Budget Wise :: Laos

Our visit in Laos was relatively limited due to the frustratingly long and bumpy bus rides that are necessary to getting around as a budget traveler in this beautiful country. We ended up visiting only four cities and missed out some very exciting and picturesque parts of Laos because we just couldn’t bring ourselves to sit through a rough ten hour bus  ride every few days. An extra visa or enough money to upgrade to flying would have allowed us a much more comprehensive visit, but hey, now we have something to look forward to going back for. Though we didn’t get to see it all, we did get a pretty good idea of what it costs to travel in Laos on a budget.

Budget Wise :: South Vietnam

Our Vietnam adventure took us from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) in the south to about half way up the very long country, finishing in the city of Hue. When I compare our budget to traveling in Thailand and Cambodia, Vietnam seemed surprisingly predictable. There weren’t many thing that were shockingly cheap, and at the same time there wasn’t much that was frighteningly expensive either. In the end, if you manage to avoid the major tourist traps and scams, Vietnam can be traveled on a rather tight budget – and the best part is that you’ll typically feel like you got your money’s worth.

Our 29 day daily average :: $35.58 USD (for two people: one couple) :: 1 USD = 17,000 VND (Dong)

Budget Wise :: Cambodia

Cambodia was a bit more confusing than our other destinations when it came to traveling on a budget. A year or two ago, I’m not certain of the exact date, the Khmer people suffered a massive inflation due to rising gas prices. Unfortunately for them (and the tourists) the cost of living didn’t fall back down with the gas prices. Now what looks like, feels like, and should be a very budget friendly country is surprisingly not as friendly as it once was. This doesn’t mean that Cambodia is charging European prices, but it was actually more expensive than it’s more developed neighbor Thailand.

Budget Wise :: Thailand

Thailand provides many options to accommodate both the small budget traveler and the big budget vacationer’s needs. As per usual, our goal was to spend as little as we could while still enjoying as many comforts as we could afford. Our trip took us from Bangkok slowly up North until we hit Chiang Mai, where we stayed for a while, and then back down to Bangkok where we caught a bus to head toward Cambodia. It seemed to us that most vacationers we met were more interested in Southern Thailand’s beaches, but we avoided that region because it also happens to be the most expensive. So, if you’re interested in information on traveling through Northern Thailand, you’re in the right place, read on.

Chiang Mine

Chiang Mai, Thailand

We have arrived! So back when we had this crazy idea to run off across the ocean, the original goal was to shack up in Chiang Mai, Thailand and ride out the good life there. Of course two months after we put this plan into action, Thailand changed their visa laws so that you can only be in the country for 90 out of 180 days. So yeah, the plan changed just a tad, however we still had the goal of enjoying Chiang Mai. So now we’re here and the city is everything I thought it would be and more. Mainly, it’s very different from the rest of Thailand. First of all, it’s Thailand’s most diverse city, filled with both Eastern and Western races of every shape and kind. While it’s still Thailand (i.e. dizzyingly different) Chiang Mai is different because of all the Western business owners who strive to bring a little chunk of their home country to the city. Basically it’s like walking through NYC and going through all of the ethnic neighborhoods within 20 blocks. What this also means is that we get many of the comforts of home that we’ve missed like burritos, nachos, pizza, Tabasco, bagels, cookies, etc. In other words, it’s an oasis for those expats who need a little break from reality, but aren’t ready to go home.

Nachos from El Diablo