Southeast Asia travel on a budget
3 southeast Asia
People even travel to 4-5 countries at one time.
Although, you need to get visas and connect flight tickets from these countries to one another.
As a result, you’ll end up saving almost $350(Rs 25000).
Backpacking
They are close to each other therefore flying between these countries is cheap as well as quick.
People are friendly and welcoming there and the cuisine is also world-famous.
There are many low-cost carriers (airlines) available in southeast Asia. Traveler loves to come again and again due to the availability of cheap hotels/hostels, street food,
Flight tickets and visas will cost you around $280-320. Accommodation and Food are not included.

You also need to book flight tickets and apply for a visa for all 3 Southeast Asian countries.
Plan your Visa carefully as it may take 5-10 days and sometimes more due to Govt. holidays or festivals in the country where you are applying for the Visa.
So, here you’ll learn how 3 Southeast Asia country to travel on a budget. However, you can apply this trick to other countries or add 1-2 more countries. Read till the end to understand this trick completely.
Incredibly Reliable Flight Booking Websites
What are these 3 Southeast Countries for travel?
The best Southeast Asia country to travel on a budget and even first-time international trip can be done to these countries. You can search and select other countries as well. However, flying between these countries is easy, cheap, and certainly beautiful as well.
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Malaysia
You have to book 4 flight tickets.
- India to Thailand
- Thailand to Vietnam
- Vietnam to Malaysia
- Malaysia to India
How does plan your Southeast Asia travel?
There are 4 major websites Skyscanner, Wego, Momondo, Kayak, you can use to get cheap flight tickets. However, you can find cheap deals on websites like FareDrop, Makemytrip, Cleartrip, and Goibibo. These are all Indian websites except faredrop.
Also, read How To Get Cheap Flight Deals?’.
You have to choose the starting city from India because flying from Kolkata or South India to most Southeast Asian countries is cheaper.
However, you can fly from
Plan your trip so that you end up near or within a city where you can get a cheap flight to your next country.
Above all, you need to book your flight ticket at least 45-60 days before to get cheaper airfare to travel on a budget.
Never rely on 1 website and always compare fare prices from other websites for cheaper airfare.
First Southeast Asia Country:- India to Thailand

You can fly from almost all the cities in India to Thailand. However
Generally, airfare is cheap from Kolkata and South Indian cities. Choose a starting city nearest to your place or from which you can easily travel on a budget in India.
Second Southeast Asia Country:- Thailand to Vietnam

Plan your travel route in a way that you end up at your departure city to the next country. Then, travel through cities and explore Thailand.
Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi and Chiang Mai are the most famous cities. There you can visit ancient places(Chiang Mai), beautiful beaches, and the Islands(Phuket and Krabi)
You can get affordable airfare from Chiang Mai and Bangkok to Hanoi and Da Nang mostly.
However, you can try other cities because you may get cheaper deals from other cities as well. As a result, you can fly between the city where the cheapest airfare is possible.
Third Southeast Asia Country:- Vietnam to Malaysia

Now, you have to travel from Thailand to Vietnam. Mostly, from Krabi and Bangkok, you’ll get the cheapest airfare. However, flights are also possible from other places in Thailand like Surat Thani, Phuket.
You can search for airfare from these cities because of the low season, airfare goes low from these places.
Also, try to search for airfare between other cities as mentioned before to get hidden cheap deals.
While planning your travel in Vietnam and plan a way that you end up in a city in Vietnam where you can get cheap airfare to the next country that is Malaysia.
From Ho Chi Minh, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia you’ll get cheap airfare mostly. Hence, plan accordingly and save some more money on flight tickets.
Now Travel Back To India

Flight tickets from Malaysia to India are mostly cheap if you travel from Kuala Lumpur to Kolkata and South India (Bhubaneswar, Kochi, etc).
Although prices can go high due to festival season in India or Malaysia. The number of flights in a day between India and Malaysia is too high.
Hence, you can get a flight at any time of the day. This way you can travel on a budget and explore great views in Southeast Asia.
Visa Application?
You’ll need to apply 3 Visas for 3 countries if you are an Indian otherwise as per your country:-
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- Malaysia
Thailand Visa (Visa-free entry till April 2020 end for Indians)
I would recommend you apply for Visa on arrival option. Because it’s cheap and convenient as well.
You’ll get a visa on arrival inside Thailand for Rs 4385($60) for Indians. You need to fill up a VOA(Visa on arrival) form and then show your documents to the immigration counter. For more details on VOA.
Free visa entry for 64 Countries. List of 64 Countries
Vietnam Visa
The Vietnam Visa process is simple and quick. Please click here for the visa process.
Malaysia Visa
For Indians there are 2 options to get a Malaysian Visa from India:-
- ENTRI (21.5 USD cost for Indians)
- e-Visa (45 USD cost for Indians)
ENTRI visa is only suitable when traveling directly from India to Malaysia and returning to India directly from Malaysia.
You are not allowed to go to another country except Malaysia on ENTRI visa. This visa is valid until 15 days from the day you enter Malaysia.
e-Visa is recommended in our case as we are planning 3 countries or staying for more than 15 days but less than 30 days. Follow the process of Malaysia Govt. Website.
You have to apply for either visa i.e ENTRI/e-Visa from India only. There are two ways to get a Malaysian Visa:-
- Apply from Malaysia Govt. Website, here you don’t have to pay any processing fee just pay the visa fee and done.
- Apply from a private Visa application company where you have to pay the visa fee as well as a processing cost.
I would recommend you to use the Malaysian Govt. website because it’s reliable and cheaper than other private agents as well.
Visa-free countries to enter Malaysia
Total Cost For Airfare And Visa Fee-
40-60% of traveling costs come from flight tickets.
For Indians
Airfare:- Rs 15000 (210 USD approx.)
Visa Fee:- Rs 8500-9000 (115USD) The price range is due to currency fluctuation.
For Non-Indian
Airfare:- Same as before from India
So, this is the way anyone can go to 3 Southeast Asian countries for 1’s cost.
Conclusion
It is easy to go to one Southeast Asian country but it’s more joyful while visit 3 countries together 1 after another.
You’ll enjoy it even more because all countries are different from others and above all, at the cost of one.
However, you have to research carefully, about the places you are going to visit. Also, you may have to leave some places so that you will be in
Also, arrange your documents correctly and take care of your passport as well.
Moreover, you can use this trick in different countries. You may have to keep Malaysia because flights from Malaysia to neighboring southeast Asian country is cheap connecting from India.
Some Important points to remember before booking budget flight tickets are as follows
- Try to find a flight between cheaper cities.
- Carry light luggage to save more money
- Avoid mobile apps when searching for flight tickets
- Use incognito mode in a web browser for flight ticket search
Definitely, read How To Get Cheap Flight Deals?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Southeast Asia safe to travel to?
Yes. However, you need to travel smartly. Do what locals are doing and avoid what they are avoiding as well.
Does Southeast Asia include India?
No, Southeast Asia is made up of 11 countries namely: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, East Timor, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam.
Does Southeast Asia include China?
No, Southeast Asia is made up of 11 countries namely: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, East Timor, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam.
Where can i travel on my budget?
Almost the whole of Asia is budget-friendly except Singapore and Japan. You can travel to any Asian country on a budget without worrying about money. You can easily manage $10-15/day in Asian countries including food, accommodation, and local transport as well. However, if you use Couchsurfing then you can even travel 5-10$ a day easily.
How to travel on a low budget?
You can travel on a low budget in any Country if you follow these points.
1. Book flight tickets 45-60 days before you suppose to travel.
2. Eat where local people eat for safe and cheap food.
3. Use public transport instead of a private vehicle.
4. Choose mostly free tourist destinations.
5. Stay in hostels if you’re a solo traveler.
Refer to this link to know How To Get Cheap Flight Deals?
Write down in the comment below the option for any suggestion or question.
You can also read:-
How To Get Cheap Flight Deals?
International Travel On A Budget
How Much For Thailand Trip From India
Southeast Asian Countries Guide