neighbors on the East. Moreover, the country is well geared up for the tourism industry. That’s why I feel Thailand is ‘the’ destination for the year 2022.
Bangkok is the most visited city in the world for a number of reasons. So, go ahead and see the top 10 reasons why I rate Thailand as cheap and best amongst the Top Tourism destinations in South East Asia in 2022 Even Singapore and Malaysia lag a tad behind when it comes to popularity as budget destinations.
1. All in One Package
Thailand offers something for every kind of traveller. Be it Beaches, National parks, Island hopping, snorkeling, scuba diving, adventure sports, nightlife, shopping, Heritage, Hills, Theme Parks or Zoos, Thailand has it all.
So, your family members are sure to find lots of things to do, as per their choice. Hence, your Thailand Vacation is something which visitors of every age group and taste will enjoy. There are some amazing sights and activities out there.
2. Cheaper Currency
One Thai baht equals to approximately two+ Indian Rupees. Probably, this is one of the best conversion rates in the travel point of view given the value for your money. Just to compare, the US dollar is about Rs 84. Hence you can have a foreign holiday in a fraction of the US/UK costs.
3. Affordable Accommodation
Accommodation is very cheap in Thailand. For family stay, if you use Airbnb like services you can hire a fully furnished condominium/ flat cheaper than hotel. For instance, for a family of 4, I got a condo for about INR 1800 which is even lower than Indian hotels.
# Quick Tip – Register with AirBnB with this link and get Rs 2200 discount on your first stay. Do you know Top 10 Reasons Why I Prefer AirBnB To Hotels
4. Cheap & Quality Street Food
Bangkok is regarded as the Street Food capital of the world. A reasonable meal can be had upwards of INR 100 (THB 50). Now, that is a huge money saver.
5. Cheap Flights
Flight tickets from India to Thailand are one of the cheapest. A number of Indian low-cost carriers are operating flights from all major airports in India. So, you can fly to Bangkok at the cost of flying a full-service airline from Delhi to Chennai on a typical season.
Even the local flights connecting Bangkok to Phuket, Krabi, Chaing Mai etc are dirt cheap. Check the cost of local flights here
6. Visa On Arrival (VOA)
Visa on arrival is available for Indian tourists at a reasonable cost. Otherwise it costs around Rs 4400 (THB 2000). Read this post to know more about Thailand Thailand Visa On Arrival
Thailand has opened up for international tourists arriving by Air from 63 low risk countries from October 01, 2022 with no screening/restrictions.
The countries are :-
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belgium
- Bhutan
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Canada
- Chile
- China
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malaysia
- Malta
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman,
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Romania
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- South Korea
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- The Maldives
- The Philippines
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Vietnam
Fully vaccinated tourists not from the above countries are still welcome however they will have to enter via the ‘Sandbox’ programme that is being run in 17 provinces where one is to undergo a mandatory 7 days hotel quarantine in the first destination and undergo a PCR test at the end of the 7 days and will be allowed to travel only after the results are ‘negative’.
Tourists from above countries having ‘Visa Free Travel’ agreement can still continue to travel to Thailand Visa Free however others have to obtain a Regular Tourist Visa before arrival in Thailand.
7. Superb Transportation
Bangkok has a very good transportation network. Underground Metro, Sky Train, River and Canal boats, buses, Taxis, TukTuks( Auto Rickshaw), Songteaw (Shared Mini Bus) and Motor Cycle Taxis are all available to make your movement smooth. You can book Train, Bus, Van and Ferry tickets all in one mobile app.
8. Thailand – The Shopping Destination
A large number of Malls, Weekend markets, Night markets and China Town dot Bangkok. Asia’s largest Chatu Chak Weekend Market is also in Bangkok. Handicrafts, Clothing, Cheap Electronics, Designer Tea etc are the most common items you can shop for.
9. Friendly People and Colourful Culture
Thailand is called ‘The Land of Smiles’. Thais are always smiling and welcome guests with a lot of warmth and friendliness. The Buddhist- Hindu culture and references to ancient Indian epics like Ramayana are quite interesting.
A number of shows like the Siam Niramit, Alcazar, Tiffany’s, etc are world-famous for their uniqueness and colorful display of art and culture.
10. Well Developed Tourism Industry
Above all, Thailand is a country which is very well organized for tourism. Seamless integration of transportation, hospitality, food and entertainment industries makes a traveller feel at home.
I can assure you that you will get full value for the money paid for any service in Thailand. All of the above make Thailand ‘the’ destination for 2022.
Check our special discounted prices of entry tickets and activities here
Tip: You can opt for free pick up and drop service for local tours which will save time and is hassle-free.
So, follow my subsequent articles to plan a cheap and awesome family trip to Thailand and save your hard-earned money too
Also Read
When and How Should You Travel to Thailand
Cost Analysis of Your Dream Trip To Thailand
Clever Hack for The Cheapest Air Ticket
Top 10 Reasons Why I Prefer AirBnB To Hotels
Insider’s Guide for Easy Booking of AirBnB Home in Bangkok
If you like the post please share it with your friends. In case of any questions, kindly ask me in the comments box below and I shall get back with the answers you need!
18 comments
Very practical analysis..
Thanks. Are you planning to visit Thailand/Singapore/Malaysia? As an appreciation of your supporting my effort, I will make a plan for you and assist in booking local trips too..
Great analysis. Changes your view on Thailand. But you should have also included how good are the interiors of the country and about their culture. However, a great introduction for one, though.
Hi Kiruthi, Thanks for your comments. This is actually an ongoing series of posts that will cover the destinations within Thailand soon. I have a few more posts regarding planning and conduct of the trip coming up. Then it is all about nice places to visit in Thailand. Stay connected and share my posts with your friends too. Regards.
Hi, very well written and neat information. Thanks.
What do you recommend for a family with kids to travel from Bangkok to Koh Chang Islands? Please suggest something good, convenient and affordable. We will travel during 2nd week of October.
Hi Amitava, please share your dates, intended places of visit and your typical interests in sightseeing. Also, with your selection of Ko Chang, I think you want to break free from the beaten track of Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Krabi… Kindly share your general idea about this so that I can suggest something good. Cheers
Also, another question:
Is a receipt from Airbnb booking is sufficient to prove my stay in Thailand? I heard sometime back from a friend that there was a problem with AirBnb. Please advise.
Hi Amitava, Thanks for reading my posts and appreciating my work. I am a family traveler and AirBnB is my favourite. I have always been able to sail through VOA counters with the AirBnB confirmation voucher. As far as my experience goes, AirBnB receipt is sufficient to prove your stay when presented along with confirmed return tickets within 15 days of arrival (If you are opting for Visa on Arrival). You can go through my other posts on Visa to decide which Visa is best suited for your plan. Also, read my guest post on another blog writergitanjali.com to understand how the new eVisa on Arrival works. Please let me know if you have any other queries. Also, share my posts on your WhatsApp, FB and Insta accounts so that your friends could also benefit. Cheers.
Hi Maheswari,
Thanks again for your reply about AirBnb. I prefer to stay at AirBnbs because when you are traveling with kid, some so called ”homely” elements are required. You know what I meant.
I have filled an online application form for visa on arrival where I inserted the address of my airbnb accommodation. And, name of local contact, I put airbnb host’s name. Is that alright?
My passport carries my old address from Bangalore but right now my permanent residence is in Kolkata. So, I used that in the form. Do you want me to carry a supporting document to prove my current permanent address? Please advise.
Kind regards,
Amit
Hi Amit,
I always stay in AirBnB where available. Check my posts about AirBnB to know how to plan an AirBnB stay, especially in Bangkok. As regards, proof of residence, whatever address found in the passport is generally accepted as authentic. Although you may not be asked about the current address, it is always advisable to keep all important documents scanned and mailed to your own email address so that the same can be accessed in your mobile anytime. My post on Visa On Arrival gives all the details. All my posts on Thailand deal with travel planning as it is not available anywhere else. So read all the posts to get a general idea of the trip. I shall advise you on destinations once you send me your dates and duration. Cheers.
Maheswari
Hi Maheswari,
Thank you very much for your message/reply. I want to avoid mingled and swamped within the crowd of tourists, so I intend to avoid the places as you have mentioned. In Koh Chang, I like to do beach hopping, a trek if possible and suitable also for my 7 year old daughter, snorkeling (possibly with my kid as well, if that option is available). And, we also want to see Chiang Mai on the north. Do you have any suggestions, please?
Kind regards,
Amit
Hi Amit, please share the dates and no of days so that I can check the best options for you. Regards, Maheswari
Hi Maheswari,
Thanks. I read your post about VOA. Quite informative. I will reach Bangkok with kid on 10th October and will return to India on 19th.
I like to stay 3 nights in Koh Chang and 3 nights in Chiang Mai.
I will look forward to know your suggestions.
Kind regards
Amit
Hi Amit, Chiang Mai is in North, Bangkok in the Centre and Ko Chang is further South. You would be wasting lots of money and time in Check-in/out and transfers. You have a clear 8 days between your arrival/departure dates. Why don’t you try this combination to save time and money? On arrival at Bangkok, take a local flight to Krabi from Don Mueng Airport. If you like to see Krabi, do it or else catch the ferry and land in Koh Lanta, another less crowded and beautiful island which I visited on my last trip to Thailand. From there, you can visit Emerald Cave, Koh Phi Phi etc by speed boat apart from local beaches and Old Town Lanta. I can recommend some good places to stay, eat and book activities.You can spend about three to four nights in this leg and return to Bangkok, do some local activities and do the Safari world, Sea Life Under Water world and snake park for your daughter’s pleasure. Or drop this and just do Bangkok and Chiang Mai/Chiang Rai to make the most of your time. For travel options by air, road, ferry etc you can use the widget available on the sidebar of the Home page of this blog. You can mail me at [email protected] for further guidance. Cheers. Maheswari.
I also need an advice from you about what do you recommend to do some activities with my kid in Bangkok for 2 days, she is an ardent animal-lover.
Safari World Bangkok and Bangkok Sea World are not to be missed. Safari World is a full-day activuty and is located outside the city. Sea World is located in the basement of one of the prominent malls and can extend to just over half a day
Very informative!!
I had no idea that Thailand was this inexpensive and affordable.
Thailand is a country with great culture. I’m now more interested in visiting it more than ever.
Thanks for the appreciation Ayush. You can go through all posts to gain a fair idea about trabelling to Thailand. You are most welcome to post queries if any. Regards