Journalist Natalie B. Compton of The Washington Post had a real-life experience in Vietnam and Thailand to explain more about that.
The reputation for “cheap luxury” in Vietnam and Thailand is not a myth, especially when compared to other popular destinations. At the beginning of this year, the average hotel room in Bangkok was $126 a night, according to STR, a global travel data company, compared to $151 in London, $391 in Hawaii and about $145 in Tokyo.
"In most parts of Thailand, $100 a night will get you more than your money's worth," says Robert Sukrachand, an interior designer who lives in both Chiang Mai and New York.
Swimming pool among cool trees at a resort in Hue has a low price compared to 5-star standard
Numerous factors contribute to low service prices in the region, such as a strong dollar, lower labor costs, and lower cost of living in most Southeast Asian countries compared to the United States.
Budget hotels
In Las Vegas, a motel room costs $185 a night, or $134 for a motel off the highway in Iowa. But for $124, you can rent an entire suite with a living room and two balconies overlooking the river at a hotel in Bangkok.
Katie Carew, travel advisor for Travel Edge Network, advises travelers that local hotel brands offer better deals than international ones.
Thailand is experiencing an oversupply of tourist accommodation and the hotel industry continues to expand. Visitors can find budget hotels even in the city centre or in fancy high-rise buildings with panoramic views.
In Vietnam, Natalie B. Compton splashed out between overnight trains from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi , spending her days at a resort near the center of Da Nang, where villas cost just over $200 a night. Then she stayed at a resort in Hue, where staff offered guests a banana dessert, ginger tea, and a cold handkerchief upon check-in. There, a "Deluxe double" room a short walk from the pool and bar costs $96, and includes a breakfast buffet, morning yoga, and a 30-minute spa voucher.
Bangkok's riverside boutique hotel has apartments priced the same as US motel rooms
Great health care
Wellness is a cornerstone of tourism in Southeast Asia. “Massage is not really a luxury in Thailand,” says Sukrachand. “You can find massage all over the country, even in the villages, because it’s the culture.”
Guests pay around $5 for a 30-minute foot massage, $8 for an hour-long massage and $55 for a full-body oil massage at the more upscale spa in a private room.
The further away from the tourist area, the better the price. At the market, tourists can buy a manicure and pedicure set for $18, which is perfect.
In Vietnam, Natalie B. Compton was looking for a different kind of spa after nearly two weeks of eating out and sweating on the back of motorbikes in hot, humid cities. To combat her “deterioration,” she headed to a “medical spa” in Hanoi. For $21, visitors get a one-hour consultation with a doctor and nurse, a steam and facial massage, pore tightening, a face mask, and a final LED light therapy session.
World-class dining at mid-range prices
The only Michelin-starred restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City so far is Anan, also one of Asia’s 50 best restaurants, where the 10-course menu costs $100—a fraction of the $425 10-course menu at a comparable restaurant in California. But the author opted for the a la carte menu. The gin cocktail, bottle of sparkling water, three courses, tax and service charge totaled just $47, by far her most expensive meal of the trip. To make up for it, she had a $2 banh mi lunch the next day.
Ca Mau crab dish at Michelin Anan restaurant
While high-end restaurants cater to wealthy locals, international tourists and expats, Vietnam’s street food and small eateries cater to everyone, even those who can afford the fancier restaurants. Because quality is simply the best for those dishes.
After dinner at Anan, visitors can head to internationally-awarded bars in Ho Chi Minh City, where cocktails average $5 to $6, the equivalent of $14 in the U.S. “The food and cocktails in Bangkok are now as good, if not better, than New York, in terms of both decor and quality,” Sukrachand said.
Private tours are not just for the wealthy
In Thailand or Vietnam, some of the best food is the cheapest, but… if you don’t have someone to show you around, you’ll have a hard time finding it. So book a food tour on your trip. For $25, Natalie B. Compton joined a group tour of Hanoi and ate delicious food at seven places she would never have found on her own. For $65, she also booked a half-day private tour of Hue to see the countryside…
When the wealthy travel, they don’t travel with the masses, they travel alone: Private villas, private guides, private planes. But budget travelers can experience this in Southeast Asia.
Discovering Vietnamese cuisine is a journey not to be missed.
For $17, the Bangkok hotel offers to arrange a private airport pick-up, where the driver waits at the terminal with a sign bearing the traveler’s name and cold water in the car. Her private tour of Hue, for $65, includes transportation to and from the hotel, plus dining at places where celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain ate. “I don’t feel like a tourist, I feel like a celebrity. All of these things cost more than the cheapest options, but paying a little more gets me two or three times more,” she concluded.
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