How do backpackers/travelers feel about this film?

Surprised nobody has responded to this. I actually agree (somewhat) about the subculture, but I wouldn't go so far as to call them self-centered.

I traveled throughout Asia for years (actually lived right next to where they filmed this), and you're definitely right.. it kinda skews reality.

Nice post btw..

I have never met anyone who lived like this, so it never dawned on me that it skewed reality. From the blogs i've read of backpackers, sometimes they never actually come back to the reality you speak of. They don't necessarily make it home but for temporary stints. They teach english or become guides overseas to make enough money to start backpacking again. I read of one couple that worked in the tech industry and made just enough to quit it and backpack for several years. When I read their article, the wife had just given birth and now they travel with the baby. But as someone with kids who've parked it because of those responsibilities, I don't know how this works out for school aged children. They implied they had no intentions of stopping, like homeschooling on the road. I feel incredibly judgmental saying that trying to raise a kid that way just so you don't have to stop doing what you like to do is leaning towards selfish, but it kind of is. Maybe they are an example of keeping their paradise as you say. But that doesn't mean it won't work.

What I find interesting about the characters in this movie is that they were already seeing tremendous beauty and culture, they couldn't be any freer and void of responsibility, and still they were looking for something else.


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The book is more a critique of Generation X. When you read the book it is a little dated. The backpacking theme though comes from the authors own experience.

I am American and I can tell you I hardly saw my fellow countrymen when travelling around Asia. I met a ton of Germans and Frenchmen. And the British "The Beach" (Book) is the bible of backpacking. Along with The Backpacker by John Harris.

nice thought

I used to tour around like these people in my 20s.

My first observation is that Richard is a giant douchebag, and most people would have nothing to do with him.

I felt that the beach community of the movie were neither backpackers nor travelers,
- they arrived there to stay
- they brought their cliché life to the place - they were not trying to experience and learn from other cultures
- they behaved like party tourists and all they wanted was private party

So a mayor issue I had with the movie was the way it named them travellers

A community of real travelers seeking their paradise-life outside their home society would be
- a nomadic community, which tries to interact with the local populations
- it would be less about multi-linguistics than about learning the language the inhabitants speak
- they would have less issues with getting their hair bleaching equipment and stuff, but how far they can dive into the culture and still not loose themselves in it (otherwise they would become locals, they would not remain travelers), and also how far to go and not get sick as their bodies are not used to these conditions