Buddhas at the Dragon Cave Temple in Phang Nga province, Thailand

“If it’s not too early for beer, you can get it here!” bellowed Pat, our smiling guide.

It was 10 a.m., so my husband and I passed. But the offer reminded us, through our jet-lagged haze, that we were on the sumptuous Andaman Coast, one of the world’s friendliest and most laid-back destinations.

It’s also one of the world’s best travel deals. Sales and promotions abound for 2009, a result of the global economic crisis and Thailand’s desire to make a speedy comeback from the eight-day blockade this month of the capital’s main airport by anti-government protesters.

“Things are calm, the airport is open, and Thailand is really affordable right now,” said Pornthip Hirunkate, secretary general of Thailand’s Tourism Council.

When we landed in Bangkok's modern Suvarnabhumi Airport, there were no signs of political turmoil, only a distressingly long line at passport control that left us ­plenty of time to ponder our mission: A
2 1/2 -week vacation on three budgets: lean, medium and luxe.

FAIR FARES

Bangkok is the perfect place to decompress before boarding a short-hop flight to the coast. Though traffic can be nightmarish in this tropical metropolis of 9 million people, at least taxis are abundant and cheap ($9 from airport to city center).

We slept off our jet lag at the ­super-chic Dream Hotel, powered up with a huge cappuccino from Starbucks (there are 60 shops in the capital) and headed to the closest Sky Train station, the modern elevated tram that stops at some of the city’s most-visited sites: shopping malls.

During two trips to Bangkok, this year and last, my good-sport husband and I cased most of the two dozen glittering retail temples. Our favorite: MBK Center, with 2,500 small shops selling everything imaginable, from Chinese-made baby clothes to pirated DVDs.

The best place to shop — or simply wander — is the biggest of the city’s many open-air bazaars, the Chatuchak Weekend Market (also called Jatujak, or JJ), with 35 acres of fabrics, jewelry, pottery and sculpture from across Southeast Asia.

Here, as in all corners of ­Bangkok, there are plenty of cheap eats and dinner for two can cost as little as $10. It’s even cheaper if you do like the locals and eat on the street. Hygiene standards are purportedly decent and the food tastes great. I tucked into the best fried chicken I’d ever tasted (70 cents for two pieces) from a cart near the Flower Market.

Fortified, it was off to one the city’s most photographed sites, ­towering Wat Arun, or Temple of the Dawn. Scaling the perilously vertical steps to the terrace that rings the 266-foot Buddhist site, we were rewarded with a spectacular view of longboats plying the Chao ­Praya River and the golden spires of the Grand Palace, a 65-acre walled city of 100 golden-topped buildings lacquered with colorful mosaics.

There are dozens of Buddhist temples in Bangkok. Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) is best reached by longboat

After a 75-minute flight, we arrived in Krabi, our first stop on the coast, and headed straight to Ao Nang, one of the town’s main beaches, packed with hotels, shops, restaurants — and scores of Swedish tourists (photos of the Swedish royal family adorn shop walls).

Hardly tranquil, it nevertheless made an excellent base for day-tripping. We were repeat customers at the omnipresent spas, where $8 bought a 90-minute traditional Thai massage. For a few dollars more, we hopped a boat that took us on a daylong powerboat tour into the heart of picture-postcard Thailand.

With our guide Pat cracking jokes, we marveled at towering limestone outcrops, called karsts, jutting out of the sea like something out of “Jurassic Park.” We motored through hidden aquamarine coves and tiny islets ringed with white sand beaches. On Bamboo Island, the first of four stops, I passed on snorkeling, content to simply bob in the 80-degree sea.

On the beach, warning signs indicated a vague evacuation route, the only visible reminder of the December 2004 tsunami that killed more than 5,000 people on these islands.

Back at Ao Nang, we decided after two nights that our cheap-but-sterile hotel didn’t cut it, and booked a bungalow on nearby Emerald Bay. We arrived 20 minutes late for our pick-up at the “pier” — the end of the beach — where our longboat and its impatient skipper were waiting in the sand.

The secluded Emerald Bungalow Resort was comfortable, though hardly deluxe. Electricity was cut during the day and there was nothing to do at night. Still, it was just what we wanted as we lazed under the pine trees ringing the quiet beach, stirring only to order $4 meals of sautéed fish with ginger and pad Thai noodles at the open-air restaurant.

SCORING A SEA VIEW IN PHUKET

From Krabi, it’s a 90-minute ­ferry ride ($17) to Phuket, whose miles of beaches are among the ­country’s most famous. We met up with a friend for a two-night stay at the exquisite Kamala Beach Estate. We headed straight for the pool for a swim, then back to our sleek two-bedroom apartment to enjoy a sunset Singha beer on the terrace, overlooking the sea.

During our one full day here, we grabbed a taxi ($15) and headed to tranquil Nai Thon beach, a 30-minute taxi ride away. With crashing surf and silky sand, we braced for crowds that never came. The highlight of a delicious lunch at the beachside shack was spicy tom yum soup with shrimp that made our eyes tear in the hot sun. The bill for three, with beer: $12.

LIVING LARGE IN KHAO LAK

We descended, starving, from a hike in the lush Raman Waterfall Park, to find a lavish picnic awaiting us. Our guide, Kik, and driver waited patiently as we tore through our lunch of crispy noodles with tamarind sauce, seafood tartlets and six other dishes.

Raman was the third stop on a private SUV tour ($150) of the jungles near Khao Lak, north of Phuket, to some of the most picturesque sacred sites in Thailand. We climbed countless steps to reach the Dragon Cave temple, interrupting monks at lunch.

We fed peanuts to monkeys clambering outside the Suwan Kuha Cave Temple, then admired the dozens of Buddha statues within.

The trip was organized by the five-star oceanfront Sarojin resort, which was set to open days before it was wiped out in the tsunami. It opened 10 months later and has been racking up awards ever since.
The ever-smiling staff remember guests’ names and wishes. Our garden room was upgraded to one with a plunge pool, a common practice.

Unlike many top hotels, the ­Sarojin throws in lots of extras at no charge, such as fruits and drinks in the room, made-to-order breakfasts and a 60-minute massage in the exquisite hotel spa. A staff “imagineer” works full time creating itineraries for guests.

“Luxury these days is all about the individual,” said co-owner Kate Kemp, mingling at the weekly cocktail party thrown for guests.

My husband and I remembered that the following day, our last, as we settled into comfy lounge chairs on the beach and reached for more ­watermelon.

If you go …

Getting There

New York to Bangkok, $1,075 on Continental with one stopover, www.continental.com. Bangkok to Phuket, $88 round trip on Air Asia, www.airasia.com.

Where to Stay

Deals abound for Thai hotels; check hotel Web sites and booking sites like www.expedia.com.

Dream Hotel Bangkok: Promotional rate, $87 per night. www.dreambkk.com. Emerald Bay Bungalows, Krabi: Cabins with air conditioning, $44 per night. www.der-workshop.de/emerald/emeraldadress.html

Kamala Beach Resort, Phuket: One-bedroom apartments with sea view start at $102 per night; packages available. www.kamalabeachestate.com

The Sarojin, Khao Lak: Rooms start at $429 per night; check for packages like ones where you stay two nights, get the third free. www.sarojin.com