You must have already heard of some people doing Southeast Asia for only US$2,500 for 6 months, which is a little under US$14 a day. If you are willing to rough it, $14 is just about right to get you semi-decent accommodation, delicious street eats and basic transport from point A to point B with lots of walking in between.
But before you think the daily budget is ridiculously low for proper traveling, wait until you hear the story of a perpetual traveler who did Thailand for US$5 a day! Assuming there was moderate inflation between 2005 (the year he did his journey) and 2012, then US$5 a day, even if the prices have doubled since then, would be equivalent to US$10 today.
Whether you can get by with such meager amount is not entirely the point. The bigger point is, traveling on the cheap is possible in some of Southeast Asia’s most exotic locations, if you are willing enough to embrace the living conditions that are reflected by the cheap price tag.
If you are rather serious to pursue this trail, then you may want to know some creative tactics that this traveler employed in the course of his Thailand journeys:
Get a free ride
– How else can you cover a lot of ground with so little money unless you acknowledge the fact that hitchhiking is one of the coolest ways to go around for free? Sure, there will be times that you will have to pay for long-distance rides, but third-class passenger trains abound all over Thailand and will carry you long distances than the same amount would carry you from one corner of Bangkok to another.
Walk
– A lot. For shorter distances, there is no better exercise than flexing those leg muscles.
Crash in a few nights a week in wats
– Bet on the possibility that Buddhist monasteries are likelier to provide shelter for the homeless than nature parks are to offer you a site to camp free of charge.
Score free drinks
– The fastest way to deplete your travel fund is to indulge in alcohol. Instead, plaster on a huge smile and engage everyone in a gabfest. Chances are, somebody is going to invite you out for happy hour.
Refill your water bottle wherever they flow clean and free
– Banks, government offices, eateries all have source of clean drinking water.
Graze
– It is possible to fill up your stomach on the strength of your willingness to graze from stall to stall. Under the guise of sampling food, graze your way around Thailand instead of sitting down for a proper meal.
The above list is not exhaustive, and surely there are more creative ways to score an almost free travel than just this. What is important is to be inspired that no matter how short you are on cash, you can always stretch it enough if only you are willing.
Photo by Images_of_Money
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Article by Chris
Chris had a passion to contribute to society especially to fellow travelers like himself. He also had a passion for Southeast Asia and frequently visited. While brainstorming ideas, he decided that a travel blog dedicated to his favorite countries, Thailand and Singapore, could be more beneficial than any guidebook. Only one year later did the blog’s success bring in more writers, more countries, and more readers.
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