Today we’re going to have a look at South East Asia and how that can be done without blowing your budget. We’ll give you a few tips to save your money, see some interesting areas and perhaps go a little off the beaten track.

Thailand was one of the original budget travel destinations and while you can still do it on the cheap, the onset of mass tourism has made it a little harder in popular areas of the country. Travellers are recommended to fly into Bangkok, however, as the flight prices remain low and it’s a great starting point and a gateway for the rest of South East Asia.

Travel links from Thailand to Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia are cheap and easy and with low cost airlines operating between the major cities it’s really easy to get around on a shoestring. For those really looking to spend as little as possible, local buses and trains are a real experience.

If you want a little time by the beach you should head away from the islands in the south of Thailand and look further afield to places such as Sihanoukville in Cambodia, or Mui Ne and Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. The scenery here is equally stunning as Thailand and you’ll be able to find wooden bungalows on the beach for a pittance. If the party atmosphere of the full moon forms part of your required travel experience, Sihanoukville or tubing down the Mekong in Laos will more than cater for your needs.

Travelling in South East Asia is as much about what you can see as what you can do, so head to Siem Reap in Cambodia and spend a few days marvelling at the temples of Angkor or travel to the ancient city of Hue in Vietnam. The cuisine in all of these South East Asian countries is absolutely delicious, so make sure you eat at the street vendors stalls as this will give you an authentic experience and will cost you next to nothing.

Budgeting is always about how much you spend when you’re there, but it’s also about going at the right time. As currency exchange rates can fluctuate, especially with the increased tourism in Thailand, it’s always important to compare currency exchange rates to ensure you make your trip at the best possible time.

This is a featured post.

The first day of your Gap Year is always going to be a strange mix of emotions. You’ve jumped on a plane to the other side of the world. You’ve just said goodbye to everyone and everything back home and you won’t see it again for a year. A year! It’s a long time when you think about it. You’ve done all your preparation, seen everyone else’s amazing photos and can’t wait to create your own.

The first stop on my Gap Year was Thailand. I got through customs with no bother and jumped in a taxi. Destination? Khao San Road. I can remember the moment clearly. I jump out, drag my backpack out the boot and just stare down the long busy mess that is the Khao San Road. I remember thinking this is where the adventure begins!

If I’m honest my first day wasn’t what I expected. I was jetlagged, restless and feeling sick and hungry at the same time. It was the afternoon and I hadn’t adjusted to the heat and humidity so ended up having a nap with my air-conditioning turned up full in my private room… zzz… Next thing I know it’s the evening and my stomach is growling overpowering my sense of nausea.

I’m a sociable guy and don’t find it hard talking to new people but for some reason everyone I struck up a conversation with just didn’t speak good English or was waiting for a pick up to the airport. It actually had me worried. I was doing a solo round the world trip for a year. Is this what the rest of my trip is going to be like?

I ended up giving in and heading up and down the Khao San Road in the search for food. My senses became bombarded with sights and smells of the busy street. I quickly learn to walk with purpose otherwise you will be jostled or get hassled by the street sellers. Ping pong show? Fish massage? Tailored suits? This place is crazy!

I walk past several restaurants and I just feel like throwing up. I do really need to eat something though. At the end of the road I find McDonalds. I know right, typical tourist, travel half way round the world and you’re going to McDonalds. I just didn’t feel brave enough to start sampling foreign food and at least with McDonalds it’s universally the same.

I went back to my room feeling deflated and defeated. For a fleeting moment I started questioning whether I had done the right thing. I recall watching Anchorman in bed trying to fall asleep. Tomorrow will be a new day. Only 355 days to go. Maybe the first day of your Gap Year you’ll find best friends, have a profound moment of clarity or have a spontaneous adventure.

None of that happened to me.

Should this worry you? No, it really shouldn’t. All of the good stuff I mentioned before? Well that all began on Day 2. Call it what you will, things happen when they are supposed to.

You’d be naïve to think that a Gap Year goes swimmingly all of the time. That you’re going to be in great company and be in the best mood constantly. Sometimes you’re going to be tired or sick. Sometimes you may even eat at McDonalds!

Trust me when I tell you that at the end of your Gap Year when you look back, you’ll grin like an idiot thinking about all the good times.

Kata Beach

Kata Beach usually refers to Kata Yai, a picturesque beach on the west coast of Phuket. Being cheap and easy to get to from the airport (180 baht/£3.60 by minibus), I made this beach my first experience of Phuket. Kata Yai was a beautiful and surprisingly affordable place to call home during my stay – I stayed in the friendly dorms of the Rumblefish Adventure Inn (€6.34/£5.31 per night) for my whole stay in Thailand. Kata has some great restaurants, my favourite being The Red Chair Cafe, a cheap place to get some delicious Thai food in your belly. I ate there so much that I felt like a regular by the end of the week! My personal top tip for Kata, however, is to walk down to Kata Noi beach, Kata Yai’s quieter cousin… It’s just as beautiful and you get much more of the beach to yourself!

Cape Panwa

For relaxed yet inquisitive back packers, Cape Panwa offers a splendid beach that isn’t too noisy or crowded while still offering some great activities. Besides the usual attractions of fine dining, swimming and sight-seeing, Cape Panwa is home to the Phuket Aquarium, a cheap alternative to scuba diving. Yes, I know; it’s not quite the same experience, but I personally found the entry price of 100 bahts (about £2) much easier to stomach.

Bang Thao

Bang Thao is one of Phuket’s longest beaches and was probably the most luxurious place I found on my trip. There’s a big shopping centre, a golf course, several spas and five-star hotels here, all linked by free shuttle buses. However, luxury wasn’t the reason I came to this beach several times over the course of my trip – I came for a nearby Reggae bar made almost entirely from wood washed up on the shore. Chilling out in this bar was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

Patong Beach

The ultimate party destination, Patong Beach’s vibrant nightlife left me wishing I could spend my entire gap year here. Though it’s very expensive, I recommend exploring Patong beach for at least one evening just to soak in the atmosphere of this lively resort. Whether you’re a Patong partier or a Bang Thao lounger, Phuket has the place for you!

Author Bio: Louis Jobin is an undergraduate studying English and Japanese Studies. His passions are European literature, Asian cuisine and Scandinavian music

This is a sponsored post.

What I particularly liked about the show is how real everything is. I’ve found a lot of travel writing and travel videos glorify everything. The parts of this video I love is not what you expect. The part where they nearly miss their train because they got told the wrong platform, the tuk tuk driver with terrible english and going into a 7/11 for directions and being told two different things. I’ve been there and done it. That’s exactly what real travel is and it’s the things like that which I love.

Although this is part one I am really keen to see the rest of the show as they are released. If you’re planning a Gap Year and want to get a feel for what backpacking round the world is really like you’ll want to tune in to watch these guys. I also want to wish these guys the best of luck as they take their site in a new direction.

Let us know what you think of the show…

Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan’s full moon parties are legendary and attract backpackers and holidaymakers alike. The brightly painted beach bars and Haad Rin beach itself rocks to the sound of house, trance, drum n’ bass, and hip-hop and the party doesn’t stop until the sun comes up. Don’t think that the partying is limited to once a month though – half-moon and black-moon parties are also popular and step into a bar any night of the week and there will be something going on. Paint yourself luminous colours, grab your glow sticks and head to the beach!

Image: gavinzac

Koh Phi Phi

Famous both for the beauty depicted in the film The Beach and for the devastation brought to it by the 2004 tsunami, Koh Phi Phi remains a stunningly beautiful island, recovering well from disaster. Relax on the beach by day and climb to the viewpoint in time for sunset for spectacular views. Once the sun has gone down, the beach comes alive with fire eaters, fire jugglers and fire dancers and people sit on low tables with their feet in the sand sipping buckets of Thai whisky and cola. There is no shortage of bars on this tiny island so why not try a different one every night?

Image: AkumAPRIME

Koh Samui

As a crop of luxury resorts spring up across the island and it becomes more popular with wealthy tourists, Koh Samui is gradually becoming a more expensive destination but you can still find cheap accommodation and it offers some of the best nightlife in Thailand. Watch the sun set over Chaweng Beach, cocktail in hand, then move on to Green Mango Soi where most of the bars and clubs are located. The Green Mango Club is one of the best if you fancy dancing the night away – a converted warehouse, its two rooms blare out hip-hop and mainstream, and techno and house until the early morning.

Image: Oleg Zdorik

Phuket

The nightlife in Phuket is centred on Patong Beach, where bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants line Bangla Road. Whether you want a cheap beer in a beer bar or a cocktail in a classy cocktail lounge, it’s all here in Patong. Tiger Club, just off Bangla Road, is always pumping but if mellow drinks are more your thing, check out tropical-themed Baya Beach. On the outskirts of town, just a short taxi ride away from the hotels of Phuket, Safari Club’s indoor and outdoor clubs are open until dawn and offer both live music and DJs.

Image: PnP!

Koh Chang

The ‘Elephant Island’ provides a lower-key party destination. It is easy to find areas away from the madding crowds where you can have a quiet dinner on the beach followed by just a couple of drinks and an early night if you fancy a night off. The party scene here is more about getting together with your mates and having a few drinks and a good chat to some reggae beats than dancing to trance music all night.

Image: pnendick

This is a sponsored article.

So what exactly did I get up to?

- Nearly drowned whilst tubing.

- Trekked through the jungles of Thailand.

- Didn’t sleep for 5 days when I went to the Full Moon Party.

- Chilled out with a slice of Pai.

- Witnessed what happens when a tiger wants revenge.

- Lost myself in the paradise that is Koh Phi Phi.

- Watched Neanderthals discover fire in Bali.

- Cruised down the Mekong River.

- Saw a baby elephant give tourists quite a scare.

- Found Nemo!

Quite an experience wouldn’t you agree? South East Asia is an incredible region of the world and I intend to spend much more time there in the future. If you want to see more highlights check the video above!

Walking around the Khao San Road in Bangkok I bump into three english girls on my first day. I’d booked myself on to a day tour to Kanchanaburi and after realising that we’d be going the same way for the next couple of weeks they decided to do the same tour. We all got on great and I definitely felt at ease. This travelling business seemed easy. We spent the day together, I said goodnight and that I would see them tomorrow.

I wake up and look at my watch. The tour bus left an hour ago. I’d set three alarms and even left the tour company my room number. Turns out I hadn’t set the alarms properly and I’d got my room number wrong on the form. I was gutted.

This is where my head starts to hurt just thinking about it. What would have happened if I’d woken up. Because I had over slept I was a day behind. But imagine if I’d gone. I would have travelled with those girls but then I’d never have got on that bus in Chiang Mai and met the guys I travelled round South East Asia with. I would have been on that boat that capsized and killed five backpackers in Halong Bay. I may have decided to stop travel writing. I might never had had that surfing accident. I’ve met hundreds of people on my travels. I may have never met any of them.

One incident. One insignificant moment changed the course of my life. A butterfly effect. A sliding doors moment. Even though I would love to see how differently my trip would have turned out I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I’ve had such a great time and made some incredible friends.

I hate cliches but they all fit. Everything happens for a reason. Don’t have regrets. Don’t eat yellow snow.

My advice: think about it, pause for a moment and move on. Don’t dwell and forget to live.

Before I leave just wanted to give you a little present. Asia really is incredible and here is just a glimpse of some of the beauty here. Enjoy!

Having just achieved my PADI license on Koh Tao (east coast) I had heard about how amazing Koh Phi Phi was (west coast) and how I had to go there. Again it was one of those interesting journeys where I took an overnight boat. Imagine rows of small mats (smaller than a single mattress). Now imagine been squashed between two sweaty strangers all night and attempt to fall asleep. I had a very long shower when I arrived!

If you have ever seen the film ‘The Beach’ and thought wow that looks nice, well that’s where I have just been. It was truly amazing. Crystal clear blue water, white sand, limestone cliffs and beautiful multi-coloured fish to snorkel with, what more could you want? I spent the day touring round all the different islands and beaches, jumping off the boat, eating pineapple, having my picture taken with a wild monkey and watching the sunset on a beautiful backdrop of cliffs and ocean. Not something I will soon forget.

Perfect.