With a range of great deals currently available on flights to Thailand, a trip to the exotic climes of South East Asia has never been more tempting. In other travel destinations, you might find yourself forking out for food, accommodation and sightseeing activities, but the beauty of a trip to Thailand is the number of things that you can experience for next to no cost at all.

If you so wish, you can see the royal sights of Bangkok, racking up minimal expenses in entrance fees and visitors passes. But there’s a whole lot of Thai culture that you can simply absorb by meandering round this vibrant, frenetic city.

One of the best ways to experience the culture is through your taste buds. Roadside restaurants, market stall snack shops and tasty sweet treats are all readily available at minimal expense and will help to give you a real flavour of this country’s hospitality. Thailand is famous for its coconut curries and Satay dishes but a couple of days’ exploring should be enough to show you what other delicious delicacies are on offer.

South East Asian fish dishes are a unique experience and Thai cuisine is no exception to the rule. Thai fish cakes, often served with a filling but fragrant garlic and bean sauce, are a real treat. The Thai population will enjoy these delicacies for breakfast, lunch or dinner so feel free to indulge at any time of day.

Looking for a cheap meal? Don’t miss out on the vast variety of Thai soups, most frequently of the Tom Yam style. These soups are nutritious and filling, often containing protein, vegetables and noodles or rice noodles as well as a range of delicious herbs and spices to give them their trademark tangy taste. King prawn dishes are particularly recommended.

If you’ve got a day of travelling ahead of you and you want to stock up on snacks, look out for the Thai version of the American classic peanut brittle. This is available very cheaply from sweet stalls and supermarkets due to the ample supply of groundnuts in the region and will help keep your hunger pangs at bay until you reach your destination.