Budget/Backpacker Travel Guide: Trang

Accommodation

$8-25 per night

Dorm beds in hostels, fan-cooled rooms in basic guesthouses, or simple bungalows. You'll find these scattered around town and near the beaches. Expect shared bathrooms in many cases, though some offer private rooms at the higher end of this range.

Food & Dining

$8-20 per day

Street food stalls, local markets, and neighborhood noodle shops. Think rice dishes with curry, pad thai from carts, fresh fruit from markets, and coffee from local vendors. You're eating where locals eat, which honestly means you're getting some of the best food anyway.

Transportation

$3-12 per day

Shared songthaews (pickup truck taxis), local buses, and motorbike rentals if you're comfortable riding. Walking works for much of the town center. Island transfers via shared longtail boats rather than private charters.

Activities

$5-25 per day

Beach time (free), temple visits (mostly free or small donations), hiking trails, and self-guided exploration. Occasional paid activities like national park entries or budget snorkeling trips when you split boat costs with other travelers.

Eat at markets and neighborhood spots away from the waterfront - you'll typically pay 40-60% less than tourist-area restaurants for the same dishes, and the food's often better since locals are the actual customers

Rent a motorbike for multiple days rather than taking taxis everywhere. You're looking at roughly $5-8 per day for a bike versus $3-8 per taxi ride, so it pays for itself quickly if you're moving around much

Book accommodation directly with guesthouses via phone or messaging apps rather than through booking platforms - many offer 10-20% discounts for direct bookings, especially if you're staying multiple nights

Join group tours for island hopping rather than chartering private boats. A shared longtail tour might run $15-30 per person versus $80-150 for a private charter, and you'll hit the same islands

Visit during shoulder season (March-April or September-October) when you'll find accommodation prices running 20-40% lower than peak season, but weather's still generally decent

Buy snacks, drinks, and breakfast items from 7-Eleven or local markets rather than hotel shops or beachfront vendors - you're easily paying 2-3x markup at tourist-oriented spots

Take shared songthaews on set routes rather than negotiating taxi fares. The songthaews run about 20-40 baht per trip versus 100-200+ baht for taxis covering similar distances

Changing money at hotels or airport exchange counters - you'll typically lose 5-10% compared to using ATMs or town exchange booths. That adds up quickly over a week-long trip

Booking last-minute accommodation during high season (November-February) when everything's both more expensive and potentially full. You're looking at paying 30-50% premiums and settling for whatever's left

Only eating at places with picture menus near tourist beaches - you're paying double or triple for the convenience of English menus and beach views. Walk two blocks inland and prices drop dramatically

Taking taxis everywhere instead of learning the songthaew system or renting a motorbike - transport costs can balloon from $5-10 per day to $30-50+ if you're taxi-dependent for every movement

Booking tours through hotel concierges rather than shopping around at tour agencies in town - hotels typically add 20-40% commission on top of the actual tour price, and you're getting the same trip either way