Travel Asia On A Budget – Dreaming of a long trip in Asia? With these tips, you’ll be able to pull it off.
Since 2018, I’ve been traveling around Asia non-stop, and I’m proud to do so as a backpacker. Growing up, I always thought that travel was expensive and a luxury. My first passport wasn’t issued until 2015 and I didn’t use it until 2017.
Travel Asia On A Budget
Enter your budget backpack discovery. Only then did I realize that my dreams (apart from airplanes) of exploring heritage sites were possible. It’s been almost four years since my first life-changing Asian backpacking trip and I’m happy to report that I’m still exploring this amazing continent on a backpacker’s budget. But “budget” doesn’t mean boring. I’ve done everything from cycling the estuaries of Laos to trekking across glaciers in the majestic mountains of Pakistan. You can make an average of $10 a year on raw.
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Here are 10 tips for backpacking Asia on a budget in hopes of helping others interested in starting their own adventures. Once you get started, you’ll find it’s much easier than you think.
Asia is probably the best place in the world to eat on a budget. street food carts; I’m talking hole-in-the-wall restaurants and joints filled with locals and out-of-this-world flavors… Some of the best food I’ve had has been from these categories. Restaurants for less than $3 each. Streets where you find the best food while backpacking in Asia. Almost four years later, I still remember the egg and noodle dish I bought from a street stall in Bangkok. In India and Pakistan, you can easily find basic food for less than a dollar. chai paratha A bowl of unda (egg) and channa (a plate of chickpeas) costs about $1.75 and can easily feed two. I recommend avoiding western restaurant chains like Plague. If you put that money back into the local economy by making it into a restaurant in the country.
While trekking has negative connotations and is even illegal in many countries, such attitudes are not found in Asia. Some countries in Asia are more familiar with their customs than others, but overall they are more standardized than Western countries. You can start by accepting only rides and limiting daytime outings. Hitchhiking is a budget backpacker’s tool to save you money, and it can turn a ride into a full-on adventure. By this time I had traveled up and down many Asian countries and I honestly remember all the drivers. You never know who you’ll meet. Unfortunately, Security in this department is easy for men. However, In popular backpacking countries like Thailand and India, you’ll find like-minded people holding signs with you.
It’s people who specialize in the places you’ll visit, and if done right, you can even make real local connections while reducing your daily expenses. Being with the people who call this country home through random invitations is the best way to really get it. To know that, but often you don’t have to pay anything. But getting the chance to stay in someone’s home isn’t just good for a budget backpacker.
Southeast Asia Travel Budget Guide
Staying in Asia on a $10/day budget Flying should be avoided completely. Under normal circumstances, Stick to local transportation. Shelvings in mountainous areas; Try the local jeepneys and trains. These are cheap and make traveling across Asia an authentic experience.
This also applies to border crossings. Always choose the overland route. India-Pakistan border; I crossed the Laos-Cambodia border on foot and still remember the unique moments of each experience. Besides saving you hundreds of dollars, the feeling of traveling from one country to another is not exactly the same by plane as by car.
If you’re backpacking, all Asian countries are affordable, but let’s be real. Not all Asian countries are suitable for true budget travelers. Bhutan, for example, may be beautiful, but all tourists are charged at least $250 per day. Needless to say, I have never been there.
East Asia (China, Japan, South Korea) is taxing on the wallet, and even with the tips and tricks on this list, it’s very difficult to stay on a $10-a-day budget. So when planning your trip, think about where you want to go. South Asia (including the Maldives) fits most easily within this budget, with Southeast Asia closest behind. You can easily spend $10 a day at these two places and often enjoy the comfort of a private room. However, you don’t have to give up on your dreams of traveling to East Asia, but the amount of time you can spend there on a budget is significantly less than in other parts of the continent.
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Central Asia can also be backpacked within this budget, but public transportation in these countries (Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan) is limited, so you’ll have to hop on and off often or stretch your budget. Not to mention that everything in Central Asia is more affordable than almost anywhere else in East Asia and Europe.
I’m not lying. Traveling as a backpacker is not glamorous. Get used to squat toilets and cold water, and accept the sink (or bucket) as a frequent washing machine. Don’t forget the fact that a shower isn’t always in the cards. If you’re traveling on a true budget, you can’t afford air conditioning in the train cabin. You should definitely stay at a questionable hotel. But what you get in return is the freedom to immerse yourself in more beautiful cultures and moments than you can at a luxury resort.
Camping has completely changed my travel goals. Grasslands and peaceful natural areas are preferred over other places at the moment and I prefer it whenever possible. Such places are not only attractive, but often free. Many Asian countries allow wild camping, so even in expensive countries like Oman, backpacking is possible. a tent Home is everywhere, with a sleeping bag and a bed sheet. Unlike in the West, where campgrounds typically charge $50 per night, You are Asian forests, Enjoy beaches and other green spaces under the stars for $0 per night. Many countries also have designated campgrounds that rarely charge more than $4 a night.
To be clear, Traveling with someone is almost always cheaper than traveling alone. I struggle with both types and can easily spend about $5 a day on splits, but on some days it goes up to $15 solo.
Asia Travel Guide — Laidback Trip
Southeast Asia and South Asia are overflowing with backpackers. Hostels are a great place to connect with backpackers. Sleep surfing and homestays are great for meeting locals. I traveled across Pakistan with the friends I made there and found myself in India for two weeks with an amazing multinational team. It’s easy to find travel buddies, especially in popular backpacker spots. A great way to cut costs while helping other adventurers at the same time.
But don’t let my solo journey discourage you. Asia alone is doable on this budget, but I have to accept that it might take a few days due to transportation and other issues.
See I’m not saying you can’t go to Angkor Wat for almost $50 (in fact, if you’re in Cambodia, you should). Paid attraction. Some are worthwhile, while others are too expensive for tourists and are best skipped.
