 Backpacking all over SE Asia
Eskimator wrote:
> I usually book hotels online when I visit foreign places to save money.
> This time, I plan to explore SE Asia. How do you backpackers find
> good hotel rooms? Do you just ask the locals? Is it just a hit and
> miss?
What do you mean "good"? Do you require air-conditioning? Or just hot
water and minimal standards for cleanliness? Or even less than that?
Most backpacker destinations have loads of rooms, so there is rarely a
problem finding a decent inexpensive place to stay. I normally ask to
see a room before committing to pay for it (mostly I just want to make
sure it's clean, no insects, etc.), and sometimes I test out the hot
water.
> I bought the Lonely Planet SE Asia book, it has hotel
> recommendations, location, and prices. I'm hoping it will help. I
> find that when you're going to stay in 3 stars hotel and above, booking
> online is cheaper than walk-ins.
If you intend to stay in 3+ star hotels, you can often book them
cheaply online from Internet cafes.
> How much preparation do you guys take before going? Do you make
> detailed notes on what to do before you go or do you just fly there and
> figure it out from there?
On a longer trip with a flexible schedule, I usually plan my stay in my
first and last city carefully, then do a lot of reading and make
general plans of and for places in between, but I don't plan every
detail and I often change my itineraries based on things people
mention, interesting places that I want to stay longer in, or hellholes
I want to get out of as fast as possible. I rarely book a place to
stay more than one city in advance.
However, if you are on a short trip involving many destinations, it
might make sense to do very careful planning to make the most of that
time.
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