Travel & Experiences Abroad

What do you spend on a trip?

• Of course expenses differ per person and also per destination. You can spend a fortune anywhere, but traveling on a shoestring is not always an option. With a 1000 Euro it is going to be hard to survive in the US for a month, but in India the same budget is plenty to enjoy yourself. It is easy to calculate how much you will spend in a country when prices are more or less the same as in your home country, but when you go to countries with different living standards this can be tricky.
• Indications per destination (do take into consideration that all estimations here are relative): how many days can a backpacker survive with a € 1000 in Japan: 14 days, France: 20 days, England / Italy: 22 days, Australia: 30 days, Mexico: 44 days, South Africa: 45 days. Nepal: 50 days, Bolivia: 54 days. India 67 days.
• Save money by not traveling too much and avoiding the most expensive spots in a country (usually the big cities and all the tourist highlights)

Timing

• Avoiding the high seasons will probably save you a lot money on accommodation.
• Staying at one place for a long time might save you money, because you will have some time to figure out where the cheapest place is to eat, to sleep and to get a beer.
• A sudden financial crisis in country might give you the opportunity to spend the night in the most luxurious hotels for the price of an average hostel. Also you might be able to book local flights for a nickel and a dime.
• By traveling at night you can save some money on accommodation.

Saving money

• Sleeping in a dormitory will save you a lot of money, compared to staying in private rooms all the time. A lot of hostels for backpackers have rooms for the extreme low budget travelers. Be careful though, the rooms can be very revolting and sometimes your roommates are not trustworthy. On the other hand these rooms are an excellent way of meeting other people.
• When you arrive at your destination search a little longer for the cheapest place to stay as that will save you a lot of money.
• In bars always order the local brew instead of the familiar Western drinks.
• If you are traveling with someone else you can share the costs of your accommodation, which will eventually make quite a difference in your budget.

What does an around-the-world trip, volunteer project, working holiday or any far away trip cost?

• There is no simple answer to this question. Many factors influence your budget: are you going alone or with an organization? If you are going with an organization, are the costs for eating, drinking and accommodation included or do they only offer you a place in the project? Is your travel insurance included? How long are you going for? What else do you need to arrange for yourself?
• Costs in advance: Also see the sections about tickets, transportation, health/vaccinations, insurance, visa and other requirements.

Below you will find an indication of your daily expenses:

• Costs are per person
• The amounts mentioned in “traveling” section are based on independent trips for two persons.
• If you are going to visit countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the USA expect the costs to be much higher.

Projects, volunteer work, Internships

• 5-10 euro per day: Longterm projects in Asia/Africa/Latin America sometimes without board and lodging, projects in Europe for a couple of weeks.
• 10-25 euro per day: projects in Asia/Africa/Latin America often with board and lodging, projects in Europe involving wild life conservation, social projects, in Europe projects for a few weeks.
• 25-50 euro per day: Long term projects in Asia/Africa/Latin America often with board and lodging, occasionally insurance and language courses are included, rare projects in the field of wildlife conservation.

Traveling

• 5-10 euro per day: Spend almost every night in dormitories, or share rooms in the cheapest hostels, especially in Asia. Don’t travel around in Africa or Latin America, and if you do, bring your own tent. Always arrange the cheapest form of transportation, take your time for everything. Always bargain for prices, do not undertake too many fun activities such as diving, rafting, jungle tours etc. Travel at night and only rest at the cheap spots on the beaches.


• 10-25 euro per day: In Africa and Latin America a lot of camping or sleeping at cheap places, every now and then some fun activities, be careful with your budget, but a, especially in Asia, you will be able to find a room with a private bathroom most of the time.


• 25-50 euro per day: Your own bamboo tent/cottage with private bathroom, plenty nice meals with a cold beer, traveling by bus or train with AC (air conditioning) instead of that crappy train that leaves at 4 in the morning and brakes down somewhere along the way. You don’t mind spending some extra baht on the Tuk tuk driver, you do a lot of fun stuff like jungletreks, scuba diving, renting motorcycles etc, and of course you send home a few fancy souvenirs.

Around the world in a year

• Tickets: ranging from 1000-2000 euro pp
  • Of course you can also buy a ticket to Thailand for a few hundred euros and return from there or buy a Transsiberia train ticket available from a couple of a hundred euros. You will have to spend a lot more, if you have to buy expensive transportation tickets during traveling.
• Travel insurance: On average between 500-1500 pp.
• Health Expenses: On average between 100-250 pp
  • If you have not had any vaccinations than it might cost you a lot of money depending on your destination and how long you are going for.
  • If you are going to a malaria area the term of your stay and your choice of medication can make a huge financial difference.
• Travel equipment: On average between 250-500 euro pp.
  • Of course you will spend more if you purchase new gear and a lot smart gadgets.
• Visa: On average between 25-50 euro per country.
  • These expenses can be quite annoying when you visit a large number of countries.
• On the road expect expenses per day between 15-35 euro.
• Continuous costs: very different per person.
  • Take your rent, mortgage, subscriptions, insurances, taxes etc. into consideration.
  • Realize that fewer countries means less visa, less exchange fees, etc., This means you will save money!

How much 'cash' do you need to take with you?

• Take between 250-500 dollars cash with you (or, depending on the region, some of it in euros). Half of that amount should be considered money for emergencies, do not keep all of it at the same spot. The other part should be used when paying cash is your only option.
• Whether you have to take debit cards, or other means, with you, depends on where you are going, for how long you, what sort of trip, what kind of transportation.

How and where to obtain visa

• You can obtain a visa through a travel agency (which organizes your trip for instance), through a visa company or simply via the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to travel to. An advantage of one of the first two options is that you do not have to worry about your visa, as the company or agency has the responsibility to deliver you your visa in time. A disadvantage is that you will have to pay the agency for their mediation, which you do not have to do if you apply for a visa directly at the embassy or consulate.
• Regulations concerning visas tend to change a lot and varies for each country. Travel agencies and even specialized visa offices do not always have up-to-date and practical information about visas. Note that also embassies do not always have correct and up-to-date information. We try our best to have the most relevant and practical information.
• Therefore, if you are in doubt, always check the current policies by using sources such as embassies, consulates, internet forums, visa offices and other travelers.

What you need for your visa

When you apply for a visa take the following into account.In certain countries:

• Your passport (see below)
• You might need a copy of your ticket or booking statement from your travel agency stating that you will leave the country after a certain period.
• You might be asked to provide a statement of good behavior in order to get a visa. (It may take some time to get this)
• You might be asked to hand over a document (medical passport) to proof you have had certain vaccinations (mostly Cholera or Yellow Fever)
• You will be required to show an address where you are staying during your visit. If you do not have an address, pick a hotel from your Lonely planet.
• Multiple entry visa allow you to enter a country multiple times till the date of expiry of the visa. This will come in handy if you are planning on visiting other countries in the area.
• You have to apply for a visa that is valid until the return date on your ticket. You are not allowed to stay in a country, if the visa term has already passed. Visa terms are usually very strict, so please be aware of that!
• You could also look for an airline that does not require a return ticket or a ticket with a specific date of departure. How do you find such an airline? Call local airlines and ask them if this rule applies to them. If they say it is not a problem always ask written proof of this.
• Applying for a visa can take a long time (several weeks). When applying for a visa check if it is compulsory to apply in advance or if you can get one at arrival into a country.
• In case you need multiple visa it advisable to apply for one at a time because a mistake in the visa can lead to it being rejected.

Passport

• Before you start your journey make sure to extend your passport on time, especially when you leave last minute. Some countries expect you to have a passport valid for at least six months after your last day in the country (e.g. Indonesia and Tanzania).
• Make sure your passport has enough room for stamps. Many countries demand an empty page to stamp your passport when you enter the country and when you are leaving the country (business travel passport may need more room in there passport). For business travelers and travelers who will visit a lot of countries during their journey it is advisable to get a second passport.

An International driving license

• An international driving licenses is always convenient to bring along with you when you are traveling abroad (in most western countries and also in some non-western countries it is not always necessary to have one)
• It might be convenient to have when wanting to rent a motor bike.

Without a return ticket you can not enter the country (Onward tickets required)

• A number of countries state that on entry you have to be able to proof that you will also leave the country after a certain period of time.
• If you have a single ticket because you would like to travel around a number of countries, or have a date on your ticket outside the date of expiry of your visa, this might cause problems entering a country.
• When you are not in possession of a return ticket you take the risk of being send back to your home country. Despite this, the airline will be held responsible for passengers who are not in possession of the correct ticket. Therefore, most airlines demand that before entering the plane you will be able to proof that you have booked a return ticket within the time limit of your visa (if applicable)

Medical documents

• In certain countries it is useful to bring a vaccination or medical passport with you. If you are under medication it can be convenient to bring a document listing the types of medicine you are taking.
• Cholera: Note that it is possible to get (or buy) a stamp proofing you got your Cholera vaccination. When entering a country, or applying for a visa they might ask for this.

What else to bring on your journey

• Passport photo: It is always convenient to carry a few passport photos with you. When applying for a visa or if you have lost your passport and have to apply for an emergency document, they come in very handy.
• Bring a copy of your passport, Travelers Cheques and tickets with you, but also give them to your traveling partner and also somebody back at home.
• You can also use internet services, such as hotmail, gmail and yahoo to save important documents. It is even better to scan documents, such as your passport and save these files on your personal account.

Tips

• Learn your passport number by heart or write it down somewhere, because in many countries you might be required to register your passport number, date of issue, and the place where your passport was issued. When you constantly remove your passport from your bag it might attract attention for thieves.
• If you are going to an Arabic country and you need a passport photo(visa/international driving license) than it is compulsory for women to wear a headscarf on the pictures.

Documents &  Insurances

• If your documents have been stolen, make sure to check your travel insurance, as this is often covered by them.
• JoHo also offers travel, health and liability insurances. As a JoHo supporter you can obtain these insurances with discount or cashback.
• Please see the JoHo Insurances website for an overview of the insurances JoHo offers.

Documents & Safety

• In some countries you have to bring ID when you are going out (e.g. Africa, USA). It is advisable not to bring your passport, but some other ID, such as an international driving license.
• In some Arabic countries it might cause some problems if you have an Israeli visa in your passport, then it is better to have an extra passport without an Israeli visa/stamp.
• Use a secured computer system (from your bank or another organization) where you can safe the numbers and access codes of all your passes, passports and other important documents. You can also keep emergency and service numbers of your insurance company, telephone provider and bank here.