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The Story in 100 Words
Britain is a nation of backpackers, with 93% of all Brits stating they have been on a backpacking trip. The most popular destinations are countries such as Thailand in South-East Asia, but new destinations such as Pakistan are growing in popularity. Those looking to travel in this manner will need to budget for five different aspects: accommodation, transport, food and drink, activities, and documentation.
You’ll also need to decide whether to travel alone or with friends, with a company or self-organised, and whether taking an extended trip is a good idea for your career. Backpacking can provide great life experiences, but you will have to accept the accompanying unfavourable lodgings and transport options. You will also have to ensure that you have everything you need beforehand; from microfiber towels to the correct travel vaccinations.
The Story in 500 Words
Britain is a nation of backpackers. According to a recent survey, 93% of all Brits have backpacked at some point in their lives, with a further 70% claiming they had the time of their lives doing so. But where do we Brits pack up a bag and head off to? And how can you tell if backpacking is right for you?
Where Are the Top Destinations for Backpacking?
The top 10 destinations as compiled by travel company Rough Guides are as follows:
1. New Zealand
2. India
3. Cambodia
4. Laos
5. Spain
6. Bolivia
7. Sri Lanka
8. Peru
9. Vietnam
10. Thailand2
Whilst these destinations dominate, plenty of up and coming locations are starting to make their mark on the backpacking scene such as Pakistan and Tajikistan; providing an excellent opportunity for backpackers to experience a completely alien culture.
How Much Does It Cost to Go Backpacking?
The costs can be broadly broken down into five categories: accommodation, transport, food and drink, activities, and documentation.
Accommodation
The cheapest country for accommodation is India, with a bed in a hostel costing as little as £3-£4 per night. However, those looking to backpack their way through North America or Western Europe will need to budget for a least £30-£40 per night.
Transport
The most expensive aspect of many backpacking trips are the flights. We have some great survival tips with regards airports. But savings can be made while away by taking local land-based travel options such as sleeper buses or sleeper trains. Overnight travel can give you thousands of miles of travel for as little as £10. We have 5 tips for travelling on the cheap.
Food and Drink
Wholesome bowls of pad thai can cost you as little as £1 on the streets of Bangkok. However, in more expensive countries (such as Australia) a meal out will cost upwards of £30. Beers can be bought locally for less than 50p in many Asian countries, but one Singaporean cocktail could knock you back as much as £25.
Activities and Excursions
Many of the best sights are free, whether you are exploring temples in Thailand or snorkelling some of Australia’s most beautiful coral reefs. By contrast, others spend money on river cruises, guided tours, beach parties, or skydiving and bungee jumping for the adrenaline junkies amongst you.
Documentation
You’ll need to organise a visa for each country that requires one upon entry. Costs start at £20 for Thailand and increase to as much as £185 for Russia. Next, you’ll need to check what travel vaccine you require before your trip or have any boosters needed. Many of the necessary jabs are free on the NHS, but others such as rabies, yellow fever, hepatitis B, will all set you back at least £50-£200 each.
Which is the Best Way to Arrange Backpacking? Travel Company or Self-Organised?
Backpacking used to be very much an individually-organised holiday. However, much has changed over the last decade with so many young people looking to take an organised approach to their gap years, and other travellers looking for the convenience of a done-for-you holiday. In many instances, huge savings can be made by bundling transport, accommodation, food and drink, and activities together into one price paid at the start of the trip.
How Safe is Backpacking?
One of the biggest concerns with backpacking as a holiday is safety and security, particularly in the case of solo travellers. Therefore, dress in a way that doesn’t highlight your affluence and keep your phone hidden. Keep your wits about you at ATMs and make a note of safe places such as your hostel or local police stations.
What Are the Essential Items for a Backpacking Adventure?
Apart from the obvious need for a backpack and clothing items, what else do you need to think about bringing with you? Here’s a list of essentials that’s by no means exhaustive:
- Microfiber Travel Towel
- Global Travel Adaptor
- Portable Power Bank
- Padlocks
- First Aid Kit
- Insect repellent (high DEET content)
- Camera (including SD memory cards)
- Washbag
- Head torch
- Earplugs and a sleep mask
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Travel grooming set
- Notebook and pen
- Cheap watch
- USB extension cable
- Sleeping bag (and liner)
- Reusable water bottle
- Earphones
- Local language phrasebook
A Well-Planned Backpacking Can Provide the Experience of a Lifetime
Almost three-quarters of Brits who went on a backpacking holiday had no regrets about taking their trip. Of those that did have regrets, 15% expressed that they wished they had gone for longer! However, having to take 27-hour coach journeys, dealing with the issues of travelling alone in a foreign country, and sharing a room with 16 others in a hostel dormitory are just some of the possible downsides.
If you’ve decided that you’re ready to take the plunge, here at DocHQ we can help you get off to the best possible start by organising your travel health requirements for you. All you have to do is use our online travel vaccine tool to find out which vaccinations you need, and when you need them by. Check out our blog how to stay healthy on holiday.
The Full Blog
Britain is a nation of backpackers. According to a recent survey, 93% of all Brits have backpacked at some point in their lives, with a further 70% claiming they had the time of their lives doing so.1 Many make backpacking a focus of a gap year, whilst others use backpacking to enjoy trips lasting just a few weeks.
But where do we Brits pack up a bag and head off to? And how can you tell if backpacking is right for you? In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about this growing travel trend.
Where Are the Top Destinations for Backpacking?
Theoretically, you can go backpacking anywhere. All need to do is pack a bag full of your travel essentials and set off! However, there are particular hotspots favoured by Brits above all others. The top 10 destinations as compiled by travel company Rough Guides are as follows:
1. New Zealand
2. India
3. Cambodia
4. Laos
5. Spain
6. Bolivia
7. Sri Lanka
8. Peru
9. Vietnam
10. Thailand2
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Asia features heavily on this list as backpackers’ money tends to go a lot further in this region, despite a tough couple of years for the value of the pound. New Zealand ranked as number one thanks to its extensive backpacking infrastructure, making it easy for backpackers to navigate the country safely.
However, many new destinations are starting to appear on the radar of British backpackers. The British Backpacking Society recently released its list of the top 20 destinations for backpacking which included a few countries that many would consider off the beaten tourist track. Here’s the list of destinations in full:
1. Pakistan
2. Russia
3. India
4. Turkey
5. Kyrgyzstan
6. Lebanon
7. Tajikistan
8. China
9. Georgia
10. Uganda
11. Bosnia & Herzegovina
12. Jordan
13. Iraq
14. Democratic Republic of Congo
15. Algeria
16. Montenegro
17. Egypt
18. Rwanda
19. Uzbekistan
20. Kosovo3
As you can see, there are many countries contained within this list that perhaps wouldn’t enter the minds of more traditional travellers, providing an excellent opportunity for backpackers to experience a completely alien culture.
But before you have dreams of setting off on your adventure, you will be anxious to find out how much a backpacking trip might cost you. Is this type of holiday as cheap as advertised?
How Much Does It Cost to Go Backpacking?
The costs that go into a backpacking trip are multifaceted, from booking your initial flights to sorting out visas, there’s a lot to account for, particularly if you’re heading thousands of miles away to start your adventure.
The costs can be broadly broken down into five categories: accommodation, transport, food and drink, activities, and documentation. So let’s take a closer look at what you can expect to pay for each while backpacking.
Accommodation
One of the benefits of backpacking is you’ll spend a lot of your trip staying in hostels or budget-friendly accommodation, leaving you more to spend on experiences and sightseeing. The cheapest country for accommodation is India, with a bed in a hostel costing as little as £3-£4 per night. Which means you can secure a whole month’s accommodation for less than £100!
Costs increase slightly for countries within the South East Asia region (think Thailand or Indonesia) with £10 per night sufficient to get a bed in most locations. South American destinations fall within the same price bracket. At the top end of the price scale, those looking to backpack their way through North America or Western Europe will need to budget for a least £30-£40 per night.
Transport
The most expensive aspect of many backpacking trips is the flights. Unfortunately, there’s no getting around this expense, particularly if you’re heading to a far-flung destination. You could make savings by working with travel agents that offer fixed itineraries, or by committing to return dates in advance.
Where possible, take local land-based travel options such as sleeper buses or sleeper trains. Overnight travel can give you thousands of miles of travel for as little as £10; what’s more, it’s one less night of accommodation you have to budget for. If you are backpacking through Europe, look at investing in an Interrail Pass which can cover all of your travel for as little as £200.
Food and Drink
One of the great things about backpacking is that you often have to rely on local cuisine to sustain your adventures. Those that look to eat at brand-name restaurants will struggle to stretch their budget. There’s also no real need when wholesome bowls of pad thai will cost you as little as £1 on the streets of Bangkok.
However, in more expensive countries (such as Australia) a meal out will cost upwards of £30, so it’s worth using your hostel’s kitchen facilities on most days. Many of you will be looking to spend whatever you manage to scrimp on food on alcohol. This is another commodity that wildly varies in price from country to country. Beers can be bought locally for less than 50p in many Asian countries, but one Singaporean cocktail could knock you back as much as £25, making even London seem good value by comparison.
Activities and Excursions
Let’s face it, the reason for going on a backpacking trip is to explore new cultures and seek out new experiences. How much you get to experience will largely depend on how much you have set aside to spend on activities and excursions. Fortunately, many of the best sights are free, whether you are exploring temples in Thailand or snorkelling some of Australia’s most beautiful coral reefs.
Many take the chance to become scuba certified for a steep discount (around £300 in many South-East Asian locations). By contrast, others spend money on river cruises, guided tours, beach parties, or skydiving and bungee jumping for the adrenaline junkies amongst you. These are the types of experiences that you’re going to remember for a lifetime. So make sure to allocate as much as you can in this department.
Documentation
The most tedious part of any backpacking trip, but necessary all the same. First of all, if you haven’t yet got a passport, you’ll need one. At current costs, that will set you back £85. Once you’ve taken care of the passport, you’ll need to organise a visa for each country that requires one upon entry. Most of Europe and large swathes of South America don’t require a visa, but costs start at £20 for Thailand and increase to as much as £185 for Russia.
Next, you’ll need to check your travel vaccines are up to date; otherwise, you may be refused entry at the airport, not to mention you will be at risk of contracting disease. Many of the necessary jabs are free on the NHS, but others such as rabies, yellow fever, hepatitis B, will all set you back at least £50-£200 each. Anti-malaria medication will cost at least £20 for a week’s supply. If you are travelling across multiple continents, you will likely need some (if not all) of these so don’t forget to budget for them.4
Which is the Best Way to Arrange Backpacking? Travel Company or Self-Organised?
Backpacking used to be very much an individually-organised holiday. However, much has changed over the last decade with so many young people looking to take an organised approach to their gap years, and other travellers looking for the convenience of a done-for-you holiday.
STAtravel, Gapyear.com, and Contiki are just a few of several travel operators offering backpacking packages. In many instances, huge savings can be made by bundling transport, accommodation, food and drink, and activities together into one price paid at the start of the trip.
However, what you save in financial terms, you give up in freedom to do as you please once abroad, with some backpacking trips running to tight schedules. If the freedom to go “wherever the wind takes you” is essential to you, then it may be better to book everything separately. However, this is likely to cost more overall, and in some cases, significantly so.
If you want to blend the best of both worlds, it may be worth considering a World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) holiday. These farms spread all over the globe offer room and board in exchange for a few hours of labour each day. As a backpacker, it allows you to set up a base to explore a region, before moving to another farm in another country whenever you are ready.
Go with Friends or Go It Alone?
For many, the most significant debate is whether to backpacking alone or with a group of friends. The obvious benefit of travelling alone is that you have the opportunity to precisely what you want, whenever you want. There’s no time wasted visiting places you have no interest in, or missing vital transport links because a member of your party was running late.
However, if you’re backpacking solo, there could be safety and security issues in some countries, especially if you’re a young woman. Yet research has shown that women are 51% more likely to go it alone than they were five years ago.5 This has probably been helped by the fact that’s very easy to meet fellow travellers at hostels, should those travelling alone want some companionship for one or several legs of their journey. Loneliness, culture shock, and homesickness can also affect those travelling alone; it’s a balance that you’ll have to weigh up yourself before departing.
How Long Should You Go Backpacking for? Can Families Go?
This is akin to asking “how long is a piece of string?” The choice is yours. You can go for a few weeks, or you can backpack for a whole year. This holiday used to be solely reserved to those undertaking a gap year, but organised backpacking tours can take as little as a few weeks, opening them up to young professionals, and in some instances even families.
The nature of backpacking (travelling cheaply, staying in shared dormitories) makes backpacking less suited to family travel, particularly if you have young children. Some tour operators tailor adventure holidays to families, but many wouldn’t consider these to encapsulate the essence of backpacking.
Does Backpacking Help or Hinder Your Career?
Some individuals shun the idea of taking time out of either their studies or career to go backpacking around the world, thinking that it harms their chances of future employment. Many also take the view that savings spent on backpacking could prolong the time it takes to save for significant purchases such as their first home.
Nevertheless, 80% of those who took up the option of backpacking during a gap year thought that the experience added to their employability.10 Furthermore, scientific research has shown that by planning your itinerary, working as part of a team, and making yourself understood in a foreign environment, backpackers become better at problem-solving.11 Therefore backpacking isn’t likely to hinder your career, especially if you can effectively communicate the skills you’ve learned from your experience to prospective employers.
How Safe is Backpacking?
One of the biggest concerns with backpacking as a holiday is safety and security, particularly in the case of solo travellers. The recent case of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane has brought this subject into focus for many travellers thinking of undertaking a backpacking trip.
But it’s important to remember that, statistically, the chances of coming to harm abroad have never been lower. On average, 600 Britons lose their life abroad, with the biggest causes of death being car crashes and accidents involving water.6 For example, the popular backpacking destination of Thailand has a deadly motorcycle accident every 40 minutes, according to World Health Organisation estimates.7 The chances of someone deliberately harming you are minimal.
The threat of having items stolen from you is much higher, however. As much as two-fifths of all British travellers have items stolen whilst on holiday.8 But by taking a common-sense approach, you can lessen the risk of becoming a victim of crime.
Dress in a way that doesn’t highlight your affluence by avoiding wearing expensive jewellery or watches, and keep your phone hidden. Keep your wits about you at ATMs and make a note of safe places such as your hostel, police stations, and if close by, the British Embassy building. Never carry all of your valuables on your person, so if the worst happens, you don’t lose everything. Every reputable hostel has safe methods of storing your valuables, so you should only take out what you need with you on that day.
Another good idea is to check with the foreign office before travelling to countries you don’t know much about, to ensure they are safe enough to visit. They list travel advice for 225 countries, and interestingly there are currently several warnings in place for travelling to the British Backpacking Society’s number-one-ranked destination, Pakistan.9 Thus, it always pays to do your research before departure.
What Are the Essential Items for a Backpacking Adventure?
Backpacking requires significantly more prior planning than your traditional holiday. There are items that you may need to pack that you won’t use for three months but then need on a daily basis to survive.
Apart from the obvious need for a backpack (read this guide for how to choose one that’s right for you) and clothing items, what else do you need to think about bringing with you? Here’s a list of essentials that’s by no means exhaustive:
- Microfiber Travel Towel
- Global Travel Adaptor
- Portable Power Bank
- Padlocks
- First Aid Kit
- Insect repellent (high DEET content)
- Camera (including SD memory cards)
- Washbag
- Head torch
- Earplugs and a sleep mask
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Travel grooming set
- Notebook and pen
- Cheap watch
- USB extension cable
- Sleeping bag (and liner)
- Reusable water bottle
- Earphones
- Local language phrasebook
Your destinations will dictate what you’re going to pack beforehand and what you are going to pick up along the way. In terms of elements you need to arrange beforehand, you need to have all of your visas, travel vaccinations, and insurance up to date and correct. Travel insurance is vital because there is more scope for unfortunate incidents while backpacking than there is on a traditional trip.
A Well-Planned Backpacking Can Provide the Experience of a Lifetime
Almost three-quarters of Brits who went on a backpacking holiday had no regrets about taking their trip. Of those that did have regrets, 15% expressed that they wished they had gone for longer!12 Therefore, it’s likely that if you’re thinking of going backpacking, then you won’t live to regret your decision.
That’s not to say that this type of adventure doesn’t come with its downsides. Having to take 27-hour coach journeys, dealing with the issues of travelling alone in a foreign country, and sharing a room with 16 others in a hostel dormitory is just part and parcel of the experience. Backpacking trips are defined by spending the bare minimum on necessities so that you can experience as much as possible. If you like your creature comforts, then this might not be your type of holiday.
If you’ve decided that you’re ready to take the plunge, here at DocHQ we can help you get off to the best possible start by organising your travel health requirements for you. When you book your tickets, what do you do next? Use our online travel vaccine tool to find out which vaccinations you need, and when you need them by. You can then find out where your nearest vaccination centre is and book an appointment there and then. Just head over to the DocHQ vaccination checker now to find out what you need.
Find out how to stay healthy on holiday, if cruising is more for you or perhaps a trip to Jerusalem!
References
1. Essential Travel Survey – https://www.essentialtravel.co.uk/media/press-release/nation-of-backpackers-no-longer-rely-on-parents/
2. Rough Guides – https://www.roughguides.com/article/the-worlds-best-backpacking-destinations/
3. British Backpacking Society via Lonely Planet – https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/pakistan-top-backpacker-destintion
4. Costings provided by Hostelworld – https://www.hostelworld.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-travel-the-world/
5. Booking.com study via Year Out Group – https://yearoutgroup.org/gap-year-statistics/
6. The Independent – https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/backpacking-safety-guide-tips-grace-millane-murder-travelling-gap-year-backpacker-a8674656.html
7. WHO via The Independent – https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/backpacking-safety-guide-tips-grace-millane-murder-travelling-gap-year-backpacker-a8674656.html
8. Sunshine.co.uk study via Mail Online – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2678211/Two-fifth-Britons-robbed-holiday-60-dont-report-it.html
9. British Foreign Office Travel Advice for Pakistan – https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/pakistan
10. Year Out Group – https://yearoutgroup.org/gap-year-statistics/
11. Journal of Travel Research – https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0047287518768457
12. Essential Travel Survey – https://www.essentialtravel.co.uk/media/press-release/nation-of-backpackers-no-longer-rely-on-parents/
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