Backpacking Is Life: Ultimate Travel Guides, Tips & Itineraries

Start here

New here? Begin with these.

The two guides that make everything else easier — start here to skip the expensive beginner mistakes and get a trip actually mapped out.

First trip

The First-Time Backpacking Guide

Never done a proper backpacking trip before? Start here. Everything from picking a route to packing light to the rookie money mistakes that quietly drain your budget.

Read the guide

Backpacker moving through a station while planning a route

Route planning

The 3-Month Southeast Asia Route

A clear, tested starting point for a longer SEA trip — route order, pacing and the stops worth your time.

Open the route

Before you go

Sort the essentials.

The tools that quietly save you the most money on the road — the cards, connectivity, cover and wheels we actually recommend after years of trial and error.

Travel cards & cash

Skip the bank fees. The debit cards that give you the real exchange rate anywhere in the world.

Compare cards

eSIMs & data

Land with working data. Compare the best travel eSIMs by region, price and coverage.

Best eSIMs

Travel insurance

Cover that fits open-ended trips — what backpackers actually need, and what you can safely skip.

Find cover

Car & campervan hire

Self-drive the good bits. How to rent, what it costs, and the insurance traps to dodge.

Rental guides

By topic

What do you need to sort?

Choosing a destination, working out the logistics, or stretching a tight budget — start where it’s most useful.

Scenic backpacking destination landscape

Destinations

Find where to go next

Country and region guides to help you decide where to go, how long to stay, and how to shape the trip.

Browse destinations

Travel planning setup with map and passport

Plan your trip

Sort the logistics

Flights, transport, visas, packing and accommodation — the practical details that are easier handled before you leave.

Open trip planning

Backpacker moving through a busy market on a budget

Budget travel

Travel for less, see more

Daily costs, route trade-offs, cheap-transport logic and the choices that matter when money’s tight.

Open budget guides

Digital nomad working from a cafe while traveling

Work & travel

Base yourself anywhere

City comparisons, budgets and long-stay trade-offs for trips that blend travel with remote work.

Open digital nomad guides

By region

Where are you headed?

Jump to the regions and countries we cover in the most depth.

Newest travel guides

Latest guides

The newest transport guides, route breakdowns and trip-planning articles from Backpacking Is Life.

15 Best Things to Do in Ella 2026: Hikes, Tea Country, Trains and Waterfalls

The best things to do in Ella, Sri Lanka, including Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Ella Rock, tea plantations, waterfalls, trains and where…
17 Best Things to Do in Split 2026: Diocletian’s Palace, Islands and Day Trips

The best things to do in Split, including Diocletian’s Palace, Marjan Hill, beaches, markets, Klis, Trogir, Krka, Hvar, Brac and island ferries.
15 Best Things to Do in Dubrovnik 2026: Old Town, Walls, Islands and Day Trips

The best things to do in Dubrovnik, including the city walls, Old Town, Lokrum, Mount Srd, beaches, kayaking, Elafiti islands and day trips.
15 Best Things to Do in Rotorua 2026: Geothermal Parks, Maori Culture and Redwoods

The best things to do in Rotorua, including geothermal parks, Maori cultural experiences, Redwoods, hot pools, mountain biking, lakes and day trips.
17 Best Things to Do in Queenstown 2026: Adventure, Lakes, Hikes and Day Trips

The best things to do in Queenstown, including Skyline, jet boats, Milford Sound, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, wineries, hikes, skiing and where to stay.
17 Best Things to Do in Jeju 2026: Road Trips, Hikes, Beaches and Waterfalls

The best things to do in Jeju, including Seongsan Ilchulbong, Hallasan, Udo, waterfalls, beaches, Olle trails, markets and car rental tips.