How to travel on the cheap for photography suggestions?

[AussieBrent]

Hi Guys

I have never been overseas but one thing I would like to do in the future is travel overseas whereever I could on the cheap taking pictures and seeing different people and landmarks.

This is not a 'How much do I need thread?' but more a how can I do this on the cheap? you guys might have ideas or have done something like this before and managed to save money on something.

I don't mind roughing it I have do alot of camping and going out in the bush so im used to it id rather save money by sleeping in a shithole than a nice hotel.

Any suggestions or tips you might have?

Cheers

[ricktas]

backpacking would be the way to go then, but backpacker accommodation is also prone to theft, so keep your gear etc on you at all times. Re Cheap, some countries are cheap, some are expensive. If you want to do it cheap, then you need to look at the cost of things in each country and compare them.

[AussieBrent]

thanks Rick,

I was thinking along the lines of backpacking

In your opinion do you suggest any countries that may fit the cheap but have good photographic potenial ?

[JM Tran]

my advice as an experienced backpacker and travel writer

do south east Asia, which are some of the cheapest and most beautiful places in the world

-Vietnam
-Cambodia
-Thailand
-Laos
-Malaysia
-Indonesia
-Philippines

you should be able to get by with a decent bed in a decent hostel, and 3 meals a day for 20 bucks and under.

those are the main places where you can hop around cities via international and domestic flights for cheap with Air Asia - from 20 to 100 bucks per hop depending on how late or early you book things.

they are safe countries for traveling either as groups or by yourself, just keep your wits about you and have some common sense ie. if you are getting robbed please do not resist like some foolish people do and escalate it, such as the Australian man in Southern Cambodia when he was robbed of a little compact camera - stabbed to death during the struggle.

my biggest advice to anyone is to get travel insurance, especially for medical. Too many horror stories with people I know who have forked out 5 figures just to get treatment and flown home.

[kiwi]

Spot on advice there, Vietnam and Thailand would be my pics and travel insurance is a must

[ameerat42]

This is a broad Q, but where you say:



...id rather save money by sleeping in a shithole than a nice hotel...
Cheers

I reckon you'd soon be shick of it!

Also, travelling alone sometimes (often, in fact) incurs a "singles supplement".
One more thing, sometimes a hotel room is cheaper and better than a backpacker place (but not often).
And then also, you think you're saving on accomodation but find there are other costs.

There's a bit of ear-playing involved.

[old dog]

great advice so far Brent?.....Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and maybe China would be the go. After having been there JM is dead right about living costs you would encounter. I`d be tempted to get the best P and S (waterproof model) so you can keep it with you all the time. Back your pics up on CD where possible (maybe double up too) and mail one home as you do it. I wish I was younger and know what I know now. I`d be off like you intend. Now at the age of 61 and not been out of Oz till 9 years ago...I think the last trip was no. 15 or 16 and health permitting it will go well into the 20`s.

[Wayne]

Hop on a Jetstar flight from Gold Coast or Cairns to Osaka/Tokyo for a couple of hundred bucks! I have been 3 times in the past 18 months. Quality and well priced hotels can be found using sites like Agoda.com, and transport is dead easy and cheap throughout Japa, especially with a JR railpass for Shinkansen (Bullet Train).

I am highly allergic to the hostel/shared facilities environment, but equally allergic to $400/night hotels. When I travel with thousands of $$ in gear, I won't chance theft at a cheap hostel, to me it is simply not worth it, despite insurance.

Thailand is also beautiful and cheap, the USA etc.

With the $AUD what it is there has never been a better time.

If you want to go for a quick jaunt to Japan, let me know ;)

[JM Tran]

Hop on a Jetstar flight from Gold Coast or Cairns to Osaka/Tokyo for a couple of hundred bucks! I have been 3 times in the past 18 months. Quality and well priced hotels can be found using sites like Agoda.com, and transport is dead easy and cheap throughout Japa, especially with a JR railpass for Shinkansen (Bullet Train).

I am highly allergic to the hostel/shared facilities environment, but equally allergic to $400/night hotels. When I travel with thousands of $$ in gear, I won't chance theft at a cheap hostel, to me it is simply not worth it, despite insurance.

Thailand is also beautiful and cheap, the USA etc.

With the $AUD what it is there has never been a better time.

If you want to go for a quick jaunt to Japan, let me know ;)


having worked in Tokyo and been around Japan a few times Wayne, I would not consider it a cheap holiday destination in all honesty! Cheap flights do not lead to cheap holidays, and the JR rail pass - while a good bargain in the long run - are not cheap either - when it can equal to about 4-5 international flights within SE Asia via Air Asia. Japan is not a place where you can book a 5 dollar bus ride to another town, walk around and find a 5 or 10 dollar hostel or bed&breakfast and crash, then go out for a 1 dollar meal around the corner later.

you can see more of the world/Asia at 1/3 the price than being relegated solely to Japan, unless you want to catch the 40 hour ferry rides to South Korea or Shanghai and even those arent cheap. One of the major problems of being a budget backpacker in Japan is the lack of cheap alternatives to head to other countries. Only this year Air Asia has opened new routes from KL to Osaka and Tokyo but at an average of 200-300 bucks for a one way trip, that easily equals a hopping from Denpasar to Jakarta, to Saigon and to Bangkok for roughly the same price.

hostels arent always about shared facilities and shared rooms. For example, Mom's Guest House in Siem Reap, close to Angkor Wat complex is only 10 dollars a night including free breakfast in the morning - with a massive and clean bedroom and decent bedroom, you dont share it with anyone and is lockable, or let the staff hold onto things for you. Before anyone goes anywhere,or even to another city in their journey, it really pays to research ahead to save some money and hassles

before you go to a new city search for travel tips and info here - www.wikitravel.com

when looking for cheap accomodation - www.hostelbookers.com - they only take 10% payment deposit, and the rest payable when you arrive, great for when you suddenly change plans or cant make it and only lose a few dollars.

and dept of foreign affairs website is great for travel warnings too for dangerous hotspots

[Wayne]

having worked in Tokyo and been around Japan a few times Wayne, I would not consider it a cheap holiday destination in all honesty! Cheap flights do not lead to cheap holidays, and the JR rail pass - while a good bargain in the long run - are not cheap either - when it can equal to about 4-5 international flights within SE Asia via Air Asia. Japan is not a place where you can book a 5 dollar bus ride to another town, walk around and find a 5 or 10 dollar hostel or bed&breakfast and crash, then go out for a 1 dollar meal around the corner later.

you can see more of the world/Asia at 1/3 the price than being relegated solely to Japan, unless you want to catch the 40 hour ferry rides to South Korea or Shanghai and even those arent cheap. One of the major problems of being a budget backpacker in Japan is the lack of cheap alternatives to head to other countries. Only this year Air Asia has opened new routes from KL to Osaka and Tokyo but at an average of 200-300 bucks for a one way trip, that easily equals a hopping from Denpasar to Jakarta, to Saigon and to Bangkok for roughly the same price.

hostels arent always about shared facilities and shared rooms. For example, Mom's Guest House in Siem Reap, close to Angkor Wat complex is only 10 dollars a night including free breakfast in the morning - with a massive and clean bedroom and decent bedroom, you dont share it with anyone and is lockable, or let the staff hold onto things for you. Before anyone goes anywhere,or even to another city in their journey, it really pays to research ahead to save some money and hassles

before you go to a new city search for travel tips and info here - www.wikitravel.com

when looking for cheap accomodation - www.hostelbookers.com - they only take 10% payment deposit, and the rest payable when you arrive, great for when you suddenly change plans or cant make it and only lose a few dollars.

and dept of foreign affairs website is great for travel warnings too for dangerous hotspots

JM, I appreciate what you are saying, and you are right, but Japan doesn't have to be expensive either, although it easily can be. I'm not really a mat on the floor and bowl of rice a day traveller, but I do enjoy good holidays at a pricepoint I feel is pretty cheap, though my pretty cheap to others could be a fortune, I don't know....

[JM Tran]

JM, I appreciate what you are saying, and you are right, but Japan doesn't have to be expensive either, although it easily can be. I'm not really a mat on the floor and bowl of rice a day traveller, but I do enjoy good holidays at a pricepoint I feel is pretty cheap, though my pretty cheap to others could be a fortune, I don't know....

you pretty much summed up what I would have wanted to say earlier but I chose to wait until you replied Wayne:D

everyone's travel needs and experiences are different, for what seems cheap for you and me might seem like a fortune for the OP or others!

what I would like to mention is the rise of the Flashpackers, such as where I am now - having more disposable income than ever before. Where I and others still like to rough it, but we also like to indulge in a bit of luxury as well such as a nice hotel here and there, engage in expensive activities like scuba diving or sky diving while we are at various destinations. To a normal backpacker - those are all luxury things that are out of their planned monthly budget during their travels. When I was a heavy backpacker before - where spending over 3 or 4 dollars a meal I would get angry at and would always carry empty bottles or collapsible bottles everywhere I go and ask for refills in the restaurants:D

to me it seems the OP definitely is looking for the Backpacker experience, hence my recommendation of SE Asia. In the 70s and 80s the Hippie Trail/Backpacking Trail of Tony Wheeler (Lonely Planet boss) and other dirt cheap travelers were the 3 Ks - Kathmandu (Nepal), Khao San road (Bangkok) and Kuta (Bali) - to get their fix of religious and cultural enlightenment, cheap beers and entertainment, and awesome sun and sand. In 2011 and in recent times - it is now the 3 Ss - Samui (Koh Samui, Thailand), Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Saigon (Vietnam) - where they are even more easily accessible between places and still get the same experiences at dirt cheap prices.

[mikec]

JM is right about the asian destinations being pretty affordable.

Canada and US aren't too bad if you do it right, hostels and grey hounds can get you around cheap so can some cheaper flights. if you're ever doing a long trip 3+ months and are going to be based in one country (like the US) buy a cheap car ($3-5k) for the full experience and save a little money. You can also generally sell the car at the end of the trip for almost the same money.

[kaiser]

Good advice above RE: SE Asia. I can't give my opinion on that area as I've never been there, but I have seen a lot of Europe. For what you are looking for I'd strongly consider Eastern Europe over the West. Places like Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Serbia, Bosnia and Albania are all wonderful destinations where things are still relatively cheap (compared to the likes of France, Germany and especially Scandinavia -(definately not a budget destination).

I was getting by on $20 AUD a day and that was all meals, hostel room and a few beverages ;) Great friendly people and just as much to see as the more well trodden western countries :)

[cam bicknell]

India, Argentina and Cuba are all very cheap and as photogenic as you can get. Let me know if you'd like any info.
It was 2002 when I was there but Argentina was first world goods and services at third world prices as they'd just deregulated their currency.

[virgal_tracy]

The US can be cheap if you know how to get around. The beginning or end of their summer, their are agencies that organise for you to drive vehicles for others between places while the owners fly. You are given a certain amount of time and only have to pay for the fuel. Food is cheap (but nasty).

Cheap travel from the states to the smaller carribean countries. St Kitts & Nevis, Turks and Caicos, St Lucia etc. Get away from the tourist spots and it is very cheap.

Mexico is great for cheap travel. Admittedly it was 12 years agon but I spent 3 months there for a little over $400. You must be aware of Bandits though. A big +1 for Cuba. It really is like stepping back in time and wonderful people.

Turkey and Egypt can be done on the cheap (Egypt not such a friendly place at the moment) and I also loved Russia.

[ameerat42]

Gee! Reading this thread makes me feel I've been everywhere, man.
I guess that's the answer: you can go anywhere cheaply, if you know how.
The world's a marvellous place.
And when you've finished, there's no place like home.
(Thank your Lucky Starrs.):D

[Katatoniq]

Eastern Europe. Have done it three times now; there's no better place to be. Cheap, amazing, and heaps of spontaneous photographic opportunities due to the somewhat questionable behaviour of the locals.

[JM Tran]

The one thing a lot of people forgot to mention, was the actual ticket of going there and back.

While Eastern Europe, the US and Mexico and North Africa and whatever else has been mentioned here is no doubt cheap to stay and eat and get around. Try finding tickets to get there for under $1800? Average prices for all those places with normal carriers are usually around $2000 give or take a few hundred depending on low season, shoulder season or high season.

The OP lives in Melbourne according to his location, whats to stop him from booking a RETURN flight from Melb to Phuket with Strategic Airlines (soon to be Air Australia) for around $700 atm, or Melb to KL with Air Asia for $600 RETURN inc. added on checked luggage too? Then work his way via flights or overland train/bus to other countries and can easily get to the Middle East or India or Eastern Europe from that simple trip to KL or Phuket.

Saving a grand or $1500 might not seem much for many, but for experienced backpackers like me, thats about 2-3 months of accommodation and meals.

[Wayne]

The one thing a lot of people forgot to mention, was the actual ticket of going there and back.

While Eastern Europe, the US and Mexico and North Africa and whatever else has been mentioned here is no doubt cheap to stay and eat and get around. Try finding tickets to get there for under $1800? Average prices for all those places with normal carriers are usually around $2000 give or take a few hundred depending on low season, shoulder season or high season.

The OP lives in Melbourne according to his location, whats to stop him from booking a RETURN flight from Melb to Phuket with Strategic Airlines (soon to be Air Australia) for around $700 atm, or Melb to KL with Air Asia for $600 RETURN inc. added on checked luggage too? Then work his way via flights or overland train/bus to other countries and can easily get to the Middle East or India or Eastern Europe from that simple trip to KL or Phuket.

Saving a grand or $1500 might not seem much for many, but for experienced backpackers like me, thats about 2-3 months of accommodation and meals.


I normally fly to the USA for about $1300 return (West Coast), but I'd be out on this one because I wouldn't fly any of the airlines mentioned here...

[JM Tran]

I normally fly to the USA for about $1300 return (West Coast), but I'd be out on this one because I wouldn't fly any of the airlines mentioned here...


I have done about 14 flights with Air Asia around Asia alone, and the recipient of best budget airline by Skytrax for a few years running now. They are the equivalent of Virgin Blue domestically and internationally but better service. You have flown Virgin Blue before right Wayne.....?

[Wayne]

I have done about 14 flights with Air Asia around Asia alone, and the recipient of best budget airline by Skytrax for a few years running now. They are the equivalent of Virgin Blue domestically and internationally but better service. You have flown Virgin Blue before right Wayne.....?

I have flown Virgin once, when I went to Thailand earlier this year. JM, do you know or did you notice if these carriers (the one's you mentioned fly in/out Aus) had Australian registered aircraft? ie- The registration is VH-XXX??

Reason I ask is that I would never fly with a 3rd world airline, even if approved to operate out of Australia unless that aircraft is also required to be maintained to Australian standards, ie Aus registered.

I have a few I will never fly no matter what, the likes of Garuda, Ethiopian Air, Any China Southern/Eastern derivative, Most all African, Vietnam Air etc etc Basically if they are from a 3rd world country or operate like one, I'll pass...

[JM Tran]

I have flown Virgin once, when I went to Thailand earlier this year. JM, do you know or did you notice if these carriers (the one's you mentioned fly in/out Aus) had Australian registered aircraft? ie- The registration is VH-XXX??

Reason I ask is that I would never fly with a 3rd world airline, even if approved to operate out of Australia unless that aircraft is also required to be maintained to Australian standards, ie Aus registered.

I have a few I will never fly no matter what, the likes of Garuda, Ethiopian Air, Any China Southern/Eastern derivative, Most all African, Vietnam Air etc etc Basically if they are from a 3rd world country or operate like one, I'll pass...


I dont know Wayne, without being condescending or anything I dont think you have actively backpacked or traveled 'on the cheap' like the OP is wanting advice about. Indonesia, China and Vietnam are hardly '3rd world countries' - which are actually called Developing Countries now for the poorer countries, but the aforementioned are far from it, same for their airlines as well. Garuda won Most Improved Airline last year with Skytrax, and is a 4 star listed Carrier with Skytrax too. Recently in the last 12 months, I have flown with them twice out of Jakarta and Surabaya, 3 times with Vietnam Airlines out of Saigon and Da Nang and Siem Reap, and Air China twice out of Ulaan Bator in Mongolia and Hohhot. I cant really complain about their services and punctuality. Have been using Vietnam Airlines to fly home since 1994 and back then their services was rude and crap but it has improved drastically with the tourism boom there.

While it is good to hear other people's opinions, there is also a fine line between opinions and actual advice which is which the OP is seeking. To say you will not be flying those airlines - without never having flown one - is a bit like saying I wont use a Canon or Nikon because its crap, but I have never used one before. It is also damaging and wrongly sway someone's decision and make them miss out on things based on opinions and heresay without actual solid advice.

To read more about Skytrax
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skytrax

[Wayne]

I respect your experience and views JM. I have not backpacked, and probably never will, but I have flown lots, to many places. I am a pilot and an aircraft owner.

I have not flown the Asian airlines mentioned, so my views are not based on experience with those airlines. That is a conscious decision I have made though, and that stems from a number of things. It is no secret that safety standards in many developing countries for aircraft operators and pilot training are well below those of Australia, and the FAA/JAA. The safety records for some airlines in those regions, the practices of the operators etc are concerning to me, although it has in recent years for many of them improved as their air safety culture and regulation improves, but they still have a long way to go in lots of places.

To me a cheap ticket is always a bonus, as I think it would be to most of us, but there is no point in a cheap ticket if you never make it to where you are heading...

[AussieBrent]

Hey Guys

Thanks for the replies I have been reading them over the week while at work :)

Some really good information and when it was mentioned what is cheap to someone might be expensive to someone else which is so true, I really should of supplied a budget I was looking at to give you guys a better idea of how much I was looking to spend.

I am going to try and work out how much it would roughly cost to goto Europe as I really wanted to visit there also I will work out roughly what South East Asia would cost. I do have a decent job so I can afford to save a little more if I need to.

Hopefully this thread still stays alive as it will help others thinking about doing the same thing I am

Thanks Guys

[reflect]

For the photographic side, Malaysia ( so easy to get around on buses), Thailand ( Just Beautiful and great food ), Vietnam ( Everything and cheap ), Nepal (Scenary that goes on forever), and my favorite India ( OMG, you know your alive in India ). Overnight buses thru Malaysia and Thailand are cheap and save the cost of accomodation, they are comfy and have ac. Good hostels want you to talk about them to other travellers and offer good facilities and security. Lonely Planet is still the bible and read the visitor books in hostels for ideas on what to do etc. Smile lots, and enjoy the local peoples hospitality, get travel insurance with good medical coverage, and see a specialist travellers medical centre 3 months before travel. Have fun, so jealous !!

[Analog6]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned NZ. Flights can be had cheaply if you check the day by day air line schedules, the YHA NZ has a good network, and there is an extensive range of Dept of Conservation campgrounds. And the scenery is just beautiful.

And there is tha advantage that your money is worth more there and they 'speak the lingo'. I knew a lady who didn't drive and went right round NZ by public buslines!

[JM Tran]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned NZ. Flights can be had cheaply if you check the day by day air line schedules, the YHA NZ has a good network, and there is an extensive range of Dept of Conservation campgrounds. And the scenery is just beautiful.

And there is tha advantage that your money is worth more there and they 'speak the lingo'. I knew a lady who didn't drive and went right round NZ by public buslines!


not to mention its quite cheap to hop from NZ to Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and other places in the South Pacific for not much at all:)

[davidw]

I recently did New Zealand for $ 340 return on air ticket form Sydney. HIre a car for 1 week
for $ 160 nz. Amazing scenary and lovely people. Would do it again at a heart beat.

very safe as well. Accomondation costs depends on what you are looking for.

[I @ M]

Brent, there is a huge network of travellers out there who interact on Couch Surfing (http://www.couchsurfing.org/).

There are no expectations of payment for accommodation by either hosts or 'surfers other than probably supplying a meal to the hosts but the spirit of the group is that once you have surfed a few couches around the world that you act as host in your home town when you aren't travelling.

Great way to meet like minded people and of course an inexpensive way to travel.

[Dylan & Marianne]

About airlines and transport - sometimes you don't have many reasonable alternatives in developing / 3rd world countries
Take Nepal for example - getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara or Lukla - unless you plan on walking several hundred kilometers, its either risk flying with 'yeti' airlines and land at an airport whose runway looks like its in your face, or drive on buses 1.5 lanes wide for heavy traffic 2 ways with sheer drop offs on the cliff side of the road.
Definitely cheap, not 100% safe, not much alternative, and I wouldn't miss it for the world :) Doing things on the cheap often introduces varying degrees of risk or inconvenience (not always) but that's a risk you take and part of the adventure for that kind of travelling.