Cheap Destination In Asia – Are you looking for the cheapest countries in Asia? Southeast Asia is one of the most affordable regions in the world to visit, and offers something for every travel style. Here I will share the best cheap places to travel in Asia for every type of traveler!
There are beautiful beaches in Southeast Asia, but the Southern Islands of Thailand are world famous for a reason!
Cheap Destination In Asia
White sandy beaches, picture-perfect turquoise waters, and world-class waters make Southern Thailand a beach dream come true!
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The popular Thai islands are usually FULL of tourists, and many of the beaches are highly developed to the point where the entire beach is filled with bars, restaurants, and resorts. This does not lend itself to a cool, beach-style vacation.
Don’t worry! There are still many small Thai islands! The islands of Koh Kradan, Koh Mook, and Koh Ngai are located in Trang Province in the Andaman Sea, and are among the best vacation spots in Asia.
These three islands offer a TRUE island paradise. Koh Kradan and Koh Ngai are quiet with no roads and no moving cars! Once you step off the cruise ship onto the white sand you can expect peace and quiet.
Koh Mook is a bit bigger, with small roads that allow for motorbikes, but it still has some of the best beaches we visited in Thailand. Koh Mook is also home to the amazing Emerald Cave, one of our favorites in all of Southeast Asia!
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You can rent a simple bungalow on the beach with a balcony for an average price of 1000 baht ($33 USD) per night, making these islands the best cheap places in Asia for a beach vacation.
Tom and I are definitely into the beach, and we had an amazing time relaxing on these beautiful remote Thai islands. For more information check out our comprehensive guide to Koh Kradan, Koh Mook, and Koh Ngai!
There are many places to party in Southeast Asia, but if you want the best nightlife (and the most variety) then Ho Chi Minh City is the place for you!
Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most affordable cities in the world. You can get a dorm bed for $4 per night, or if you want to splurge you can rent the whole package for $17 per night!
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Now that you’ve chosen your shoestring lodging, you can head into the city to grab some delicious street food, often with a 50 cent draft beer. Ho Chi Minh City is home to some of the best street food in the world! If you want to see how fun AND affordable you can check out Anthony Bordain’s Parts Unknown guide to the perfect day in Ho Chi Minh City.
Once you’ve stuffed yourself with delicious street food, and started your night with some delectable beers you can make your way to District 3 for its world-famous nightlife.
Pham Ngu Lao is a street in Ho Chi Minh that is closed to traffic every night so that revelers can easily make their way from bar to nightclub, and then to more bars along the way.
The music is really loud, and in addition to a lot of cheap drinks, you can order a hookah pipe or a huge balloon filled with nitrous oxide, and all this comes at a very low price.
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Anyone who likes to party will find themselves right at home in the bustling, vibrant nightlife of Ho Chi Minh City, one of the best places to visit in Asia.
Bangkok is world famous for the quality and variety of its amazing street food. Walk down almost any street in Bangkok and you’ll run into a street food stall offering something delicious.
All traditional Thai dishes can be found at street stalls – think curries, grilled meats, seafood, and fresh fruits. Street food in Thailand is such a deep part of the culture that street food shops usually offer better food than nearby restaurants (and at a slightly lower price)!
You can get a bed in a hostel in Bangkok for less than $10, and often a simple breakfast is included in that price. Considering street food will cost you $2-$5, and Bangkok is the cheapest airport in Southeast Asia to fly to, you can enjoy an amazing food vacation in Bangkok on a budget really!
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If you are a historian Cambodia is definitely the place for you. Cambodia has a fascinating ancient and modern history, and there are many places where you can explore the past in this developing country.
For its amazing ancient history Cambodia is home to the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you will find the famous Angkor Wat.
While the giant Angkor Wat is certainly impressive, and not to be missed, the Angkor Archaeological Park actually holds the ruins of 72 ancient temples – it’s a huge city! You can walk inside, climb to the top, and explore many of the Angkor temples, and it’s an amazing trip.
Angkor is one of the most affordable ancient wonders in the world, as you can get a 7-day pass to the park for just $72! With reasonable entry fees, a hostel in Siem Reap will only cost you $3-$5, and there are tons of cheap street food options all over the city.
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Tom and I spent a week exploring Angkor, and we recommend giving yourself plenty of time if you’re a history buff like us! For more information about Angkor Archaeological Park, including how to avoid the tourist crowds, check out our guide to Angkor!
The modern history of Cambodia is very dark, and it can be a challenge to learn. From 1975-1979 Cambodia was under the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot regime. Much like the Holocaust, Pol Pot was trying to create a “lesser race”, and more than 2 million Cambodians were killed during his rule.
Both the genocide site and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum educate visitors about Pol Pot’s rule, and the atrocities committed during that time.
Both sites are located in Phnom Penh, and you can easily get a tuk tuk to take you to one or both sites. While there are tour buses that visit these sites in one day, I recommend visiting only one site per day, as the experience of visiting one of these sites is awe-inspiring.
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If you want to learn more about the Khmer Rouge before you visit Cambodia, I recommend the book Survival in the Killing Fields by Haing Ngor, who survived the Pol Pot regime. Be warned – this is one of the most disturbing books I have ever read, containing descriptions of violence and torture that are difficult to read.
For history buffs Cambodia is one of the best travel destinations in Asia, and should not be missed. For more information see our Cambodia travel guide.
When it comes to natural wonders, Vietnam is hard to beat. Between the world-class karsts of Ha Long Bay, the beautiful beaches of Hoi An, and the cave systems of Phong Nha National Park, Vietnam is loaded with natural beauty that can be explored on a shoestring budget!
If you want beautiful sea views then Vietnam will not fail. With 2,030 miles of coastline, Vietnam offers a variety of beaches, water sports, and water-based adventure activities.
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One of the most popular tours in Vietnam is a tour of the Ha Long Bay gorge. One of the most famous places in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay features beautiful turquoise water with large limestone islands covered in forest.
If you want to explore caves then Phong Nha National Park in Vietnam is not to be missed. Home to the largest cave system in the world, Phong Nha National Park offers cave tours for all ages and fitness levels.
The cave system in Phong Nha is so extensive that new caves are discovered regularly. When we visited Phong Nha, we hiked and swam in a cave that was only discovered two years ago!
If you want to travel then you have to make your way to the border of North Vietnam to the mountain town of Sapa. There you can hire a Hmong guide to take you through the hills and rice fields of Northern Vietnam.
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Most of the trips are multi-day trips, and you will spend the night in a Hmong homestay on your trip (often your guide’s family members). This is an amazing opportunity to see the beautiful mountains of Sapa, and experience the life of the Hmong people.
If you want to experience a real culture in Southeast Asia, Laos is definitely the place to go. Laos is less visited than the countries around it, which means that Laos has preserved a good culture that is not influenced by Western tourists.
In Laos it is easy to get off the tourist trail
