How to Budget for Your Family Trip to Asia

Annual family vacation is definitely a big expense, which varies according to destination, type of vacation and trip duration. How to budget for your family trip to Asia is more about understanding where every penny is going than about cutting corners.

Certainly, a smartly budgeted trip can save. How should you obtain a clear-cut budget for your family trip to Asia? Here are some tips.

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Plan as Early as Possible

Planning ahead gives you peace of mind, not just about the cost. Last-minute deals might sound simultaneously alluring and financially smart. But the truth is that so many things are unpredictable. Planning and paying at the last minute might, regrettably, mean you end up with the last-choice options. Adjacent seats on planes may not be available, hotels may only offer no-window rooms, and whale-watching boats may be sold-out. You don’t want this kind of disappointment for a family vacation.

Early planning grants you the initiative. Since Asia is so far away, you already know that a big budget needs to be set aside for this trip. Destination research, which might take place even before your mind is set on one or two destinations, will help you a lot: understanding peak- and off-seasons, possibilities and prices for how to get there, what should be included in the budget, and setting price alerts for flights.

Keep Your Fixed Budget in Mind

Oftentimes, budget decides where you are going. Keeping your budget in mind helps you eliminate destinations that might be more ideal for next time. About 40% to 70% of your fixed budget should be set aside for things that are essential for the trip, including flights, visas and accommodation.

Budget also defines how you are traveling. Should you take a direct flight to Bangkok or transit in Hong Kong? The answer lies in how much you can afford on transportation. Children’s prices for flights and activities should be considered. If possible, make sure everybody in your family understands how you are going to travel and why such a travel-style suits you just fine.

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Three weeks encompassing Vietnam A special shoutout to our last guide in Bangkok - Ms. Ka-Noon who spoiled us with her kindness and then got us through check in and security for our flight home in record time at that huge Bangkok airport. More Deby, Feb 2023

Three weeks encompassing Vietnam Three weeks encompassing Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos. Albee Ning arranged everything perfectly. Not a flaw in the whole 3 weeks. Guides, flights (7 in total), hotels, private tours…everything was excellent. Travelling on a private tour gave us so much freedom to change our day if we chose to rest or go somewhere else. More Deby, Feb 2023

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Over the last 5 years we've used Asia… Over the last 5 years we've used Asia highlights twice. And both times we've had fantastic vacations. Would not want to do it any different when we travel to Asia from now on. Sharon was fantastic. She was a wonderful agent who helped us nail down our trip and make everything go as smooth as possible. More Todd Atwell, Feb 2023

Family Trip to Thailand Our trip to Thailand comprised three generations of the family , ten people and an age range of 4 to 70 so a potentially difficult brief.Our itinerary over two weeks involved four locations, and a number of different trips and tours.From out arrival at an extremely busy Bangkok airport Asia Highlights were terrific.In each location we were met by a smiling , knowledgeable and professional guide who simply made everything easy and stress free for everyone.Our transportation was clean and comfortable . Transport was always ready for us at the agreed time and the drivers were excellent.There were so many highlights enjoyed by all the age groups. The floating houses , railway market and elephant sanctuary were particular favourites.We had one minor glitch with the accommodation in Phuket which was immediately dealt with by Tip. I think we would have struggled to resolve the problem by ourselves. So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More Roger Pyle, Feb 2023

Family Trip to Thailand So, thank you Asia Highlights , Cathy, Tip and tour guides Tanny, Sam and Lisa. It was a memorable holiday and we will be back. More Roger Pyle, Feb 2023

Trip of a lifetime from Asia Highlights! I recommend highly Asia Highlights as a travel company. Our travel consultant Albee took the time to connect with us during the planning process to make sure we were comfortable with our itinerary. When we arrived, we were met by our guide and all the details were attended to. They picked great hotels and tours. I often describe our trip as the trip of a lifetime! Would definitely use them again when we come back to Asia More Nancy Parker, Feb 2023

Asia Highlights and Albee - highly recommended Asia Highlights is very reliable agency and Albee is an amazing representative of the company. From the moment when we contacted her until our departure, the whole support we received was 6* level. She prepared our trip offer within few hours and afterwards she was extremely flexible to adjust as per our needs. In the period between the offer and the trip, Albee was always available for all our questions and supported us on the best possible way. During the trip she was again flexible to add new activities/transfers and this went on the smoothest possible way. Thank you, Albee and Asia Highlights. Definitely we will approach you again for our next Asian trip More AZ, Feb 2023

Understand What the Big Expenses Are

The free spirit of “anything goes” doesn’t always apply for family trips, if you don’t want to be caught frowning upon the bills when you return home. The cost of an overseas trip to Asia can be divided into four main elements. Estimating the cost of each will launch you on the right path.

Transportation

International flights are one of the main expenses. The optimal plan would be to fly directly. If impossible, you should count an extra overnight stay for transit flights, so you and your kids don’t get worn out. When purchasing air tickets, you need to budget for 1) children’s prices; 2) baggage prices; 3) additional services such as special in-flight meals, advance boarding, seats together and VIP lounges.

As for internal flights within Asia, there are lots of airlines to choose from, and most are budget-friendly. That makes air travel the number 1 choice, ahead of land travel, especially when you are traveling with small kids.

Accommodation

Choice of accommodation is totally contingent on your taste, from guesthouse to beach villa. Aim for the basics: safe location, clean rooms and breakfast-included. In Asia, accommodation that meets these three simple standards shouldn’t cost too much, but you should be aware that price fluctuates drastically in different seasons. Refer to the following chart for a rough idea.

Meals

Meals are pretty much the same story as accommodation; they can cost you $100 per person or nearly nothing. You can choose to have pizza by the pool for dinner in Siem Reap or go up the Tokyo Tower for a fancy meal. Living costs are relatively lower in Asia, but it is still necessary to budget around USD 15 per meal per adult and half that price for children. Don’t forget to add snacks in.

Activities

Asia offers a wide range of child-friendly activities and most are cheaper than what you may be familiar with, for example, back in the States. It is almost impossible to calculate accurately how much a diving class will cost when you run into a bunch of agents on the street. The key is to include some major sites and activities (think about the “must-dos” on TripAdvisor, TripSavvy or Lonely Planet) and be flexible.

Besides the four elements above, there is another important expense that you shouldn’t forget: travel insurance. This is part of the pre-vacation cost and it helps you to set your mind at rest. See How to Choose Travel Insurance for Your Family Trip to Asia.

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Important Tips for Family Trip Budgets

Don’t be dazzled by last-minute deals

This is especially true in respect of flights. Most last-minute deals come with restrictions, which are not a good idea when traveling with kids. Seats together might not be available, only seats in the back row left, for example. Make sure to book in advance.

Be smart on exchange rates

If you are using a travel agent, keep an eye on the exchange rate and make your payment when the rate seems good. For daily cash, exchange rates will be better at your destination country than in your own country.

Set a daily budget

When you are clear about how much you are going to spend, it is critical to set up a daily budget as distinct from the pre-paid costs (e.g. for flights, tours, hotels and reserved activities). Keep a record of how much you spend on a daily basis, for this will be helpful for your next trip.

Choose your hotels wisely

If your destination country is packed with a lot of sightseeing and activity opportunities, a fancy up-market hotel seems less necessary. Check out our choice of hotels at Top Hotels for Family Trips in Asia.

Eat like the locals

Street food, local noodle shops and neighborhood cafés are great and inexpensive options. Furthermore, they offer you a chance to blend with the locals.

Consider some low-cost airlines

Nominated as one of the best airlines in the world, Singapore Airlines offers great service, with punctual and safe flights at relatively good prices. Other good options include Vietnam Airlines, Bangkok Airways and Peach Aviation (Japan). Remember when booking to include family baggage fees (normally 60KG for a family of 4).

Rational shopping

You may set a goal for your kids when it comes to shopping; say shop for a collection of fridge magnets and make them stick to it (no pun intended). This draws you back to some extent from impulsive shopping.

All that being said, it would be easier if somebody designed a travel plan for you within your fixed budget. Talk to us and see how we can work around a travel fund of, say, USD 10,000 for two weeks in Thailand. Contact us now (tailor-made button).

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Plan your Family Trip to Asia with Asia Highlights

Asia Highlights welcomes the chance to help you achieve your travel plans. See our itinerary below and let us do the work for you.

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