How Much Should You Save For An Awe-Inspiring Asian Trip?

By
our millions of Vietnamese Dongs
How much will a trip to Southeast Asia cost? This is the most commonly question my relatives and friends ask me after knowing of my recent backpacking trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

I won't be able to give you an accurate answer to that. But what I can share here is our personal journey from budgeting to spending. 10 days won't cost you a fortune, that's the good news. Asia is comparatively an affordable region to travel. We set aside a simple plan of knowing head on what to save, when to save and where to save. 

Travel Tip: Know when to SAVE and when to SPLURGE. Saving and skimping your pocket money just to "survive" is not a smart thing to do as you will definitely miss out on a lot of things that country can offer. So don't travel on a ridiculously low budget. Know how to balance.


We saved a lot on accommodation as Trip Advisor was pretty much my go-to site. They have the most genuine reviews online. Of course, we steered clear of posh hotels since we'll be outdoors most of the time. A nice clean room with friendly staff in a secured place will be perfectly okay. We were able to reserve some very affordable rooms in Vietnam and Cambodia and chose to upgrade on accommodation in Thailand

 Load up on spices!

 Food in Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand were relatively cheap. To save, we chose to try some of their street foods and eat at restaurants along the side streets. But we splurge a bit for a one night dinner buffet in Cambodia which I actually think is affordable considering we get to see a free cultural Aspara show.

Here's a rundown of our expenses per country within 9 days (3 days per country).

 Basics:
VIETNAM
Php1320          $30                  3 Nights at Bich Duyen Hotel incl. breakfast
Php528            $12                  Cu Chi Tunnel Tour incl. bus
Php576            275000VND       Food
Php31             15000VND         War Remnants
________________________
Php2455

CAMBODIA
Php1760          $40                  3 Nights at Bou Savy incl breakfast and 2 day tour
Php880            $20                  Food incl. 1 dinner buffett with apsara show
Php880            $20                  Angkor Wat entrance
Php660            $15                  Cultural Village tour
_________________________
Php4180

THAILAND
Php2792          2100BHT          3 Nights at Feung Nakorn Balcony and buffet breakfast
Php132            100BHT           Wat Pho entrance
Php930            700BHT           Floating Market + Elephant and Crocodile Show Tour
Php664            500BHT           Chao Praya River Tour
Php704            530BHT           Food
Php66              50BHT            Taxi to FnB (150BHT shared by 3)
Php332            250BHT           Taxi FnB to Airport (1500BHT shared by 6)
_______________________
Php5620

CROSSING BORDERS
Php1217          $27                  Mekong Express Bus (Vietnam to Cambodia)
Php1262          $28                  Natakkan Bus (Cambodia to Thailand)
________________________
Php2479

Plane Fare:
Php6363          Total Plane Fare (Piso Fare Promo from Cebu Pacific) 
                       General Santos - Manila
                       Manila - Vietnam
                       Bangkok - Manila
                       Manila - Gensan

For 3 countries in 9 days, I only spent a total of Php21,097 and that includes the plane fare already (pasalubong shopping is a different story). That plane fare secured during a Piso Fare promo should be less if you’re coming directly from Manila.

I was traveling with my relatives, which included a senior citizen so I can't put up an Amazing Race itinerary of sort. Obviously, this is not my cheapest backpacking trip as I have to prioritize comfort before budget but still get a sense of adventure at the same time. And I think I was able to give them that Asian thrill.

Popular posts from this blog

Baguio: 2 Days 1 Night Itinerary

By
Here's a sample itinerary of what we did. We actually stayed there for 3 days but I'll just share the places we've seen on the first 2 days since the 3rd day was spent watching the Panagbenga Float Parade. Prior to the trip, I made some internet research before deciding on what places to go to. Feel free to follow our itinerary on your next Baguio trip. The first day was spent touring my friend the basic tourist spots of Baguio. Places me and my cousin has actually visited a number of times except for the Good Taste Restaurant. Day 1 07:00 am:      Check-in into your hotel/lodging house (we went to Benguet State University to follow up on the status of our reservation. BSU is located near Strawberry Farm, a 30 minute and P77 taxi drive from Victory Bus Liner Baguio Terminal) 08:00 am:      Breakfast at McDonald's beside BSU 09:00 am:       Burnham Park | Session Road | Baguio Cathedral          ...
Click here to continue reading

Pagsanjan Falls: The Php150 Challenge

By
Image
I have lived in Laguna for 19 years but it was only this June 2012 was I able to visit the famous Laguna tourist spot, the Pagsanjan Falls. As much as I enjoyed seeing the falls, the journey, however, was much more memorable than the actual falls itself as we had to endure a 45 minute trek, rappel on a 90 degrees enclosed vertical metal ladder and walk past steep staircases - yeah, this is what you get when availing the cheapest Pagsanjan package . The group was extremely excited when I told them that I included Pagsanjan Falls in the itinerary - a plan that I was forced had to put together within 2 hours. From Villa Sylvia Resort , we hopped from one jeep to another until we reached Pagsanjan Aresi Complex. Asking for directions initially from the locals was a breeze but finding our way to Pueblo El Salvador (the jump off point) proved to be a challenge since all the locals we asked knew only of the usual Php1,250 route, doesn't know where Pueblo El Salvador is or what it...
Click here to continue reading

Laguna: 2 Days Itinerary and Budget Expenses

By
Image
Our weekend was full of unforgettable first time experiences. What's great about this trip was that we were able to do many things in just 2 days and swim in different bodies of water - falls, batis  and lake. See, Laguna is more than just hot springs, slides and theme parks. what our Php2000 budget allowed us to do ^_^ Laguna Weekend Series: Travel Video: Laguna Weekend Getaway Laguna: The 2-Hour Plan Challenge Pagsanjan Falls: The Php150 Challenge Villa Sylvia Resort, Nagcarlan Lake Pandin: Not Your Ordinary Outdoor Pool Places we visited: Pagsanjan Falls (via Cavinti Trek), Villa Sylvia Resort in Nagcarlan and Lake Pandin of San Pablo. Here's a rough draft of our itinerary:
Click here to continue reading

2Go: The New Way to Travel to Boracay

By
Image
Last year should have been my first Boracay trip and my first ever Visayas destination. But then it coincided with the  Malaysia trip so I had no choice but to cancel Boracay. We all know that flying from Manila to Caticlan has proven to be quite expensive and Piso Fare promos can be daunting to book especially if we are a big family plus the scheduling date is also tricky. But when I learned about 2Go (yes, the famous courier service) sailing from Batangas to Caticlan at a very affordable price, I pitched the idea to my parents.  2Go Ship docked at Caticlan Port It took quite some convincing before they finally said yes to the idea that we travel by sea to reach Boracay. They probably pictured a crazy, crowded and noisy pier scenario. Well, I can't blame them since those were also my first ship experiences when I traveled from Manila to General Santos many years back. Most importantly, we'll also be traveling with my sister with special needs and her comfort shou...
Click here to continue reading

Boracay: Itinerary, Expenses and Tips

By
Image
Boracay may seem to be an expensive destination. But here's one thing I realized, like many of Philippines finest tourist spots, it can be done on a budget, especially if all you want is to simply enjoy the waters. Afterall, Boracay is really about the powdery sand and the crystal clear waters. 5 members of the family was able to enjoy Boracay in less than Php30,000 (all in!) Feel free to copy our itinerary ^_^
Click here to continue reading