Raw Hasan – Journeys Against the Odds

From border detentions to UNESCO wonders — the solo, independent travels of a Bangladeshi, with one of the world’s weakest passports.

At Vientiane Airport in Laos after crossing the Laos Immigration

বাংলাদেশী পাসপোর্টে লাওস ইমিগ্রেশন অভিজ্ঞতা

May 24, 2025April 22, 2025

কম্বোডিয়ার প্নমপেন থেকে ভিয়েতনাম এয়ারলাইস-এর ফ্লাইটে ভিয়েনতিয়েন ওয়াত্যায় ইণ্টারন্যাশনাল এয়ারপোর্টে এসে লাওস ইমিগ্রেশন অতিক্রম করার অভিজ্ঞতা।

About Me

I'm Raw Hasan (র. হাসান), traveling the world solo and independently from Dhaka, Bangladesh —carrying one of the world's weakest passports, ranked 181 out of 199.

Getting a visa for almost anywhere is a battle. I'm eligible for a visa on arrival in only a couple of South Asian countries. Many places considered traveler favorites—like Vietnam or the UAE—won't even let me apply for a tourist visa with my passport, let alone grant one on arrival. Even neighboring India demands a thick stack of documents to submit a tourist visa application (which is currently closed for my passport entirely). Most countries do not have an embassy in Bangladesh and require me to go to India to apply for a visa. Only a few countries allow me to apply for a visa of a third country on a tourist visa.

E-visas aren't much easier. I can apply to only a handful of countries, and even then, the process can still be slow or uncertain. Thailand's e-visa, for example, can take about 45 days. Many systems exclude my passport altogether. Some countries add extra hurdles—special rules that require an invitation letter from a local tour company—usually unavailable unless you prepay for an expensive package.

Border crossings are an even bigger challenge. I get stopped at almost every checkpoint, even with a valid visa—often starting at my own country's immigration, where the default assumption is that I might not return. On arrival abroad—if I'm not detained—I face stricter requirements: confirmed return tickets, fully paid hotel bookings for the entire stay, and proof of substantial funds (often USD 2–3k in cash). In some places, including Laos, Cambodia, and Georgia, officers have been known to deport tourists with my passport without asking anything, even with valid visas. Transit visas are denied to me, even though I am eligible for them.

Visa uncertainty wrecks flexibility. I can't plan loosely or jump on early deals. Most of the time, I end up booking flights at the last minute, which means paying the highest prices.

Still, when I make it in against the odds, I go straight to the culture of the country. Wandering in UNESCO old towns is my priority—streets, markets, courtyards, mosques, temples, and city walls where history is out in the open.

I plan my trips myself, arrange my own transport, and explore at my own pace. I'm not into full-package guided tours, but in destinations that are difficult to navigate or require special permits, I'll join a day tour to reach places I couldn't otherwise see.

I travel on a tight budget but value comfort: private rooms in simple hotels or apartments over dorms. I research hard and find comfortable, affordable stays within budget in each stop. As a Muslim, I'm always looking for good halal food. When options are limited, I adapt—sometimes that means living on convenience-store staples until I find better choices.

If you want practical, independent travel grounded in real constraints, follow along. I share day-to-day trip logs, honest costs, and money-saving tactics you can reuse. You can also download my destination cheat sheets to get more from each place: the most comfortable budget stay I used, nearby halal restaurants, simple transit notes, and time-smart routes that help you see more without rushing or overspending.

This blog is for anyone determined to travel on their own terms, whether your passport opens every door or almost none. I'll show you what worked, what didn't, and how to make the most of your time and budget—so you can go further with fewer surprises.

Happy travel!

Countries Visited: 17/199
Latest Country: Laos