Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam - Budgeting
 

I'm in the very early planning stages of a two month trip to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam (maybe adding Malaysia and Laos on as well) in the spring of next year. I'm just trying to figure out how much money I will need when I get over there. Just curious if anyone who has done a trip like could help me out with an estimate from there personal experience.

The only expensive element in a trip to SEA is the plane ticket. Once you are there, accomodation, meals, domestic transport, activities are very affordable (maybe diving is expensive, I don't know), to say the least ! The average daily expenses range from about $10 to $40.

$10 average : In some remote areas, such as the Si Pan Don Islands in Laos, where I've spent $7-$10 per day on food, beer and lodging. That was in 2003, but it still should be ridiculously low today ! The most expensive hotels we've stayed in was $3 per night, and the lowest was $1 per night for up to 4 persons : a bungalow by the Mekong River. And the place is heavenly !
$15-$30 average : This is the daily amount that budget travellers can hope to spend in cities, large cities of Thailand and Vietnam being the most expensive; one or two meals a day NOT taken in restaurant; accomodation, between $5 (Laos, Cambodia) and $25 (Hanoi, Ho Chi Min, Bangkok, ...), the rest on activities/bars/ tuktuks-motorbike...
$40 average : If you want a 3 or 4-star hotel, lots of museums and paying activities, and all meals taken in restaurants.

Good prices on international transport by bus as well : for example, the 250 km stretch from Laos to Vietnam was only $5.

I have a few photos of my trip to Vietnam and Laos, including 2 from Si Pan Don, here.
:cheers: