It’s a given. Everybody knows you can Travel Asia Cheaply. But for less than $2000 over a three-month period. No chance. 

 

But you can. 

 

You’ve just got to be organised and know the right places to look in order to save money.

 

So I’ve done the hard work for you. 

 

After travelling Asia extensively and visiting over 20 countries worldwide, I’ve learned how to Travel Asia on a shoestring.

 

I’ve compiled the ultimate list of ways you can travel Asia cheaply while still having the time of your life. It covers everything you need to save a ton of money while you’re backpacking Asia on a budget.

 

This article will take you 8 minutes to read but could save you well over $3000. That’s way over savings of $375 per minute so it’s worth your time. It will show you how to:

 

• plan your trip effectively in order to cut down on travel and visa costs
• find the cheapest flights with clever hacks
• get huge discounts on travel gear or even find gear for free
• find cheap food and low-cost accommodation that’s comfortable
• communicate with family and friends for free
• get around major cities without breaking the bank

 

 

Planning Your Trip

 

1 | Research Country Expenses

 

Before planning anything, it’s important to know how cheap each country is. While you may want to visit them all, some countries aren’t economically viable for a $2000 dollar budget for three months. 

 

Countries such as Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore are all pretty pricey. It’s worth considering skipping these from your itinerary until you’ve got a fatter wallet.

 

However, India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, China, Sri Lanka and The Philippines are all awesome cheap options.  

 

To help you decide where to go, check out Numbeo’s cost of living survey where you can find how expensive a city is and compare it with your own or other cities.

 

 

2 | Know The Exchange Rate

 

It’s paramount that you know how much your money is going to get you. Some Asian countries’ economies are booming and a cup of coffee may look like a similar price to what it is back home.

 

However, in some Asian countries you can buy a small temple with golden Buddhas for less than a dollar. I’m exaggerating, but you get the picture.

 

Head over to XE Currency Converter available on iPhone and Android to get the latest exchange rates.

 

 

3 | Look Up Visa Costs

 

While a country may be dirt cheap, its visa costs can be super expensive. 

 

While in the planning stage, use sites such as Project Visa to find out how much the visa costs are for each country you want to visit.

 

 

4 | Plan Your Route Wisely

 

Think about your route. Ideally, you want to travel through countries that border each other so you can avoid any expensive long-haul flights.

 

Tripit is an app that enables you to combine all your flight bookings, travel confirmations emails, hotel bookings and the rest in one simple itinerary view.

 

This ensures if you do have a set route to stick to it can be managed with ease.

 

 

Also, if you like to track how much you spend so you can stick to your budget, EveryDollar will help you track your spending and meet your budgeting goals.

 

Read on to find out how to save hundreds of dollars on flights!

 

Flights

 

If you’re travelling to Asia, flights are usually the biggest expense so it’s vital to know how to save money when booking. Use the following tips to get the cheapest flights.

 

5 | Flight Price Alerts

 

Use Skyscanner price alerts to update you on airline prices for the flight destinations you want. 

 

It tells you percentage values on how much flight prices rise and fall at regular interviews, meaning you can book when prices are low.

 

 

If you want to avoid sky-high flight prices, try Hopper. Similar to Skyscanner, it alerts you about flight prices. 

 

However, Hopper is special because it actually recommends when to buy and predicts with 95 percent accuracy if the flight is going to get cheaper, thus telling you to wait before booking. Awesome.

 

Here’s something controversial…

 

Skiplagged is an incredible app that helps you book super cheap flights. It does it by allowing you to book a flight with multiple stops, then deplane before the flight reaches its final destination.

 

It’s often cheaper to get book a flight that’s going somewhere else but instead stop at your destination on the way than it is to book a direct flight. Crazy huh?

 

The 23-year-old Skiplagged designer won a law suit against United Airlines defending the app and travellers worldwide celebrated.

 

Get it.

 

 

6 | Clear Your Browser

 

This is a genius flight-booking hack that can save you a large amount of money.

 

Websites have a rather sneaky way of tracking what prices you’ve been quoted in the past. So it’s essential to clear your browser when booking flights or use incognito mode to get the best deals.

 

 

7 | Use a VPN 

 

Prices vary depending on which country you book from. By using a VPN this allows you to set your location to a different (and cheaper) country, saving you much needed dollar.

 

 

8 | Rewards Cards

 

It’s worth investing in a flight reward card. This will enable you to gain air miles which can also be redeemed for hotel stays should you wish to splash out occasionally. 

 

 

9 | Airline Mailing Lists

 

Be sure to sign-up to the mailing lists of various airlines to be sent exclusive deals straight to your inbox.

 

 

10 | Pack Light 

 

Baggage charges can be hefty, so don’t risk it. Pack light by taking the bare essentials. Also, you can buy cheap items once you’re in Asia, saving you much needed cash.

 

 

11 | Fly Tuesdays

 

Prices are usually the cheapest on Tuesdays due to low demand, so fly Tuesdays whenever you can.

 

 

12 | Get Your Money Back

 

Sometimes flights are delayed or cancelled. But many people don’t know you can get compensation. 

 

AirFair keeps track of any compensation your entitled to, saving you a good amount of money.

 

 

Now it’s time to learn how to save a fortune on travel gear. 

 

Saving Money On Travel Gear

 

Money spent on backpacking gear can quickly accumulate. It’s safe to say if you’re travelling on a budget you’re not going to need the latest high-tech gadgets. Here’s how to get the essentials for cheap. 

 

13 | Buy At Thrift Stores

 

Look around your local thrift stores for cheap backpacking gear. There’s always a bargain to be found somewhere.

 

 

14 | Use Coupons

 

Sites such as RetailMeNot and coupons.com offer coupons with huge discounts on major backpacking brands saving you money for travelling.

 

 

Also, use sites like Ebates that actually give you 40 percent cash back refunds on travelling gear. 

 

How? 

 

They simply point you towards backpacking gear retailors and they pay them a commission. Some of that commission ends up in your pocket. Winner.

 

15 | Clearance Sales

 

Clearance bin deals are a great way to bag the cheapest backpacking gear. Check out sites like Backcountry and Sierra Trading Post. 

 

Also, try the Hot Deals section on Campmore for up to 70 percent off.

 

 

16 | Use Social Media

 

Surely your friends have backpacking gear lying around from their travels that they may not use anymore.

 

Stick a post up on Facebook asking around and you might be able to buy gear backpacking gear from your buddies for stupidly cheap prices. Or even free.

 

 

17 | Know How To Repair Stuff

 

If it brakes, fix it. Save having to buy new gear if your current backpacking gear breaks by checking out these 9 Easy Backpacking Repair Tips.

 

 

18 | Make Checklists

 

When you depart, the last thing you want to do is realise you’ve left some essential gear at home. What a waste of money.

 

The solution:

 

Make checklists using apps such as Wunderlist and Todoist to ensure you don’t forget anything.

 

 

Keep reading because it’s time to reveal the secrets to getting accommodation for dirt cheap to help you travel Asia cheaply.

 

Accommodation 

 

If you want to travel Asia cheaply you first need to consider ways to save serious money on accommodation. 

 

Here are some great tips to cut the costs on your accommodation expenses.

 

19 | Volunteering

 

Volunteering is a great option as hosts often provide food and accommodation. This doesn’t have to be slaving away in mosquito-ridden fields far away from civilization.

 

I enjoyed various experiences from rescuing animals in tropical countries to building Lord of the Rings-style hobbit homes for goats.

 

Check out sites such as WorkAway, The Poosh, WWOOF and Help X for volunteering opportunities in Asia.

 

 

20 | Couch Surf

 

If working isn’t your thing then why not try couch surfing. You can find a range of hosts worldwide who are willing to let you stay in their homes for absolutely free.

 

All they ask in return is that you may return the favor at some point. Also, it’s a good idea to cook them a meal to show your appreciation.

 

 

21 | House/Pet Sitting

 

Another option for free accommodation while travelling is house-sitting or pet-sitting. House and pet owners often want trusted volunteers to look after their place and pets while they’re away.

 

Check out Trusted Housesitters for more info.

 

 

22 | Find Cheap Hotels

 

In case of emergencies like a cancelled flight, sometimes it’s necessary to find a hotel that night. However, you don’t want to cash out a fortune.

 

Hotel Tonight lets you find the cheapest hotels worldwide that very night. It’s the best back-up buddy you can take with you on your travels.

 

 

23 | Airbnb

 

Finally, Airbnb can be a cheap option if you don’t want to fork out the cash for a hotel. 

 

If you’re gonna stay for more than a few days, you can save money on AirBnB deals by throwing in counter offers. In your message, do the following to ensure you get the cheapest deal:

 

• Highlight it’s last minute and that you’re staying for an extended period of time.
• Throw in something that will make you more likeable (e.g. coming to learn their language, love their culture, heard people from their country are some of the friendliest in the world).
• Keep the message short. People are busy.

 

 

Check out part 2 of 42 Ways To Travel Asia Cheaply to find out how to get cheap food that’s fit for a king, communicate with friends and family for free, and save big bucks on getting around.

 

Got any tips on how to travel Asia cheaply? Leave them in the comment section below and let’s help each other out.

 

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