Month: June 2019

7 reasons why you should visit Southeast Asia

Backpackers from all over the world loves to travel to Southeast Asia. Some even claim it’s the best place in the world for backpackers because it’s a fairly low-budget destination. Besides being affordable, Southeast Asia has some of the most spectacular nature, traveling around is easy, it’s safe and there’s so much to do and see here. Here are 10 reasons why you should visit Southeast Asia.

1. The food is great

… At least in Vietnam and Thailand. But the food isn’t too bad in the neighboring countries such as Cambodia either. In fact, the standard is quite high in Southeast Asia. You can get tons of healthy food filled with flavorful spices, fried food and lots and lots of seafood. Asian food is one of the major reasons why so many people love to travel here and it also does help that you can get a good meal for just a few dollars.

2. It’s cheap

Just as stated above, it’s really cheap to travel around in Southeast Asia, so if you’re on a tight budget, this is the place to go to. You can easily get by on 15 USD per day in Vietnam and Laos for example.

3. The tourism infrastructure is developed

Southeast Asia is super easy to travel around in, thanks to the developed tourism infrastructure. The countries are so used to tourists now that there are hostels, hotels, international restaurants, etc, everywhere! You won’t have a hard time finding a place to sleep or a good place to eat. Transportation also works well in Southeast Asia, although you can never be sure if the bus breaks down or not. Even so, there are buses and trains running frequently so you’ll be sure to get to your destination (eventually).

4. The beaches are stunning

Thailand is home to some of the most incredible beaches in the world. Think crystal clear water, white sand beaches, palm trees as far as the eye can see and snorkeling and scuba diving opportunities. Everyone loves a tropical getaway and you will be guaranteed to get it here.

5. All the sites and attractions

Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, Borobudur Temple and Bagan are just a few world famous places that you can visit here in Southeast Asia. Some of the oldest civilizations in the world lived here and has left their mark on this side of Earth.

6. Southeast Asia has a rich culture

There’s so many different languages, traditions, lifestyles, fashions, values, customs and beliefs in Southeast Asia that it can be a bit difficult to wrap your head around it. But one thing is for sure – the Southeast Asian culture is one of the most fascinating in the world.

7. You can party hard here

Yes, backpackers and party goes hand in hand so we might as well put this one here. Thanks to the many travelers who comes to Southeast Asia, it’s become somewhat of a party destination as well. Have you heard of Full Moon Party? It’s a massive party that happens monthly on the island Koh Phangan in Thailand. If you think you’ve seen a crazy party, you should definitely go to Full Moon Party. It’s something else.

Why you need to go to Central Asia

You’ve probably heard of people traveling to Southeast Asia and even East Asia is becoming increasingly more popular, but how many people have you heard going to Central Asia? Not that many right?

In fact, people don’t even know which countries are situated in Central Asia. Perhaps that’s why you need to go there now – before tourists find their way there. So, let’s break it down:

There are six countries in Central Asia: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakstan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. They’re also known as the “Stan” countries”. The movie “Borat” put Kazakhstan on the map, even though it wasn’t even filmed here. Nevertheless, people started to become more interested in this region and the people who did make their way out here saw the incredible beauty of Central Asia. The tourism infrastructure may not be as developed as it is in Southeast Asia for example, but that’s all part of the charm. Tourism hasn’t really boomed here yet, so you can even get some places all to yourself. It might not be the easiest region to travel around in, but it’s certainly one of then most breathtaking. The three most popular countries to visit are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The visa process has become way more simple than it used to be and it’s also safe to travel in these three countries. Many travelers also go to Tajikistan, but it can be worth noting that the safety level isn’t as high as in the other three countries.

The best season to visit Central Asia is by far during summer time. Even though it’s peak season, you’ll get way more access to hiking trails and there’ll be yurts popping up like mushroom everywhere. But this region is also great for skiing, so there’s plenty of opportunities for that during winter. It all depends on what you want to do! Most people travel here for the treks and it’s way easier to do it during summer.

Besides unspoilt nature, the culture here is very unique and the locals lead very interesting lives. Each of the countries have their own unique culture and customs, yet there are many similarities between them. The people are traditionally nomadic, Islam is their faith of choice and horses are the means of getting around the countryside. Their markets are also something worth mentioning – you can find everything from spices, dried fruits, nuts, fresh meat, house wares and traditional clothes here. The markets are bustling with life and play a huge part in the day-to-day life in Central Asia so you have to make sure you visit one.

Traveling around the Stan countries will give you unforgettable memories filled with breathtakingly beautiful landscapes, a fascinating culture, warm locals and the chance to see a part of the world that has yet been exposed to tourists.