According to reports, Southeast Asia has long been a favourite amongst budget travelers, almost to the purpose of becoming a cliché ButynAll online portal.
However, there may be a reason why this place is so popular and there are a lot of benefits to including the region in any major trip.
When you look beyond the wild party cities and Australian kids on spring break, Southeast Asia has loads to supply any traveler.
Many people backpack around Europe and South America – and for good reason, but in my view, nowhere on the earth is more tourist-friendly than Southeast Asia. The combination of vibrant cultures, fascinating cuisine and low prices make it a perfect destination for backpackers and a must-see for anyone planning an extended trip.
Here’s why Southeast Asia beats all others:
1. FOOD TO DIE FOR
Asian cuisine is reason primary (and should rightfully be the explanation Just reason why you would like) to plan your visit to the Far East. I’ll exit on a limb and say it’s probably the very best food in your entire world.
From Bangkok street snacks, to Vietnamese banquets, to Malaysian curries, you may sample the delicacies of a lifetime. Nowhere else on the earth are you able to find cuisine that may compare to the varied, vibrant, colourful and fragrant cuisine that will be found here.
2. BUDGET FRIENDLY
Most backpackers should work hard to get essentially the most for his or her money. In many places in Asia, the pressure is not any longer there, especially in countries like Vietnam and Laos, where you may easily survive on $15 a day most days.
For backpackers and global travelers, a lower travel cost means you may travel longer.
The same funds that may last a month in Europe could stretch out for several months there. And when it’s cheaper to eat out than to even attempt to cook, you may fully enjoy your visit without worrying an excessive amount of about your wallet.
3. EASY TO TRAVEL
Traveling around Europe and Australia will be expensive, but Southeast Asia is considered one of the best and most cost-effective places to travel on the earth.
Dozens of low-cost airlines and well-developed bus and train networks make it easy to get around, often for just a number of dollars. Moreover, there may be a robust infrastructure to make it easier for international travelers to book tickets and move from one place to a different.
4. TECHNOLOGY FRIENDLY
Whether you are a blogger or simply need to communicate together with your household, this area of the world is a flashing paradise.
Almost all guesthouses and hostels have Wi-Fi, which is fast and (mostly) reliable. This is great in comparison with other tourist destinations like Australia or South America, where Wi-Fi will be slow, expensive or non-existent.
5. PERFECT BEACHES
Some of essentially the most beautiful beaches on the earth are present in Southeast Asia, and because the beach season never ends, you may live in a state of everlasting summer.
Year-round, you may snorkel or scuba dive within the crystal-clear waters of Bali, Thailand or Malaysia, or simply chill out in a hammock by the beach and remember all your pals suffering within the winter at home.
6. MAIN METROPOLIS
If you like the craziness of huge cities, Southeast Asia has a few of the craziest. Exciting and fast-paced cities like Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur offer a dose of adrenaline each time you permit home.
Visiting lots of these places is a singular mix of old and recent Asia, with futuristic skyscrapers across the corner from ancient temples, modern life set against a backdrop of history and tradition. It is that this dichotomy that makes the cities here so unique and intriguing.
7. DEEP HISTORY
It was the stopping place of the oldest civilizations on the earth, from Angkor to the Javanese and Champa.
Many of those ancient societies have left behind beautiful buildings and relics – you may visit the pagodas of Bagan, explore the ruins of Angkor Wat, or stare upon the hundreds of perfectly maintained ancient temples throughout the region.
This region also has a number of modern history value exploring, equally epic, if not very nice. In the twentieth century alone, the region experienced the Vietnam War, the phobia of the Khmer Rouge, and the just about complete destruction of Laos by bombing.
The ongoing protests in Bangkok and the consistently changing situation in Burma show that history is a relentless process and that cities can change almost before our eyes.
8. RICH CULTURE
Culturally, Southeast Asia is simply too vibrant and diverse to summarize in a single paragraph. There are so many various traditions, languages, lifestyles, fashions, beliefs and customs to immerse yourself in and discover, all in a comparatively small geographical area.
Many Southeast Asian cultures work very hard to keep up their historic rituals and practices at the same time as modernity sweeps through the world, so finding opportunities to experience a culture first-hand is rarely difficult.
9. BIG EVENTS
Partying is not all Southeast Asia has to supply, after all, but there are definitely loads of opportunities for rowdy, drunken fun. In many cities, popular tourist routes will feature bars and attractions for the young and reckless (see: Vang Vieng, Laos).
The Thai islands particularly are popular for his or her party towns corresponding to Koh Phi Phi and Koh Samui. Then there’s the queen of all backpacker parties: the monthly Full Moon Party in Koh Phangan. For those that need to let go of their travels, Southeast Asia is an inexpensive and straightforward destination to flee real life for some time.
10. LONELINESS
On the opposite hand, while there are places which can be teeming with other travelers, there are still loads of places to explore away from the crowds.
Just step a number of meters away from the mountaineering trail or out of your hostel to find unique, non-touristy places that have not been modified by tourism yet.
11. PEOPLE
Perhaps essentially the most memorable a part of visiting this a part of the world are the smiling, open and blissful people you meet.
Although lots of these countries have passed through difficult times lately, there may be an optimistic attitude all over the place you go.
Most visitors who spend a big period of time in the world have no less than one touching story of being invited to a Tet dinner in Vietnam, or attending a Laotian wedding, or perhaps just having a very interesting conversation with a tuk tuk driver in Cambodia.
12. THINGS CHANGE FAST
Around the world, but especially in Asia, the situation is changing rapidly each day. Population explosion, the influx of latest technologies and foreign influences, and government renegotiations mean that the culture and physical landscape are consistently evolving.
This could also be for higher or for worse, but one thing is definite: the Southeast Asia you visit now can be completely different than the one you will note in ten years.
