How To Get Around Southeast Asia On A Budget
When I was backpacking through Southeast Asia I had a limited amount of time and did not want to waste my time on long buses. When I first went to investigate the flights, I was worried about the difference in price between buses and airplanes. It was not until a friend told me about a Malaysia budget airline that my financial luck greatly changed. Air Asia is based out of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and is the ultimate economic way to travel between the countries in Southeast Asia.
As a result of taking Air Asia, I was able to go to Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand in under three weeks. What did I pay for all of these flights? $300 USD…
The key to achieving this sort of financial splendor when it comes to budget air travel is to only take a backpack with you. These airlines can only be utilized to their full financial potential when you bring a standard school-sized backpack with you. Usually, they charge a minimal fee if over a certain weight or no fee at all. This is a great option if you are on a budget and do not plan on bringing a great deal of luggage with you when you are traveling.
When taking Air Asia, you do not have to be as careful about the fees as you do when taking budget airline in Europe because in Southeast Asia you generally get more for what you pay for. In fact, Air Asia also has gotten a great deal of press about their frequent flyer mileage program and sensational sales program. An important point to note about Air Asia is that they also have budget flights to major European capitals from Kuala Lumpur. One time, I was able to pay $200 USD for a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris and the service was actually excellent!
The best idea to take advantage of the value deals that this airline offers is to sign up for their email list. When you do this, you will see their twelve-hour sales or new routes that are opening up that offer discounted rates. An example of this is when they opened up their route from Seoul to Kuala Lumpur and provided a substantial discount in fares. When considering your travels in Southeast Asia, Air Asia is a must on your list! You will not only save a great deal of money, but you will also save hours on inefficient and uncomfortable bus travel. Air Asia enabled me to see a great deal more of Asia with limited time and funds and I will be forever loyal to their sensational yet economic services!
