A Budget Bangkok Day Out for Under 300 Baht a Person

It was time for another Thursday outing from Minburi with my mate Steve. We'd already enjoyed some fantastic adventures in central Bangkok, but this time I wanted to try something a little different. Could we enjoy a full day exploring the city, visiting museums, temples and travelling by public transport, all for under 300 baht each?

The Chao Phraya Express Boat at Nonthaburi Pier

Yorkshire Thriftiness

Before any of you dear followers start thinking that you’re reading about a skinflint, I’d like to put this tale into context. The pair of us are old pals from Scarborough in Yorkshire and understand the importance of not wasting cash. Any money we saved on a day out - by walking or using public transport - could be spent on bigger adventures later.

Neither of us was rich, so we wanted to ensure that our accrued work pensions lasted us until the state payments kicked in a few years down the line. And I must be honest; it got some reaction on social media.

Heading to Nonthaburi

It won’t surprise any of you who have read other articles on this blog to know that a fair bit of advanced planning had been put in place. Our first transport was a couple of buses towards Nonthaburi Pier on the Chao Phraya River. The first bus cost 20 THB each and the second 19 THB each, taking our running total to 78 THB.

Undoubtedly, such a trip to the river would become very much easier once the MRT Pink Line Monorail was in service, but in the meantime, buses would have to do. When we alighted, the temperatures were soaring. We were glad to walk under the canopies of the market stalls that provided some protection from the sun.

We cut through to the waterfront by the clock tower and then visited the Museum of Nonthaburi. This wonderful collection of wooden buildings was free to enter and offered a fascinating look at the area over the years, with some of the artefacts labelled in English as well as Thai.

It was time for lunch. Phad Thai Home was a friendly establishment, with government workers already enjoying their meal. They exchanged greetings in English and were curious as to why a couple of Westerners were there. Our khao pad gai with fried egg was delicious. It came to 134 THB with water, taking our total spend to 212 THB.

Museum of Nonthaburi

Cruising on the River

We would have headed to Pak Kret on the bus, but Nonthaburi was chosen because the express river boat only goes that far after the morning peak. Not that it had been any hardship after what we discovered. The pier was adjacent to the museum, and we were soon on the Yellow Line service which runs all the way to Sathorn.

It was a lovely way to relax. The first part of the journey didn’t feature too many highlights. Little did we realise when we set off that the infamous Bang Kwang Central Prison - better known internationally as the "Bangkok Hilton" - stood only a few hundred metres north of us.

We went under a few bridges for rail and road and then passed the Thai Parliament Building and the Boon Rawd Brewery Company Limited, where Singha and Leo are brewed. The express boat is like a river bus, stopping at piers on the way downstream, and offers a fantastic way to see the sights, such as the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. 

Best of all, because we got on at the start of the journey, we had the best choice of seats. And remarkably, it only cost 15 THB each, taking our running total for the pair of us to 242 THB. We alighted at Prannok Pier on the Thonburi bank of the river.

The Grand Palace from the Chao Phraya River

Time for Exercise

After sitting on the boat for around an hour, we decided that some exercise was in order, walking to Wat Rakhang Khositaram. This fine temple was built in the Ayutthaya Period and later restored by King Taksin when Thonburi was the capital of Siam.

We would have liked to explore the Bangkok Naval Base, believing it was where the magnificent vessels used in the Royal Barge Procession were kept. Unfortunately, there was no public access. We later discovered where the barges are actually housed, which you can read about in a related article linked below.

The security guard told us that we couldn’t go in because “it was a secret”. Now, while I’m sure that what he meant was lost in translation, I reckon there were some ships and workshops inside. To refresh, we bought a couple of bottles of water, as our tally accumulated to 262 THB.

After several dead ends and wrong turns, as I apologised profusely to my mate, we found the entrance to the stunning Wat Krua Wan Worawiharn, which quickly cheered us up. Wat Arun was charging 100 THB admission. As beautiful as it is, we were determined to stick to our budget, so we'd have to admire it from across the river instead.

Instead, Wat Kalayanamit further along the bank was a decent consolation, by Khlong Bangkok Yai, with Wichai Prasit Fort on the other side. Originally there to protect the capital of Thonburi, it now formed an attractive feature for passing boats.

Late Afternoon in Chinatown

Back Across the Chao Phraya

And talking of boats, my plans once more went awry. I presumed, always a dangerous thing in Thailand, that the service stopped at the pier by the temple, but it transpired it was only used by those offering cruises. We needed a Bolt taxi back across the river, which cost 80 THB, taking our total to 342 THB.

It proved to be the best budget option, dropping us at Ratchawong Pier, from where we wandered through Chinatown. The additional stalls were being set up along Yaowarat Road as evening approached, while we continued looking out for potential bars for future visits as we went. 

Tempting though it was to stop for a beer, the 100 THB for a small lukewarm Leo quickly put us off, as did the establishment wanting double that for a pint of Asahi.

Train Back Towards Home

Eventually we arrived at Hua Lamphong Railway Station. We intended to catch the number 113 bus, which went directly to Minburi. However, there was no sign of it, and with the train to Chachoengsao soon to depart, we caught it to Lat Krabang. 

There is no better way to experience everyday Bangkok than this train. It rattles slowly through neighbourhoods hugging the railway, giving passengers a glimpse of the sights, sounds and smells of local life. And it only cost us 6 THB each for the 55-minute ride, taking our total to 354 THB.

A couple of bottles of ice-cold Coke were enjoyed at the other end as we sat at the stalls underneath the flyover by the station. This extravagance pushed our expenditure to 394 THB, before we decided that rather than a long uncomfortable songthaew journey, we would hail a taxi to take us back to Minburi.

Hua Lamphong Railway Station

To Conclude

We came in under our target of 300 baht each, travelling nearly 100 kilometres by buses, boats, trains and taxis, visiting museums and temples, enjoying lunch beside the river, and spending an entire day exploring Bangkok. I'd call that incredible value.

If you enjoyed this story, feel free to check out my YouTube Channel, where I share videos about everyday life in Thailand, local football, and travel across the country.

Thanks for reading.