Travelling in Europe Vs Travelling in Thailand
Travel Costs in Europe and Thailand
I knew Europe was going to be more expensive than Thailand, but I really wasn’t prepared for just how insane some of the prices had become. I couldn’t believe how much everything costs now.
Thailand isn’t as cheap as it used to be, and it’s a big misconception to come here expecting everything to be dirt cheap. But after this trip, I realized I’d been sheltered from the level of inflation in Europe.
I lived in Madrid about 12 years ago, and back then I remember being able to get a beer for around €2. On this trip, I was paying three or four times that, whether it was a coffee, a sit-down lunch or a couple of beers. It felt like my wallet never got a break.
That matters because in Thailand I don’t usually have to think too much about what I’m spending on a general day out. If I fancy another beer or two, it isn’t going to make a massive difference to the bill. Eating out is so affordable that I rarely give it much thought.
In Europe, I found myself constantly evaluating whether something was worth the money, which began to affect my enjoyment of the trip. It also became quite expensive.
Hotel Quality in Europe and Thailand
The biggest difference wasn’t necessarily how much I was spending. It was what I was getting for that money, and nowhere was that more obvious than with hotels.
I spent about €270 a night on a hotel in Rome and somehow still ended up sleeping on the floor. Let me explain.
We wanted somewhere reasonably central, comfortable and convenient for exploring the city. We weren’t looking for anything fancy, just somewhere clean and within walking distance of the main sights.
We still ended up paying about €270, around $300 a night. The hotel was fine, I suppose. It was a bit old and basic, but it did the job.
The problem was that there were no staff after 10 p.m. We’d messaged them to say we’d be arriving late on the first night. They left us a key, but it didn’t work, so we couldn’t get into the room.
Luckily, we were a big group travelling with family, so they could get into their room. I ended up spending the first night sleeping on the floor in my mother-in-law’s bedroom.
Do you know what $300 a night gets you in Bangkok? You can get a hotel with views over the temples, rooftop pools overlooking the city and real five-star service. For much less, you can at least get a room you can actually get into.
This is one of the things I think Thailand does better than almost anywhere else in the world: the quality of hotel you get for your money is phenomenal.
Hospitality and Service
One thing I didn’t realize I’d gotten so used to while living in Thailand was just how good the service is.
Thai people are famously friendly and incredibly welcoming. They really want you to have a good time when you’re travelling in their country. Whether you’re checking into a hotel or sitting down at a restaurant, people are happy to meet you.
I’ve become so accustomed to this over the years that I almost take it for granted. The people in Europe weren’t unfriendly, but there was still a contrast.
In Spain, for example, service can be incredibly slow. Look, I’m an Englishman. When I finish my beer, I want the next one at my table, ready to go. In Spain, sometimes you’re having to chase the staff around the bar to get the next one.
There were times in Rome when it felt like people were rolling their eyes at me whenever I asked for something. It made me wonder whether they wanted my business or not.
Obviously, it wasn’t like that the whole time. But based on my experience overall, Thailand does hospitality much, much better.
Walkability in European and Thai Cities
Some of the roads in Rome are over 2,000 years old, and somehow they’re still better built than the roads in Thailand today.
In Rome, I was pushing a baby in a pushchair, bouncing over uneven cobblestones and weaving through tourists, and I still thought it was much more walkable than Bangkok and Thailand.
This is one of my biggest frustrations with living in Thailand. The pavements in Bangkok are an absolute nightmare.
In fact, one of the reasons I chose my neighbourhood is that it’s one of the few areas in Bangkok where you can comfortably get around with a pushchair. Even then, I still find myself dodging motorbikes that have decided to use the pavement as an extra lane of traffic.
In plenty of other parts of the city, there aren’t even pavements to walk on. You’re just walking on the road itself.
To a certain extent, I think some of the chaos is part of Bangkok’s charm. But after years of living here, I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to go for a walk without constantly looking over my shoulder for a motorbike or watching for potholes.
It wasn’t just Rome. Mallorca was considerably more pedestrian-friendly than pretty much any Thai island I’ve visited.
I particularly loved the long seaside promenades where you can go for a long walk or run along the coastline without worrying about traffic. When it comes to walkability, this is a massive win for Europe in my opinion.
Tourist Crowds in Europe and Thailand
I thought Thailand could be overcrowded until I tried walking around the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
Thailand has a reputation for being one of the most touristy countries in the world. Places like the Grand Palace and the beaches around Phuket can definitely get packed.
But Rome in particular was absolutely mental. Around the Trevi Fountain or the Colosseum, you could barely move. Obviously, these are some of the most famous attractions in the world.
Sometimes people talk about visiting Thailand as if it’s uniquely overcrowded, when many of Europe’s most popular destinations have exactly the same problem.
It was the end of September when I visited Mallorca, so it wasn’t even the busy season, but the beaches were completely rammed.
I would say certain beaches were noticeably busier than many of the places I’ve visited around Phuket, Thailand’s busiest island.
Beaches and Islands in Europe and Thailand
If you’re not careful, you could travel halfway around the world to Thailand only to find yourself on a beach that doesn’t feel all that different from one in Europe.
There were parts of Mallorca that looked and felt surprisingly similar to Phuket. Take Magaluf in Mallorca and Patong in Phuket, for example. Both have the same kind of tacky souvenir shops, similar-looking bars and pubs, and generic restaurants that could honestly be anywhere in the world.
When you’re surrounded by all of that, you almost forget which country you’re in. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a reflection of either destination. It’s more about where you choose to stay.
When I explored other parts of Mallorca, the atmosphere felt completely different. There were beautiful Mediterranean beaches, Spanish-style terraces, yachts bobbing in the water and charming little coastal towns that felt very Spanish and European.
It’s exactly the same in Thailand. Once you get away from the busier tourist hotspots, you’ll discover beautiful tropical beaches with coconut trees, turquoise-blue water and longtail boats bobbing in and out. They feel very different from Mediterranean beaches.
For me, that’s where Thailand really shines. Think carefully about where you stay and don’t just book the most famous resort because it’s the first thing that appears when you search for Thailand holidays. That’s where you’ll find the tropical paradise that makes the trip worth it.
Public Transport and Private Drivers
One of the best day trips I did on my most recent trip to Europe was to the beautiful historic town of Sóller in Mallorca.
We hopped on a charming, old-fashioned train that took us on a spectacular journey through the mountains, with incredible views of the countryside, before arriving in Sóller.
From there, we jumped on a historic tram that took us all the way to the coast at Port de Sóller, another beautiful little seaside town surrounded by mountains.
On other days, we were able to catch a bus from just outside our hotel in Palma de Mallorca, the island’s main city. Getting around Europe on public transport was just so easy. The trains and buses were efficient, comfortable and easy to use and figure out.
When I compare that to Thailand, it’s almost the complete opposite. I rarely use public transport here, particularly when travelling outside Bangkok, because it can be confusing and unreliable.
Fortunately, there’s a pretty simple solution, and it goes back to Thailand being more affordable. Whenever I’m planning a day trip somewhere that’s a little more difficult to reach, I usually recommend hiring a private driver for the day.
You can be picked up from your hotel, travel in an air-conditioned car and stop wherever you like. You’ve got much more flexibility, and it saves a huge amount of time compared with figuring out local buses and connections.
There’s also a real danger you might get stranded somewhere. So, while I think Europe wins comfortably on public transport, Thailand makes up for it by making private transportation more affordable. Sometimes having your own driver for the day is an even better way to explore.
Weather and the Best Time to Visit
Earlier this year, I went to Amsterdam and we ended up getting completely snowed in. It was a cool experience seeing the windmills covered in snow, but it also reminded me why so many Europeans love escaping to Thailand during the winter.
One of the biggest differences between travelling in Europe and travelling in Thailand is that the best times to visit are pretty much the complete opposite.
For much of Thailand, December through February is one of the best times of the year to visit. You’ve got lots of sunshine, lower humidity and some of the most comfortable weather of the year.
Meanwhile, much of Europe is right in the middle of winter. Funny enough, Europe’s summer months are around the same time as Thailand’s rainy season.
When things get cold in Europe, head to Thailand, but stick to Europe in the summer.
