Cheap Airfare -- Questioning Where to Go?
Replies: 31 - Last Post: Nov 28, 2012 1:17 PM Last Post By: beerfree
jump to
Cheap Airfare -- Questioning Where to Go?
So, I posted in the mainland Southeast Asia forum about taking my first backpacking trip in a few months. I'm looking to travel for maybe 2-3 months on around 5-6k(USD). The initial plan was to go to SEA, see Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, most likely. Airfare for this trip would cost me at least $1300.Well, looking on skyscanner.com I found that around the same time frame I can get a roundtrip ticket to one of several cities in Colombia for under $300! I live in the Washington, DC area. This is really making me think about a trip to South America instead.
The question is whether a higher cost of living/travelling in South America would offset the roughly 1k I'd have saved on my flight? What is a good rough daily budget for the region(Colombia, Peru, Ecudaor, Bolivia, Parguay, etc.)?
For the record, this would be my first trip and I plan to travel alone. The though of going to South America is starting to sound very appealing! I think it would be a bit of a challenge(not that SEA couldn't or wouldn't be...) which excites me.
So, what do you think?
Michael
1
If you only have 2-3 months,you are not going to get to places like Paraguay ;-)That is enough time for a decent look at Colombia,some time in Ecuador and maybe a bit of Peru.Especially if you have to do a 'circular' route.
Unless you head south and then fly back up to Colombia,but then you wil spend a lot more money....
2
On the cost aspect...depends on many things...exactly where you go,how you travel etc.I'd say in general SE Asia is cheaper than Colombia and Ecuador,but the difference is not enormous.
Those flights are really cheap..and if you want to go to SA..why not? Colombia is a great destination.
3
4 or 5000 $ should be more than enough for travel in Colombia/Ecuador for 3 months. Like Lucapal says in 3 months you should only plan on at the most 3 countries.....flying into Colombia.....trying to reach Bolivia & Paraguay would be too much. At flight prices that cheap I would snap them up and go to Colombia4
Here's a US Government Travel Warning:http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5778.html
Being my first time seriously travelling on my own, should I be concerned?
Otherwise, thanks for all of the useful information. I suppose I would plan three months and try to see a good bit of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Edited by: MichaelDC
6
Also..no need to plan too much.You have 3 months? Fly to Colombia,see how you like it.Move around when you get bored.Then repeat...you have plenty of time.Maybe you will make it to Peru and maybe not..no need for it to be set in stone.
9
Colombia is safe, period. Disregards those newspaper nonsense, the only problem is the cost - is much more expensive than SE Asia specially in terms of transport and accommodation.12
You can get a dorm bed for US$10 in Bogota or Medellin,no problem.Food is cheap too.
Long distance bus travel can be pricy compared to some parts of SE Asia for sure
