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01 October 2013 09:44
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, which is said to be the world's cheapest backpacking destination
Globetrotters wanting to stretch their travel funds are being urged to think about heading to Asia.
According to new figures from hotels.com, Cambodia is the world's cheapest backpacking destination when it comes to hotel accommodation.
Hotels in Phnom Penh, the Cambodian capital, cost an average of just £35 per night. That is more than five times cheaper than the £180 charged for a typical room in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and over £100 cheaper than the £137 asked for in Sydney, Australia.
And it appears South East Asia is the place to head for the budget-conscious traveller with the second and third cheapest hotel rooms also on offer in the region.
Hotels in Vietnam's capital Hanoi average only £41 a night with the typical room in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand priced at £44, leaving backpackers with plenty of funds leftover to invest in a good travel insurance policy.
In fact the top 10 cheapest backpacker spots for hotels are all in South East Asia and India, the survey found. Across the region average hotel prices fell by 6% during the first half of 2013 as competition grew fiercer and currencies there dropped in value, making travel more affordable.
The biggest price falls have been seen in Chiang Mai and Siem Reap in Cambodia, where hotel rooms are up to 15% cheaper than they were this time last year. Meanwhile, hotel accommodation in the Indian state of Goa is said to be 12% cheaper than it was in the autumn of 2012. The average room there now costs about £61 for a night, putting Goa eighth on the company's latest index of hotel prices.
Hotels.com's Kate Hopcraft said: "It's no surprise that South East Asia is the most cost-effective destination on the backpacker route but this latest drop in prices has come at a welcome time for those setting off on their gap year trip-of-a-lifetime."
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