1

A UTHO RS
TOMMO & MEGSY
Backpacking for Beginners

THANK YOU
Tommo & Megsy are bloggers, podcasters and
photographers. Theyve visited over 75 countries & have been
full time digital nomads since April 2013.

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If youre physically fit,

hungry to learn and be
better, I urge you to
travel as far and as widely
as possible. Sleep on floors
if you have to. Find out how
other people live and eat and
cook. Learn from them
wherever you go

-Anthony Bourdain.

I NDE P E NDEN T BUD GET

TR AV E L

travel, you discover the true nature of a place. You discover

what it means to you. With this guide we want to help you travel
cheaper, so you can travel more.

Independent budget travel is quite simply the cheapest way to

experience the world. Its also one of the most exciting ways.

--

Its about adventure and real discovery. And, yes, you may end
up sleeping on a few floors! When it comes to Asia, being fully

The content in this book will mainly cover India & East Asia

independent is going to present many challenges but also many

with a particular focus on countries that are more affordable for

rewards - it can be very cheap. However, at every turn, someone

travelers, rather than expensive countries like Japan. However,

will be offering a way for you to part with your money.

many of the tips are general enough to apply to anywhere you

In this book well be looking at Asia specific tips that you can

choose to visit in Asia.

use to keep your travel budget down. This will include: how to
avoid the constant scams and up-sells, how to find the cheapest
accommodation and transport and how to enjoy the best food in

NOTE: All prices, when referred to in dollars are based around the

Asia, for only a dollar a meal.

US dollar.

For those of you who havent visited Asia, you may have a
mixed understanding of what to expect. Europeans may think
of Roman history and the lush green countryside, South
Americans may think of the Latin vibe, red meat and red wine
and North Americans may think of its epic countryside and
roads stretching into forever.
But, what is Asia?
Asia encompasses the open expanses of Mongolia and Siberia, to
the modern metropolises of Tokyo and Hong Kong. It includes:
the sprawling shantytowns of India to the care free, pristine
beaches of the Philippines. Not to mention the difference
between the deserts of the Arabian peninsular and the lush
jungles of Indonesia. Its hard to pin down a connecting element,
a stereotype, for a continent as varied as Asia. But, when you
4

TH E COS T O F A SIA

In the USA, $6 may get you a sandwich and a soda.

Varkala, in Kerala, India is described in guidebooks as an

When it comes to value, much of Asia is a haven to budget

ex-hippie haven. In fact, many of the hippies are still there and

travelers. A delicious meal could cost you 50 cents and a beer

many more come each year to practice yoga on the cliffs above

sitting at a beach bar under palm trees, around 75 cents.

the crashing waves of the Arabian Ocean.

There are ways of traveling cheaply on every continent; but Asia
$6 a night can get you a perfectly clean double room with a

certainly makes budget travel easier than many of its

4-poster bed, and a balcony with hammock. A 3-minute walk

competitors.

along the cliff and down the steps carved into the rock face and
you will find your feet in the water.
5

C H EAP E S T DESTIN A TION S

NOTE: The information detailed is based on a combination

When deciding where to visit in Asia, budget travelers can

and personal experience. A few countries such as Iraq and

choose based on price.

Afghanistan have been omitted from this list due to insufficient

of cost of living (numbeo.com), hostel prices (hostelz.com)

and unreliable information.

There may be places you have always wanted to visit, that arent
cheap. The question to ask is, would you prefer to spend 2 weeks
living frugally in Japan or 2 months living it up in SE Asia for
the same money? Its up to you. There is still plenty of history,
culture and adventure to have in the cheapest countries.
That said, even expensive countries can be experienced on a
budget. For example, a city like Hong Kong can certainly be
enjoyed for less than you may spend on an average day in
Thailand. But, the regular budget traveler may find this hard to
achieve.
In this book youll discover the secrets of traveling cheaply in
Asia. The simplest first step to doing this is by choosing
destinations that are easy to visit on a limited budget.
So, the list below is less about the actual cost of travel and more
about bang for your buck. Its about how easy it is to get a lot
done without blowing all your savings in a few days.

Cheap
Bangladesh; Cambodia; India; Indonesia; Laos; Malaysia;
Myanmar; Nepal; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Syria; Thailand;
Vietnam; Yemen

Medium
Bahrain; Brunei; China; Iran; Kyrgyzstan; Mongolia; Oman;
Pakistan; Taiwan; Tajikistan; Turkey; Turkmenistan; Uzbekistan

Expensive
Bhutan; Hong Kong / Macau; Israel; Japan; Jordan; Kazakhstan;
Kuwait; Maldives; North Korea; Palestine; Qatar; Saudi Arabia;
Singapore; South Korea; United Arab Emirates
6

Accommodation

BU D G E T O U T L I NE

Only the cheapest or free accommodation is going to keep you

Overall, Asia is cheap. Dorm beds from $2 a night. Motorbike

under budget. Fortunately, Asia has plenty of those options.

rental for about $60 per month. If you know all the tricks, you

They may not always be clean but youll be surprised at what you

can easily live off a tiny budget.

might find.

As foreigners, you can live in Cambodia for $7 per day, for

Transport

example. This includes food, accommodation, entertainment,

Hitchhiking, local busses and trains. Travel less often and stay in

transport and other basic living costs. Although this experience

each destination longer to spread out your transport budget.

rd

may be limited, you will see real life in a 3 world country,

close-up. Locals may even say that for $7 per day, you are living

Food & Drink

in luxury.

The cheapest local street food is sometimes the tastiest. The local
whisky however, is not as tasty.

The point is that travel varies for everyone. Some people cant
bear the idea of anything less than 5 star. For those of us with

Shopping

smaller wallets, we dont get that sort of choice. Its up to you to

Shop as little as possible. If something breaks, you may need

decide what level of comfort is acceptable for you. In this outline

to replace it or just live without it. Basic toiletries are the only

Im going to explain what to expect from each budget range so

things on your shopping list.

you can decide which will suit you.

Entertainment & Attractions
Remember, before running out and booking your flights with a

The best things in life are free. Beaches, waterfalls, temples.

trip budget of $7 a day, maintaining a budget like this is not easy

Seeing the major, paid for attractions may mean putting money

to achieve, its not even necessarily fun. This overview can help

aside each day to cover the expenditure.

you get started. Take the ideas from here and progress through
this book with them in mind, in order to learn how to make

Here is a personal account of living in SE-Asia for between $7

clever budget traveling a reality.

and $15 per day.

As discussed in the previous section, costs vary in different parts

Budget Traveler ($20 - $50 Per person Per

day)

of Asia. These budgets may be easily achieved in cheap countries

like Cambodia and Laos and possibly, with effort, in medium
cost countries like China. They are however, difficult to achieve

This budget will leave you relatively content. It wont always be

in expensive countries like Japan.

luxurious, but youll get the real experience without having to

constantly worry about money. The secret is, rather than fighting

Shoestring Traveler ($7 $20 Per person

per day)

to keep under budget every day, you balance the budget based
on your whole trip. Some days will be over budget and some will
be way under.

Welcome to the underworld. You are about to experience reality

on a new level. From living everyday outside the bounds of

Accommodation

health and safety to counting the pennies at every turn, this level

Youll be able to afford some pleasant budget hotels and hostels.

of travel is all about immersion. Your choices are limited but you

Private rooms and air-con are in reach. They may not be the

can still have a very rewarding experience.

cleanest in Asia but some will be pretty good.

Transport

Shopping

Local buses, trains and tuk-tuks should be quite affordable

Depending on how much you choose to spend on the other

within your budget as long as you dont overdo it.

budget considerations, youll probably have enough budget to

shop occasionally.

Food & Drink

Sticking to street food when possible will keep your budget

Entertainment & Attractions

down. The occasional restaurant meal will be possible.

All but the most expensive attractions should fit in your travel
plan easily, maybe not everyday though.

Shopping
Its still best to shop less rather than more. That said, given how

--

much cheaper markets can be in Asia, it may be worth stocking

up using any leftover travel money.

There are a million and one factors affecting your budget. The
above costs are a rough guideline. We accept no responsibility if

Entertainment & Attractions

you cannot make them a reality.

You should be able to budget to see all the main attractions you
desperately want to see, but may have to balance this out with
free activities.

Flashpacker ($50+ Per person per day)

A flashpacker is a backpacker with money. At $50 a day you still
wont be staying in fancy boutique hotels every night, but youll
be able to relax and enjoy the experiences you want, within
reason.
Accommodation
With a budget of at least $20 per person per day for
accommodation, you should never have too much of a problem
getting a clean and comfortable room in all cheap and medium
priced countries.
Transport
Its still advisable to stick with local busses and trains to keep
prices down but you should be able to fly budget airlines for
longer trips and get around at a faster pace than someone with a
lower budget. Inner city travel by taxi will be affordable.
Food & Drink
Eating out for your whole trip should be possible, just avoid
those high priced tourist restaurants. Try the street food anyway,
its not just about price, its also about the authentic experience.

AC COMMO DA TIO N

Always have another option - Be prepared to

The good news is accommodation in much of Asia is cheap.

Unlike buying a t-shirt, which you dont really need, a

Before we talk about specific types of accommodation, there are

guesthouse is unlikely to believe you will walk back out in the

some general tips youll need to be equipped with that apply to

rain at 10 pm at night rather than taking the room. If you have

all paid rooms. These will save you stress and help to save you

a backup option in mind, you can barter more effectively as you

money too.

will be willing to walk away.

For the purpose of the sections below, we use the words hotel,

Its better to barter in a nice way at hotels. After all, they have

hostel, guesthouse etc. interchangeably. These methods apply to

access to your room, if you take it.

walk away

any paid accommodation.

Approach the situation like this: So sorry. We are backpackers

Peak Season
Like anywhere else in the world, peak season affects prices and

and can only afford X dollars for one night. If you cannot agree
on a good price, tell them you will have to try elsewhere as you
just cant afford the price.

availability. We always advise traveling out of the peak season if

you are on a budget. You can save a fortune and avoid full hotels

If they wont budge, you can walk out to try your other option.

with inflated prices. If you do have to travel during peak season,

Because you have been polite and apologetic, if you do have

be aware that some of the tips in this section might be harder to

to return later, you should still get the room at the best price

achieve. For example, bartering for rooms when demand is high

previously agreed. You can also play your hotel B off against the

is difficult.

price from Hotel A.

Bartering for accommodation

You probably already know you can barter at markets in Asia.
Well, bartering exists in almost any transaction, including
budget accommodation. Advertised prices are often just
guidelines and it is possible to get some rooms for less than half
price. It is easier to do this for last minute bookings or outside of
peak season. You can also barter at any time, even on the phone
before arrival. Well cover the exact bartering process in more
depth later in the How to barter in Asia section. For now, here

Multiple night discount

If you are staying more than one night you should always ask
for a discount. If you are staying for a week or more, you have a
stronger case for a discount as you can say youll find somewhere
else if they cant appease you.
Just book one night
You are arriving to a new town late at night with heavy bags.
Its understandable to just want something sorted in advance.
With online prices often being higher than a bartered price, its

are a few tips for getting rooms cheaper.

worth only booking your first night online. Then take an hour

Phone/email bartering

bartering easier from the angle of, We already have a room, but

Use your regular bartering method when negotiating on the

phone. Phone or email a few hotels, ask them for their best price

the next morning to check the other local hotels. You may find
are looking for a better deal - can you give us the best price. You
want them to woo you in selecting their hotel.

and play them off against quotes you have from other hotels - or
ones you have made up!

Hostels
The real bargain basement hostels are incredibly cheap.
Sometimes as low as $1 for a dorm bed. You should be prepared
9

though. Those discount prices often equal some pretty poor

Guidebooks

standards. It may mean showering from a bucket of cold water,

Some guidebooks are up to date, some arent. Still, the majority

filthy walls and floors, rodents and cockroaches in abundance,

of listings for hostels will probably be current; so using a

bedbugs and damp & smelly dorm rooms.

guidebook can be a simple time saver.

Your $1 may get you a health and safety nightmare, but some
would say, this is all part of the Asia experience. Paying $3 a

On the budget side, if something is in the guidebook, you wont

night may yield a much more pleasant stay. Still very cheap, but

be the only one looking it up. Typically anything that has been

youll only start finding some really nice rooms once you start

widely recommended in a major guide will have less reason to

paying $10 a night per person.

keep prices low, and less reason to maintain standards. They

already get customers, so why worry?

Its not just dorms either. Many hostels offer private rooms as
well.

Booking sites
The very cheapest hostels rarely have online presence - other

The main advantages of staying in a hostel:

than as travelers stories on blogs and forums. That doesnt mean

- More of a social atmosphere than a hotel.

you cant find some pretty good prices on booking sites.

- For solo travelers, dorms are typically cheaper than a single

Hostelz.com compares prices of the 4 biggest hostel sites. This

private room.

is a great place to start your search and get some benchmark

prices.

Ways to find hostels in Asia

With many of the cheapest Asian hostels still not properly

Just turn up

featured online, you have to be savvy about finding a dorm.

We mentioned this earlier. It is surprisingly easy outside of peak

season to just turn up to any tourist destination and find a room.

It may take time to find the cheapest places, all for the sake

Less touristy places can be trickier to even find a hotel.

of saving a few dollars per night. If your budget is not supershoestring you may just want to keep it simple by using a

Either way you should still have some options available. Tuk-

booking site.

tuk drivers are notorious for taking tourists to their friends

hostel and giving them an inflated price so they get their share.

Internet

You must insist on where you want to go. If in doubt, just tell

Where to look? What to search for? Youd think doing a Google

them you already have a reservation, even if you dont. If you

search would be the obvious choice. Actually, a basic Google

are desperate you can rely on drivers to get you a bed, no matter

search will mainly yield the same results as a hostel booking site

what. You will pay the price for it though.

would - the more expensive, well promoted places.

Wikitravel.com is a free resource that will list accommodation

Guesthouses & Hotels

options in most destinations. Its a decent starting point but is

Asia is filled with budget hotels and guesthouses. You still see

notoriously out of date, so double check any info you find.

the 4 and 5 star brands with their large ads and sponsored spots
on Expedia and other booking systems. Ignore the hype. You

Try using the lonelyplanet.com/thorntree forum. Either search

dont have to stay in a dorm to get a cheap nights sleep in Asia.

old posts for your destination or post a new thread for info.

Double hotel rooms for less than $10 a night do exist in the

Once you have some names and or prices, then you can head

cheaper countries.

back to Google and do a specific search on those leads for the

latest info.
10

How to find hotels & guesthouses

up rooms. In some countries, like Myanmar, homestay is

Firstly, use the same process as for finding hostels. As described

technically illegal, so its harder to find any. In other countries,

in the previous section, use the Internet, guidebooks or just turn

like India and other parts of central Asia/middle east, youll find

up.

that hosts are generally male. It is not appropriate for women

to offer strangers a bed, especially men. A lot of the homestay

Booking Sites

options are actually small guesthouses.

There are some great deals online. Though not always the
cheapest possible prices for hotels, its sometimes just easier to

Couchsurfing

use a booking site.

Couchsurfing.org is the biggest free homestay network. Hosts

offer up a couch or spare bed to travelers for free. There are

The easiest place to start is trivago.com

plenty of couches to surf in Asia, although you will find there are
less than in Europe & The USA.

They compare multiple booking sites and there is a price slider

that lets you find the cheapest places. Private rooms between

You need to have a complete profile, and preferably references,

$10 and $30 per night are featured in most cheap and medium

to find it easy to get hosted.

priced destinations.
Air BnB
Another option is momondo.com, which is a price comparison

Airbnb.com is the largest paid homestay network in the world

site. It searches some of the smaller booking sites rather than just

right now. They feature a lot of homestay rooms across Asia.

the majors so that you get some additional options. Momondo

You can read reviews and house rules before applying to stay

includes dorms and hotels in the search results, so read the small

to ensure the place will be suitable for your specific needs.

print.

Payments are made in advance, but are not paid to the owner
until 24 hours after your arrival.

Homestays

Other useful sites for finding paid homestays:

Homestay is one of the latest trends in local accommodation.

Staying with local people gives you an insight into the culture of

- Housetrip.com

a country as well as the opportunity to get great local knowledge

- Homestay.com

and possibly some home cooked food too.

Housesitting

The other benefit is it can be cheaper than a hotel, sometimes its

Unlike the USA or Europe, housesitting opportunities in Asia

even free. Some travelers may be concerned about the safety of

are limited. They do come up though. Typically an expat family

homestays. Travel has inherent risks, so homestay is not 100%

needs to head home to visit family and friends and offers out

safe. If you stick to well reviewed hosts rather than newbies,

their home to house sitters to look after their pets and maintain

youll have little to worry about.

the property.

Major types of homestay in Asia

Learn more about how to get into housesitting.

Asia hasnt wasted any time with joining the homestay

revolution. Although lesser tourist destinations may not have
many hosts, there are plenty of options in major destinations.
There is also a good mix of local hosts and expats offering
11

TR ANS P ORTA TIO N

The main bus options in Asia

Lets paint the picture You see the ground move quickly

affect the price, of course, but sometimes its nice to know you

through the cracks of the wooden floor. This barely functional

have some level of safety.

Youll come across a variety of buses across Asia. The standards

machine, held together with duct tape and nails, tears along
dusty, bumpy roads. Locals hang out the door, ready to leap

Chicken Bus

from the moving bus, which will slow down, but not stop, at

Named because of their tendency to have loose poultry floating

each destination.

around inside. They transport food goods, mail and of course,

people. The real bottom rung of mass transit bus standards,

Transport in most of Asia is not quite at the same standard as

these are super cheap, rust buckets and are an experience in

you might get back home.

themselves - not one you may want to have too often.

What they lack in health and safety is generally made up for in

Regular Bus

price. An overnight, 13-hour bus ride in Myanmar may cost you

Public transport for the masses. They run them until they can

less than $10.

run no more. You may be in a bus from the 50s. You may get
lucky and have relatively new bus. Regular buses ply city and

In this section well look at the best ways to keep your transport

inter-city routes with frequent stops at very low prices. In fact,

costs down. As we are on the subject of buses, thats a good place

some routes dont have stops. Especially outside of cities, theyll

to start.

pick up anyone who flags them down, and let you off wherever.

Buses

Mini Bus
For small local routes that dont need a full size bus.

Many buses in Asia are a little worse for wear. Thats an

In the Philippines you have the Jeepney. Sort of like a small, low

understatement. Death trap may be a better description.

roof school bus that you have to bend down to climb through.

As a budget traveler, you dont always have a choice. Some

In Thailand, you will find the songthaew, which essentially is

areas are only serviced by local bus. Plus, it is almost always the

a pickup truck with a roof and two benches to sit on. In Hong

cheapest transport option for short and medium distance travel.

Kong you have the Red Coffins, named because of their high
accident rate. They are for less travelled connecting routes.
Most of Asia seems to have its variations.
12

Sometimes you will find modern transit van style minibuses.

These are often for long distance routes that need to be covered

and hit bumps.

- More dangerous than day buses because of driver fatigue.

fast. Drivers are unlikely to observe the speed limit as you weave
at high speed between the traffic or along mountain roads.

If you choose the sleeper, there are a few things thatll help:
- Take an eye-mask and earplugs - they often leave lights

Long Distance Coach

These have varying standards and are used to transport between
major centers. The main difference is that seats are normally

on all night or have a noisy TV.

- Have warm clothes accessible. Even in the tropics, an

aggressive air con can cause a sleepless night.

ticketed and often reserved. They will also have far fewer stops
than a regular bus. As for comfort, aside from having your own

How to find a bus

seat, dont assume it will be comfortable.

How organized is the bus system in most Asian countries? If you

guessed, not very, you guessed correctly. Sure, if you were a

VIP Bus

local you may not find it as tricky, but for us foreigners, it can be

Whats in a name? Sometimes nothing. A VIP bus might just

a minefield.

be a slightly newer coach with air-con. For some routes though,

you may get lucky and have a plush, luxury bus with beautiful

By far the simplest way to get started is to type the search Bus

reclining leather seats.

from X to Z into Google. The information is not always up to

date or reliable, so check multiple answers to the query. This is

As these sorts of buses are aimed at tourists or wealthier locals,

often enough for any major backpacker routes.

chances are there will be reviews of each company online. Search

for which bus companies are really VIP in your destination.

For trickier routes, asking a local can help, though youll often
get misinformation. Asking at your accommodation may also

Sleeper Bus

yield positive results. Sometimes you can book buses from

There are a variety of sleeper bus options, from those designed

agents and theyll give you all the info for a commission fee.

for flatbed sleeping to those that you simply sleep on, in

discomfort.

Or you can just head to the local bus station and ask there.

Some possible sleeper bus configurations:

Some long distance buses must be booked in advance. Regular

- Flatbeds that are genuinely flat.

routes and short trips are normally hop-on.

- Semi sleepers, with chairs that recline or are fixed at a

reclined angle.

The cost of buses

- Cushy seats that partially recline.

Dont underestimate how cheap buses in Asia can be. Here are

- Basic seat. Essentially just a long distance coach that travels at

some example prices:

night.

- City bus across Bangkok (30 mins): 25 cents

- Bagan to Mandalay, Myanmar (7 hours) $7

The main advantages of a sleeper bus:

- Chandigarh to Shimla, India (5 hours) $4

- Save on the cost of a nights accommodation.

- Get where you are going without wasting a day of
sightseeing time.

They may not be the most glamorous way to get around, or the
safest but they sure are the cheapest. A lot of companies online
want to tell you that you need private transfers costing western

The main disadvantages:

prices. You dont.

- You may not get much sleep as drivers burn around corners
13

Trains
Trains in Asia are a cost effective form of travel. On the whole
they are more comfortable, less bumpy and safer than taking the
bus. That said, the frequent derailments and quality of trains in
Myanmar, for example, might challenge that assertion.
There is something to be said for a train journey though. There
is almost a romance to it. You can see the country from a
different perspective. You will often meet locals on those long
train rides and perhaps spend less than flying. Though that
depends on the route, so do check flight prices too.
Major cities will generally have a railway station in a central
location so this can be more convenient than getting to an
airport, and will save you the transfer fee too.
There is one website that pretty much own the information
market on international train travel: seat61.com.

Once again Seat61.com triumphs in having detailed info on how

to book tickets both online and at stations.
It is generally cheaper to buy tickets at the station. Though,
clearly, it can be very inconvenient. If they are sold out already
when you arrive, it can be a disaster.
Metro/Subway Systems
Many of the major cities have metro systems. Most of these
transit systems are very affordable. If traveling solo, a metro
ticket may be cheaper than a taxi. If in a group of 2 to 4 people,
you might find it cheaper and easier to share a taxi. But there are
a lot of factors for each destination, so youll have to add up the
possible cost yourself.
The good news is English is the second language for almost
every metro system in Asia. So, in general, youll find it easy to
navigate.

Almost every major, and minor, train route in the world gets
coverage. Maps, information on the quality of each class and
even train times, prices and ways to get tickets for less.
Its an invaluable resource.
Train Classes
As a budget traveler youll normally travel in one of the lower
classes. Expect rickety, overcrowded conditions with open
windows and doors, and no air con. For not too much more
money you can normally upgrade to something a little more
pleasant with air con and possibly a fully reserved seat.
Cattle class can be quite an experience Good-bye health and
safety once again.

Budget Airlines
When traveling short distances, bus or train travel is normally
the cheapest option, but for longer jumps between Asian
countries, you might find budget airlines not only more
convenient but cheaper too.
We mentioned some resources for finding cheaper flights in our
general travel book. You can get that from our website.
Here is an Asia specific recap.
Whichairline.com compares the price of budget airlines for
almost any route. It will build multi step itineraries with multiple
airlines to find you the cheapest possible price.
Wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_low-cost_airlines#

Booking Train Tickets

Unlike buses, trains often require pre-booked tickets. For overly
strained rail systems, like those in India and China, you may
find yourself stuck in cattle class if you dont book weeks in
advance.
Most Asian countries dont make it too difficult to book tickets.
14

and many routes that Air Asia does not cover. In general they
are slightly more expensive but it really depends on the deals
you find. Tigerair.com
Other Airlines & Finding Cheaper Flights

There are a lot. Once you know your destinations you can
choose which airlines will service them. We recommend signing
up to their Facebook / Twitter accounts to get notifications of
sales. Joining their email newsletters will also ensure you are
notified of deals.
Once you are receiving updates youll get a sense of just how
Asia Features a list of all budget airlines based in various

cheap certain routes are. When you see a good deal come up,

Asian countries. There is also a list for middle-eastern airlines:

that is the time to book it. Or, at least, the time to jump on

Wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_low-cost_airlines#Middle_East

whichairline.com and see if the other parts of your route are also
cheap.

Typically an airline will have one or more hubs. Flights operate

out of the hubs connecting to other airports, either domestic or

Private transport (Taxi, Tuk-Tuk, Rickshaw,

international. The more hubs, the larger the network is likely to

Moto taxi)

be. For this reason, there are two airlines that are particularly

Unlike in western countries, where taxis are simply too

useful for getting around Asia (excluding Middle-East).

expensive for the average budget traveler, in Asia they can be

quite affordable. For short distance travel they are convenient,

Air Asia

plentiful and cheap. You may be used to a regular car or mini-

Air Asia is one of the cheapest airlines in the world. With hubs

van when taking a taxi.

in Malaysia, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Japan

(pending), they have well over 100 destinations.

From jumping on the back of a motorbike-taxi to riding in

Airasia.com Flying from Singapore to Bangkok, for example, is

a dilapidated horse and carriage, the sheer variety of private

significantly cheaper than traveling overland, as are many of the

transport in Asia boggles the mind.

other Air Asia routes. They have won the award for worlds best
low-cost airline at least 5 times.

If you are looking to travel long distances, private transport is

rarely affordable for the budget traveler. If you cannot or do not

With prices so low, common questions include: Is it safe to fly

want to take a bus or train, finding other travelers to share the

with them? Is it Comfortable?

cost of a private taxi is often the solution.

Comfort is comparable to most budget airlines. For short flights

its really not a problem. As for safety, their scores are below
many major airlines. You can compare scores for yourself:
Airlineratings.com/safety_rating_per_airline.php
Tiger Air
Tiger is similar in standard to Air Asia, but has multiple hubs

15

Sometimes this can be done by going to an agency that will put

its easy to end up in the wrong place. Some would say, that is

you in a group taxi. The other option is to be sociable and find

all part of the adventure. The second factor to consider is that

other foreigners at your accommodation who are heading in the

hitchhiking is not always free. It may be cheaper than other

same direction.

transport options, but if you dont negotiate a fee in advance, it

may end up costing a lot more than public transport.

The price of a taxi

Prices vary, of course. What doesnt vary is the amount of tricks
drivers use to inflate the price of your trip. Unlike at home, dont

Motorbike Rental

expect taxis to run the meter, even if you ask them to.

With buses and trains restricting your travel destination and

often failing to run on schedule, having your own transport can

When you first hail a taxi and tell them where you are going,

make travel really convenient, and sometimes cheaper too. A

before you get in, ask meter? Many will say no. At that point

motorbike (scooter) is the best value for money rental option.

you can either suggest a price - if you know a rough price - or

ask the driver for a price. Normally theyll overcharge, so barter

How to rent a motorbike or scooter

them down.

Although the process will vary, here are some basics to help you
get orientated with motorbike rental in Asia.

Even if they do use the meter, some are dodgy and will jump
after a certain interval. If that happens, scream blue murder at

How much will it cost?

the driver.

Of course, prices vary between countries. Look back at the

cheapest destinations section. For the cheapest countries, you

Although some taxi drivers are scammers or even rude, they are

can rent a scooter (about 100cc) from as little as $2 per day and

also poorly paid in almost all Asian countries. The meter rates

fuel may be cheaper than at home.

are often way below what they should be, given the cost of fuel.
So, although its ok to argue over an outrageously high price, it

This doesnt mean you will be sure to get a price that good. Its

may not be worth arguing over 50 cents.

best to assume that $4 - $10 per day is more realistic. If you want
more than a scooter, or to rent in one of the more expensive

Common Scams

countries, youll have to budget more.

Of all the scammers in Asia, taxi drivers are the kings.

One of the best ways to save money in Asia is to avoid the many,

Driving license and insurance

many scams and tricks that taxis use to extort foreigners.

Some countries require you to have both a drivers license and an

international driver permit. You must apply for these before you

A really comprehensive list is: 16 Asian taxi scams (and how to

leave home. I would suggest using Google for more information

beat them)

on this.

Hitchhiking

Conversely, some countries will rent a scooter to anyone without a license. You will not necessarily get offered insurance,

It is certainly possible to hitchhike in most of Asia. Information

and if you are driving without the official documents that your

about safety and legality is available at hitchwiki.org

own insurance company would expect you to have, it is unlikely

Your major challenge may be the language barrier. Travelers

they will pay out if you have an accident. So, consider this at

have ended up in completely the wrong destination simply

your own risk.

because of communication errors. When your surroundings are

unfamiliar and road signs may only be in the local language,
16

Common Scams

polite. If you become aggressive you could get in a lot more

Being scammed can be very costly to your budget. Here are

trouble than what a $2 fine is worth.

some of the primary scams youll encounter when dealing with

motorbikes in Asia.

Rental Scams
If you get caught out with a rental scam you could be down

Police Scams

hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Not good for the travel

Police in many Asian countries are corrupt. This means they

budget.

often accept money as a bribe. Foreigners are often a prime

target for these scams, as they dont know the laws or how much

Here are a few of the common ones:

fines should cost.

- Bike theft scam. Someone follows you after you rent a bike.
The way you handle yourself with the police will depend on

They steal it back at the first opportunity and then get a cut from

the country you are in. For example, in Cambodia, a typical

the money you have to pay the rental agency for the stolen bike.

response is to accelerate to get away. The police dont want to

They then give the bike back to the rental agency once you have

waste fuel chasing you. They are there for profit and instead will

gone. Best solution: Get your own lock, not the one provided.

just pull over the next foreigner.

- Damaged bike scam: This one is all around the world. The
In India its more normal to just hand them 100 rupees and

agency claims that you did damage to the bike, even though it

chalk it down to experience. Whatever you decide to do, they are

was already there previously. Best Solution: Take photos on day

still police, even if they are corrupt. If they want to make your

one and make sure the agent sees you doing so.

life very difficult, they can. So use this advice to save money on
fines. Remember though, this is at your own risk. Here are a few

- Passport Scam: The agency holds your passport as insurance.

typical scams to look out for:

When you return the bike they claim there is a problem with
it and you must pay. Because you have a flight / train to catch

- Asking for an unreasonable fine. Because they know

and need your passport immediately, you dont have time to get

foreigners may pay $50+ for various traffic offences at home,

the police involved and have to pay up. Best Solution: Never

they ask for the same. If you are in a developing country,

give over your passport. Insist on giving a copy only, or go rent

running a red light is not going to be fined at over $5. Always

somewhere else.

challenge fine prices and suggest they take you to the police
station to pay - they wont want to.
- Claiming you have the wrong documents - Then asking for
money. Always make sure you know exactly what documents
you need in that country so you can argue effectively.
- Pulling you over, because they can. They will pretty much use
any excuse they can come up with and then ask for money. If
the fine is a couple of dollars its often easier just to pay up. If its
more, just make sure you have a basic understanding of the road
rules so you can argue.
Importantly, no matter how much of a douche the cop is, stay
17

FOOD

shouldnt be missed.Street food is ready to eat and is sold on

I hope your taste buds are ready.

usually set up on easily transportable trolleys. For centuries it

the street side or in markets by food vendors and hawkers. They

has been a cheap, fast food, option for the masses. We are even

Asian food is popular all around the world. From Thai

seeing a resurgence of street food in western culture today.

curry to Chinese sweet and sour to falafel, Asia has so much

deliciousness to offer.

If you are a backpacker on a budget, you will find that this is the
cheapest form of food during your travels in Asia.

This section is going to cover how to get the best and most
authentic Asian food whilst traveling , without breaking the

The ingredients will be locally bought every day. Many carts

bank.

specialize in just a few dishes, so they are experts in them. Youll

get authentic, delicious food, often for less than a dollar per

Eating Street food

Could you get amazing local cuisine starting at 50 cents per
meal? Yes, Asia is able to provide you with a happy belly for

meal.

But, will you get Sick?

a very low price. You may have seen the travel shows where

Everyone has heard the horror stories of Delhi Belly, Bali Belly

hosts taste a fascinating array of Asian street cuisine. Some

and the rest. Many people unfairly lay the blame on street food,

tantalizing - some terrifying. From BBQ sticks, to hearty noodle

mostly because of the weird food that they consumed that day.

soups and curries, the street food options in Asia are endless and

But we have heard plenty of stories from hotel food being the
18

cause of sickness, more often than street food. There are more

a little longer for your meal, because you chose a popular stall.

factors to getting sick in Asia than just where you get your meal.

Itll be worth it for staying healthy and the food may be better

We cant prevent you getting sick, but the following tips will help

anyway.

you reduce the risks.

4. Avoid the water
1. Clean your hands with anti bacterial before

Its the number one thing you are told prior to visiting Asia -

you touch any food.

dont drink the water. So, we all buy our mineral waters and ask

Think back on all the things youve touched throughout the day.

for no ice in our drinks - covered right? Wrong.

How many things have you come into contact with that wouldnt
be considered sanitary?

What do you think that salad you ordered was washed in? What
about the plates? Did you know they sometimes add tap water to

You can eat at your hotel restaurant or the stall down the road,

the fresh orange juice? And those fresh fruit stalls? They look so

but if you have dirty hands, youre bound to get sick. The tap

tasty because they regularly spray the fruit with water to make it

water is unsafe to drink, so washing your hands in it will not

appear fresh.

result in sanitary hands. Us an alcohol based hand sanitizer.

These days some places use mineral water in their cooking;
2. How clean is the street food stall?

always ask them before you order. Also with the fruit vendors,

Are they keeping their food covered and away from flies? Do

ask them if you can have a fresh cut piece of fruit, not pre-cut.

they have any way of keeping meat refrigerated or on ice? Has it

been sitting out in the sun or is it covered?

For more ideas and detail take a look at how to eat Asian street
food and not get sick.

Street stalls have a high turn over - so the need for serious
refrigeration is not always considered. However, if you are

Asian street food is amazing, and an essential part of visiting

turning up to a stall for a late lunch, and that stall has been there

Asia. Dont be put off, think before you order, and youll enjoy

all morning, in the sun, Id reconsider eating their meat. The

street food that will rock your world - not your toilet!

same applies if they have no way of keeping the flies away.

The one benefit of a street stall is the fact that you can see with

Eating With Locals

your own eyes how clean their equipment is. You dont have this

Getting the opportunity to eat with locals is a fantastic way to

benefit often with restaurants and hotels in Asia. Trust us, you

find out about foods that are not in the tourist guide books.

dont want to see what is going on behind the scenes in some of

Everyone knows about Pad Thai in Thailand, and Pho in

those places. Street stalls have no way of hiding their hygiene

Vietnam - but its the one-of-a-kind home cooked meals that

practices.

really amaze.

3. Eat where the locals eat

Many people reminisce on food and say, oh, my mum cooks the

Street stalls are everywhere in Asia and it is typical for locals

best ____ or my gran made an awesome____. Home comfort

to eat that way every day. In many areas locals are the primary

foods arent found in restaurants, they are found in the home.

customers, while tourists head to fancy restaurants.

Asia is no exception, and scoring a home cooked meal is a

must-do experience. Even better, its often cheaper than a

A hawker wont last very long in the game if the locals dont like

restaurant.

his food or get sick. Its a good idea to be weary of a stall that is
being avoided by the locals, even if it means you have to wait

So how do you get yourself invited in for a home cooked meal?

19

Here are 3 ways that could give you a personal invite to taste

4. Get Invited

town.

The hardest option can also be the most rewarding. If you can
make friends with locals whilst traveling , you can occasionally

1. Couchsurfing

be invited to join them at home for a meal.

We mentioned couchsurfing.org in the accommodation section.

Some hosts are excited to share their cuisine with guests and are

How do you do this? You just have to talk to people. We dont

proud to cook a traditional home recipe. You could also offer

suggest going in with the attitude of I want a free meal. Form

to cook for your host and perhaps they will return the favor by

a genuine connection and enjoy learning about that person and

creating some local flavors for you. You might even get a free

their culture and talk about your love of food.

cooking lesson.
Sharing food is not only great for the taste buds, but also for

Foodie scams

getting to know people better. Its a real cultural exchange.

While there are many genuine people in Asia who will honestly
welcome you into their homes. There are also plenty out there

Cooking may not be every hosts forte, so a home cooked meal

trying to make a buck on tourist naivety.

isnt guaranteed, but locals do tend to know the best places in

town to get a great meal. Head out with your host and see what

- If someone invites you to his or her home for food, or for a cup

hidden delicacies you might discover.

of tea, make sure you ask, politely, if it will cost you money. If

2. Airbnb.com and Homestays

they act overly insulted and dont actually answer the question, it
may be a scam.

The latest accommodation revolution to hit the travel industry is

homestays. We talked about these in the accommodation section

- The Chinese Tea scam is a real problem and its not only

too. Sometimes a homestay will include breakfast and / or other

in China. If a stranger invites you to a restaurant to practice

meals. Or they may be happy to provide them for a fee. The host

English, be wary that you may be left with a large restaurant bill.

will state on their profile what meal options are included. Ask

when you book.

- Go with your gut instincts - if they seem a little dodgy, politely

decline.Its often better not to go to a private home alone, just to

If youre lucky you may even be able to do a cooking class with

be safe.

them or a relative. It depends on the host.

3. Foodie Tours
Food is a big part of visiting Asia. There are more and more
foodie tours popping up every day. Check out withlocals.comto
find some fantastic home cooked meal options available that you
can book.
Prices range depending on size of meals and ingredients used.
The benefit of this site is it promotes direct tours, not people
who are employed by a tour company. This helps keep prices
lower and insures a more authentic experience with a real family,
rather than a company that caters exclusively to tourists.

20

Food Porn top 10

Paneer Curry

Not surprisingly, there is some fantastic food in Asia.

The best thing is, youll find flavor on a budget wherever you
turn. A top 10 list will never do Asia justice, but to tease the taste
buds just a little, here are 10 of our favorites to look out for, most
coming in under 2 dollars per serve.
So, in no particular order...
Yum Cha
There are a lot of vegetarians in India. One way to get around the
low protein vegetable diet is cheese. And Indians put cheese in
curry. This may seem like a strange concept, but chunks of this
paneer cheese actually stay solid, and they blend perfectly with
the spicy sauces.
Xiaolongbao

Yum cha is available at Chinese restaurants all over the world.

Its at its best in China and Malaysia. Think about it as Chinese
tapas. Dumplings and other small dishes come in multitude,
either ordered from the menu or brought around on a cart from
which you can pluck the tastiest looking ones.
Pilaf / Biryani / Nasi
Dumplings are available all over China. Xiaolongbao is a
special type of dumpling that originates in the Shanghai region
of China. At room temperature the filling is solid. As the
dumplings are steamed, the fat and juice inside melts. When
you bite into one of these, an almost volcanic explosion of flavor
happens in your mouth.

Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruocaled/5374748626/

Pilaf, in one form or another, is present in almost every Asian

country. Cooking methods and style vary everywhere. Its a
filling budget meal, often for less than a dollar.
21

Hummus

This is one of Thailands most famous dishes. Its easy to find, in

fact, sometimes too easy to find. Street sellers tout portions on
Bangkoks Khao San Road for about a dollar. These are poorly
prepared with inferior ingredients for drunken tourists who
dont know any better. The real thing should be prepared with
tamarind and fish sauce. You should head to less touristy areas
for the good stuff.
Street BBQ (Chinese Style)

Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart_spivack/5971795215/

If you are heading to the middle-eastern region, youll want

to try the local hummus. This smooth chickpea dip is world
famous, but dont miss out trying it from the region where it was
first created.
Korean BBQ

If you make it to China during the summer months, youll find

street side dining everywhere. 1.35 Billion+ people seem to
come out for the hot weather. Thats a lot of hungry bellies to
fill. The variety of interesting BBQ options is endless. The above
picture is cilantro wrapped in tofu. Prices for BBQ are normally
per stick and start from around 15 cents.
Its impossible to travel through South Korea without stumbling

Lechon

across a Korean BBQ restaurant. This is one of the only

expensive meals from this list, coming in at about $10 per
person at a budget restaurant. The good news is Korean BBQ
always comes with unlimited side dishes. You will not walk away
hungry from this investment.
Pad Thai

One for the meat lovers. The Philippines is not well known for
its cuisine. But, if there is one thing they do better than most,
its BBQ roasted pig. Lechon has a super crispy skin and delicate
pork flesh inside. Also try the lechon manok which is roast
chicken.
22

Pho

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonolist/726927729/

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup. The broth is normally made

from pork bones and pork is also the typical meat in the soup,
although duck and chicken are also common options.

23

S H O P P I NG

budget traveler and someone offers you a Prada bag for $300,
you should be able to get the price down to $30 or less.

Asian markets are wild. Hectic. Fascinating. Best of all, in most

countries, they are cheap. From clothes to food to electronics,

NOTE: If you are purchasing jewelry and are not an expert

everything is available, and almost everything is open for

in this area, be very careful. Just because the label says silver,

negotiation. They are very different from western markets. Its

doesnt mean it is. It could very well be stainless steal. There is

easy to get ripped off. So in this section well be looking at how

plenty of fake jewelry in Asia. Dont expect honesty from the

to get the best value out of Asian markets.

vendors.

Genuine Fakes (Black market goods)

Buy when you arrive

The sign sits proudly above the central bazaar in Kusadasi,

Not everything you see at Asian markets is a fake brand. There

Turkey. Genuine Fakes marked boldly in yellow. The country

are plenty of local clothes and unbranded goods. These are

where Europe meets Asia represents much of what youll come

generally available at bargain prices.

to expect as you head further east. Armani, Calvin Klein, Prada.

When it comes to clothes, shoes, bags, electronics and many
As you travel through Asia youll see many name brands. Many

other things, why pay western prices, when you can rather stock

are copies, some may be original but are factory rejects. In

up on these items when you arrive?

Turkey they are surprisingly open about these fakes. In other

countries, street sellers prey on stupid foreigners by asking

Sure, some things, like a backpack, you might need in advance.

premium western prices for fake goods. Stupidity is not an

But, if you come from a cold climate, for example, dont buy up

understatement; people are paying hundreds of dollars for fake

all your hot weather clothes at home. Buy when you arrive for a

products that cost a few dollars to make. They think saving $50

fraction of the price. Use the money youve saved to enjoy your

compared to back home is a good deal. Its not. The upside of

travels instead.

this racket is that you can get some great designer stuff for a
fraction of the price. The downside is that its illegal. You cannot

We are talking about a few hundred dollars worth of clothes

guarantee the quality and there is certainly no return policy.

that you can pick up in Asia for maybe $50. Thats some serious

We cannot advise you to buy genuine fakes, as previously

savings.

mentioned, its illegal. What we are saying is that if you are a

24

What is your first destination?

Some destinations have better western fashion markets. Bangkok
is fantastic, for example. South Korea is a little more expensive

Rules for getting your purchases in Asia

To ask or not to ask

and has a lot of Korean fashion that may not be ideal, depending

One common question is, should I just suggest a price, or

on your taste.

ask the price? The best answer probably comes down to how
familiar you are with Asian prices. If its your first time, you

Do some quick Google research before leaving home. What big

will almost always pitch a high price, and once pitched, that is

markets are in your destination? What sort of products will be

what you will pay. We suggest, whilst you are getting used to the

available? How cheap will the prices be?

barter system, to always ask for the best price first and then
apply some of the tactics below to get a better price.

How to barter in Asia

If youve come from a country where things are pre-priced, you
may feel a little uncomfortable bartering.
The fact is, once you get to Asia, you have to barter for almost
everything, or you are going to get seriously extorted. In fact,
the reason prices are often massively marked up for foreigners
are because the marketers are aware just how unwilling some
foreigners are to barter. They will take advantage of you. So youd
better be ready.
In the Philippines and Cambodia bartering is quite a friendly,
lighthearted affair. In India bartering can be very aggressive. Its
actually common for shop owners to either follow you down the
street or simply swear and curse at you if you refuse to pay their
price. Whether its friendliness, intimidation or guilt, everyone
has his or her tactic for getting you to overpay.
The simple rule is, if you dont like the price, walk away.
Sometimes, even if you do like the price, walk away more on
that shortly.
One of the most important things to remember is, not all these
stall keepers are evil. They just want to make money, they may
not be that well off and they have families to feed.
There comes a point where you either pay up or walk away.
Dont barter forever.

Barter for a low price - lower than you think.

There are regional differences with this and it will depend on the
sort of product you are buying and how outrageous the initial
asking price is. Choosing what to bid does come down to
experience, we have a simple process that will get you started:
No matter how high quality a product seems, think about how
much the generic version of it might cost in a budget store like
Walmart, K-mart, or Primark. Look to pay less, possibly half the
k-mart price. Keep that price in mind as a target BUT bid lower
to start with. Its not a hard and fast rule. The point is, be ready
to bid down really low, even for branded products, as mentioned
earlier, most are fakes.
Act Disinterested
When you ask the price of something, do so disinterestedly. Do
not sound excited about finding that perfect dress. When they
give you a price sound disappointed. Oh. Thats too much. Oh
well, Im not that bothered anyway. Almost every seller will
offer you a discount, unless the price is already set low. Continue
to act disinterested. Umm and arr. Wait for another price offer
or suggest something youd be willing to pay. If you dont get the
price you want then say, ok, never mind. Put the dress back and
expect to hear another lower offer.
Walk away
Now its time to walk away. After hearing the lower offer. Start
to walk away slowly. Sometimes you will have the seller shout
after you or follow you with a better offer, sometimes not. At that
point you can estimate how close you were to getting the best
price. If the final offer is good enough, head back, or...
25

The same Item is available 30 seconds away

Asian markets are big. Its pretty rare to get lone stalls. The same
products will be available at multiple stores. Once you have a
best price from acting disinterested and walking away, you can
take that price to the next stall, shrink that price a bit and say
the last stall offered this to me at X price. Can you do better?
Either you get it, or you go back to the previous stall or keep
walking to another stall. Tell them the new best price and ask
them to beat it too.
Whamo!
The shops near the entrance are more
expensive
Another tip: The stores near entrances of large markets are
easier to find and normally get more tourist trade. Their location
means they can charge more to tourists, and get away with it.
You can apply the rules above, or just skip the initial stores,
remembering what products you have seen and come back to
them last - prices for arriving customers are always higher than
for those leaving.
NOTE: Street markets are a prime location for bartering. Fancy,
upper class boutique stores or 7eleven? Not so much. Anywhere
in between you should use your judgment as to whether it is a
good time to barter. If in doubt, ask a local or just try your luck
in a polite, lighthearted way. You never know.

26

W E S TE R N PRO D UC TS IN
AS I A ( WH AT TO BUY
B EF OR E Y OU A RRIVE )

be surprisingly affordable, its best to bring your favorite sanitary

Asia is known as a budget shoppers paradise.

a little weird at first, these are a reusable eco-friendly option that

product from home.

Have you considered traveling with a menstrual cup? Although
can actually be used for a longer amount of time compared to a

There are some products however that you cant find easily. If

regular tampon.

you do find them, they cost more than they do at home. More
specifically, you wont find generic brands, so youll be paying for
big name brands.

Moisturizer
Hand, face and body - these generally contain whitening

Here are some of the most important things you might want to

products in Asia, even the name brands. Just as you are trying

stock up on before you leave home.

to get a holiday tan, the locals are trying to have whiter skin.
They also have some very interesting ingredients to achieve this,

Sunscreen
Asian people have much darker skin than most of the tourists

including placenta, dove poop and even whale sperm.

turning up on their shores. Thus, products like sunscreen are

Hand Sanitizer

difficult to find, especially outside of main tourist hubs.

You should carry hand sanitizer while traveling in Asia. Using

hand sanitizer before eating is a great way to avoid getting sick.

Bug Spray

Local people are used to the bacteria that often have us head first
to the nearest toilet, so shops wont generally stock this product.

Mosquito spray is another one to remember to pack. Many

locals dont use repellants like we do. Be sure that the repellant
you buy contains DEET as this helps keeps the nasty malaria
carrying mosquitos away and is less soluble in water.

Toothpaste
Locals seem to have very different ideas on what flavor
toothpaste should be. Green tea, salt, eggplant (aubergine) and
charcoal, are just some of the toothpaste flavors youll come
across. Good news is that Colgate is pretty much on every shelf
but will often be more expensive than a generic brand.

Tampons
For the ladies, if you do happen to get your monthly visitor
while away, its best to be prepared before leaving. Tampons are
not something widely used in Asia and you will normally only
find sanitary pads the size of surfboards. While they do tend to
27

ATTR ACTIO N S

The most cost effective way to see these is independently,

Welcome to Asia. You are going to find the history and culture

more about guides and tours later. Right now its enough to

very different from anywhere else in the world.

point out that you can have great experiences without them,

without a guide and without a tour company. Well talk a little

saving you a packet.

From the Taj Mahal to ancient giant Buddha cave complexes
(like The Yungang Grottoes - pictured) to hidden jungle temples

A local guide can be a great way to learn about an attraction and

(Like Angkor Wat). Your mind will be blown. But will your

they can also help you navigate or negotiate unfamiliar territory.

wallet too?
If you dont have the budget, just download the Wikipedia info
or a guide app for free and have that on your smartphone whilst
visiting an attraction.

Discount Entry
Many attractions have discounts for students and veterans,
sometimes half price. If you qualify, make sure you bring the
correct ID with you on your trip.
If you dont qualify, it is possible to get a fake student card for
about $10 in many places in Asia. They are openly available on
the famous Khao San Road, in Bangkok. Otherwise you can get
them online.
Fake IDs are illegal in all countries. Breaking the law is at your
own risk and we dont condone it.

Common Attraction Scams

There are a few common attraction scams in Asia. Some can
cost you a lot of cash, so its important to be aware of how they
Lets take a look at some ways to avoid paying too much for

work. The smaller scams, that chip away at your budget a few

attractions in Asia.

dollars at a time, are surprisingly frequent. So much so, you

might not even notice them at first. Over the course of your

Independent Visits

whole trip though, they add up.

Only major attractions in Asia have a solid price tag. Expect

Unofficial Guides.

anything with the word UNESCO attached to it to be $20 to

This scam happens all over Asia, but here is one example. At

$40 for entrance. As for minor attractions, a few dollars here

the Forbidden City in Beijing, guides hang around outside

and there, most are inexpensive. National parks and beaches are

the complex offering their services. They may even have a fake

generally free, though not always.

identity badge. These people are not employed by the attraction.

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Once they convince you to hire them, you have to pay their

tickets whilst walking around is probably a tout and you may

guide fee as well as the entrance fee! The quality of an untrained

pay way over the official price or even get a fake ticket.

guide will be hit and miss.

The Helpful Stranger.
Someone, who seems like a local tourist, will start talking to you
and telling you about the attraction. They seem really friendly.
The information is interesting. After a short while they ask for

If a ticket booth is a long way from the entrance to an attraction,

doesnt look legit and has no lineup, it could be a fake ticket
booth. Take a look around first or ask someone like a policeman
who looks honest, where the official ticket booth is.

money.

Advanced Bookings
If a stranger starts telling you about an attraction, tell them
immediately and politely that you dont want a guide, and / or

Tours work differently in most of Asia.

ask them how much they will want as a fee.

The Pay what you want guide.
This happens a lot in India but also elsewhere. When you do
ask a guide for his price, he says you can pay what you want
depending on how you enjoyed his service.
This can lead to a very awkward situation if you pay them less
than what they were expecting. Try to get them to confirm a
price up-front.

In Europe and the USA, when a tour is full, thats it. The
company has a certain amount of staff; they cannot oversell
tours due to various health and safety restrictions.
In Asia, youve probably guessed by now, overfilling the bus or
finding another tour guide at a moments notice is easy.
Lets talk about a specific example, the precedent of which
applies to almost every major tourist destination in Asia.

The Free Gift or Blessing scam.

Arriving at Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, get ready for the onslaught.

Generally this will happen at religious sites but could happen

Tout after tout will accost you to join their boat tour.

at any major attraction. Someone will approach you and

confidently hand you something like an incense stick. Or they

One of the most famous bays in the world, Ha Long Bay is now

may take your hand and start to paint a symbol on it. Or they

a massive tourist trap. This doesnt detract from its beauty and

may start saying a blessing to you or leading you to somewhere

certainly doesnt mean you should avoid it.

to pray. They will then ask for money.

What it does mean though, is that prices are artificially high.
There are many tricks. Sadly, no matter how genuine people

Furthermore, the well-organized tours with websites in English

may seem, if you are on a budget you just have to assume they

can charge the highest rates of all.

want money. Either politely decline and walk away or ask how
much?

The point is if you just turn up to Ha Long Bay, youll get a tour.
You dont need to be concerned about missing out. You can also

We are hard wired to react positively to someone who is

barter for a much lower price than youd pay online.

seemingly acting with kindness towards us. This emotion is

Will it be the highest quality tour? Who knows? You dont get

played upon in many scams. Dont feel bad about being skeptical

the advantage of online reviews if you just turn up. It may be

in Asia.

amazing. It may be sub-standard, but all experiences have some

value, even the bad ones.

Fake tickets and ticket booths.

Only buy entry tickets from the official booth. Anyone offering

If you only get 2 weeks vacation per year and are spending
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thousands of dollars, its understandable to want everything

around until you find the best deal. Just because an agent has a

to be perfect. If you are traveling in the non-perfect, budget

shop front, doesnt mean they wont try to bump up the prices if

world, taking the rough with the smooth is what will color your

they can.

memories.
Guide Scams.
The take-away from this section is: Dont let fancy web advertising

There are a few common scams where a guide or tuk-tuk driver

fool you. You dont have to book Asian experiences in advance

offers to take you around for a price that seems to good to be

from expensive agents.

true. It is!

There are some tour booking sites that connect you directly with

You will often find yourself taken to suit makers or jewelry and

locals. More on that in the next section.

souvenirstores for the hard sell so that

- The driver gets a commission out of whatever you buy
- OR the driver gets fuel vouchers for taking you to particular

Local Guides and Tour websites

While traveling throughout Asia, youll likely to want to mix
up your independent travel with locally guided travel. This is a
great way to find out more about the history of an attraction or
region. You can often gain insight that you just wont get from a
guidebook.
There are plenty of different ways to get a local guide for some of
the major and not so major tourist attractions, but you need to
make sure you are getting a good deal and not getting ripped off.
Local Guides are people who might possibly approach you on
the street and offer their services or they could be recommended
to you by the hotel / hostel you are staying at. EVERYONE in
Asia seems to know someone who owns a tuk-tuk or is a tour
guide. You will certainly be offered a trip or two.
Generally, for local guides, you can barter on exactly where you
want to go, what you want to do, and how much you want to pay.
Its a good idea to do some research prior to booking a local
guide. Find out what other travelers have paid for the same trip.
You can find this out by reading up to date blog posts online.
Looking at Trip Advisor will normally only tell you about the
expensive pre-booked tours. So, not as much use, but may yield
benchmark maximum prices that those tourists have paid.
There are also tour agencies in popular tourist spots that act as
a middleman for your tours. In that case its a good idea to shop

stores.
Not all guides that approach you on the street are rip offs, but
if you want to avoid this kind of scam its best to stick with
booking your tours with your hostel or hotel - though you might
end up paying a higher booking price.
Tour websites to check out
Finally, you can pre book specific tours. Depending on how far
in advance you book, this option gives you less flexibility and
you may also end up paying a higher rate as there is no bartering
with the price. But, you will have someone to guide you around
whom, hopefully, will not try and scam you throughout the day.
So it provides peace of mind.
With that said, there are some great tour companies on the scene
that are offering authentic, local experiences, for a reasonable
price. Once again, check out blogs to see who others have
travelled with. You may be able to get in touch with a local guide
this way. These two sites connect you directly to local guides:
- Withlocals.com
- Toursbylocals.com
Viator is quite a major tour company and their prices are
generally beyond the average budget traveler. Their focus is less
generic than other major tour companies, so might be of interest
to some travelers: Viator.com

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EPILO GU E
At the start of this book we asked, What is Asia?
If this book is anything to go by, Asia is a hectic world of color,
beeping horns, endless scams, delicious street food and budget
accommodation and transport.
At its core, it is the ambience and the people of Asia that will leave
the most lasting impression on you. So travel cheap and enjoy
soaking up reality. Its crazy. Its often challenging. But, its also
unforgettable.

For more travel advice and budget tips on Asia, follow Tommo
and Megsy at Backpacking4beginners.com
To start your next adventure, put the travel tips into action and
become part of a global community of passionate travelers,
visit Trevolta.com.

- - THE END - -

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