Hi guys, new guy in town starting an adventure in 3 weeks hopefully. I just got off the phone to a guy after a quote for flights.. London to Singapore to Phucket to Cambodia then onwards to Cairns then set off from Sydney to NZ doing both islands and heading to Fiji then hitting LA and going to NY by land thrn back home. Quoted £1575 for the lot, I think thats pretty good but do u guys think this is good?
Hey,
First off, welcome to TP.
I can't tell you off the top if that's good or not as airline prices vary considerable depending on airlines, time or year, luggage (budget airlines charge per checked item), etc. What I can tell you is that in the past I've found it to be most economical to book the long-haul flights (overseas, etc) through a major carrier and the shorter flights to be best booked through a budget airline. If you want the convenience of booking it all in one go through an agency, then my guess would be that they will all come out roughly the same (although I can't tell you that without knowing many more details). However, if price is your primary concern, you may want to consider checking into the costs for each of them if purchased independently. There are a number of websites out there that will allow to search with a range of dates, or even nearby airports to identify the cheapest options. My personal favourites are Momondo and SkyScanner, but there are many, many others (flight network, kayak, redtag, etc).
I'm curious as to how tight you are for time though / how much time you have allowed. Have you considered doing the Singapore to Phuket overland or by boat? I know you can fly relatively cheap between the two destinations, but you also see significantly less. Also, are you planning any slower stops, or are you looking at working as you go? How much time have you allowed in each destination? I don't think you're taking on too much, those are easy travel destinations, all things considered, but it would help us to help you if you could provide a bit more information.
Hi Flutterby,
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I haven't considered booking independently but I will most likely check before finalizing anything as this was only my 2nd quote after firstly getting one for £1500 for only Thailand, oz, and NZ and returning to Thailand. Not what I wanted. I think the price i've been quoted is good for what's included although I'm not sure on the airlines regarding budget airlines etc.
I want to go as soon as possible due to being made redundant and the money I have saved is slowly decreasing day by day!
I'm likely to be travelling for 4/5 months with a month in each destination and with a budget of £5k.
To answer your question I would be flying from Singapore to Phuket. This wasn't my original plan but this is what was offered to me. I am open to suggestions and places to travel as it's my first time doing anything on this scale.
Do you think my budget is reasonable? Also have you done any travelling over America? I was curious on travelling from LA to NY and how easy this is overland.
I have tons of stuff i'd like to know! This is just the start.
I
MartynB16,
No problem!
What do you mean it's what was offered to you? haha, it's your trip, you can plan it however you like.
You will typically pay more for last minute flights, so definitely be aware of that if you're trying to book it last minute. Just bear that in mind. Of course, budget airlines like air asia or tiger airways are still generally cheap (I've seen flights between phuket & singapore as little as $45 CDN - appx 23 pounds). Of course, you need to keep an eye out for taxes and luggage, but you should be able to manage those short-haul flights quite cheap. The longer ones (from OZ / NZ across) are the ones that will be more costly.
Just to make sure I've understood, then it'll be a month in SE Asia, a month in OZ, 1 in NZ, up to a month in Fiji and 1 in the US?
If that is your budget after flights, you should be OK if you don't splurge much. You will have to watch your budget carefully, particularly in the US, OZ & NZ. I haven't travelled extensively in the US but I have been, and as a Canadian, many things are of a similar price point. That being said, costs vary substantially from one place to another. Without knowing what kind of traveler you are or your must-sees it's difficult to say. I would suggest checking out the train passes if you are concerned about your budget getting across the country. Odds are, busses will afford you more flexibility (Greyhound) and be cheaper, but won't be as quick or comfortable. Nor can you buy a pass, which has it's advantages if you're worried about the budget. For cheap eats, look for farmer's markets - these won't always be available! - or supermarkets for the cheapest food. Alternatively, there are always street eats, although I personally wouldn't advocate for fast food. Your largest expense will likely be your accommodation and the cost of "tourist" things - entrance fees to museums, shows, etc. As a rule, cities will be more expensive than smaller towns. LA and NYC are among the most expensive cities in the states, so be prepared for that.
Personally, I might consider reversing the trip - start expensive and move to the cheaper countries as your finances dwindle.
As someone who lives in Singapore and can easily pay almost £1500 for a return flight to the UK I would say it sounds like a good deal on the price of your ticket, especially one that includes Fiji. In terms of your plans in Asia, I would only spend a few days in Singapore. It's a great place to live but as a traveller you will have seen the sights in a 3 days or so, and it is definitely not cheap. Your best bet for accommodation are the back packer places that tend to be in the Little India area of the city. You will be getting a lot more for your money in Phuket and Cambodia.
If you really do leave in 3 weeks and come to Singapore first, let me know if you want any advice. I could even show you round - although I am only here for another 6 weeks.
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