Asia has been calling my name for way too long. Being the largest continent, there’s so much to see! Thailand especially intrigued me because of the exotic culture, year-round warm weather, hundreds of islands, and being extremely cheap!
The Flights
We booked five flights in total and one ferry. In total, for all transportation to and from Asia, and within the Islands we spent $972!
San Francisco –> Hong Kong –> Bangkok
We had been watching flights for a while to make sure we got the best price within the time frame we wanted. Flying out of San Francisco seemed like the best option price wise, and you can find really cheap flights from PHX to SFO so it wasn’t a deal breaker by Amy means we had to book separate legs. Prices kept fluctuating by tens and even hundreds some days! We had to be slightly flexible and leave a few days later than planned to save a few hundred dollars. Looking back, I’m so happy we added those extra days, seeing everything you want takes longer than you plan for! We found that December 27th- January 9th was the best price and the best way to maximize our holiday and paid time off. I bought my flight on July 1, 2017 from United Airlines. With taxes and fees it came out to $654 round trip!
Bangkok –> Ko Samui
We booked all the flights to the islands on November 3rd, 2017. The flight from Bangkok to the island of Ko Samui was $157 total on Bangkok Airways. We used Google Flights to find these and booked the cheapest option!
Ko Samui –> Phuket
For this leg, we actually found that a ferry was a cheapest option. Since Ko Samui and Phuket are on opposite sides of Thailand, it was an 45 min ferry + a 6 hour bus ride. If timing isn’t a huge issue, I’d highly recommend this option! The bus was air-conditioned, they stopped halfway for dinner, not to mention it was incredibly cheap. We booked through FerrySamui.com and it was only $24 total.
Phuket –> Bangkok
The flight from Phuket back to the mainland of Bangkok was $42 total on Air Asia. They’re one of the low-cost, no frills airlines in Asia. Again, we used Google Flights to find these and booked through Expedia!
PHX –> SFO & back
Flying out of SFO you never know what to expect with the fog. They constantly cancel and delay flights, so I booked through Southwest since it was a reliable option at a cheap prices. I made sure to get the earliest flight out of Phoenix to give myself ample time. This meant having a 4 1/2Both of my friends took different flights out of Phoenix, and they were both delayed. So lesson learned- make sure to give yourself a few extra hours if flying out of SFO. If your International trips aren’t booked together, they do not care about your previous delays. I redeemed airline points for my flight to SFO, so I only paid the $6 in fees, and it was $89 for the way back. So it was $95 total for my roundtrip flight. Not everyone has airline points racked up, so I would budget an additional $100 if not! I used google flights to scan for the cheapest options, then I booked directly through Southwest.com.
The Itinerary
One of my favorite parts of a trip is planning it. There’s a reason I travel to each place I go. I’ve either heard amazing things, there’s something intriguing to me or something specific I want to see. When you’re somewhere far away, the last thing you want to do is say “so…. what should we do?” That’s why I spend a lot of time researching the places I go figure out the things I want to see, do and eat. My research usually starts with Pinterest. I love the articles that are the “10 best things” or “places you can’t miss” I also read a lot of travel blogs- Nomadic Matt is one of my favorites and Lonely Planet has a ton of information. You just have to figure out what’s most important to you, and make a plan around it. Google Docs is the best when it comes to planning trips that way you can share everyone on it and they can add their must see spots. Our itinerary was super detailed, but it helped us stay organized and hit everything we wanted to see!
The Lodging
Since we had a group of 7, we figured Airbnb would be the best option. We booked them at the end of August, so about 4 months ahead of time. At first, we wanted to do Airbnb’s on each island we went too (which was about 8) and then we decided it would be such a hassle to be packing up every one or two days. We decided to find two Airbnb’s- one by the East Coast Islands and one on the West Side Islands and just do day trips to other islands. I would highly recommend doing this so you’re using your time more efficiently!
Chaweng Modern Villas
Dec 27- Jan 3
4 nights, 7 people, $79 each
We stayed at the Chaweng Modern Villas on the island of Koh Samui, Thailand. It was a beautiful, quiet villa overlooking a jungle! The property manager, Pierre, was very prompt at responding and giving us advice on local spots. The only difficulties we had were getting cabs, it was about a 10 minute drive from Chaweng Beach where the nightlife and restaurants are. Since it’s a little remote, we had to pre-arrange a taxi every time. The locals were super nice and we just asked them to call us a taxis when we needed one.
The Haven Lagoon Condos
Jan 3- Jan 8
5 nights, 7 people, $94 each
We stayed at the Haven Lagoon Condos in the middle of Phuket. The location was perfect, because it was walking distance from a ton of restaurants, food stands, massage places, etc! It was also right by the Malin Plaza Market, where we ate for pretty much every meal because it was so cheap and fresh! The only downside was it was pretty small. There was 2 bathrooms for 7 people and it didn’t give us much room. However, we didn’t spend much time there and for the price, we were happy!
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