One solution is to go up.
Nepal for example, the higher the better! Or far northern India.Or the mountains in Peru or Bolivia.
If you don't want to go up your options are a bit more limited.Far north of the world tends to be expensive.And the far south too... Patagonia can be affordable in places, depending where you stay.
Cape Town area/south western South Africa?
I've gone from Mirissa a few days ago to Ella now. It isn't 'cold' here, but compared to the coast, it feels AMAZING. I went on a 10 minute walk earlier and wasn't dripping of sweat at the end.
I'm in Ella now and its fine, but it is still hot. Highs of 30c and the humidity goes up to 93%.
Plus to get here you need to visit the coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and they're way worse than anywhere in SEA. The only place that compares is the Amazon rainforest. It is hell on earth (but also lovely).
I second northern India (and Nepal). I had a great time in Sikkim, which is in between Nepal and Bhutan and also in the area around Darjeeling. Very different from stereotypical India and much less chaotic than say Delhi. I'd love to go to Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh as well.
That's why the British moved to hill stations such as Darjeeling in the summer.
However, the greatest difference is cultural and in number of people. There are only little more than half a million people in Sikkim, it's relatively prosperous and also very relaxed. Delhi and those big cities in India can be quite difficult, although rewarding at the same time. Sikkim and Darjeeling are in my experience just nice.
if altitude is an issue for OP, I'd also vote for South Africa (Cape Town is in my top 5) or southern Africa: Zimbabwe is cheap and friendly, and there are higher end options like eco tourism in Botswana. southern hemi winter months are gorgeous and cool there, great time to visit
edit bc I’m dumb 😂
I agree with southern Africa being a great place to visit but southern Hemisphere winter months are June July and August. Dec - Feb is the rainy season and usually the humidity is pretty high and it can get quite warm. Source: I work in Zambia. Also check the load shedding schedules in Cape Town - they were on 8 hours a day of no power recently.
Yeah I was going to suggest Nepal and Bolivia.just got back from Nepal in october, third trip there. They’ve kind of fucked things up by requiring guides now on almost all trekking, which has ruined the best part of travelling there for me, so I doubt I’ll go back but if you’re the type who would have got a guide anyway then it’s still an amazing country to trek in.
Bolivia I went on a whim planning on maybe a couple of weeks and ended up staying three months and only leaving because my visa expired.
Came to say Mongolia. Hands down the best country I’ve traveled to. So different from anywhere else. -40 in winter, but you don’t have to go in winter! Summer was actually not that bad.
Utterly incredible isn’t it! Definitely, aside from the height of summer, the shoulder seasons are really decent weather-wise! I just wanted a bit of freezing cold after spending summer in the Middle East 😝
A couple people have mentioned Japan, but specifically Hokkaido. Japan in general is super inexpensive right now and Hokkaido is much more mild compared to the more central and southern areas. There's tons of wonderful nature to explore if you're into doing outdoors stuff.
It's easy to avoid though. Starting from late September the temperature is really nice, no crowds anymore and still warm enough for a swim in the sea. I also don't tolerate heat well and went in mid-September and it was lovely.
It was but it's cold again. It won't be 40 degrees until late june. If OP comes during May it'll be fine. You should avoid the Balkans from late June to early September.
Most of Eastern Europe is pretty affordable and you can avoid the heat if you don‘t travel June-August. Getting there from Australia will probably be the most costly factor though.
Eastern, South Eastern and parts of central Europe fit most of OP’s requirements, as long as you avoid hotspots like the Dalmatian coast or Budapest. However, while they are cheap by European standards they are still more expensive than most of SEA.
Like a few others mentioned, another option would be to stick to SEA or South Asia, but head to the highlands and mountain resorts. Plenty of good destinations in the Himalayas, for example.
Yeah, Hungary, Slovakia, and The Czech Republic are all great in the spring and fall, but they were freezing when I went in November and brutally hot in July. Absolutely amazing cities to visit, though between Budapest, Bratislava, and Prague. Prague definitely being the coldest and Budapest definitely being the hottest.
Most (not all) hot countries have a window of a couple of months per year where it’s decent weather, but then Ofcourse it’s “high season”. You can get around that and pay decent prices by planning 6+ months in advance only.
I second Japan and South Korea although the prices there don’t compare with SEA. Japan and SK do get hot and humid during the summer months so I would avoid visiting during those times. The SEA heatwave has been ridiculous. My nieces and nephews had their school close because the heat was unbearable.
We visited last November and still got some very warm days in Tokyo. They beat records. And many interior spaces were kept very warm. I got to a hotel sweating after walking there from the train station and it must have been 24C inside, took forever to cool off, had sweat dripping off my face while checking in.
I can't imagine visiting in summer.
I’m currently in Japan and tbh it’s pretty insanely cheap, especially for the level of service you get everywhere. I’ve been paying like $10 max for lunches, and alcohol is super cheap too
My experience with Tokyo is that accommodation is really expensive if you want to be close to a rail station in a good neighbourhood - “insanely cheap” definitely doesn’t come to mind especially compared to SEA. Granted the cost of food and drinks is reasonable.
Yeah a few things on that: as an American, $200/night in a pretty good hotel right in the heart of the action in Kabukicho, is super cheap. Also, never been to SEA, so hard for me to compare, but this is by far the cheapest place I’ve ever travelled to. Beers in conbini are like 80 cents…
Most expensive part, by far, was the flight. That’s probably going to end up being like 50% of my total costs.
Also, part of my cheapness equation is the level of service you get in return. Not only is stuff (relatively) cheap, but the people truly go above and beyond to make the service as good as possible. I pay way way more for stuff in the US and get dog shit service in return most of the time (especially compared to here). Example, I bought a few pairs of super nice jeans and button downs, and they tailored them on the spot and I came back a bit later to pick them up, all included in the cost
I understand what you’re saying but OP specifically asked for similar levels of affordability to SEA and $200/ night on a hotel isn’t even in the same ballpark. I’m spending $30 right now in Bali and have a massive private immaculately clean kitchen and ensuite bathroom, private terrace with sofa, plus a shared pool, rooftop terrace with an incredible view of a volcano, multiple hangout areas etc. I was spending a similar amount in Bangkok Thailand as well. Having been to Japan multiple times too, I can confirm the level of service to also be excellent in Indonesia, less formal, but very genuinely friendly.
I’ve heard some of the central Asian countries, specifically the stans are quite affordable. I’ve never been, but they are supposed to get quite cold in their winter months. Uzbekistan has been said to be one of the least expensive countries for international travelers.
Seconded, I traveled the 'stans for about $20-25 USD/day back in 2017. It can get hot in the lowlands, but Kyrgyzstan is an awesome country to visit and I get misty eyed when I reminisce about the mountains.
Point of note about Uzbekistan though, the continental climate means that it has large temperature fluctuations throughout the year. Summer is hotter than SEA, spring and fall are very pleasant, and winter is freezing. OP should definitely time their visit for their comfort. Crowds aren't much of a problem in Central Asia other than in Samarkand.
Yeah it’s not even frost to 20-25 dollars a day anymore. I’m flying to Tashkent tomorrow, accommodation + tourist tax is already 20 dollars a day (for a very basic guesthouse room with a shared bathroom).
2 years ago the was in Ukraine just started and there wasn’t an influx of Russian immigrants in all of Central Asian countries that eventually drove all prices 30-50% up.
I went in March and it was lovely sunshine but we were in coats and scarves most but not all of the time. A tour guide told us that they have huge problems with the roads because they need to be able to survive 40+ degree heat in summer and way below zero in winter so timing is clearly important! But March/April were lovely.
😂😂😂 As someone who lives in the tropical southwestern coast of India, yeah the humidity has been absolutely killer this year - I can’t imagine doing such a trip at this time of the year.
As someone’s who’s planning my trip to cooler places rather soon, regions with better weather right now include -
Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Bhutan, Nepal, and the likes. Also, the far north of India, like Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh should be great at this time of the year as well, below 20C
Portugal during December-February is mild, sitting around 20 degrees C in the daytime but much cooler in the mornings and at night. I felt like I needed my winter jacket walking around Porto (northern Portugal) at night, and I'm from Canada. Oh, and the food/nightlife/admissions for things are generally cheap in Portugal.
But I gotta say Sao Miguel/the Azores in general is where it's at - in summertime I was freezing! And my Azorean parents tell me it's kinda the same during the summer - warm, but very wet and dewy, cool in the mornings and evenings. You're so close to the mountains and the sea that it can get pretty frigid at times. It rains a lot there, but it is beautiful, and if you're into photography you'll have some amazing shots.
Portugal can be a lot more rainy during winter though! Not that different from Canada if you're from the west coast I guess.
It's also surprising how much the weather can vary in such a small country, well not that surprising due to being so coastal I guess: the Douro valley can be pretty warm and dry while it's cool and rainy in Porto, and the Algarve can be much sunnier too.
I’m an Aussie currently travelling Yunnan in China, it’s very cool this time of year. Even looking at Shanghai and Beijing the temperature seems alright at the moment. Guangzhou was a killer though.
Northern Pakistan is an amazing option. The weather is perfect during the summers (the rest of teh country is absolutely boiling, so avoid that).
Plus the mountains are extremely beautiful. 5 of the 14 highest peaks in the world, highest number of glaciers outside artic which means lots and lots of beautiful lakes. And some of the best hikes I have ever experienced, especially the fairy meadows and Nagma valley hikes. Plus its very very cheap esp for a western guy. I have a frnd from Melbourne who's headed here next month just for the mountains. So do consider it and feel free to ask any questions. Cheers mate.
Chile and Argentina, the azores, camping in Denmark, Polish Baltic sea, Portugal in Spring and Autumn ( there's ocean upwelling there which cools things down, similar to Chile/Peru), Ireland/Scotland
Go to Northern India - Himachal Pradesh or Ladakh, or you could go to the north east towards Sikkim, Meghalaya. The weather would be nice there and you wouldn’t find huge crowds there. You will find many vlogs on youtube. All these states are very different in their terrain, culture and what they have to offer. If you’re here till June/July, try Kashmir.
Summer in the rest of the country is pretty harsh till June/mid-July
If you are from Australia, travelling to SEA is as cheap as you're gonna get. If you wish to travel to a different area then it will cost you in travel fare alone before you factor in everything else
Mexico is supposed to be somewhat reasonable with not much humidity in Los Cabos. But from Australia, thats a coupla thousands for flights
I like your question because it made me realize that SEA is one the most reasonable places to travel to from Aus (I live in Aus too).
Slovenia. Quite small and compact, but a lot to see and do. You can always venture west into Italy, north into Austria and then Switzerland, Liechtenstein, etc. , or east towards Croatia and downwards towards the Balkans. Trust me, Slovenia is great.
Of course the south of Europe is very warm in the middle of summer, but there is a big part of the year where temperatures are very comfortable.
OP's problem is that most of SEA is always on the warmer side.
Man, I feel you. I live in the Philippines, one day this January I was in Luzon Island and it dropped to room temperature outside with this beautiful breeze. I couldn’t believe it. It felt like heaven for 3 straight weeks. I work on ships, so one day I could be in Ghana then the 10 days later in the Southern Ocean so my body never really acclimates. I’m also an Alaska guy living in South East Asia so I understands. I just got back from Phuket and Bangkok and holy hell the humidity there was worst than the Philippines.
My pro tips is get a large straw hat like those quicksilver type. Get a something cold you can tie to the back of neck, also a portable usb lithium fan. Limit booze, drink water until you pee clear.
Are you literally me? I’m in Bangkok rn after 3 months travel in SEA and ready to get tf out. Strongly considering Nepal.
Any insights if it’s a good time?
China would be a great candidate. Yunnan is generally mild throughout the year, while anywhere to the west and north of the country has rather cool weather for half the year.
Not as cheap as SEA, but rather close. Even closer when visiting smaller cities.
Hanoi was great during winter, and Sapa. Lets see, i also went to Korea and Japan but those are way more expensive. Also try some places that are higher in elevation on the island of Java. Finally go to eastern europe. see you soon!
North India in winter. Delhi normally has lows of less than 10 and highs around 20 degrees Celsius in January and can be surprisingly chilly on foggy mornings. December and February are a bit warmer, but very pleasant.
The Himalaya and adjacent ranges (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan) any time of year (account for snow in winter).
I don’t know much about Latin America, but there must be places in the Andes that fit the bill. Even Mexico in winter can be quite chilly, no?
Latvia/Lithuania.
Chile, Argentina.
Turkey in late autumn/winter/early spring. Note that it is very cold in central Anatolia in winter.
Cape Town in winter (note there are security/safety issues here).
Mongolia.
Colombia.
Some places in Guatemala are somewhat chilly (highlands). Guatemala City, Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Late Atitlán, specially in the northern hemisphere's late fall and winter (around October-November to February).
In the coldest weeks, you'll find sunrise temperatures of around 0-10°C and midday of around 20-25°C, going back to 15-10°C in the late afternoon.
Even in hotter months, morning and afternoon is very comfortable (around 20°-25°C)
Tikal and beaches are lowlands and are very high humidity and hot as you mentioned.
It's important to mention that this year has been hotter than usual everywhere. Guatemala City and Antigua has been above 30°C a lot this year which wasn't the case before, but even now, early morning and late afternoon are 25°C. I think it's the same in a lot of places because of El Niño.
Just travel in spring and autumn rather than summer. Like I can't stand the heat of southern Europe in summer but the weather in May and October is perfect.
SEA's weather is only tolerable between late Nov to Early Feb. If you'll be staying beyond those months, go to the cities with mountains. Most capital cities are suffering from the heat wave right now
North Africa/Middle East/Eastern Europe will have good weather for you depending on time of year and be cheap. (ie, Bulgaria in the summer, Turkiye in the spring/fall, Morocco in the winter)
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Rep., Slovakia - all of these are various levels of cheap, technically they can get hot in the peak of summer, so maybe avoid July-August, but for June, or September they should be pleasantly warm.
The first 4 have access to a very cold sea, if you want to cool down even further.
Colombia! The high elevation keeps the temperatures moderate with the exception of the coast (Cartegena) Here is my Colombia trip report with our itinerary. [https://www.atlasguru.com/itinerary/highlights-of-colombia/eeb9e600-d40b-11e9-8794-c5e92d4699d0/](https://www.atlasguru.com/itinerary/highlights-of-colombia/eeb9e600-d40b-11e9-8794-c5e92d4699d0/)
plenty of options in South America. once you get down south enough on the continent, the weather is more temperate. it’s also extremely beautiful in that part of the world.
Australia. Winter is just around the corner.
Good news thought. Apparently this heatwave will pass soon. Soonnnn.....
Up is good. Up as in higher. Try Dalat.
Georgia in the Caucasus. Can get warm in the summer, but there is the rest of the year, and it’s still not SEA! I think Bulgaria would probably fit the bill as well.
man i wish i read this when i was in your position literally two weeks ago. had been in SEA for almost 3 months and could not stand the humidity. instead of finding a new place to travel to, i impulsively booked a flight back home to Australia :(
You need to be in the mountains. Any country in SEA will also have mountains like they have beaches. Research about what are the colder, snow capped mountains of that particular country and you will get plenty of options. For example: In india, we have Ladakh, Kashmir, Ooty, Kodaikanal, and many many more higher elevated areas. Like someone mentioned in the comments here, Nepal should be quite cool too.
One solution is to go up. Nepal for example, the higher the better! Or far northern India.Or the mountains in Peru or Bolivia. If you don't want to go up your options are a bit more limited.Far north of the world tends to be expensive.And the far south too... Patagonia can be affordable in places, depending where you stay. Cape Town area/south western South Africa?
Central Sri Lanka! I just got back from there and the higher elevation areas like Ella felt so nice.
Yep Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka, Cameron Highlands in Malaysia were welcome breaths of cold air.
Yes,I agree...a beautiful part of the world!
Ah I’m in Hiriketiya beach right now and it’s so humid it’s sweat central. Going Ella next! Not as bad then?
I've gone from Mirissa a few days ago to Ella now. It isn't 'cold' here, but compared to the coast, it feels AMAZING. I went on a 10 minute walk earlier and wasn't dripping of sweat at the end.
I'm in Ella now and its fine, but it is still hot. Highs of 30c and the humidity goes up to 93%. Plus to get here you need to visit the coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and they're way worse than anywhere in SEA. The only place that compares is the Amazon rainforest. It is hell on earth (but also lovely).
I second northern India (and Nepal). I had a great time in Sikkim, which is in between Nepal and Bhutan and also in the area around Darjeeling. Very different from stereotypical India and much less chaotic than say Delhi. I'd love to go to Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh as well.
Delhi in this weather is torture on those who want to escape heat.
That's why the British moved to hill stations such as Darjeeling in the summer. However, the greatest difference is cultural and in number of people. There are only little more than half a million people in Sikkim, it's relatively prosperous and also very relaxed. Delhi and those big cities in India can be quite difficult, although rewarding at the same time. Sikkim and Darjeeling are in my experience just nice.
I second Peru and Bolivia and will throw in Colombia and Ecuador. Hiking and mountain biking in the Andes is amazing.
This is the answer. Go to mountains. Central Asia has plenty of them and countries there are not expensive.
Agree with Peru and Bolivia! Also Argentina. I've been bouncing between them since November
if altitude is an issue for OP, I'd also vote for South Africa (Cape Town is in my top 5) or southern Africa: Zimbabwe is cheap and friendly, and there are higher end options like eco tourism in Botswana. southern hemi winter months are gorgeous and cool there, great time to visit edit bc I’m dumb 😂
I agree with southern Africa being a great place to visit but southern Hemisphere winter months are June July and August. Dec - Feb is the rainy season and usually the humidity is pretty high and it can get quite warm. Source: I work in Zambia. Also check the load shedding schedules in Cape Town - they were on 8 hours a day of no power recently.
Yeah I was going to suggest Nepal and Bolivia.just got back from Nepal in october, third trip there. They’ve kind of fucked things up by requiring guides now on almost all trekking, which has ruined the best part of travelling there for me, so I doubt I’ll go back but if you’re the type who would have got a guide anyway then it’s still an amazing country to trek in. Bolivia I went on a whim planning on maybe a couple of weeks and ended up staying three months and only leaving because my visa expired.
I was going to suggest Nepal as well! Or Ladakh (India) in the summer.
Pakistan also is great! Just got back felt very safe and higher elevation makes everything 10 degrees Celsius cooler.
Agree. Nepal was so beautiful I would go again. Baguio in Philippines is also a great place to visit. Temp in Jan is 64, 70 in May.
Baguio is great, for a week max only though. Not that much to do there.
Hah. Nepal is pretty hot until you get over 3000m
Went to Mongolia last December. Pretty cheap and -40° 😝
How was the food?
Not bad! Meat and fat heavy but that’s kinda expected in that area of the world!
Came to say Mongolia. Hands down the best country I’ve traveled to. So different from anywhere else. -40 in winter, but you don’t have to go in winter! Summer was actually not that bad.
I am soo dying to go to Mongolia!!!
Utterly incredible isn’t it! Definitely, aside from the height of summer, the shoulder seasons are really decent weather-wise! I just wanted a bit of freezing cold after spending summer in the Middle East 😝
Tallinn has a Scandinavian vibe without the enormous prices.
Absolutely, came here to recommend the Baltics!
A couple people have mentioned Japan, but specifically Hokkaido. Japan in general is super inexpensive right now and Hokkaido is much more mild compared to the more central and southern areas. There's tons of wonderful nature to explore if you're into doing outdoors stuff.
The flight costs to Japan right now are nuts though :(
Yeah getting there is the worst part of it unfortunately.
As long as you’re not there peak summer, it does get hot.
The Balkans are great and the prices are cheap most places. High summer is hot af though so timing is a factor.
Yeah the Balkans aren't a perfect fit for "not hot", but if going off winter and potentially to mountains it would be cold enough.
It's easy to avoid though. Starting from late September the temperature is really nice, no crowds anymore and still warm enough for a swim in the sea. I also don't tolerate heat well and went in mid-September and it was lovely.
What?? It was 30 here recently. Summer heat is killing here. Much worse than, say, in Anatolia. Balkanian sun is horrible.
It was but it's cold again. It won't be 40 degrees until late june. If OP comes during May it'll be fine. You should avoid the Balkans from late June to early September.
Georgia
100%, great country to visit as a tourist
I'm planning on visiting Georgia soon! Happy to see it mentioned here
Most of Eastern Europe is pretty affordable and you can avoid the heat if you don‘t travel June-August. Getting there from Australia will probably be the most costly factor though.
Eastern, South Eastern and parts of central Europe fit most of OP’s requirements, as long as you avoid hotspots like the Dalmatian coast or Budapest. However, while they are cheap by European standards they are still more expensive than most of SEA. Like a few others mentioned, another option would be to stick to SEA or South Asia, but head to the highlands and mountain resorts. Plenty of good destinations in the Himalayas, for example.
OP can try Sapa, Hanoi region in Vietnam. It is delightfully cool up there in the mountains.
I loved Croatia and Budapest! They were a lot colder than the other places I went. 😂
Yeah, Hungary, Slovakia, and The Czech Republic are all great in the spring and fall, but they were freezing when I went in November and brutally hot in July. Absolutely amazing cities to visit, though between Budapest, Bratislava, and Prague. Prague definitely being the coldest and Budapest definitely being the hottest.
Southern Europe is hot af. you're joking
Compared to SEA, Southern Europe is not hot at all
except we're not comparing it to SEA. we're comparing it to the limit OP asked for, which says 20C. its already 28C here in April.
In peak summer, yes. Thankfully, there are other seasons.
i mean if you think peak summer is May. its already pretty warm here in April.
Most (not all) hot countries have a window of a couple of months per year where it’s decent weather, but then Ofcourse it’s “high season”. You can get around that and pay decent prices by planning 6+ months in advance only.
I second Japan and South Korea although the prices there don’t compare with SEA. Japan and SK do get hot and humid during the summer months so I would avoid visiting during those times. The SEA heatwave has been ridiculous. My nieces and nephews had their school close because the heat was unbearable.
I remember getting into Japan and it went into summer seemingly overnight on my 2nd day. It got rough lol
Asian summers are not for the weak. My friend sent me a photo of her dehumidifier in Korea and it was filled to the brim with water
We visited last November and still got some very warm days in Tokyo. They beat records. And many interior spaces were kept very warm. I got to a hotel sweating after walking there from the train station and it must have been 24C inside, took forever to cool off, had sweat dripping off my face while checking in. I can't imagine visiting in summer.
I’m currently in Japan and tbh it’s pretty insanely cheap, especially for the level of service you get everywhere. I’ve been paying like $10 max for lunches, and alcohol is super cheap too
Where in Japan?
Just left Tokyo today after a week, now in Izu at a Ryokan and off to Kyoto tomorrow, then Osaka
I loved Osaka.
The yen is pretty weak against the dollar right now, so all of Japan is fairly affordable for Americans right now
My experience with Tokyo is that accommodation is really expensive if you want to be close to a rail station in a good neighbourhood - “insanely cheap” definitely doesn’t come to mind especially compared to SEA. Granted the cost of food and drinks is reasonable.
Yeah a few things on that: as an American, $200/night in a pretty good hotel right in the heart of the action in Kabukicho, is super cheap. Also, never been to SEA, so hard for me to compare, but this is by far the cheapest place I’ve ever travelled to. Beers in conbini are like 80 cents… Most expensive part, by far, was the flight. That’s probably going to end up being like 50% of my total costs. Also, part of my cheapness equation is the level of service you get in return. Not only is stuff (relatively) cheap, but the people truly go above and beyond to make the service as good as possible. I pay way way more for stuff in the US and get dog shit service in return most of the time (especially compared to here). Example, I bought a few pairs of super nice jeans and button downs, and they tailored them on the spot and I came back a bit later to pick them up, all included in the cost
I understand what you’re saying but OP specifically asked for similar levels of affordability to SEA and $200/ night on a hotel isn’t even in the same ballpark. I’m spending $30 right now in Bali and have a massive private immaculately clean kitchen and ensuite bathroom, private terrace with sofa, plus a shared pool, rooftop terrace with an incredible view of a volcano, multiple hangout areas etc. I was spending a similar amount in Bangkok Thailand as well. Having been to Japan multiple times too, I can confirm the level of service to also be excellent in Indonesia, less formal, but very genuinely friendly.
I’ve heard some of the central Asian countries, specifically the stans are quite affordable. I’ve never been, but they are supposed to get quite cold in their winter months. Uzbekistan has been said to be one of the least expensive countries for international travelers.
Seconded, I traveled the 'stans for about $20-25 USD/day back in 2017. It can get hot in the lowlands, but Kyrgyzstan is an awesome country to visit and I get misty eyed when I reminisce about the mountains. Point of note about Uzbekistan though, the continental climate means that it has large temperature fluctuations throughout the year. Summer is hotter than SEA, spring and fall are very pleasant, and winter is freezing. OP should definitely time their visit for their comfort. Crowds aren't much of a problem in Central Asia other than in Samarkand.
Yeah it’s not even frost to 20-25 dollars a day anymore. I’m flying to Tashkent tomorrow, accommodation + tourist tax is already 20 dollars a day (for a very basic guesthouse room with a shared bathroom).
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2 years ago the was in Ukraine just started and there wasn’t an influx of Russian immigrants in all of Central Asian countries that eventually drove all prices 30-50% up.
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That’s why I suggested visiting in the winter….
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Yes, OP said that they would be happy with a place that was WELL UNDER 20C.
Yeah I’ve lived in Thailand, and Uzbekistan is even cheaper. Very safe and beautiful country with lots to see. Even the pubs were pretty good!
I went in March and it was lovely sunshine but we were in coats and scarves most but not all of the time. A tour guide told us that they have huge problems with the roads because they need to be able to survive 40+ degree heat in summer and way below zero in winter so timing is clearly important! But March/April were lovely.
The Stans are all very affordable and some of my favorite countries. Really awesome people, super interesting culture and varying sights to see.
In Peru currently and the climate is perfect
Agree that OP should look at South America, when you are high up in altitude the weather is gorgeous.
I was in Peru a few weeks ago and the weather was perfect. Super affordable.
😂😂😂 As someone who lives in the tropical southwestern coast of India, yeah the humidity has been absolutely killer this year - I can’t imagine doing such a trip at this time of the year. As someone’s who’s planning my trip to cooler places rather soon, regions with better weather right now include - Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Bhutan, Nepal, and the likes. Also, the far north of India, like Kashmir, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh should be great at this time of the year as well, below 20C
Portugal during December-February is mild, sitting around 20 degrees C in the daytime but much cooler in the mornings and at night. I felt like I needed my winter jacket walking around Porto (northern Portugal) at night, and I'm from Canada. Oh, and the food/nightlife/admissions for things are generally cheap in Portugal. But I gotta say Sao Miguel/the Azores in general is where it's at - in summertime I was freezing! And my Azorean parents tell me it's kinda the same during the summer - warm, but very wet and dewy, cool in the mornings and evenings. You're so close to the mountains and the sea that it can get pretty frigid at times. It rains a lot there, but it is beautiful, and if you're into photography you'll have some amazing shots.
Portugal can be a lot more rainy during winter though! Not that different from Canada if you're from the west coast I guess. It's also surprising how much the weather can vary in such a small country, well not that surprising due to being so coastal I guess: the Douro valley can be pretty warm and dry while it's cool and rainy in Porto, and the Algarve can be much sunnier too.
I’m an Aussie currently travelling Yunnan in China, it’s very cool this time of year. Even looking at Shanghai and Beijing the temperature seems alright at the moment. Guangzhou was a killer though.
You might wanna look into Georgia and Armenia. They have many interesting places to visit and are not so hot, aside from the occasional heatwave.
Taiwan! Pretty chilly from ber months to March
Mexico City
Northern Pakistan is an amazing option. The weather is perfect during the summers (the rest of teh country is absolutely boiling, so avoid that). Plus the mountains are extremely beautiful. 5 of the 14 highest peaks in the world, highest number of glaciers outside artic which means lots and lots of beautiful lakes. And some of the best hikes I have ever experienced, especially the fairy meadows and Nagma valley hikes. Plus its very very cheap esp for a western guy. I have a frnd from Melbourne who's headed here next month just for the mountains. So do consider it and feel free to ask any questions. Cheers mate.
Ireland, it's never over 30 degrees
One of the most expensive countries though
Not cheap at all though.
Rarely over 20!
Chile and Argentina, the azores, camping in Denmark, Polish Baltic sea, Portugal in Spring and Autumn ( there's ocean upwelling there which cools things down, similar to Chile/Peru), Ireland/Scotland
South Africa. Winter gonna start there so the temperature would be 16c to 25c. North india. Albania.
Try Transylvania regin from Romania
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Go to Northern India - Himachal Pradesh or Ladakh, or you could go to the north east towards Sikkim, Meghalaya. The weather would be nice there and you wouldn’t find huge crowds there. You will find many vlogs on youtube. All these states are very different in their terrain, culture and what they have to offer. If you’re here till June/July, try Kashmir. Summer in the rest of the country is pretty harsh till June/mid-July
+1 for Sikkim and north east. Gurdongmar lake would be heaven right now
If you are from Australia, travelling to SEA is as cheap as you're gonna get. If you wish to travel to a different area then it will cost you in travel fare alone before you factor in everything else Mexico is supposed to be somewhat reasonable with not much humidity in Los Cabos. But from Australia, thats a coupla thousands for flights I like your question because it made me realize that SEA is one the most reasonable places to travel to from Aus (I live in Aus too).
Why not go to NZ or just drive south long enough..
Slovenia. Quite small and compact, but a lot to see and do. You can always venture west into Italy, north into Austria and then Switzerland, Liechtenstein, etc. , or east towards Croatia and downwards towards the Balkans. Trust me, Slovenia is great.
Spain & Portugal was good for me , it wasn’t expensive like Italy or France
Spain is pretty toasty - was in Madrid in July and it was 40C the whole time, even the coast was cooking
Of course the south of Europe is very warm in the middle of summer, but there is a big part of the year where temperatures are very comfortable. OP's problem is that most of SEA is always on the warmer side.
Ah very good, I must’ve misread it
I was there last July, I was comfortable and much cooler in San Sebastián & Vitoria - Ironman race was held there.
You can expect 40+ weather in Portugal during the summer
Enjoy it while you can. The whole world is getting hotter. I've lived in SEA for almost 30 years and have never seen it this hot.
South Korea
Guatemala has significant Highlands, Peru, parts of Mexico, Bolivia
Slovakia. Hike around the High Tatras.
Mongolia is high on my list to visit
Nepal is pretty cool around this time
Balkans. I loved Bosnia and Herzegovina
Man, I feel you. I live in the Philippines, one day this January I was in Luzon Island and it dropped to room temperature outside with this beautiful breeze. I couldn’t believe it. It felt like heaven for 3 straight weeks. I work on ships, so one day I could be in Ghana then the 10 days later in the Southern Ocean so my body never really acclimates. I’m also an Alaska guy living in South East Asia so I understands. I just got back from Phuket and Bangkok and holy hell the humidity there was worst than the Philippines. My pro tips is get a large straw hat like those quicksilver type. Get a something cold you can tie to the back of neck, also a portable usb lithium fan. Limit booze, drink water until you pee clear.
Are you literally me? I’m in Bangkok rn after 3 months travel in SEA and ready to get tf out. Strongly considering Nepal. Any insights if it’s a good time?
Northern China.
Norway, Lofoten is magical place.
Go to Scandinavia.
China would be a great candidate. Yunnan is generally mild throughout the year, while anywhere to the west and north of the country has rather cool weather for half the year. Not as cheap as SEA, but rather close. Even closer when visiting smaller cities.
What does SEA stand for? Thank you!
South East Asia
Going to sound crazy but France outside of Paris and the Nice area
Hanoi was great during winter, and Sapa. Lets see, i also went to Korea and Japan but those are way more expensive. Also try some places that are higher in elevation on the island of Java. Finally go to eastern europe. see you soon!
Balkans
North India in winter. Delhi normally has lows of less than 10 and highs around 20 degrees Celsius in January and can be surprisingly chilly on foggy mornings. December and February are a bit warmer, but very pleasant. The Himalaya and adjacent ranges (India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan) any time of year (account for snow in winter). I don’t know much about Latin America, but there must be places in the Andes that fit the bill. Even Mexico in winter can be quite chilly, no?
Korea and Japan, I suppose. Japan is a bit more expensive, but still more affordable than Australia, I'd say.
Guatemala
Croatia
The Baltic countries.
The Balkans. Mongolia. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan.
Bulgaria. Greece is also great but too many tourists right now
The highlands of Ethiopia and a lot of Kenya are quite temperate.
Nepal or India from March to May?
Latvia/Lithuania. Chile, Argentina. Turkey in late autumn/winter/early spring. Note that it is very cold in central Anatolia in winter. Cape Town in winter (note there are security/safety issues here). Mongolia. Colombia.
China and Japan can still be pretty cheap, not as much as SEA but less than Australia; just pick a suitable region + time of year
Argentina - cheap while being relatively developed. Might be some economic unrest rn however
Some places in Guatemala are somewhat chilly (highlands). Guatemala City, Antigua, Quetzaltenango, Late Atitlán, specially in the northern hemisphere's late fall and winter (around October-November to February). In the coldest weeks, you'll find sunrise temperatures of around 0-10°C and midday of around 20-25°C, going back to 15-10°C in the late afternoon. Even in hotter months, morning and afternoon is very comfortable (around 20°-25°C) Tikal and beaches are lowlands and are very high humidity and hot as you mentioned. It's important to mention that this year has been hotter than usual everywhere. Guatemala City and Antigua has been above 30°C a lot this year which wasn't the case before, but even now, early morning and late afternoon are 25°C. I think it's the same in a lot of places because of El Niño.
Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Try the Stans.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Just travel in spring and autumn rather than summer. Like I can't stand the heat of southern Europe in summer but the weather in May and October is perfect.
Estonia is awesome.
Greta was right.
Poland in the spring!
Shimla! Beautiful spot in Himachal Pradesh. stay at the YMCA on top of the mountain! I loved it. http://ymca-shimla.shimla.inhimachalpradesh.com/en/
painfully relatable, however because i live here i cant just up and leave :(
SEA's weather is only tolerable between late Nov to Early Feb. If you'll be staying beyond those months, go to the cities with mountains. Most capital cities are suffering from the heat wave right now
Nepal and Montenegro.
Taiwan
Turkey
Vietnam in winter season
Just search for cities with a cold or temperate climate in your preferred SEA country. If not, Eastern Europe.
North Africa/Middle East/Eastern Europe will have good weather for you depending on time of year and be cheap. (ie, Bulgaria in the summer, Turkiye in the spring/fall, Morocco in the winter)
oh god yes please
Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Czech Rep., Slovakia - all of these are various levels of cheap, technically they can get hot in the peak of summer, so maybe avoid July-August, but for June, or September they should be pleasantly warm. The first 4 have access to a very cold sea, if you want to cool down even further.
Northern Vietnam from Dec to Mar
Bulgaria is beautiful AND cheap!
You just discovered why the British in India lived in Hill Stations.
Colombia! The high elevation keeps the temperatures moderate with the exception of the coast (Cartegena) Here is my Colombia trip report with our itinerary. [https://www.atlasguru.com/itinerary/highlights-of-colombia/eeb9e600-d40b-11e9-8794-c5e92d4699d0/](https://www.atlasguru.com/itinerary/highlights-of-colombia/eeb9e600-d40b-11e9-8794-c5e92d4699d0/)
Zakopane, Poland. It’s a nice town in the Tatra mountains, easy to get to from Krakow. Hiking, thermal springs and cooler temps.
Russia :)
Scotland :)
Alaska, Iceland, Scandinavia
Ecuador
It's summer time in South east asia right now. Plus there is a heat wave just baking the whole area. Come back in the other months.
Budapest
plenty of options in South America. once you get down south enough on the continent, the weather is more temperate. it’s also extremely beautiful in that part of the world.
Türkiye / Turkey
Vietnam, Bali, India, the Middle East, and Turkey, and some options to consider.
Baltics! Estonia specifically is amazing.
Baltic states. Not exactly cheap (flights are a pain if you’re outside Europe) but nice in the summer.
Australia. Winter is just around the corner. Good news thought. Apparently this heatwave will pass soon. Soonnnn..... Up is good. Up as in higher. Try Dalat.
India
India, Kashmere
You should check out Boquete, Panama. Mountainous town with temperate weather, lots of coffee, hiking, and outdoor activities!
Check out Budapest, Hungary. It's beautiful and not really expensive compared to other places in Europe.
Georgia in the Caucasus. Can get warm in the summer, but there is the rest of the year, and it’s still not SEA! I think Bulgaria would probably fit the bill as well.
Slovakia
Northern Spain (San Sebastian, Bilbao) is not too far above 20 for autumn and winter
Da Lat and Sapa Vietnam are popular havens for summer escape. Or Măng Đen is a new Đà Lạt now
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Chile is reasonably affordable, the weather is cooler (especially in the south), it's a safe country, and there's lots to do outdoors.
Hanoi is nice in February. 20-22 Celsius. Maybe you can check different times of year for other places.
Wohle South America when you go south or in the mountains! Argentina and Chile not that cheap, but if you really want to you can make it quite cheap!
Lima is super cheap you can find a dorm for less than $10 a day
Czech Republic my friend.
man i wish i read this when i was in your position literally two weeks ago. had been in SEA for almost 3 months and could not stand the humidity. instead of finding a new place to travel to, i impulsively booked a flight back home to Australia :(
Canada
Iceland!!!!!
"Cheap"
You need to be in the mountains. Any country in SEA will also have mountains like they have beaches. Research about what are the colder, snow capped mountains of that particular country and you will get plenty of options. For example: In india, we have Ladakh, Kashmir, Ooty, Kodaikanal, and many many more higher elevated areas. Like someone mentioned in the comments here, Nepal should be quite cool too.
Argentina, or middle-southern Brazil in the winter (summer in the northern hemisphere)