According to 2017 stats in a 2018 IOL article called South Africans are obsessed with Thailand, “the number of South African holidaymakers to Thailand increased 17,8% last year. From almost 80 000 the previous year, the numbers have increased to 93 000.” So shares Lesley Simpson, the marketing representative for the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

Our family has surely added to updated stats when last year in June, my two younger sisters, Kholeka and Zodwa, and I decided to travel there to celebrate the latter’s 40th birthday.

I need to confess here that while I was excited to travel abroad with the two (our first international trip together) it had never been on my bucket list. I’d say simply because I had an indelible picture of young badly-behaved tourists that would chuck back buckets of cheap assorted alcohol as they crowded popular paradise spots to throw their names away.

But no matter the destination, it’s what you make of it that counts. Every city, town and country, even the most unlikely, will have special delights to fall in love with. It’s all about what you would like to learn and experience on your personalised journey.

And what makes Thailand especially accessible and appealing to do this, is the cost.

We set off to Bangkok on a chilly Joburg morning aboard an Emirates flight first to Dubai and then to Thailand’s capital, that was immediately hot with activity and a welcome fiery sun. It was that early morning, then midday- and again before-sleep shower kind of weather where you have to chase the shade on pavements across opposite sides of the street to keep from drenching your carefully considered wardrobe of your coolest items.

I love flying so my holiday always begins as soon as my nerves have survived check in, security checks and boarding. And the best start is an empty seat next to you as you lean against the window and arrange your belongings as effectively around you to travel comfortably.

Once our feet hit the ground, we taxied to our hotel. We had booked three nights there but were going to wing our accommodation for the rest of the trip as we hadn’t decided which seaside spot was going to be ideal and wanted to speak to local experts for their off the beaten track recommendations. We had limited time to take trains and ferries and flights were not proving as budget-friendly as would accommodate our shopping plans.

Josh Hotel, our Wes Anderson home for our stay (probably one of the most Instagrammed hotels in the city) was in just our kind of neighbourhood. Ari is indie and international but with just the right kind of mix of local ownership and buy in. And food is the focus. We couldn’t stop eating at the highly revered yet unassuming Lay Lao, where we feasted on the most succulent seafood, fish dishes, noodles and salads that the only reason we didn’t go back was because we promised to keep trying new things. It was that good. And the light but flavourful beers kept us cool.

There were so many highlights when it came to finding food. From unforgettable street vendors - plastic chairs mean nothing when it comes to extraordinary experiences - to shophouse eateries and then restaurants where you order your meals and drinks from a computer screen alongside your table, with a vast menu with many ingredients you can cook and serve to your liking, I can’t remember being disappointed with anything that went into my mouth.

I recently watched Street Food on Netflix and the only lament is that we didn’t get to meet Michelin-star chef Jai Fai and taste even one dish. Watch this video to find out why.

When I travel, I definitely believe that that’s the best way to try and understand a culture so it’s always going to be the focus of a trip. My sisters all feel the same. And my favourite ingredients are lemongrass, ginger, lime, chillies, garlic, lime and all things brothy, salty, fishy made in the way Thais understand the perfect mix of salt, fat, acid and heat.

In between all the eating we visited galleries and the Museum of Contemporary Art, which is another way to hear the voices of a nation. I like what George Bernard Shaw said about art. That “you use a glass mirror to see your face; you use works of art to see your soul.” In that, the purpose of travelling is to get closer to yourself so it brings you closer to what it means to be a human being in this world. It is a privilege to wander the globe or pockets of the places where you live and apart from the intangible moments we hope to capture in photos and videos just commuting with the people who live where you’re touristing is also a treat.

It’s so easy to get around Thailand. From their rail systems for short and longer commutes, taxis, tuk-tuks and more, the ease of popping into different places is not expensive. (But the bad traffic means you have to spend a lot of time commuting when you’re in a car). That’s the other charm of Bangkok in particular. The baht is very favourable for most travellers. Shop (the clothing items I buy act as my souvenirs instead of tchotchkes), eat, drink and explore the city-, country- or seaside in equal measure for less than you can here.

We found the most beautiful spots to stay, using the manager of Josh Hotel as an impromptu tour guide and apps like Booking and Agoda to get accommodation that included gorgeous villas and poshtels. Even though we didn’t make it to Koh Samui, we took a train to Hua Hin - with night markets, quiet (but not turquoise waters or exquisite shorelines) beaches, lovely shophouse eateries and plenty of time to relax and sip on cocktails.

But besides everything that you consume there, it’s the people who make you want to return. It’s safe to walk around most places, you never get leered at by men and everyone is at the very least courteous if they’re not super warm and considerate. You feel incredibly free to just go about your own business.

I’m going back to experience that again along with the islands we didn’t get to, the food we didn’t get to taste, the shopping bargains and other highlights. I get it now. I truly do.

Here’s what it cost so you can make an estimate of how much you’d have to put aside or save. The exchange rate is R1 to around 2 baht. Withdrawals from an ATM are very pricey so think about carrying as much cash around as you’re comfortable with.

Flight: R6500
TIP: To catch those savings, they say you should book your flight around 5am on a Sunday (set that alarm), to leave on a Tuesday (discounted) and February and August are the cheapest months to fly out of South Africa. There is conflicting info out there so keep checking to find out what best suits you.
Accommodation: R500 per night
TIP: Because you don’t need a visa to enter Thailand, you don’t need to make sure all your accommodation is booked before you leave. You can find names of great gems that don’t always pop up online when you ask locals or other travellers for recommendation. We used Booking.com and Agoda and then cross-referenced reviews and images on Instagram, Facebook and Tripadvisor for authenticity.
Transport: R200 a day
Do be honest, it was difficult to keep track of how much we spent, as sometimes one person would pay for a trip or we would divide the cost between us. I found a useful guide on transport costs from the Thai embassy website.
Boats - R5 fare
Buses - R5 ride
Subway - R10 fare
Tuk tuks - R20 for a quick trip (always negotiate before you start the journey)
Taxi - a trip in central Bangkok R40 and to the airport R150
TIP: There are also motorbikes that you can take which is an easier mode of transport if you’re travelling alone or with one other person. We walked a lot and tried to keep activities around the same areas in a day to prevent a lot of commuting.
Food - R150 on average for a meal
TIP: If you’re on a strict budget you can wing all your meals at street food vendors who are open til late in a lot of areas.
Drink: R10 for 1 litre of bottled water, R50 for a large beer
TIP: Thais don’t really drink wine so a bottle of your average tipple is very expensive. Stick to cocktails and beers to avoid disappointment unless you’re at a more European style hotel like Hotel Muse.
Clothing: You’ll spend the same amount as (and many times less than) you would here. When we went there were great discounts as it was their up to 70% sale season at various malls (which close at 10pm).
TIP: If you can only stand to go to one mall - go to Terminal21 - each floor is themed to a top city in the world - San Francisco, Rome, London etc. Ever wondered where some of your favourite boutique stores get their garments? I spotted many items I’d seen sold in SA. Visit CentralWorld BK (for all the high street fashion, great restaurants and fast food joints you can handle) and then walk over to Siam Paragon - only if you’re a Diamond Walk regular at Sandton City.

I’d go back to Thailand again and again - this is how much the trip cost