what makes Southeast Asia a tourism option you should consider?
The first reason is the prices all across the region: they are ridiculously low. One of the first problems a backpacker needs to solve after arriving to a new country is accommodation. In Southeast Asia—almost everywhere—accommodation is so cheap that for the money a tourist would spend on a hostel in Europe for one week, in this region, he or she could live one month! See for yourself: if you go to Cambodia or Laos, a place in a dorm room would cost you somewhere between $2-5 per day. A night in a Vietnamese hostel will cost you $8-10. Thailand is probably the most expensive in the list, with prices between $6-13. If you are not fond of living with a bunch of unfamiliar people, get ready to pay only $15-20 for a private room. Of course, these prices depend on cities—larger cities and popular tourist destinations will naturally be more expensive, but generally, throughout the entire Southeast Asia, you can find extremely cheap accommodation easily, especially considering there is no need to book a hostel in advance: basically, you show up and rent a room/bed in the spot (NomadicMatt). So, if you are a tourist with a limited budget, worrying about a place to stay for a couple of weeks, Southeast Asia is your choice: living here is more than affordable.
By the way, the same refers to food. Almost everywhere around Southeast Asia you will be able to find quality street food for low prices. The price for a pack of chewing gum in the United States equals a huge portion of filling, exotic food in Vietnam.
As well as the “mainland” Asia, the region possesses ancient history and deep culture closely interconnected with Buddhism. The ruins of Angkor Wat, Javans, Champa, pagodas of Bagan, millenary temples and shrines—all this and much more awaits a tourist discovering this part of Asia. Relics of the past are so numerous that even if you spend a year in the region, you will probably not be able to see all of them. Along with the ancient times, Southeast Asia has gone through intense political and military turmoils during the recent century. The war in Vietnam, the terror of the Khmer Rouge, the destruction of Laos, Pacific navy battles, Japanese invasions—this is just a tiny part of what was going on here not so long ago. Knowing about the hardships Southeast Asia had gone through, and witnessing its rapid development now, watching incredible contrasts intertwine and combine, it is difficult to not fall in love with this place. Besides, if you are seeking for cultural diversity, Southeast Asia has it all: with such a diversity of languages, customs, ethnicities, religious beliefs, lifestyles, and fashions concentrated on such a relatively small piece of land, your immersion in the atmosphere of this place will be instant, deep, and impressive (Bootsnall.com).
Yet another good argument for a budget tourist visiting Southeast Asia is the convenience and affordability of transportation in the region. Naturally, when you arrive to a new country, you do not want to spend your whole time in one city—you want to see all of what this country can offer, and this often implies using public transport, such as trains or buses. Well, booking transportation