Asia is the largest continent of the planet which naturally means there is so much to see and explore here. With a huge number of countries, diverse cultures, delicious food, and thrilling experiences, Asia has become one of the top priorities for travel lovers.
Although people generally assume that Asian countries must be cheap to travel, however that is not always the case. You will have to be mindful with your spending to avoid spending extra on your trip. Here are my top tips that can help you save money while traveling in Asia.
1. Get a Travel Credit Card
Travel cards are often helpful and can help you save a lot of money. There are many benefits associated with travel cards, such as no transaction fee, free points to use while traveling, and lots of offers to save on accommodation and transportation.
2. Eat Local Food at Cheap Places
Food is where Asia thrives, you can easily get two meals and several snacks a day within a $50 to $100. There are many restaurants available that offer the best food at a reasonable price. You can always depend on the street vendors for a good meal as well and it will be quite cheap. So avoid fine dining at fancy restaurants to save some bucks.
3. Avoid Drinks
If you want to save money then avoid alcohol consumption. Like anywhere else in the world, the drinks in Asia are also quite expensive and these can create a hole in your pocket for sure. Save drinking for special occasions or at certain places.
4. Save on Flights
Flights would cost a large proportion of your overall budget, which is why you should consider booking cheaper flights.
Book Flights months ago your travel to get the cheapest price and avoid booking it last minute. Don’t shy away from booking longer routes or connecting flights to save more money.
5. Find Cheaper Accommodation
Some places offer cheaper airbnb while at other places, you should book a hostel to save more. Hostels are a great way to save a good amount of money where you will be sharing the room with others. If you can then book a hotel or hostel where you can get free breakfast so start your day well fed.
6. Rely on local transportation and walking
Booking a cab would be pretty expensive while the local or public transportation is quite cheaper in Asia. So try to use local transportation such as tuk tuk, busses, and trains as much as possible. And if there is only a small distance to cover, opt for walking.
7. Resist Shopping and Bargain When Possible
Shopping can be more expensive than you would think. Even if you take some souvenirs or gifts for your family and friends it can cost a lot. So avoid shopping as much as you can. Take all the necessary things from home to avoid buying expensive stuff.
If you do have to shop, then make sure to bargain and don’t just the first offer a shopkeeper make.
8. Pay with cash or use a travel card
Travel card would cost zero transaction fee which means they will be a cheaper way to pay while you are in foreign country. If you don’t have a travel card then make sure to carry enough cash to avoid transaction or additional charges via your card.
9. Search for prices of basic services and goods
At last, make sure to conduct a research on what basic services and goods costs in the country you are visiting. This can help you avoid the scammers that ask for a very high prices for the low priced services or goods.
Conclusion
With these mindful steps you can save a lot of money and it will make a huge difference on your overall budget. Make sure to not cave for every offer that a shopkeeper or travel agent makes, because they are going to ask for the highest possible price. That will be all for now, and I hope this guide has helped you know better about saving on your next trip in Asia.
