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.

Bangkok to Krabi 2026: Flight, Bus, Train or Island Transfer?

Bangkok to Krabi guide: compare flights, buses, trains plus transfers for Ao Nang, Railay and the Andaman islands.
Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne 2026: Train, Bus, Van or Private Transfer?

Ho Chi Minh City to Mui Ne transport guide: bus, train, van and private transfer compared for beach trips and Vietnam backpackers.
Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat 2026: Bus, Flight, Sleeper or Private Transfer?

Ho Chi Minh City to Da Lat guide: compare sleeper buses, limousine vans, flights and private transfers with booking tips for Vietnam backpackers.
Da Nang to Hue 2026: Train, Bus, Private Driver or Hai Van Pass?

Da Nang to Hue transport guide: compare train, bus, private transfer, motorbike and Hai Van Pass routes, with booking tips and internal Vietnam links.
Best Day Trips from Split 2026: Hvar, Blue Cave, Krka, Trogir, Brac and More

The best day trips from Split, including Hvar, Blue Cave, Krka National Park, Trogir, Brac, Omis, Plitvice, Sibenik and Mostar.
Best Day Trips from Dubrovnik 2026: Lokrum, Cavtat, Elaphiti Islands, Montenegro, Mostar and More

The best day trips from Dubrovnik, including Lokrum, Cavtat, Elaphiti Islands, Mljet, Korcula, Montenegro, Mostar and Peljesac wine country.