Many people look at travelling to Southeast Asia as an exotic far away place- I am here to say it is exotic, it is far away- but it is very do-able……
Why do I say it is do-able? Well if you can wrap your head around the long flights, it is an inexpensive place to visit- in fact even air fare if booked far enough in advance is not expensive……for instance, you can easily fly there for $1100 return……and resorts on the islands are inexpensive, hotels in the various countries are also inexpensive, and food is fresh and delicious……pricing chart for that below:
Asia: Price of Goods in US$, which in US would Cost $1*
As you can see, SE Asia is an inexpensive place…..
When To Go To Southeast Asia
The next decision would be to decide when to go, where to go, and how to travel once you have arrived. When to go will depend on where to go to some degree…….and why you are going……For instance, if you are going during the winter months of the northern hemisphere, perhaps you are looking for sunshine- and in most of southeast Asia you will find that……prices are a bit higher as well, so you might definitely want to book further ahead to take advantage of deals if your budget is a concern.
But if on the other hand the cold northern winter months are not a consideration, then the shoulder months would be your next choice. I went in October and the weather was perfect……but it was mentioned that this was the tail end of the rainy season, so obviously I had my fingers crossed. (All was good.)
I would not advise first time travellers to go during the rainy season- in most parts of SE Asia this runs from May or June until October- with the worst months being July and August……
How To Travel in Southeast Asia
Finally, think about how you want to explore when you arrive- independent travel (train and bus for instance)- I had clients that just had me book their air, and they created their own itinerary with some input from me.
Another way which can be inexpensive would be taking a small group tour- for the younger set something like this one: Vietnam and Laos on a Shoestring – priced from just $2249 for 20 days- not including flights.
Or for a tour with more inclusions try this one: Essential Vietnam and Cambodia for 17 days- priced from $2499.
Finally- for comfort and adventure- try this one that I was on…… Discover Southeast Asia for $4199 for 18 days. For more information see this blog post: Discovering Southeast Asia.
Finally there are the more traditional tours (large group tours) such as Exploring Vietnam and Cambodia with Globus Journeys- priced from $3679 for 13 days…….or River Cruises such as this one with Scenic- Highlights of Vietnam, Cambodia and Luxury Mekong – priced from $10,465 for 17 days…….as well as ocean cruises that allow stopping in ports, with perhaps excursions to see certain highlights.
All good options- just depends on your style of travel! For more information, please do not hesitate to contact me……..
- From the website http://www.globalpropertyguide.com/Asia/currency-value/b
