Haggling 101: The Science of Bartering

by Alex in South East Asia


As backpackers in South East Asia, one of the first and most important skills we had to learn was how to haggle. Since we're travelling long-term, it's important to us that we're able to stretch our money as thin as possible, so it can carry us as far as it can before we have to stop and (ugh) work again. That's not to say we're haggling pros - on our first day in Bangkok, I agreed to pay 800 Baht for a taxi ride that was only worth 100 at the most. But after 2 months in Asia, visiting markets and buying most of our food from street vendors, I feel like we're able to negotiate a fair price, and it all comes down to a few simple steps.

Top Ten Photos of Lao-bodi-nam

by Tasha in South East Asia, Photos

Less time in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia yielded many less photos than Thailand. As such I decided to combine the three in a Lao-bodi-nam Bonanza. As always feel free to link to your own faves in the comments and/or on facebook :)

Costermongering in South East Asia

by Alexin South East Asia

If the sounds of the streets were music - if the roaring of traffic, the chatter of crowds and the beeping of horns were a melody - then in South East Asia, the chorus would be the cry of the street hawker. You can find these people up and down the streets of major cities and small towns alike, behind food stalls, in front of guesthouses and travel agents, walking the streets with their wares on their shoulders, or driving around looking for business in pedicabs and tuk tuks.

I completely get it. In a part of the world with little to no welfare or social security, people's livelihoods depend on the money they can get from tourists. I'm not condemning the practice of street spruiking - or (my new favourite word) 'costermongering' - but what do you do if you're not interested? If you're travelling on a budget, and are not interested a brand new tailored silk suit? Here's what I've found to be the best strategies for getting away from spruikers, country by country.