Taking a gap year and seeing the world is what dreams are made of. Travelling gets harder the older you get as you gain more and more responsibilities and financial outgoings. That’s why travelling Asia is at the top of many people’s bucket lists, especially for young people in their 20s.
The continent has so many different cultures, experiences and food to discover, so it’s understandable as to why so many individuals flock to it to travel through as many countries as they can all in one go. However, it can be pricey and, if not planned properly, travelers can leave the trip feeling incomplete and not really fulfilled at all.
Here’s our guide on how much you should save up if you want your child to experience their best life while travelling through Asia.
Decide on a trip duration
The length of time spent travelling has a big impact on how much you’ll need to save. It’s obvious to most of us that a longer time away will result in greater overall costs. However, it’s important to know that sometimes, longer stays can be cheaper. For example, some local boutique hotels will give you a discount for a longer stay – which might make staying longer in one destination more affordable.
While traveling Southeast Asia, you should be able to live on an average daily budget of about $50-$60/day for two people and around $35-$40/day for solo travelers
That’s currently around £40-£50 for couples and around £25 to £30 for those travelling alone. With this information you can start working out how much you would need in bulk, then add on the extra allowance for other things like excursions and activities.
Pick your destinations
The destinations you pick will also affect the amount you need to save up. There are lots of different countries to explore in Asia and some are more expensive to get to than others. For example, if you start your trip on the 1st June from London Heathrow to Japan’s capital Tokyo, flights start from £227. Whereas, if you begin your journey in Nyaung-u in Myanmar on the 6th June, it’s a whopping £1, 007 according to Skyscanner.
The best thing to do is pick the most popular destinations and work out the maximum cost. This way you will have more money to spare if your child wants to change routes when it comes to you both planning it together. There are also alternatives to flying, like buses and trains from country to country that may reduce your total budget.
Accommodation
Prices of accommodation change depending on the city you’re staying in, the location within that city, the time of year you’re looking to stay and the type of property you want to reside in. For example, Goats on the Road state that hostels in Bangkok can be $9 (around £8 a night), whereas in Phuket they may only cost around an incredible $2.50 a night – that’s around £1.50!
Hotels will be a lot pricier than hostels – even private rooms in hostels can be extremely cheap if you’re uncomfortable with the idea of sharing. Many hostels will allow you to walk in and book a room right there, helping you to avoid extortionate costs from online booking websites too.
Other important things to remember
You will need to save extra money for your child to have the required travelling vaccines, and add in allowance for visas too. Also, make a list of any excursions or activities that will require more money too, to avoid any disappointment while travelling.
Let us help you save
We’ve made it really simple for families and friends to come together to support your children’s goals, especially for travelling. Our app can be downloaded here, so you and the rest of the family can start helping your child save for their trip or gap year immediately!
