Suggested destinations

Personal experiences

When working in Asia, the countries that will pay the most money are Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Working in any other country would be strictly for the cultural experience. Conversely, when taking a holiday in Asia, any country other than Taiwan, Korea and Japan would be very cheap. Remember all that money you earned and could have saved over a year?

The cost of other countries in Asia is not the only reason to visit. Just look at Canada: surrounded by three oceans and the USA. When will you have another chance to travel on the cheap to so many foreign countries and have them so close to where you are? Being in Korea is the chance of a lifetime to travel. Not to visit at least one other country would be a tragic mistake.

Suggested destinations

The table below lists many countries in the Asia-Pacific region and what to expect. Some are safer, some are more expensive, some have better times of year to visit, but all would make for fascinating holidays. Don't take my information as the be-all-and-end-all, however. Visiting the embassies for the countries listed below, they are all located in Seoul and easily found. Also visit the Lonely Planet or other travel websites for more accurate and up-to-date information.

In several countries - Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, mainland China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Mongolia, to name a few - one can easily live for less than US$500 per month. Note: The costs for a month I suggest involve doing what I do, renting an apartment for a few weeks and stay in one place, not paying for hotel rooms. You can still travel around in the area. Travelling and paying for hotels will greatly increase your costs.

Country	Cost/month	Language	When to go	Warnings
Thailand	US$450	Thai	November to February	- rising drug use and violence - islam/government tensions - border clashes with Burma
Philippines	US$500	Tagalog English	September to May	- street crime in Manila, - islamic violence on Mindanao, elsewhere
Laos	US$250	Lao French English	November to February	- communist state - bandits in the countryside - landmines in rural areas
Cambodia	US$350	Khmer English French	November to February	- countryside is heavily landmined - violent crime is countrywide
Vietnam	US$700	Vietnamese Russian French Chinese English	Any month	- strong government controls on free speech
Malaysia	US$500	Malay English Tamil	February to October	- some islamic violence - kidnappings and terrorism in Sabah
Indonesia	US$250	Indonesian English Javanese	May to October	- violent islamic groups (Bali) - political upheavals
PR China	US$400	Chinese (Pinyin)	spring and autumn	- government corruption - free speech is strongly curtailed
Myanmar (Burma)	US$350	Burmese	November to May	- brutal government repression - human rights abuses - Aung San Suu Kyi advocates boycotting
East Timor	US$500	Portuguese Tetum Indonesian English	May to October	- political unrest - bandits and kidnappers
Mongolia	US$400	Mongolian Russian Chinese	May to October	- extreme cold for much of the year
Australia	same as Canada	English (no kidding?)	Any month	- potential target of future terrorism - travelling is a budget killer
Fiji	US$800	Fijian English	Any month	- cyclones from May to October
Russia	US$800	Russian	May to October	- terrorism, especially in Chechnya - Russia airlines are very unsafe

Travelling across Russia on the TransSiberian Railway is also a unique possibility. Going west from Vladivostok to Moscow is 8 days across the Russian landscape, with your own cabin and private bathroom (even in second class). Getting out and reboarding in some towns and cities is possible, letting you view the whole country at a slow and affordable pace. Here are a few websites on the subject, and they contain links to buying tickets.

The TransSiberian Railway web encyclopaedia
Your Train - Travel on the Russian Railway
How to travel by Russian railways, Ukraine and other former Soviet Union republics

Personal experiences

Personally, I have visited Thailand and the Philippines.

My month in Thailand was wonderful. If you can find it, watch Spalding Gray's film "Swimming To Cambodia" where he talks about the time he spent in Thailand making the film "The Killing Fields". His descriptions of the Thais are spot on. These people know how to live, how to have fun, how to make things fun. The food was wonderful, the language is beautiful to listen to, and the culture is charismatic as are the women.

I'm not much of a skirt chaser, being mid-30s and unmarried, but Thai women are fascinating. Despite the poor quality of education and their lack of English skills, Thai women I met could hold my attention in conversation for hours. I spent several afternoons just talking to the women working in the restaurant next door to my villa, or to the woman who ran the laundry shop, or the women in local restaurants. No Korean woman - hell, no Canadian woman - I've ever met could speak as intelligently or be as charming.

I also spent several weeks in the Philippines. After hearing "GI go home!" far too often in Korea, I first reacted badly to the calls of "Hey, Joe!" but soon learned that Philipinos use that phrase on any caucasian, not just the GIs. The people were kind and easy to talk to, plus so much of the country speaks English that you don't even need a phrasebook. Philippine food isn't as nice as Thai and mainland food, but it's mild and easy on the stomach.

Philipina women are just as nice as Thai women. They are easy to talk to, but still very prim and proper. You can forget about sex before marriage, but if you want to go out dancing, these ladies like to have fun and can talk up a storm. After going there, I'm seriously thinking about dating a Philipina friend I worked with in Korea.

After meeting the Philipinos, the Thais, some Vietnamese, and read much about the Cambodians, I'm beginning to understand why south east Asian countries aren't as wealthy as others: not because they don't have the wealth to build wealth (although that's part of it) or that they lack the knowledge (they are all very intelligent), but mostly because they are satisfied to live with less "things". That's something the west could stand to learn, or relearn, since we knew it once.