20 Tips To Find Cheap Asia Travel

1. Bargain! In most Asian countries bargaining is customary. Start low because tourists are always quoted a higher price than locals.

2. Use trains or buses for long trips between cities. Hiring taxis can end up costing you more and they are usually less reliable.

3. Make friends with locals. Free meals, rides and a place to stay are benefits that can save you a lot of money and not to mention give you a more memorable travel experience.

4. In Singapore and South Korea you can take advantage of Global Refund, a VAT tax claim system. A 9.9% tax (20% for some items) at over 600 retail outlets can be reclaimed with proof of purchase in South Korea. The GST tax in Singapore is 5% and can be reclaimed on all purchases of goods and services by tourists. Look for the Tax Free Shopping logo.

5. Track the dollar. The dollar has held steady in China, India and Taiwan and it is fixed in Hong Kong so the deals are still the same. Southeast Asia is generally always a good value and Japan is usually the worst. By researching where your dollar goes the furthest, you can plan accordingly and save.