Asia Cheapest Travel really is between 3 choices there is no hard fast rule for Asian budget travel. The best bet is too talk to people that have done the cheaper trips in Asia that you want to do and get their opinion. For anything over 1000k in general Asia Cheaest Airlines will offer the best value. If there is ocean between travel locations with any distance involved in allmost all scenarios Asia Cheapest Flights are the way to go; the one exception I can think of being Singapore KL Jakarta triangle. In general though shorter trips with no train service buses will be the cheaper travelers option. If there is train service between your destination then the medium long trips of 1000 kilometer trains will be the budget saving option espically if you can get a night train which saves one hotel night.
A new resourse we have found that seems to have informed Asian travelers with out an agenda is Travelblog.org I actually ran in to the owner in Bali at the Gloria Jeans in Kuta when we were both updating our sites with the best free wifi in Bali and we talked and his head is in the right place 30 meters + underwater
Some of the travel corridors that are common Bangkok Phnon Penh Saigon buses are the way to go. The new route through Sihanoukville is much better and the side trip is now to go up to Angkor Wat which if you are going to Asia is a must do. Saigon to China border you can do the train or the bus depending how many stops you are going to dothey have open seat buses that can be a good value if a little tiersome of getting dropped in the bus companys guesthouses with very little else to choose from but they are in good locations so ....
Bangkok Malaysia souther islands Phuket Krabi Koh Phi Phi east and west coast a tough one there is a night train and there are buses the buses are grueling but very cheap train a little more but much more comfortable going to Malaysia either side take the train.
Bangkok KL Singapore you might consider a mix night train to Butterworth in Malaysia then excutive bus to KL or Singapore get a bus that has the least amount of seats pay the extra otherwise be prepared to have people snoring in your ear all night. if you are heading on to Bali catch a flight as the buses and trains in indonesia are horrible value.
China is a tough one the trains are great and the flights are cheapo a preference call here wit the biggest option being how much time you have. the Train to Lhasa from Biejing or Xian consider flying there and catching the train back most people will take the train there and then fly back so the seats are available if you run the contra route. If you do go the train first to tibet consider booking a few nights in Chendu.
Most of the Asia cheapest airlines don't show up in the cheap airfares search engines like Sidestep and Fare Compare you need to look them up separately. Some of the cheaper airlines offer really cheap flights to selected markets on a regular basis like Air Asia Bangkok to Singapore or Cebu Pacific Saigon to Angeles City near Manila others when they open up new routes is when you will find the really cheap airfares like Virgin Air to Australia to Bali or China Southern to Shanghai.
We have found that using the two programs below that we were consistently finding the best deals on discount hotels, the cheapest rooms and budget guesthouses, if there was not a special on the hotels direct site. Hotels Combined search's 30 different hotel booking sites and points out the best rate and Rates to Go offers last minute deals if you are booking at the last minute. Chuck
You see I started this web site because I love to travel, always have since I was a little kid in Chicago and I jumped on a bus and went out exploring the Chicago lakefront on my own. Since then I have seen a bit more and I want to share with you the interesting ways that I find to save a buck on my travels I also really like expensive luxury hotels hopefully enough of you will visit the site that I will be able to afford to stay in them all the time. Below is a list of articles that I have posted on the internet.
I do have a confession my real name is Fred not Charley My Fathers name is Charley and and my Beloved Unkle Vince in California my travel mentor was quite upset that I didn't name it Cheap Vincent's as he feels, and he has a valid point here that he has taught me more on saving a buck than my dad, but Cheap Vincent's Hotels misquoting the Duke in the Green Berets said "It doesn't Sing" Have a Great Day!