#budget-travel

Malaysia

Flying out of KL on a shoestring? Here is the honest ranking of the cheapest Southeast Asia countries to reach and survive on, flights plus ground cost.

Myanmar

Real 2026 numbers for backpacking Burma — daily budgets, the crisp-USD cash trap, the $50 eVisa, flights, and the safety caveat that decides where your money even goes.

Myanmar

Ten days gets you the whole accessible core of Myanmar without rushing. Here are realistic 5, 7, 10 and 14-day shapes, plus the security caveat you actually need.

Thailand

Real THB+USD fares for Thailand's sleeper trains, buses, budget flights and island ferries — plus the minivan and motorbike scams nobody warns you about.

Thailand

From 250-baht dorm beds to clifftop villas, a clear-eyed guide to Thailand's accommodation tiers, what each costs, and where in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the islands your money actually works hardest.

Thailand · Budget

Visa-free entry is changing in 2026, the arrival card is now digital, and the night train still beats a flight. Here's how to get into Thailand and move around it.

Vietnam · Budget

Night buses, the Reunification train, $30 flights, Grab, and the Ha Giang loop — every way to move through Vietnam, with real prices and which I'd actually take.

Vietnam

Vietnam's genuinely cheap windows, the shoulder-season sweet spots, and the regional weather trade-off nobody warns you about — plus the Tet 2027 spike to dodge.

Indonesia

What a week in Bali actually costs in 2026 — with line items in IDR and USD. Shoestring at $30/day, mid at $80, comfy at $200. Plus the costs nobody warns you about.

Vietnam · Budget

Four budget tiers, seven countries, real 2026 prices. The honest breakdown of what $4k, $6k, and $9k gets you across SEA — from a Hanoi kid who's done the loop too many times.