When it comes to travelling with a backpack behind your shoulders, it is usually for financial reasons. This is by far the most budget friendly option for those who wish to explore the world, especially if they are willing to go down the less travelled path. While carrying your essentials in a backpack is liberating and it gives you the mobility you are so eager to feel, when the question of where you should spend the night arises, there are some things that you should be prepared for as a backpacker.
One of the most affordable accommodation options is of course staying at hostels. Apart from luxurious 5* properties, there is also a huge number of hostels being opened throughout the world. From houses turned into cheap rooms with a shared bathroom, to hostels in Southeast Asia that resemble a normal hotel room but with no amenities or facilities to earn it any stars, there are many options you can look into. While there are websites like www.hostels.com and www.hostelworld.com that provide you with the available options online, you can also read various forums and travel guides with actual reviews of the properties to help you make your decision.
Another budget option for a backpacker is staying at dorms. While in the developed world this is usually the ‘privilege’ of college students, in the developing countries this refers to a space with set up bank beds throughout, and the tenants share bathroom facilities and the kitchen, if such exists on the premises. These dorms are not necessarily found in popular towns and beach destinations, but in quieter rural areas, where you can really taste the traditional lifestyle and participate in the daily lives of local residents.
A great way to explore a place without spending a fortune on accommodation is by renting out small huts. While this may sound intriguing, these are usually scattered all throughout Southeast Asia and South America and give you the opportunity to live in total peace and unity with nature. There is no such thing as an A/C and you are lucky if you get a mosquito net, but this is the most environmentally friendly way to enjoy your stay. These huts are usually extremely cheap due to lack of any facilities and can be rented on both short- and long-term basis.
The last budget-friendly accommodation option is Couchsurfing and while this is a fantastic opportunity to meet the locals and experience everything that the destination has to offer to the fullest, this option is mostly available in the developed world. While the number of users is growing, in the future we will definitely see more residents of Asia and South America opening up their homes, for now you can take advantage of other options.
Whether it is Nepal that you want to explore or the Amazon jungle with your backpack, no travel plans and no worries in the world, spending a lot of money on accommodation is the last thing that should be on your mind. But every once and a while you should treat yourself to someplace fancy. If you are traveling in Canada, One King West is just one of the many Toronto hotels you can stay at.
There are tons of ways to minimise the budget on spending the night somewhere and if a camping tent or a sleeping bag is not the most attractive option for you, there are always hostels and dorms that will offer you the comfort of walls and a somewhat soft floor or bed to sleep on.
