It was customary for Soviet citizens to go on vacation as “savages” who did not have access to the voucher distribution system. In those days, sanatoriums and hotels were inaccessible to ordinary people. The most an ordinary factory worker could hope for was to go to a regional rest home. And that’s not every year. The youth could not afford this either.

Therefore, young people went on trips on their own, often without a specific route. And it was truly a “savage” vacation. In the main destinations - in Crimea and Sochi - almost all accommodation places were represented by the private sector, without any civilized amenities. This was a budget holiday option.

What does it mean to be a savage today? And how can savages travel to Thailand?

Independent travel or backpacking

Today, a savage vacation involves at least two strategies for traveler behavior:

• self-organized trip.

Backpacking is inherently similar to the “savage” form of recreation for Soviet people.

Backpackers are predominantly young people who are characterized by the following behavioral strategy:

• stay in the cheapest hostels, houses, including in the private sector of Thailand, and can live in tent camps;
• do not make demands on service and comfort;
• often do not have a specific route;
• can live in backpacking mode for a week, a month, or six months;
• consumer behavior of backpackers is budgetary.

Going wild to Thailand is the perfect backpacker trip:

• it is always warm in this country;
• friendly and friendly people;
• Thailand is the safest Asian country;
• you can find very cheap accommodation, for example, for $5 per person per night;
• cheap food - if you want, you can spend $6 a day for two people, and if you cook it yourself, you can reduce expenses; fruits – 20 baht per kg;
• there are traditionally backpacker vacation spots - for example, the islands of Koh Chang and Koh Phangan with houses on the very shore and daily open air events.

What a backpacker gets: freedom of choice and maximum savings. A self-organized trip may not be backpacking at all. Meanwhile, out of old habit, he will also be classified as a savage recreation. Although there is practically no traditional “savagery” left in it.

Behavioral strategy for people traveling independently – non-backpackers:

• as a rule, they completely think through the route;
• have limited travel time and a return plane ticket;
• book accommodation in advance;
• stop in places where they like;
• want to see a certain level of service;
• as a rule, they have funds for vacation comparable to those that can be paid for a trip organized by a travel agency.

What does a person traveling independently get: the opportunity to organize their vacation the way they want. Today, a savage holiday can be either very cheap with accommodation in a tent, or very expensive with a stay in 4-5 star hotels.

Pros and cons of independent holidays in Thailand

Should you go to Thailand as a savage?

pros

Freedom of movement. Today you can be in Phuket, tomorrow in Pattaya, and the day after tomorrow. And this, of course, is the main advantage of being a savage.

• You can also travel by your own transport.
• If this is difficult, Thailand has a well-developed bus service.
• All popular tourist areas and large settlements are connected by air.

You can choose where to stay. We didn’t like the hotel/bungalow/hostel, so we’re looking for a new option, looking at it and, if we like it, moving. Optional: always a good view from the window; shop, beach, travel agency, nightlife nearby.

Living not surrounded by tourists from the CIS. This is not a plus for everyone: many, on the contrary, feel more comfortable among their compatriots and people who speak their language. But for those who want to rent an apartment, say, in Bangkok from the direct owner and live in the capital of Thailand like an ordinary Thai, traveling on your own would be the best option.

If we talk about backpackers, they have a habit of grouping internationally. You can find yourself among the Europeans and Australians who travel a lot as savages to Thailand, make acquaintances with them and improve your English.

Minuses

The language barrier. A classic difficulty that haunts all strangers. But in Thailand this is not too much of a hassle. All inscriptions are duplicated in English. People who are in daily contact with tourists possess and successfully use a minimum set of English words. If you are not going to a completely remote Thai village, then basic knowledge of English can solve the problem of the language barrier.

You need to have the ability to self-organize. Booking a room, booking an excursion, renting a car, getting to a remote island, avoiding getting lost in the Bangkok metro, planning time in a foreign country - all this requires an active attitude towards life. Not everyone can organize themselves successfully. That’s why most people prefer tours with an already prepared program: they left the hotel, boarded a bus, arrived at the place, and returned to the hotel on the same bus.

It takes a lot of time to get your bearings. Imagine that you need to get from point A to point B. How to do this, you have no idea. You can ask at the hotel reception, or ask the owner of the rental property, or a taxi driver, or ask in a search engine.

One way or another, all this takes time, planning in advance. It is possible that you can get confused. However, if you are traveling as a wild person, for example, to Phuket and do not plan to leave the island somewhere, then this minus does not seem to exist.

If you are used to being independent and don’t like spending time in groups, then going to Thailand as a wild person would be the right decision.

Just don’t think that a “savage” vacation in Thailand will certainly be cheaper than one organized by a travel agency. It is likely that it will be even more expensive.

How much does it cost to vacation in Thailand as a savage?

Let's consider 2 options:

• budget backpacking;
• independent travel on an average budget.

Table. Calculation of an approximate budget for a savage holiday in Thailand

Expenditure	1 option,$ per person			Option 2,$ per person
	1 day	15 days	1 month	1 day	15 days	1 month
Accommodation	6	90	180	15	225
	4	60	120	10	150
Entertainment and excursions	40 (once every three days)	200	400	40	600
Transport	10 (once every three days)	50	100	10	150
Souvenirs	50
Other expenses	3	45	90	6	90
TOTAL	29,6	495	940	81	1315

The calculation is approximate and very average. The results obtained may deviate more (more likely) or less (less likely).

Factors influencing this are standard:

• season;
• influx of tourists;
• resting-place.

For example, in Pattaya and Phuket, a vacation will cost significantly more than, for example, in Trat or in. Not to mention the northern provinces, where even for $15 a day you can afford very wasteful backpacking.

If you are going to visit different parts of Thailand and plan to use domestic flights, then your budget should be expanded. Each flight will cost $20-$120. Moreover, on some routes Bangkok Airways dominates without alternative. This means that tickets are more likely to be $100 than $20.

The above calculation does not include the cost of international flights to Thailand. For example:

• Moscow – Bangkok: $500 (direct), $400 (with transfer).
• Moscow – Phuket: $800 (direct), $500 (with transfer).

The Kingdom of Thailand is much closer to Russians today than it was a few years ago. Therefore, you can plan and carry out an independent trip to this exotic country on your own.

Flight planning

One of the key steps to take when planning a solo trip to Thailand is choosing the right airfare. The significance of this step is primarily due to the fact that for most of Russia Thailand is still quite far away, so the flight there will be quite long. This, in turn, determines, firstly, the lower frequency of flights to this country in comparison, for example, with European destinations, and secondly, the relative high cost of tickets.

Therefore, you should take care of purchasing them in advance, using one of the popular air ticket search systems, for example, www.skyscanner.ru or www.aviasales.ru. Since we are talking about an independent trip, you should focus on regular flights, and here, in turn, you need to take into account seasonality. Thus, from many large Russian cities, carriers operate flights only during the so-called “season”, that is, from October to May. But during this period you can fly to Thailand not only from Moscow or St. Petersburg, but also from a number of other cities - Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and others. The main destinations in Thailand with direct flights from Russia are Bangkok and Phuket.

Hotel selection

Choosing a hotel in Thailand is a task for those who are patient, since in this country, especially in popular tourist destinations, guests are offered a choice of many places to stay overnight and have a comfortable stay. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that Thailand has a completely different mentality compared to Russia, so some features of organizing a vacation that are completely familiar to Thais may seem unexpected to you. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is useful to read reviews from guests who have already stayed at the hotel you have chosen.

This can be done using one of the popular hotel booking systems, for example, booking.com or hotels.com. And after you have made your choice, you can make a reservation here. In this case, payment for the selected room can be made either at the time of booking by debiting funds from your credit card, or later, at the time of check-in. Pay special attention to this condition so as not to find yourself in an unpleasant situation. In addition, after making a reservation, it is worth printing out the confirmation, which will be useful to you when checking into the hotel.

Procedure for entering the country

One of the reasons for the growing popularity of Thailand as a holiday destination is the visa-free regime for entry into this country. This, however, only applies to tourist trips lasting no more than 30 days, so if you are planning a longer vacation, study the Thai visa regime in more detail, taking into account the specifics of your trip.

If your visit to the Kingdom of Thailand falls within this time frame, all you have to do is plan the content of your vacation: whether you prefer a relaxing swim on the pristine beaches or opt for visiting the most interesting sights, this vacation will be unforgettable in any case.

> Thailand

How to travel independently to Thailand: seaside holidays, hotels, prices

To have a holiday in Thailand that is not just good, but very good, the first thing you need to do is 1. forget about travel agencies and operators, tours and vouchers. Because only you yourself can know exactly what you want to get from your vacation. The point is not even in saving money - here you will most likely spend everything you planned - the point is to get much more experiences for the same money.
Thailand- a surprisingly convenient country for travel. There are information centers for tourists everywhere, where you can book a hotel, take an excursion, a map - and everything you need.

If you are traveling to Thailand for the first time- prepare a little in advance, select the places you want to visit via the Internet, select hotels and places you want to see. For example, if you like a quality, relaxing holiday for two or with your family, without extreme sports, I do not recommend going to Pattaya. Well, if you go without a travel agency, then choose the best - clean sea, beautiful beaches. At least .

2. Russians do not require a visa within a month. This means that you don’t have to do anything in advance - take your passport, a round-trip air ticket, and get on the plane.

3. Arriving at Suvanapum, Bangkok airport, take Bangkok map- you will not be able to pass by the information desk. Then you can get to the city by taxi or bus. By bus - more interesting, more impressions. You can find out where the buses stop and what route they take on the airport website.
Since 2010 - inexpensive and without traffic jams.

4. The hotel can be booked in advance via the Internet or on site. There is this peculiarity: if you rent a room directly from a hotel while in Bangkok, it will be more expensive, so go to the nearest information agency and book. Moreover, you can first go to the hotel, look at the rooms, and then, if you like it, book... around the corner at the information center. It is surprising that in the middle of a noisy street there can be a hotel with quiet, cozy rooms. In the photo: we had such a number in Bangkok. Price for two: 580 rubles (including 30 minutes of free internet, breakfast for two).
I recommend:

5. The most economical way to go to the sea- by bus from Khao San. Choose in advance where you want to go, map out the route. In Khao San, at the information center, buy a one-way ticket and a hotel for one night. I don’t recommend buying a return ticket right away, because... It’s not at all a fact that you will want to sit in one place for the entire vacation.
Transfers are possible on the way to the sea. Don't be afraid to get lost! Thais will lead you by the hand and stick colored pieces of paper on your T-shirt depending on your destination so you don’t get lost. Most importantly, do not forget the name of your final destination.
Traveling between beaches is convenient and inexpensive on a motorbike - the most popular means of transportation in Thailand.

6. Hotels, bungalows. Having reached the place, you can go around all the surrounding hotels, change them at least every day, choose islands for relaxation and bars for evening gatherings. By the way, here you can negotiate directly with the hotel/guest about the price of a bungalow or room. Don't be surprised that prices for bungalows by the sea may be less than in remote hotels. In January 2008, we lived 50 meters from the sea in a bungalow for two for 600 rubles/night (translated from baht). A simple, clean bungalow, with a shower, a refrigerator, daily linen change and room cleaning - it was enough for us to “just spend the night.”

7. Food. Immediately forget about European food - in Thailand they absolutely do not know how to cook it, and the price is several times more expensive than Thai food. Feel free to take Thai food - it's incredibly delicious. Just don’t forget to tell the waiter “No spicy, please” (not spicy).
Prices approximately the following, translated into rubles: fresh orange juice - 20 rubles, omelette with shrimp - 30 rubles, a bowl of tuna salad - 25 rubles, an average dinner with beer for two - 300-500 rubles.
Below, see the menu in the cafe on the street, on the left is the European menu, on the right is the Thai menu. Prices in Thai baht (1 baht is approximately equal to the Russian ruble):

Having been to Thailand once on my own, you will never be able to travel through a tour operator again. Feel the difference! For some reason, Russian tourists are afraid to travel on their own. This is strange, because you have to try very, very hard to get lost in Thailand. In addition, Thailand is a safer country than. About languages ​​- school English is enough to get where you need to go. Feel free to communicate with your hands :-). If you don’t know a word of English, it’s better to write down important destinations on a piece of paper and carry a dictionary, pen and notepad with you. At the hotel, be sure to take a business card with the name of the hotel written on it in Thai- so you can easily return to the hotel by taxi.

The only thing you can be afraid of in Thailand is forgetting what date it is and missing the return plane.

It so happened that we arrived in the small, relatively secluded town of Rewalsar in the Himalayas quite late, so late that the small, sleepy and lazy provincial hotels had a hard time bothering with our check-in. The hotel owners shrugged their shoulders, shook their heads and waved their hands somewhere towards the night and slammed the doors in our faces. But we were willingly, although not free of charge, accepted to live in a guest house on the territory of a Tibetan Buddhist monastery on the shore of the lake.

As is often the case in Tibetan places, our meeting and accommodation were handled by a Hindu, since it is not appropriate for Tibetan monks to deal with monetary and worldly matters. In addition, the monastery had been immersed in the darkness of night for several hours, and the monks needed to get enough sleep so that tomorrow early in the morning they would have to go to meditation with a cheerful and pious face. The Indian who gave us the keys to the hotel room told us about this and other sorrows of the world, and in order to somehow console himself, he insistently recommended that we attend this event at seven in the morning.

The main topics are below: buses and trains, air tickets and visas, health and hygiene, safety, choosing a route, hotels, food, required budget. The relevance of this text is spring 2017.

Hotels

“Where will I live there?” - for some reason this question is very, simply terribly annoying for those who have not yet traveled to India. There is no such problem. There are a dime a dozen hotels there. The main thing is to choose. Next we are talking about inexpensive, budget hotels.

In my experience, there are three main ways to find a hotel.

Spiral

Typically you will arrive in a new city by bus or train. So there is almost always a great mass of hotels around them. Therefore, it is enough to move a little away from the place of arrival and start walking in a circle with an increasingly larger radius in order to come across many hotels. Inscriptions "Hotel" throughout large parts of India, it indicates a place where you can eat, so the main landmarks are signs "Guest house" And "Lounge".

In areas of mass idleness (Goa, the resorts of Kerala, the Himalayas), the private sector is developed, well, like we have on the Black Sea coast. There you can inquire about housing from the local population and follow the signs " Rent"In Buddhist places you can live in monasteries, in Hindu places in ashrams.

The further you move from the bus or railway station, the lower the prices, but hotels are becoming less and less common. So you look at several hotels that are acceptable in price and quality and return to the chosen one.

If you are traveling in a group, then you can send one or two people lightly to find a hotel while the rest wait at the station with their things.

If the hotel refuses and says that the hotel is only for Indians, then insisting on check-in is practically useless.

Ask a taxi driver

For those who have a lot of luggage or are simply too lazy to look. Or you want to settle near a landmark, for example, the Taj Mahal, and not near the train station. Even in large cities there are places where tourists traditionally gather: in Delhi it is Main Bazaar, in Calcutta it is Sader Street, in Bombay it is also called something, but I forgot, that is, you have to go there in any case.

In this case, find an auto-rickshaw or taxi driver and set the task of where you want to live, in what conditions and for what approximately money. In this case, they can sometimes take you to the desired hotel for free, and even show you several places to choose from. It is clear that the price immediately increases; there is no point in haggling, since the taxi driver’s commission is already included in the price. But sometimes, when you are lazy or in the middle of the night, using this method can be very convenient.

Book online

This is for those who like certainty and guarantees, more comfort and less adventure.

Well, if you book in advance, then book hotels of higher quality and not too cheap (at least $30-40 per room), because otherwise there is no guarantee that in reality everything will be as wonderful as in the photographs. They also complained to me that sometimes they arrived at a booked hotel, and the rooms, despite the reservation, were already occupied. The hotel owners were not embarrassed, they said that a client came with money, and the client with cash did not have the willpower to refuse. The money was returned, of course, but it’s still a shame.

Finding, checking into and staying in budget Indian hotels can be an adventure in itself, a source of fun and sometimes not so fun memories. But there will be something to tell you at home later.

Settlement technology

• Free yourself from the presence of “Hindu assistants” and barkers, their presence automatically increases the cost of accommodation.
• Go to a hotel that seems worthy of you and ask how much it costs and decide whether it’s worth living there, at the same time you have time to evaluate the interior and helpfulness.
• Be sure to ask to see the room before checking in, show your dissatisfaction and indignation with all your appearance, ask to see another room, most likely it will be better. This can be done several times, achieving ever better placement conditions.

Those who are interested in the energy of Osho and Buddha, meditation and India, we invite you all on a journey to the places where the greatest mystic of the 20th century Osho was born, lived the first years of his life and gained enlightenment! In one trip we will combine the exoticism of India, meditation, and absorb the energy of Osho’s places!
The tour plan also includes visits to Varanasi, Bodhgaya and possibly Khajuraho (subject to availability of tickets)

Key travel destinations

Kuchvada

A small village in central India, where Osho was born and lived for the first seven years, surrounded and cared for by his loving grandparents. There is still a house in Kuchwad that remains exactly as it was during Osho’s lifetime. Also next to the house there is a pond, on the banks of which Osho loved to sit for hours and watch the endless movement of reeds in the wind, funny games and flights of herons over the surface of the water. You will be able to visit Osho's house, spend time on the banks of the pond, stroll through the village, and absorb that serene spirit of rural India, which undoubtedly had an initial influence on the formation of Osho.

In Kuchvad there is a fairly large and comfortable ashram under the patronage of sannyasins from Japan, where we will live and meditate.

A short video of the “emotional impression” of visiting Kuchvada and Osho’s house.

Gadarwara

At the age of 7, Osho and his grandmother moved to his parents in the small town of Gadarwara, where he spent his school years. By the way, the school class where Osho studied still exists, and there is even a desk where Osho sat. You can go into this class and sit at the desk where our beloved master spent so much time in his childhood. Unfortunately, getting into this class is a matter of chance and luck, depending on which teacher teaches in the class. But in any case, you can walk along the streets of Gadarvara, visit the primary and secondary schools, the house where Osho lived, Osho’s beloved river...

And most importantly, on the outskirts of the city there is a quiet, small and cozy ashram, where there is a place where, at the age of 14, Osho experienced a deep experience of death.

Video from Osho Ashram in Gadarwara

Jabalpur

A large city with more than a million inhabitants. In Jabalpur, Osho studied at the university, then worked there as a teacher and became a professor, but the main thing is that at the age of 21 he gained enlightenment, which happened to him in one of the parks of Jabalpur, and the tree under which this happened still grows old place.

In Jabalpur we will live in a quiet and cozy ashram with a magnificent park.

From the ashram it is easy to get to the Marble Rocks - a natural wonder where Osho loved to spend time during his stay in Jabalpur.

Varanasi

Varanasi is famous for its cremation pyres, which burn day and night. But it also has a surprisingly pleasant promenade, the famous Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and boat rides on the Ganges. Near Varanasi there is a small village called Sarnath, famous for the fact that Buddha gave his first sermon there, and the first listeners were ordinary deer.

bodhgaya

Buddha's Enlightenment Place. In the main temple of the city, which is surrounded by a beautiful and vast park, a tree still grows in the shade of which Buddha gained enlightenment.

In addition, in Bodhgaya there are many different Buddhist temples erected by followers of Buddha from many countries: China, Japan, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma... Each temple has its own unique architecture, decoration, and ceremonies.

Khajuraho

Khajuraho itself is not directly connected with Osho, except that Osho often mentioned the tantric temples of Khajuraho, and his grandmother was directly related to Khajuraho.

Thailand is perhaps the most convenient country for independent travel. Almost year-round season. Lots of flights to Bangkok at reasonable prices. Tour offices throughout the country where you can buy any excursions. Ideally developed connections within the country - Thailand is the best place to start the practice of independent travel (or enjoy it - if you are an experienced traveler). This article contains basic guidelines for those who want to plan an independent trip to Thailand, as well as links to articles and services that may be needed.

COMPARISON OF PRICES FOR AIR TICKETS AND HOTELS ON DIFFERENT SITES

Weather in Thailand. Seasons

The main question travelers ask: when is the best time to go to Thailand? The ideal time to visit all resorts in Thailand is from February to May. However, the “wet season” and “rainy season” concern more the central and northern parts of the country, and almost all resorts are located in the south. Thailand can be recommended as a country for year-round holidays - but with some minor nuances:

Holidays in Thailand

The most popular resort in Thailand is where people go for a regular beach holiday, which is best suited for families with children. Young people and 30-year-olds often prefer yuppies - the parties there are not as crowded as in Phuket, but the crowd is more adequate. Those who want to be away from mass tourism and general hustle and bustle choose the islands of Akhripelakh. SPA connoisseurs don’t hesitate to go to. Those who have visited Thailand more than once choose small, little-known islands and regions -. At the same time, you can always find an exclusive SPA hotel on Samui, a secluded place in Phuket, or have a great hangout on the small islands. About how to create a route for an independent trip to Thailand - written by professional travel journalists ().

The best hotels in Thailand

Thailand on the map

View on a larger map

Bangkok- starting point for traveling around Thailand. Many airlines fly to Bangkok, both direct and with transfers. We recommend direct flights for those traveling with children. Flights with transfers are much cheaper, and there are noticeably fewer children on board. If you book early, you can buy air tickets to Bangkok and back for RUB 17,000. The usual price is in the range of 23-27 thousand rubles. The flight is quite long, so if funds allow, it is better to buy business class.

We have an excellent guide to Bangkok - the City of Angels, which will be useful even to those who have been there more than once:

To the most famous and cheapest resort - Pattaya— from Bangkok it takes about 2 hours by express train, and if you mix up the flights and take the final stop, which is Sukhumvit Road, you will get all five. And on, which few people have heard of, it takes about 4 hours from the capital of Thailand. You will have to get to the islands either by bus (10 hours) or by plane, the latter option is preferable. That's why everyone books a hotel in Bangkok, for a couple of days at the beginning of the trip and for a couple of days before the return flight. This one will come in handy for experienced, sophisticated travelers. By the way, did you know that Bangkok has great shopping? Addresses and appearance-passwords - .

Cheap to Thailand: Pattaya

Holidays in Pattaya can be recommended to those who are going on their first independent trip abroad, when they are embarrassed by ignorance of the language, rules, customs and other nonsense, which usually dissipates by the middle of the trip. You need to understand that Pattaya is a city resort; there are no secluded villas or heavenly bounty-style beaches here. Huge city hotels and vibrant nightlife - that's what awaits you in Pattaya. There are so many hotels in Pattaya that it is quite difficult to make the right choice. Our guide to Pattaya can help:

For those who have done everything correctly and included a couple of days in Bangkok in their travel itinerary, you can get to Pattaya from Ekkamai train stations (located in the east of the city on the famous Sukhumvit Road) or Moh Chit (in the north, Kamphaeng Phet street) - buses run every half hour from 5 am to 10 pm. You can get to the stations from anywhere in the city by metered taxi (100-200 baht). In Pattaya, you just need to get in a taxi and say the name of the hotel (or better yet, show your voucher).

All Pattaya hotels: price comparison on different sites - save up to 50%

• CHECK FOR AVAILABILITY OF DISCOUNTS AND SPECIAL OFFERS FOR HOTELS IN PATTAYA

Good: Holidays in Phuket

An ideal sea, absolutely transparent in the high season, water 30 degrees, a variety of beaches - from noisy tourist beaches to small secluded lagoons. Phuket is a versatile option. Here you can find hotels for every taste: luxury bungalows, hotels for families with children, Thai-style villas, and standard hotels on the coast. Where to stay to be guaranteed to enjoy it? Read our review of the beaches and best hotels in Phuket:

Secluded: the small islands of Thailand

Thailand is ideal for those who do not like to sit in one place. You can enjoy even a simple route, here are the most popular ones.