Southeast Asia: Budget Travel Guide
Southeast Asia remains the greatest backpacker circuit on earth. From the temples of Angkor to the rice terraces of Bali, the night markets of Chiang Mai to the limestone karsts of Ha Long Bay — nowhere else on the planet delivers this density of life-changing experiences for under $35 a day. The region rewards the patient traveller: slow down, eat street food, take overnight buses, and your money stretches further than almost anywhere.
Featured Destination
Start with Indonesia
The cheapest entry point in Southeast Asia. Explore the full guide or compare all countries below.
Compare Countries
All Southeast Asia destinations
Click any country to open the full guide. Click column headers to sort.
| Country↕ | From/Day↑ | BDI↕ | Cost Bar | Cities↕ | Best Months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇮🇩Indonesia | $10 | -- | 16 | Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep | |
🇻🇳Vietnam | $12 | -- | 23 | Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec | |
🇲🇲Myanmar | $13 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇵🇭Philippines | $13 | -- | 15 | -- | |
🇰🇭Cambodia | $14 | -- | 7 | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | |
🇹🇭ThailandTRENDING | $15 | -- | 22 | Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | |
🇲🇾Malaysia | $26 | -- | 11 | Mar, Apr, May, Nov, Dec | |
🇱🇦Laos | $26 | -- | 7 | Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar | |
🌍 | $29 | -- | 2 | -- | |
🇹🇼Taiwan | $38 | -- | 4 | -- | |
🇰🇷South Korea | $49 | -- | 1 | -- | |
🇭🇰Hong Kong | $67 | -- | 1 | -- | |
🇯🇵Japan | $70 | -- | 3 | -- | |
🇸🇬Singapore | $81 | -- | 1 | Feb, Mar, Jul, Aug |
Cheapest overall: Indonesia at $10/day. Highest BDI: Indonesia at . Most travelers underestimate how far their money goes once they get off the tourist trail.
Itineraries
Classic Routes
The Classic Banana Pancake Trail
Thailand → Cambodia → Vietnam → Laos
BKK → Siem Reap → HCMC → Hanoi → Luang Prabang. The most-travelled budget route in the world.
Island Hopper (Thailand–Indonesia)
Thailand → Malaysia → Indonesia
Koh Samui → Penang → Bali → Gili Islands → Lombok. Beach-focused with easy ferry connections.
Mainland Deep Dive
Vietnam → Laos → Cambodia → Thailand → Myanmar
Full mainland loop. Hanoi to Yangon via overnight trains and local buses.
1 Month Thailand Vietnam Cambodia
Bangkok → Chiang Mai → Hanoi → Ho Chi Minh City → Phnom Penh → Siem Reap
3 Weeks Indonesia Itinerary backpackr
Bali → Yogyakarta → Jakarta → Lombok
More destinations
Also in Southeast Asia
Every country guide includes budget breakdown, hostels, visa and city-level data.
Entry
Visa Snapshot
Insight: Most Western passports have it easy in Southeast Asia. The main friction is Vietnam for some nationalities (e-visa required) and Myanmar (check current advisories). Use the visa lookup on each country guide page for your exact passport pair.
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