Backpacker Savings Guide: Southeast Asia e-book

Plan out your dream SOUTHEAST ASIA ADVENTURE. A book designed by BACKPACKERS for BACKPACKERS. MONEY SAVING TIPS. TRAVEL EASY. TOP TIPS . Through this, we got deeply inspired to write this eBook. To provide all.
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My boyfriend and I backpacked through Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam for two months in and I'm happy to share some tips with you on how you too can backpack through the beautiful region, cheaply. Your biggest expense in Southeast Asia will be the airfare getting there. And thereafter, transportation costs from city to city, followed by how much beer you consume and whether you take daily tours. Below, I will walk you through some money saving tips for accommodations, transportation, food and other costs to help you have the backpacking trip of a lifetime, cheaply.

In fact, the cheapest hostel in the world is located in Cambodia. I booked all my hostels as soon as I knew my next destination, except for in Siem Reap where we decided to wing it and book something when we get there. We switched to another guesthouse the next day by looking for something with better reviews on Hostelworld.

Being on a budget is no problem when looking for a bite to eat. Food is generally very cheap and you can manage on just a couple of dollars a day if you eat local food at food stalls. You can easily buy a bus ticket to your next destination at a local tourist agency or even sometimes at your hostel.


  • 13 ways to save money for backpacking in Asia;
  • Southeast Asia Travel Guide: What to See, Do, Costs, & Ways to Save?
  • 13 ways to save money for backpacking in Asia!
  • Bill Reid: The Making of an Indian;
  • Accommodation Tips for a Budget.

Although SE Asia is very cheap, many tourists spend way more than planned because of extras such as day trips to islands, bar tabs and other occasional splurges like cute Ganesha statues in Cambodia. Traveling around Southeast Asia cheaply is easy. Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. Comments are not for promoting your articles or other sites. Really enjoyed my time in the region, mine did include Laos, indonesia etc. Easy to go there for long periods of time with a very modest budget if you come from Western countries.

Dalat ia a small town not really far from Ho Chi Minh but you know the bus takes the whole night to get there because of the speed limit in Vietnam. I'd recommend to everyone who visit Ho Chi Minh to spend some of your time in Dalat, nice weather, great landscape views, good food. Oh Laos, i love Laos country and wanna go next year I am inspired to read your hub and your hubs make me want to travel this wonderful place.

I like these photos and I appreciate to you for writing this great article. I read this hub once again today and found it equally interesting even in a second reading. So good to read the posts of some body who travels the way i do. Read 3 of your posts till now. You just earned for yourself a permanent reader: Have you ever visited India? I have begun writing a series of posts on the top destinations for women backpackers in India.

If you ever feel like visiting India, you can go through them. We are now in Southeast Asia and I can vouch for everything you've said here. As we are older, we don't backpack but our grandchildren do and these tips are surely useful. Thank you so much for sharing such great, concise, and helpful information! Do you bus between all of your destination countries? I am heading to Thailand from South Korea and wondering if I should book a big multi-destination flight or just two individual one-ways??

I traveled in Thailand and Cambodia in April,, but it was a package tour. I stayed at a convenient hotel at Siem Reap on the outskirts of which is famous Angkar Wat. I also visited 'floating village'-Chang Kneas' near Siem Reap. I,being a pure vegetarian, had to move round searching Indian hotels. Same thing in Thailand also. But Thai is a beautiful country with both posh and Buddhist culture.

As the author has rightly said, moving on scooter is better. Author have planned and moved very well. I think it is better if the two write doem a book,stating their experiences. Travelling within South East Asian countries is so easy, especially when you are the citizen of one. I read it once again today. It is very informative,especially it informs us of cheap accommodations and local travel. Pictures are aslo very good. Thanks so much, Lauren Savage! Thailand is simply perfect and I do hope you get a chance to visit the lovely country Hello fellow hubber, I have been passionate about traveling to Thailand for years.

As a matter of fact, I have been raising money through www. Hubs like this are very useful and can save one a lot of trouble. I have learned this when I stayed a year in Mazatlan, Mexico. Research and great motivation is the key to a hassle free trip! Absolutely love this hub post!

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I am planning a trip to Southeast Asia to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand this summer, and have been searching for information about how to budget. This is great info - well done! Peggy W, I agree with worldtravelexpert, you're never too old to travel! If you're interested, just do it! When you're backpack, you meet people of all ages and from all over and it's your passion for adventure and different cultures that bind you. Pack your backpack and go! Thanks for this look at backpacking through Southeast Asia. I would even try one of those fried crickets if I was there.

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You have certainly had some travel adventures! Up, useful and interesting votes. SE Asia's just fabulous, and I always think it's much nicer to stay in budget, often family-run accommodation rather than giving money to big international hotel chains. I am soooo overdue a decent trip you've made me feel quite travel-sick!! This is great hub. I do agree that Thailand is amazingly beautiful dotted with scintillating tourism attractions, exotic beauty of the beaches, rich culture and traditions, superb fascinating attractions, throbbing nightlife and much more.

As for traveling to Singapore or Bali, I can speak only for Singapore since I visited for a few days. I wrote a hub about Singapore, which I recommend you check out. I plan to visit these places, and I see that your experiences and suggestions are very well made and can be useful to many world travelers.

If you have no direct experience, you can report me your friends or acquaintances who have traveled to those places? Backpacking in Southeast Asia is the best! Thanks for a great Hub - great photos by the way. Malaysia's another beautiful country where backpackers can keep costs low with a bit of planning. Anyone contemplating renting a motorbike in Thailand, it is a great way to get around, but beware the pitfalls, especially concerning licenses and insurance.

Hi Marek, I am planning on traveling on your alternative trail for Southeast Asia. I was curious if you had any favorite guidebooks for the 4 countries on the banana pancake trail as well as any historical books about the area possibly interested in the Vietnam war but am open to suggestions. Marek Reply September 4, at AB Reply August 25, at 7: I have a flight in and out of Bangkok at the end of the year, with a month to play with. I looking to avoid mass partying and overly commercialised areas. Full Moon parties and fishbowls are not high on my list!

With that in mind, does this route make sense:. Is that a feasible 1 month itinerary? Am I selling myself short by not going to any of the Thai Islands?

Southeast Asia Travel Guide

Your help is much appreciated! Marek Reply August 31, at 1: Yep that strikes me as quite doable in 1 month. Paula Reply August 20, at Your blog is great! Very informative and has really helped me planning my trip in South-East Asia. I will be doing a route similar to your alternative banana pancake route and wanted to check with you regarding the transport options from Laos to Vietnam. The only info I have found was a few horror stories from people trying to get to Hanoi and getting stranded in rural Vietnam.

Could you please advise? Sorry for my slow reply. Lizzie Reply August 10, at 3: This blog is great. I am spending 4 months travelling SE Asia and just wanted to know if we will be able to see all the countries listed in the first pic, including Borneo, Bali, Manila etc. Marek Reply August 18, at 1: Adding everything in that first map without rushing would take at least 6 months. Brittney Reply July 26, at Any advice or guidance you can offer is really appreciated! And thanks again for your fantastic blog: I look forward to reading about where you travel next!

Marek Reply August 1, at 4: I actually visited Hoi An and Pakse on two separate trips, and then connected them in my suggested route after hearing others made the trip between these places. Brittney Reply August 2, at 9: Thanks so much for the kind response, Marek! Have a great day! Kyle Reply June 13, at 4: All the information you have provided has really helped me in preparing for my upcoming SE Asia adventure.

Also on the information on bags to purchase and equipment to get really helped. I just have one question in relation to travel insurance every blog or article I read seems to recommend World Nomads for backpacker insurance. World Nomads is working out around double the cost of all others which I just cant seem to find any justifiable reason for paying. Insurance has been the most difficult thing for me in picking. Marek Reply June 13, at 7: Another reason you see them mentioned a lot on blogs is that they have a great partnership program that lets blogs benefit from promoting them.

Another insurer I recommend here is Columbus Direct by the way, and they may be a little cheaper too used them a lot too. Nicole Reply May 31, at 8: Thanks for creating this awesome site! And sorry in advance for asking for itinerary help as it seems like you get a lot of similar questions! We are definitely going to go to the Yee Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai which falls towards the end of our trip, but we wanted to try and fit in some other cities as well. I am worried our timeline might be a little too tight to potentially do all of these cities. Do you have any recommendations on how to get the most out of our timeline with out cramming in too much?

Marek Reply June 4, at 9: I assume you will be flying between some of these cities? Better to go to Siem Reap and stay there to enjoy the temples. Then you can get to spend 3 full days in each and get a proper taste. Ahndy Reply May 22, at Great article to read, especially as my girlfriend and I are currently planning a round the world trip, starting in SE Asia.

Fly to Bangkok, work through Cambodia to southern Vietnam and work up to halong bay, cut through the top of Laos to Chiang Rai, train down to southern islands beaches!! Was thinking the following number of days in each country: Marek Reply May 23, at 7: Your route sounds cool. Jo Reply May 3, at So do you know how would the visa work in this case? Do I need to apply for a two month visa or will they issue a new one when I re enter?

Marek Reply May 4, at You can get a day visa-on-arrival when you land in Bangkok. At the Cambodia border, you can then get another day visa-on-arrival.

53 Essential Travel Tips for Backpacking Southeast Asia

This does make some assumptions about your nationality by the way. Check Wikipedia for the details. Elena Reply May 2, at 1: Just want to bounce some ideas with you. Oof, it might be a bit tight. That buys you some time letting you spend at least 3 days in some places and get the most out of them! Brad C Reply April 30, at I was thinking about going travelling this summer, whilst on summer holidays from university. If I were to go, it would be mid-July for around a month and a half. Sorry I spelt your name wrong, Marek!

Was thinking about travelling Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos in the one and a half months or so. Great question — I totally recognize that initial bit of anxiety. It always depends on the person, but what I can say is that backpacker hostels in Southeast Asia are extremely fertile grounds for making friends. There are many other solo travelers in Southeast Asia and hostels are very communal spaces, so put those two things together and inevitably people end up talking to each other. This might sound like a plug, but I think you might benefit a ton from my book. It goes into this stuff in more detail than is possible on the blog, and many have found it allayed their concerns specifically around solo travel.

Carson Reply April 20, at 4: I am a high school student right now, but I am hopefully going to take a gap year and travel. Would it be wise for me to travel solo? Thank you so much! Marek Reply April 21, at Southeast Asia is amazing for traveling solo! Best weather is different everywhere… for example June is rainy season in Thailand, but dry season in Indonesia.

I recommend researching it per country you want to visit. Carson Reply April 21, at Dude, this was an awesome read! Some very great ideas you have here and I will deff be implementing most if not all. I have a question. Do you just book all bus rides and plane tickets once you are already in Asai? Marek Reply April 6, at 5: Glad you find it useful Chris! Mhairi Boyle Reply March 21, at 5: This blog is the most useful thing I have found so far for the route I am planning, thankyou!

I was wondering if you knew the best way to get from Vieng Xai in Laos across to Hanoi. Any advice would be really appreciated, as we want to avoid flying and explore by land as much as possible! Marek Reply March 22, at 1: Mhairi Boyle Reply March 22, at 7: Thank you so much for your reply! Thanks for taking the time to reply! Marek Reply March 29, at Marek Reply March 17, at But yes hiking is still possible. I know of some remote mountain treks that shut down but you should have plenty of options left.

Might want to get a guided hike. Sammi Reply January 15, at 7: Absolutely brilliant post — thank you so much. Maybe leave Australia early to do some more of SEA. Or do you think it really matters? Marek Reply January 16, at 7: Sept to Dec-Jan is a very nice time to travel there. Eric Reply December 23, at 9: Thanks for your wonderful site. A lot of useful information here. Its amazing that you can travel for so long and so frequently.

53 Essential Travel Tips for Backpacking Southeast Asia

How do you do it! Any ways, I was wondering if I can get some advise from you. Other destinations with flights already booked are Malaysia for 3 weeks after Cambodia , India 2 weeks , Nepal 2 weeks , then back to Thailand 2 weeks then a layover in Japan and back home. So we may end up bypassing 2 weeks of PP and Sihanoukville. We will be going to Battambang for a week or less.

So now we are wondering if we should fly out to another country after Battambang. Unfortunately we do have a flight booked to fly out of Cambodia after a month but I guess we will have to accept losing the flight if we cannot make full use of a month in Cambodia. We have considered Indonesia but it looks like they are receiving heavy rain right now. Singapore is on the list for consideration for a short few days stay. We generally enjoy nature, street food, snorkeling, easy transportation, hiking, seeing animals in nature and connecting with friendly locals.

Marek Reply December 24, at This is just a quick reply before my next bus departs, but considering your interests I would maybe recommend Koh Rong Sanloem or some of the smaller islands around Sihanoukville. In The Philippines you may wish to be a bit cautious in Cebu and Manilla and avoid Mindanao entirely , but I think you may also have been spooked too much! Eric Reply December 24, at 7: We will ask around to see the best way to get there from Battambang. Speaking of jungle excursion, I actually got wounded on my heel trekking through the jungle in Thailand a week ago and the recovery has been slow with a minor bacteria infection.

And it has even brought on a fever and a sinus infection. I expect to have recovery in a few more days and then I should be able to head out to the islands and mountain you suggested. Stay safe out there! Shelby Reply November 20, at 8: I just found your blog and I love your advice so far. I was wondering if you had any suggestions for getting from Cambodia to Southern Thailand. Would I have to go through Bangkok again or is there an alternate route?

Also, are you Czech? Marek Reply November 21, at Rich Reply November 15, at Are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam best saved until later in the year, with lower temperatures but more rain? Or, would it be possible to spend January-February there, before moving on to other countries in the region? Marek Reply November 15, at 7: Rich Reply November 16, at 4: Thanks for the helpful, prompt response and keep up the good work.

Samar Misra Reply November 9, at 4: Thank you so much Marek!! Truly appreciate this and so interesting how your advice resonates with what my cousin advised earlier of best to spend 2 countries per month to get the most of it and not feel rushed as I prefer. Also, I like staying on a budget in a simple, yet safe way and never have really been into luxury and more into dissecting local culture.

My plan was to visit Thailand,Cambodia and Vietnam as the minimum leaving a 35 days for them 3 and possibly squeezing in Laos.

Nice how you suggested 1st to leave out is Laos due to time factor and I have usually been more into seeing Thailand, Cambodia and especially Vietnam as I have many cool Vietnamese acquaintances back in USA whom I really like and really always wanted to visit Vietnam. According to my plan, I am thinking of travelling from December 28th, to February 2nd, and heading to Singapore on Feb 3rd from one of those countries spend weekend with relatives and see Singapore for a day before heading to USA.

Did you ever book a tour package or have a tour guide? On a budget, what do you recommend doing when looking into hostels as well as the best way for doing site-seeing and tours on your own? What do you advise for a Vegan like me who wants to visit Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and possibly Laos? How do you deal with the horrific dilemmas of not being ripped off or demanded to pay a fee as a foreigner to see certain tour sites? Marek Reply November 9, at Not everything is always completely easy to do independently. Yeah those estimates do include sightseeing and transportation and such.

It also assumes you mostly eat local food and use accommodation that is basic. Always haggle a bit if you can. Ruthie Reply May 4, at 4: Hi Samar, how is the availability of vegan food? When I was in Thailand about 4 years ago it was very hard to eat. Shawn Walters Reply September 29, at 3: The best way to get around each country?

Marek Reply October 2, at 6: For instance, if you have a week in Vietnam you might want to focus specifically on Saigon and the south. For visiting 5 countries, 8 weeks total will give you a lot more flexibility than 6 though. You could have a look around for open jaw options but buying two singles can often be quite a bit more expensive, though it does save you some flight time. I am asking for some advice oh no not another one haha I have 12 weeks 3 months in SEA and landing in Bangkok this October eek. I am wanting to do Cambodia, laos and Vietnam. I was thinking of doing a month in each but now am unsure if I should spend more time in Vietnam and less in Laos?

The only issues would be is paying for a more expensive Vietnamese visa for 90 days around 90GBP but will it be worth it? So maybe around 3. Sorry for all the questions! Marek Reply September 29, at 4: I can definitely see arguments in favor of spending a bit more time in Vietnam, as Laos and Cambodia are both a bit smaller and have somewhat fewer sights. That said I spent a month in Vietnam maxing out the normal visa and felt this was enough to get all the main highlights from north to south.

Kaeleb Reply September 22, at Me and my girlfriend are planning on doing the 2 month route. We are leaving from Bali and are wondering if we can start in Cambodia and go this way around. Would there be any issues with travel? Also is the season too rainy to start in Cambodia this time of year? Would you recommend starting in Bangkok and up to Chiang mai instead?

Marek Reply September 25, at J Reply September 11, at 5: I wanted to ask what were you using for cell phone service? Did you have a SIM card for each country? Or did you find yourself not needing it as much? Would love to get your opinion on that. Marek Reply September 11, at 6: If you install MAPS. J Reply September 11, at Gina Reply August 4, at 7: Thanks for all of the great info. Again, we were prioritizing culture over beaches and liked the idea of Vietnam being relatively less popular.

Either place we also want to tag in Cambodia at the end. Marek Reply August 5, at I was in north Vietnam in December and it was indeed a little cold. Hanoi is still really amazing to visit but Ha Long Bay is quite misty and drab this time of year. Both plans are certainly doable but with plan 1 you will only be able to fit a limited number of stops Vietnam is a big country!

You might end up just seeing a lot of cities. I might be inclined to focus on a particular part of Vietnam so you can do more side excursions and see the countryside. I am planning a trip with one of my friends from late december to early february, around 45 days.

If you must fly, take a budget airline

And I would really like to visit Myanmar. Marek Reply July 29, at There are no crowds at all at the beaches in Myanmar. Some great beaches in Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia outside of Bali as well. Joe Reply May 25, at 5: Can you buy a flight from Vientiane to Hanoi last minute? Marek Reply May 26, at 7: Understand the desire to stay flexible! I managed to get a ticket a few days before. Chiara de Andrade Reply May 20, at 2: My sister and I want to travel Asia from 17 July to 2Aug.

We would start from Taiwan. Frankly, we have 0 ideas what to do. What would you do? Marek Reply May 20, at 9: For islands, maybe have a look at Indonesia. Its rainy season is different from the mainland, and July is actually peak season there. Monsoon rains are intense but they can also stop very quickly, so you could try to work your way around the weather and visit places like Ho Chi Minh City, the temples of Angkor, etc. Charlie Reply April 11, at 9: Two of my friends and i were hoping to travel SEA from late april to late august. This is due to the very humid and hot seasons that take place at that time of year.

However as these rainy seasons are at different times all across SEA i think with some clever planning we should be able to see everything we want to see and still successfully avoid the monsoon. I was hoping you could give me some advice as to a route to take that takes the weather in to account but still allows us to visit all the places in the rough route you have shown above considering we will be there for nearly 4 months. Marek Reply April 12, at 1: So maybe do the east coast beaches first in Thailand instead of last like my suggestion in the article , then go up to Chiang Mai etc.

Laos is in shoulder season in May so still OK. Charlie Reply April 12, at 2: Cassidy Reply April 2, at 6: My friend and I just booked round trip flights to Bangkok starting in mid July and ending in early August exactly 3 weeks. It is my first backpacking trip without a group so we have a lot of questions as we are trying to roughly plan! So we are young and active and like to be moving. Two things I really want to do while we are there is rock climb and learn to surf maybe spend a couple days surfing.

TRAVELING SOUTHEAST ASIA - Route / Budget / Food / Tips

I was just wondering if you had any suggestions of where we should definitely go for the more adventurous things to do? One more question is that I know fall is Monsoon season and our trip is a bit close July-August so I just wanted to know if we would have to be weary of weather during this time or if it should still get mostly sunny days?

Marek Reply April 10, at Krabi in Thailand is one of the best places for rock climbing. You could fly from Bangkok to Phuket, spend time there at the beaches and do rock climbing in Krabi, then fly straight to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat, then onward to southern Vietnam. It would take another domestic flight in Vietnam to see things in both the north and south.

Marek Reply October 4, at The cheapest months is different per country. Avoiding the high season could save you a little money on accommodation.

More on budgeting here: Jared Reply September 9, at Destiny was in my favour and gave me the opportunity to meet my dream makers, which I can now call my friends. Thank you Jon and Mia for opening my eyes and laying out the road to this new and amazing journey in my life. I am forever inspired and grateful. Fast forward 6 months and we're here As someone who's traveled S. Asia for 10 years, everything you need to know is inside. I wish I had this back then.

As someone who's travelled S. Asia for 10 years, everything you need to know is inside, I wish I had this back then. Our names are Jon and Mia.