Every year, millions of visitors set off on their own Asian adventure. Few people would say no to a week or two on the dazzling white-sand beaches of the Philippines or pass up the chance to watch the sunrise over the Khyber Pass. But perhaps the greatest draw is the sheer vitality of daily life in Asia, much of it played out on the streets. Nearly all these things are affordable even for low-budget travellers, because most of Asia is enticingly inexpensive.
Western money goes much further here than it does in Africa or South America.
Not surprisingly, this has put Asia firmly at the heart of the backpackers' trail, and many cities and islands already boast a lively travellers' scene, attracting young adventurers from all over the world. However, Asian travel can also be a shocking and sobering experience. Few people forget their first sight of a shanty-town slum or their first encounter with an amputee begging for small coins. Many first-timers are distressed by the dirt, the squalor, and the lingering smell of garbage and drains in some Asian cities. They get unnerved by the ever-present crowds and stressed out by never being able to mingle unnoticed among them.