Journey with Christina

South-east Asia was by far the best value for our money. Nice rooms could be found for as little as $13 a night and a delicious meal for $3. The area was rich in history, had a unique culture, spectacular landscape and some of the world’s best beaches. If you could only choose one place to travel, South East Asia should be it. Out of the three countries we saw Jon and I preferred Vietnam as we found it to have the most to offer and be the best value for our money.

Our top 5 picks for “must do’s” in South East Asia (from what we saw of course)

1. Gorgeous Beaches – Pick your favorite. They all have a laid-back vibe, warm sand and clear water.
2. Food Tour – An evening of fun getting to know the local flavors. If a structured tour is not your thing, ask the locals what their favorite street eats are and create your own tour. The food does not disappoint and our best meals we had were sitting in a tiny stool on the side of the road.
3. Cambodian Country-side – Rent a scooter and go out and discover the countryside. It’s still mostly undeveloped and you get a good perspective of the raw landscapes.
4. Caving in Phong Nha – Extreme caving surrounded by natural beauty equals an absolute blast.
5. Ha Long Bay Cruise – Stunning limestone formations as far as the eye can see and pure relaxation.

 

At this point, Jon and I have been going non-stop for nine months. Instead of craving adventure and new sites I am craving security and consistency and both of us long for purpose. We also both miss our family and friends. While I have been gone two of my friends got engaged and one married, babies have grown and started talking, and my closet full of cloths sits lonely. Joking aside, Facetime and e-mail can’t take the place of being with those you love.

Jon and I are more Budget travelers than backpackers. We splurge on little things almost daily like ice cream and coffees and big things like diving and activities when we feel as if they are warranted. I took this journey to experience not to scrimp by like my college days. Also, Jon and I move around a lot, which adds expense. The slower you go the less expensive it is to travel. South East Asia allowed these splurges while keeping within our budget. However, if you are looking to travel a bit less expensive this is an area where it could easily be done.

Breakdown of our costs for two people, except for the first Thailand which was for 3 people and done more in a vacation style with private transfers and nicer hotel rooms:

 

Flights
To Bangkok		680.50
To Krabi/Bangkok (RT) (3 people)		246.93
To Siem Reap		181.85
To Hoi An		132.98
To Bangkok		169.95
		1,109.28
Visa
Cambodia		80.00
Vietnam		114.00
		194.00
		Cost	Number of Days	Average Per Day
Country/Region
Thailand (3 people)		3,687.05	17.00	216.89
Cambodia		2,574.47	26.00	99.02
Vietnam		2,942.54	36.00	81.74
Thailand (2)		914.80	15.00	60.99
		10,118.86	94.00	107.65

 

Breakdown of cost by Category total ($) and per person ($PP):

Summary		$	$ PP	%
Accommodation		28.06	14.03	26.1%
Food		32.63	16.31	30.3%
Transport		11.94	5.97	11.1%
Entertainment and Tours		27.05	13.53	25.1%
Beverage		4.14	2.07	3.8%
Miscellaneous		3.82	1.91	3.6%
		107.65	53.82

 

Questions? – We would love to hear any questions/thoughts you have on our trip so far!