Backpacking in Asia

My Topic for discussion is low cost travel from Australia to Asia and backpacking and staying at cheap hotels around Asia.

First there are 3 low cost carriers flying out of Australia to Asia,Viva Macau(Sydney,Macau),Air Asia(Gold Coast,Melbourne,Perth to Kuala LUmpur) and Tiger Airways(Perth to Singapore).
They all have good webites and you pay by credit card and print off your e ticket.

A typical journey to Asia based on my experience.

1) Book flight Viva Macau offpeak cost as low as $179 plus taxes one way to Macau.
2) Book a backpackers or hotel in Macau, Macau is a clean and safe place to visit and is the gambling capitol of Asia with revenues higher than Las Vegas. There is only one Backpackers listed and is full on weekends so check this first before you book your flight, if you book a hotel try and check it is in the centre of the city and try and find out any comments on it. Stay a few days Macau. You don't need a visa.
3) Catch a ferry to Hong Kong stay a hotel or backpackers check out the sites and nite markets. Hong Kong is a safe place to visit you don't need a visa.

4)Then I would book using Cebu Pacific and fly to Clark(Angeles City) from Hong Kong you can book and pay by Internet and they are E ticket. You have to decide before you go to Philippines if you will be here for 21 days or more if more you will need to get a 59 day visa from the Philippines Embassy in Sydney.Once in Philippines Clark airport goto the Clarkton hotel desk on way out and get the free van to there hotel if not you have to pay 350pesos for a taxi, stay one nite at Clarkton cost about 1600pesos they have pool,restaurant,club with music and girls, and karoake bar and Internet and have western food.You can book the Clarkton over the Internet.
Second day if Clarkton to expensive you can change to the Marquis hotel up the road they have rooms ranging from 900-1400 pesos same facilities as Clarkton except karaoke bar and girlie bar.
Visit the nite life by getting a free van or trike to town both hotel will also pick you up.
From Angles you can go to Subic (diving and beach resort) or check out the scenic attractions around Angeles.

5) After you have been in Angeles for a few days you will get a feel for the country.and may want to travel around a bit 3 options her is where to I want to go you can fly from here using Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabulu, or get Cebu Pacific to Cebu or Davao or TigerAirways to Singapore, get a bus or taxi to Manila.

6)If you decide to go to Manila it is a big place and the best bus service is Swagman Fly the Bus from Angeles to Manila Swagman, you could stay a few nites at the Swagman Manila or goto St Illians Inn, St Illians Inn better as close to Makati and shooping mall and restaurants and is not to expensive for Manila. Expect to pay around 1600pesos. If you want to go up market and want a pool then City Garden Hotel is very good.
Manila is a big place population 10 million with a lot of traffic congestion, but from ST Illian"s or City Garden it is not a problem.

7) AFfer a few days in Manila you wondering where to I go next well a couple of options are.
A) Goto Puerto Galera stay at Sabang beach need to get a van to Batangas and get a bunger(ferry) to Sabang plenty of apartments , hotels in Sabang you don't have to book as plenty of hotels and price is about 1000 peso's , they have diving and you can hire a boa to visit all the other towns.
Just have to be aware of 2 things security and no Atms's on Island so take enough cash.
Get a bus/van back to Manila.
B) get a bus from Manila to Davao it will take a while but you will experience a lot of interesitng things.
C) Fly to Cebu or Davao.
If you goto Davao book with Cebu Pacific not hard to get accomodation check accomodation on Internet, cabs from Davao to town are not very expensive best place I would stay would be White Mansion they are a bit expensive $1600 pesos per nite/nite or 10,000 peos per week have pool, kitchen , Internet,motorbike hire and bicycle hire, the owners are very friedly and advise about any attractions and where to go. Davao has good restaurants a lot of things to see, have white water rafting, zoo. Etc


D)From Davao to Kuala Lumpur or goto Macau using Cebu Pacific
Stay a few nites in Kuala Lumpur check out packpackers or cheap hotels on Internet.

E)Book a flight using Air Asia on the Internet flight from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne or Gold Coast or get a flight to Macau using Viva Macau back to Sydney.