Travel around Asia

The Asian continent covers almost nine percent of the Earth’s surface. It is the world’s largest and most populous continent with over four billion people being more than sixty percent of the world’s population. The Asian continent lies in the east of the Suez Canal, east of the Ural Mountains, and south of the Caucasus Mountains and the Caspian and Black Seas. On its east is the Pacific Ocean, on the south the Indian Ocean, and on the north the Arctic Ocean. The continent spawns about 17 million square miles with about a third of Earth’s Land.
After The North American Continent and The European continent, The Asian continent has the third largest gross domestic product in the world. China is the largest economy in gross domestic product terms, followed by the nations of India, Japan and South Korea. China and India have been growing rapidly since late 1990s, with an average annual growth rate of more than eight percent and have been followed by mineral rich Asian nations such as Brunei and Turkmenistan.

Travel around India

This area is known to be the epitome of Asia and all travel in the area. There is a saying that you either love it, or you hate it, with no in between. There is much that India has to offer both on, and off the tourist trail. English is spoken in this area; tourists will find it both culturally and historically fascinating. You’ll find good transport offered, and overall the area is just plain brilliant. There is so much to see that you’ll need to slow yourself down, taking small steps so that you’re sure you won’t miss anything. One of the beautiful things about India is that it is one of the few places that you will still get a culture shock and a sensual overload from when you visit. It can be hard to explain why a place that is so dirty, hot, and full of hassle can have such an appeal to tourists. The simple answer to this is that for these very reasons, the area is a magnet. A tourist can’t visit a place like this without there being an effect on the individual. Try to minimize the negative effect of travel in India by picking a small route, or perhaps a cooler time of the year to travel. India is always very cheap, but is always more expensive for a tourist. There are areas to visit that are much less crowded than the northern cities, like Goa and Kerala. Travel to India can be found easily and the airfare is normally fair. Take the time to look into getting a double entry visa so that you will be able to travel to Nepal while you are there, giving you a break from the normal path.

Average Daily Cost: US $20- $35

Travel around Nepal

As far as the scenery is concerned, this is one of the most memorable places on earth to visit. The atmosphere is known to be friendly, cheap, and laid back, especially in comparison to India. With this said, the area is still very busy with tourists, and is by no means a quiet place. Nepal can be found at its worst in places like Katmandu and Pokhara, which are known to be the biggest tourist areas. Trekking in Nepal can bring out the best experience that the area has to offer. Trekking is known to be easy and comfortable in the area, with beautiful scenery to go along with it. Of course you’ll need to set aside a set amount of time to go trekking, which can turn some off from the experience. If you have the time, which requires about 14 days, put it aside to have this memorable experience, it is known to be one of the highlights of world travel. With Nepal’s natural beauty, all you really need is time to discover all the beautiful deserted areas to explore, like the national parks in the southwest, or the different versions of week long rafting trips that are available.

Average Daily Cost: US $20- $50/day, Cost depends on if you plan to Trek

Travel around China

Widely known as the most populous country on earth, China encapsulates much of the mystique of the East. This area is a huge pull on any tourist that plans to go to Asia. There are some great attractions, but generally speaking China is far from remote at having must see places to visit. As the third most visited country in the world, you’d think that this would be the opposite of true. The truth of the matter is that many of the historically famous sites have been destroyed long ago, or show no attention to preservation. Residents of the area are generally less than helpful, and you’ll often find that you will run into language barriers. Keep in mind that no matter what the difficulties in Asian travel, they will present themselves fivefold in China. Things that would be thought to be simple, like buying a train ticket, can be made into a major project.

Be careful in planning your trip to China, because you can definitely be let down if you expect too much out of the trip. Make sure that you make decisions about your itinerary, because there is no way to see it all on just one trip. Along with many of the other destinations listed on this page, China is incredibly hard to summarize accurately. Many who study China will note that at the heart of it all, it is an extraordinary and beautiful place with lakes, forests and deserts that harbor spots of great tranquility and remoteness. Sadly, things that can be done to spoil its beauty are sometimes well underway, projects involving the industry, concrete; building and even litter are very much in the way. It can be said that it isn’t like this everywhere in China, and that honestly it’s all part of the China experience, and is looked at as part of the culture in the area. When you think about it, traveling is much about being excited about experiencing the differences in cultures, which is something that is a real highlight in a trip to China. If you have the time, get out of the Eastern cities, and travel to the Western areas, where you will find some stunning sights.

Average Daily Cost: US $30- $50

Travel around Japan

A common misconception is thinking that if you have eaten Sushi, or owned anything made by Sony, that you know something about Japan or the Japanese. Because of this type of thinking, there are many myths about Japan, and very few of them are actually true.

Most commonly held misconceptions that effect travel is that traveling to this area is difficult, and also that Japan is famously expensive. As far as travel is concerned, it is just as easy as it would be in any other developed country, which means that there is free tourist literature, as well as signs in English. This makes it much easier than many other destinations like China, Russia, or many other places in Europe. When taking cost into consideration, it is actually more expensive to live in Japan than it is to travel to the area. The prices in the area aren’t considered a bargain, but it is definitely in the range of being affordable. Some of the attractions that you can expect are simple things like rorn beer and hot tea can be found in cans in vending machines. There are things called love hotels, and mega cities, you’ll find the girl at the fast food chain bowing to you, along with toilets with remote controls. You’ll pass Mount Fuji in a bullet train; see skiing resorts as well as tropical beaches, places that serve amazing food and much more. Needless to say, Japan is not a place that you want to miss just because you’d like to save a few hundred dollars.

All you really need is a little cash, care and a rail pass amazing food and much more. Needless to say, Japan is not a place that you want to miss just because you’d like to save a few hundred dollars. All you really need is a little cash; care and a rail pass to truly experience one of the highlights of Asia and world travel. It can be very easy to include on many of the different round the world tickets that are offered.

Average Daily Costs: US $75- $100

Travel around Indonesia

Although this area is quite a large one to explore, many tourists stick to focusing on only small parts. The Islands that are offered are extremely varied in scenery, some with volcanoes, and others with idyllic beaches and desert. This is considered one of the most rewarding of all Asian destinations. There are around 17.500 islands, which is the world’s largest archipelago. This sounds beautiful I’m sure, but by taking too little time and being overwhelmed, it can ruin your trip which you won’t want to have happen. Try not to race too much between the islands, since the roads prove to be very bad, and the drivers are even worse

Average Daily Cost: US $20- $30

Travel around Singapore

You’ll find that this area is really used more as a transit zone for backpackers who are on their way to be beaches of Thailand, Malaysia, or Australia. Compared to the rest of Asia, it is actually quite a bizarre place, cars actually use their indicators and stop at crossings which is rare to find elsewhere! You won’t find any of the mayhem that can make traveling interesting, as well as stressful. By neighboring country standards, it can be considered rather expensive, but is still cheaper than Japan, Australia or Korea. For its size, you’ll find that there are still many things to do, but since it is such a small place that after a few days you’ll probably want to move on. What strikes most tourists the most is the combination of Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions that have seemed to blend into the city. There are places in town that you’ll be able to find a market stall that offers noodles like the ones you’d find in Vietnam, and in other parts of town you’ll find Indian temples like those in madras. Towards the evening, you’re able to have high tea in the best British fashion, with starched linen table cloths and gilding waters. So to sum it all up, if you are looking for an experience that will give you the feel of “it’s a small world”, then this is definitely your place.

Average Daily Costs: US $35- $50

Travel around Thailand

Most discover this area by first coming as a backpacker, and will never forget just how easy it is to have a good time. The Thais are known to be friendly and fun loving, and of course the beautiful beaches don’t hurt at all. For those who are traveling alone, which happens quite a bit, you’ll find that feelings of being lonely or out of place will soon be replaced by having a fantastic time. Thailand is a place that you’ll find has huge appeal, but has grown to be increasing crowded, and some consider cheesy at times. If you are to stay on the tourist trail, English is never a problem to find, travel comes easily and relaxing is found amongst many of the great beaches and thousands of great bars that Thailand has to offer.

Don’t forget that there is much to discover in this area apart from the beaches. It is extremely easy to get around in this area, so there is really no excuse not to take the time to explore and be tempted by the “full moon parties” and neighboring countries. If you like to avoid the crowds, then don’t take the Khaosan road in Bangkok, and also don’t take the time to visit Chang Mai, or many of the other well known islands or beaches. You’ll want to instead check out the ruins and national parks. If you are nervous about setting out on a trip to see the world, then Thailand is known to be the best place to start.

Average Daily Costs: US$25- $40

Travel around Vietnam

Who wouldn’t want to travel to Vietnam after hearing so much about the area, and seeing it so many times in different movies? Be careful when planning your trip, because what this area actually has to offer is much different from the typical expectation. This area is full of backpacker crowds, and offers many package tours, which all run through the same tourist trail. This makes if very difficult to get away from the trail, since the country is so thin. The attractions are known to be less than spectacular, but it is a great place to relax and have a good time. You may find yourself feeling like you’re part of a production line since travel is so easy, and many are cheap pre-arranged tours that can lead you to the places you want to go. Be mindful of different attempts to rip you off, as well as the sounds of opera blasting from helicopters and the smell of napalm in the morning, and of course, many tourists right there with you.

Average Daily Costs: US $20- $40

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