we havent a clue how much to take. help?

we are going to pattaya in 2 weeks and staying in the dussit hotel.

we dont have a lot of money and we need to know how much to take with us.

we dont intend to eat or drink much in the hotel as we like to get out and about.

can anyone please help us out on how much meals are, also day trips and most of all drinks in bars.

we dont understand these barts yet so if you could explain how much in sterling it woul be easier for us.

many thanks

tony, jay and peter

we havent a clue how much to take. help?

The exchange rate in Bangkok right now for the British pound is a little over 62 baht.

Anything in your hotel will be very expensive by local standards.

Eating and drinking is like anywhere else - it depends on the place. In 2nd Road in Pattaya, there a very acceptable eating place called Boat. Both of you could have a passable meal for a total of 150 baht or less. If you go into Sizzler it would probably cost you 800 baht or more. Bruno%26#39;s in Jomtien would set you back 2000 baht or more. You can pay 35-60 baht for an iced tea, in most places, while your hotel may charge more than 200 baht. Beer in a beer bar at the side of the road might be around 50-60 baht, in a 7-11 its about 40 baht; in an air-conditioned bar it would be over 100 baht. When you get there on the first day, take a walk around the town, most restaurants and bars have menus outside with prices you can check. On the beach anything you buy will be slightly higher priced.

For tours, google for pattaya tours and see what prices you are quoted in baht - have a calculator handy!

we havent a clue how much to take. help?

hi tony0151 ,food is very cheap we only pay roughly 拢1.50 for a thai meal or half that from food stalls at the side of the road which is very good.Beer during the day many happy hours so really only pay around 70/80pence.At night time when you go to walking street in the normal bars pay around 拢1/1.10 for a bottle of beer.I find that the spirits are more expensive.If you go into go go bars more expensive again around 拢2 for a beer.Everything in pattaya is vey cheap so your money does go very far even though the bahts is down to the pound but still good value

Conventional wisdom holds that you should pack everything you need and work out how much cash you need to spend. Then unpack half the luggage and take twice the cash.

This holds true in Pattaya. I would recommend repeating the routine at least once. Twice, if you%26#39;re heading out to the bars for some lady fun.

It%26#39;s very easy to spend money here, because literally everything, and everyone is for sale if you hit the bars. You can live very, very cheaply if you work at it too.

Why stay at the Dusit if you%26#39;re counting the pennies? Save 4000 baht + on the room and check out dozens of very adequate alternatives. If the 拢s are an issue you won%26#39;t be taking advantage of any of the supposed benefits of a 4 star hotel - like room service, lobby bar with pretty waitresses in evening gowns, spa, restaurants and anally retentive security guards to ensure you don%26#39;t bring any locals back for language practice (except on payment of a fee). So what are you actually getting apart from a sun bed beside a pool next to some russians? In any case at 1500 baht you%26#39;ll find many places with decent enough pools.

i presume you have a package deal that included the Dusit? certainly that is a very very good hotel by all the reviews, but i dont think its girl friendly!!

or if it is they may charge a considerable guest fee.

if you are able to cancel the Dusit, do so! many girl friendly, decent quality places at reasonable prices. on my visits i have tended to over budget, i have found on return when i have looked at the figures that 拢100 per day was more than enough, and i had to do some to spend that! It largely depends on how you indulge the ladies and how much you drink. I have noticed many guys spending a hell of a lot on booze which can push the budget up?

re daytrips, there are numerous day trip sellers around the place, also your hotel will almost certainly have its own agents for trips. Do some quick research on the net, there is tons of info there.

Find a hotel at half the price of the Dusit and spend that extra ';saved'; money on anything you want! Hotels with air, hot water, cable TV, private toilet/bathroom, security box and maid service are not to bad in the 1000/1800 baht range. Even during high season you can find some hotels in Pattaya (with air etc.) around 450/600 baht.

You are in an expensive hotel. ';Penny wise Pound foolish'; comes to mind when you put all of your available money in a posh place and have nothing left to spend. A hotel at half the price is still a nice fancy place! After you get to Pattaya check out some of the cheaper places to stay at. Hotels in Pattaya are cheaper than Bangkok for the same quality!

The baht (not bart) rate is changed daily. Any price you get today may or may not be the same the next day or when you travel. But, the price differences are small and sometimes in your favor. All of the banks charge about the same rates, even the ones at the airport. When you compare rates you have to compare rates for the same day only. Don%26#39;t change money back in your own country, you get the bet rate in Thailand after you arrive. When you leave Thailand you can change Thai baht back to your currency at the airport.

You can eat at cheaper places like Kiss Restaurant, food courts in malls, even McDonalds, KFC%26#39;s and Burger Kings are all over the place. You can find ';all you can eat'; breakfast buffets for 110 baht in some hotels (Lek, Apex and Diana Inn on Pattaya 2nd Road for instance.)

Transportation is by baht bus in Pattaya. The price is 10 baht for foreigners and 5 baht for Thais. This is a set route if you avoid the parked baht buses outside your hotel. Expensive hotel means rich and stupid tourists to pay extra for rides. Simply wave a moving baht bus over, hop on (don%26#39;t speak to the driver) and sit down. When you get near your stop push the buzzer and pay 10 baht. If the baht bus does not go directly to your destination you may have to go as far as you can then pay the 10 baht and catch another one going in a different direction. It%26#39;s pretty easy to go cheap for transportation!

Good luck.

hi tony,the dusit is an excellent hotel but...they know how to charge,free water,no prob,but stay away from minibar in rooom 3 times the price,go to supermarket to buy drinks/beer,save money buddy,but other wise eat out,hope this helps an example of mini bar prices as i have the menu with me singa beer 120 bht,heinken 150 bht in regular bar in town 40 bht,large beer 1 pint 80bht in town coke 65bht,30bht in town,wine very expensive little bottle 450bht,scotch650,vodka 500 bht so u can see dusit is expenive,but service etc kis excellent,have a nice time buddy cheeers!!