If you are living in Asia and need to get away, for some city fun and beach time to forget about work and everything else, but only have one week and a limited budget? No problem, Thailand offers both! Bangkok is not only one of the most fun cities in Asia, but also close to the beaches, so you can party in the city and relax on the beach a few hours later! And Thailand is still very affordable, with lots of low-cost airlines and inexpensive hotels.
Traveler: 2 people
Starting from: Kuala Lumpur, HongKong, Singapore, Manila
Experience: City Fun & Beach Getaway
Trip Duration: 1 week
Region: Asia
Comfort Level: Budget
Budget for Air fare and Hotels: $420-$450
There are lots of low-cost carriers, like AirAsia or Cebu Pacific, flying to Bangkok, making it easy and cheap to reach, from many Asian capitals for under $200 round-trip. You can take the train into the city and check into your comfortable, but inexpensive hotel like the ibis Sathorn and still enjoy all Bangkok, the City of Angels has to offer – you can shop till you drop at markets like Asiatique or hip malls like Terminal 21, have great food on the street or markets, and shop till you drop! You can party the night away like nowhere else in Asia. And, when you are tired from all the sightseeing, shopping and partying, you can treat yourself to an hour of Traditional Thai massage starting at less than $10/hour!
But the party doesn’t have to stop when you head to the beach – just head to Pattaya only 2 hours South of Bangkok! It has had a reputation for nightlife for decades. While for a long time, it has been more of the “naughty” kind, the city has tried to clean up, making it more welcoming to the “nice” kind of nightlife as well. It’s 
easy and inexpensive to reach by bus and has plenty of public transport (aka the “Baht Bus”) around town! With pool or beach time during the day and plenty of entertainment at night, your time will go by quickly! Your budget will go far at the ibis Pattaya not far from the beach or at any number of small, independent hotels. If the beach is more important than the party, head to the South of Pattaya – Jomtien’s beach is a little nicer.
After 3 nights on the beach, you head back to the city and check into the Park Plaza Sukhumvit Soi 18 for a trendy stay at the end of your trip. You’ll have time for some last-minute gift shopping for your loved ones at home (or some well deserved self-gifting), have one more evening at a rooftop bar looking over the lights of Bangkok, and one more great Thai meal before heading home!
If this sounds like the right trip for you, check out my tips Bangkok – How to get there and around, where to stay and what to see & do to help you plan your trip! Check out my Escape to Pattaya for more information. If you are looking for a more family friendly destination, consider Hua Hin. For a more peaceful & quiet beach getaway from Bangkok, I recommend Ko Samed!