KO SAMUI PRICES.

Then the airport opened.

They are becoming more greedy. Who knows what the future holds...

i get the feeling that backpacking in thailand like early 90.s has gone, also in more recent times airports knew roads easy access is making it accessible for everyone, so you now have hotel's on all the islands, and i know they just dont want beach hut's, sad for me, but better for other's

Actually I backpacked in Thailand in 1990 - I didn't go to Samui then because I couldn't afford it - it was notoriously expensive even then and beyond my $10/day budget. I went to Ko Samet and enjoyed it.

The reality is that the worst accommodation I ever stayed at in all of 6 months thru India, Nepal and SEA was in Bkk - I stayed in absolute dive off Kaosan Rd - the walls were chicken wire and didn't quite reach the ceiling, there was no fan or window and it was absolute flea pit (literally) - the double cost 100B and the exchange was 25B= 1USD (hasn't changed much). What I think has changed a LOT are the standards - I don't ever recall staying anywhere that provided towels or soap or hot water in the 6 months I travelled. I used to try for a ceiling fan but didn't always succeed.

Even then I wasn't very impressed with Thailand - it seemed to easy and organised compared to India and Nepal :-)

What's definitely cheaper are airfares - I recall the airfare to Rangoon was something like US$300 return - one of the reasons I didn't go a the time Cambodia was a war zone and closed, I got to HCM but couldn't get a permits to leave the city. Laos was very dodgy and but was more closed than open and of course an expensive flight from Hanoi to Vietiane, and rather dogy illegal crossing back to Thailand over the river (no bridge)

Edited by: midlifetravel

Actually I backpacked in Thailand in 1990 - I didn't go to Samui then because I couldn't afford it - it was notoriously expensive even then and beyond my $10/day budget.

I stayed in the Thai House Inn on Lamai, just next to the Bauhaus crossroads (Bauhaus had recently opened) for 4 months in 1989. My bungalow cost B40 a day - and you got B75 to the pound. Those were the days :)

They are becoming more greedy

yep, unlike business owners in every other country that are in it for the smiles.

i get the feeling that backpacking in thailand like early 90.s has gone

Long long gone. Thailand is a mainstream tourist destination, much like Hawaii and the coasts of California and Spain. (and all the fake dreadlocks on KSR can't change that fact)

I guess samui after the movie by di caprio (The Beach) got popular and now everyone's heading there for a tropical summer vacation. However due to this rise in visitors the amenities has been improved as well.. so I'd still visit Samui.. Last summer we headed to a really nice quaint stay at less than 100 bucks we can't complain. It's called Jasmine Resort for the really economical we once put up at Thongtakian resort at barely US$30... it has a POOL Too! So you see Samui has it's gems too

" much like Hawaii and the coasts of California and Spain. (and all the fake dreadlocks on KSR can't change that fact) "

You can't stay in 4 star resorts at those places for $30 a night. You can in Thailand - i did this year.

Thailand is still very cheap if you go low season and avoid the absolute tourist hotspots.

http://www.wotif.com/hotels/thailand-koh-samui-hotels.html

A 5 star resort is going for as little as 1950 baht a night LOL

Pretty easy to get good deals

Here's a deluxe room in a 4 star resort for 1300 baht:

http://www.wotif.com/hotel/View?hotel=W51423&&region=7518