GEN Z'S FREQUENT FLIERS

Young, social media-savvy jetsetters go the extra mile for their next trips to thrilling new destinations

- Kyit Lim and Charlote Wong

They do not let school or a fulltime job stand in the way of their travel dreams. Even if they have to scrimp, save or juggle side hustles, they find creative ways to fund their next getaway.

Whether it is discovering new cultures, building bonds across borders, savouring new cuisines or catching K-pop idols live, these four young people are turning every journey into a story worth sharing which they do on their social media accounts.

BUDGET TRAVEL, PRICELESS CONNECTIONS

At 19, Ms Jaedyn Choo went on her first solo adventure - a two-week backpacking trip in Thailand in 2023.

She was eager to meet new people from around the world, and her itinerary included seeing the Golden Buddha in Bangkok, partying in Chiang Mai and tubing down Pai River in northern Thailand. Including flights, she spent $800 on that trip.

Now a third-year student in the Media, Arts & Design School at Singapore Polytechnic, she has since backpacked to another three countries.

To fund her travels, she juggles part-time jobs such as banquet server alongside her school commitments.

She stretches her dollar by searching for affordable flights once snagging a $30 one-way ticket from Langkawi, Malaysia, to Singapore and by staying in hostels.

"When I plan trips with friends, accommodation can be $40 to $60 a night," she mused, adding that this amount sounds "crazy" from her budget-traveller point of view.

She usually spends between $10 and $15 a night on hostels.

While her shortest trip - to Kuala Lumpur and Cameron Highlands was just five days, she usually packs in multiple cities in the same country over about two weeks.

A 15-day stay in Langkawi, her longest in one city, was her most memorable.