How I Travelled For 2 Months Across 6 Countries On A $4,700 Budget

Travelling for months on end while visiting multiple countries doesn’t need to break the bank. With some planning and budgeting strategies, it’s possible to see the world frugally. Here are the details of my affordable 2-month journey across 6 amazing destinations.

Earning My Scuba Diving Certification

I started my trip in Krabi, Thailand where I earned my open water scuba diving certification through a budget-friendly school. After getting certified, I spent the next few days enjoying spectacular dives around the area. The marine life was incredible, from colorful reefs full of fish to giant green sea turtles floating by.

Exploring New Zealand’s Stunning Landscapes

Next, I headed to beautiful New Zealand for over two weeks of adventure. During my time there, I went on several multi-day tramping trails through breathtaking scenery like glacial lakes, alpine meadows, and pristine forests. I also learned about the country’s unique wildlife like the curious New Zealand robin. Their friendly personalities made it easy to observe these small songbirds up close.

Cycling Across Indonesian Islands

From New Zealand, I flew to Indonesia where I spent nearly three weeks island hopping by bicycle. Every day, I pedaled at least 100km across the varied landscapes between destinations like rainforests, rice paddy fields, and volcanic coastlines. Getting some sunburn was inevitable during the hot rides, but the memorable experiences were well worth it.

Discovering Borneo’s Diverse Ecosystems

My travels then brought me to the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Borneo for several days of nature activities. I went on a scenic river safari spotting proboscis monkeys and colorful birds inhabiting the mangroves. Trekking through the tropical rainforests, I was fascinated by the biodiversity yet intimidated by some of the massive creepy crawlies inhabiting the dense jungle.

Scaling the Himalayan Peaks

For my penultimate stop, I visited Nepal to experience its stunning mountain scenery. After acclimatizing in Kathmandu for a few days, I embarked on a multi-day trek that took me up to astounding heights of nearly 19,000 feet in the Himalayas. Gazing at the immense peaks from above the tree line filled me with a profound sense of awe.

Relaxing on Australian Beaches

To wrap up my affordable travels, I spent two relaxing weeks enjoying the sunny resort town of Byron Bay, Australia. When I wasn’t lounging on beautiful balmy beaches, I went scuba diving again in the Great Barrier Reef, marvelling at the brilliant coral gardens just offshore. What a delightful way to end my affordable circumnavigation of six dream destinations!

How I Afforded This Epic 2-Month Trip

Now you may be wondering - how on earth did I visit six amazing places over two months while sticking to a budget of only $4,700? Here are some of the key strategies I employed to keep my travels so reasonably priced:

Planning with Friends Months in Advance

I started planning this trip nearly a year beforehand by consulting travel guidebooks and websites to research costs, itineraries, and budget accommodation options in each destination. Communicating extensively with an experienced travel friend also provided invaluable advice and recommendations.

Booking Flights Strategically

When it came to flights, I used flight search sites to compare many options and find routing combinations yielding the lowest prices. Booking months in advance for fixed departure dates helped lock in great prices too. I also saved money by sometimes incorporating a short stopover to break up longer journeys.

Staying in Budget-Friendly Hostels

Instead of pricey hotels, I opted to stay exclusively in hostels during my travels. This allowed me to meet other budget travelers too. Booking private rooms when possible provided a bit more comfort and security. Overall, hostels enabled me to spend just $15-25 per night on accommodation across all destinations.

Saving on Food and Activities

To stick to my daily food and activity budgets of $20-30, I discovered great local eateries and free attractions in each place. Taking advantage of student/senior discounts wherever available helped maximize the value of any paid activities too. Overall, diligent budgeting and cost control allowed this amazing trip to remain very affordable.

Trusting in Local Generosity

In some instances when plans changed unexpectedly, the kindness of locals literally saved the day by inviting me to crash on their couch or share a meal. Accepting such generosity with sincere gratitude of course further endeared me to communities along the way. Now over a decade later, this incredible two-month trip across six countries for just $4,700 remains one of my most cherished travel memories. I hope sharing my budget strategies provides inspiration for how anyone with motivation and planning can seize life’s grand opportunities of discovery. Adventure is out there - all you need to do is dream, prepare and go for it!