sagesex

It is a demon that numbs our senses, and its power is impossible to overthrow until you throw up. It is on the five continents and the seven seas. Alcohol is the universal language; this has now been confirmed by dermatologists. In South East Asia it doesn’t just make the hearts of the locals beat slower: Be it on Ko Panghan in Thailand, in Nha Trang, Vietnam, or Vang Vieng in Laos – entire tourist party hells live off continuous irrigation by overpriced bars. But stop! It doesn’t have to be like that! Already in the past sagesex has proven that South East Asia offers festive inebriation in price ranges below any budget – at least for those with a tough stomach. Which means looking for a compromise: Good and affordable is what counts! After half a year of experience in this part of the world sagesex is ready to present the ultimate guide to almost free intoxication in South East Asia: The top three in affordable and enjoyable alcoholica.

3rd Prize: Sato – Thailand’s answer to Tetra Pak wine

If you’re strolling across a Bangkok night market with a bottle in your hand and the hip young people scream out and cheer at you, it must be Sato! Beer is expensive in Thailand. This fermented magic potion made from rice and/or grapes is the solution for the youth that understandably don’t want to go without their binge-drinking. A 0.660l-bottle with about 8% alcohol starts at about 50 Euro-Cents. Admittedly, the first sip will shock you and stay with you for a while if you had expected beer. Which meanly enough is served in the same bottles and sits right next to Sato in the 7-eleven. But once you have gotten used to it and know what to expect, the sweet nectar with twice as much push for half the price is preferable at times. Definitively worth a try – do it like the Thais!

2nd Prize: Bia Hoi – only free beer is cheaper

Beer is tasty in Vietnam. And cheap, too. 50 Cents for one bottle is a price we liked to pay in a restaurant. Until we discovered Bia Hoi! It comes from big metal casks and is mostly served in still rather large jugs. It may be a little flimsy, but for that you can simply drink more. With a legendary 60 Cents for a 1.5l-jug, Vietnamese Bia Hoi is probably the most affordable beer in the world. Atmosphere included: Particularly in North Vietnam, Bia Hoi is being served at every street corner in cozy joints featuring slightly run-down furnishings in children’s toy size. It comes with hearty food, cigarettes with funny names and Vietnamese gabbling from all sides. As an overall design it makes for the perfect after work relaxation!

1st Prize: Lao Whiskey – Smooth and Mellon

When you’re in Laos, never ask what time it is! Someone might scream “It’s Tiger Time!” and the whole thing unavoidably ends in a drinking feast Lao style. Though there are entire shelves full of incredibly affordable alcoholica here, Tiger remains the classic. Deservedly so: Among the Lao whiskeys, Tiger is certainly the premium rum; which is a worthy effort once you consider that at least 90% of all “whiskeys” in South East Asia are a kind of brown rum. All fine and dandy, but you would prefer a real whiskey? Try “True Manhood Rich Scotch Whiskey”! It’s not just called whiskey, it even tastes like it. It might not quite be in the league of “Chivas Regal”, but it certainly beats European cheapo whiskeys. And how wrong can you go with a 0.75l bottle from the 80 Cent shelf? This makes a bottle of whisky cheaper than a bottle of beer in Laos! Even the soda water for mixing is more expensive! South East Asia’s best budget booze is found! Cheers to the Laotian distillers!

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Er ist ein Dämon, der unsere Sinne trübt und seine Macht ist ungebrochen bis zum Erbrechen. Es gibt ihn auf fünf Kontinenten und sieben Weltmeeren. Alkohol ist Weltsprache; das ist mittlerweile von Dermatologen bestätigt. In Südostasien lässt er nicht nur die Herzen der Einheimischen langsamer schlagen: Ob auf Ko Panghan in Thailand, in Nha ...