Backpacking Is Life: 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.

Tokyo to Kyoto 2026: Shinkansen, JR Pass, Bus or Flight?

How to get from Tokyo to Kyoto in 2026, including shinkansen, JR Pass maths, highway buses, flights, luggage forwarding and where to stay at…
Best Day Trips from Hoi An 2026: My Son, Da Nang, Hue, Marble Mountains and Beaches

The best day trips from Hoi An, including My Son Sanctuary, Da Nang, Marble Mountains, Hue, Cham Islands, An Bang, Tra Que and Hai…
Best Day Trips from Da Nang 2026: Hoi An, Hue, Ba Na Hills, My Son and More

The best day trips from Da Nang, including Hoi An, Hue, Ba Na Hills, Marble Mountains, My Son, Hai Van Pass, Cham Islands and…
Best Day Trips from Chiang Mai 2026: Doi Inthanon, Chiang Rai, Elephants, Waterfalls and More

The best day trips from Chiang Mai, including Doi Inthanon, Chiang Rai, ethical elephant sanctuaries, Sticky Waterfalls, Doi Suthep and Mae Kampong.
Bali to the Gili Islands and Lombok 2026: Fast Boat, Ferry and Route Guide

A practical Bali to Gili Islands and Lombok ferry guide comparing fast boats, public ferry, ports, routes, luggage and where to book.
15 Best Things to Do in Gyeongju 2026: Temples, Tombs, Food and Silla History

A first-timer guide to the best things to do in Gyeongju, with temples, tombs, night views, food streets, museums and easy Korea trip planning…