travelling asia for 2 months

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Plan Your Trip

Southeast asia starts here.

Coming up with a 2 month Southeast Asia itinerary is hard, no matter how well you know the region. For starters, it’s as much about choosing where you don’t want to go as it is deciding the places you will visit. Then, there’s sequencing and timing, and all the rest of the practical matters that planning any trip entails.

Although I have nearly 15 years of experience traveling in Southeast Asia, I’ve decided not to construct a post that dictates or preaches to you. Rather than telling you where to go, for example, or how long (necessarily) you should spend there, I want to inform and inspire you to create the trip that’s right for you.

Even if you’re feeling anxious now—trust me, I’ve been there—you’ll soon have a plan your can easily execute. Can’t you almost smell the Pad Thai noodles sizzling through the streets?

Practical Matters

When to visit southeast asia.

In most of Southeast Asia, the dry season takes place between about December and March. As a general rule, this is when you should plan this trip, although there are a couple exceptions. First, if you plan to travel heavily or primarily in Indonesia (where the dry and rainy seasons are “flipped” compared to the rest of Southeast Asia), you’ll actually want to visit between about June and September. Secondly, you should be aware that northern parts of Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam can be relatively cold at this time of year, in spite of also being dry.

Where to stay in Southeast Asia

As you plan your Southeast Asia itinerary (2 months or longer), you’ll be delighted to learn that accommodation in most of the region is extremely affordable. There are some notable exceptions to this—Singapore is outrageously expensively; Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are not nearly as cheap as they used to be—but as a general rule, your money goes farther here than it will anywhere else in the world.

• Traveling in Thailand ? While no longer as cheap as it used to be, this is still an affordable place to get a fancy hotel, particularly in Bangkok with high-end properties like Sofitel SO/Bangkok and the Eastin Grande Sathorn . In the islands, accommodations run the gamut from luxurious Rayavadee in Krabi ‘s gorgeous Railay , to simpler digs such as Casa Blanca Boutique Hotel in Phuket Town . Headed up north? I absolutely love the Riverside Guest House in Lampang .
• In my opinion, Vietnam (at least when it comes to hotels) is how Thailand was 10-15 years ago. From Hotel des Arts in Saigon to Hanoi ‘s chic Meritel , and from resort-style properties like Sin Chai Ecolodge in Sapa and Ancient House Resort & Spa in Hoi An , your money goes farther in Vietnam than it does in almost any other Southeast Asian country, in spite of Vietnam’s rapidly increasing popularity.
• As you explore underrated Malaysia , make sure to avail this country’s impressive selection of impressive hotels. From the five-star Majestic Hotel in Kuala Lumpur , to boutique properties like Cheong Fatt Tze in Penang and Ranee Boutique Suites in Kuching , Malaysia tends to be somewhere between Vietnam and Thailand in terms of price, although (if I’m honest) the subtler elegance of its hotels is often preferable, at least for me.
• I’ll be frank: Singapore is simply not a budget travel destination. You can make it into one— Atelier Chinatown is great if you don’t mind sharing your sleeping and bathing space; the Hotel 1888 Collection is bare-bones, but has private facilities—but you really need some cash to enjoy Singapore to the fullest. Not necessarily the sheer opulence of the Fullerton Hotel , mind you, but if you can splurge on (for example) the The Scarlet , your experience will be much more pleasant.

How to get around in Southeast Asia

Infrastructure in Southeast Asia has vastly improved over the time I’ve been traveling there, especially within cities. Still, the easiest (and often cheapest) way to navigate this region is by plane, usually (but not exclusively) using low-cost carriers such as AirAsia. If you’re unsure of how to get from place to place, I personally find that 12Go is a great tool for both research and booking.

Money, costs and communication

Another thing that’s vasty improved in Southeast Asia over the years? Money and payments. Specifically, being able to use credit cards (even though, as time passes, QR payments are definitely the most common ways to pay here). At the same time, you’ll likely need a bit of cash on you in most places—and unfortunately, every country uses different currency, which can complicate things. The good news is that airport exchange counters tend to offer competitive conversion rates, and low commissions, so you can change money either before you depart one place, or after you arrive in another.

Cost-wise, Southeast Asia is cheap, albeit not as cheap as it used to be. You can expect to pay around 50-100 USD per person, per day in most countries for modest private rooms, 2-3 meals per day and all your local transportation. While there’s technically no limit to how much you can spend, I find it difficult to go much beyond 200 USD per person, per day in most places, unless you’re simply trying to be extravagant.

Communication-wise, in a literal sense, English is all you need in most places, and certainly in countries like Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar and Malaysia, where it’s an official language. In terms of communicating figuratively, WiFi is plentiful in Southeast Asia, though I do recommend staying connected via your mobile—either buy buying local SIM cards, or using a global travel plan like Google Fi —to make your life easier.

Visas for Southeast Asia

If you’re reading this page in English, you probably come from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or somewhere in Europe. If this is the case, congratulations: You can access most of Southeast Asia visa-free! I say “most” because there are notable exceptions: Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia require e-visas or visas on arrival, while Vietnam still requires you to apply for a visa in advance. If you’re unsure as to whether you require a visa to enter any country, contact the embassy or consulate of that nation in your place of citizenship.

Where to Go With 2 Months in Southeast Asia

No matter how extensive your Southeast Asia travel route—2 months, or something much shorter—you absolutely have to visit Thailand . Bangkok , in addition to being the de-facto hub of Southeast Asia, is one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Beyond this, you can divide your time between the Kingdom’s lush north (focus on the cities of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai , plus Lampang ) and the various islands and archipelagoes that define its south, from Samui , Tao and Pha Ngan islands in the Gulf of Thailand , to Phuket , Krabi and Trang in the Andaman Sea .

Another giant you can’t avoid during your 2 month Southeast Asia itinerary is Vietnam . I sort of consider Vietnam a wilder and more unruly Thailand, somewhat resembling an older version—maybe 10, 15 years—of the Kingdom. I usually like to go south-to-north, but you can reverse this order if you prefer. Begin in Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City ) and the Mekong Delta , heading northward to Da Nang (via coastal Mui Ne or Nha Trang , or hilly Da Lat ). Explore ancient Hoi An and imperial Hue , before heading north to the capital of Hanoi , scenic Ha Long Bay and finally to Sa Pa , which is rich with waterfalls and rice terraces.

Malaysia might just be the most underrated country you visit during your 2 months in Southeast Asia. While I go back and forth on the capital city of Kuala Lumpur , it’s impossible to deny the charm of Penang and its historical shophouses, or of Kuching , which sits on the edge of the rainforest. Visit tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands , scale Mt. Kinabalu in Borneo ‘s Sabah state or visit crystal mosques and some of Asia’s best islands in Terengganu on the east coast.

I’ll admit: It’s been controversial even to discuss visiting Myanmar for a hot minute. At the same time, if you can look past the politics, this country is one of the most unique in Southeast Asia. While not as ramshackle as it was when I first visited in 2010, today’s Myanmar remains captivating. Start in the cities of Yangon and Mandalay , before expanding outward. Do you prefer getting lost amid the temples of Bagan , relaxing on Inle Lake or having your mind blown amid the perfect beauty of the Mergui Archipelago ?

The bad news? In my opinion, the island of Bali is one of the worst places you can visit during your Southeast Asia 2 month itinerary. The good news? Indonesia is home to literally thousands of other islands. From hectic Java (home to manic Jakarta , charming Yogyakarta and the otherworldly Kawah Ijen volcano), to lush Borneo and its wild orangutans, to the paradisiacal Kawah Ijen archipelago, Indonesia is so much more than Bali.

In the past, I mostly saw Singapore as serving a functional role within a 2 month Asia itinerary: A respite from the craziness of the rest of the region. However, as time has passed and “the rest” of Southeast Asia has become less manic, I’ve started to appreciate Singapore for what it is: A city that’s also a country that’s also a microcosm of a continent. Organize your time in Singapore (it will likely be just a few days) around its ethnic neighborhoods— Little India , Chinatown and Malay-Muslim Kampong Glam —as well as around both the natural Singapore Botanic Garden and the delightfully artificial Gardens by the Bay.

Another small country whose borders you may cross during 2 months Southeast Asia is Cambodia . For most travelers, Cambodia requires a week or even less. Many will split their time between the oft-overlooked capital of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap (home of Angkor Wat ); others will also choose to overlook PP. If you have longer or are more curious, you might also opt to hit the beaches of Koh Rong in the Gulf of Thailand , or travel overland to Laos—more on that in a minute.

As I explained earlier during this post, Laos is not a must-see if you have a 2 month itinerary Southeast Asia—I usually recommend it or Cambodia, but not both. If you do spend time in Laos, however, context matters. If you can, for example, you might take the “slow boat” from Chiang Rai, Thailand to Laos’ charming Luang Prabang , via off-the-beaten path Pak Beng . Another exciting way is up from Cambodia, via Don Det and the 4,000 Islands . Alternatively, you can fly to Vientiane or Luang Prabang if you’re pressed for time or simply can’t be bothered to travel overland.

The Philippines, Brunei and East Timor

I’m not including The Philippines last on my Southeast Asia 2 month itinerary because I don’t like it—that’s far from the truth. Rather, I haven’t been back there in a while, and so I don’t feel as comfortable recommending destinations and experience as I do for other countries on this list. However, if you have a couple of weeks to spare, make sure to follow up a long weekend in underrated Manila with some time on the country’s award-winning beaches, whether in mainstream Boracay , lush Palawan or off-the-beaten-path Siargao .

As far as Brunei is concerned? Well, it’s unique, I’ll say that. It’s a place I’m glad I went , but don’t necessarily care to visit again. I haven’t yet been to East Timor , and as of this moment have no plans to visit.

Is 2 Months Enough for Southeast Asia?

As you browse Southeast Asia backpacking routes, 2 months is typically the minimum recommended amount of time—this is not a coincidence. The region is huge, and although the infrastructure has improved massively in the 15 years I’ve been exploring it, can still be a place where the going is pretty slow. If you’re a backpacker who plans to rely primarily on land transport, in fact, I might actually suggest you devote 3-4 months (or even longer!) to Southeast Asia!

Indeed, this 2 month Southeast Asia itinerary is really optimized toward travelers seeking a slightly elevated travel experience. Some overland travel—the slow boat between Thailand and Laos; a couple of trains in Vietnam—but is primarily getting around using places. Select rural areas—Indonesia’s Blue Fire Volcano; the Chocolate Hills of the Philippines—but mostly staying in cities and enjoying day trips from there.

Other FAQ About Spending 2 Months in Southeast Asia

How much do you need to travel southeast asia for 2 months.

I usually count on spending an average of about 100 USD per person, per day when traveling in Southeast Asia. That translates to about 700 USD per person, per week and about 2,800 USD per person per month. This means that you can plan to spend between 5,000-6,000 USD per person to travel in Southeast Asia for 2 months, not including international flights (but including all your internal transport).

How long do you need in Thailand and Vietnam?

Thailand and Vietnam are two of the largest and most interesting countries in Southeast Asia—I usually recommend spending a minimum of three weeks in each. With this being said, you could divide a month between Vietnam and Thailand, if you’re very judicious about where you visit in each country. Hiring me as your Travel Coach would be very advisable in this situation.

How long to spend in Laos and Cambodia?

Laos and Cambodia are beautiful countries, but it’s not a coincidence that they sit geographically between the titans of Thailand and Vietnam: They’re simply neither are large nor as interesting as their more famous neighbors. Often times, I recommend that people with a shorter amount of time choose one of these two; in any case, even if you’ve got two months to explore Southeast Asia, don’t split more than two weeks between Cambodia and Laos.

The Bottom Line

If you’ve made it this far, then congratulations: You’ve got all the information you need to assemble the perfect 2 month Southeast Asia itinerary! Some of you will take a straightforward path—a couple weeks in Thailand; one split between Laos and Cambodia; three weeks in Vietnam or Indonesia, and then two in either Malaysia, Myanmar or the Philippines. For others, things might be a bit less structured, if they’re even set in stone at all. You might even end up staying in the region for a lot longer than two months! Still feeling stressed out at the thought of planning your trip? Consider hiring me as your Travel Coach!

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Two Months in Southeast Asia: Backpacking on a Tight Budget

Does the idea of travelling around Southeast Asia for two months sound a bit daunting? I felt the same when I came to plan my own itinerary, especially as I knew I would be backpacking on a shoestring budget . Two months in Southeast Asia sounds like a long time, but with so much to see and do, you need to make sure you’re not spreading yourself (or your budget!) too thinly.

Therefore, I have compiled this detailed post as a comprehensive travel guide to all the places I managed to squeeze into my two months in Southeast Asia, travelling solo and backpacking on a cheap shoestring budget, including:

• – Things to know before you go
• – How to plan a detailed itinerary on a budget
• – My personal budget travel hacks
• – Individual country guides that will help you choose where to go in Southeast Asia and inform how much things cost in each destination.

This is a long post because I wanted to provide as much information as possible (you can never do too much research!), so I advise you take it in in bite-size chunks, print it out or save it to return to when you need it. Also, if you’re more interested in general budget travelling advice, I have a separate post – The Ultimate Trip Planner: How to Make the Most of Your Backpacking Budget .

Southeast Asia Travel Guide: Before You Go

Before you set off on your Southeast Asia tour, there are a few things you need to know and get sorted before you go. Naturally, I left my planning to a few weeks before I went off backpacking Asia and then had to run around like a headless chicken sorting all of it out. So basically, don’t be an idiot like me.

Disclaimers: This post was written based on a trip taken in late 2016, therefore pricing has changed, but most of the information is still relevant, helpful, and up to date.

This post contains affiliate links, which means this blog receives a small commission on purchases at no extra cost to you. Affiliate income helps keep this blog alive and I never link to a service unless I personally use and recommend it.

1. Travel Visas for Backpacking around Southeast Asia

Make sure you know the visa requirements for your passport for every country you plan to visit while backpacking through Southeast Asia. Some countries require a visa in advance, for others you can get a visa on the border – but be warned that the rules can change, so double-check before you go.

I hold a British passport and the information on this blog is from my personal experience travelling around Asia, so be mindful that visas may vary for you. The best information for those who hold passports for the UK, the US and Canada (the main readership of this blog) are as follows:

• – United Kingdom – Foreign Travel Advice
• – United States – Travel.State.Gov
• – Canada – Travel.gc

2. Vaccinations for Southeast Asia Backpacking

This is one that I’m particularly bad at because I can never remember which vaccinations I’ve had (moving countries and doctors all the time will do that to you), and I always leave it until the last minute. You should ideally get your vaccinations four weeks before you leave for your Southeast Asia tour.

For Brits, the NHS website has recommendations, so you should call up your GP more than a month before your backpacking trip starts. The website also has malaria maps for each country, so you can see if you will be visiting zones where malaria is prevalent (or you can just skirt around them, like I did).

3. Travel Insurance for Backpacking Southeast Asia

This is a big one and always make sure you read the small print. If you have an Asia travel itinerary with dates decided (and don’t plan on coming home during that time), then you can shop around. However, things can be more complicated if you’re leaving your trip open-ended.

I personally use World Nomads Travel Insurance, the Explorer Plan and have done for years (and you’ll see many other travellers and travel bloggers do the same), mainly because they are the only company that will cover me once I’m already abroad, which as a serial expat, I mostly am. It’s also easy to extend a policy with them if you change your plans and decide to stay longer.

We receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.

Once you’ve bought your policy, make a note of the policy number and the insurer’s emergency claims helpline on your phone, write them down in your diary (in case you lose your phone) and also give that information to a parent or reliable friend/family member back home, just in case.

4. What to Pack for a Trip to Southeast Asia

This is going to warrant another blog post in itself, so here are just my top 10 tips for packing for two months in Southeast Asia:

– Clothes you don’t mind ruining and sweating in. – More swimwear than underwear. – Lots of high-factor sun cream and aftersun. – A good mosquito spray and tiger balm (toothpaste also helps soothe bites). – A scarf and warm jumper (for air con more than anything else). – A first aid kit (including something that can disinfect). – Two multi-way travel adapters (no, one is not enough). – Long trousers and something to cover your shoulders for more conservative countries. – A backpack you can lift and doesn’t just open from the top (see below). – If you menstruate, a menstrual cup (saves space, money and the planet). – Padlocks (at least two). – Packing cubes .

Recommended Read: I’ve committed to making my bathroom and travel toiletry bag zero waste and plastic free . This is also a great solution for budget backpackers because the majority of zero waste toiletries are non-liquid (so they’re perfect for hand luggage as well as better for you and the planet).

Two Months in Southeast Asia on a Shoestring Budget

Now comes the most important part: how to travel Asia on a shoestring budget. And I wish I could give you a straightforward answer as to how much backpacking Asia costs, but I’m afraid it’s not that simple. However, there are some ways to ‘guesstimate’ what you will spend during your two month Southeast Asia itinerary.

Recommended Read: for general budget backpacking advice, I advise that you read The Ultimate Trip Planner: How to Get the Most Out of Your Backpacking Budget for all the budget travel secrets and hacks that I use to make sure I get the best deals on flights, accommodation and more.

1. Work out the cost of your flights to and from Asia, your vaccinations and your insurance first.

I know this sounds obvious, but leaving my vaccinations last minute and having to have them in Hong Kong, rather than via the NHS back in the UK, was a major cost for me. These three things will probably be the biggest expenses of your whole Southeast Asia trip, and may cost more than the rest of your backpacking budget (they did for me).

For finding the best deals on flights, I recommend  Skyscanner , as I find it’s more flexible to use (filter by destination, by month or simply choose ‘everywhere’ to find the cheapest options) and it gets me the cheapest flight for the cheapest price every time.

2. Research Your Budget By Country and By Average Spend Per Day

OK, what do I mean by this? Well, when I was planning my Asia travel itinerary, I heavily researched exactly what kind of budget was realistic for each individual country I was visiting because I was being super-cheap and trying to do as tight a shoestring budget as I could.

So, I worked out that I needed slightly more budget allocated for Myanmar and slightly less for Cambodia and Vietnam. However, Myanmar was the start of my trip and I was amazed at how under budget I was, so I spent more! Then I got to Cambodia and Vietnam and realised I had underestimated how much I needed and was out of pocket.

Lesson learnt: do your research to work out how much backpacking Asia costs in each country, but also have an ‘average spend per day’ for the whole Southeast Asia tour, to keep the budget in perspective and don’t be afraid to adjust the budget when and where necessary. Plus, always have a ‘rainy day stash’ just in case.

This Backpacking Budget for Southeast Asia by MyFunkyTravel does a great job of suggesting an overall budget as well as a breakdown of daily budgets per country, and I’ve also detailed my own spending and budgets in the country guides below.

Remember to take mine and others’ advice with a pinch of salt, as currency conversions change, inflation happens and the more popular a destination becomes, the quicker the prices rise.

3. How to get the cheapest accommodation deals in Southeast Asia

Accommodation is super-cheap in Southeast Asia by most western standards, with some hostel dorm rooms coming to just a few US dollars per night. I worked out that almost everywhere I stayed on my Southeast Asia travel route was cheaper than any rent I have ever paid in my life.

Here are 4 tips on how to get the best accommodation deals on hostels in Southeast Asia, for those looking to travel Asia on budget that is a serious shoestring budget:

a) Use price comparison websites to find the cheapest places

Don’t use your guidebook because by the time your guidebook has been researched, gone to print, been published, been bought and then been read by you, the information is likely out of date. Also, most guidebooks have rules about how long a place must be open before it’s accepted into the guidebook (often two years) and only recommend a handful of options.

I use and thoroughly recommend Booking.com because I always find the best places on there (see the country guides below for specific recommendations), the reviews are up-to-date, plentiful and reliable, and the deals are super cheap (we’ll come back to this on point d).

b) Don’t book online, just turn up

This is particularly true of hostels in Southeast Asia vs the rest of the world – many hostels charge a higher price for an online booking than for a walk-in , so you will most likely get the best price by researching beforehand, using a site like Booking.com , then turning up on their doorstep.

However, there are exceptions to this rule. Those exceptions are holidays, festivals and peak season. This has caught me out so many times, so always research, double-check and triple-check whether your destination is likely to be booked out or busy, as this can inflate the price or leave you homeless.

c) Haggle or ask for a discount

Yes, this is cheeky and I personally don’t do it because accommodation is already so cheap by western standards. Be aware that you need to be sensitive if you do choose to do this and that haggling is the art of finding a price both parties are happy with , not getting the cheapest deal.

A traveller I met from China swore by the system of asking for a discount at the point of check-in. He would research places using Booking.com , then if he was staying longer than a few nights or if he was part of a group, he would politely ask for a discount. The hostels almost always said yes.

4. Plot a Southeast Asia Travel Route Over Land

Long bus journeys are not always the most comfortable, but they are often the most cost-effective way to travel from city to city, and country to country. To save money on air fares, choose a Southeast Asia travel route that goes overland. If you’re apprehensive, read How to Survive Long Bus Journeys in Southeast Asia .

My Two Month Southeast Asia Travel Itinerary

The following is a comprehensive Southeast Asia travel guide for my entire two month Southeast Asia travel itinerary, organised chronologically and by country, with details of how I travelled Asia on a budget, where I stayed and what I would recommend seeing.

Note that I did not have a particularly logical Southeast Asia backpacking route, as this was a ‘Farewell Asia’ trip for me, having spent five years living in Hong Kong. Therefore, I did not visit Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines, as I had recently been on separate trips to those countries (see these summarised at the end for more details.)

10 Days in Myanmar (Burma) 

I started my two months Southeast Asia itinerary with Myanmar, also known by its old colonial name, Burma (this confused some of the Brits back home, so FYI). I was intrigued by its history and the tragic stories of the governing military regime and the colonial wars.

Update: At present, FCDO advises against all travel to parts of Myanmar (Burma) .

At the time of my backpacking trip in Asia, I did not realise the extent of the discrimination against Rohingha Muslims in Myanmar, which has been described as a genocide . Due to what I know now, I no longer recommend visiting Myanmar for the foreseeable future and I strongly advise that you do extensive research before you decide whether to spend your tourist dollars here.

Where to go:

• – Yangon , the largest city in Myanmar.
• – Mandalay , the second-largest city and last royal capital of Myanmar.
• – Bagan , one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites.
• – Inle Lake , famous for floating villages and gardens.

I personally found Burmese cities to be overwhelming, even for someone like me who had been living and travelling around Asia for half a decade. The traffic, the crowds, the business, the noise! It was chaotic, but beautiful. I really felt like I’d thrown myself into the deep end.

What to see:

• – The Shwedagon Paya in Yangon
• – Bagan temples at sunrise and sunset
• – The Moustache Brothers Show in Mandalay
• – U Bein Bridge in Amapura (a day trip from Mandalay)
• – The leg-rowing fishermen at Inle Lake

Where to stay:

These are the hostels I stayed at (and would recommend) along my Southeast Asia backpacking route:

• – Yangon: Traveller’s House or Backpacker Bed & Breakfast
• – Mandalay: Four Rivers B & B
• – Bagan: Royal Bagan Hotel

What to eat and drink:

• – Teashop meal and snacks
• – Street food
• – Indian food
• – Sugar cane juice
• – Myanmar beer

How much things cost:

• – Visas: many passports need visas in advance for visiting Myanmar, including British. I got mine at the Myanmar Consulate General in Hong Kong for around US$23.
• – Accommodation: US$10-15 per night
• – Transport: buses between destinations cost around US$10-15, taxis around town cost US$1-2 and bike rental for the day is also around US$1-2.
• – Food: most hostels provide breakfast, street food and teashop meals cost US$1-2, meals in restaurants around $5.
• – Other expenses: entry to the Bagan Archaeological Zone costs around US$20 and you pay it on the bus to Bagan.

Things to know:

• – As mentioned above, the treatment of Rohingha Muslims in Myanmar is a huge issue at the moment. Educate yourself on the subject before you make a decision to visit.
• – Due to Myanmar’s complicated history, the military still control a lot of the country. There are designated tourist zones and places where tourists can’t visit, so don’t expect to be able to just hire a scooter and drive around the country looking for places off the beaten track.
• – You can’t get Burmese kyat outside of Burma! Don’t exchange money at the airport, as the exchange rates are highly inflated (taxi drivers will accept US dollars to take you into the city). Instead, use the ‘black market’ and exchange at a hotel or booth. Yangon has the best rates. Notes in higher denominations have better exchange rates. ATMs do not accept foreign cards.
• – The easiest and cheapest way to get around the country is by bus. I booked buses (some overnight) between cities.

My personal highlight

The magic of Bagan really comes to life at sunrise and sunset. The shadows of the temples grow long, the landscape turns to gold and hot air balloons rise out of the haze. It’s spectacular. Give yourself more time here than you think you need – bad weather could limit your sunrise and sunset viewings.

For a detailed itinerary of my time in Myanmar, you can read Burma Budget and My Myanmar Travel Tips . To peruse my personal diary, lifted from the travel journal I wrote during my two months in Southeast Asia, read 10 Days in Myanmar | Travel Diary .

One Week in Laos

From Myanmar, I moved onto Laos, spending a week in this little landlocked country. Competition is fierce, but Laos is definitely one of my favourite places that I visited on my two month Southeast Asia backpacking route, and one week was definitely not enough time to fully explore it!

• – Luang Prabang , an ancient town in the north of Laos.
• – Vang Vieng , a small town surrounded by amazing natural wonders, but also has a reputation due to the ‘tubing’ crowd.
• – Vientiane , the capital city of Laos.
• – Huay Xai , a town near the Thai border, known for The Gibbon Experience .

Luang Prabang is Laos’ most prominent city in the north, but it has the atmosphere of a quiet town. Give yourself more time here. If you do venture to Vang Vieng (and the scenery is beautiful), try and stay outside of the city, away from the tubing and ‘happy shake’ crowd.

• – Kuang Si waterfalls, Luang Prabang
• – The Night Market, Luang Prabang
• – Sunset from Phu Si hill, Luang Prabang
• – Patuxai, Vientiane
• – Buddha Park, Vientiane
• – Caving, lagoons and mountains, Vang Vieng
• – Jungle, Huay Xai

• – Luang Prabang: Downtown Backpackers Hostel
• – Vientiane: Avalon B&B

I stayed at Nok et Mika Guesthouse in Vang Vieng and it was a bit of a nightmare, for reasons I go into in the posts linked below. To reiterate, if you do stay in Vang Vieng, spend a little more to get out of town.

• – French food
• – Buffet at the night market
• – Coconut pancakes
• – Laos coffee
• – Beerlao
• – Visas: you can get this on arrival and the price depends on your passport. My British passport meant I paid US$35. Also, if you don’t have a passport-sized photo to hand, this costs an additional US$1.
• – Accommodation: US$5.5-7 per night.
• – Transport: long bus journeys are around US$6-13, tuk-tuk journeys cost only a few dollars.
• – Food: street food is a bargain at US$1-2 for a meal and this only rises to around US$5 for restaurants.
• – Other expenses: activities and day excursions from Vang Vieng cost US$13-19 depending on the activity. Sometimes there’s a discount for a bigger party.
• – You can’t get Laos kip outside of Laos, but my card worked fine at ATMs in the country.
• – As you can probably tell from what I’ve said above, be aware that Vang Vieng is a bit seedy. No judgement if you want to try out tubing, but also be mindful that it can be dangerous.
• – A tourist died at The Gibbon Experience in 2017. Obviously, it was an accident, but it’s something to be aware of.
• – It’s worth noting that Laos is a more conservative country than others you may encounter on your Asia travel itinerary, so be sure to dress appropriately, especially when sightseeing.

Luang Prabang may be a city, but it has the atmosphere of a town or village. The gorgeous temples with their low-sloping roofs, the colonial Indochinese-style villas and the buzzing scene of the night market has cemented this place in my mind. I will be back one day for sure.

For a full itinerary of my trip to Laos, read Backpacking Around Laos | Budget and Travel Tips . For some context on how I absolutely fell in love with LP, read 24 Hours in Luang Prabang . Finally, for my narrative travel diary entries, read  One Week in Laos | Travel Diary .

Two Weeks in Cambodia

I have wanted to visit Cambodia ever since I arrived in Asia back in 2011 and the country didn’t disappoint. The ancient history is astounding and incredibly well-preserved. The modern history is heartbreaking and a little uncomfortable to learn about, though still important to visit.

Side note : although I had two full weeks in Cambodia on my two month Southeast Asia itinerary, I managed to mess up my timings pretty bad, so that I was always going back and forth from Phnom Penh. Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, back to Phnom Penh, then Kampot and Sihanoukville and then back to Phnom Penh! Not exactly my best travel planning.

• – Siem Reap , known for nightlife and the gateway to the ancient city of Angkor.
• – Phnom Penh , the capital city of Cambodia.
• – Battambang , a colonial riverside city.
• – Kampot , a sleepy riverside town.
• – Mondulkiri , home to elephant sanctuaries.
• – Sihanoukville or Kep , beach destinations.

• – The ancient city of Angkor
• – Nightlife in Siem Reap
• – The bamboo train in Battambang
• – Elephant sanctuaries in Mondulkiri
• – The heartbreaking Killing Fields and S-21 Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, in Phnom Penh
• – Sunset over the river in Kampot
• – Relaxing on the beach in Kep

• – Phnom Penh: Billabong Hostel
• – Siem Reap: Oasis Capsules
• – Kampot: The Magic Sponge
• – Sihanoukville: One Stop Hostel

I stayed in Sihanoukville, but I did not enjoy it at all. I would advise going on to Kep, which was highly recommended by most travellers I met.

• – Fish amok
• – Khmer curry
• – Kampot pepper
• – Angkor beer
• – Visas: you can get this on arrival and the price depends on your passport. My British passport meant I paid US$35.
• – Accommodation: US$6-8 per night.
• – Transport: long bus journeys are around US$5-19 and can be bought in advance online with Giant Ibis , tuk-tuk journeys cost only a few dollars, but bike rental is often cheaper.
• – Food: street food is a bargain at US$1-2 for a meal, but start around US$6 for a meal in a restaurant.
• – Other expenses: your biggest expense will be your ticket to Angkor, which starts at US$37 for one day. Ask at your hostel for more information.
• – Cambodia has a really tragic modern history that’s worth reading up on before you visit, to give you some idea of context. The Killings Fields and S-21 Prison Museum are difficult places to visit, but I highly recommend that you do see them.
• – Confusingly, Cambodia accepts US dollars as well as Cambodian riel. Make sure you have low denominations because it can be difficult to break larger US notes.
• – Entry to Angkor requires you to go to the ticket office (the other side of town) and get a ticket pass with your photo printed on. I highly advise that you do this the evening before your visit, so that you can go straight to the site for sunrise.
• – Don’t go to Angkor Wat for sunrise. There are thousands upon thousands of people there every morning. Instead, choose a different temple for a view that is just as stunning, but not such a tourist trap.

Exploring Angkor was an other-worldly experience that I will always cherish. The history of the ancient civilisation and its city is mind-boggling, while the timelessness of the ancient temples really puts modern life into perspective.

For more information about my two weeks in Cambodia, read Cambodia Travel Advice: My Backpacker Budget and Travel Tips and for my travel journal entries read Two Weeks in Cambodia | Travel Diary .

I also wrote about exploring Angkor in Real Life Temple Run | How I Saw 10 Temples In Angkor In Just One Day (quite a feat when you see how huge the ancient city is) and I talked about how affecting Cambodia’s modern history is in So That History Does Not Repeat Itself | Phnom Penh, Cambodia .

A Few Days in Vietnam

I first visited Vietnam back in 2013, spending a week in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. However, I had promised myself I wouldn’t leave Southeast Asia until I had seen Ho Chi Minh City, also known by its previous name, Saigon. That’s right – I wasn’t going to ‘Miss Saigon’ (sorry).

So, although I only spent a few days in the country on my trip backpacking around Southeast Asia, I recommend that you have more time there.

• – Hanoi , the capital city of Vietnam.
• – Ha Long Bay , the limestone islands.
• – Da Nang , a coastal city with great beaches.
• – Nha Trang , a coastal resort and known for nightlife.
• – Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), a colonial city in the south.
• – Phu Quoc , an island known for amazing beaches.

• – A boat trip around Ha Long Bay
• – Water puppetry in Hanoi
• – Beaches and nightlife in Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc
• – The War Remnants Museum in Saigon
• – Cu Chi Tunnels in Saigon
• – A trip to the boat markets in the Mekong Delta

• – Ho Chi Minh City: Saigon Friends Hostel
• – Fresh spring rolls
• – Pho
• – Cold vermicelli
• – Vietnamese iced coffee
• – Salads
• – Banh mi
• – Saigon beer

• – Visas: for a British passport, there is a 30-day exemption visa on arrival (free). However, be aware that if you leave Vietnam, you can’t re-enter on that visa.
• – Accommodation: US$4 per night.
• – Food: street food is a bargain at US$1-2 for a meal and the most expensive meal I had at a restaurant was US$6.
• – The traffic in Vietnam is insane, even by Southeast Asian standards. The pavements are also used by scooters in Saigon, and crossing the road in Hanoi is notoriously stressful. Be super-careful as accidents are known to happen.
• – I took a tour to the Mekong Delta and it was awful. If you would like to do a tour, make sure that it leaves early in the morning and that you are guaranteed to see the floating markets.

All the food! Vietnamese food is highly underrated by the rest of the world, in my stomach’s opinion. Cold vermicelli and spring rolls are fantastic, and Vietnamese iced coffee (made with condensed milk) is delicious!

A full itinerary for my time in Saigon can be found at Ho Chi Minh City Travel Advice & Budget Planning . My travel diary is, of course, entitled Don’t Miss Saigon! | A Few Days in Ho Chi Minh City | Travel Diary . (Told you that pun was a winner).

Two Weeks in Bali, Indonesia

Before I started plotting out my Southeast Asia travel itinerary, I toyed with the idea of spending the full two months in Indonesia instead. Obviously, I ultimately decided on a multi-country trip so that I could see and experience the corners of Asia I had yet to see.

But, judging by how much I enjoyed my time in Bali, Indonesia would not have been a bad call either; there is so much to see and do just on this one island. Although there are certain areas of Bali that are certainly more touristy than others, it seemed to me that it had not yet been spoiled.

Note that this Southeast Asia travel guide focuses on Bali and the nearby Gili Islands, rather than Indonesia as a whole. Of course, there is more to see further afield, but as I didn’t visit anywhere else in the country, I haven’t included additional Indonesian destinations here.

• – Seminyak , upmarket beach resort.
• – Canggu , a surfer’s paradise.
• – Amed , known for snorkeling.
• – Lovina , known for dolphins.
• – Gili Islands (not on Bali), known for coral reefs and sandy beaches.
• – Ubud , inland and known for rice terraces, yoga and clean living.

What to see and do:

• – Surfing in Canggu
• – Snorkelling in Amed
• – Yoga, rice terraces and village living in Ubud
• – Dolphin watching in Lovina
• – Chilling on the beach in Seminyak
• – Uluwatu temple
• – Relaxing on the Gili Islands
• – Legian*: The Eco-Living Hostel
• – Lovina: Santhika Bed & Breakfast
• – Amed: Kelapa Cottage
• – Ubud: Kayuni Hostel
• – Canggu: Surfers House

*I stayed in Legian for the first few days of my time in Bali. Although the hostel was great, the location wasn’t and the whole Legian/Kuta/Denpasar area is a bit dirty and very touristy. Instead, you want to get out of the city and go as far north as you can.

• – Nasi Goreng
• – Health foods, smoothies and salads (especially in Ubud)
• – Bintang beer

I also highly recommend taking cooking classes. I took one in Ubud, where we bought fresh ingredients in the markets and cooked with them out on a farm in the countryside, which also brought in more income for the farmers there.

• – I found the cheapest way to get around the island was using Uber (they had just started up on the island and had discounts for users), but there is a lot of contention between Uber drivers and local taxi drivers, so be aware of that.
• – Nearly everyone hires a scooter to get around, but I met countless people who had the typical scooter burn on their leg from swinging their leg over the side, including myself. Be careful just being around those bloody things and if you’ve never used one before, then ask how to safely get on to save yourself losing a chunk of skin off your leg.
• – I heard of bag snatching and theft happening on the beaches around Kuta, so be careful not to fall asleep in the sun!

• – Visas: with my British passport, I entered Indonesia for up to 30 days ‘visa free’.
• – Accommodation: US$5-12 per night, depending on the area and quality.
• – Food: similar to above, street food is a bargain at US$1-2 for a meal, but start around US$6 for a meal in a restaurant. Again, this depends on the area you’re staying in, as prices vary all over the island.
• – Other expenses: a yoga class in Ubud costs around $10 for one class, but there are packages for more classes if you’re staying longer.

My whole time in Ubud was a highlight. Cooking classes, museums, rice terraces, white water rafting trips, incredible food and some of the best yoga classes I have ever experienced.

For more information about the different areas of Bali I visited, read  Guide to Bali: Planning and Travel Tips . My woeful travel diary entries lamenting my string of bad luck on the island can be found at  Two Weeks in Bali, A Series of Unfortunate Events | Travel Diary .

Other Countries in Southeast Asia

As mentioned above, I couldn’t fit every single country into my two month Southeast Asia trip itinerary, and I don’t recommend that you do either. But still, here are a few other suggestions of places you may want to swap in/out of your backpacking trip, depending on your travel route and schedule:

I visited a friend in Kuala Lumpur a few years ago, but have always meant to return to Malaysia to see more of this special country, especially a trip to beautiful Borneo.

• Where to go: capital city Kuala Lumpur, the island of Penang and lush Borneo.
• What to see and do: plenty of water sports and opportunities to see marine life, meeting orangutans in Borneo, climbing or admiring Mount Kinabalu, eating street food in Kuala Lumpur and gazing up at the iconic Petronas Towers.

I travelled to Thailand a few years ago, spending a (terrible) day in Bangkok, before heading down south, island hopping and drinking at the Full Moon Party on Ko Phangan (to be fair, I was 22). I have to admit, Thailand wasn’t quite the paradise I imagined, but I was impressed by the New Year festival of Songkran.

• Where to go: capital city Bangkok, city of culture Chiang Mai, Phuket and the islands off the east and west coasts.
• What to see and do: eating all the Thai food, partying in Bangkok or on Ko Phangan, relaxing on beautiful beach islands such as Ko Phi-Phi, learning to dive off Ko Tao, or soaking up Thai culture in Chiang Mai.

For more ideas, read this 10 day / two week itinerary for Thailand by Mona Corona.

Philippines

I’ve been to the Philippines three times and I have still only scratched the surface! Definitely the most underrated Southeast Asian country in my opinion, it has everything from hikes along rice terraces to swimming with whale sharks.

• Where to go: Northern Luzon (especially the village of Sagada), then choose your islands; Palawan, Cebu and Boracay are just some of the favourites.
• What to see and do: hike rice terraces, explore caves, relax on pristine beaches, swim with whale sharks, island-hop, and anything else you can think of!

Read A Two-Week Itinerary for The Philippines by Where in the World is Nina for more ideas.

I have not been quiet about my love for Singapore and how I hope to live there one day. Even just a layover in Changi Airport on this trip (FYI, the best airport in the world ) made me extremely happy.

• What to see and do: the Singapore Zoo or Night Safari, Little India, street food, treetop rainforest walks, the Merlion, the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel and the Gardens by the Bay.

Brunei Darussalam

I’ve been intrigued by the tiny sultanate of Brunei since a colleague of mine told me it was the most amazing place she’s ever lived. However, I’ve yet to make it there. Here’s what I know:

• What to see and do: explore beautiful rainforests and mangroves, water villages, mosques, wild monkeys, museums and markets.

Timor-Leste

Similarly, I was tempted to hop over from Bali to nearby Timor-Leste on this trip, but didn’t quite make it in the end. Timor-Leste is Southeast Asia’s newest country and this is the little that I know about it:

• What to see and do: reef diving, snorkeling, coffee plantations and really good trivia nights!

Two Months in Southeast Asia: Final Thoughts

I packed so much into my two months in Southeast Asia that it was difficult to keep up with the pace! For anyone else travelling around Asia in a similar time frame, I would definitely advise that less is more; pick a few countries and explore them well.

With five years in Asia behind me as well as backpacking through Asia for two months solo, I’ve managed to see a lot… but it’s never enough! I would love to do it all again and fill in all the gaps I missed on my Asia trip itinerary.

However, next time I’ll plan for a bit more time and try to save for more than a cheap shoestring budget!

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14 thoughts on “ Two Months in Southeast Asia: Backpacking on a Tight Budget ”

Omg this trip just sounds amazing! Im looking to go there too with my brother or sister!

Oh wow, thank you! It was pretty cool, I have to admit. Let me know if and when you go and I’d love to give you some tips!

I admire you so much! I wish I could travel to these beautiful places! The pics are gorgeous!

Wow, thank you! And you can and totally should!

Wow! You really got to see a lot in 2 months! I’m incredibly jealous of your adventure.

Haha! I know, right? I really packed it in! South Africa is definitely on my radar for my next adventure, though!

Would love to go on a trip like this! Going to my bucket list! Great read

xoxo http://www.sarahicardenas.com/the-coffee-haunt/the-process-secrets-and-art-of-making-pour-over-coffee

You should! It was amazing. Thank you for reading. Glad you enjoyed it!

Hi your holiday sounds amazing I am going in October planning on Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar don’t knw if I would be able to do Cambodia as well seeing that it will be 28 days and doing it solo any tips will be appreciated….

Oh man, it was and so does yours! That’s a lot to fit into 28 days too! I have stuff about Bali (only place I went to in Indonesia), Cambodia and Myanmar, as per the links above if you need info. I’ve been to Thailand, Malaysia (well, Kuala Lumpur) and Singapore (hope to live there at some point) before, though nothing on this blog on them as of yet.

The best advice I can give is to say that sometimes less is more (see a place in detail rather than hop from one place to the next). Remember, you can always come back. For solo stuff, I advise that you go with an open mind to be flexible; things change last-minute and don’t go to plan, but in those challenging moments remind yourself that the most difficult of times make for the best travel stories! Oh, and as a solo female traveller, I always padlock my bag with a big padlock to deter thieves, then stash the key in my bra! Happy travels! Let me know if you want any more advise, info or recommendations – I would love to help!

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2 Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

Southeast asia has a special place in my heart. as the first trip i ever backpacked, i have a special bias towards this region because it’s where i was introduced to backpacking culture, and i recommend it to anyone and everyone to this day. southeast asia is a beautiful mix of countries, cultures, cuisines, and landscapes that look like something straight out of a fantasy book. lush jungles, bioluminescent water, craggy limestone mountains & easily some of the best food on the planet -- southeast asia has pretty much everything for the adventure seeker, all wrapped up in a safe and affordable region of the world., please note, for this route, i’ll only be focusing on the southeast asian countries i visited on this trip: indonesia, thailand, laos, vietnam & cambodia., to see my two-week itinerary for thailand, click here., to see my two-week itinerary for the philippines, click here., southeast asia tutorial, why 2 months, i chose two months for my southeast asia tour for one major reason -- it’s simply too big to see in any less time. how could i possibly span all 5 countries in any time less than two months and frankly, that didn’t even let me cover the entirety of it (sorry malaysia, myanmar & the philippines -- i’ll be back for you). however, i loved this travel route because it made for an adventurous first trip filled with absolutely everything i wanted to do without feeling overly rushed or pressed for time., long story short: if you’re trying to hit up all 5 of these countries in anything less than two months, you’ll miss out big time on some of the amazing lesser-known sights in this region. , budgeting in southeast asia, one of the biggest draws to southeast asia for me was the price. notoriously affordable, the exchange rate from us dollars to every southeast asian currency is hugely in our favor here in the west. it’s not uncommon to spend $1-5 usd on a meal, $5-15 for a hostel bed, and $10 on a border-crossing bus trip. simply put, southeast asia is a great place to stretch your dollar, whether you’re a millennial just out of college or a late-twenties adventure seeker., the way i rationalized it was this: why would i spend half the time elsewhere when i could comfortably travel southeast asia for the same price the most expensive part of the trip is the flight, the price of which can be easily managed by booking way ahead of time., for more tips on how to make your trip more affordable, see my trip budgeting page., overall safety in southeast asia, another thing that makes southeast asia a perfect destination for a first-time traveler is the fact that overall, it’s quite a safe place to travel. thailand is easily one of the safest countries in all of asia, and incidence of tourism crimes are low in most of the countries in the region. however, it’s worth noting that most of the countries mentioned on this list have very strict and severe punishments for drug possession and trafficking (some of which include the death penalty), so leave the goods at home, folks. southeast asia is notorious for having some of the most intense drug-related punishments in the world, so don’t mess around with this. a wild night out is not worth your life., other than that, i personally didn’t feel threatened or unsafe at any point during my two months in southeast asia, and the women that i spoke to said they also ran into virtually no issues on their trips as well. as always, just be street smart, courteous to your host country, and abide by the cultural norms of the land. when in rome, right, visas in southeast asia, as with anywhere else, visas in this region vary by country. at the time of my trip, a free visa-upon-arrival was available in thailand, indonesia, cambodia, and laos, which required no additional work on my part. you just simply arrive and go through customs & immigration. vietnam, however, does require a pre-purchased e-visa. the process is relatively simple and can be done online. there are dozens of websites that will walk you through it for a fee. they will all look like spam sites, but don’t worry, they’re often pretty legitimate (i’d recommend this one) . you’ll also need to send in copies of your passport and a few passport-sized photos, which you’ll want to bring with you as well when you land. don’t forget these, because without them, there’s a chance you may be denied entry., don’t worry, though, i’ve got all the visa documents you’ll need covered in my packing checklist, so you shouldn’t have any issues., know your passport, also, it’s important to understand your immigration status based on where you’re coming from. most countries won’t give you an issue, but there are some countries (in particular indonesia & malaysia) who, for instance, won’t admit people with israeli passports because of political reasons. the last thing you want to do is plan a whole trip, fly there and be told at the gate that you can’t get in because of where you live. do the research to make sure you don’t waste your time and money., two month southeast asia itinerary, destination.

Country 1: Indonesia (Days 1-11)

Indonesian Rupiah

Exchange Rate

$1 USD = 15,659.50 Rupiah (as of November 2022)

Primary Language

GMT +8 hours (Central Indonesian Time)

GMT +9 hours (Eastern Indonesian Time)

Dry Season: June - September; Rainy Season: December - March

Indonesia is a fascinating country. Almost the entirety of it is Muslim, except for tiny, little Hindu-based Bali. An ecologically rich archipelago with more beaches and volcanoes than you can imagine, Indonesia is a fantastic introduction to Southeast Asia, as it’ll give you a mix of highly tourist-heavy spots and completely off-the-grid backroads. Beginning in the tourist haven of Bali, you’ll navigate west into the more untamed and authentic island of Java, seeing both sides of this marvelous and underexplored country.

Days 1-5: bali, bali has become somewhat of a traveler & digital nomad haven ever since eat, pray, love put it on the map back in 2010. it’s a tiny island off the east coast of java that is absolutely overflowing with beautiful rice terraces, lush jungles, white sand beaches and active volcanoes. it’s easy to make bali an entire trip of its own, and it's truly no wonder why so many nomads set up shop there and live remotely. however, you’re on a schedule, so let’s distill the best things to do on this paradise island into five days..

What to do in Bali:

Check out some Seaside Hindu Temples ( Uluwatu & Tanah Lot are Crowd pleasers)

Have a Beach Day at Padang Padang Beach

Check out the Tegalalang Rice Terraces in Ubud

Take a Dip in Ubud’s Tirta Empul Water Temple

Check out the Ubud Monkey Forest

Where to stay in Bali? I loved   Big Pineapple Backpackers Hostel

Days 6-7: banyuwangi, once you’ve had your fill of fun and sun, grab a bus to bali’s westernmost point to catch your ferry over to java. the bus ride should take a few hours (give or take), and the ferry over should be fairly quick. catch a cab from the port in java to your hostel in banyuwangi. if i’m honest, there’s not much to see in banyuwangi other than to be a jumping point for the ijen crater. you can spend your day walking around, but don’t be surprised if the locals ogle at a rare foreigner. my advice arrive in the evening, spend a day exploring and book your ijen tour, and then get an early night’s sleep because you’ll be up at midnight., kawa ijen (ijen crater) midnight hike.

Despite having gone on dozens of hikes since the Ijen Crater, it remains my favorite hike of all time. Maybe it’s because you start the hike in pitch black or because you get to watch the sunrise from inside the crater, but the Ijen Crater is a serious crowd pleaser. You’ll get picked up at your hostel at midnight and dropped off at basecamp around 2:00 AM where you’ll grab your headlamp and start your way up the mountain. By 5:00 AM you’ll not only have reached the crest of the volcano, but you’ll have walked down into it, reeking of sulfur, overlooking the acidic crater lake and watching the men who bravely carry valuable sulfur ore down the mountain. Be ready to get dirty and smelly. It took 6 washes to get the stink of sulfur out of my clothes and 6 years to get it out of my nose. 

Trek difficulty level: 2.5/5 (not easy, but not bad for novice/intermediate hikers), days 8-10: malang, once you’ve marinated in that pungent crater air, head back to banyuwangi and grab the train to malang. the ride can take up to 7 hours depending on which train you catch (there are only 3 trains a day), so be ready with a podcast or some music. when you arrive in malang, cozy up in your hostel, but get ready for another sulfur-packed day when you check out the world famous and very active mount bromo. arguably the most famous volcano in all of indonesia, mount bromo sits in the middle of what looks like a lunar landscape -- surrounded by sand, dirt and red-tinted dipping valleys.  get there early for some stunning sunrise views and head to the crest of the volcano to see it in all its glory. because it’s so active (it last erupted in 2016), it really makes for a fascinating up close and personal look at the workings of a volcano..

Other than Bromo, there isn’t very much else to see in the area. Take a day to recover, explore the city, and take in the last bit of delicious tempe before starting your journey over to Thailand.

Day 11: surabaya & flight to phuket, once you’ve had your recovery day in malang, catch an early bus from malang to surabaya (only a 1.5 hour trip) and head straight to the airport. check into your flight and wave goodbye to indonesia. bye, indonesia , country 2: thailand (days 11-29).

$1 USD = 36.79 Baht (as of November 2022)

GMT +7 hours (Indochina Time)

Dry Season: November - February; Rainy Season: June - October

Welcome to Thailand! Land of jungles, islands, elephant parks and drunken noodles. You’ll notice almost immediately that Thailand is an incredibly tourist-friendly country, with many signs translated to English, tourism centers on every corner, and western food galore. But don’t worry! Thailand may be a tourist haven, but it’s not lost an ounce of its local and deep cultural charm. You’ll get to immerse yourself in stunning Buddhist temples, delicious night markets and much more in the two weeks you’re here. So let’s begin.

Days 11-12: phuket.

You made it to Thailand -- congrats! Heavily developed and teeming with tourists, Phuket is a full-on tourist beach town, with food stands, surf shops and the whole nine yards. Is it beautiful? Definitely. Is it a great place to party? For sure. Is it quiet? Nope. Grab some friends, down a cocktail bucket from your hostel bar and enjoy a night out on the Patong strip. Long story short: Phuket is fun for its nightlife and eccentricities, but if you’re looking for a quiet white sand beach or some real Thai culture, bide your time. We’ll get there.

What to do in phuket:.

Have a legendary night out on the Bangla Walking Street

Nurse a hangover on Patong Beach

Catch a  Burlesque Show on the strip

Get your fill of Western food: it’s all they have here

Do NOT go shopping: everything here is way overpriced

Days 13-17: Krabi & Koh Phi Phi

Once you’ve had your fill of drinking and dancing, catch a van a few hours away to krabi -- a much quieter beach town on the opposite side of the phang nga bay. apart from being a port for the dozens of tropical islands all around, this sleepy town has much quieter beaches, far tastier thai food and the huge, sloping limestone cliffs that thailand is famous for. take a boat over to railay beach and spend the day relaxing in the sun and enjoying the quiet waters. sip a cocktail at a beachside bar and just laze around enjoying the views. and for sunset, be sure to make your way over the tiger cave temple for a climb up the 1,260 stairs to the top (it’s harder than it sounds). there are sneaky monkeys, so keep your valuables close and make way for the monks heading to the top at record speed. the view at the top of this unique temple is really mesmerizing, with the sunset poking through the limestone cliffs for miles and miles..

Where to stay in Krabi  I'm a big fan of   Ao Nang 88 Hostel

Koh phi phi, after a day or two in krabi, catch the two-hour ferry over to koh phi phi. an island known for partying and crystalline waters, koh phi phi is sort of a middle ground between phuket and krabi -- party-oriented for sure, but with a nice tropical getaway feel, populated by young backpackers looking for a good time. stay at a beachside hostel and lay in a hammock during the day and spend the evenings drinking and watching the fabulous beachside fire dancer shows. you definitely don’t need more than 3 days here. when you’re properly hungover and sunburnt to a crisp, catch the ferry back to krabi and head back towards phuket..

What to do in Koh Phi Phi:

Laze around on the beach, literally steps away from your hostel

Go diving or snorkeling! This is the perfect place for a beginner dive (I recommend Sea Frog Diving Center )

Climb up (more so walk up) to the island’s beautiful viewpoint

Get a massage...if you dare (a lot of massage parlors on the island are sketchy, so be selective and know what you’re getting ...or more importantly, what you’re not getting)

Catch a Muay Thai show

Days 18-19: Bangkok

To get to bangkok from phuket, you have 2 options. you can either take a 12 hour bus (i’d recommend a late one so you can sleep and save money on accommodation), or you can bite the bullet like me and fly. the flight is only an hour and generally pretty cheap, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank splurging on this expense that saves you 10.5 hours..

Once you arrive in Bangkok, you may be overwhelmed -- don’t panic. Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand, and as such, it’s truly a modern-day metropolis. Different from the islands in almost every way, Bangkok can have a tendency to overwhelm newcomers with sounds and smell, but once you get used to it, you’ll find plenty to do and see in this unique capital.

What to do in bangkok:.

Check out the huge reclining Buddha at Wat Pho

Tour the Grand Palace

Explore Lumpini Park

Party on Khao San Road (just in case you haven’t had enough of partying yet)

Buy a suit (we thought these would be scams, but our friend got a really great, cheap suit in Bangkok)

Pig out on street food (this is a great place to try street meat) 

Where to stay in Bangkok?  I recommend   Back Home Backpackers or  Dreamcatcher

Days 20-23: chiang mai, once you’ve had enough hustle and bustle, catch a night bus from bangkok to chiang mai. the ride takes about 12 hours, so it’s best to get some shut eye. when you arrive in chiang mai, you’ll fall in love immediately. also a large city, chiang mai is by no means a dirty or crowded metropolis. rather, it’s a quieter and more subdued cultural haven than both bangkok and phuket. tourists come here mostly for access to the nearby mountains and elephant parks in the area, but stay for the wildly delicious night market food and easygoing local vibe..

What to do in Chiang Mai:

Visit an Elephant Rescue Park (see below for a note on how to pick an ethical one)

Go cliff jumping at Chiang Mai’s Grand Canyon

Have fun with forced perspective at the Chiang Mai 3D Art Museum

Check out the fortress-like Wat Chedi Luang Varahivara Temple (& go temple hopping)

Pig out at Chiang Mai’s famous & cheap Night Market

Learn how to make classic Thai food in a Cooking Class (I recommend Mama Noi’s )

Where to stay in Chiang Mai?  Chiangmai Gate Capsule Hostel is clean, comfortable & has tons of activity-booking options

A note on elephant parks & tiger sanctuaries, when it comes to wildlife tourism, it’s very important to do your research. a lot of local businesses that cater to wildlife lovers have a really racy record of mistreating their animals in an effort to make the experience more enjoyable for you. in fact, a recent national geographic exposé showed that even elephant sanctuaries that boast humane conditions just shuttle them over daily from cruel ones in an effort to appeal to well-intentioned tourists. don’t fall for it and don’t be the type of tourist who takes advantage of the wildlife for an insta story or a selfie. tiger sanctuaries sedate their tigers to keep it safe for tourists to take pictures with them, which is wildly unhealthy and cruel to the animals. do your research so you wind up contributing to humane businesses and diverting money away from inhumane ones., as a general rule of thumb: if a sanctuary lets you ride an elephant in a basket, that’s not kosher. elephants are not meant to have that much weight on that part of their backs, and they’re often whipped with hooks to get them to move for you. avoid at all costs..

Days 24-26: Pai

Oh boy, are you in for a treat in pai...grab a local bus or van and head 3 hours northwest of chiang mai to arrive in this sleepy backpacking haven. potentially my favorite part of the whole country, pai is justifiably highly regarded as the type of town you can wind up in for much longer than intended. nestled in the lush jungles bordering myanmar, pai has it all for nature-lovers: beautiful hiking, refreshing waterfalls, steamy hot springs and mysterious caves. rent a scooter for a few days and tour the countryside. take in the beautiful views and zip along from spot to spot at your leisure..

What to do in Pai:

Rent a scooter and explore on your own (Pai is very open so there are far less things to bump into)

Go waterfall-hopping (I recommend Mor Paeng, Pambok, Hua Chang & Mae Yen )

Soak in the Sai Ngam Hot Springs (the ones outside of town)

Explore Tham Lod Cave on a guided riverboat (can combine this with the hot springs)

Check out Pai Canyon for sunset 

Go White-Water Rafting

Where to stay in Pai? Check out   Famous Pai Circus Hostel (if you’re looking for a wild night & some free circus lessons), Deejai Pai Backpackers (if you’re looking for a quiet spot with a social atmosphere)

Days 27-28: chiang rai, after you’ve lazed around at the hostel pool or got your fill of spelunking, head back to the bus station to grab a van back to chiang mai so you can make your transfer over to chiang rai. chiang rai is a city in the northeastern corner of thailand, and is the closest major entry point to loas. chiang rai is where you’ll wave a warm goodbye and head over to your next country, but before you do, make sure you take a day to check out the wat rung khun, or more famously known as the white temple., where to stay in chiang rai i liked   mercy hostel, wat rung khun (the white temple).

I know, I know...You’re all temple-ed out. By now, you’ve already seen so many...what could possibly be so special about this one? Well, friends...the pictures speak for themselves. The White Temple is unlike any other Buddhist temple in Thailand or in Southeast Asia for that matter. It was constructed much more recently than the ones you’re used to and has a uniquely modern aesthetic. The hanging heads of iconic characters like Maleficent or Iron Man should give that away. On the outside it’s fully white with en elephant graveyard feel, while on the inside there are murals with modern characters like minions and spiderman. It’s a seriously unique spot and worth seeing before you head over into Laos.

Country 3: laos (days 29-39).

$1 USD = 16,950 Kip (as of November 2022)

Dry Season: October - April; Rainy Season: May - September

Up next on our Southeast Asia tour is Laos. A beautifully cultural and historical country, Laos has had a really rough go of it in the 20th century. Colonized by the French in the late 19th century, Laos unfortunately got caught up in much of mess of the Vietnam War and still suffers today the consequences of a conflict it didn’t need to be involved in. You’ll notice as a result that Laos is far less developed than Thailand, and even its largest city is dwarfed in comparison to metropolises like Bangkok or Singapore. However, because Laos is landlocked, it’s perfectly located in a tropical savanna climate, and therefore has absolutely stunning natural sights and hidden gems that are not that difficult to find if you do a little looking. Let’s discuss what they are.

Days 29-32: huay xai & the gibbon experience, after catching the 2 hour bus from chiang rai and going through border control, you’ll arrive in huay xai. there’s no way around it -- this will likely be a bit of a culture shock. huay xai, other than a few hostels and restaurants, will seem a bit sparse and lacking compared to your recent destinations in thailand. however, you’re not here for the town. you’re here for the gibbon experience. so grab a hostel, stay overnight and book your tour., the gibbon experience, i first heard about the gibbon experience from a few canadian friends that i met in bali. i hadn’t planned on doing it and it was therefore not on my itinerary, but boy am i glad i left some wiggle room for it. simply put, the gibbon experience is a three-day trek into the laotian jungle where you’ll be zip-lining through the jungle canopy, sleeping in impressive treehouses, and hiking around the exotic and dense local forests. it’s a real once-in-a-lifetime experience, and even if you don’t see any gibbons (like i didn’t), it’s still worth the somewhat-hefty price tag. much of its earnings goes towards preserving the national park that it helped create as well, so you can feel good about booking with them..

Safety at the Gibbon Experience

A lot of people worry about safety when it comes to zip-lining, especially when you’re zip-lining higher than the tree canopy. the truth is that there has been one reported fatality at the gibbon experience that the company is very transparent about. my advice do your research and decide if it’s for you. i personally felt absolutely safe 100% of my  time there and so have hundreds of other guests, but i obviously understand the hesitancy. as always, just do what you’re comfortable with., days 33-35: luang prabang, when you’re back from your three-day trip to the laotian jungle, book a night bus from huay xai to luang prabang. now i’m not going to lie to you...this was the single worst experience of my entire two-month trip. the bus is rickety, the road is windy, there’s no bathroom & you have to share a small mat with a stranger. just buck up and accept it for what it is: a necessary means to get to your next spot. but when you arrive in luang prabang, you’ll be glad you did..

Luang Prabang is one of the main cities in Laos. It’s located smack in the center of the north portion of the country, and is surrounded by dense forests and sweeping limestone cliffs. It’s a relatively quiet city on the Mekong River where you can unwind and stretch your legs after having fit them on that bus. Stay a few days to eat some tasty French-inspired Laotian food and recuperate from your travels before moving onto Vang Vieng.

What to do in luang prabang:.

Walk through any of the city’s 34 temples (especially Wat Xieng Thong )

Take a day trip to Kuang Si Waterfall (arguably the most iconic spot in all of Laos)

Eat and shop your way through one of the best Night Markets in Southeast Asia

Enjoy the sunset from the top of Mount Phou Si (bring bug spray)

Have a beer or 6 at Utopia Bar

Days 36-38: Vang Vieng

Once you’ve recovered from your night bus experience in luang prabang, grab a 7 hour bus ride to vang vieng, an otherwise sleepy town somewhat overtaken by tourism. partying and nightlife are huge here, but that’s only because of the infamous river tubing that attracted so many travelers to town. now, the booze-fueled tubing romp is shut down (as a result of literal alcohol-induced deaths), but that doesn’t mean it’s any less fun. vang vieng is a lovely place to relax with a smoothie or ride around the beautiful dirt roads that surround the city. explore the truly unique and remarkable natural sights around the town. it has something for both adventurers and loungers alike..

What to do in Vang Vieng:

Go (sober) tubing down the river (hey, it’s still super fun and beautiful)

Ride a scooter over to the Blue Lagoon for some seriously blue water

Explore the dozens of caves that are 30 minutes or less away from town

Indulge in both French-inspired & traditional Laotian food in town

Party at Sakura Bar (and buy one of the shirts you’ve seen travelers wearing all over Southeast Asia)

Watch Friends  at any of the dozens of restaurants that have it playing nonstop

Where to stay in Vang Vieng? I liked   Real Backpackers Hostel Vang Vieng

Days 39: vientiane; fly to hanoi, had enough of laos yet doesn’t matter you’re headed to vietnam next wake up early in vang vieng and catch the 3-hour bus to vientiane, where you’ll make a transfer to your flight to hanoi. i admittedly didn’t allot much time in vientiane because it doesn’t seem like it has very much there that makes it unique from other cities i visited or will visit. if you do choose to stay here, however, feel free to indulge in some delicious french-inspired bakeries and food, meander around town, and kick back with a beerlao. if you’re here for a flight, just make sure to arrive early (you know by now how unpredictable southeast asian buses are)., where to stay in vientiane i recommend   dream home hostel, country 4: vietnam (days 39-57).

Vietnamese Dong

$1 USD = 24,867 Dong (as of November 2022)

Dry Season: November - April; Rainy Season: May - October

Vietnam. A country with an historic reputation, and a country that blew all my expectations completely out of the water. Deeply affected by the war in the 1960’s, Vietnam’s culture is a unique amalgamation of its own pre-colonial practices and the modern vibe that’s evolved since wartime. Big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are booming, and the people are warm and welcoming to tourists. The sights don’t disappoint either. From beautifully symmetrical rice terraces in the north to caves and canyons in the south, Vietnam truly surprised me at every single stop on my tour. You’re going to love it.

Open bus tickets in vietnam, vietnam’s open bus ticket system is truly a lifesaver, and the only bus-booking system i’ve seen that’s so inclusive and easy-to-use. simply go to a travel agency in hanoi and ask for an open bus ticket that includes all the cities down the coast. you’ll likely pay around $50 usd for it and can use it however much you like within the one-month period. the buses are pretty clean sleeper-buses, perfect for overnight travel and complete with little mini beds (somewhat small beds, but beds nonetheless). they usually have a bathroom and they sometimes have wifi (though it probably won’t work). they’re a really fantastic and cost-saving way to explore the country, so i’d say well-worth the money. , days 39-42: hanoi, welcome to vietnam as you land in hanoi, you’ll notice that this starting point in the north is a skyscraper-laced metropolis comparable to bangkok or singapore. tall buildings tower over the sidewalks, scooters zip by without regard for traffic signals, markets fill with vendors selling their wares, entire streets devote themselves to very particular goods (i’m looking at you, textile street). it’s easy to get overwhelmed here, especially with the population of almost 8 million people swarming the streets. however, hanoi is a fantastic spot to get acquainted with vietnamese food, etiquette and history, and truly makes for a lovely city to visit..

What to do in Hanoi:

Try not to die crossing the street

Explore the park around Hoan Kiem Lake 

Catch up on what you missed at the National Museum of Vientnamese History & Military History Museum

Tour the grounds of the Imperial Citadel

Get a little macabre at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Catch a show at Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (I didn’t do this but it sounds really cool) 

Eat, Eat, Eat. The best food I had in Vietnam was in Hanoi. It’s cheap, it’s tasty, & it’s easily found.

Where to stay in Hanoi? I liked   AZ Hanoi Hostel

Days 43-45: sa pa.

Sa Pa is a legitimately picturesque mountain town nestled within the rolling hills in the north of Vietnam. From Hanoi, use your open bus ticket to catch a sleeper bus 6 hours north to Sa Pa. I’d recommend doing an overnight to save a bit of cash on accommodation, but keep in mind, this will get you into Sa Pa around 4:00 AM, well before check-in at most hostels. Still, arrive in Sa Pa and prepare to be swarmed by the local hill tribe women who wait every morning for busfulls of tourists to arrive, ready to offer you the best deal on a homestay trek. Booking your homestay trek is up to you, but I’d recommend shopping around and seeing what each company has to offer so you get the best deal.

Where to stay in sa pa i liked   go sapa hostel, sa pa homestay trek, the sa pa homestay trek was an absolute highlight of my vietnam trip, and it’s well-worth whatever money you wind up spending on it. essentially you’ll be guided by local tribes women down into sa pa’s rolling hills and valleys, surrounded by the famous rice terraces you’ve probably seen in tourism agency posters. you’ll then spend a night at a local home, complete with a home-cooked dinner, and if you’re lucky, some homemade rice wine. the tour usually lasts 2 days (1 overnight), and is extensive, wet, and rough-and-tumble. you will get muddy; your feet will hurt, but you’ll be so glad you did it. also -- fair warning, the tribe women will ask you for an unexpected tip when you reach your destination. they may get mad if you don’t give one. whoops., trek difficulty level: 2/5 (not a walk in the park, but not majorly difficult).

Days 46-47: Ha Long Bay

Once you finish up your homestay trek and head back to town, grab the bus back to hanoi and transfer there for your 3-hour ride to ha long bay. now i’m not going to lie to you folks...i did not like ha long bay. was it because i had rainy weather probably. was it because my particular boat tour was so strictly regimented that it was planned down to the minute definitely. however, i’ve heard much better stories from other travelers who had better weather or who were a bit more selective with their tour agency. my recommendation do your homework and make sure you book a boat tour with people your age. some of them are geared more towards young partiers and some are geared more towards quiet retirees. this is possibly the most iconic spot in vietnam, so don’t be like me, and make sure your tour lives up to the hype., days 48-49: phong nha national park, once finished with your ha long bay tour, grab the bus back to hanoi and get ready to head down to phong nha national park. this will be a long one, folks -- about 10 hours -- so plug in a podcast and catch some sleep on your night bus. when you arrive, you’ll notice that the town in phong nha is approximately 15 buildings wide. it’s very small. however, this unesco world heritage site has earned a reputation for good reason. the surrounding limestone cliffs make for some once-in-a-lifetime cave exploring and the local cows make for some treacherous scootering around town. the best thing to do here is to explore the mud cave, so check into your hostel and enjoy what this undiscovered gem of a town has to offer..

What to do in Phong Nha:

Go cave exploring (I recommend Paradise Cave, Phong Nha Cave & Dark Cave )

Explore Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave (if you have a reservation & $3,000 to spend)

Check out the Botanic Gardens (which are more like a hike and swim than a garden)

Drive around the area on a scooter. This area has some of the prettiest views in all of Vietnam.

Where to stay in Phong Nha? I liked   Easy Tiger’s Original Hostel Phong Nha

Days 50-52: hoi an, no, this isn’t hanoi. hoi an, though just a word-scramble away from hanoi, is an entirely different city smack dab in the center of vietnam. quiet, scenic, and very walkable, hoi an is a lovely intermediary between the bustling and silent spots you’ve been to in vietnam so far. located on the thu bon river and yet another unesco world heritage site, this city is thought of as one of the prettiest cities in the country, and definitely boasts a more traditionally old-time-vietnam feeling to it. it’s easy to spend days at a time walking through town munching on a banh mi, so it’s really no wonder people wind up staying here longer than they thought they would..

What to do in Hoi An:

Tour the historic Old Town

Scoot 1 hour away to the historic My Son Sanctuary Ruins

Have a beach day on An Bang Beach

Buy a hand-tailored & cheap suit

While you’re at it, go shopping! (souvenirs are cheap here)

Hit up all the local Banh Mi stands (Anthony Bourdain said Hoi An has the best in the country)

Check out the very instagrammable Lantern Market

Where to stay in Hoi An?  Check out   Bed Station Hostel & Pool Bar Hoi An

Days 53-55: dalat, after enjoying a lovely few days in hoi an, get ready for some adventure. catch a night bus to dalat and enjoy some zzz’s (the trip is 14 hours), but when you arrive, check into your hostel and sign yourself up for a canyoning tour. dalat is famous for its canyoning tours, thanks to some impressive waterfalls and cliffs nearby. now i know what you’re thinking at this point. “i’ve never been canyoning. that sounds terrifying. no thanks.” trust me, i felt the same way (i have a huge fear of heights), but the tour guides here are top notch and ensure your safety every step of the way. canyoning for me was a really unique experience and a top 3 highlight of the entire 2 month trip, so i recommend bucking up and giving it a shot. but if you’re still skeptical, no worries there’s plenty of other things to do in dalat..

What to do in Dalat:

Go Canyoning. Seriously. Go canyoning.

Explore the Crazy House (google it; you’ll see why it's got that name)

Hike over to Elephant Falls (and check out Linh Phuoc Pagoda while you’re at it)

Check out the nearby Lake of Sighs (it has a fascinating backstory worth looking up)

Play hide and seek in the eccentric 100 Roofs Cafe (made better with $1 whiskey)

Where to stay in Dalat?  I loved   Wolfpack Hostel

Days 56-57: ho chi minh city, catch your 7-hour bus ride from dalat to ho chi minh city and arrive in the morning. ho chi minh city. formerly known as saigon, and formerly the capital of vietnam before its unification in 1975, ho chi minh city is steeped in cultural and political significance. it was the focal point during the conflict between northern and southern vietnamese during the war, but has since grown immensely. partially stuck in the past and partially modernizing at a breakneck speed, ho chi minh city has everything you could want from a historical center, ranging from museums and monuments to sleek restaurants and new-age nightlife..

What to do in Ho Chi Minh City:

Learn about the country’s troubled history at the War Remnants Museum

Immerse yourself in the historic Cu Chi Tunnels

Do a day trip to the famous Mekong Delta 

Walk through Tao Dan Park

Enjoy the nightlife on Pham Ngu Lao Street (this city’s version of a nightlife strip)

Try the food! It’s vastly different here than it is in the north

Day 57: Bus to Phnom Penh

Once you’ve had your brief stint in ho chi minh city, use your open bus pass one last time to cross the border into cambodia. the ride takes about 6-7 hours made a bit longer by border control, but is otherwise painless. listen to some tunes and say goodbye to this lovely country you’ve been exploring for two weeks., country 5: cambodia (days 57-65).

Cambodian Riel

$1 USD = 4,144 Riel (as of November 2022)

Finally, after a month and a half of travel you’ve arrived in the Kingdom of Cambodia. Similarly troubled with war and internal conflict, Cambodia shares a history of corruption and sorrow that transcends far beyond its neighboring countries. Despite all this, Cambodia has really developed its own specific sense of culture in the last half-century, making it a truly unique country to visit. Combine that with its stunning white sand beaches and archaic ruins, and you have a recipe for not only a fun and adventurous trip, but a sobering and reflective one as well.

Days 57-59: phnom penh, phnom penh is a developing city with a very somber past. as the country’s capital, it was the central point of the cambodian genocide in the 1970’s that separated families, imprisoned intellectuals and effectively wiped out a quarter (over 2 million) of the country’s population. it’s a solemn and reflective place that demands respect and attention., where to stay in phnom penh  i liked   envoy hostel, the killing fields, i won’t sugarcoat this: the killing fields is not a fun day. this tragic area is the site of over a million horrifying deaths back in the 20th century, for men, women and children who wouldn’t fall in line with pol pot’s khmer regime. it’s a highly emotional and sad tour, but a necessary one to fully grasp the magnitude of this historical atrocity. the tower in the center is filled stories-high with real-life skulls of victims, and when the grounds flood, bones and remnants of clothing rise out of the ground. this is really heavy stuff, made heavier by the informative and well-documented audio guide you’ll have while you visit., please keep in mind: this is not a place to fool around. this is not a place to wear a bar-themed tank top. be respectful and try to be reflective while you’re here..

S-21 Prison

S-21 prison is often combined in a day tour with the killing fields. this horrifying former high school was used during the genocide to imprison and torture dissidents. it housed over 14,000 prisoners in its 4-year operation and only released 7 survivors. it’s an eerie and uncanny visit to say the least, but like the killing fields, it’s important to learn about to keep the memory of those who perished alive. the audio guide helps out a lot, giving you a condensed history of what brutal atrocities took place here, and an old man sits outside (one of the only 7 survivors) selling his book and sharing his personal account of his experience behind bars..

Days 60-62: Koh Rong & Sihanoukville

Once you’ve learned about cambodian history in phnom penh, i think it’s time for some fun. grab a 5-hour bus from phnom penh to sihanoukville and grab a ticket to koh rong. i personally don’t think there’s much reason to stay in sihanoukville. since it’s been overrun with tourists, it’s sort of turned into a dirty cesspool of cheap partying on the same vein as the worst club on the jersey shore. get your ferry ticket and prepare yourself for a rickety ride over to koh rong., there’s a bit of controversy over koh rong. when i went in 2016, koh rong was a deveoping paradise island with some bars and hostels on one side and a picture-perfect white sand beach on the other, separated by a dense jungle. however, i’m told that since then it’s changed dramatically and, like sihanoukville, become an overpriced and dirty tourist trap. my advice is to do your research. it was a fundamentally incredible part of my trip, complete with instagrammable sunsets, late-night beach parties, an offbeat island vibe, and bioluminescent plankton, but i hear that may not be the case these days. look into it..

Koh Rong Samloem

If koh rong feels a bit too touristy for you, you do have another option. koh rong samloem is another island just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away, boasting a much more off-the-grid feel. i’m told it has very minimal wifi, no atm’s and as such, very few tourists. this seems like the better bet these days, but look into it yourself to see if it’s the destination you want for your island getaway., days 63-64: siem reap, after a few days on an island paradise, it’s time to wrap up your trip with cambodia’s crown jewel: siem reap. in the interest of time and sanity, i flew 45 minutes from sihanoukville to siem reap (much shorter than the 12-hour bus ride) for a pretty cheap price. this gave me the maximum amount of time to explore siem reap before heading home, and even so, i could have done with a little longer there., if there’s any monument that cambodia is associated with it’s the angkor wat (it’s even printed on the money). this impressive hindu archaeological site is the largest religious monument in the entire world, and arguably the best preserved and most beautiful. built in the early 12th century, this impressive display of construction could take weeks to fully explore, but there definitely are some highlights. my recommendation get there nice and early (i mean 5 am early) to see the iconic sunrise over the main entrance (there will be swarms of other tourists even that early). then, hire a driver to take you around to all the must-see temples, as they’re not walking distance apart. these include angkor wat, ta phrom, pre rup, prasat kravan, east mebon, ta som, neak poan, and preah khan..

It’s truly impressive how well-maintained and complete these structures are, even whilst being overgrown with vines, trees and ivys. I personally felt like a video game character meandering through the ruins, and in fact one of the temples is actually where Tomb Raider was filmed. Spend as much time as you can exploring these once-in-a-lifetime sights. And if you have time to do anything else in Siem Reap, check out the following.

What else to do in siem reap:.

Try a pedicure at a fish spa

Do a guided hike through the Kulen Nature Trails

Let loose at Siem Reap’s Pub Street

Where to stay in Siem Reap?  I loved   Funky Flashpacker Siem Reap

Days 65: fly home, and there you have it-- two months in southeast asia unfortunately, the time has come to pack up your stuff for the last time and catch the impossibly long flight home from cambodia. hopefully this itinerary covered most of what you wanted to see in this part of the world in an appropriate amount of time. hopefully you had the wiggle room to explore on your own and check out some spots recommended by other travelers. but most importantly, hopefully you gained a lot of cultural knowledge from your travels as well as adventurous experiences and stories from nights out., if you’re interested in seeing other parts of the world, you can always check out my other itineraries right here. happy travels, my friends.

Two Months Traveling in Southeast Asia: Our Itinerary

Ultimate two-month backpacking itinerary: thailand, vietnam, malaysia and singapore.

Sara Santos | April 4, 2024 December 27, 2023

We spent two full months traveling around Southeast Asia. Are you looking to go on a similar adventure and are searching for some inspiration? Look no further. In this article, we’ll share our exact itinerary and our honest opinions about each place, and if it’s worth adding to the itinerary or if it’s better to skip it. We’ll also share useful tips about the places we visited.

Two-Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

Here’s a summary of our itinerary. You can continue reading for a more detailed description of each place.

Day 1 -5: Bangkok, Thailand

Day 6: train from bangkok to kanchanaburi, day 7 – 8: kanchanaburi, thailand, day 9: kanchanaburi to chiang mai, day 10 – 14: chiang mai, thailand, day 15 – 16: chiang rai, thailand, day 17: driving back to chiang mai, day 18: flying from chiang mai to hanoi, vietnam, day 19: hanoi, vietnam, day 19-21: ninh binh, vietnam, day 22 – 23: ha long bay, day 24: hanoi, day 25: da nang, day 26 – 28: hoi an, day 29 – 31: ho chi minh city, vietnam, day 32 – 34: bangkok, thailand, day 35 – 38: krabi, thailand, day 39 – 41: phi phi islands, thailand, day 42 – 45: koh lanta, thailand, day 46 – 51: koh lipe, thailand, day 52: speedboat from koh lipe to langkawi, malaysia, day 53 – 55: langkawi, malaysia, day 56 – 59: kuala lumpur, malaysia, day 60: bus from kuala lumpur to singapore, day 61 – 63: singapore, day 64: flying back home.

Many people start their journey in Bangkok as it’s a major hub with plenty of international flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport. It’s a fantastic entry point to Asia and a popular starting point for many travelers. Another major hub is the Changi Airport in Singapore .

We spent five full days in Bangkok and it was a good amount of time to have a good feel of the city. We visited some of the most popular temples, went to the famous railway market, explored a floating market , and we even did a day trip to the Ancient city of Ayutthaya . Everything you need to know to plan your time in Bangkok is described on the article below.

You may also like : Bangkok Ultimate Travel Guide for First-Timers .

There is so much to do and see in Bangkok that you can spend a whole month there and never get bored.

Take into account that if you’re traveling from another continent, like us, you’ll arrive quite tired. So, you’ll probably spend your first day resting at the hotel and adjusting to the new timezone.

After Bangkok, we caught a train to Kanchanaburi . There is also the option to go by bus or minivan, but I always prefer the train.

The journey from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi is very scenic and if you don’t mind traveling on an old train without AC, it’s totally worth it. The journey takes around two and a half hours and it departs from Bangkok Thonburi Station.

Related article: How to Spend Two Days in Kanchanaburi : Itinerary and Tips

Kanchanaburi is a popular place to visit thanks to its proximity to the Erawan National Park. The National Park is famous for its seven-tiered waterfall on a lush tropical forest. The waterfalls are easily accessible from Kanchanaburi by public bus (approximately one hour and a half). Everything is explained in this Kanchanaburi Travel Guide .

There are also other interesting landmarks and temples in Kanchanaburi worth visiting. I liked coming to this place because it’s much quieter, with more nature and fewer crowds. It’s usually out of the most popular itineraries.

It’s also possible to visit Kanchanaburi as a day trip from Bangkok, but I think that will be too rushed. I recommend staying at least one night and also exploring the night market.

After Kanchanaburi, we took the train back to Bangkok and then we caught a flight to Chiang Mai. Another popular option is to take the night train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai.

You may also opt to go from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, spend the day there exploring, and catch the night train to Chiang Mai afterward. If you want to do this journey, you need to book your ticket quite in advance because it gets sold out quickly.

Related article: Ayutthaya Travel Guide: Visit on Your Own from Bangkok

Chiang Mai is renowned for its numerous temples and huge night markets. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the temples inside the old town anything special. During our trip, we saw much better temples in other places. All the details about our stay in Chiang Mai are described in this Chiang Mai Travel Guide .

The night markets are some of the best we’ve been to. There are many stalls selling food, clothes, and souvenirs. This is one of the best places if you want to buy some cheap clothes and souvenirs.

There are also many elephants sanctuaries in Chiang Mai. If you want to see the elephants, make sure you choose a real ethical place. This means little to no human interaction with the animals. We didn’t visit any sanctuary, so I can’t recommend a specific place.

What I liked most about Chiang Mai was hiking in Doi Suthep to the Wat Phra That temple and the Doi Inthanon National Park, which is where the highest point in Thailand is located.

I found Chiang Mai’s nearby places much more interesting than Chiang Mai City itself. We rented a car in Chiang Mai, which allowed us to explore a bit out of the usual itinerary and explore places like the Sticky Waterfalls and the Chiang Mai Hot Springs.

Related article: Chiang Mai Travel Guide for First-Timers

We rented a car in Chiang Mai and drove to Chiang Rai . There is also the option to go by bus or minivan for very reasonable prices.

Chiang Rai has some of the most amazing temples we saw during our trip, so it’s a place worth adding to your itinerary. If you are on a limited time, there are also organized day tours from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. This is an absolute must-go if you’re visiting Northern Thailand.

Related article: How to Spend one Day in Chiang Rai, Thailand: Things to Do and Tips

After our time in Chiang Rai, we went back to Chiang Mai to return the car. We also went to the Chiang Mai hot springs along the way, but it’s just too hot to properly enjoy them. So, that’s not something that I would recommend. Consider going to the Chiang Mai Canyon instead.

Some people continue their journey to Pai and then cross the border to Laos, stay a few days in Laos, and only then, do they go to Vietnam. Due to time constraints, we decided to skip Laos. But, we’ve heard very good feedback about the country. So, it sounds to be a good place to add to your itinerary.

We spent one full day exploring Hanoi before going to Ninh Binh and another day after coming from Ha Long Bay. In my opinion, most tourist spots in Hanoi are nothing out of this world, but we really enjoyed the city.

Hanoi is quite unique, and it’s still very authentic. Everything is so different from what we have back home, and we can easily spend hours just people-watching. The traffic is so chaotic that spending some time watching it is oddly satisfying. I think two full days in Hanoi is a good amount of time

Ninh Binh was my favorite place in Vietnam. Probably because I’m more a nature person than a city enthusiast. Ninh Binh is also called “Ha Long Bay on land”. You’ll see rice fields surrounded by limestone cliffs, amazing viewpoints, scenic boat rides, and great temples.

This is an awesome place to rent a motorbike in Vietnam because there is little traffic and the roads are in relatively good condition. It’s also a good place to explore by bike as the terrain is mainly flat.

Two to three full days in Ninh Binh is a good amount of time. Don’t skip Ninh Binh, it was one of the most beautiful places we’ve been to in Vietnam. Consider spending some time there, not just a day trip. The acommodation is very affordable and with great quality for the price you pay.

No Vietnam itinerary is complete without a cruise in Ha Long Bay. Ha Long Bay is one of the new seven wonders of the natural world, and its landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The place is truly beautiful, but it is also one of the most popular tourist spots in Vietnam, so it’s usually very crowded. You’ll see dozens or even hundreds of cruises.

You can choose to spend a day, two, or three days in Ha Long Bay, and there are cruises available for all budgets. We opted for a “luxury cruise,” which was a great experience, but it also involved too much “mass tourism.” We did a bamboo boat ride and it was far from authentic. I liked the boat rides in Nih Binh much more.

After our Ha Long Bay cruise, we got back to Hanoi and spent another full day seeing other landmarks we hadn’t seen on our first day. We also needed some time to get some work done.

From Hanoi, we flew to Da Nang to explore Central Vietnam. We visited in November which is the worst time to visit central Vietnam, so we skipped a lot in this area.

Da Nang is a coastal city with several resorts next to the beach. Many people hate Da Nang, but I don’t see why. It has a relatively good beach and a great Saturday Night market. It is also home to the famous dragon bridge that spits fire. However, the city itself doesn’t have much charm because it’s made out of big hotels and skyscrapers.

Nonetheless, it’s a good base to explore attractions like the Lady Buddha, the Hai Van Pass, and the Marble Mountains. It’s also relatively close to Hue, the Imperial City.

Due to the weather conditions at the time, we didn’t visit other interesting locations in central Vietnam like Hue, Phong Nha, or Da Lat — make sure you take a look at those places because they definitely seem worth exploring.

Hoi An, also known as the city of lanterns is one of the most beautiful villages in Vietnam and it is a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s just 45 minutes away by car from Da Nang. For this reason, many people opt to stay exclusively in Hoi An and skip Da Nang.

In Hoi An, the whole place around the river is very charming and picturesque. It is even more spectacular at night when the river fills with little boats with lit lanterns. It’s so beautiful!

This is also one of the best places to get custom-made clothes or shoes. They have them ready in 24 hours. I bought two pairs of leather sandals. Don’t forget you always need to bargain the prices.

Hoi An is also a short distance from the popular coconut boat rides. Unfortunately, we got very bad weather on the day we planned to do this activity.

Another very popular place that is relatively close to Hoi An is the Instagram-famous Golden Hands Bridge. We opted to skip this place because the weather was bad and the entrance tickets and the ride to get there were a bit excessive,

From Da Nang, we caught a flight to the south, Ho Chi Minh City, also called Saigon. There are also bus and train routes from Central Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City is a more “modern” city, much less authentic than the other places in Vietnam. It has a lot of European influence, so if you’ve never been to Europe before, there is some architecture that you’ll like. Otherwise, it’s not much special.

If you like shopping and French-inspired Instagramable coffee shops, you’ll probably like it. That’s not much of my travel style, but I have to admit that the egg coffee and coconut coffee were quite good, and the French pastries were delicious for a fraction of the price you would find in France.

We spent three full days in Ho Chi Minh, which for me was too much. I didn’t like the feel of the city and the tourist attractions were not much interesting.

Ho Chi Minh City is a great starting point to explore the Mekong Delta. We went on an organized day tour of the Mekong Delta, but it was too mass tourism to be enjoyable. If you want to visit Mekong Delta, I recommend doing a little more research and trying to explore it on your own.

If it was today, I would have skipped Ho Chi Minh City and spent these days elsewhere.

After Ho Chi Minh City, we flew to Bangkok, a strategic place to stop for a few days before heading to our next destination: Krabi.

During a long trip, sometimes you feel you need to rest for a bit and spend a few days taking it more slowly.

During these days, we worked, tried new foods and restaurants, and planned the rest of the trip. I have to admit that I didn’t like Bangkok at first sight, but on this second visit, I don’t know what changed, but I loved the city and I can’t wait to get back. So, whenever you don’t like a place, give it a second chance.

Krabi was a disappointment in terms of “beach vacation”, but it surprised me with other things I wasn’t expecting. When in Krabi, you’ll want to stay near the Ao Nang beach and not in Krabi town.

Unfortunately, Ao Nang beach was very disappointing. The water had a grey color and didn’t seem clean. There was sewage coming into the water in several places. It’s not a place that I would choose for a beach vacation. This was our first impression of Thailand’s beaches. That was definitely not what we were expecting.

Related article: Ao Nang Travel Guide for First Timers (Krabi, Thailand)

Even though Ao Nang had some downsides, there are good reasons to include it in your plans, especially if you’re heading to an island afterwards—you can read everything about it in our Krabi Travel Guide . The scenery with limestone rocks is stunning, and you might even spot Dusky Leaf Monkeys (an endangered species) on the Monkey trail at the Ao Nang beach. There is a great fire show at the beach every day right after sunset. It was one of the best I’ve seen, I was quite surprised.

Krabi is also a good base for day tours to nearby beautiful islands. The most famous tours are the Hong Islands tour and the 4 Islands Tour . The nearby Railey beach, only accessible by boat, is also worth visiting for its beautiful scenery.

Related article: The 7-Island Tour in Ao Nang, Krabi – What to Expect

At this point in our trip, we had seen many temples so far, but one of the highlights was going to the Tiger Cave Temple and climbing the 1260 steps to the top.

The Phi Phi Islands are a group of six islands. The only inhabited island is Phi Phi Don. I was very unsure whether to spend some time in Phi Phi Don or just do a day tour from Krabi. We ended up staying three days in Phi Phi Don, and it was a great decision. I recommend staying there for at least a couple of days. You can read our Phi Phi Islands Travel Guide here .

The island is super small and there are no cars. The island is one hundred percent catered to tourists. There’s not much local culture here, the hotel prices are more expensive than in other places in Thailand and you’ll find many Western restaurants. Nonetheless, the island has a very good vibe, the landscape and beaches are beautiful, and the day trips to the nearby islands are truly worth it.

We did a full-day tour to the most beautiful places of the Phi Phi islands, including the famous Maya Bay, and it was one of the highlights of our whole trip. Maya Bay, despite being one of the most touristy places in Thailand, is aboslutely worth visiting. It is truly what paradise on earth should look like.

Related article: Koh Phi Phi: Things to Do and Tips for First-Timers

Koh Lanta is more of a local island, but still with good infrastructure for tourists without losing much of its authenticity. While it doesn’t have the most beautiful beaches, the island has many other things to offer and it has such a great laidback vibe that we loved our time there. You can read our Koh Lanta Travel Guide here .

One of the best things to do in Koh Lanta is to explore the island by motorbike from north to south. The roads are in good condition and there’s not much traffic.

There are also great snorkeling and day trips from Koh Lanta. We did a snorkeling trip to Koh Roh and Koh Ha and it was amazing. This snorkeling tour was one of the highlights of our entire trip. We saw a lot of healthy coral reefs and lots of marine life including Nemo, the clownfish.

You may also like : Koh Lanta Travel Guide: 3-Day Itinerary and 10 Best Things to Do .

I loved Koh Lanta, but if you’re expecting to enjoy the island’s beaches, you might be a bit disappointed. But, there are plenty of tours to nearby small islands with crystal clear blue water and white sand beaches.

Koh Lipe was our favorite place on the whole trip around Southeast Asia. The Island is super small, but the beaches, the color of the water, and the whole vibe are so good that you won’t want to leave. Our initial idea was to spend only two days in Koh Lipe, but we ended up spending almost one week.

Related article: Koh Lipe : Best Things to Do and Tips for First-Timers

There is a beautiful beach in the North of the island that simply looks like paradise. Additionally, there are great snorkeling opportunities swimming right from the beach. We ended up seeing Nemo almost every day during our time in Koh Lipe.

Additionally, there are so many good restaurants selling local food for a very reasonable price. The fish here is just delicious. We ate fresh fish almost every night during our time in Koh Lipe.

From Koh Lipe, we got the speedboat to Langkawi, an island in Malaysia. The trip is relatively short taking around two hours.

When we arrived in Langkawi, it was still early afternoon, but it started raining a lot, so we couldn’t explore much on our first day. We stayed near the Pantai Cenang beach, it’s close to the pier and to the airport.

Pantai Cenang is one of the most famous beaches in Langkawi, and it’s a popular place for water sports. If you would like to drive a jet ski, do parasailing, or other watersports, this is probably one of the cheapest places for that. However, if you’re looking for paradisiac beaches, this is not the place you’re looking for.

Langkawi is a popular holiday spot for locals, but it’s not yet on the radar of most international tourists. Despite the island’s beauty and stunning landscapes, there aren’t a ton of activities. Still, we spent three days there, finding something different to do each day.

A major highlight in Langkawi is the Sky Bridge, providing breathtaking views of the lush green forest and the entire archipelago. The Mangrove tour and island hopping are other popular and incredibly affordable activities that we found well worth the experience. Langkawi is rich in biodiversity, featuring various bird species, otters, dusky leaf monkeys, eagles, bats, monitor lizards, and more.

Despite its beauty, Langkawi might not fit the typical “beach destination” criteria we’re accustomed to in Europe. The beaches lack the familiar beach vibe. However, if you seek beautiful nature, affordable tours, and a less crowded atmosphere with fewer international tourists, Langkawi is an excellent choice.

Langkawi has its own airport, making it easy to move on to your next destination. Originally, we planned to start in Langkawi and explore Malaysia from north to south. However, realizing it would be rushed at this stage of the trip, we decided to catch a plane straight to Kuala Lumpur.

We spend two and a half days in Kuala Lumpur, which I think is a good amount of time to get a good feel of the city. Here, you can stay in a luxury suite for more or less 50$. How cool is that? We stayed in a luxury suite with a rooftop infinite pool overlooking the KL Tower and the Petronas Twin Towers, which were once the world’s tallest twin towers.

Kuala Lumpur is also home to other interesting and tall buildings like the KL Menara Tower, the TRX Tower, and the Merdeka 118 Tower.

Malaysia is a mix of cultures, allowing you to experience various cultural influences in one place. Mosques, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples, Chinese temples, and more contribute to this rich diversity. One of the most famous places is the Batu Caves, a Hindu temple, only twenty minutes away from the city center.

From Kuala Lumpur, we took a bus to Singapore. The bus should have taken four and a half hours, but it ended up taking more than six hours. This trip was quite exhausting and took almost all afternoon. You can also fly from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, but the flight was much more expensive than the bus because we were booking last minute.

We spent three full days in Singapore and it was the right amount of time. This is one of the most expensive places in Southeast Asia, so if you’re on a budget, you won’t want to stay here for too long.

Singapore, like Malaysia, is a mix of several different cultures. You’ll find a church, a temple, and a mosque on the same road, it’s quite interesting.

In Singapore, the most famous area is Marina Bay and Gardens by the Bay. The entire vicinity surrounding Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands is incredibly modern and beautiful. The supertrees and the cloud forest resemble scenes from the movie Avatar. This is also a fantastic place if you enjoy luxury shopping (not our case, but it’s always interesting to explore the different stores).

Singapore serves as a hub for numerous international destinations, making it likely that you’ll pass through here at least once during your Southeast Asia itinerary. In our case, this is where we caught our flight back home.

The airport itself is also a tourist attraction, particularly due to its mesmerizing vortex waterfall. There are a ton of things to keep you entertained at the airport (some free and some paid activities). We were quite tired, so we just went to see the most famous waterfall.

Wrapping Up

There are a million different ways to put together an itinerary to travel Southeast Asia. That will greatly depend on your budget, style of travel, and your overall interests. We took two full months to travel around this part of the world. Even though that’s a considerable amount of time, it’s still quite limited taking into account that there is so much to do and see and so many different amazing countries to explore.

Our initial idea was to explore the following countries: Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Singapore. We ended up skipping Cambodia because we felt it would be too rushed and the flights to go from Vietnam to Cambodia were very expensive at the time. We also didn’t explore Malaysia as in-depth as we wanted.

Other popular countries to add to your itinerary are Indonesia and the Philippines. If we had more time we would have included those countries.

We had an itinerary laid out before starting our trip and we followed it more or less as expected until the middle of the trip. Then, we completely changed our plans thereafter. It’s good to have an itinerary in mind, but it’s also good to have some flexibility to change your plans along the way. Our itinerary was quite diverse, including big cities, small villages, nature places, beaches, and mountains.

We hope this article has helped you plan your itinerary for your Southeast Asia adventure.

Finally, you can use our links to book accommodation and activities and find cheap flights. You won’t pay more for it and you’ll be supporting our work.

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Hana's Travel Journal

HANA'S TRAVEL JOURNAL

2 month itinerary for south east asia.

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Paths and trails throughout South-East Asia are well beaten. Backpackers, adventurers, food enthusiasts and high-end travelers are coming back year by year, season by season, because this region has something for everyone. It’s welcoming, warm and sunny, full of bright colors, unusual flavors and exotic smells. 2 months in south east asia

I was dying to go to Asia and experience it all on my own skin, see it with my own eyes and taste all the delicious authentic food with my own taste buds! I am also still confident enough to bring you some new information and points of view to help you plan your trip to this part of the world. 2 months in south east asia

Although I had been to SE Asia before, I haven’t explored ‘the land part’. Bali , Philippines and Singapore gave me a little taste of Asian delights and ever since then I’ve known I will be coming back for more. In this article I will present you some general information about this region plus our itinerary. We were travelling for almost two months through five countries and we tried to fill our days with different activities, spend some time with locals and get a little bit off-the-beaten-path experiences.

This is our rough itinerary for 2 months in south east Asia following all the places we visited. I wanted to see as much as possible and visit as many places as possible, but I also made sure that we stayed in each place long enough to really get to know it. You can see articles from each destination on the ASIA on my blog . 

KUALA LUMPUR | MALAYSIA

Duration: 2 Days

CHIANG MAI | THAILAND

Duration: 3 - 5 Days

MANDALAY | MYANMAR

Duration: 1 - 2 Days

BAGAN | MYANMAR

Duration: 3 Days

INLE LAKE | MYANMAR

Yangon | myanmar, hanoi | vietnam.

Duration: 1 - 3 Days

HALONG BAY | VIETNAM

Duration: 2 Night Cruise

NINH BINH | VIETNAM

Hue | vietnam, hoi an | vietnam.

Duration: 2 - 4 Days

HO CHI MINH CITY | VIETNAM

Phnom penh | cambodia.

Duration: 2 - 3 Days

SIEM REAP | CAMBODIA

Bangkok | thailand.

Duration: 4 Days

For me, a good planning is essential before every longer trip and this one wasn’t an exception. I started months before just to decide where to go and what to see there, plus some extra activities, places where to eat and what to eat etc. If you are going to Asia for a limited time, I would recommend doing your research properly beforehand. I was helping myself mostly with other travel blogs and these two I considered the most useful: Nomadic Matt , who backpacked around Asia many times and his blog is very detailed full of useful information, and The Blonde Abroad with some stylish places to visit and how to stay safe. 2 months in south east asia

Situated within the Tropics close to the Equator, South-East Asian region characterizes hot and humid weather with an average temperature of approximately 25 degrees Celsius all year round (depending on particular country). There are two main seasons during the year – the wet season, a.k.a. the monsoon season and the dry season. The “land part” of SE Asia (North Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar) suffers from the monsoon season from May/June till October. Even though during these months the monsoon rains are rather a temporary annoyance, you can also experience some tropical storms that can last for days which will have significant impact on your plans. During the dry season you can expect lower temperatures and humidity, but also bigger amounts of tourists everywhere.

Rainy season

We travelled to SE Asia at the beginning of the rain season – from the end of May until mid-July and we experienced all sorts of weather but it was mostly sunny and very hot. The storms were intense but only about 15-20 minutes short and after that the sky cleared again. We got the most rain in Kuala Lumpur, where it rained every night and occasionally during the day. In my opinion, this was a good time for travelling. Yes, it was very hot, but at many places we could significantly feel the smaller amount of people and in Myanmar in most of the places were the only foreigners.

If you decide to travel in wet season, I recommend you to carry your raincoat at all times, bring a good bug spray and save some buffer days in your itinerary for museums, galleries or nice cafes in case it rains. For more detailed info about weather in Asia head to this link.

South-East Asia is a big region but getting from one place to another is really not that difficult (even though it can be adventurous sometimes!). As I mentioned at the beginning, more and more tourists travel to this part of the world every year and so the transportation network is becoming more and more customer friendly. 2 months in south east asia

If I want to know estimated price and route options from A to B, I usually use Rome2Rio website which literally connects every part of the world. From there I plan my route and check available websites for transportation in each region.

When you see the map above, you can notice that we were flying a lot. I don’t have any special secrets to find the best flights – Skyscanner does the job for me! When I started to plan our trip, I always kept the dates open to see which day the airfare was the cheapest. Then I booked through the link directly on Skyscanner.

We had (almost) no problems with low cost Asian airlines. We were able to get the flights for under 100 AUD per person (approx. 62 EUR) with 20 kg luggage included even when we booked last minute, and there were also snacks and drinks on board! I said we had almost no problems because once it happened to us that Vietnam airlines changed our flight 4 hours earlier without letting us know, and so we obviously missed it, but on the other hand we got hotel for the night and access to the business lounge at the airport for the whole day so it wasn’t an absolute disaster.

Buses and Trains

Over-night long distance buses are very popular in SE Asia and from our experience I can say they are quite comfy. You can recline your seat very low and make it into a bed. The roads are bumpy though and our drivers liked to honk a lot but we were still able to get some sleep and saved one night on accommodation.

Over-night train was my favorite mean of transport when we were travelling through Vietnam . We were on the train for 12 hours, but each of us got a proper bed (bunk bed for a couple) with clean linen, coffee, tea, soda or beer and we were even served breakfast! To make your train ride a good experience, you have to purchase the first class ticket! In the 2 nd class you will get a wooden bench to sleep on (no pillow nor blanket) and in the 3 rd class, you will have to share the bench with other people. There’s quite a big difference in price but just imagine spending 12 hours like this.

I booked most of our bus and train connections through 12go.asia where you can see reviews from other travelers and price comparisons. Sometimes the transport was cheaper when booked through a hostel, but usually it was also worse. With shorter 3 – 5 hours long drives, it’s okay, but anything longer than that, I am choosing comfort over price.

City Transport

The easiest way to get around any bigger city in SE Asia is taking a Grab . Grab, similar to Uber, is cheap, fast, reliable, the price is set in advance so you’ll avoid scammers and you don’t have to pay with cash. We haven’t used any public transport during our travels, because there wasn’t a big difference in price for two people anyway. If there was no Grab available, we booked our first transport from the station with the hostel we were staying in and then we just hired a motorbike for a day or two.

If you are interested in more details about transportation in SE Asia, for example the price comparison, drivers license requirements etc., you can check out these two articles – here and here .

Get your visa in advance! Do not wait until you leave your country because you don’t know what unexpected requirement will occur. As EU citizens we didn’t need visa for Malaysia and Thailand if our stay wouldn’t extend 30 days. The rules, however, differ from country to country. Also some South-East Asian countries require your passport to be valid for 6 more months before its expiration date after the day you leave the country (and they can be very strict about this rule).

We were able to apply for all our visas online and they got approved within few days. I write more about the visa process for each country in separate articles. For more general info head to the Lonely Planet website here .

Currency Exchange

Exchanging a big amount of money in an exchange office in SE Asia can be a little bit tricky and the rates are usually not in favor of international travelers. Before our trip, we exchanged couple of hundreds AUD in Sydney for every currency we’d need just to have something at the beginning and then the rest we withdrew from an ATM. ATMs are rare but not impossible to find. From our experience, those at the airports or bus/train stations charge less for a withdrawal with foreign credit card.

You cannot rely on paying only by your card because most of the establishments and shops don’t have EFTPOS terminals. We even had problems in few hotels and hostels to pay with our card. I would also recommend having some US Dollars on side. US dollars are widely used in Cambodia but we were able to occasionally pay with them in Malaysia and Myanmar too.

You most probably know this already, but there is no drinking water on tap anywhere in SE Asia. You have to buy all your water in plastic bottles and I can tell you, you’ll drink a lot as it can get very hot. Excessive use of single-use plastic, poor garbage disposal and lack of recycling are a big problem in these countries. Personally, I don’t like buying bottled water. Although I knew I won’t be able to avoid it while travelling, I still managed to reduce our plastic waste by purchasing water cleaning tables.

These water purifying tablets will get rid of any germs and microorganisms in water and make it clean for drinking and brushing your teeth. I got mine from a friend from an outdoor store in Sydney, but you can also buy them on Amazon, for example here . They are easy to use – usually one tablet cleans one liter of tap water. We stored the water in the fridge and we always took 2l bottle to start our day. It will not save you much money, but if you care about the environment, it’s really the least you can do!

The tablets are 100% save, we didn’t have any health issues during our trip (I just got heat stroke once but about that later). 2 months in south east asia

Travel Scams

South East Asia is generally a safe place to travel around, but it’s also a poor region and people, even though they are nice, will sometimes want to take advantage of you and they will try to scam you. 

I’ll give you an example: we were walking on the street in Ho Chi Minh City when suddenly a man, sitting on the ground with a box full of glues and sewing accessories next to him, started to point at Tomas’ shoes yelling it’s broken. This is a pretty common “innocent” scam in Vietnam. If we stopped, he would have put a piece of tape or a bit of glue on his shoe and would demand money for fixing it. If we refused, some more men would have appeared from nowhere and they would make us pay. As scary as it sounds, we were aware of this scam and we didn’t stop to check the “broken” shoes.

A family that was walking behind us fell for it, but the scammer was, in this case, alone and the father of the family was a big guy so they just walked away. I heard from some travelers who we met along the way, that if you wear sandals or flip flops, they take your shoes and refuse to give it back until you buy them back. 2 months in south east asia

Of course, travel scams can happen anywhere in the world and unfortunately they are more and more common. For more information about how to avoid them and what to expect check out these websites here , here and here .

I hope you’ll find my travel tips useful and if have any additional questions, feel free to shoot me a message here

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My South East Asia Backpacking Route when I was a Newbie Traveler (2 months itinerary)

I was planning to be a low-cost typical Asian backpacker but ended up spending way more than my budget since I’ve been hanging out with mostly Europeans who find Asia very cheap- but no regrets, I really had a great time and still having a blast! In, 01 July 2013, was my 11th day in Koh Pah Ngan, Southern Thailand, attending a 21-day yoga retreat and just chilling after almost two months of crossing borders, partying hard, socializing, visiting temples and museums, etc. Please also note that my younger brother and sister were traveling with me in my first 3 weeks – Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam! It was an incredible bonding time with my siblings and it was actually their first time traveling outside the Philippines!

If you’re heading on your first solo trip, I highly recommend this South East Asia Backpacking Route that I did when I was a newbie backpacker! It’s called the PANCAKE trail!

• Best Beers in South East Asia
• 20 Best Backpacker Hostels with Beautiful Swimming Pools in South East Asia
• Your Ultimate Backpacking Itinerary Route in South East Asia
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• 11 Suggested Itinerary and Backpacking Route in South East Asia

Related Article : Looking for affordable accommodation? Check out our Ultimate List of Best Hostels around Southeast Asia.

Southeast Asia Backpacking Route

April 26, 2013 – I left Iraq. Flight back to the Philippines April 27- Qatar Airport then Philippines!! April 27 to May 07 – Philippines May 07 to 09- Bangkok, Thailand May 09 to 13 – Chiang Mai (North Thailand) May 13- Crossed Thailand- Laos (Chiang Kong- Huay Xe Li Border) May 14- 17 – Luang Prabang, Laos May 17 – Crossed Laos- Vietnam (Here are the tips on how you can cross the Nam Can- Nam Khan Border) May 17-18- Hanoi, Vietnam May 19-21 – Ha Long Bay, Vietnam May 21- Hanoi, Vietnam May 22- 26- Hue, Hoi An, and Nha Trang May 27 to June 02- Saigon/ Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam June 03- Crossed Vietnam- Cambodia (Moc Bai- Bavet Border) June 03-05 – Phnom, Penh, Cambodia June 05- 07 – Siem Reap, Cambodia June 07-10 – Phnom Penh, Cambodia June 10-17- Sihanoukville and Koh Rong, Cambodia June 18 – Crossed Cambodia-Thailand (Aranyapathet and Poipet Border) June 18- 20 – Bangkok, Thailand June 21 to 28- Koh Pah Ngan, Thailand (Southern Thailand)

Since I love Vietnam dearly then I’ve decided to book a flight on the 30th of July to go to Hanoi, Vietnam. Stay there for a while and planning to enroll in a Pole dancing class course ( as a sport/ physical workout and not as a career! lol), meet friends, and explore Northern Vietnam ! Maybe apply for my Chinese Visa or until I figure out what I want to do in the next few months until I finally decide to go to South America .

I love Asia! I love the people I’ve met, and I love life! Positive vibes!

Transportation Tip: If you’re looking for the cheapest way to book the Trains, Buses, Ferries , and Transfers on this route, we use 12Go.Asia to compare the prices!

UPDATE 2017: I’M NOW MARRIED TO THE GUY I MET IN LUANG PRABANG, LAOS! WAH!

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48 thoughts on “ My South East Asia Backpacking Route when I was a Newbie Traveler (2 months itinerary) ”

Hi Kach! Happy holidays to you and the hub. Anyway, I’m planning a backpacking tour around Cambodia-Vietnam-Laos-Thailand for two-weeks. Any suggestions on how can I enjoy that short stay? Thanks and hope to hear from you soon! ?

Here you go Mary 🙂 https://twomonkeystravelgroup.com/south-east-asia-backpacking-101/

Hello! I have the 2 months May and June to travel around. ( was rooting for south east Asia) But I’ve read and heard Asia is not a good option for a backpacking route since it will be the monsoon season. I saw you travelled around that time, would you recommend? And if not, any other options?

Thank you!!

here Karma bou Saab https://twomonkeystravelgroup.com/south-east-asia-backpacking-101/

That’s awesome, Melissa! Where in Vietnam are you going to teach? Then are you planning to have a Southeast Asia Backpacking too?

Will be heading to Vietnam next week for a teaching job. This is just right on time. 🙂

That’s awesome, Melissa! Where in Vietnam are you going to teach? Then are you planning to have a Southeast Asia Backpacking too?

I am planning to explore more of Laos in South East Asia. Wishing to do it next year.

You can do it, Michael! How’s your Southeast Asia Backpacking route so far?

I had one month in Thailand and Cambodia and after returning to London, I never eat in a a restaurant again as a nigh of stay there could let me enjoy a week or more in other south east asian country.

When did you go to thailand and cambodia. Sally? Are you planning to continue the Southeast Asia Backpacking?

Oh, this is super fun! I always wanted to travel but I didn’t get a chance to before I had a son. Maybe I can still do this someday. Keeping my fingers crossed. 🙂

You can, Nina. Why not travel with your son? How old is he? Hehe. Southeast Asia Backpacking could really be cheap but some could be challenging for the kids.

Your blog post made me miss my single days when I used to travel a lot around Asia. 🙂 I used to frequent Thailand a lot because of my work before. One day, I will bring my family with me to go around Asia again. I’m sure it would be a more enjoyable and memorable for me this time.

That would be amazing, Teresa! Southeast Asia Backpacking with the family would be fun. 🙂 Keep us updated here when will you do it,

Thanks for the itinerary. Im planning to have a month long travel next year and still planning it. This is a good help 🙂 will be flying to hanoi too soon!

Safe travels to Hanoi, Cai! Which Southeast Asia Backpacking route will you do for your one month trip?

Waah! I really adore your blog because it is full of good travels around the world. Hope you could visit Philippines soon xo

We have lots of Philippines guides as well, Dorothy. 🙂 You can check it here https://twomonkeystravelgroup.com/city-travel-guide/

It’s just for this Southeast Asia Backpacking route, Philippines is less highlghted. hopefully by next year, we can explore more the country. 🙂

There are so many places to visit in SE Asia! I’m dreaming of doing this tour one day 🙂 I really wanted to go to Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Cheers to that positive vibe! 😉

Fantastic choices, Arrianne. Sure these three must be part of a Southeast Asia Backpacking.

I too enjoyed my 2 months backpacking trip in Southeast Asia. It was definitely fun because this time I traveled slower and without a fixed itinerary in mind. It allowed me to have better and more memorable experience rather than fleeting from one destination to the other just to visit many countries. 🙂

What kind of Southeast Asia Backpacking route you did, Darlene? Mind to share with us? 🙂

Such an adventure. Being usually on the road has its limits (like updating your blog) but definitely has awesome returns too like enjoying and learning at the same time. Love to visit Cambodia soonest.

Hello Mummy Berlin! When do you plan to go to Cambodia? Sure you will love it. And hopefully you can do Southeast Asia Backpacking too. 🙂

This is one great adventure you have! I wonder if you’ll travel around Philippines as well!

We will, Maria! Philippines is getting more popular nowadays as part of a Southeast Asia Backpacking route. 🙂

What an amazing adventure! You managed to fit so many beautiful places into your 2 months too. My dad lives in the Philippines in Cebu and I would love to visit there one day.

Where in Cebu, Helen? There are plenty of stunning beaches in Cebu and it’s perfect to add in your Southeast Asia Backpacking.

This looks such an amazing trip – my eldest daughters boyfriend is visiting there for a few months in the summer, he is very excited! Kaz x

Where is he heading to, Ickle Pickle? Is he planning to do a Southeast Asia Backpacking?

This looks like a wonderful trip! I would be so excited to see the Grand Palace in Bangkok! I’ve never been to Southeast Asia at all. I would love to go to Thailand and Cambodia and the Philippines!

You should go, Stella! If ever you will be doing a Southeast Asia Backpacking, jdrop a comment here. 🙂

Still waiting for the day that I could do this. It must be really tiresome but readung at what you wrote, it seemed like you ha the best moments of your life. And man! Two months?!?! Wow! Xx

withkerr.wordpress.com

It’s really wow, Kerr! Southeast Asia Backpacking for two months could be tiring but definitely memorable.

Oh wow what an adventure – can’t believe all the things you packed into 2 months! Enjoy your next adventure in the Vietnam!

Thank you, Sarah! Two months for Southeast Asia Backpacking could not be enough for others. But whatever route it is, you will love each country of SEA.

I am a huge lover of traveling and I am traveling every weekend at least once a month but I am not sure I can do 2 months straight.

That’s fine Anosa! If ever you could find more time then Southeast Asia Backpacking would be a gread adventure for you. 🙂

That all sounds amazing. I wish I could go on a trip like that. With a toddler I don’t think it’ll happen for a while. Have a GREAT time 🙂

Yes, Ayse! Let him/her grow first. hehe. But there are also several destinations in Southeast Asia where you and your kid would enjoy and could easily visit.

Wow all that travelling must have been so tiring but I bet that it was worth the sleepless nights. I love the sound of a pole dancing course as well!

Definitely, Ana! The people you can meet in a Southeast Asia Backpacking would be enough to make worthy memories.

Looks like a fantastic way to travel. I’ve always wanted kids make this kind of thing difficult… maybe when I retire! 🙂

Elanor, you can make a route which could be easier for you and the kids to travel Southeast Asia. 🙂

Ahhhh you don’t see many Filipino traveler. Glad I came across your blog. I’m now backpacking through SE Asia. Currently in Chiang Rai to cross over into Laos.

Hi! I’m also a Filipino, and I know for a fact that before you leave the PH you’ve got to have a return ticket or else they wont allow you to fly. I have questions regarding crossing borders in Southeast Asia say, if you’re from Cambodia and flying to Bangkok, do you need to have a return or outward ticket?

Hello Arjay, yes the airport staff wont allow you to check in if you dont have the return flight ticket. based on my experience, their immigration wont require you but they might ask your for your itinerary.. you can also mention to them that you will leave the country in different modes of transportation.

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Written by Kach Umandap

Founder of Two Monkeys Travel Group. Since 2013, Kach has visited all the 7 continents (including Antarctica) and 151 countries using her Philippines Passport. In 2016, she bought a sailboat and went on sailing adventures with her two cats - Captain Ahab & Little Zissou in the Caribbean for 2 years. She now lives in Herceg Novi, Montenegro where she's enjoying her expat life and living on a gorgeous Stonehouse. She writes about her experiences traveling as a Filipina traveler with a PHL Passport. Also tips on backpacking trips, luxury hotel experiences, product reviews, sailing & adventure travel.

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South east asia backpacking route itinerary for 2 months.

October 17, 2019 by Joslyn 48 Comments

If you love adventure this might be just your thing. Backpacking Southeast Asia Route and Itinerary for 2 months. Including Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and The Philippines (from $17 per day).

Read on below as Chantell shares with you her journey backpacking Southeast Asia. She includes an itinerary as well and maps.

Backpacking Southeast Asia

Disclosure – This post contains affiliate links .

Backpacking Southeast Asia is an unforgettable experience that everyone should have at least once in their life. It is one of the cheapest and easiest regions to travel within the world, making it perfect for all kinds of travelers. Even if you have the money to enjoy a higher comfort level, I think you will be missing out on a great adventure if you skip backpacking.

For four months of travel in Southeast Asia, Max and I spent around $500-$600 USD each per month or $17 per day on average excluding flights. We were able to travel this long because we managed our money carefully. If you have a bigger budget or a shorter vacation time, then you might prefer to spend more on activities or nicer hotels. But overall, we had an amazing time and wouldn’t change anything (except to make it longer!).

In this article, you will find everything that you need to know about backpacking Southeast Asia including:

Backpacking Southeast Asia for four months – costs and route (2019 update)

Backpacking southeast asia for two months – costs and route (2018), what southeast asia on a budget means, how to reduce the cost of backpacking southeast asia.

• Our backpacking Southeast Asia budget (cost for each country)

Planning your Southeast Asia backpacking route

How to find cheap flights to southeast asia.

After traveling on a shoestring for four months in 2018, Max and I returned in 2019 but this time traveling more slowly. We also upgraded our comfort level but still managed to keep the budget below $27 USD per day.

Create your own travel map

Here are the countries that Max and I visited over ten weeks, as well as the average cost per day converted into USD excluding flights and insurance. There are some sections I left out where we stopped longer to study and work, such as in Nha Trang (Vietnam) and Nong Khai (Thailand).

• Indonesia (20 days from $19 per day)
• Singapore (2 days from $32 per day)
• Malaysia (6 days from $13 per day)
• Vietnam (10 days from $15 per day)
• Thailand (16 days from $11 per day)
• Laos (14 days from $14 per day)
• The Philippines (7 days $15 per day).

Average daily spend: $17 per day for 75 days . Below are the individual breakdowns for each country.

We all have a different definition of budget travel. To help you plan your Southeast Asia trip, this article will provide the actual costs from our recent travels to seven countries. For this post, “budget” means saving money on accommodation, food, transport, and activities while splurging on cheap beers and desserts.

As my boyfriend, Max, and I were traveling together we mainly rented private rooms in guesthouses (normally with a fan), looking for the cheapest option. Most of our lunches and dinners were from street food vendors. If our guesthouse didn’t provide breakfast, we would try to purchase some cookies or pastries. We also carried around a small jar of coffee and either powdered milk or a carton of soy milk to save money.

When traveling smaller distances, we walked as much as possible (sometimes even up to an hour) or rode bikes if they were provided by our guesthouse. We tried to minimize our plane travel on mainland Asia, only flying between Jakarta (Indonesia) to Nha Trang (Vietnam) then Hanoi (Vietnam) to Bangkok (Thailand). Otherwise, we would take trains or buses between destinations. There were only a few times that we rented a scooter for a day and we were extremely careful.

Generally, I prefer traveling to get to know a country and its culture rather than just going through a checklist. For this reason and also to keep our budget low, Max and I visited a select number of paid attractions.

I have traveled through Southeast as a solo traveler, with family, and in a couple. On the most recent trip, Max and I traveled slowly for four months, even renting an apartment in Vietnam for $300 USD for a month.  The destinations you choose and how quickly you travel will have a big impact on your budget.

Generally, the most expensive countries are Singapore, Myanmar, and the south of Thailand. On this trip, we skipped Myanmar because of the higher prices as well as the cost of the tourist visa  which is around $50 USD (we have Australian, Italian, and Argentinian passports). Laos was also more expensive than we expected with food approximately 50% more than the north of Thailand or Vietnam.

Even within each country, there may be some regions or cities that are more expensive than others. For example, we chose not to go to the south of Thailand where the prices can resemble those of the US or Western Europe, instead of spending more time in the north. The Philippines also can get pricey depending on where you travel, which is why we carefully planned our budget vacation to Palawan (from $15 per day) .

Backpacking Indonesia cost (from $19 per day)

Destinations we visited in Bali and Jakarta, Indonesia and where we stayed:

• Kuta for 2 days – Warung Coco ($15 per night)
• Canggu and Ubud for 4 days – The Kayuri Guest House ($16.45 per night)
• Banyuwangi for 2 days – Umah Isun BSD ($8.23 per night)
• Surabaya for 3 days – Krowi inn ($15 per night)
• Yogyakarta for 3 days – Yogyakarta BNB ($11.85 per night)
• Bandung for 3 days – Fabu Hotel ($15.40 per night)
• Jakarta for 3 days –    Ahira Backpackers ($11.52 per night).

Check out TripAdvisor for help with hotels worldwide. 

The average cost of food and drink:

• Bali – $14 per person, per day
• Java – $8.45 per person, per day.

The average daily cost in Indonesia including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $19 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Indonesia trip:

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 6 days in Bali
• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 14 days in Java .

Backpacking Singapore cost (from $32 per day)

Where we stayed in Singapore:

• Singapore for 2 days – Beary Best! by a beary good hostel (beds starting at $16.67).

The average daily cost in Singapore including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $32 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Singapore trip:

• 5 things to do in Singapore for first-time visitors

Backpacking Malaysia cost (from $13 per day)

Destinations we visited in Malaysia and where we stayed:

• Malacca for 4 days – Victor’s Guesthouse ($9.50 per night)
• Kuala Lumpur for 2 days – Pudu Hotel 88 ($12.69 per night).

The average cost of food and drink: $6.76 per person, per day.

The average daily cost in Malaysia including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $13 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Malaysia trip:

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 6 days in Malaysia
• Budget travel guide for Penang written by a local.

Backpacking Vietnam cost (from $15 per day)

Destinations we visited in Vietnam and cost of accommodation:

• Da Nang and Hoi An for 3 days ($5 per night)
• Hue for 3 days – Daisy Hostel ($5.40 per night)
• Vinh for 1 day – Thanh Dat Guesthouse ($8.84 per night)
• Hanoi for 3 days – Airbnb ($11.42 per night).

The average cost of food and drink: $6.12 USD per person, per day.

The average daily cost in Vietnam including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $15 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Vietnam trip:

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 10 days in Vietnam
• Ex-pat guide to moving to Vietnam (from $12 per day)
• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 3 days in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) .

Backpacking Northern Thailand cost (from $11 per day)

Destinations we visited in Thailand and cost of accommodation:

• Bangkok for 4 days – TT Guesthouse ($12.12 per night)
• Chiang Mai for 5 days – The Dorm Chiang Mai ($9.70 per night)
• Pai for 3 days – PaiZen River Jam Hostel & Campground ($9 per night)
• Chiang Rai for 3 days – Baan Nukanong Guesthouse ($8.76 per night).

The average cost of food and drink: $4.76 per person, per day.

The average daily cost in Thailand including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $11 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Thailand trip:

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 16 days in Thailand
• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 2 days in Bangkok
• Choosing an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand
• Finding affordable paradise at a spa resort in Chiang Mai .

Backpacking Laos cost (from $15 per day)

Destinations we visited in Laos and cost of accommodation:

• Huay Xai for 1 day –  Oudomsin Hotel ($11.71 per night)
• Pakbeng for 1 day – Hotel booked on arrival ($11.71 per night)
• Luang Prabang for 7 days – Vanvisa ($11.36 per night)
• Vang Vieng for 2 days – Outland Hostel ($8.78 per night)
• Vientiane for 2 days – Avalon B&B ($10.54 per night).

The average cost of food and drink: $4.76 USD per person, per day.

The average daily cost in Laos including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $15 per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Laos trip:

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 14 days in Laos .

Backpacking The Philippines cost (from $15 per day)

Destinations we visited on the island of Palawan and cost of accommodation:

• Puerto Princessa for 3 days – Travelite Hostel ($8.57 per night)
• Port Barton for 4 days – El Busero ($11.23 per night).

The average cost of food and drink: $6.34 per person, per day.

The average daily cost in The Philippines including accommodation, food drink, activities, and transport: $15 USD per day.

Resources to help you plan your backpacking Philippines trip.

• Itinerary and budget breakdown for 7 days in Port Barton, The Philippines (from $15 per day) .

The route that you take through Southeast Asia will be influenced by your arrival city (see the next section). I highly recommend not booking too much in advance as you will likely change your mind once you are traveling. To begin with, Max and I bought a one-way flight to Bali. But when we arrived at Brisbane airport, Jetstar Airlines told us that we needed an outward flight. So at the last minute, we booked a ticket online from Jakarta to Singapore.

If you want to at least create an outline of your trip, then you can use 12Go Asia to check transportation and Booking for accommodation. Once you start planning, you will notice that there are well-worn backpacker trails. In some cases, you might be tempted to go in a direction less-traveled by tourists but could find that the transportation options could be more difficult or expensive. We found this when looking at traveling from Vietnam to Laos by land, or to the south of Laos.

Another thing to consider is if you need to apply for visas in advance. We needed a visa for Vietnam before arriving and a visa on arrival for Laos. However, your situation may be different so it is best to check directly with the official government website of that country.

I didn’t have any vaccinations or take any medication while traveling in Southeast Asia. The first time I traveled to Thailand and Cambodia , I took malaria tablets but found that they made me really sick. Therefore on this trip, I was just very careful to always use mosquito repellent.

The best flight for you will depend on your city of departure. As Max and I were leaving from Brisbane, Australia the cheapest was to Denpasar, Bali. For Americans or Europeans, your cheapest arrival city maybe Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok.

Once you have taken the lengthier international flight to Southeast Asia, it will be much cheaper to fly between countries with airlines like AirAsia and Scoot. When searching for your flights, you can use the Skyscanner  website to find cheap flights then book directly with the airline.

Have you visited South East Asia or planning to anytime soon? Tell us about it below!

And if you liked the post – share it with your friends on social media.

About Joslyn

Female Travel Blogger Sharing Travel Tips, Work and Travel Tips, Budget Travel Tips and general daily life from a travel chicks point of view!

Reader Interactions

Alexandra says

October 29, 2018 at 4:11 am

This just sounds like the most amazing experience! Wow, I didn’t know you could travel so much like this on a budget. Thank you for sharing 🙂

Chantell Collins says

November 1, 2018 at 10:12 pm

Thanks Alexandra! I hope it inspires you to go on a backpacking trip 🙂

Dayna Hoskin says

October 29, 2018 at 5:03 am

OMG! What a great holiday, and so affordable! You have just inspired me to look at travelling a whole new way!

November 1, 2018 at 10:11 pm

Wow that is awesome feedback! I am thrilled to hear that 🙂

Joanna says

October 29, 2018 at 10:17 am

I am going to Vietnam in a couple of months and I am glad to see that the prices have not changed since the last time I was there. I am looking forward to the amazing food Vietnam has to offer for so cheap

November 1, 2018 at 10:10 pm

Yes! Vietnam was one of my favorites! I really miss it and can’t wait to go back 🙂

Stacie says

October 29, 2018 at 10:57 am

I can’t even begin to imagine actually doing this myself. I’ve always wanted to explore Asia!

You can definitely do it! I encourage you 🙂

Yeah Lifestyle says

October 29, 2018 at 7:48 pm

I can’t believe you are able to travel to all these fabulous destinations at such a cheap cost! Totally a winner and following ur steps

November 1, 2018 at 10:09 pm

thank you! I hope you do and tell me all about it 🙂

October 29, 2018 at 8:17 pm

What a fabulous detailed itinerary! Thank you for sharing with us! I’ve never been to this part of the world!

you are welcome! Hope you make it there one day soon

Clare Low says

October 30, 2018 at 5:07 pm

Wow this seems awesome indeed. Travelling seems so freeing and adventurous. I would love to see more of the world myself when my children have grown.

November 1, 2018 at 9:51 pm

We saw a few family groups of backpackers in Thailand and Laos 😉

Kita Roberts says

October 30, 2018 at 9:11 am

Wow! You have really broken this down to make it recreatable. It sounds like you had an amazing trip. Low budget, cultural immersions are my favorite way to travel. You’ve given me some great ideas.

November 1, 2018 at 10:08 pm

That’s why I like to hear! We definitely appreciated the slow travel 🙂

Jasmine Hewitt says

October 30, 2018 at 9:48 am

wow, you thought of everything! appreciate the detail into this, what a great resource for travelers!

thank you for your comment! It makes me happy to hear that the article is useful 🙂

Elizabeth O says

October 30, 2018 at 10:53 am

What an awesome experienced there! Such a perfect place to visit and so affordable.

Exactly! I think it is one of the most affordable regions in the world.

Tonya Morris says

October 30, 2018 at 4:03 pm

This is incredible! I had no idea Southeast Asia was so affordable! What a fun trip to do on a budget!

Yes it is! I highly recommend it 🙂

October 30, 2018 at 7:48 pm

That’s what I miss most about South East Asia. Everything was so much more affordable there! Struggling in Europe right now haha

November 1, 2018 at 9:22 pm

I bet! I remember how I first felt buying a beer in Australia after 4 months in Asia ha ha.

Emily Leary says

October 30, 2018 at 8:50 pm

Wow, it’s incredible that Southeast Asia backpacking can come in so cheap. And what a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing your tips.

November 1, 2018 at 9:17 pm

You are welcome! Hope it inspires you to visit 🙂

October 30, 2018 at 11:44 pm

Wow, such a detailed post that would be so helpful to plan a great trip to Southeast Asia especially in the Philippines. Loving the pictures so much.

November 1, 2018 at 9:16 pm

That’s great! The Philippines is a lot of fun and a great vacation spot.

October 31, 2018 at 1:06 am

This is so informative! I like how you break everything down. You have really great tips.

November 1, 2018 at 9:15 pm

You are very welcome! I wanted to provide a useful resource to anyone traveling to SE Asia 🙂

Daphne D Adams says

October 31, 2018 at 2:11 pm

I am all for an affordable vacation. I think this is something I will add to my bucket list!

Yes! If you can save up the money for the flight, then you can have a very cheap holiday in SE Asia 🙂

Rikki Ridgeway says

November 1, 2018 at 7:57 am

Thank you for this post, my husband would love to go to Asia, and I think this would be perfect for us!

November 1, 2018 at 9:13 pm

That’s awesome to hear! I hope you have an amazing tip and let me know if you have any questions.

Courtney says

November 1, 2018 at 12:12 am

Omg how fun!!! I have always wanted to visit that part of Asia! Just beautiful

November 1, 2018 at 9:14 pm

SE Asia is great for first-time backpackers. I highly recommend it 🙂

Julie Verville says

November 1, 2018 at 10:45 am

These are wonderful travel tips! Thank you for sharing.

You are welcome!

June 22, 2019 at 5:09 pm

You seem to have some kind of magic going on, I always seem to spend a lot, and to much when I’m abroad. I’m saving this as a favorite, I’ll read it over and ove, and maybe your magic will rub off 🙂

June 22, 2019 at 6:56 pm

Thanks Ann! I love helping everyday people to make their travel dreams a reality through goal setting, budgeting, choosing cheaper destinations, saving money on travel bookings, and spending less while on the road. I hope you get plenty of insights from this post as well as others on the site!

June 22, 2019 at 7:14 pm

This is such a concise and thorough post. I absolutley love the breakdowns of costings. I’m always on the look out to save money while im travelling, and this has done all the leg work for me. You’re an absolut gem for putting this resource together.

June 22, 2019 at 8:34 pm

thanks so much Becki! I love sharing what I learned and experienced to help out other travelers. Appreciate the kind comment 🙂

Alizon Robertson says

June 22, 2019 at 9:35 pm

I’m hoping to do this so it was a great guide. I love detailed and broken down budget posts as they are so helpful. Thanks.

June 23, 2019 at 2:34 pm

thank you Alizon! I appreciate the great feedback

Marisa says

June 23, 2019 at 1:28 am

This is perfect timing as Ill be heading back to asia in a few months for some long term travel and will def be needing this advise!

June 23, 2019 at 2:35 pm

Yay! We’ll likely still be in Southeast Asia so feel free to hit me up with your questions

Claire D says

January 8, 2020 at 3:11 am

When (what month) did you start this trip?

January 8, 2020 at 1:03 pm

For the first trip – Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, and The Philippines (from $17 per day) – I started in December, flying to Bali (it was rainy season but still doable).

For the second trip – Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia (from $27 per day) – I started in May.

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• Travel Guide

Southeast Asia Itineraries: From 2 Weeks To 3 Months

Published: October 26, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Aggy Isbell

• Plan Your Trip
• Travel Tips

Introduction

Welcome to Southeast Asia, a vibrant and enchanting region that promises a kaleidoscope of cultures, breathtaking landscapes, and unforgettable adventures. Whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned explorer, Southeast Asia offers a plethora of experiences that will leave you mesmerized and longing for more.

As you plan your trip to Southeast Asia, it’s important to determine the duration of your adventure. With a region as diverse as this, it’s essential to consider how much time you have to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and wonder that awaits.

From two weeks to three months, this comprehensive guide provides you with curated itineraries to help you make the most of your time in Southeast Asia. Each itinerary is designed to showcase the highlights of the region while offering flexibility for your personal preferences and interests.

Whether you’re seeking bustling cities, pristine beaches, mystical temples, or lush jungles, Southeast Asia offers an abundance of options. From the iconic temples of Angkor Wat in Cambodia to the serene islands of Thailand, the mist-covered mountains of Vietnam to the vibrant street markets of Bali, the adventures are endless.

But Southeast Asia isn’t just about the sights – it’s the people and their warm hospitality that truly make it special. As you traverse through this enchanting region, you’ll be greeted with smiles and open arms, discovering the rich tapestry of cultures and traditions that make each country unique.

So, whether you have a short break or an extended period of time, prepare to be captivated by Southeast Asia’s charm and embrace the spirit of adventure. Let’s dive into the itineraries that will take you on a journey of a lifetime.

Planning Your Trip

Before embarking on your Southeast Asia adventure, careful planning is essential to ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey. Here are some key aspects to consider when planning your trip:

• Visa Requirements: Research the visa requirements for each country you plan to visit and make sure you have the necessary visas in advance. Some countries offer visa-on-arrival services, while others require pre-arranged visas.
• Travel Budget: Determine your budget for the trip, including accommodation, transportation, meals, and activities. Southeast Asia offers a wide range of options, from budget-friendly guesthouses to luxury resorts, so plan accordingly.
• Best Time to Visit: Take note of the weather patterns in Southeast Asia and plan your trip accordingly. The region experiences a mix of tropical climates, with monsoon seasons affecting different countries at various times of the year.
• Transportation: Research transportation options within and between countries. Southeast Asia has an extensive network of budget airlines, buses, trains, and ferries, making it easy to get around. Consider the most efficient and cost-effective modes of transport for your itinerary.
• Health and Safety: Check if any vaccinations are recommended before traveling to Southeast Asia. Familiarize yourself with local customs and laws to ensure a safe and respectful journey. Purchase comprehensive travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances.
• Must-See Attractions: Research the top attractions in each country to prioritize what you want to see and do. Southeast Asia offers a wide range of experiences, from exploring ancient temples to trekking through dense jungles or relaxing on pristine beaches.
• Local Customs and Etiquette: Southeast Asian countries have unique cultural customs and etiquette. Familiarize yourself with the local traditions, dress codes, and social expectations to show respect and avoid any misunderstandings.

By taking the time to plan and prepare, you’ll have a more rewarding and stress-free experience in Southeast Asia. Now, let’s delve into the itineraries to help you make the most of your time in this captivating region.

2-Week Itinerary

If you have two weeks to explore Southeast Asia, you can still experience the highlights of the region. Here’s a suggested itinerary to make the most of your time:

• Bangkok, Thailand: Start your journey in the bustling capital city of Bangkok. Explore its vibrant markets, visit iconic temples like Wat Arun and the Grand Palace, and indulge in delicious street food.
• Siem Reap, Cambodia: Fly to Siem Reap to witness the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat. Spend a few days exploring the ancient temples of Angkor and immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of Cambodia.
• Hoi An, Vietnam: Fly to Hoi An, a charming and picturesque town known for its well-preserved ancient town. Stroll through its narrow streets, visit the Japanese Covered Bridge, and take a lantern-lit boat ride along the Thu Bon River.
• Halong Bay, Vietnam: Travel to Halong Bay and embark on a memorable cruise through the limestone karsts and emerald waters of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kayak through hidden caves, swim in the bay, and admire the breathtaking scenery.
• Bali, Indonesia: Fly to Bali and soak in the island’s beauty and spirituality. Relax on stunning beaches, visit ancient temples like Tanah Lot and Uluwatu, and indulge in rejuvenating spa treatments.
• Singapore: End your trip in Singapore, a vibrant city-state known for its modern architecture and diverse culinary scene. Explore the Gardens by the Bay, visit the iconic Merlion Park, and try local dishes at the famous hawker centers.

This itinerary allows you to experience the cultural richness and natural beauty of Southeast Asia within a limited timeframe. However, keep in mind that it’s a fast-paced itinerary, and you may need to adjust depending on your preferences and travel style.

Remember to allocate a few days in each destination to fully immerse yourself in the local culture and explore beyond the tourist hotspots. Southeast Asia is a region that deserves to be savored, so take the time to create lasting memories along the way.

1-Month Itinerary

If you have a month to explore Southeast Asia, you can delve deeper into the region and discover its hidden gems. Here’s a suggested itinerary to help you make the most of your time:

• Singapore: Start your journey in Singapore, a modern and cosmopolitan city-state. Explore its vibrant neighborhoods, visit iconic attractions like Marina Bay Sands and Sentosa Island, and indulge in the diverse culinary scene.
• Hanoi, Vietnam: Fly to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Immerse yourself in the bustling streets of the Old Quarter, try local street food, and take a cyclo ride around Hoan Kiem Lake. Don’t miss a visit to the iconic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature.
• Luang Prabang, Laos: Travel to Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its temples and stunning natural landscapes. Explore the charming town, visit the sacred Pak Ou Caves, and witness the alms-giving ceremony at sunrise.
• Chiang Mai, Thailand: Fly to Chiang Mai, the cultural hub of northern Thailand. Explore the ancient temples, take part in a traditional Thai cooking class, and visit the vibrant night markets. Don’t miss an opportunity to interact with elephants at an ethical elephant sanctuary.
• Angkor Wat, Cambodia: Fly to Siem Reap and spend several days exploring the magnificent temples of Angkor. Marvel at the intricate carvings of Angkor Wat, explore the jungle-covered ruins of Ta Prohm, and catch a mesmerizing sunrise at Angkor Thom.
• Yangon, Myanmar: Fly to Yangon and experience the charm of Myanmar’s largest city. Visit the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda, explore the bustling Bogyoke Market, and take a stroll along the picturesque Kandawgyi Lake.
• Phuket, Thailand: Fly to Phuket and relax on the beautiful beaches of this popular island destination. Enjoy water sports, take a boat tour to Phi Phi Islands, and savor delicious Thai cuisine by the sea.
• Ubud, Bali, Indonesia: Fly to Bali and spend a few days exploring the cultural heart of the island, Ubud. Visit the famous Monkey Forest, explore the lush rice terraces, and unwind with a traditional Balinese massage.

This itinerary allows you to experience a variety of cultures, landscapes, and cuisines across Southeast Asia. Make sure to allocate enough time in each destination to truly immerse yourself in the local experiences and discover the hidden gems that make each place special.

Remember to be flexible and open to new adventures along the way. Southeast Asia has a way of surprising travelers with unexpected encounters and unforgettable moments, so embrace the journey and create memories that will last a lifetime.

2-Month Itinerary

If you have two months to explore Southeast Asia, you have ample time to delve deep into the region and experience its diverse cultures, landscapes, and traditions. Here’s a suggested itinerary to help you make the most of your time:

• Bangkok, Thailand: Start your journey in the vibrant capital city of Bangkok. Explore the bustling streets, visit iconic temples, and immerse yourself in the local street food scene.
• Luang Prabang, Laos: Travel to Luang Prabang, a charming and historic city in Laos. Experience the peaceful atmosphere, visit ancient temples, and witness the daily alms-giving ceremony.
• Hanoi, Vietnam: Fly to Hanoi and explore the culture-rich capital of Vietnam. Stroll through the old quarter, visit Hoan Kiem Lake, and indulge in delicious Vietnamese cuisine.
• Hoi An, Vietnam: Travel to the picturesque town of Hoi An, known for its well-preserved ancient town. Explore its narrow streets, visit local markets, and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere.
• Siem Reap, Cambodia: Fly to Siem Reap to witness the wonders of Angkor Wat. Spend several days exploring the vast temple complex and discovering the rich history of the Khmer Empire.
• Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Travel to Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. Visit the Royal Palace, explore the sobering Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and take a sunset cruise along the Mekong River.
• Yangon, Myanmar: Fly to Yangon and discover the fascinating blend of traditional and colonial architecture. Visit the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda and explore the bustling markets of the city.
• Bagan, Myanmar: Travel to Bagan and witness the awe-inspiring temples scattered across the ancient city. Watch the sunrise and sunset over the temples, and take a hot air balloon ride for a panoramic view.
• Chiang Mai, Thailand: Fly to Chiang Mai and immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of northern Thailand. Visit the majestic Doi Suthep Temple, explore the vibrant night markets, and participate in a traditional Thai cooking class.
• Beaches of Southern Thailand: Travel south to the stunning beaches of Thailand’s islands and coastlines. Relax on the pristine shores of Phuket, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi, and Koh Samui.
• Bali, Indonesia: Fly to Bali and experience the captivating beauty of the island. Visit the volcanic peaks of Mount Batur, explore the lush rice terraces of Ubud, and immerse yourself in the vibrant arts and culture scene.

This itinerary allows you to explore the highlights of Southeast Asia while also providing ample time to delve deeper into each destination. Take advantage of the longer duration to truly immerse yourself in the local culture, engage in meaningful interactions, and create unforgettable memories.

Don’t be afraid to veer off the beaten path and discover lesser-known gems along the way. Southeast Asia is full of surprises and hidden treasures, and two months will allow you to truly embrace the spirit of adventure in this captivating region.

3-Month Itinerary

If you have three months to explore Southeast Asia, you have the luxury of time to fully immerse yourself in the diverse countries and cultures of the region. Here’s a suggested itinerary to help you make the most of your extended journey:

• Singapore: Begin your adventure in the modern and cosmopolitan city-state of Singapore. Explore its iconic landmarks, enjoy the vibrant food scene, and take a stroll through the stunning Gardens by the Bay.
• Malaysia: Cross the border and explore the vibrant melting pot that is Malaysia. Visit the bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur, experience the cultural diversity of Penang, and explore the pristine jungles of Borneo.
• Bangkok, Thailand: Travel to Bangkok and dive into the vibrant street markets, ancient temples, and delicious street food of Thailand’s bustling capital city.
• Cambodia: Explore the rich history and breathtaking temples of Cambodia. Spend time marveling at the Angkor Wat complex in Siem Reap, visit the capital of Phnom Penh, and venture off the beaten path to discover hidden gems.
• Vietnam: Make your way through Vietnam, experiencing the bustling cities, serene landscapes, and rich history. Explore Hanoi, cruise through the majestic beauty of Halong Bay, and discover the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City.
• Laos: Travel to Laos and experience the serene and peaceful atmosphere of Luang Prabang. Take part in traditional alms giving to monks, visit the beautiful Kuang Si Waterfalls, and explore the ancient temples.
• Myanmar: Journey to Myanmar and explore the mystical land of temples and pagodas. Discover the ancient city of Bagan, visit the bustling streets of Yangon, and immerse yourself in the unique culture of this enchanting country.
• Indonesia: Fly to Indonesia and explore the diverse beauty of its islands. Relax on the pristine beaches of Bali, hike to the summit of Mount Bromo in Java, and encounter the unique wildlife of Komodo National Park.
• Philippines: Travel to the Philippines and discover its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant marine life. Visit Palawan, dive in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, and explore the vibrant city of Manila.
• Thailand’s Islands and Beaches: End your journey by exploring the idyllic islands and pristine beaches of Thailand. Relax on the shores of Koh Phi Phi, indulge in water sports in Phuket, and soak up the sun on the beautiful beaches of Koh Samui.

This three-month itinerary offers a comprehensive exploration of Southeast Asia. It allows you to experience the unique cultures, historical sites, stunning landscapes, and breathtaking beaches that make this region so special.

Remember to give yourself enough time in each destination to truly immerse yourself in the local culture, engage in meaningful interactions with locals, and embrace the adventurous spirit of Southeast Asia. Enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime journey and create memories that will last a lifetime.

Final Thoughts

As your journey through Southeast Asia comes to an end, take a moment to reflect on the incredible experiences, memories, and connections you’ve made along the way. Southeast Asia offers a tapestry of cultures, landscapes, and traditions that leave a lasting impression on every traveler.

Whether you embarked on a two-week adventure or indulged in a three-month exploration, this region has undoubtedly touched your heart and ignited a sense of wanderlust within you. From the bustling streets of Bangkok to the peaceful temples of Luang Prabang, from the ancient wonders of Angkor Wat to the pristine beaches of Bali, each destination has its own unique charm and allure.

But beyond the sights and attractions, it’s the warmth and hospitality of the people that truly make Southeast Asia special. The friendly smiles, the genuine camaraderie, and the shared moments of laughter create lifelong memories. It’s these connections with locals and fellow travelers that make Southeast Asia a place that so many yearn to return to.

As you wrap up your journey, take some time to savor the flavors of Southeast Asia. Indulge in the aromatic spices, the fresh tropical fruits, and the diverse culinary traditions that make the region a true food lover’s paradise. Whether it’s pad Thai, nasi goreng, or bun cha, the flavors will forever remind you of your time spent in this vibrant corner of the world.

As you reminisce on your Southeast Asia adventure, remember to embrace the spirit of exploration and curiosity that brought you here. Keep the memories alive by sharing your experiences with others, inspiring them to embark on their own journeys of adventure and discovery.

Finally, let Southeast Asia be a reminder that the world is vast and full of wonders waiting to be explored. As you bid farewell to this captivating region, set your sights on new horizons and continue your love affair with travel.

Until we meet again, Southeast Asia. Thank you for the memories and the inspiration to keep exploring the world.

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MyFunkyTravel

Backpacking | Budget Travel | Living Abroad

Thailand Backpacking Route

The experience of backpacking Thailand has changed dramatically over the past twenty years and some would say for the worse but travellers continue to flock to the so-called ‘land of  smiles’ in ever-increasing numbers. This page gives you an idea of what a typical Thailand backpacking route might look like. It’s most applicable to travellers without major time restraints but you can easily pick and choose sections that appeal if you have less time.

Table of Contents

Backpacking thailand – route info, 2. ayutthaya, 3. kanchanaburi, getting to southern thailand from bangkok and hua hin, 6. ko pha ngan, 7. ko samui, 8. khao sok national park, 9a. krabi (ao nang or krabi town), 9b. rai leh (railay beach), 10. ko phi phi, getting from southern thailand to northern thailand, 12. chiang rai, golden triangle & around, 13. mae salong, 14. chiang mai, 16. mae hong son, 17. mae sariang, 18. sukhothai, thailand backpacking route – how long to spend in each place, 2024 update – how has backpacking thailand changed in recent years.

TIME NEEDED – 2 MONTHS

Allow 2 months to get around the whole route outlined below. It could be done in less time, particularly if you are not so fussed with the party/beach element. Just be sure to check the entry and visa rules at the time of your visit. Depending on where you are from, you may need to apply for a Thailand tourist visa in order to stay in the country for 2 months. Alternatively, leaving the country after 30 days and returning may be an option.

BUDGET – £1250-2050 | €1350-2250 | US$1500-2500

Backpacker budgets in Thailand vary dramatically depending on the person and kind of trip you want to have. The lower figure we have quoted is a real shoestring budget and would involve staying in the cheapest places, eating local food and not going wild on the partying. The higher figure is perhaps a more typical backpacker budget these days but still requires some self-discipline. Even though Thailand is cheap, there is temptation to spend almost everywhere, particularly if you are a party animal. If this is you, then you should probably allow for a bit more still.

These figures were estimates at the time of writing but are subject to change and don’t include the cost of flights to/from Thailand. They equate to 45,000-75,000 Thai Baht (750-1250 per day).

Read more on the cost of travel in Thailand .

TRAVEL INSURANCE FOR BACKPACKERS IN THAILAND

The cost of travel insurance isn’t included in the budget figures above. You can get a quote in less than a minute from Heymondo who provide well reviewed international travel insurance for longer, backpacking trips. They are one of our top travel insurance options for backpackers from the United Kingdom .

THAILAND BACKPACKING JOBS & WORK EXCHANGES

One way to save money and potentially learn a few new skills whilst travelling in Thailand is to look for work exchanges or short-term jobs. Sign up to Worldpackers to get access to 56 work exchanges in Thailand (at the time of writing). You can get $10 off the annual membership fee by using the Worldpackers promotional code “MYFUNKYTRAVELWP”.

A 2 Month Itinerary for Backpacking in Thailand

Part 1 – bangkok & around.

Bangkok remains the beating heart of the country, a true city of sin which love it or hate it makes for a truly intoxicating travel experience. It’s almost impossible to visit Thailand or indeed Southeast Asia without passing through Bangkok, one of the most visited cities in the world , at least once or twice given it is at the core of the country’s transport network and home to the biggest two airports.

Time Needed – 10 days should be more than adequate.

Bangkok skyline , CC BY-ND 2.0

Bangkok is the logical starting point with flight connections to all 4 corners of the world. The Thai capital has many faces and chances are you will find one that is to your liking. It has a reputation as a real life Sin City and certainly its seedy sexual side is hard to ignore but there is plenty more to it than that.

Great shopping, vibrant nightlife, buzzing street markets, delicious food and a few stunning palaces mean there are many things to do in Bangkok. Most backpackers head straight to the Khao San Road which is the biggest backpacker hub in Southeast Asia and the best place to try and make some travel buddies, which is handy in those lonely early days, particularly if it’s your first time travelling alone.

The heat will also hit you if you are arriving from somewhere cold, with Bangkok ranking as one of the world’s 10 hottest cities by average temperature. Therefore it might be wise not to plan too much on your first couple of days as you get over any jet-lag and try to acclimatise to your new surroundings.

This can be done as a long day-trip from Bangkok or with an overnight stay. Ayutthaya was the second capital of Siam and remarkably it was the largest city in the world in the early 18th century with one million residents. It is a shadow of its former self now but the remnants of its heyday are still spread across town and give clues to its former grandeur.

This chilled out riverside town has become a big backpacker destination in recent years. The bridge over the River Kwai is the main point of an interest and most of the sights relate to the dark history of the so-called Death Railway to Burma during World War II. Nature lovers will find plenty of thrills around the town with nearby highlights including the Hellfire Pass and Erawan National Park. The controversial tiger temple in Kanchanaburi province has now been shut down.

Thailand’s oldest beach resort is getting its groove on once again. It’s popular with Thais in Bangkok due to its proximity to the capital and gets lively at weekends and during national holidays. Budget travellers tend to prefer the islands further South but Hua Hin is still a pleasant stop and breaks up the journey from Bangkok down to Southern Thailand.

You have many options, the most interesting of which is to take the train down to Chumphon and connect to a boat to Ko Tao (All-in-one tickets can be bought including train, bus to the ferry port and ferry to Ko Tao or one of the other islands). Hua Hin is on the main trainline from Bangkok to Chumphon so it’s very easy sort out.

Part 2 – Southern Thailand

The main travel destinations and particularly the most popular islands in the South have become much more commercialised and predominantly party-orientated, which is great if you want to party all night and recover by day on beautiful golden beaches. If that’s not your scene, it’s not hard to find quieter more peaceful destinations, even on the same island.

Time Needed – roughly 4 weeks*

* This depends on how much you enjoy the beach and party life. The time-frames suggested for each destination are just a guide. It’s very easy to extend your stay on any of the islands if you are enjoying it. Each destination has its own subtle differences and points of interest but there is an element of ‘same same’ about the backpacker scene at each place so some travellers choose to skip a few of these destinations in favour of spending longer in one place and perhaps doing a diving course, a bit of voluntary work or if you’re low on funds perhaps finding a bit of work for one of the bars or hostels. Either way it’s probably best not to plan a rigid schedule in this part of Thailand. Just relax, enjoy the lazy beach lifestyle and move on when you feel ready.

The smallest and quietest of the three main inhabited islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Ko Tao is the sort of place where you can end up staying much longer than intended. It is a fabulous place to do a PADI diving course (possible in a week) and many of the centres also provide accommodation. While the nightlife is more condensed into a small area of the beach and a few bars, there’s certainly enough to keep you entertained in the evenings with a few parties every night.

Home of the infamous full moon parties . Once a month, travellers in Southeast Asia flock to Ko Pha Ngan’s Haad Rin beach for a night of debauchery under the moonlight. The island gets very busy during this time although the other end of the island is always much quieter. It’s a good idea to book accommodation in advance around Full Moon night, something which isn’t really necessary anywhere else in Thailand aside from during holiday and festival periods.

There are big parties every week on Ko Pha Ngan though so you don’t have to come for full moon with black moon and jungle parties also worth checking out and arguably better than the main night itself. There are also some cool pool parties in the nights immediately prior to full moon.

The southernmost island in the Gulf of Thailand is less popular with backpackers and is unquestionably very touristy. It’s a much bigger island though and there are so many different beaches that you are sure to find one to your taste and it’s a fun place to explore for a day or so.

Khao Sok National Park is the country’s largest natural reserve and home to the huge Cheow Lan Reservoir. It’s not like any man made lake you’ve ever seen though. With its towering limestone cliffs and crystal-clear blue waters, it is surrounded by the world’s oldest living rainforest.

One great way to see everything this place has to offer is to join a group for an overnight trip to the floating bungalows of Khao Sok Lake . You’ll ride a traditional long tail boat, sleep in a bamboo floating bungalow and eat three meals per day. You’ll also be able to explore the jungle on foot hiking to caves and waterfalls or spend your time relaxing in the water or kayaking.

Krabi is the name of the province and most visitors either stay in Krabi Town (its capital) or Ao Nang, its principal beach resort, which is about 30 minutes by bus from the town. The town is full of dirt cheap accommodation and restaurants and has a few interesting things to see and do but nothing remarkable.

Ao Nang is a lively beach town packed with bars, restaurants, hotels and massage parlours (mostly not of the ‘happy ending’ variety). There are a couple of great beaches to relax on.

Railay beach , CC BY-SA 2.0

Rai Leh is only 15 minutes or so around the coast and although it is not an island, it can only be accessed by boat as it is engulfed by huge cliffs on all sides. Active travellers and anyone who wants to do more than just bum around on a beach and get drunk should definitely check it out and might want to spend a fair while here. It’s a great destination for climbing, perhaps the best in Thailand and is also popular for its hiking, kayaking and snorkelling possibilities.

Phi Phi is one of the iconic destinations of the Thailand backpacker trail. Phi Phi Don is the only island that is inhabited and possible to stay. 20 years ago it was a very quiet island and although it is still beautiful, the main beaches and village on Phi Phi Don are now full on party-orientated not dissimilar to Haad Rin on Ko Pha Ngan.

There are numerous boat trips you can do around the bay, most of which include plenty of stops for swimming and snorkelling in beautifully clear water and a visit to the iconic Maya Bay.

11. Ko Lanta

If you found all the other islands a bit too crazy and just want some time to rest and most likely detox, then Ko Lanta is the perfect place. It is home to miles and miles of long white sandy beaches, clear waters and not many people!

Getting from Ko Lanta or any of the other Southern destinations to Northern Thailand is best done by flying unless you want to spend in excess of 24 hours on buses and trains and still end up spending roughly what you would have, had you opted to fly. Air Asia tend to offer the best fares but you may find their high baggage fees make other airlines cheaper overall. As always, it’s easy enough to find the best deals on skyscanner with midweek usually cheaper than weekends.

From Ko Lanta, it is best to fly from Krabi Airport, which is about 2 hours away via boat/bus transfer. You may find it cheaper to book two separate flights to move onto the next leg of our route. The first would be from Krabi to Bangkok and the 2nd from Bangkok to Chiang Rai. That said, you could travel around Northern Thailand in a different order (to what’s listed below) and fly direct from Krabi to Chiang Mai.

Note that these flights will be to Bangkok’s older Don Mueang Airport (which handles domestic flights). A taxi to Khao San Road or Central Bangkok should set you back between 300-500 Baht and take 20-30 minutes depending on traffic and whether you take the faster toll road (which you will have to pay an extra 150 Baht or so for. Tell the taxi driver ‘No Toll!’ if you are in no rush).

Part 3 – Northern Thailand

The North still retains much of its old charm and places like Chiang Mai are the ideal spots to really get to grips with ancient Thai culture. There are also plenty of natural wonders to be discovered outside of the towns and it feels very different here to the south. The good news for budget travellers is that Northern Thailand is significantly cheaper too.

Time Needed – 2-3 weeks.

Chiang Mai , CC BY-ND 2.0

Given you will most likely need to return to Bangkok to leave the country, it is probably best to start your Northern Thailand adventure in Chiang Rai which is the furthest away from the capital and then work back. The town of Chiang Rai, one of the cheapest cities to live in Thailand , has a couple of interesting sights and some nice museums that can occupy you for a day or so. However its main purpose from a traveller’s perspective is as a base that will allow you to explore the region or even do a day-trip to nearby Tachileik in Myanmar (no need for a visa).

Most travellers also head to the golden triangle, which is a small area in Chiang Rai province where the River Ruak meets the mighty Mekong River and where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar. It was well-known as a famous opium growing region and there a few interesting sites where you can learn about the trade.

Nowadays though the Golden Triangle is undoubtedly a tourist trap and is more or less completely dependent on tourism for income. Those looking for a more authentic Thai experience, sometimes turn their nose up at the mention of it.

Check out 19 amazing things to do in Chiang Rai .

This can also be done as a day-trip from Chiang Rai but there are a few guesthouses with rock-bottom prices in town so it’s nice to stay overnight in what is a really small village with beautiful surroundings. It has a fascinating history and was the home of a group of 12,000 Chinese Nationalists who fled China to Mae Salong in 1949 following the rise to power of the Chinese Communists. They continued their insurgency, part-funded by the opium trade for several decades from Mae Salong. There are several museums relating to this in the village, which nowadays is famous for producing excellent oolong tea.

Another key destination on any backpacking route in Thailand. Chiang Mai is a cosmopolitan city with a very international vibe like Bangkok, but much smaller and more relaxed and without a lot of the hassles that go with life in the capital. It’s a great place to get to grips with traditional thai practices such as massage, muay-thai boxing and thai cooking and has a reputation as the country’s cultural capital.

You could potentially split your time in Chiang Mai into two separate stints as you will probably need to return after Mae Sariang in order to take a train down to Sukhothai as there are no easy and certainly no direct connections between Mae Sariang and Sukhothai.

For volunteering opportunities near Chiang Mai, check out Mindful Farm:

Pai is another small Thai town which has turned into a real backpacker place and it’s not hard to see why. With only 3000 permanent residents, it is tiny and is located in a really beautiful valley north of Chiang Mai. There are a whole range of different ways to witness the nature from lazily chilling out in one of Pai’s plentiful backpacker bars and taking in the views to tubing, trekking, zip-lining, white-water rafting and plenty more.

This is another very small town not far from Pai. You probably won’t need as long here but it’s certainly worth hiring a motorbike or at least a bicycle for a day or two and getting out to the surrounding areas which are home to a few points of potential interest including a mud spa, a bamboo bridge, a waterfall, a palace and a fish cave!

Close to the Myanmar border and without the crowds of Pai or Chiang Mai, this is a good place for trekking in the mountains and getting to see small local villages and tribes. Its remote location means the ‘hill-tribe’ experiences are much more authentic here so be sure to get out to the Karen and Lawa hill-tribe villages.

Old Sukhothai is 12km west of the modern city and quite a lot of effort has been put in to restoring it to something like its 13th Century glory and it has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Consider renting a bike (which you can do for as little as 50 Baht) and exploring the ruins.

Thailand’s original capital is located 1 hour by bus from Phitsanulok which is on the main trainline between Chiang Mai and Bangkok at almost exactly the halfway point. Express trains take about 5-6 hours from Bangkok & 7 hours from Chiang Mai. Therefore it is quite a convenient stop if you opt to get the train back to Bangkok for your flight home or onwards. The train journey alone allows you a glimpse into the off-the-beaten-track, remoter areas of Thailand so it is well worth doing.

And that’s the end of our Thailand backpacking itinerary although you may want to spend another day or two in Bangkok taking advantage of the great shopping centres to grab a few bargains while you wait for your flight home. Certainly don’t rely on the train to deliver you from Phitsanulok to Bangkok on-time for a flight the same day!

Thailand Map & Itinerary Overview

As you can clearly see above, this Thailand itinerary is formed of three distinct sections and overall it does cover just about every major travel destination in the country. It should be said though that most backpackers spend less time in Thailand than our suggested time-frame of two months for this route.

If you have time restrictions, you can easily pick and choose the parts that appeal to you. Alternatively you could do the whole route but skip a few of the islands and northern destinations. At a push, you could visit Bangkok, spend some beach time in the south and visit the best the north has to offer inside a month. However if you only have three weeks in Thailand or even less, you may be better off visiting Bangkok and then choosing between either the south or the north.

Head over to Indie Traveller for an in-depth Thailand travel guide .

• Digital Nomadism: With the global rise of remote work and digital nomadism, Thailand has unsurprisingly proved a hit with nomads thanks to factors such as its affordable cost of living, reliable internet connectivity and international communities. Therefore you’ll find far more backpackers these days who are combining work and travel.
• Ecotourism and Sustainable Travel: There’s been a growing emphasis on ecotourism and sustainable travel in Thailand. Many travellers are also attempting to seek out more eco-friendly accommodation and local conservation initiatives.
• Social Media Influence: The influence of social media has significantly impacted the concept of backpacking in Thailand. Many popular destinations have become very crowded due to social media exposure, with many travellers responding by seeking out more off-the-beaten-path experiences.
• Rise of Adventure Travel: On a similar theme, many backpackers are now seeking out adventure activities and off-grid experiences such as jungle treks in Northern Thailand and diving on some of the more remote islands.
• Technology and Travel Apps: The rise of travel apps and online platforms has made it easier for backpackers to plan and navigate their trips, meaning the days of travellers just rocking up and finding a bed or a beach bungalow are less common, although not impossible as long as you avoid peak travel periods and know where to look.

Check out all our Asia travel routes!

southeast asia | thailand |  myanmar | vietnam | laos | indonesia  |  philippines  | cambodia |  india | taiwan | sri lanka | japan | malaysia

4 thoughts on “ Thailand Backpacking Route ”

Yes, I love this place

Hi I like the idea of your backpackers tours.I will be travelling to Thailand In October and staying for 4 months. I am interested in a comprehensive tour to see as much of Thailand and beyond if possible. Can you please send me any information.

Kind Regards Paul Heveran

Hi Paul, This isn’t a tour exactly – it’s just a suggested route for independent travellers in Thailand.

This is fantastic! thank you for writing this blog! I am thinking of doing this in January SOLO! then travelling maybe to Cambodia & Vietnam. Then on to New Zealand to see some friends!

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What 6 Months of Traveling in Southeast Asia Cost Me (2023 Update)

09/25/2022 by Kristin Addis 210 Comments

2022/23 update: Since first traveling to Southeast Asia in 2012, I’ve revisited the region nearly yearly, logging over 2.5 cumulative years. Over that time some prices have changed, and this post reflects those numbers.

Back in 2012, I spent a glorious 8 continuous months backpacking in Southeast Asia on a long-term traveler’s budget. This meant staying in dorms, taking local transport, eating street food, and generally traveling on a shoestring budget.

In 2016, I returned with a more middle-of-the-road budget, and since then, have experienced the luxurious side of the region as well.

Over that time I’ve learned that whether you’re on a tight budget or have a bit more money to play with, your money will take you further in Southeast Asia than almost anywhere else in the world. Today, let’s answer the question – what does it cost to travel in Southeast Asia?

Table of Contents

On a Budget

I personally spent $7,958 USD (without SCUBA diving – $6,095) for six months in Southeast Asia, with a month each in Cambodia, Laos, northern Thailand, southern Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. With flights and pre-trip expenses, it added up to $11,000. Adjusted for today’s inflation, that would be about $15k.

Some guide books will swear that $30/day or less is sufficient for traveling in Southeast Asia – this is generally not realistic.

So how much will you need to budget to travel in Southeast Asia in 2022/2023? I wanted to give you the most up-to-date budgeting guide, and make calculations even easier with the addition of 1-month or 3-month breakdowns. With my recent trips back to Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, a bunch of online research and the help of a BMTM team member who lives in Southeast Asia, here’s how much you should budget for an extended trip in Southeast Asia:

Pre-trip Expenses:

1. travel insurance.

This is one of those costs that’s annoying, but necessary should the worst occur.  I went with World Nomads travel insurance which happened to be cheaper than any other company I could find for US citizens.

Saving tip: If you know for sure how much time you’ll be away, buying more months upfront is definitely cheaper than extending periodically.

2. Flights: $1500

Flights might be totally different depending on where you’re coming from, but I usually end up spending about this much including flights from home and any inter-country flights once in the region. The first time I went, I bought two one-way flights to get from LAX to Southeast Asia and back. In hindsight, this may not have been the cheapest way to travel (I could have saved a couple hundred dollars by booking round-trip), however, I was unsure of my dates and departure city. Sometimes, the penalties and restrictions on moving flights ends up making a RT flight too much of a hassle.

Other ways to save are by making your itinerary logical, so that you can take overland transport most of the time and don’t have to cover huge distances all at once.

Saving tip: To reduce your flight costs, subscribe to flight deals like this one , especially if you are flexible on the traveling dates. Flights are also cheaper during shoulder and rainy seasons. You can also travel hack like I do to save money. Here are my best tips on making your economy long haul flights more comfortable.

3. Immunizations: $350

You’re out of luck if you’re an American when it comes to travel immunizations, because chances are you’ll be covering them out of pocket. I personally elected not to take malaria pills nor get rabies vaccinations because of costs associated and unlikelihood of either becoming a real issue.

Saving tip: In order to get immunized the cheapest way possible, visit the travel specialist at your local county healthcare clinic, or get the immunizations at one of the Bangkok hospitals, which is the name of a premier hospital chain with multiple locations, in Thailand.

4. Travel Gear: $400

My backpack alone cost me over $200, but was worth every penny as nothing ever broke and I’m still using it over 10 years later!  I also invested in Pacsafe products  to keep everything protected, which I do not regret! Check my guide out for essential travel items.

Saving tip: Limit your luggage to carry-on only , so you can save on check-in luggage. Southeast Asia is generally hot and humid year-round, so you will only need thin and breathable clothes. Things are also incredibly affordable so you can always buy things you need as you go.

I am all about winging it when it comes to a backpacking trip, especially in Southeast Asia. However, if you are on a budget, it’s best to decide on your length of stay in each country to avoid unnecessary visa fees. Here’s a complete breakdown for most nations:

On-trip Expenses:

1. food: $10-$15/day.

Eating local delights and choosing street food when possible are the best ways to keep food costs down. The food tastes better and costs much less when it’s a local dish vs. a western dish. Why order a disappointing burger for $4 when you could have amazing steamed pork buns, papaya salad, coconut soup, pad thai (the list is endless!) in Thailand for less than $1? If you are staying at a place with a kitchen, you can get groceries for cheap from the local market and make your own food. Note that at certain places, like Bali and Kuala Lumpur, eating out can sometimes be cheaper than cooking.

Saving tip: Check with your hostel receptionist for local recommendations. Eat where the locals eat. Don’t fear street food. It’s cooked right in front of you and may even be fresher and less processed than food available at home.

2. Accommodation: $5-$30/day

This really varied depending on high/low season and country, and whether or not your’e willing to stay in dorms. Cambodia and Laos were the cheapest while Indonesia and Malaysia tended to be more expensive and provided less value for the money.

Here’s how much you should expect to pay per night, if you were to book a hostel bed a week in advance, and pick one that’s clean and strategically located:

3. Transportation: $2-$10/day

Land transportation is generally very cheap in all of Southeast Asia. Taking an intercity bus typically costs about $10. The cost of renting a bike is around $8-$15/day. On the islands like the Philippines, public boat trips take ages but they are extremely cheap at about $2/ride.

4. Activities:

Diving: If you are a diver, you will be thrilled to find many, many affordable diving spots all over Southeast Asia. Prices go as low as $100 for a 3D2N stay with 3 dive trips, though when I returned to Southeast Asia in 2018, I went on a glorious 11-day liveaboard diving trip in Raja Ampat which now costs over $6000.

Island Hopping: An island hopping trip with 5-6 stops for less than $30? Only in Southeast Asia. Your negotiation skills will decide how much you pay for your island hopping trip, so negotiate away, and if the price offered does not make sense to you, walk away – there will be 5 more agents down the same street. Generally, you should expect to pay about $15-$30 for a full-day (typically 9am-3pm) trip that you share with others. For a private trip, it will be over $100. Read my comparison of El Nido boat trips here.

Group Tours: A walking tour is often the best way to get to know a new city. There are many tip-based, free walking tours available, and some of them are actually really insightful and fun. It’s the best way to meet new friends too. Paid tours typically cost about $8-$15.

Hiking: I love that this activity is mostly free, save for the occasional entrance fee! Even some popular hikes, like Mount Bromo , can be affordable if you do it independently.

Cooking Class: This delicious activity runs about $20-$40 for a class. Consider the skills you will gain and the free food you will make. I’d say it’s pretty worth it, especially if you’ve fallen in love with the local cuisine.

Popular Tourist Sites: Angkor Wat costs a whopping $62 for a 3-day pass, getting to the sky bridge of the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia requires $20, and the beautiful Gardens by the Bay in  Singapore  also requires $20 to enter. Pick and choose what you’d really want to see and factor the entrance fees into your overall budget.

5. Shopping:

Toiletries: If you can, buy from the small local stores instead of the big chain drug stores. They are likely to cost less, and you get to help the locals out. If you want to stick with familiar brands like Pantene and Nivea, the cost is similar to what you’d pay back home, if not slightly cheaper. Local brands cost less.

Clothes: They’re so cheap and awesome! You can get a funky top for $3, cliche but must-have pair of elephant pants for less than $5, and a beautiful silk scarf for less than $8.

Outdoor gear: There are many “counterfeit” hiking gear options available in Vietnam and Indonesia for a fraction of the original cost, but the quality is lacking, too. You can get a legit waterproof jacket for as low as $12, but if you bring it from home, it’ll last longer.

First Name:

Why couldn’t I travel on only $30/day?

The $30/day benchmark does not take into account gear, insurance, flights, and immunizations.  It’s also easy to forget that things like soap, shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen , batteries, adapters, mosquito repellent, medication, and visas all need to be periodically purchased on the road. The cost seems small but when budgeting only $30 for one day, $4 on a small bottle of shampoo can really add up.

The $30 benchmark is more than realistic, if not a little rich, when staying in one place for an extended period of time in one of the cheaper countries.  I was able to spend $3/night on accommodation and around $10/day on food and drink in Otres Beach, Cambodia , for example.  I didn’t spend a dime on activities because the beach was free.  But what about the days when I moved around?  What about the times I had to spend $40 on a visa, $9 on a bus ride, and $3 on a water taxi?  My budget was blown before I even bought food or a bed for the night.

What about the days that I wanted to visit Angkor Wat, go SCUBA diving, or jungle trekking?  An extremely low budget is only feasible if you hardly move around and never spend anything on activities, but why travel to the other side of the world only to miss out on these things?

If I had not SCUBA dived, climbed  Mt. Kinabalu , or gone trekking in Bukit Lawang or  Mt. Rinjani , I would have shaved over $3000 off of my trip, easily. I also never spent more than a week in any one place.  Had I moved more slowly, I could have saved a lot more.

More saving tips:

• All hope is not lost if you have a smaller budget to work with.  To keep costs low, use services like Couchsurfing for free accommodation. Not into it? Stay in dorms.  They are a great way to meet people and save some cash. House sitting is also a possibility though less so in Southeast Asia.
• Always travel local instead of by private or tourist coach, even if that means travel days are longer. If you’re rich in time but not in funds, this is the best way to do it.
• Eat local foods and abstain from alcohol. The biggest budget eater is partying, by far.  If you never buy drinks, you’ll literally save thousands .  Really, thousands!
• Use a debit card that doesn’t charge fees and refunds the ATM fees assessed by other banks. The only one I’m aware of is Charles Schwab.

For a country-specific budget guide on each place mentioned above, I go into more detail in each of these posts:

Malaysian Borneo

Philippines

How much do you usually spend on traveling?  Do you have any budget travel tips to share? 

Best Places in Southeast Asia for Solo Travelers

The ultimate southeast asia itinerary, what to pack for backpacking in southeast asia.

*Some links in this post are affiliate links for products and services we personally use and love. Any purchase you make through them supports us at no extra cost to you. Thanks so much!

About Kristin Addis

Kristin Addis is the founder and CEO of Be My Travel Muse, a resource for female travelers all around the world since 2012. She's traveled solo to over 65 countries and has brought over 150 women on her all-female adventure tours from Botswana to the Alaskan tundra.

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09/04/2013 at 9:18 am

Great resource! Thanks for sharing that with us!

Kristin says

09/04/2013 at 11:58 am

Glad you find it helpful!

Anonymous says

10/11/2017 at 2:03 pm

Thanks! Without the scuba diving, it would come right on budget with $30.45.

09/04/2013 at 9:19 am

I can’t wait for my trip to SE Asia after the World Cup in Brazil. I need to start saving!

Good luck! I’m loving how travel-focused we Gauchos are!

OCDemon says

09/04/2013 at 3:13 pm

I definitely thought this title was going to be more personal, like, the answer was going to be “MY SOUL.” Oh well though. Info is great too!

09/04/2013 at 3:53 pm

Hahahaha! Well that too! More like my heart.

TammyOnTheMove says

09/04/2013 at 9:50 pm

I think you budget is more realistic. If you are traveling in a country and not take part in certain tours, then you might as well not bother (i.e. Angkor Wat). Love Otres beach. So stunning!

Jo (The Blond) says

09/05/2013 at 3:46 am

I think $11,000 for 6 months travel, including everything is not bad at all considering that you did trekking, scuba diving and things like that.

09/05/2013 at 10:44 pm

Yeah and when one really adds in the extras like flights, immunizations, and insurance, that’s a pretty realistic budget.

Joanna says

09/05/2013 at 6:22 pm

I loved how you broke everything down! I get some frustrated looks when I can’t give one price tag for any one of my trips because it really depends on how you travel and what you do!

As much as it’s great to get advice on how to stay on budget, some experiences are priceless and would be a waste to pass while you’re RIGHT THERE.

Rika | Cubicle Throwdown says

09/05/2013 at 6:36 pm

Awesome breakdown!! I love how sometimes it’s just way better to separate the ‘real cost’ from the ‘I have an expensive scuba habit’ cost 🙂

09/05/2013 at 10:45 pm

Hahaha! Exactly. I had to state that hey, a lot of this was due to this habit I have of spending a lot of time under water. I’m a bit of a junkie. I know you can relate!

09/06/2013 at 2:47 am

Awesome 😀 , I always envy reading your blog :'(

I hope some day, I will take my own journey same like you do 😀

thak’s for the “VIRUS” hahahah

09/06/2013 at 11:22 pm

Awesome and you’re welcome 🙂

09/06/2013 at 6:38 am

Great breakdown. I wish I had the discipline to do that. Did you have any issues with the one way tickets and the airlines wanting you to have proof of departure from the destination country?

I have a way around that 😉

Chris Fitz says

05/11/2016 at 12:26 pm

I’m planning on traveling soon, and being only my 2nd time out of the country, don’t want to run into any unnecessary issues 🙂 what is your way around this?

Kayleigh says

09/06/2013 at 3:42 pm

Here I am sitting behind a desk bemoaning every hour of ridiculous corporate america. For the past year, I got away with playing the game my way. Was always on the ball with my work so I took advantage of countless travel opportunities and unpaid vaycay because I could care less about the money so long as I have enough to travel. Well for regulatory reasons I can no longer escape dreaded weeks, nor escape for an hour or 2 during the day for a yoga sesh when there is not work to do. 🙁 talk about killing my soul. Anyway, I can’t tell you how many people I tell about your blog and right you are, people just don’t get it. I guess taking the safe, traditional road (the road too highly traveled IMO) is what people feel comfortable with and so they stick with what they know. So here I am, trying to balance holding a job, saving the dough until I can take off on the trip of a lifetime! So glad I stumbled upon your site-absolutely love it!

09/06/2013 at 11:26 pm

Aww thanks so much for your comment. Hang in there, you’ll be back on the road and it’ll all be worth it.

Michelle | Lights Camera Travel says

09/08/2013 at 5:22 am

Thanks for sharing Kristin! It’s always helpful to see these posts. I generally budget the same, $1000 for ground expenses, and things like flights, visas, expensive activities (i.e scuba diving) on top and that usually works for me!

09/08/2013 at 11:56 am

1k is a great budget for the extra stuff.

Arianwen says

09/08/2013 at 10:36 pm

This is a really useful overview! I’m pretty bad at keeping a close eye on exactly what I’ve spent so when people ask me about my trip to South America, it’s a very rough estimate! Nice one keeping track!

09/09/2013 at 4:18 pm

I had a lot of going back through my bank account withdrawals to do!

Turner says

09/09/2013 at 10:00 pm

Not too bad. I would be about spending $30 a day too, as per Lonely Planet suggestions, that is if all that weed and hookers didnt get in way. Sigh.

09/11/2013 at 12:41 pm

It’s the ping pong shows and lady boys that really kill my budget.

Morgan says

09/10/2013 at 9:54 am

This is amazing! Thanks for putting it together. I’m also an American and just started vaccinations – the rabies and japanese encephalitis will probably be put on the back burner due to prices (It’s outrageous!). Do you think you went the correct route skipping those?

09/10/2013 at 12:31 pm

I couldn’t even find Japanese Encephalitis when I was getting my vaccinations. I understand it’s kind of important if you’re spending a large chunk of time in SE Asia though, as it’s a pretty serious disease. You can definitely find it in Thailand, although I’m not sure how much it would cost. I personally don’t have that immunization and, well, I’m still alive and kicking!

09/10/2013 at 3:05 pm

Great story and thank you for laying out your expenses like that. Helps those of us who are looking into long trips some very valuable info

09/10/2013 at 8:13 pm

Glad you found it helpful!

Jennifer says

09/11/2013 at 1:35 am

I love your breakdown and it’s really realistic. Just did the same and I’ve come to pretty much the same conclusions. It’s easy to be on the cheap in SEA, but not everywhere and all the extras add up really fast!

09/11/2013 at 11:12 am

Thank you! Yes the extras do add up.

Joey Rana says

09/12/2013 at 1:14 pm

please visit the philippines. plenty of places to visit and part of south east asia. many travelers often neglect the philippines and hope you can make an exception.

09/12/2013 at 8:20 pm

I will. Next year!

09/24/2013 at 1:53 am

Brilliant post, thank you so much! My trip is rapidly approaching and this has really helped.

09/25/2013 at 7:55 am

Hello! I came across your blog and found it really inspiring! I am planning a 3 week trip to HK and maybe Thailand in October. I will attempt to blog my journey and looking for blogs to follow as well as increasing my number of followers so feel free to explore and please join my site while you are at it!

09/25/2013 at 1:15 pm

Thanks Vera! HK is awesome

Simon Lee says

10/08/2013 at 12:00 am

Hi Kristin, Dropping by for the first time. I am from Malaysia.

I am surprised that you spent the most money for accommodation in Borneo as there are quite a number of budget accommodation in the area.

Did you checked out some of the islands off the coast of Semporna? Widely known as a scuba diver paradise and i am sure you will like it as diving is what fascinating you:)

Cheers, Simon

10/09/2013 at 8:08 am

Well, it had more to do with the fact that I had been spending closer to $5 in most other countries. Yes, Borneo has budget accommodation, especially in the cities, but it’s not as cheap as other places in Southeast Asia – Malaysia in general is not as cheap. I went diving in Sipadan and it was amazing!

Manfred says

11/27/2013 at 8:44 pm

We just finished 6-7 months around SE Asia as a couple and spent an average of just under $30 each. We started and finished in Bangkok though, so didn’t have the additional cost of flights to/from SE Asia. We also didn’t get any immunizations, as our doctors here didn’t recommend any. We also didn’t need to buy any travel gear, as we both already had suitcases. I think this would be the case with most travelers. We wrote a book about our experiences if anyone is interested. See our blog.

11/27/2013 at 8:51 pm

Oooh Yikes I would DEFINITELY suggest everyone at least get the Hepatitis vaccines and Tetanus. Very important!

12/25/2013 at 4:26 pm

hi, i wanna go to Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia. but i am confused how to get a visa to Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. can you help me out?

12/25/2013 at 10:41 pm

It really depends on where you’re from! You should check your country’s travel advisory website for more info. If you’re from the US , Canada, or EU, you can get a visa on arrival for all of those countries.

12/26/2013 at 12:19 am

What country are you from. If from US, UK, etc, you don’t need visa for Malaysia or Singapore, and can get visa on arrival for Indonesia. For Indonesia you need to have a flight booked to leave the country before arriving.

12/27/2013 at 5:17 am

That’s helpful info because I actually got a two month visa for Indonesia prior to going there while I was in Kuala Lumpur. I was told I needed proof of an onward flight but they never asked, and I didn’t have one!

01/20/2014 at 8:24 am

Maybe it’s different if you have a visa in advance. Also, sometimes people need onward flights and sometimes they don’t check. But I know people that haven’t be allowed on their flight because they didn’t have onward tickets. I wish they had proper rules, but it’s all a bit hit and miss.

01/20/2014 at 8:32 am

You don’t *really* need anything booked onward. There are ways around that but I know what you’re saying. Thailand and Indonesia are often that way and the Philippines is as well.

01/19/2014 at 11:17 pm

This is awesome as I’m planning my next adventures. Im currently in New Zealand but i just wondered in which currency was your budget for Asia?

01/20/2014 at 8:15 am

Ah I should note that on the post. USD 🙂

01/21/2014 at 9:26 pm

Looking to do a 6 week trip this Summer with a friend starting with a week in Thailand and ending with a week in the Philippines. Unfortunately can’t visit every country you described – did you have any personal favorites or must-sees!? My friend and I are both scuba certified as well – any great scuba spots would be much appreciated! Thanks, love the website!

01/25/2014 at 9:00 am

Sipadan in Borneo is the best diving I’ve done. You must book that kind of far in advance. Komodo in Indonesia is also amazing but the current is strong and you need at least AOW certification. I loved Cambodia and Laos but in 6 weeks I wouldn’t try to rush too much. A lot of people do and they miss a lot. Northern Thailand is great!

03/09/2014 at 5:26 pm

This was a really helpful post. Thank you for all the details. I’m trying to decide where to visit on my way back from Australia to the UK. Cambodia and Vietnam are looking like they might come out top, although I really want to see the Philippines too! I see this trip extending…!

03/09/2014 at 6:13 pm

I just did a budget post on the Philippines and it’s more expensive than I thought it would be. I have one on Vietnam going up today so check that one out! I really loved Vietnam!

03/19/2014 at 8:53 am

I love your helpful breakdown, but I do think that hostels eat up a lot of the travel budget, so I almost always try to couchsurf or stay somewhere as a Workaway volunteer whenever I travel in Asia or Europe. I think hostels are my last resort because I’ve had a couple negative experiences in hostels, but also, when you CouchSurf (which doesnt always mean you sleep on a couch btw!) or stay as a volunteer with a local, first of all, it’s FREE–plus you get free meals as a Workaway volunteer, and your CS host may also invite you to join him/her or their family for a meal or two. And second of all, you are gaining a truly authentic experience and perspective of the lifestyle, and you have a local to help you and offer you excellent advice for your stay! 🙂

03/20/2014 at 7:55 pm

Great suggestions and agreed, especially in more expensive countries. I’ve couch surfed in Europe and in China.

Sidney says

03/23/2014 at 2:36 pm

Thanks this helped alot!

03/23/2014 at 8:15 pm

I’m currently planning my trip for this summer, and just wanted to say this post/site is extremely helpful! I just got all my vaccines last week. Japanese Encephalitis set me back $500 alone. Yikes! I’m now on to gear. Taking your advice w/ a 40L pack. As for travel insurance, I just got a quote online from World Nomad that says it’ll be $386 for 6mo. coverage. Why was yours so much more expensive? Was it the timing? Or maybe $793 is for a full 10 mo?

03/24/2014 at 12:54 am

I got the adventure plan which covers SCUBA diving, etc., and that was for the full ten months as well. I wish I had just bought it all at once upfront because it’s actually cheaper that way. Oh well! You live and learn 🙂

Allen Espy says

03/24/2014 at 6:04 am

I did a similar trip in 2000. 6 months, about eight countries. Semi-backpacking. $12,000

03/28/2014 at 9:08 pm

Did it cost money to get visas’ to these countries? Were visa’s even required if you’re not working?

03/28/2014 at 9:24 pm

Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia are free. Cambodia ($20), Laos ($35 but depends on where you’re from), and Indonesia are all visa on arrival but they cost money. Vietnam must be procured before you land and it’s expensive. I paid $20 and then $45 for a stamping fee.

04/21/2014 at 11:13 pm

Hey Kristin – thanks for sharing this! I will say that traveling as a couple makes the cost a lot better. Rob and I did six months in SE Asia and with all flights and a lot of scuba, we came out to a bit over $30/day per person. We always stayed in private rooms with private bathrooms, although we did do a fair amount of haggling.

When you add in shots and flights to Asia, the costs do go up. But that’s what frequent flier miles and pre trip health insurance are for :o)

05/05/2014 at 1:17 am

Splitting taxis is a huge help. The months that I did most of my traveling with friends were definitely cheaper.

Christopher K says

05/02/2014 at 12:38 pm

Hey Kristin!

I’m getting ready for my trip to SEAsia in mid-June, arriving in Bangkok on a one-way ticket as well, and I just wanted to ask you about your experience flying with such a ticket.

Apparently one of the requirements for Thailand’s free 30-day tourist visa is to have proof of “an onward or return airline ticket within 30-days of arriving.” I’m planning on flying to Bangkok and staying there until my 30 days expire, at which point I’ll heading to Cambodia –> Vietnam –> Laos via LAND transport however (i’m planning on buying my bus and train tickets when I get there).

My question is: Did you happen to have another airline ticket (out of thailand within 30 days) purchased and ready to show to the immigration officials and/or airline when you arrived? How’d it go for you? Do you think the airline could bar me from getting on the plane if I show up to the airport in new york with nothing but the one-way ticket to bangkok and my passport?? :S

It’s just one of my scruples at this moment!

Hope that all made sense! Thanks so much!

05/05/2014 at 12:55 am

Sometimes the agent at the check in counter will ask for onward travel proof and if you don’t have it they won’t let you check in. I’d suggest editing an old e-ticket from a different airline with a future travel date and printing that to bring with you.

05/21/2014 at 3:03 pm

Thailand also has (or had 5 years ago) cheap rooms. I got a single or double bed room for 3-4€ outside of bangkok on different occasions. I plan for round trip with Thailand, Vietnam and Laos now and it is great to hear that I won’t be completely broke at the end of it. 🙂 Also one hint: An Indonesian friend showed me some Indonesian booking sites and they seem a lot cheaper than the American/European ones. Try tiket.com for instance.

Barbora says

05/28/2014 at 9:28 pm

Your website is freaking awesome! No nonsens lifestyle generic scribbling, but actual useful practical advice. Big thank you!

05/31/2014 at 3:09 am

Wow. THANK YOU!

matthew says

06/01/2014 at 2:05 am

I just got home from a 18 month trip all over SE Asia, Singapore 3x, Malaysia 6x, Indonesia 1x, Thailand 2x, Philippines 1x, and did the whole 18 months on $8200 USD including my separate 1 way flights back and forth from the US. It helps to make friends on the way, lots of free food and places to sleep.

06/02/2014 at 4:13 am

Couchsurfing and staying with friends definitely helps a lot. I tend to buy meals or pay my share or bring a gift, though, which does increase my costs. To me, it seems like the right thing to do.

06/22/2014 at 6:00 pm

Hey, I love your post and have found it particularly useful whilst planning my own trip, I’ve got a question about currency.. How did you handle money over there? Did you have lots of different currency on you at all times or did you literally just withdraw money in each country when you needed it? Also, how did you cross from each country to the next and have you got rough prices for them? Thank you 🙂

06/23/2014 at 2:45 am

I just withdrew money when I needed it. I crossed overland for the most part and typically you want to pay visa fees in US Dollars so always have some of those on you.

06/23/2014 at 11:08 am

Travelling is enjoying the different food: should be careful as paying too low …you might be fed with rat meat instead of pork… especially in poor country, meat is still expensive. If the meal is a buck, I’m not sure it’s pork or rat….? A 3 to 4 dollar meal should be very satisfying… if your budget could not afford that then I was wondering what would you enjoy in your travel? My idea is to save a bit more before your trip and really enjoy the time there …. if you find yourself penny-pinching then wait for another season and build those extra bucks…The worst thing is to see something that your friends enjoying while you couldn’t afford.

Wd you sleep in a place where rats came out at night to say hi? It is much more enjoyable to stay at a 5.00 or 10.00 room and enjoy the night rather than sleepless because of those vermins….

06/23/2014 at 5:43 pm

That’s absolutely ridiculous. You can see the meat before you eat it, usually raw, at the street stall. I think we all know that beef ribs look nothing like rat meat, and it’s possible to just go vegetarian as well. I also eat food locals eat and take pride in making. It’s insulting to them to claim they’re cooking rat’s meat.

$1 streetside soup in Vietnam (with a giant pork shank in it, I might add) is delicious.

Lastly, most rooms I stayed in that year were around $5-$10 per night. I now often spend a bit more but I wanted to see if it could be done for $30/day back then.

Kaylin says

07/24/2014 at 5:28 pm

After doing some number crunching, it looks like you spent about $34/day not including the scuba (which wouldn’t necessarily be something alot of people would do on such a trip) or the flights (which most people don’t include in their daily budget). So really it’s not so far off the $30/day recommendation! Either way, this is a great article showing real expenses on your trip. I have been to Thailand and Cambodia before for 2 weeks, but I want to go back and do a much longer trip to more countries in the next couple years, so I will definitely keep this budget in mind 🙂 You are so right that not drinking saves SOOOOO much money. I feel like half my budget in Cambodia was for those $5 buckets LOL.

07/29/2014 at 5:27 am

That’s true, but I think a lot of people have one or two expensive activities they just really want to try, so it’s worth budgeting that in. Cutting out drinking would actually make it much cheaper than $30/day considering where I was staying and the types of transport I was taking.

07/30/2014 at 4:04 am

Hey Kristin,

Great blog!! I was wondering if you had any advice on obtaining visas on your travels?? I have a one way ticket to thailand this upcoming November, and I was honestly just going to wing it as far as determining my length of stay in certain countries/areas. Any help would be appreciated!!

07/30/2014 at 7:36 am

I did the same. Most countries, except for Vietnam, you can just get a visa on arrival (depending on which country you’re from, of course), and it can be pretty easy to extend.

Ian Limbonis says

08/10/2014 at 11:12 am

Im on my 111th day today, and so far spent <1500$. Tracking all my expemses daily to meet the least possible expensiture, though i must say coffee, cigarette, and seldom beers can help lower this doen further.

08/11/2014 at 1:05 am

Wow you’ve done a great job then!

08/11/2014 at 1:59 am

Not as much as how you organized your expenses ;-). Im glad how quite basic i’m becoming

Michael says

08/25/2014 at 11:23 pm

Wow thats cheap.. good for you!

09/02/2014 at 10:54 pm

I tried! Could do it even cheaper and certainly more expensively as well.

Paul Durano says

08/27/2014 at 9:11 pm

If your in Cebu, Philippines by mid Jan – May 2015, I help you find a place for $20 per day. Living with local family.

Samantha says

08/29/2014 at 4:45 pm

Hey Kristin, HUGE fan of your blog and the advice you give. You have really helped me out as I plan for my backpacking trip to SEA, Australia, and New Zealand (leaving in 65 days!!–but who’s counting?!). Quick question: did you get a credit card for this trip? I opened up a Charles Schwab account for the ATM card, but I wanted to get a credit card with 0 foreign transaction fees as well, just as a precaution. Do you have any banker recommendations? :). Thanks again!

09/02/2014 at 10:43 pm

Glad to have your readership! I use a Capital One Venture card and would also suggest having some kind of back up as well. Airline mileage cards also often are transaction-fee-free.

09/18/2014 at 1:01 pm

Hi Kristin,

For your southeast asia travels you got immunizations for Hepatitis A and Tetnus?

Did you get any for: Fly or Typhoid or Hepatitis B or Japanese Encephalitis or Rabies?

Also, you mentioned you chose not to take medication for Malaria? Any concern why?

My mother wants me to inoculated for every conceivable transmittable/contagious disease but to save both money and side effects I want focus on the truly most necessary vaccinations.

Thank you! Haley

09/18/2014 at 10:21 pm

I got Tetanus and Hep A, already had B, as well as Typhoid. Did not get rabies and Japanese Encephalitis wasn’t even available at my clinic. I have never taken anti-malaria medication. I’m in that part of the world for way too long for that.

Stephanie Be says

10/03/2014 at 10:58 pm

I just wrote an article on tips for Thailand, and one of my tips was that it is NOT as cheap as people make it out to be. I couldn’t agree more with the misconception that it’s “easy” to live on a shoe string budget in developing countries. There are many costs, and chances are that most travelers WANT to experience things like an elephant reservation park or Angkor Wat.

Nice to hear it from you too!

10/04/2014 at 6:14 am

Southern Thailand is definitely more expensive than the middle and north as well!

Franca says

10/04/2014 at 1:33 am

I forgot how cheap SEA can be and after being traveling around Europe for more than 1 year, it seems like a dream being able to spend so little and still enjoying yourself so much! We spent a lot less than you have, but mainly because we didn’t do the activities you did and we took some extra vaccinations (rabies for instance because we volunteered in dog shelters) and malaria pills in some areas. Sometimes I miss these countries, maybe we should go back and explore the countries we haven’t been yet. There is too much of the world I want to see, my list gets longer instead of shorter 🙂

10/04/2014 at 6:13 am

Same here. I am over in Europe now, thankful that I now have a bigger budget but definitely do still love SEA, both for how cheap it can be and how amazing it can be.

Victoria says

10/04/2014 at 5:12 am

Definitely agreed $30 isn’t realistic if you want to see and do things, although I think as an American you have it way worse! In the UK immunisations are free, I go to TK Maxx for my travel gear so we’re looking at maybe £30-40 on a bag and then flights cost me about £400-£500 RETURN if I don’t care what day I travel on. When I did Phuket for a month it cost $400 US for my room ($13 per day) and then I spent roughly $10-$20 on food and I literally wasn’t doing ANYTHING except working on my computer and going to the beach. So really $30 is only do-able if you decide to do the ‘living somewhere’ option and do nothing.

10/04/2014 at 6:10 am

Definitely true. Moving around is expensive due to traveling costs, but living in one place or moving very slowly makes things much more affordable.

10/08/2014 at 8:00 pm

Hey Kristin, We shall be traveling Indonesia in June and we wondered if you had any tips on where to go? we figured we’d stop off in Bali (its the cheapest island to fly to) plus my friend works there as an instructor and I’m going to take my DM course there. Other than that we’ve seen that Sumatra and Flores look good, but we don’t really know anything about them. Also, how expensive is it to take a tour with the orang-utans? i’ve looked online and it said 20,000Rp… that seems pretty cheap to me, does that sound about right? Finally, how expensive is it to island hop? we traveled south thailand via boats and busses and it work out pretty cheap but will it be the same in Indo?

Thanks for your advice and your amazing travel blog! Keep up the awesome work! Emily 🙂

10/09/2014 at 11:41 am

Definitely I wrote a lot about it in the Indonesia https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/category/destinations/southeast-asia/indonesia/

Here’s the info on Orangutans https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/bukit-lawang-trekking/

Here’s info on island hopping local style https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/how-to-get-from-flores-to-lombok/

whitney says

10/16/2014 at 2:28 am

what backpack did you buy for $200 and what do you do for income (or has the initial funds from liquidating your assets not run out yet)? also do you still maintain and contribute to a retirement plan? lastly, i assume travel insurance makes up for not having employer sponsored health benefits? i too am a banker and im wondering how i can make this a reality for myself.

10/16/2014 at 8:04 am

Yes I contribute to a retirement account, which was pretty heavily invested in with my old job. I make money off of this blog and freelance writing. Check out my series on how to start a travel blog if that interests you! https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/category/travel-prep/how-to-start-a-travel-blog/

11/05/2014 at 4:04 pm

i wanna backpack for 6- 8 months in Asia , and is like 10.000 dollar enough ??

11/06/2014 at 4:07 am

Well you can see how I laid out my expenses here, so I’d say that no, it is not, if you add in things like flights, gear, and insurance. It is if you don’t party much and don’t do expensive activities and stay in dorms, eat street food, and take local transport. It boils down to your way of traveling.

TeachingTravel says

11/24/2014 at 8:25 am

You really missed out by not spending as much time in Vietnam! Vietnam is extremely cheap. However I didn’t spend as much time in Cambodia, this time i’ll make sure to check out the beaches! Last time I just hit the temples of Cambodia and skipped right through!

Also traveling with someone else would really bring these costs down!

11/24/2014 at 8:53 am

I ended up returning to Southeast Asia and spending a month in Vietnam after writing this post. Traveling with someone else would definitely cut the costs down but I’m a solo traveler and that’s the focus of this blog 🙂

Claire says

08/28/2016 at 1:08 am

I’m so curious, why and what would all the reasons traveling with a partner cut the costs down??

09/07/2016 at 3:24 pm

You split cabs and private rooms

Muzammil says

12/17/2014 at 2:11 pm

Hey! Amazing article and love your website!

Can you please let me know how many flights did you have to take in your 10 months Oceania & SE Asia trip? And what were those flights?

Thanks! Muzammil

12/17/2014 at 3:19 pm

I probably took around 6-8. If you just stayed in Southeast Asia you can do almost all of it overland. You can get very cheap last minute ones on local airlines and on Air Asia. I really like Bangkok Airways in Thailand, and Tiger is also good.

12/17/2014 at 3:26 pm

Thanks for the response! When you say overland, are you referring to taking ferries/boats between countries like Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, etc.?

12/18/2014 at 2:14 am

You could do that but it takes a VERY long time and in that case I’d just fly.

12/29/2014 at 9:18 pm

Wow , I really want to do this how do you find all the places to sleep and not end up paying for hotels

12/31/2014 at 12:50 pm

Stay in hostels/guesthouses and especially dorms to save money.

Lesh @ NOMADasaurus says

01/03/2015 at 9:48 pm

What an awesome breakdown Kristin. I know what you mean about $30 a day. Sometimes it happens but most of the time not. There are so many awesome activities to do all over South East Asia and we were not missing out on them. Love your tips for cheap travel. We love eating locally and traveling locally too. It is not just cheap but such a great experience. We have met some wonderful people on some journeys. We have been taking a budget daily so we can keep track of our spendings. The fact it is there on paper has really helped us budget. Over spend one day, lay low the next day. It is crazy how much alcohol can add up too and how many stories I have heard of people spending all their money partying and have not enough to see the rest of the country. The country always comes first for us. Thank you.

01/04/2015 at 2:04 pm

Thanks Lesh. I definitely agree it’s better to buy experiences than beers, but if you can do both, even better! 😉

01/04/2015 at 6:29 pm

Hey Kristin, great breakdown – I’ve managed on $30 in Asia, but on the basis it was covering food and accommodation only and no sightseeing. Also, these kind of simple ‘figures’ just don’t work in places like Singapore, Tokyo, etc. It annoys me when I see guides/books/etc. encouraging this as an ‘option’ because there must be so few people who manage on something like $30 a day and still get to see and do everything they wanted! Bring more – see and do more.

01/05/2015 at 4:52 am

True Singapore is a lot more costly and I actually haven’t been there yet. If any guide books are suggesting $30/day is doable in Tokyo I’d toss that right out the window!

01/12/2015 at 6:26 am

How am I only just finding this blog? Good stuff

01/13/2015 at 1:23 am

Aw thank you.

01/25/2015 at 10:42 pm

Never tried this myself, but I would imagine $30 (3000 yen) in Tokyo is possible. Well, I am in Tokyo now working (I am from Canada) but will travel abroad in November.

3000 yen breakdown possibility (if not relied on heavy tourist travel-style) – of course, it all depends on what you want to do that day; the list of what to do is endless:

1. Yamanote Line (most of the touristy places are on this line): 730 (day pass; it is even less that if you want to stay in places that require less than 730 yen) 2. Food ~1000 a day IF cheap, healthy, and convenient food places (i.e. Sukiya) –> much less required if rice balls and other smaller foods bought at convenience stores or McDonalds (100 yen options) 3. Accommodation – Couchsurfing! (0 yen) 4. Others (museum fee, drinking, whatever you choose)

Total: 1730yen plus additional

I do not know how much travel insurance is needed. Nor visa. However, when sites that say $30/day is possible, I do not believe that cost includes visa, insurance, etc. I think it means just travel expenses (food, accomodation, and such).

And for visa, I have never bought it before. But according to my Japanese passport Visa requirement for travel in Europe, I can travel in Europe for 3 (or 6) months at maximum without visa, so I am sure Visa is not required if less than 3 (or 6) months?

01/27/2015 at 7:28 am

Thanks for that! I had no idea it could be so cheap since Japan is always thought of as so expensive. You can get a VOA for fewer than 3 months in Europe, yes. You can only stay for 3 out of every 6 months.

02/06/2015 at 1:55 am

I went for a month in December/January of last year and found it expensive, probably because I wasn’t able to find as many dorms and it was over the holidays which is an understandably expensive time.

sashlah says

02/22/2015 at 8:06 am

We are spending around 15/20$ a day in two in North Thailand. We rented a huge house with 3 bedrooms for little more than 150/month. We always cook at home buying stuff at the market.

02/23/2015 at 1:40 am

Northern Thailand is really nice and cheap. Cooking at home is cheaper than street food? That’s my favorite part of Thailand!

02/23/2015 at 9:11 pm

Thanks for the great advice! One thing to add, when I was traveling for 6 months through Western Europe, I got charged about $5 per ATM withdrawal– I have Chase. BUT, I called and asked them, and kind of sweet talked them, into refunding me the charges! It wasn’t a lot since I went to the ATM as few times as possible but every dollar counts!

02/23/2015 at 10:16 pm

I’d suggest Charles Schwab which refunds all ATM fees and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. I really think they’re the best option. Great customer service, too. Wow I sound like an ad but honestly I love them.

01/14/2016 at 6:05 am

do you by any chance know how this works for Europeans? Can, say a Belgian guy, get an Charles Schab account? 🙂 Have you met Europeans troughout your trip who managed to solve or eliminate these fees?

01/16/2016 at 1:01 pm

I believe Schwab is only in the US, these are some good suggestions: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/avoid-paying-bank-fees-traveling/

03/07/2015 at 6:08 pm

First off I want to say I’m a huge fan of your blog! Your posts are always great and so interesting! I’m very grateful for this post in particular. I’m considering homeschooling my son for a year and spending the time traveling SE Asia. So I have a few questions for you: what is the point of travelers insurance? Is it health insurance? We have health insurance and I cover my electronics through my homeowners insurance (it’s very cheap btw) so I don’t think I need travelers insurance, right? Did any areas seems unsafe at all? My son is 13 so he’s not a baby but I still don’t want to put him directly in danger of course. When you reference “dorms” is that the same thing as hostels? What is high season in SE Asia? What language is most widely spoke? I was thinking about spending a few weeks in one spot to take courses on a foreign language. Anything else you think I should know? Thanks and keep up the great work!

03/11/2015 at 7:03 am

Hey Kristin! Depends on which country you’re in regarding which language is spoken the most widely. In Thailand that would be Thai, Malay in Malaysia, etc. However, most places you’ll find you’ll be fine communicating as locals speak at least some English and much communication isn’t verbal anyways, as I’ve learned through the years. I also don’t think a few weeks is enough time to learn much of a language, though I wouldn’t want to discourage you!

As for insurance, you can check if your health insurance covers you abroad. Mine didn’t. I have travel insurance so that I’m always covered and if I need to be flown home for medical care, I’m still covered. Hope that helps.

03/11/2015 at 9:35 am

Yes that helps a lot! Thank you!

05/07/2015 at 7:40 am

I find your post realistic! And refreshing knowing that I’m not able to always stick to $30/day either. Currently traveling in Northern Thailand and doing my best with level of comfort, while staying cheap. Probably the biggest money saver as you mention is indeed when I go a week or so without drinking. 🙂 Thanks for the honest post and keeping up with your site. Inspiring!

05/07/2015 at 7:32 pm

Thanks Erin! Yep the biggest budget killer is alcohol, even though each drink individually is cheap, it adds up!

05/29/2015 at 5:41 am

Awesome! I got to understand on how much should I be needing and what do I really want before exploring outside my country in SEA!

Very informative post! 😀

Liem @ Holiday Bays says

06/20/2015 at 10:28 pm

Hey Kristin, when will you visit Vietnam? We can go for coffee and eat some local food. I live in the Mekong Delta area. Love your blog by the way! 🙂

06/22/2015 at 4:10 am

I spent one month there in 2014 but would love to return. I love the food and the coffee so much!

07/18/2015 at 3:40 pm

Good write-up

The Wife & I traveled SE Asia for 3 months last year and are hooked! On seeing more. We did things a different way financially so are kinda setup now but it meant foregoing this earlier on. But also means work is almost optional now. We spent about $8k across 7 Countries and that’s staying in Hotels ranging from $50-$100 per night. Everything is cheap there and most things are just so much better. They live a good life and we now see that Western world has it all wrong

07/19/2015 at 2:16 am

Can definitely see where you’re coming from with that. Wouldn’t say they all live a good life though. It’s easy for us to do so because we were born with privilege, a passport that provides mobility, and the ability to earn in a strong currency.

Jasmine says

08/09/2015 at 6:49 am

My main question in all of this was how did you go about traveling to these countries once you started in Thailand? Are there cheap (significantly cheap) flights available from one to the next or are you able to cross the border in a local bus? *I’m trying to convince my friends of a southeast Asia tour and the only way I can persuade them is if this factor is relatively inexpensive lol.*

08/10/2015 at 5:01 am

Hi Jasmine, I generally crossed overland though I flew to Malaysian Borneo and did a few flights in Indonesia as well. For the most part busses and trains are the method of getting around, and they’re cheap! So are Air Asia flights so I’d suggest signing up for their newsletter and taking advantage of sales. I scored a flight for $18 with them previously.

Charmaine says

09/30/2015 at 12:52 pm

Thanks for all your tips! I’m looking to do some backpacking soon and one thing I’m concern about are bank fees! You mentioned Charles Schwab doesn’t have any fees, can you elaborate more on this? Were you always banking with them or only as a travel account? Is it only available to US citizens (I’m from Canada).

10/12/2015 at 6:38 am

Hi Charmaine, I don’t know if it’s available in Canada but I don’t think so. This post is a pretty good resource: http://www.nomadicmatt.com/travel-blogs/avoid-paying-bank-fees-traveling/

Izy Berry says

11/26/2015 at 2:30 pm

Is not that expensive !! Incredible is very economic

KeepCalmAndWander says

12/27/2015 at 7:44 am

Going back to Cambodia soon and I hope the country is still cheap! 🙂

12/27/2015 at 1:10 pm

It’s still cheap.

Christian Vielma says

12/29/2015 at 10:54 am

Nice post! My wife and I traveled this year around Asia, including SEA. We also find the $30 limit not very realistic unless you stay for long time and live more like a local (preparing your own food instead of restaurant)

12/31/2015 at 4:18 am

I feel like eating street food is superior to cooking your own when traveling in Asia. It’s fresh, cheap, and lots of it is healthy.

Darren Bush says

01/11/2016 at 11:06 pm

Hey Kristine, I just want to thank you. As your blog is super helpful for me. I will keep all your points in my mind as i am thinking of visiting few countries in southeast asia.

Oliver Mortimer says

01/13/2016 at 6:07 am

Great article, Myself and my girlfriend are travelling on the 10th of February for 167 days. We will be going to Thailand Laos Malaysia Indonesia and Cambodia. We will be taking with us just over 9000 euro and have our flights booked travel insurance bought and vaccinations done.

I’m wondering if you think this will be enough money? We would like to see and do as much as we can and will be mostly eating street food but will be staying in our own rooms and not in dorms.

01/13/2016 at 8:41 am

If you take local transport and don’t party too much it could work. You might have to stay in dorms sometimes but the main thing that eats a budget quickly is partying for sure.

01/14/2016 at 3:25 am

Thanks for the reply. We’re not going over to party, so hopefully we’ll be ok with the budget we have….

robbie says

01/20/2016 at 4:03 pm

is it best to book hostels and such before or just go on the go

01/22/2016 at 3:27 pm

I generally do it on the go unless it’s a holiday in which case they can book out for months ahead of time.

Natasja Trujillo says

01/25/2016 at 6:54 pm

Love your blog. What would you say this budget would be for 2 people?

01/28/2016 at 10:49 am

That was just for me. For two double the food costs and add for busses and flights too. I stayed in dorms as well so I paid a single amount but for a private room or a dorm for two you’ll pay double. It’s not entirely double the cost but I’d budget as much for cushion.

yuyazz says

02/03/2016 at 8:03 am

Hello i’m sorry but i really need to write on maximum english blogs because after 6 months of travel in South East Asia, it is my duty to prevent the maximum person from countries such england or australia Everywhere we went, thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Burma, Malaysia, and Laos, we encountered the same type of travelers, loud, arrogant, completely disrespectful of other travelers and local poeple or places..A on several occasions we had to change guesthouse to find a more quiet place, especially away from you english people. You have a tendency to shout rather than speak, to make noise, in couple or group, always acting as if you were alone in earth..Even if you know that the owner of the guest house sleeps just next door, even if his childrens have to sleep to go at school the next morning, it will not matter, you continue until late at night yelling like pigs, in total disrespect of your neighbors .I therefore ask you this: learn to respect your neighbors, cease to believe you higher because the whole world must understand you and speak your language when you do not speak any other language except yours..the local bad feel towards overseas is due in large part to your behavior..Vang Vieng but the Thai islands are the best examples of your behavior incredibly bad.English women love to put almost naked, where the local dress head to toe in all sacred places or elsewhere, you English women you absolutely not respect the modesty of local people, in bikini everywhere..we thing that you really behave badly, the whole world hates you for that, but you don’t care and continue..if ever someone notice it to you, you laugh..You, English, you must to know it, please, SHUT UP, and respect local cultures and your neighbors..your culture based on easy friendship, nudity in public places, and “shouting” must stop!!!.Please be respectful and forget your huge egos!!! … you are the shame of Western europe to abroad …you have to know and to behave in consequence please..if some of you think that i’m exagerating, just look and listen, everywhere in South asia, and certainly everywhere in the world..you are in holidays, ok..but maybe your neighbors or the local people around you are NOT in holidays!!! -so 1 : be quiet -2 : stop wearing bikinis and show your muscles to the whole world.. if people comme here to read these comments, be adise that you are not really appreciated in the world…especially because of young travellers who just care about themselves, and just think about making party… I had no bad idea about english or autralian before, not at all..now after six month travelling, i just hate you, and can’t stand anymore your fucking behaviour..

02/05/2016 at 6:41 am

I wasn’t going to approve because it’s racist this but then again, there are some nuggets of wisdom in here. People who travel elsewhere only to behave badly and disrespect the locals but partying like crazy are the scourge of Southeast Asia and a big reason why I tried to get away from the Thai islands and find other places that weren’t ruined yet.

Also, I’m not English. Not Australian either. Your problem is with the bad eggs, not the entire race of people. Calm down.

Brennan says

02/07/2016 at 7:04 pm

Hey Kristin, this is a great site and very helpful…kudos to ya for setting it up and providing all of the valuable information! I have been pondering leaving my job for some time now to travel Southeast Asia for a year. I have been fortunate that I can travel twice a year while still having my job, and I have been to a few countries so far (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines) but I really want to spend more time there than just a few weeks per year. What are your thoughts on being there for a year? Do you think it’s too long? Also, after your 8 month trip and you returned to the States what was your takeaway from it and are you more motivated to travel now or less? What would say was the best part of the trip?

02/10/2016 at 12:39 pm

Altogether I’ve spent 3 years of my life in Asia and I STILL feel like I haven’t seen it all so there’s no way that a year is too long. I loved the interactions with locals when they happened. Have fun!

03/29/2016 at 2:36 am

This blog is friggin amazing! Thanks for all the great advice. I’ve been saving for the last two years and I’m about to embark on an across the globe backpack journey, living on 20 dollars a day.

04/04/2016 at 4:43 am

Thanks a lot for sharing!! I’m planning a trip to Southeast Asia and this is the first article that actually helped me to calculate expenses. Thank you for all the helpful information

A Pin on the Map says

05/23/2016 at 10:36 am

Thanks so much for the invaluable info! Thinking of heading to Vietnam and Cambodia next summer and this post will be perfect to re-visit before I book my trip. Thanks for sharing!!

Julie Rog. says

05/24/2016 at 4:08 am

Thanks for all the great advice! I want to travel now ^^

NickPomata says

05/26/2016 at 4:40 am

i think 11.000$ is too expensive i also paln a 6 months travel, in southeast asia but probably 4000/5000 will be my budget

07/29/2016 at 2:47 am

Hi NickPomata, are you still traveling? And how about yourt target 4000/5000 per 6 months? Thank you!

Steeve says

07/08/2016 at 6:33 am

I am always amazed on how much expenses keep piling up when I am on vacation… Even when I don’t do anything fancy. I now try to do some volunteering work. I receive accommodation and meals and in return I do some work. It is the best way to travel with minimum expenses and to get to know some local people and the local culture. I did it last year in a yoga ashram in India called Arhanta Yoga. It was the best experience ever. I am now looking for a place in Cambodia, if any body has any suggestions… I would love to know!

Emilia @ mythicalasia.com says

07/13/2016 at 10:29 pm

Southeast Asia is a wonderful destination for the families with kids. Also for many travelers, this region is their first introduction to Asia.

Maddie says

07/23/2016 at 12:03 pm

Took my first trip to Southeast Asia summer of 2015 and spent 10 days in Thailand going through Ayutthaya, Lopburi, and then finally Bangkok. Even spent my 18th birthday in Bangkok and stayed on Khaosan Road! Best experience of my life, planning another trip summer 2017 with my dad that takes us to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and finally Thailand. We both want to hopefully move somewhere in SE Asia in the next few years and this breakdown of costs and your experience helps with the planning process!

07/25/2016 at 4:18 am

That’s wonderful! So glad that you had such a great time 🙂

Naciholidays says

09/12/2016 at 2:57 am

Vietnam is also a good suggestion, I visited Ha Long Bay is very beautiful there and Nha Trang, Sai Gon … Maybe you’ll like it

James Crosby says

08/22/2016 at 11:32 am

If you really put young urban mind to it $30 a day overall is very realistic. I did that ciircuit as part of a larger trip and it can be done on around $18 a day. Couchsurf, hitchhike, and that’s your two biggest costs wiped out. As far as food, you can easily eat breakfast for $1 and evening meal for $3. Use a steripen so you can drink tap water, never drink alcohol. Also don’t take tuktuks unless you really need to. Wake up early and walk everywhere. Some days I would walk in excess of 20km to explore places. Keeps you fit and it’d free.

08/22/2016 at 4:56 pm

I’d say the biggest part of that advice that helps with costs is not drinking (and for the sake of argument, not doing activities that cost money). Eating local and sleeping cheap are great ways to save but I also think most people can’t resist indulging when they travel, in all of the fun stuff, so I’d rather spend a bit more to have more fun.

10/13/2016 at 2:06 am

My Partner and I are planning a 6 month trip to South East Asia with our 16 month old son.

We want to do it as cheap as possible and we’re thinking of buying a van and decking it out with a mattress etc.

Do you think this would be safe and efficient way to travel South East Asia? We are planning on going to Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia.

10/13/2016 at 11:07 am

I don’t really think that’s necessary. Busses and private rooms at hostels are so cheap, and I never really saw anyone self-driving there except for on a motorbike.

10/21/2016 at 1:44 pm

So true about the $30 a day and just totally going over with even just a visa fee or transport! Transport prices are what surprised us! I did not get any immunizations though and I flew from Australia so my flights were much less as well. Love your honest breakdown. Very helpful for first-timers to SEA 🙂

Äventyrsresenär says

12/11/2016 at 6:11 am

Hi there Kristin,

Just stumbled on your blog and as a former expat in Asia I’m glad to see you covered some useful tips and advice when traveling around this region. I haven’t read all of your posts for this particular adventure… you mentioned some stuff you did in the south of thailand and indonesia and malaysia, was it scuba diving? Would love to know more, did you write a post about these travel experiences as well?

Have a great weekend, Sam aka “Äventyrsresenären”

12/11/2016 at 11:15 am

Sure did! Scroll down to SCUBA diving on this active adventures page and you can see what I wrote about: https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/outdoor-travel-blog/

12/13/2016 at 3:22 am

I am going away for 6 weeks on boxing day to Thailand, Vietnam & Cambodia. What would you say is the best way to carry money as i will need three different currencies.

12/15/2016 at 8:59 pm

get it from ATMs

Agness of a TukTuk says

02/14/2017 at 12:39 am

Wow, this is great! I learned a thing or two I could’ve done better when I was in SEA. It’s affordable travel, but it could even be made more affordable. There’s something about the people in SEA that totally makes me want to go back.

02/22/2017 at 9:29 pm

Hi Kristin, Thank you for the tips, I have traveled around the world but most of them were with the US Marine Corps. I am just finishing up grad school this May and will travel for the first time that is not work related. I will be traveling for 3 months and want to start with Thailand, and end in Australia. I don’t drink (I am hoping that will save me some money) and I don’t have any other habits that will cost me more (want to get a scuba license though). I like the couchsurfing idea (do you know any other option if I don’t find accommodations for free?). What safety advice would you give me (specially if I was in military in my past life) and i believe I have most of the immunization done through military deployments. Where would I be able to learn to surf for cheap or even free in any of these countries that you have visited in SE asia? Thank you, Michael

02/22/2017 at 11:50 pm

There’s no surf except for in Indonesia, I’m fairly certain. As for safety, just be smart. If you don’t drink then that’ll help a lot with money and with not getting into trouble. Dorms are so cheap, if you can’t couchsurf then go for those.

Therie says

03/12/2017 at 7:35 am

You really can’t miss scuba diving in SE Asia. It’s a must and the experience is absolutely worth the money. Thank you for putting this together Kristin! Your blog is so awesome, great tips and recommendations, keep it up!

03/14/2017 at 6:48 am

Glad you liked it! I totally agree, I wouldn’t have wanted to experience SEA without the diving. It was worth every penny!

06/15/2017 at 11:43 am

Has anyone tried camping in South Asia or have any experience with it? I’m considering that 🙂

Piotr Kowalski says

09/26/2017 at 4:53 am

This is a very good post and I definitely was looking for something like this. I’m planning a long term trip to Asia next year and the information you have put here will make me change my plans a little. I didn’t know that Laos and Cambodia are so damn cheap, $2 for a bed is nearly like for free or to put it into perspective, I couldn’t even buy a nice sandwich in Europe for that amount. Which place/country you liked the most from them all that you’ve seen in south east Asia?

09/26/2017 at 7:03 am

I like them all for different reasons! Laos was pretty special, though, as was Cambodia, because they were a little less popular.

Abdulrahman Ameen says

11/26/2017 at 7:44 am

This is what I was just searching for. I’m planing to go to a trip to Southeast Asia soon but I have already visited Malaysia, So now I’m Planing to go to Cambodia,Vietnam,Indonesia, Philippines ,Thailand and Myanmar. But a lot of people told me Laos, Vietnam And Cambodia are much similar and they told me you can just go to Cambodia so what do you think of that? and how long should I take to visit these countries with how much budget like estimating ?

11/26/2017 at 9:26 am

I don’t think they’re similar at all. Each has its own unique culture and landscape and things to see. I think a month in each country is good if you can.

Valentina Greene says

07/28/2019 at 1:11 pm

Love reading your posts. Thanks for sharing.

07/31/2019 at 8:44 am

Thank you for sharing! I enjoyed reading your post, and it is very helpful for me to plan my next trip.

08/02/2019 at 4:46 am

Great post! It will be very helpful to those who are planning to the trip and the pics are very nice.

Daniel Gallo says

08/30/2019 at 12:20 am

Where do you get the money to do this if your on Min. Wage? im lucky if after all the bills are paid i have 100$ left. like a 1k a year. it take me over a decade to do something like this?

09/02/2019 at 9:53 am

You might find this helpful https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/how-to-afford-solo-female-travel/

Brendon says

11/16/2019 at 5:27 pm

Great article. I always save up and pay for insurance and the main flight ahead of time and then just pretend that money vanished ? And then I budget from there with my remaining money. Fortunely I’m Canadian and don’t have to pay for immunization. But again the CAD dollar is much weaker thanks USD. Stay in places longer and travel slower saved me hell of alot more money ?

Mary Smith says

01/03/2020 at 2:39 am

Great post! it will be very helpful for planning any trip to Aisa.

01/21/2024 at 11:11 pm

Great article. I’d also suggest a good tip on money in SE Asia. Atms are a good way of getting cash and you can use apps like ATM Fee Saver – it helps finding the fee-free and lower fee Atms in the region along with withdrawal limits for foreign card holers. worth adding to your list of tricks!

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Southeast Asia Travel Guide

Last Updated: November 27, 2023

Backpackers have been traveling through Southeast Asia since the late 1960s and early 1970s, leaving a well-worn trail around the region.

Starting in beautiful Thailand, the trail makes its way to up-and-coming Laos, through Vietnam, and to the temples of Angkor Wat. It then winds back into Thailand, where people head south to party in the Thai islands before moving down to Malaysia and Singapore.

There are a few variations to the trail, but this is what it mostly covers.

I’ve been visiting this region since 2004 and spent years living in Thailand . I love backpacking Southeast Asia and have written extensively about it as I know it like the back of my hand.

It’s an especially great region for new travelers because it’s easy to travel around, it’s safe, and there are lots of other travelers you can meet. But it’s also perfect for veteran travelers too as there are tons of off-the-beaten-path destinations that the standard backpacker trail doesn’t cover.

In short, Southeast Asia has something for every traveler — and every budget.

This Southeast Asia travel guide will help you travel the region like a pro, ensuring you save money and make the most of your time in this fun, gorgeous, and lively corner of the world.

Table of Contents

• Things to See and Do
• Typical Costs
• Suggested Budget
• Money-Saving Tips
• Where to Stay
• How to Get Around
• How to Stay Safe
• Best Places to Book Your Trip
• Related Blogs on Southeast Asia

Click Here for Country Guides

Top 5 things to see and do in southeast asia.

1. Admire Angkor Wat

One of the greatest human creations in history, the Angkor Wat temple complex is best explored over the course of a few days. The area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site created by the Khmer Empire and absolutely enormous. Temples to visit include Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple which has 216 gigantic stone face carvings, and Ta Prohm. I spent three days here and that simply wasn’t enough. A one-day pass is $37 USD, while a 1-week pass is $72 USD. If you’re here for multiple days, be sure to hire a driver and see some of the more out of the way ruins away from the main temple complex (and the crowds).

2. Explore Bangkok

Bangkok is the hub of travel activity in Southeast Asia. You can get anywhere you want from here. Though I hated it at first, the more I’ve spent time here the more I love it. Bangkok is like an onion whose many layers need to be peeled back. Some things not to miss include the spectacular Bangkok Grand Palace, Wat Pho, Chatuchak Market and Asiatique, and a canal trip on the Chao Phraya River. This is a city for foodies and wild nightlife.

3. Relax on some tropical islands

No visit to Southeast Asia would be complete without a visit to at least one of the thousands of tropical islands in the region. My top five include the Perhentian Islands (Malaysia), Rabbit Island (Cambodia), Ko Lanta (Thailand), and Boracay (Philippines). Lombok Island (Indonesia) has a chill vibe with unspoiled, perfect “desert island” beaches. There’s so many islands to visit. Be sure to add at least one to your trip. The country guides will have more information for you.

4. See Ha Long Bay

Sailing trips to this island-filled bay with stunning emerald waters, limestone formations, and marine life give you an appreciation for the natural beauty in Vietnam. Tours from Hanoi start at around $110 USD for two-day trips and increase from there. I love the colorful grottoes, hanging stalactites, and stalagmites of Surprise Cave (Sung Sot), Fairy Cave (Tien Ong), and Heaven Palace (Thien Cung). Make sure you go with a reputable company though as some of the cheaper boats are less than ideal. If you’d rather just visit for one day, day trips from Hanoi cost $55 USD.

5. Wander Kuala Lumpur

Other things to see and do in southeast asia, 1. go jungle trekking.

This region of the world is covered in amazing jungles with diverse wildlife, plentiful camping opportunities, and cool waterfalls. The best jungle treks are found in northern Thailand, Western Laos, and Malaysian Borneo (the latter are also the hardest and most intense). Some of my favorites include Danum Valley (Borneo) for its incredible wildlife; Ratanakiri (Cambodia) for its pristine wilderness and thousand-year-old trees; and Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Vietnam). Costs vary but jungle trekking generally costs $30-50 USD per day.

2. Attend the Full Moon Party

The biggest one-night party in the world welcomes up to 30,000 people with a party that stretches until dawn. Cover yourself in glow paint, grab a bucket of booze, and dance the night away with new friends on the island of Ko Phangan in Thailand. As the name would suggest, the party is on the night of the full moon. If you miss it, there’s always the half-moon party, quarter-moon party, and black-moon party. Really, every night is a party on Ko Phangan . Just avoid the flaming jump rope that occurs — I’ve seen people get burned badly!

3. Learn to dive

There are many great dive sites around the region for those interested in underwater exploration. You can learn to dive here at a fraction of what it would cost back home too. Some of the best places are Ko Tao (Thailand), Sipadan (Malaysia), as well as Gili Islands (Indonesia) and Coron, Palawan (The Philippines). A typical diving course is completed in three days. A PADI course typically runs $275 USD in Thailand, including three nights’ accommodation, though at smaller schools you can often negotiate down to $250 USD. Day trips for certified divers start at $165 USD. For information on Ko Tao, check out this blog post .

4. Eat street food in Singapore

Singapore is a foodie’s heaven. Try the hawker stalls of Singapore as well as Little India and Chinatown for some of the best and cheapest food in Asia. If you’re looking for a nice place to sit down and eat, eat at Singapore’s famed restaurants during lunch when restaurants offer discounts, making them a great deal. You’ll also find the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurants here (Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice and Hawker Chan), offering world-class meals for just a couple of bucks!

5. Overload on temples

You can’t turn a corner without seeing a Buddhist temple in this part of the world. You’ll get temple overload at some point but visit as many as you can as each is unique to the country and region of the temple. There are so many places with high concentrations of ornate and beautiful temples. Check out Chiang Mai’s Wat Doi Suthep Temple and hike up the 300 steps to the golden Chedi that’s 600 years old!; Bagan’s Shwesandaw Pagoda from the 11th century with its stunning golden dome; Angkor Wat’s Ta Prohm is covered in iconic vines and enveloped in ancient jungle roots; Hue’s colorful Thien Mu Pagoda is perched atop a lush green embankment; Hoi An’s Quan Cong Temple with incredible Chinese architecture with hand-carved beauty and skill, and Luang Prabang’s Vat Xieng Thong with its golden, canopied roof. Most are free to enter, however, dress codes are enforced (you need to have your shoulders and legs covered).

6. Dive Sipadan

Located off Malaysian Borneo, Sipadan is one of the best dive sites in the world. If you have your dive certificate, make sure you venture out here. I absolutely love this area because it’s teeming with live turtles, diverse cave systems, sharks, dolphins, colorful coral, bright fish, and everything in between. Not a lot of people make it to this part of Malaysia, but it’s worth it to go the extra mile and make your way off the tourist trail a bit. Don’t miss Barracuda Point and The Drop-Off. Keep in mind that only 176 permits to dive at the island are issued each day, costing 140 MYR per person. The resorts on the neighboring islands each get a specific number of permits per day and require divers to stay with them for a few days. So you’ll need to stay at those resorts and dive into the surrounding areas before they can get you a Sipadan permit.

7. Fall in love with Bali

Bali is the most popular destination in Indonesia, and its famous Kuta beach is known for its wild parties and surfing ( though I think it’s overrated ). However, there is much more to Bali than just wild nights and sun-soaked days. If you’re a thrill seeker, hike up to the top of Mount Batur, an active volcano, for a breathtaking sunrise. Paragliding and white water rafting are also super popular here, as is surfing (it’s an affordable place to learn if you’ve never done it). There are also lots of hot springs to enjoy, the Ubud Monkey Forest (a popular temple and nature reserve home to hundreds of monkeys), and numerous places to scuba dive, including the Liberty wreck and Manta Point.

8. Take in Ho Chi Minh City

Frantic, chaotic, and crazy, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam is the embodiment of the controlled chaos that rules Southeast Asia. You can’t quite figure out how this teeming mass of people and cars work together, but it does. Highlights here include touring the tunnels used by the Viet Cong in the 1960s, taking in the view from the Saigon Skydeck, eating your way through the street food scene, and seeing the city’s numerous temples.

9. Admire the sunrise over an Indonesian Volcano

One of the most popular tourist attractions on Java is Mount Bromo and its National Park. Don’t miss out on getting a photo of the smoldering Bromo volcano as it lies surrounded by the almost lunar landscape of the Sea of Sand. Get up early to catch one of the most memorable sunrises of your life. If you’re there in mid-August, you’ll be just in time to see Upacara Kasada, the traditional Hindu ritual of the Tenggerese, a Javanese tribe of the region.

10. Hike in Khao Sok National Park

Located in southern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park is constantly rated as one of the best parks in Thailand, with incredible trekking, camping, limestone karsts, cooling rivers, and a glistening lake. Visit for semi-challenging hikes, tons of wildlife, walking paths, and breathtaking sunsets. Park entrance costs around $6 USD while full-day guided tours are $95 USD. I highly recommend spending at least one night here to get the full experience.

11. Visit Kampot

Most people come to Kampot to enjoy the scenic riverside views, as well as the rolling hills that surround the city. Since you can explore easily enough on foot or by bicycle, Kampot is a great place to slow down and relax. There’s not much to do here but have lazy days by the river, chill, and eat (don’t miss the famous Rusty Keyhole for BBQ!). Don’t miss the pepper farms, as this region of Cambodia is filled with pepper farms where you can learn about the history of the spice, see how it is grown, and pick up what is considered some of the finest pepper in the world. Tours are usually free.

12. Take a cooking class

Food from this region is as varied as the countries themselves and learning how to cook a few dishes is a great souvenir of your time here. Even if you don’t plan to cook back home, you can still spend a day making and eating scrumptious food. Most big cities have cooking schools offering classes of 2-6 hours, often including a trip to the local market beforehand to select ingredients. I absolutely love cooking classes and urge you to take one at least once. They are a fun experience!

13. Take a food tour

If you’d rather eat instead of cook, taking a food tour is a fun way to gain insight into the region’s amazing noodle dishes, fresh seafood, sweets, and street food while learning about the history and culture behind the cuisine. Most major cities in Southeast Asia offer food tours. These include tours around local markets, street stalls, and tours to locally-owned restaurants and cafes where you can sample the local cuisine and connect with a local chef. If you’re nervous about street food, this is a great way to try some in a controlled setting. Tours usually last 2-4 hours and include multiple stops and several different dishes, with prices costing $40-75 USD per person.

14. Visit an elephant sanctuary

While riding an elephant is on many a Southeast Asia bucket list, once you know how much the animals suffer from abuse in order to provide these rides, you might think twice about taking one. An even better way to interact with elephants is to volunteer at or visit the Elephant Nature Park near Chiang Mai in Thailand. It’s a phenomenal place, allowing you to give back to the community and these magnificent animals all at once. After coming here, you will understand why you should NEVER ride an elephant. A one-day visit costs $70 USD.

15. See The Killing Fields

A visit to Choeung Ek, also known as the Killing Fields, may not be the most cheerful way to spend an afternoon, but it makes for an educational and memorable experience. Over 3 million people were killed by Pol Pot’s regime, including countless women and children. I recommend getting a guide so you can really understand what you’re seeing as you explore the area. Also, this horrific tragedy took place less than 50 years ago and is still very present so please be respectful as a visitor.  The site is located 10 miles from Phnom Penh. Half-day guided tours start at $66 USD.

16. Swim with Whale Sharks in Donsol

If you’re in the Philippines, check out the Donsol Whale Shark Interactive Ecosystem Project because there are not many experiences quite as adrenaline-inducing as swimming with a whale shark for the first time in crystal waters. These incredible creatures are around 45 feet (14 meters) long and yet incredibly gentle and curious. I loved floating at the surface being able to look below and see them slowly swim below me. Get some people together and rent a boat for a half day, explore the area, and go ‘shark-seeing’ for a good cause.  

  For a ton more information, visit my country specific travel guides for more detailed information on each place:

• Cambodia Travel Guide
• Indonesia Travel Guide
• Laos Travel Guide
• Malaysia Travel Guide
• Singapore Travel Guide
• Thailand Travel Guide
• Vietnam Travel Guide

Southeast Asia Travel Costs

Accommodation – Accommodation in Southeast Asia is really cheap, making it the perfect place to travel if you are on a budget. Hostels are plentiful, as are budget guesthouses and hotels. It’s also very cheap to splash out here if you’re in need of some luxury.

Generally, you can find hostel dorm rooms for as little as $6-8 USD in Cambodia and $3-6 USD in Laos. In Thailand, 4-6-bed dorm rooms are $8-12 USD, while in Vietnam you can expect to pay $5-7 USD. In Indonesia, prices range between $5-10 USD for a 4-6-bed dorm room. Expect to pay at least $15-20 per night for a private room with air conditioning. Free Wi-Fi is standard in most hostels, free breakfast is common, and many hostels even have pools. In more remote areas, hot water isn’t common so make sure to check in advance if that’s an issue for you.

Simple guesthouses or bungalows throughout Southeast Asia generally cost $12-20 USD per night for a basic room with a fan (sometimes air conditioning) and hot water. If you want something nicer that includes a more comfortable bed and a TV, expect to pay $25-35 USD per night.

For backpackers, budgeting around $10 USD per night for accommodation is pretty safe no matter where you go in Southeast Asia. If you’re looking for a higher-end hotel room with more amenities, expect to pay $20-50 USD per night for a room. Anything over that is luxury territory.

Camping is available in certain areas, usually for just a few dollars per night for a basic tent plot without electricity. However, this is about the same price as hostels so it’s not really any cheaper.

Food – While each country’s cuisine varies, overall, Southeast Asian food is aromatic, spicy, and flavorful. Typical spices and herbs include garlic, basil, galangal, cilantro, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, chilies, and fish sauce. No matter what region you’re in, you can expect to find a variety of curries, salads, soups, noodle dishes, and stir-fries.

Rice and noodles are central to Southeast Asian food, while the meat is usually pork, chicken, fish, or seafood, which is everywhere on the islands and coastal areas.

While traveling Southeast Asia, street food is the most popular food and cheapest option. On average, these meals cost $1-5 USD. You find these stalls throughout this region lining most streets and every market. They are ubiquitous in the region. In Singapore, street food (from “hawker stands” as they’re known there) costs around $4-5 USD for a meal. Even if you go into small local restaurants, the price doesn’t increase that much.

Food that costs $2 USD at a street stall generally only costs $4-6 USD at a local restaurant. If you went into a restaurant in Thailand, you’d pay around $3-4 USD for a pad Thai that would have cost $1-2 USD on the street.

In Cambodia, street food is around $1-2 USD, while restaurants charge around $3-5 USD for a dish like amok (a coconut milk dish) or luc lac (pepper gravy beef).

Western meals, including burgers, pizza, and sandwiches usually cost around $7-10 USD. But these generally aren’t that great. If you want something that actually tastes as it does back home, expect to spend at least $10-12 USD for your meal.

While cheap, alcohol can take a bite out of your budget if you’re not careful. Those $1-2 USD beers add up! Wine and cocktails are more expensive, generally around $3-5 USD. A cappuccino is typically around $2 USD. Bottled water is plentiful and costs less than $1 USD.

There’s a growing cutting-edge foodie scene in the region and, if you want to splurge, you can do so on some really good meals. Big cities like Bangkok, KL, and Singapore, all have world-class Michelin star restaurants as well some incredible fusion restaurants.

Since dining out is so cheap in the region, there’s no point in grocery shopping unless you’re looking to get some pre-made salads or fruits. Additionally, a general lack of kitchens in most hostels and hotels makes it difficult to cook even if you wanted to. If you do purchase your own groceries, expect to spend around $25 USD per week for basic groceries like local produce, rice, and some meat (while avoiding expensive imported items like cheese and wine).

Backpacking Southeast Asia Suggested Budgets

On a backpacker budget of $45 USD per day, you can stay in hostel dorms, eat out at local markets and street stalls, limit your drinking, do mostly free activities, minimize paid activities, and use public transportation to get around. You’re not going to be able to splash out but you’ll be able to live the typical backpacker experience without really stressing over expenses.

On a mid-range budget of $85 USD per day, you can stay in budget hotels or private hostel rooms, eat more restaurant meals, do more paid activities like cooking classes, take some taxis, and enjoy a few more drinks. You won’t live large, but you won’t be missing out either.

On an upscale budget of $150 USD or more per day, you can stay in nicer hotels with more amenities, eat out as much as you want, do more paid tours including private tours, hire a driver, fly between destinations, and basically do whatever you want. The sky is the limit with this kind of budget!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages — some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in USD.

Southeast Asia Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Backpacking Southeast Asia is cheap. There’s little opportunity to spend a lot of money since everything is already so inexpensive unless you intentionally are trying to splash out on fancy meals and high end hotels. The two reasons why most travelers end up overspending is that they eat a lot of Western food and drink way too much. If you want to save money while traveling in this part of the world, cut down on your drinking and skip the Western food. While country guides have more specific ways to save money, here are some general ways to save money in Southeast Asia:

• Stay with a local – Accommodation is cheap in Southeast Asia but nothing’s cheaper than free! Use Couchsurfing to stay with locals who have extra beds and couches for free. You’ll also meet great people who can show you around and share their insider tips and advice.
• Book tours and day trips as a group – You have more negotiation power when you’re with a group of people buying multiple spots or tickets. Traveling alone? Meet a friend at a hostel and see if they want to join the same tour as you. I’ve met some great friends over the years doing this and highly recommend it.
• Don’t book in advance – Don’t book any tours or activities before you get to your destination. They’ll be much cheaper when you arrive as you’ll be able to negotiate a lower price as you’ll find companies are often offering the same tour and competing. Anything you see online is more expensive than you need to pay!
• Eat on the street – The street food is the best food. The food is the best and cheapest you’ll find. It’s a great way to try new foods and get to chat with locals as well. This is where locals eat so if you want insight into local culture, good food, and savings, eat the street food. Look for where locals are eating to ensure that it’s safe to eat.
• Bargain hard – Nothing is ever at face value here. Bargain with sellers as most of the time, the price they’ve quoted is way higher. There’s a haggling culture in the region so play the game and save some money. It’s important not to convert it in your head to your own currency because it will usually sound cheap even though you might still be getting ripped off. You’ll never get the local price, but you might come close!
• Minimize your drinking – Drinks really add up. Even with cheap drinks, if you’re not aware, you’ll end up spending more money on beer than on food and accommodation. If you want to drink, head to the supermarkets, drink at the hostel, or check out the local happy hours.
• Pack a water bottle – A water bottle with a purifier comes particularly in handy in Southeast Asia since you can’t usually drink the tap water. Save money and thousands of plastic bottles and get a bottle that can purify the tap water for you. My preferred bottle is LifeStraw as it has a built-in filter that ensures your water is always safe and clean.

Where to Stay in Southeast Asia

I’ve been traveling Southeast Asia since 2005 and have stayed in hundreds of places. Here are some of my favorite places to stay in Southeast Asia:

• The Siem Reap Pub Hostel (Siem Reap)
• Onederz Siem Reap (Siem Reap)
• Mad Monkey Siem Reap (Siem Reap)
• Onederz Sihanoukville (Sihanoukville)
• Monkey Republic (Sihanoukville)
• Onederz Phnom Penh (Phnom Penh)
• Sla Boutique Hostel (Phnom Penh)
• The Magic Sponge (Kampot)
• Indigo House Hotel (Luang Prabang)
• Sa Sa Lao (Luang Prabang)
• Sanga Hostel (Pakse)
• Nana Backpackers Hostel (Vang Vieng)
• Dream Home Hostel (Vientiane)
• Traveller Bunker Hostel (Cameron Highlands)
• De’Native Guest House (Cameron Highlands)
• Kitez Hotel & Bunks (Kuala Lumpur)
• Sunshine Bedz Kuala Lumpur (Kuala Lumpur)
• Ryokan Muntri Boutique Hostel (Penang)
• Mad Monkey Hostel (Bangkok)
• D&D Inn (Bangkok)
• Kodchasri B&B (Chiang Mai)
• The Royal Guest House (Chiang Mai)
• Green Leaf (Khao Yai)
• Lonely Beach Resort (Ko Chang)
• The Sanctuary (Koh Phangan)
• Na-Tub Hostel (Koh Phangan)
• Pineapple Guesthouse (Phuket)
• Dream Lodge
• The Pod Capsule Hostel
• The Scarlet
• Under the Coconut Tree Guesthouse (Hoi An)
• Fuse Beachside (Hoi An)
• Pretty Backpackers House (Da Lat)
• Hanoi Old Quarter Hostel (Hanoi)
• Luxury Backpackers Hostel (Hanoi)
• The Hideout (HCMC)
• City Backpackers Hostel (HCMC)

How to Get Around Southeast Asia

Public transportation – Public transportation costs from a few pennies to a few dollars, with Singapore and Malaysia offering the most comprehensive public transportation systems. In Thailand, local buses cost around $0.25 USD per trip, while the Metro and Skytrain in Bangkok cost $0.50-1.50 USD per trip. In Cambodia, a bus ticket in Phnom Penh costs just $0.40 USD per ride.

Major cities generally have subway systems but mostly you’ll be using the bus or shared taxis to get around.

Tuk-tuks (small, shared taxis with no meter) are available around much of the region and require a bit of haggling. They usually have 3-6 seats and generally cost more than public transportation but are faster. To find a reputable driver, ask your accommodation as they usually know someone. Tuk-tuk drivers can often be hired for the day for a discounted rate (this is what a lot of people do to visit the Killing Fields and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, for example).

Taxi – Taxis in the region are generally safe, though it’s not uncommon to have to haggle. Scams to rip you off aren’t uncommon either, so always ask your accommodation to call you a taxi whenever possible so you know you’ll get a reputable company.

In Singapore and Indonesia, taxi drivers do put on the meter. In Bangkok, you can get taxi drivers to use the meter, but if you’re hailing one in a tourist area, he might try to avoid using it. In Vietnam, the meter is sometimes rigged, but if you can get a reputable company like Mai Linh, you won’t have any problems.

Ridesharing – Grab, DiDi, and Gojek are Asia’s answer to Uber. They work the same way: you hire a driver to take you somewhere via the app, and you can pay via the app or in cash. It’s often more affordable than a regular taxi, though drivers are a bit unreliable as the practice is not as widespread here as in other parts of the world.

Just keep in mind that some drivers are driving motorcycles so be sure to double check what kind of vehicle is picking you up if you don’t want to ride on the back of one.

Bus – The easiest and cheapest way to travel around Southeast Asia is by bus. The backpacker trail is so worn that there is a very well-established tourist bus system to take you anywhere. Buses costs vary between $5-25 USD for a 5-6 hour journey. Overnight buses cost $20-35 USD depending on distance (they often have reclining seats so you can get a decent sleep).

You can check ticket prices and book tickets for all the different bus companies across Southeast Asia at 12go.asia.

Train – Train service is limited in the region and not something to really consider when you travel Southeast Asia. You can take a train up and down the coast of Vietnam and there’s some limited scenic rails in Malaysia. Thailand is the only country that has an extensive train system that lets you travel all its regions (and onward to Singapore) from Bangkok.

The train prices in Southeast Asia are determined by distance and class. Night trains with sleeper cars are more expensive than day trains. The night train to Chiang Mai from Bangkok takes twelve hours and costs $27 USD for a sleeper seat. However, that same train during the day is $8-9 USD. In Vietnam, trains run up and down the coast and cost $60 USD from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Flying – The cost of flying around Southeast Asia has come down in recent years due to the rise of low-cost airlines. Scoot, Jetstar, and AirAsia are the biggest. Nok Air has a lot of flights within Thailand , and VietJet Air is popular in Vietnam . Lion Air serves Indonesia , but its safety record is really spotty and I personally would not fly them. If you book early, you can save on fares, as most of the airlines offer deeply discounted fare sales all the time, especially Air Asia.

Just make sure that the airport these budget airlines fly into isn’t too far out of your way (transportation from the secondary airport sometimes negates the savings from using the budget airline itself).

Also, keep in mind that you usually must pay to check your baggage on these cheap flights. If you wait to pay for your luggage at the gate, you end up paying almost double. Travel carry-on only to avoid this added cost.

All in all, I only recommend flying if you are pressed for time or find a super cheap deal. Otherwise, stick to the bus.

Hitchhiking – Hitchhiking in Southeast Asia is safe, though popularity of the practice varies by country (it’s more common in Malaysia, but not so much in Cambodia). Dress respectably, smile while making eye contact with drivers, and use a cardboard sign to tell people where you’re headed. Be prepared for long bouts of no pick-ups, especially if you’re traveling through more rural areas. Pack plenty of water and food. Also, make sure the people picking you up understand you’re hitchhiking and not flagging down a taxi.

Hitchwiki is a great resource for hitchhiking tips.

Car rental I don’t recommend renting a car in Southeast Asia. Rental cars are expensive ($40 USD per day or more) and the roads here are in poor shape. I would never drive around the region.

When to Go to Southeast Asia

The best time of year to visit Southeast Asia is from November to April when temperatures are milder (though temperatures vary drastically by region). It may be mild in Thailand in January and hot in Malaysia but in Northern Vietnam, it’s cold! Also, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not taking into account the rainy season. In some cases it won’t make a big difference but definitely does if it’s a beach trip.

In Indonesia, the best time to visit is April to October. Temperatures average 24-30ºC (75-86ºF), and the weather is mostly dry. July to September is the peak holiday season and when you can expect to pay the highest rates. December to February is the rainy season.

In Malaysia, January-March and June-September are the best time to visit, as these months have the lowest average rainfall. It is still hot and humid during this time though. The rainy season is from October to December. Singapore’s climate/weather is much like Malaysia’s.

In Vietnam, the weather varies by region. In Central Vietnam (including Hoi An and Nha Trang), January-May is the best time to visit because it is dry and the temperatures average 21-30°C (70-86°F). June to August is also a decent time to visit. If you want to stick around Hanoi, March to April is great, or October to December (for mildest temperatures). The rainy season is May-September.

Thailand has three seasons: hot, hotter, and hottest. It’s always warm, though the weather is nicest between November and February (which is also peak tourist season). Bangkok is “coolest” and driest during this time (but still averaging a hot 29°C/85°F each day). April and May are the hottest months, and the rainy season is June-October. The gulf islands get pretty rainy from August to December.

The dry season in Cambodia is from November-May and the cool season is from November-February (and when most people visit). Temperatures during this time are still high, but humidity is lower. Laos has the same cool season as Cambodia, with the dry season running from November-April.

In the Philippines, it’s mostly warm all year long with an average daily high of 26°C (80°F). There are rainy and dry seasons and temperatures are hot and dry from March-May and cooler December-February. The best time to visit is between January-April when it’s less humid. Monsoon Season is July-October.

For more information on when to go to places, visit the specific country guides.

How to Stay Safe in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is an incredibly safe place to backpack and travel — even if you’re traveling solo and even as a solo female traveler. Violent crime is super, duper rare. Petty theft (including bag snatching) is the most common type of crime in Southeast Asia, especially around popular tourist landmarks. Always keep your valuables out of reach on public transportation and in crowds just to be safe. Never leave your valuables unattended while at the beach and always keep a hold of your purse/bag when out and about as bag snatching is common.

That said, outside touristy areas, theft is really rare. Heck, it’s pretty rare in touristy areas too! But a little vigilance goes a long way and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

There are some common scams around that you’ll want to be aware of, such as the motorbike scam. This involves a bike rental company trying to charge you for damage to the bike that you didn’t cause. To avoid this, always take photos of your rental before you leave so you can protect yourself from baseless claims.

Another common scam involves a tuk-tuk driver taking you somewhere you didn’t want to go in hopes you’ll buy something from the shop/restaurant he dropped you off at (he gets a commission if you do). Simply refuse to buy anything and demand to go back to where you were — or find another driver.

For other common travel scams, read this post about major travel scams to avoid in the region .

Solo female travelers should feel safe here, though it’s generally a good idea to avoid walking around alone at night just to be safe. It’s always a good idea to carry some extra cash to get home in a taxi if you need to. Additionally, always keep an eye on your drink at the bar and never accept drinks from strangers. Be sensible when it comes to dating while traveling and meeting people in public places. As I’m not a woman, please check out some solo female travel blogs to get the best insight.

Overall, the people who get in trouble here tend to be involved with drugs or sex tourism. Avoid those two things and you should be fine. Keep in mind that it’s not always obvious how old someone is or if they’re a sex worker so be mindful when getting involved in romantic interactions. Also, penalties for drug use in this region are stiff so even if you’re here to party, skip the drugs.

Always trust your gut instinct. Make copies of your personal documents, including your passport and ID. Forward your itinerary along to loved ones so they’ll know where you are.

For more in-depth coverage of how to stay safe in Southeast Asia, check out this post that answers some frequently asked questions and concerns.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Southeast Asia Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

• Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
• Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
• Agoda – Other than Hostelworld, Agoda is the best hotel accommodation site for Asia.
• Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
• Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
• SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
• LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
• Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.

Get the In-Depth Budget Guide to Thailand!

My detailed 350+ page guidebook is made for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guidebooks and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel around Thailand. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today.

Southeast Asia Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on Southeast Asia travel and continue planning your trip:

The 4 Best Hostels in Singapore

The 6 Best Hostels in Bali

The 22 Best Things to Do in Bangkok

5 LGBTQ Travel Tips for Asia

Is Southeast Asia Safe for Travelers?

Backpacking Cambodia: 3 Suggested Itineraries for Your Trip

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Home » Southeast Asia » Backpacking Travel Guide

Backpacking Southeast Asia Travel Guide (Budget Tips • 2024)

For many travellers, backpacking Southeast Asia is the ultimate highlight of their backpacking adventures. If you are coming from Western civilisation, exploring these mystical countries is like being catapulted into an alternate reality.

Over my travel experiences, I’ve spent YEARS bouncing around this dazzling area of the world. And still – to this day – I am awe-struck by it, time and time again.  

From the moment you set foot on the continent, you can feel the electricity in the air. Your senses explode from stimulation as you head out into the hustle and bustle in search of the BEST street food and an ice-cold beer…

If you’re new to backpacking, this corner of the world is a great place to start your travels: it’s affordable, safe, diverse, friendly, and astonishingly beautiful. From the heart of Bangkok to the islands of Indonesia, legions of inspiration are found in every country throughout the region – and you’ll want to see it all. 

With enticing tales of adventure coming from generations of travellers, it can be hard to know where to start planning your visit to Southeast Asia. It’s not as straight forward as arriving in other continents in the world. Having some travel tips with do you a world of good. 

Never fear! This Southeast Asia travel guide details ALL the low-down with everything you need to know to embark on your epic journey. From the OG Banana Pancake Trail itinerary to my favourite cheap eats, this guide has it all.

Spoiler alert : banh mi is the best street food!

Fasten your seat belts and don’t forget your motorcycle helmet. This is the ultimate backpacker’s guide to travelling Southeast Asia!

Why Go Backpacking in Southeast Asia?

Backpacking Southeast Asia is wildly chaotic, punctuated by brief moments of reflection and utter calm. When I first landed in Vietnam and began my travels in the region, I got that wonderful thought of so this is what travelling is about .

The best thing about visiting Southeast Asia is that you can stick to the well-trodden path and still have a mind-blowing adventure that’s easy on logistics. There are cheap buses you can catch between countries, it’s easy to buy your own motorbike and explore yourself, plus internal flights are usually cheap too.

Conversely, it’s very easy to step off into the wilderness and have a raw, untamed adventure. Some of my best memories come from taking a side road through the jungle on the Vietnam-Laos border. I camped on the outskirts of small villages amongst unruly jungles that hadn’t seen tourists come through in 10 years. Of course, obligatory rice wine was shared each night!

Generally speaking, backpacking in Southeast Asia is very cheap compared to travelling to other parts of the world. You don’t have to count your pennies and hustle at every step of the way in order to enjoy a beer at the end of the day. I’d say this part of the world takes the cake when it comes to budget backpacking .

Because the region is so cheap, you can enjoy big-ticket experiences that you might not be able to afford in other regions of the world. This could include world-class SCUBA diving in Malaysia , or a freediving course in the Philippines.

Even the ‘everyday experiences’ of backpacking Southeast Asia are epic, though! Think about taking yoga classes in the morning and surf in the afternoons in Indonesia . What about hiking through dense jungles exploding with wildlife, raging rivers, and massive waterfalls in Laos ? And you can’t forget to explore Vietnam by motorbike .

There is a reason that, despite how touristy some parts of the region get, Southeast Asia remains an incredibly special place to both first time and veteran travellers!

It’s just that bloody good .

Best Travel Itineraries for Backpacking Southeast Asia

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Let us be clear about one thing: Southeast Asia has so many things to do and see that it would be impossible to see it all in one lifetime let alone in just one backpacking trip. That said, you can sure pack in a whole lot no matter what your time frame is!

Also, remember that this is a region that lives, breathes, and thrives on a certain degree of chaos. Backpacking in Southeast Asia requires one to adapt to that chaos and embrace the wonderful spontaneity that can arise here.

I don’t think that you should attempt to plan your trip to the last tuk-tuk ride. That said, having a general Southeast Asia travel itinerary in mind will help you get the most out of your trip. You don’t want to spend your time scrambling for things to do – nor do you want to pack so much into your travels that you forget to enjoy yourself.

Do you have 2 weeks? 3 months? 6 months? No matter what your time frame is, the itineraries I have listed below have helpful travel routes for Southeast Asia to suit all schedules.

Note that each itinerary can be combined with another, done in reverse, and customized based on your interests. Sometimes it’s worth leaving off one or two sights in order to fully enjoy the others.

2 Weeks Backpacking Southeast Asia Itinerary: An Epic Getaway

When low on time, I advise sticking to smaller countries like Laos, Thailand, or Cambodia. That way the transportation distances won’t eat a big bite out of your precious backpacking time. You will certainly only be scratching the surface, but you will leave with an even more intense hunger to return!

You could start your 2 weeks by visiting Bangkok  and exploring the city for a few days. Thailand also has some spectacular temple ruins of its own at Ayathuya and  Sukhothai which are close to Bangkok and well worth checking out.

From Bangkok, it’s easy to travel to Chiang Mai  in Northern Thailand and from Chiang Mai onwards to the mountain town of Pai in just a few hours. If the north doesn’t quite do it for you, you can always go party on the epic Thai islands in the south.

Alternatively, you could go from Bangkok across the border into Cambodia . There you can go see Angkor Wat and go south to visit the tropical islands off Cambodia. While there is a party vibe on the Cambodian islands, they’re definitely more relaxed. Think swimming at night with bioluminescence and chilling all day in a hammock with just a splash of psytrance.

3 Months Backpacking Southeast Asia Itinerary: The Banana Pancake Trail

This backpacking itinerary takes you through the heart of what put Southeast Asia on the map. This is the juiciest of the banana pancake trail!

I would recommend flying into Bangkok and still kicking off your Southeast Asian travel with a bang. As you head north to the likes of Chiang Mai and the hippie village of Pai where there are lots of opportunities to creep off the beaten path.

Explore the best of what Thailand has to offer before heading to Laos. Take the slow boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang . If you have time,  climb Mount Phousi , because daaaaaaaamn , those views are insane! 

Laos receives a fair amount of backpackers, however far fewer than Thailand. The main attraction to Laos is its unmatched natural beauty, kind people, and rock-bottom prices. Vang Vieng is the main backpacker playground in Laos; this is the place where you can smoke a joint and eat banana pancakes all day.  Tad Lo Waterfall is definitely worth the visit as well.

Vietnam is another classic stop on this route. Soak in the majestic views and cooler temperatures of the mountains in the north before heading south. Hire a motorcycle, explore the cities, go scuba diving, or hop around the islands.

Vietnam has THE best street food in all of Southeast Asia, so prepare your belly for bliss. From backpacking Ho Chi Minh to Hanoi there are ample rice paddies, bustling metropolises, and banh mi glory to enjoy!

Finally, travel to Cambodia and Angkor Wat en route back to Thailand’s southern beaches. Learn about Cambodia’s sobering recent history whilst exploring some of the most impressive temples and beaches in all of Southeast Asia.

You can finish your 3-month extravaganza with a full moon party on one of Thailand’s best beaches. Bottoms up! You deserve it.

6+ Months Backpacking Southeast Asia Itinerary: The Longterm Backpacker

You will not be the first backpacker who loved backpacking Southeast Asia so much that you spent 6 months there followed by another 6 months followed by another cheeky 6 months. The longer you spend here, the more that the region opens up beyond parties on the beach.

Go trekking in Borneo! Get your ass to Indonesia and explore a few of the thousands of remote islands there! Hit up far-flung places in the Philippines! I will always vouch for travelling off the beaten path .

This itinerary would still have you flying into Bangkok AKA Asia’s Sin City. Backpacking Thailand is almost a rite of passage for those that backpack Southeast Asia. Now, while Thailand is crazy beautiful, you can experience a lot of Thailand’s best highlights  in a month or less. 

You can travel south to explore Cambodia and the Thai islands before crossing over into Northern Malaysia . Check out Langkawi Island before heading south. Staying in Penang is the best; it’s one of my favourite cities in Southeast Asia, with some great hikes and diving to be had around Penang National Park .

Alternatively, you can travel to Bali or Manila  from Bangkok and explore a totally new part of Southeast Asia. Philippine highlights include climbing Mt Pulag ,  Sagada’s Crystal Cave  and  Olahbinan ,  Kalinga Jungle ,  El Nido for some climbing and partying, and Coron for epic scuba diving.

If you want to dedicate a couple of months to Indonesia you won’t be disappointed. Alongside the Bali to Flores route, you can also catch a flight to Sumatra . Here, visit the orangutan sanctuary in Bukit Lawang  and the stunning Lake Toba .

Also on tap here is world-class diving at Pulau Weh . This tiny island is located at either the beginning or end of Indonesia, depending on which way you’re looking at the map. You’ll have to pass through the town of Banda Acehto  to reach here, which is the only place in Indonesia that has Sharia Law in place. This definitely isn’t the place to come party while backpacking Indonesia, but the juice is worth the squeeze if you get to Pulau Weh.

Is this the Best Hostel in South East Asia?

Tribal Hostel  – Bali’s first purpose-built co-working hostel and perhaps the greatest hostel in the world!

An ideal hub for Digital Nomads and backpackers, this very special hostel is now finally open…

Come on down and enjoy amazing coffee, high-speed wifi and a game of pool?

Southeast Asia is truly massive .

There are 11 countries that comprise the Southeast Asian region; each one is special and also radically different in its own ways. You won’t even be eating the same food from country to country. Sure, it’s all mostly rice-based, but is it fried Nasi Goreng with an egg on top or is it laden with spicy green Thai curry?

The landscapes are even more varied with jungles, mountains, epic coastlines, and deserted islands all found in this region.

There’s something addictive to landing smack bang in the humid collection of markets, traffic, and skyrises that do crop up amongst all major Southeast Asian cities. Just visiting one or two of these countries will have you desperate to come back for more!

Backpacking Thailand

For many first timers, backpacking Thailand is the image at the forefront of their imaginations when it comes to destinations in Southeast Asia. Those white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and towering jungle peaks are sprinkled with a little hedonistic fun and low, low prices.

Finding a Thailand backpacking route is easy, as many routes are well-established and there are plenty of backpackers on the ground to grab tips from. You just never know who will suggest an epic street food vendor where you find spicy watermelon, or who will give you the heads up that certain roads have become notorious for police asking for bribes.

In addition to its natural splendour, Thailand boasts some of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic cities, especially if you are wanting to settle in somewhere as long term as a digital nomad. In fact, Thailand is rapidly becoming the digital nomad capital of the world. While being a digital nomad changes your travels , it can be incredibly rewarding – especially if you’re surrounded by a group of like-minded people.

Thailand receives more visitors annually than any other Southeast Asia nation by a long shot, so it’s not super easy to get off the beaten path. That being said, if you drive far enough north, you’ll stop seeing tourists and start seeing covert drug smuggling routes. I’m not suggesting that drug smuggling routes make the best adventure – especially for first-time backpackers – but if you happen to find work as a fresh-faced, aspiring journalist, then this country is definitely still full of stories.

There are also some lesser-known hikes nearby Chiang Pai – plus the motorbike riding around there is amazing . Just be aware of elephant experiences–the vast majority are unethical, so make sure you do your research and only visit TRUE sanctuaries like Elephant Nature Park.

What to Know Before Visiting Thailand

• Don’t miss out on… the North – this is the REAL Thailand! Sure, those Southern Islands are beautiful and full of some cheeky debauchery, but if you want to get off the beaten path then you need the jungle mountains of the north.
• You know what’s overrated… the Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan – it’s pretty sloppy here, not to mention hectic. The Eden Party is way better.
• The coolest hostel is… Get Hi Hostel in Chiang Rai is a The Broke Backpacker favourite! Especially if you’re travelling solo through Thailand, it’s a perfect place to find your tribe.
• The best food is found in… Bangkok. If you find yourself craving a cheesy pasta or fat steak you won’t be disappointed in this city! But even better (in my opinion) are the endless side alleys and markets selling incredible street food. Spicy watermelon, pad thai style noodle salads, and soups so spicy you’ll sweat out your demons… YES, please!

Backpacking Vietnam

Over the last few decades, Vietnam has charged to the head of the line as a top destination for backpackers. Delicious cuisine, cheap places to stay, epic ancient temples, and mind-boggling motorbike routes are just a few of the draws that make up the charm in Vietnam.

If you are wanting to explore Southeast Asia by motorbike, then Vietnam is the best place to go. The country is long and thin, so it’s perfect for a road trip and bikes with Vietnamese plates can enter most other countries in Southeast Asia (this is pretty unique).

Vietnam has the feeling of a country that’s leapt into the future so quickly that its countryside is buffering to catch up. When exploring Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City, or any of Vietnam’s big cities you’ll find skyscrapers and high-speed internet. There are underground music scenes and students who deal a little weed on the side to ex-pats. The streets are thick with motorbikes.

Then there’s the countryside: rolling green rice paddies, straw hats, and shacks. The mornings are long and slow, the evening is full of the sound of insects. Fields are thick with buffalo herds. And yet, both sides of Vietnam are united by their incredible food.

Pho might be the most famous noodle broth, but it’s far from the only tasty meal. Vietnam knows how to make a meal out of very little and they know how to make it taste good . Most backpackers will at some point indulge in a 3 am banh mi after a big night out and know what I mean!

What to Know Before Visiting Vietnam

• Don’t miss out on… the  Ha Giang Loop by motorbike . This one of the hidden gems of Vietnam that takes you through towering jungle covered mountains on windy, delicate roads. This is not for the faint hearted or ill prepared. This is a real adventure!
• Look out for… those bamboo pipes in the north – they’re used for smoking local tobacco and hit HARD. You might risk lung cancer, but all in the name of experiencing the local way of life, right?
• The coolest hostel is… Redhouse Dalat . It’s easily one of the most beautiful hostels I’ve ever stayed in and the owner, Linh, is an absolute gem!
• The best food is found in… Hue – it’s well known for its Central Vietnamese plates. I had quite possibly the best meal of my life here (definitely top 10, anyway). In a back alley, crammed into plastic chair far too small for me, I sampled the legendary Bun Bo Hue… I never knew noodles and broth would make me want to become a foodie.

Backpacking Laos

Laos is truly a special country in Southeast Asia and one that has managed to retain its easy-going identity in the era of mass tourism. Wild jungles, river deltas, smiling locals, and amazing treks make Laos the backpacking paradise that it is.

Places in northern Laos, like the areas in and around Luang Prabang , experience cooler temperatures in the mountains and rainforest. The south is more of the agricultural heart of the country.

Each area holds a lot to explore for backpackers. Laos is the perfect country for backpackers wanting to experience Southeast Asia within a short time frame as you can get in a bit of all climates, different cultures, and party vibes.

One can easily see the highlights and experience the country off the beaten path in 2 weeks to a month. Take it easy though. Laos is a country that is not to be rushed through. Plus, going slow means you might just end up on the 420-friendly river island– Don Det –just like I did!

You will see when you get your boots on the ground that nothing happens quickly in Laos anyway… This is a land of chill .

What to Know Before Visiting Laos

• Don’t miss out on… the mountains around Vang Vieng. Lots of people neglect exploring these in favor of tubing the river. The river party scene in Vang Vieng is diminishing anyways.
• You know what’s overrated… Luang Prabang. In recent years, it’s become very touristy and a bit disingenuous. The nearby waterfalls are still cool though.
• The coolest hostel is… Vang Vieng Chill House . It encompasses all the things I love most about hostels: chilling and good vibes. It gets a little noisy sometimes but it’s a great place to meet people.
• The best food is found… on the streets! The street food in Laos is absolutely top-notch.

Backpacking Cambodia

The temples at Angkor Wat are an obvious draw for those backpacking Cambodia and are truly impressive. Cambodia is a country rich in culture, beautiful beaches and islands, the Mekong River Delta, and bustling markets.

The nation of Cambodia is a country still pulling out of an extremely dark, recent past. A staggering 1.5 – 3 million people were killed by the Khmer Rouge, led by tyrant Pol Pot. It happened only 35 – 40 years ago and is still very fresh and raw to the Cambodian people.

Despite the tragic history, the local Khmer people are some of the kindest humans in the world. The country is still recuperating, rebuilding, and moving forward, however, corruption is hindering its rehabilitation.

There is a strange energy in the air in Phnom Penh sometimes. It can be quite tense and stifling amongst the humidity. It’s as if everyone is waiting for the other shoe to drop and for chaos to return.

This is a country that makes you think about how lucky you were to be born into a country of peace. And I think that it’s important amongst the wild nights partying in Cambodia that you pause and really learn something from the lands you’re travelling in.

Cambodia is one of my favourite Southeast Asian destinations to travel to; I loved it so much that I ended up overstaying my visa. From the awesome hostels , cheap prices, and epic off-the-beaten-track travels, Cambodia seriously has it all. See it for yourself and you’ll fall in love too.

What to Know Before Visiting Cambodia

• Don’t miss out on… the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng. One of the most sobering places in Southeast Asia and a refreshing change of pace.
• Keep an eye out for… temples other than Angkor Wat. Cambodia is full of Khmer ruins, like Koh Ker. You can spend days getting lost in the ruins of an empire past.
• The coolest hostel is… Yellow Star Hostel . It’s the kind of place you extend your stay for as long as your Cambodia itinerary allows.
• The best food is found in… the outdoor food market in Siem Reap. Most of the backpacker accommodation is conveniently located around here so it’s simply a matter of walking down and gorging yourself silly!

Backpacking Myanmar

Oh, Myanmar. For a few years between roughly 2011 and 2019, backpacking in Myanmar really took off as the country instituted democratic reforms and started to open up to the world. There was even a fear that in opening up to the world too quickly, Myanmar would lose some of its authenticity and charm.

I want to stress that I love Myanmar. I love the country and I love the people. I travelled there through some of the remote Northern regions. I caught the dilapidated trains, hitchhiked with monks, and even publically pooped my pants on a public bus after some dodgy food.

The temples are second to none, the food is cheap and delicious, and the countryside is beautiful .

But, the seeds of what has happened to Myanmar had been sown many years before. You can trace the military take over and crackdown back to the consequences of British rule back in Imperial times. There was a lot of tension during the decolonial period too with the government shirking a lot of international aid and joining any international forums.

This isolationism was intensified with the first military coup of the 1960s. This was the same military that was loosening the reigns during the 2010s that allowed a few of us to explore what truly is one of my favourite countries on the planet.

The tensions with the various ethnic groups on the borders never went away though. And neither did the military. As of early 2021, Aung San Suu Kyi (the former democratic leader) has been imprisoned and political dissenters shot and jailed as the military clamps down on control again.

I couldn’t in good conscience advise anyone to go backpacking in Myanmar at this time. But I don’t want to strike this country off the map entirely. The people deserve better than that.

It’s probably not the place of a travel guide to tell you to support democratic movements – especially not ones that are as flawed as Aung San Suu Kyi’s – but I think it’s fair to say that the moment it’s safe. Go backpacking Myanmar!

February 2023 Update : In the past few months, Myanmar has reopened its e-visa program and is officially “open for tourism.” Many travellers have reported successful and problem free trips, BUT it’s still important to proceed with extreme caution. Though the political situation has stabilized, there is the chance of getting stuck in the country.

What to Know Before Visiting Myanmar

• Don’t miss out on… Bagan. There are touristy spots in Bagan, however, the scope of the area is immense. Riding an e-bike to a secret place and setting up for sunset is the way to go. There are so many side roads and off the beaten path ruins here that you’ll find something special.
• You know what’s overrated… Inle Lake. Super beautiful, super touristy, and super expensive. Visit, then shoot through for some of the mad trekking in the nearby regions.
• The coolest hostel is… Ostello Bello . These guys are a solidly run hostel chain that will have your back and provide a place of comfort while travelling Myanmar.
• The best food is found in… Mandalay. I actually love staying in Mandalay , and the aromas drifting from the nighttime street food market is a big reason why! It’s a big city so there’s a lot

Backpacking Malaysia

I absolutely LOVE backpacking in Malaysia. Somehow, Malaysia has managed to stay below the radar of many travellers on the Southeast Asia backpacking circuit. To write off Malaysia as uninteresting would be a mistake: Malaysia should be your next backpacking destination!

For one, I found Malaysia to have some of the lowest prices in all of Southeast Asia. The country is extremely clean, the roads are in great shape, and the people speak decent English. Malaysia is also a majority Muslim country, which I found to be an interesting contrast to the Buddhist majorities of the countries to the north.

Tioman Island is one of Southeast Asia’s best-kept secrets. Getting your PADI open water certificate is cheaper on Tioman than anywhere in Thailand. Also, diving is better – in my opinion. The coral reefs are not experiencing the same level of bleaching as they are in Thailand. I saw plenty of turtles, sharks, and more vibrant reef systems generally.

Malaysia is also home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests at Taman Negara . So alongside some of the most vibrant and developed cities in Asia are some of Asia’s most wild and unruly jungles! And, if that wasn’t enough, Malaysian food is seriously delicious.

Then there is Malaysian Borneo . Parts of Borneo are surprisingly well developed. That said, there are giant swaths of the island that are still wild and teaming with rhinoceros, orangutans, and other rare wildlife. The trekking here is of the old school, beat your way through the jungle variety! Malaysia has incredible adventure opportunities for those willing to get well off the beaten path!

What to Know Before Visiting Malaysia

• Don’t miss out on… Borneo. It’s such an overlooked destination but there’s so much cool stuff going on here. Get a tattoo in Kuching!
• Look out for… hidden speakeasies in Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown. They’re VERY well disguised, and absolutely worth it! Being an Islamic country, it’s harder to get alcohol here but where there’s a will there’s a way.
• The coolest hostel is… Best Attitude Hostel Cenang . This hostel has great social events running all the time – even if the karaoke makes me cringe!
• The best food is found in… Penang. Whilst ALL the food in Malaysia is good, Penang takes top honors. Seriously, those soups had me in a proper food coma.

Backpacking Singapore

Singapore is the smallest country to make our list. This tropical island city-state nation might be a blip on the map, but it is a regional economic and cultural powerhouse.

Backpacking Singapore has the reputation of being an expensive place to visit in Southeast Asia. Whilst Singapore is certainly more expensive when compared to its relatively cheap neighbours, there is still plenty to do for backpackers on a budget.

Some of the best street food in the world can be found amongst the food stalls of various markets. Singapore is a multi-cultural melting pot, so it is possible to taste the influences of many different cultures in a single dish. Rub elbows with locals and chow down on some epically delicious cheap eats.

Visit Chinatown , explore Arab Street , and be sure to grab a curry in Little India . Just based on the neighbourhood names alone, you can gather that many ethnic groups are represented across this city-country.

If you are visiting Singapore for longer, be sure to check out the nature reserves surrounding the city. Few people realize that just outside of Singapore’s urban centres there are some great day hikes to be had in the surrounding jungle. There’s also plenty of local life to be experienced beyond the neon landscape.

Singapore is a city that has something for every backpacker. Whether you are just passing through or coming specifically to backpack Singapore, you can be sure that there is always something awesome (and tasty) to get into here. It’s wildly different to other countries within the region, and yet there are glimmers of something similar. You’re sure to love it!

What to Know Before Visiting Singapore

• Don’t miss out on… the hawker centres (cafeterias). When you’re in Singapore, you EAT. The food is incredible.
• You know what’s overrated… Sentosa Island – it’s just Disney World with a fake beach. And you know what’s worse than hoardes of people? Paying to be around hoardes of people.
• The coolest hostel is… The Bohemian . This colourful little corner of Singapore makes my heart sing… apore.
• The best food is found in… Maxwell Food Centre. This is the most famous hawker centre in Singapore. In fact, the world’s cheapest Michelin-star restaurant is here! But aside from that, there are countless delicious options. There’s little wonder I ended up a couple of kilos heavier after backpacking in Singapore!

Backpacking Indonesia

As a vast archipelago nation composed of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is one of the most fascinating countries in the world. The country is so big and so spread out that exploring it can feel overwhelming.

Backpacking Indonesia is an adventure like no other. For starters, you can climb active volcanoes, encounter orangutans in the jungle, visit ancient temples, and enjoy spectacular diving.

All along the way, you’ll be welcomed in by some of the most friendly people out there while you enjoy the varied and delicious cuisine. Best of all, you can easily backpack Indonesia on a budget.

Bali is definitely the backpacker magnet of Indonesia and for good reason. Along with a blossoming digital nomad scene and tons of epic places to see, Bali is also surf and party central. If you are wanting to become a yoga teacher, there are countless programs being offered all across the island.

It’s worth staying in Bali for some time, but be sure to visit some of the other islands as well. Though fun, I would argue that Bali is not at all what the rest of Indonesia feels like. The country is jam-packed with off the beaten path exploration potential.

17,000 islands bro! Get yourself out there and explore some of them and you will quickly fall in love with this massive island nation. Because the real Indonesia is well outside of Bali.

The streets of Jakarta are a hot mess of traffic and street food contrasted with towering skyscrapers. The outer islands are deserted. There are jungles and villages as much as there are modern cities.

What to Know Before Visiting Indonesia

• Don’t miss out on… island hopping. Backpacking Nusa Penida , Derawan, the Kai Islands, Wakatobi; these are some of the best, but there are many more to see.
• You know what’s overrated… Kuta, Bali. Avoid it like the plague. Drunk Australians and piles of garbage. Plus, the tourists have made many of the locals suspicious of travellers. Not a vibe.
• The coolest hostel is… Tribal Hostel . Super cool, open and tropical, you won’t find a better place to stay than Tribal. In the quiet area of Pererenan Bali, and with a huge coworking space, Tribal has it all!
• The best food is found in… Jakarta. This city takes satay to a whole new level. Be sure to try as many satay sticks as possible – and Nasi Goreng, of course.

Backpacking The Philippines

Cheap beer, beautiful beaches, adrenaline-pumping activities, and some of the most friendly, genuine, people in all of Asia; the Philippines truly captured my heart. I made some incredible friends in the Philippines and I have to say, it is one of the easiest countries in the world to travel around as the locals are so friendly.

Getting around the Philippines as a backpacker and finding a sweet and cheap place to stay (and a sweet and cheap thing to eat) is breezy.

There are thousands of islands to choose from. This translates into EPIC scuba diving, a great place to learn to snorkel and to go fishing. If you have never learned to spearfish , you should absolutely give it a go. Spearfishing doesn’t get much better than in the Philippines where the visibility is insanely good!

If you love trekking like me, then you will be pleased to find some epic hiking opportunities in the Philippines. Caves, rivers, mountains, you name it, one can find all the outdoor playgrounds here. There are heaps of adventure opportunities in The Philippines if you’re equipped for the job!

There are endless trekking options in the Philippines: remote hill hikes and active volcanoes, gentle strolls, and multi-day backpacking trips. Some popular treks include  Cordillera and its rice terraces and trekking Mt. Pulag .

Not too far from here you can reach Sagada (and my saucy Sagada travel guide ) and hike in the hills. Bohol and the Chocolate Hills are a great place to trek as well. The Philippines is home to 25 active volcanoes that can be climbed to the summit!

If you’re a fan of a party then you’re in the right place as festivals in The Philippines are some of the most lively events you can experience as a traveler, and a wonderful way to immerse yourself in the culture of such a diverse country.

What to Know Before Visiting the Philippines

• Don’t miss out on… El Nido. It’s utter paradise, the stuff of dreams and legends. Stay here forever if you can.
• Look out for… crowds at Baguio. It’s becoming one of the most popular places in The Philippines; let’s hope it doesn’t become TOO popular.
• The coolest hostel is… Mad Monkey Hostel Siargo . The MM chain is somewhat legendary – but this one is my favourite.
• The best food is found in …hard to say, really – there’s just so much diversity when it comes to Filipino food . Suckling pig in Cebu, empanadas in Ilocos, bulalo in Tagaytay; nothing really beats adobo  made by a local grandma though.

Getting Off the Beaten Path in Southeast Asia

Once you have your boots on the ground, the Southeast Asia backpackers circuit will be as obvious as the stars in the night sky. Backpackers generally don’t venture too far off of the so-called Banana Pancake trail.

That said, if you are a keen and adventurous type, there are many parts of Southeast Asia that are untouched by backpackers to this day. Many regions are very wild and make for endless exploration opportunities.

Additionally, there are islands in Southeast Asia (think Indonesia) that are so damned remote, few westerners have ever been to them. Have fun on the Banana Pancake Trail, but don’t forget to dip out once in a while to truly explore.

For starters, I’d suggest trekking in Borneo or taking a long motorbike excursion to the Vietnam-China border. These are two wildly different types of adventure, but they hint at the wild times you can forge for yourself if you avoid other tourists like the plague.

We’ve tested countless backpacks over the years, but there’s one that has always been the best and remains the best buy for adventurers: the broke backpacker-approved Osprey Aether and Ariel series.

Want more deetz on why these packs are so  damn perfect? Then read our comprehensive review for the inside scoop!

Southeast Asia is an adventure playground. It is a backpacker paradise and a place teeming with awesome budget adventures. There will certainly never be a day where you are bored for lack of things to do in Southeast Asia. Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the radical adventures that await you in Southeast Asia…

1. Jungle Trekking

There is some great jungle trekking in Northern Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam… Hell, in every country in Southeast Asia, really! If you choose to go trekking make sure to go on a multi-day hike. Personally, I prefer trekking in Laos, and I had an epic experience in Myanmar back when it was safe to travel through.

I would love to explore more of the remote corners of Indonesia and Borneo too – the options to go jungle trekking in Southeast Asia are really limitless!

2. Scuba Diving

Many backpackers fall in love with scuba diving whilst in Southeast Asia. Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia offer incredible diving opportunities in crystal clear waters with abundant marine life and plenty of wrecks for the underwater adventurer. The cheapest place to learn is the island of Kao Tao in Thailand and the islands in Malaysia.

If you’re not up to learning to dive, you can always learn to snorkel too. But with the affordable prices of Asia combined with the excellent visibility, you can’t really go wrong!

3. Motorcycle in Southeast Asia

Perhaps there is no better way to explore a country than by motorbike . You’re truly free to design your own itinerary and take every side alley that takes your fancy.

Plus, you become part of the landscape when you’re riding. There aren’t windows of a bus separating you from the buffalo or the mountain.

But there also isn’t much of anything to protect you if you fall off. So I’d suggest wearing proper riding gear and having insurance. That way, you’re free to enjoy the jungle roads, the epic peaks, and the offbeat camping destinations that Southeast Asia has to offer with some peace of mind.

4. Learn To Cook

Love the hell out of Southeast Asian cuisine? Me too!

Taking a cooking class whilst visiting a Southeast Asian country will supercharge your cooking skills. You will be preparing delicious meals for years down the line that remind you of the good ol’ days backpacking Southeast Asia.

Each country is full of such diverse dishes, too. You could pick up a nasi goreng recipe down in Indonesia which would stand completely apart from a classic Thai green curry, or a delectable set of Vietnamese rice paper rolls.

5. Chase Waterfalls

Don’t go chasing waterfalls… What nonsense! In every country in Southeast Asia, you will stumble upon waterfalls, epic waterfalls. Each will be more impressive than the last and will have you dreaming of turquoise waters for years to come.

6. Go Caving

Southeast Asia is home to some truly impressive cave systems. If you have the chance, you must explore some of them! There is the world’s largest cave in Vietnam, but many of the smaller caves throughout the region are equally as epic and more accessible. Over in the Phillippines, you can even try your hand at cave diving – that shit’s UNREAL!

7. It’s Street Food O’Clock

Love trying new things? There is something delicious, tasty, and bizarre to put in your mouth around every turn.

I hope the words “no, I don’t think I want to try that” never come out of your mouth. You will find food that makes you cry tears of joy. There will be times when your entire mouth becomes a burning pit of hell. And there will be magical moments where it’s a bit of both.

Each country brings something unique to the table for you to sink your teeth into – literally. So you’ve got no choice but to start munching your way through street carts!

(Exceptions are granted only if the food in question is an endangered or protected animal.)

8. Go climbing

Southeast Asia is full of karst mountains, which rise like pillars and towers from the ground. For the casual tourist, these spires make great photos. For climbers though, these are the stuff of dreams.

Visit Railay, Cat Ba, and Kuala Lumpur for some grade-A routes.

9. Island hopping

The Philippines has over 7,100 islands; Indonesia has 17,000. Combine these with all the other random islands scattered throughout Southeast Asia and you have a shit ton of islands to live out your Robinson Crusoe adventures. Better get started now – it’s going to take a while to visit them all.

If you get really addicted to island life, you may want to try boat life . That way you can perpetually traverse the best of Southeast Asia’s islands and beyond…

10. Stay in a Coworking Hostel

More and more backpackers are looking to turn their travels into a full time way of life… the best way to get inspired is to meet and brainstorm with other aspiring entrepreneurs and digital nomads, check out Tribal Hostel in Bali to find ideas, support and new friends 🙂

Psssst…. Searching for your Tribe?

Tribal Hostel – Bali’s first purpose-built co-working hostel and perhaps the greatest hostel in the world!

Come on down and enjoy amazing coffee, high-speed wifi and a game of pool 😉

The most common place to stay while backpacking Southeast Asia is, of course, hostels. They’re cheap, ubiquitous, and can be a helluva a lot of fun.

Never stayed in a hostel before? You’re in luck! Southeast Asia is the best place to learn how to live the hostel life .

Southeast Asia has some of the most well-known and well-regarded hostels in the world, which would impress even the most seasoned backpacker. There’s a real mix of cheap places to stay, too. There are the classic party hubs where to beer never stops flowing. But there are some really chill places where it’s more likely that everyone is sitting around smoking a joint while swapping travel stories.

If you’re going to be hitting the Banana Pancake Trail hard and for several months, you’ll want to pack the right stuff with you. We all know that guy who steals towels from hostels and takes them wherever he goes; don’t be that guy.

Whilst it’s easier to find hostels in the well-trafficked parts of Southeast Asia, there are some real gems just slightly off the beaten path. One of the best hostels I ever stayed in was in the middle of nowhere Northern Vietnam.

As is always the case, camping would be the ultimate way to save cash while backpacking. Just make sure you take a good tent with you and do your best to check your site – there are some really dangerous snakes and crazy, heavy rain out there in the remote, jungle areas.

There is really never a need to stay in a hotel while backpacking Southeast Asia. If you need a private space, book an airbnb or find a local guesthouse instead. Because it’s Asia, it won’t be very expensive and might be just what you need to recharge yourself.

• Where to Stay in Vietnam
• Where to Stay in Thailand
• Where to Stay in Malaysia
• Where to Stay in the Philippines
• Where to Stay in Singapore
• Where to Stay in Cambodia

Southeast Asia is the Mecca for cheap places to travel broke . Nowhere else on earth can you drink beer, find accommodation, and eat out every day easily for under $10 USD .

To give you an idea of the cost of backpacking Southeast Asia, here are some examples of shoestring travel budgets:

• $20 – $30 / day: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia
• $25 – $35 / day: Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia
• $30 – $40 / day: Indonesia, Philippines

As you can see, some countries in Southeast Asia are more expensive than others. For example, the cost of a trip to Thailand  is not as dirt cheap as you might think, especially if you plan on just eating Western food.

Generally speaking, any of the islands you visit whilst backpacking Southeast Asia will be more expensive than the mainland. Also, Singapore kind of stands as its own thing – you can expect a much higher cost of travel there than the rest of Southeast Asia as it’s not catered to budget travellers.

Creating the right Southeast Asia budget for yourself is the key to a successful backpacking adventure. Travelling in Southeast Asia should never be super expensive. With a few budget travel hacks up your sleeve, you will save a ton of money and have the time of your life.

A Daily Budget in Southeast Asia

Here is a more in-depth breakdown of what you can expect to pay on a daily basis whilst backpacking Southeast Asia…

Budget Tips for Visiting Southeast Asia

To keep your spending to an absolute minimum whilst travelling in Southeast Asia, I recommend sticking to these basic rules of budget adventuring….

• Camp : With plenty of untouched beaches, forests, stunning countryside, and far-flung jungle, Southeast Asia can be a great place to pitch a tent for the night. A solid sleep system saves you money and can help you get off of the beaten path.
• Eat street food : Southeast Asia has the BEST street food in the world. You can easily load up on just a few dollars. Night markets are iconic places to start from.
• Couchsurf: Southeast Asian locals are awesome, so get to know some! Check out Couchsurfing to make some real friendships and see a country from the perspective of locals. When using Couchsurfing, be sure to send personalized messages to your potential host – make yourself stand out!
• Haggle: Barter, negotiate, sit down for a tea, and philander hedonistically if necessary. A good haggling game is going to go a long way towards backpacking Southeast Asia on a budget.
• Hitchhike: This is just your friendly neighborhood reminder that hitchhiking is the best, and it saves you cash! But more than that, it launches you right into the thick of it and entices adventures to come out of their hidey-holes.
• Leave “The Bubble”: Staying in the tourist bubbles always gets more expensive. Remember to leave the bubble and live the local life for truly cheap Southeast Asia travel.

Why Should You Travel to Southeast Asia with a Water Bottle?

Whilst there’s a lot that we can do when it comes to travelling responsibly , reducing your plastic consumption is one of the easiest and most impactful things you can do. Don’t buy one-use water bottles, don’t take plastic shopping bags, and forget straws. All of this just ends up in landfills or in the ocean.

One way you can minimise your plastic footprint is by investing in a premium filtered water bottle . That way, not only do you save money by not having to buy bottled water everywhere you go, but you aren’t contributing to the problem. You’re being part of the solution! And the turtles thank you!

Drink water from ANYWHERE. The Grayl Geopress is the worlds leading filtered water bottle protecting you from all manner of waterborne nasties.

Single-use plastic bottles are a MASSIVE threat to marine life. Be a part of the solution and travel with a filter water bottle. Save money and the environment!

We’ve tested the Geopress  rigorously  from the icy heights of Pakistan to the tropical jungles of Bali, and can confirm: it’s the best water bottle you’ll ever buy!

Due to the great distances involved when we are talking about ALL of Southeast Asia, the weather can really vary.

The peak tourist season in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam is from November to February when the weather is beautiful across the region, but there’s a high chance you’ll run into a ton of tourists. The really popular guesthouses fill up fast.

The local people are a really friendly bunch and keen to help so if you have any problems don’t be afraid to ask for directions from the locals. It is best to avoid northern areas of Thailand from February to April as the burning season starts and mountains will slowly be covered in smoke.

When we are talking about Indonesia for example, keep in mind that Indonesia is WAY farther south and nearer to the equator. The weather in Indonesia can be loosely applied to Malaysia as well.

Generally speaking, there are 2 seasons in Indonesia – the dry season and the rainy season. In most parts of the country, the dry season lasts from May to September . Of course, this is also the most popular time to visit.

Consider visiting in either May or September if you want to try and avoid the massive summer crowd, especially in Bali. This way you can find cheaper accommodation which is difficult to find during peak season.

Most of the rain in Indonesia falls from October to April , with some regional variations. Those looking to do some serious trekking or diving may want to try and plan a trip in the dry season. There’s no need to let a little rain spoil your trip, though. Rain usually comes in quick downpours so just take a solid rain jacket; you’ll still get to enjoy several hours of sunlight.

Best Time to Visit – Country Breakdown

Best Months to Travel: November-February, March-September (Southeast Coast)

What’s the climate in Thailand like? 

Most of Thailand is dry and comfortable to visit from November-February. In March and April, the temps start to rise until they become horrible in June. The rains start in May.

The exception to this is the southeastern coast of Thailand (Koh Samui, Hat Yai, etc). The rains come a bit later here.

Best Months to Travel: November-April (North & South), February-July (Center)

What’s the climate in Vietnam like? 

Vietnam is a weird one: the North and South have similar rainy seasons, but the center’s is a bit later in the year. The absolute perfect time to visit the whole country would be in February and March.

Best Months to Travel: October-April

What’s the climate in Cambodia and Laos like? 

Pretty straightforward with only two distinct seasons: a wet one and a dry one.

In the wet summer season, downpours can washout dirt roads, and the heat can be OPPRESSIVE. Be prepared for lots of lazy days of doing nothing if traveling to Cambodia or Laos during the summer season.

Best Months to Travel: October-March

What’s the climate in Myanmar like? 

Typical Southeast Asia. The dry season in Myanmar actually runs until May but the temperatures at the end of the month are just WAY too much. June is unbearable to visit.

Visiting during March or October (shoulder months) are great times.

Best Months to Travel: November-February (West Coast), March-September (East Coast)

What’s the climate in Malaysia like? 

Pretty hot and humid all year round but each coast has opposing rainy seasons. Stick to one coast depending on when you’re visiting Malaysia.

Note the Cameron Highlands are temperate all year-round with a rainy season from September-December.

Best Months to Travel: May-September

What’s the climate in Indonesia like? 

In most of the country, the wet, hot season runs from October to April. Around May, the rains start to subside, temps drop, and tourists return. Visit Indonesia in May before prices go up.

Northern parts of Indonesia, like Maluku and Raja Ampat, experience the wet season in OPPOSITE months. October-April is the best time to visit these.

Best Months to Travel:  November-May

What’s the climate in the Philippines like? 

Not quite as hot as continental Southeast Asia, which makes travel in April and May more viable. But June-August should definitely be avoided – this is typhoon season and storms can very dangerous. Most ferries and resorts shut down during this time.

What to Pack for Southeast Asia

An adventure backpacking in Southeast Asia means navigating a certain level of chaos. If this is your first backpacking trip, or even if you’re a veteran, you gotta make sure you’re equipped for the job!

Make sure that packing list is spot on. For every adventure, there are a few things I never go travelling without:

Snoring dorm-mates can ruin your nights rest and seriously damage the hostel experience. This is why I always travel with a pack of decent ear plugs.

Hanging Laundry Bag

Trust us, this is an absolute game changer. Super compact, a hanging mesh laundry bag stops your dirty clothes from stinking, you don’t know how much you need one of these… so just get it, thank us later.

Sea To Summit Micro Towel

Hostel towels are scummy and take forever to dry. Microfibre towels dry quickly, are compact, lightweight, and can be used as a blanket or yoga mat if need be.

Monopoly Deal

Forget about Poker! Monopoly Deal is the single best travel card game that we have ever played. Works with 2-5 players and guarantees happy days.

Grayl Geopress Water Bottle

Always travel with a water bottle! They save you money and reduce your plastic footprint on our planet. The Grayl Geopress acts as a purifier AND temperature regulator. Boom!

Is Southeast Asia Safe? This is easily one of the most common questions I’m asked.

Every country on earth has a certain degree of crime and the associated shitty people. Southeast Asia is no different. Though violent attacks on backpackers are extremely rare, they can happen.

A common problem in Southeast Asian cities is the motorcycle bag snatch. Two dudes roll up on a motorbike and grab your purse or day bag and they ride off into the night (or day). I have heard reports of this gig being particularly rampant in the touristic areas of Phnom Penh.

Keep an eye on your stuff, especially when you are in the big cities and crowded bus stations. Be smart hiding your valuables and money when travelling and things will be chill. In general, Southeast Asia is one of the safest places in the world to go backpacking, so fear not!

Wear a helmet when you hop on a motorbike in Asia . Despite being an experienced driver, I’ve had a total of 3 crashes in Southeast Asia over the last 10 years. On the one occasion, I wasn’t wearing a helmet, I split my head open and had to go to the hospital. Your mum doesn’t want to get the call about your insides being on the outside…

To stay safe, every backpacker should follow the common-sense rules of safe backpacking .  In general, being out late, drunk, and alone is a recipe for trouble anywhere in the world.

If ever you run into the very rare hold-up situation, give them what they want and don’t resist. Your iPhone and wallet are never worth dying over, ever!

• Is Thailand Safe to Visit?
• Is Vietnam Safe to Visit?
• Is Cambodia Safe to Visit?
• Is Myanmar Safe to Visit?
• Is Indonesia Safe to Visit?
• Is Malaysia Safe to Visit?

Sex, Drugs, and Rock n’ Roll in Southeast Asia

There’s a reason that those seeking something a little hedonistic oftentimes get stuck in Southeast Asia… You can buy ketamine from certain pharmacies and the acid seems to be ubiquitous amongst travellers. Many Southeast Asian countries have very harsh drug penalty laws though, and even without harsh laws, there are some truly crippling fines dished out.

Drugs on the road is pretty much a guaranteed experience – and in Southeast Asia more so than ever. There are the magic mushroom shakes popular in Thailand and Cambodia; there are the strong and freely available prescription meds too.

Plus, doobies are a staple of almost every hostel. So, if you’re gonna do the good stuff, then stay hydrated and watch out for ya mates!

What seems to go hand in hand with travelling even more so than drugs? Why, love and sex of course! But we don’t like to have frank and honest discussions about sex on the road out of fear we’ll be too judgemental – or not judgmental enough.

At the end of the day, love and sex will on the road is inevitable so we might as well have a conversation about it.

Remember that free love is about love as much as it is about sex. And I’d be dancing around the elephant in the room if I didn’t talk about how easy it is to engage with sex tourism in Asia.

Regardless of your beliefs and thoughts on prostitution, remember this is another person with thoughts, feelings, and a life outside of the sex industry too. You are not superior to these people; you just happen to be from a more privileged background.

Go to Asia and have the time of your life, do the things you’ve dreamed of – but be respectful along the way. Travelling the world makes you an ambassador for your country , which is awesome. We can make a positive impact on people when we travel and get rid of any ugly stereotypes that may be associated with our countries…

Travel Insurance for Southeast Asia

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing .

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

As I said before Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are Southeast Asia’s two main international hubs. Most backpackers start their journeys visiting and staying in Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok for a spell. Budget flights throughout the region will almost certainly have you passing through one of those airports.

If you are looking to do the classic Southeast Asia Loop or the Banana Pancake Trail, then starting off by staying in Bangkok is the obvious choice. Flights into Vietnam through Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are getting increasingly less expensive as well, so keep an eye out if the prices keep falling.

Visas and Entry Requirements for Southeast Asian Countries

The biggest headache of travelling is getting a visa organised! The rules are subject to change at a moment’s notice and you never know what the land border will actually be like. All I can say is do your research, (politely) refuse to pay bribes that you don’t have to, and get organised in advance.

Luckily, most Southeast Asian countries have pretty straightforward visa requirements. Tourism is their bread and butter after all.

• Visa on arrival: Visa-free travel, 30 days for most countries.
• Extension: Yes, one-time, usually for 30 additional days, $60.
• Notes: Those arriving by land usually receive a 15-day visa-free waiver.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, but only for a small group of countries.
• Evisa: Yes, 30-day validity, $25, longer stays possible.
• Extension:  Yes, but you’ll need to leave the country and reapply for the evisa.
• Notes: Evisas are not valid at many border crossings.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, 30 days for most countries, $37.
• Evisa: Yes, same price and length as visa-on-arrival.
• Extension: Yes, one-time, usually for 30 additional days, $48.
• Notes: If crossing from Laos or Thailand, visas will cost more if you pay in baht or kip.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, 30-day validity, $35.
• Evisa: Yes, 30-days, price varies
• Extension: Yes, $2/day, filed in Vientiane .
• Notes:  The evisa is inconvenient, most travelers may opt for visa-on-arrivals.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, 90-day validity, no charge.
• Extension: Possible at embassy.
• Notes: Malaysia is very easy to enter but takes overstays very seriously.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, between 30-90 days, free.
• Extension: Possible to file online.
• Notes: Like Malaysia – easy to get in, just don’t overstay.
• Visa on arrival: Yes, 30-day validty for most nations, $35.
• Extension: Only available to those with visa-on-arrival or prearranged visa.
• Notes: Foerginers can enter Indonesia on a visa-waiver program for free but they will not be able to extend stay. Some ports of entry require prearranged visa.
• Visa on arrival: Visa-waiver (30-day validity) or visa-on-arrival (59-day validity) available.
• Extension: Possible for those with visa-on-arrival.
• Notes:  You will need proof of an outbound flight to enter the Philippines.

The most popular and rewarding way of independent travel in Southeast Asia is to rent or buy a motorbike. It also helps if you can rent for longer periods of time. Most shops in Bali charge around $5 a day for a motorbike, but I was able to rent one for only $50 a month!

With a full tank of gas costing only around $1, you can cover a lot of ground without burning a hole in your wallet if you’ve got a long-term motorbike rental. Pair this with a proper motorcycle tent , and you’ll hardly ever spend a dime!

Common Types of Transport in Southeast Asia

You can easily buy a bike in Thailand or Vietnam (or anywhere really) and then pass it on to a local or fellow traveller when your time backpacking Southeast Asia is through. Don’t buy the first piece of shit bike you come across!

If possible, try to get the bike checked out by someone who knows bikes. It would be a shame to buy a bike just to have it break down the next day. Again, always wear a fucking helmet!

Taking local buses and trains (when possible) is the most economical way of getting around. Sometimes, this will mean rocking up at the bus or train station and sussing out a ticket, but it’s getting easier than ever to sort your journeys in advance.

Bookaway is an epic online booking platform where you can book bus, train, and ferry tickets in advance for a nominal fee – this is way better than rocking up at the bus or train station and hoping you can get a ticket – because sometimes you can’t.

One can find budget flights in Southeast Asia, but these flights and taking ferry boats to the islands add up. So pick and choose where you want to go and budget accordingly.

For short distances,  tuk-tuks are your best bet just keep an eye on your shit and keep your wits about you when in a tuk-tuk . Luckily, Grab (similar to Uber) is now readily available in several countries in the region, including Thailand!

Grab is hands down the best way to get around cities, the price is locked in on the app so you can’t get ripped off, AND it will always work out cheaper than travelling by taxi or rickshaw.

Hitchhiking in Southeast Asia

Hitchhiking should not prove to be too difficult and in some countries, it is fairly easy to get picked up. You have to be persistent and make sure the locals understand where you need to go or you will end up getting dropped at a bus station.

Some locals decide to turn their car into a taxi cab the minute they spot a foreigner on the highway. I would never assume that the ride is free initially. Always ask to avoid having an awkward scenario in which the driver who picked you up is demanding an unexpected fee.

Due to the large number of backpackers riding motorbikes across Southeast Asia, it is possible to score a ride with some fellow travellers. Generally, hitchhiking in Southeast Asia is safe, though you still have to be smart and use good judgment.

Onwards Travel from Southeast Asia

Whether you are heading home or carrying on travelling, budget international flights are your best bet. Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur is where you will find the lowest prices.

India and South Asia may beckon the vagabond to continue their travels. Or, Australia and New Zealand might get the backpacker to settle down in a sense and get a backpacking job .

Many backpackers pop over to Australia or New Zealand for 6 months to a year on a working holiday visa, make some cash, and come right back to Southeast Asia for their second round of backpacking escapades.

• Backpacking Australia
• Backpacking New Zealand
• Backpacking Fiji
• Backpacking Oceania

Working in Southeast Asia is certainly popular – though not especially lucrative. Scoring a gig as an ex-pat of some kind is always great, but most backpackers won’t fall into that category. Since work visas are sometimes difficult to get, a lot of the work ends up being done under the table.

That’s not to say it’s all dodgy run businesses, of course. There are a surprising amount of opportunities for backpackers to find work in Asia, but don’t expect to make a lot of money. You’re here for the lifestyle and experience, not the cash.

Popular jobs include dive instructor, English teacher, or some kind of hospitality. How easy it is to get a job will depend on the country. But a more popular way of making money while on the road in Asia is to work as a freelancer or digital nomad – this is where Asia truly shines.

A new country, a new contract, a new piece of plastic – booooring. Instead, buy an eSIM!

An eSIM works just like an app: you buy it, you download it, and BOOM! You’re connected the minute you land. It’s that easy.

Is your phone eSIM ready? Read about how e-Sims work or click below to see one of the top eSIM providers on the market and  ditch the plastic .

The Digital Nomad Scene in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is THE most popular place for digital nomads to base themselves (based on recent digital nomad stats ). Places like Chiang Mai, Bangkok, and Bali are thriving nomad hubs that attract people from all over the world. Kuala Lumpur and many large Vietnamese cities are quickly following suit.

Southeast Asia is a paradise for remote workers for many reasons:

• The cost of living is very low.
• Internet is ubiquitous and reliable.
• Expat communities are strong.
• Local economies are booming.
• Visas relatively easy to organize.
• Conferences and events are frequently organized.
• There’s a lot to do in your free time.

If you’re a digital nomad or someone who wants to give the lifestyle a try, you can’t go wrong living in Southeast Asia.

Teaching English in Southeast Asia

For another way of living or extending your trip to Southeast Asia, people have been teaching English abroad for a long time. Though you won’t always need one, having a TEFL certificate will increase your chances of scoring a gig.

We suggest using MyTEFL to get accredited. Broke Backpacker readers get a 50% discount on TEFL courses with MyTEFL (simply enter the code PACK50 ).

I think that working as an English teacher does give you a deeper appreciation of the country that you’re travelling in. You spend time fostering connections to a place and you are, ultimately, teaching people a skill that will carry them far in life.

Volunteering in Southeast Asia

Volunteering abroad is an amazing way to experience a culture whilst helping your host community. There are plenty of different volunteer projects in Southeast Asia including teaching, construction, agriculture, and pretty much anything.

There are so many different volunteer opportunities in Southeast Asia to suit any skill set. You could support communities doing social work in Vietnam, help out on farms in Thailand, teach English in Cambodia, or volunteer in a hostel in Laos.

Other opportunities include bartending, doing community work, and web development. Short-term volunteers should apply for a tourist visa before arriving, but you’ll need the appropriate permits to stay longer depending on what country you’re in. 

Volunteer programs run through reputable work exchange programs like Worldpackers are great places to start looking for volunteer work – but it doesn’t cover you for everything . Always tread with extra caution, especially if you’re working with kids or animals.

Ask the average Joe what they know about the history of Southeast Asia and most will be able to think as far back as the Vietnam War, maybe the Japanese occupation of Thailand. Beyond that, Southeast Asia is kind of a mystery.

But the history of Southeast Asia is long, complex, varied, and extremely fascinating. Before the Europeans arrived – the French in Vietnam, English in Burma, and Dutch in Indonesia – there were great kingdoms: the Toungoo, Khmer, and Malaca Sultanate, to name a few. Through these channels, Buddhism, Islam, trade, and science all flowed.

It is quite difficult to talk about “Southeast Asian Culture” because it would be a generalization; there are just so many different aspects.

What travellers SHOULD know about Southeast Asia is that it is, in fact, way deeper than it seems. Thanks to a long history of colonization that dates back before the Europeans – Indians, Arabs, and the East Asians all settled in SE Asia – the region is enormously diverse. Food, religion, politics, customs, all of the things that SE Asia does so well, come in part from external sources.

Of course, the colours of people’s personalities also change from country to country. Thais are legendarily nice (and open to just about anything). Malaysians are incredibly diverse ethnically and thus incredibly tolerable. Cambodians are the most laidback people in Southeast Asia by far. All of these traits become more obvious as you spend time in each country.

Don’t stay on the established Southeast Asian backpacking route if you want to get to know the locals. Koh San Road, Hanoi’s Beer Street, Kuta, and all the other tourist hotspots are poor representations of the culture.

The real Southeast Asia is found at the plastic tables on the street, inside the bike repair shops, and in the dusty corners of the region.

There are people who go backpacking in Southeast Asia just for the food. And for good reason, too: it’s fantastic! More than just delicious, it’s also cheap and hugely varied depending on where you are.

You can definitely expect a lot of rice, noodles, and curry in Southeast Asia. Luckily though, no two of these are ever the same. For example, noodles in Vietnam are traditionally served in broth ( pho being the most famous). Thailand, on the other hand, usually prefers dry noodles.

This is just the tip of the gastronomic iceberg that is food in Southeast Asia. And honestly, it’s really difficult to lump everything into one category. I will simply say that countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand consistently rank among the most delicious in the world, every year.

Because of its tropical climate, the fruit in Southeast Asia is also ridiculously good. Borneo is practically the Garden of Eden where just about everything grows, and the local markets in all the major cities have incredible selections to choose from. Be prepared to eat lots of fruit on your backpacking trip, especially bananas when served with pancakes.

I definitely recommend eating at the local markets and street food stalls. The prices are super low and the food is just as good as anything you’d find in a restaurant. Just keep on an eye out for sanitation – make sure the food is fresh and things look clean (enough).

Food to Try in Southeast Asia

There are some dishes you simply HAVE to try when you go to Southeast Asia:

• Banh Mi Thit (Vietnam) – The best sandwich in Asia.
• Pho (Vietnam) – Noodles served in broth w/ extras.
• Pad Thai (Thailand) – Dry noodles w/ peanut sauce and chilis.
• Tom Yung Goong (Thailand) – Soup made with lemongrass, herbs, and shrimp.
• Satay (Malaysia, Indonesia) – Grilled meat skewers.
• Fish Amok (Cambodia) – Spicy fish coconut curry served in a banana leaf
• Burmese Curry (Myanmar) – Local take on the dish that is famously good.
• Shan-style noodles (Myanmar) – Thin-sliced, flat noodles.
• Nasi Goreng (Indonesia) – Fried rice.
• Chili crab (Singapore) – Singapore’s claim to fame.
• Larb/Laap (Laos, Cambodia) – Beef salad with lots of seasoning.
• Tam Mak Houng (Laos) – Spicy green papaya salad.

Southeast Asia is a fantastic budget destination that is great for your everyday travels, but it’s also amazing because it allows you to splurge on some truly unique experiences.

You can go surfing, sky diving, bungee jumping, or any number of exciting things! But there are two big-ticket items that grabbed my heart more than any other: trekking and SCUBA diving .

Things go wrong on the road ALL THE TIME. Be prepared for what life throws at you.

Buy an AMK Travel Medical Kit before you head out on your next adventure – don’t be daft!

Trekking in Southeast Asia

Each country in Southeast Asia offers up trekking experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Whether you prefer guided or independent trekking, there is ample hiking on hand for every backpacker to enjoy. Pack yourself the right adventure gear , and go do something crazy!

• Taman Negara, Malaysia : Explore the oldest rainforest in the world and spend the night in a bungalow in the jungle (for free).
• Kibungan Circuit, The Philippines: A 3-mountain circuit in the town of Kibungan in Benguet . The circuit, which takes anywhere from 2 to 3 days to complete, spans across the mountains of Tagpaya , Oten , and Tagpew .
• Shan State, Myanmar : Shan state is a popular place to go trekking and there are some great hikes around Kachin state as well. You will likely encounter no other travelers whilst trekking here.
• Phongsali, Laos : If you want to get off-the-grid and go trekking in Laos, I recommend making the long journey to the northern town of Phongsali . Though tough to reach, it’s equally rewarding for trekkers. While there isn’t much to do in the actual town, there are plenty of opportunities to visit remote hill tribes through the Provincial Tourism Office.
• Ring of Fire, Indonesia: While the beautiful beaches in Indonesia may be the major draw for tourists, there are also plenty of opportunities for adventures on land. Located in the Ring of Fire, Indonesia is home to well over 100 volcanoes. Trekking to the summit of some of these volcanoes is one experience you won’t want to miss when backpacking Indonesia. In addition to the aforementioned Mt. Bromo  and  Mt. Rinjani , you can also scale  Mt. Agung on Bali or  Mt. Egon on Flores .

Scuba Diving in Southeast Asia

If you have been paying attention, you should be aware now that Southeast Asia is fucking paradise when it comes to scuba diving. Without a doubt, Southeast Asia is the cheapest place in the world to become a certified diver. That fact coupled with some of the best dive sites in the world make scuba diving a no-brainer whilst you are backpacking Southeast Asia.

If you want to go diving in Thailand, go for it! Though I must reinforce how great diving is in Malaysia and Indonesia. The reef systems are in better shape and you won’t have to contend with quite so many tourists. Bali has loads of diving sites , and that’s just the start of the underwater sightseeing.

And if you aren’t up to learning to SCUBA, then you can always learn to freedive or snorkel. There is truly a whole other world waiting to be discovered once you leave the surface!

You’ve got questions about Southeast Asia and we’ve got answers!

Is backpacking in Southeast Asia safe?

Yes. Violent crime against tourists is very low in this part of the world – and even petty theft isn’t that common. That being said, you should still watch out for your valuables in very touristy areas. The thing to watch out for here is food/water bugs that can really knock your health back.

Where can I backpack in Southeast Asia?

Currently, all countries in Southeast Asia are open for backpackers, though Myanmar is still (sadly) risky to visit.

How long do you need to backpack Southeast Asia?

A backpacker could get a good idea of the region by spending 3 – 6 months there. Really, you could spend a lifetime exploring Southeast Asia and still have oodles left to explore. But this is enough time to explore a heap of places without feeling too rushed.

How much does it cost to backpack Southeast Asia for 6 months?

Southeast Asia is a blessing to broke backpackers. You can live comfortably here on $10 a day and splurge every so often on unique experiences. Including flights, insurance, and wiggle room within your budget, 6 months in Southeast Asia should cost between $5000 – $10 000.

What’s the best country to backpack in Southeast Asia?

This is a contentious question! My personal favourite is Vietnam simply because their food is my favourite. Aside from that, it’s cheap, full of epic motorbike adventures, and deadly rice wine!

Be good to Southeast Asia. It’s an incredible region that truly does have a little bit of something for everyone – all while being super cheap. We risk ruining a place when we don’t appreciate how special it is, and Asia is pretty freaking special.

Whether you stop by just one of its countries for a short SCUBA diving trip, or whether you get lost on the banana pancake trail for a year or so, you know you’re in for a good time. There are rice paddies, ancient temples, piles of spicy noodles, and some of the friendliest faces in the world waiting for you here.

Now, I hope I’ve been a source of inspiration in this guide but I also hope you’re ready to forge your own path through this great region. Because there are so many offbeat adventures and epic trekking to be done – you don’t need to get lost in the endless supply of cheap beer.

So off you go, you broke backpacker! I hope to see you deep in the Malaysian jungle or ordering your fifth banh mi of the week in Vietnam. Whatever you choose to do in Southeast Asia, it’s sure to be an adventure.

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Updated February 2023

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Will Hatton

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40 Comments

Hi! Me and a friend of mine are planning on backpacking in Asia from start of April to beginning of July. The only problem is, we are scared it is going to be too hot and humid. We are both from norway and not really used to super high temeratures, so my question is basically: what route can we take, without dying from the extreme heat? It does not have to be in the southeast of asia, but more asia in general. Love your website btw. Love from 20 year old adventurers and coldblooded girl.

Head to the islands, riversides and coastlines. If you are really struggling, follow the lead of locals and do things early morning and late evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. Dress appropriately in layers that you easily remove. Keeping properly hydrated will also help you acclimatise .

Hi there, anyone who has read this brilliant article should definitely try out south east Asia, there are so many amazing experiences on offer. Me and my partner took six months off work a few years back and decided to go travelling around southeast Asia. We visited Vietnam first, then Laos then we discovered our new home – Thailand which is where we spent most of our time as we fell in love with the people, the culture and just the country in whole. We loved it so much that we decided to take the leap and move to the island of Koh Samui. We hope to one day be as travelled as the owners of this amazing blog. 10 out of 10 read!

This was amazing…leaving in 3 days for a year to SE Asia and this post nearly brought me to tears of joy with the emotions it generated. So excited about what is to come!

Superb blog

Will, thank You for the effort and time You invested in writing this informative and useful article about backpacking around southeast Asia. Also, I really appreciate the fact that through this article You inspire other people to travel on a budget, which is something that I also encourage 🙂 Keep up the great work!

Hi Will, thanks for the info! Two questions: Can one easily get through customs when you enter a country and stay for thirty days without having a return ticket back to the US and not knowing what country you will visit next? I bought a one way ticket from San Francisco to Singapore and going to make up my trip as I go over 6 months. 2nd question: Is it safe to leave your MacBook or other valuables in a hostel while you are at the beach? How do you protect your belongings when you want to go swimming and your stuff is on the beach. Thank you for your answers!

Hi Jamie, great to hear from you!

Regarding return tickets and immigration, every country and airline has a different policy on return and onward tickets. Yes, even your airline can refuse to fly you if they feel it’s a risk immigration at the other end may not allow you entry based on a one way ticket. Your best bet is to research throughly on forums and travel sites to see the experiences of others. There are some destinations that are well known for NOT allowing entry without an onward ticket, such as The Philippines. Other destinations may allow you entry with none, some may allow you to say you are leaving overland on an approximate date. It’s a calculated risk, onward ticket companies, expensive full refundable tickets and cheap throw away tickets are also options if you find yourself if a pinch.

Unfortunately its a fact of long term travel, eventually you will probably have stuff stolen, lost or broken, no matter how careful or diligent you are. Following are my golden rules for reducing the bad feels of such an experience as much as possible.

1. Back up your shit, regularly! Ultimately the data inside the device will prove far more valuable to you than the device itself. 2. Lock up your shit, don’t leave your stuff unattended in dorms or on the beach, keep your valuables on you if possible when travelling and lock things away while in accommodation. 3. If you have a bad vibe about a place or person, follow your feeling and use your common sense. 4. If you have expensive gear, insure it correctly, make sure you know where the receipts are before your trip. 5. If something happens, get a police report. 6. Don’t take anything travelling with you that you aren’t willing to have lost, stolen or trashed. Leave it at home. 7. When it’s gone, it’s gone. Theft can happen anywhere, don’t spend too long dwelling on the event or let it be a singularly defining experience of a destination.

Have a great trip!

Great blog, really good and usefull info in it. Thanks a lot.

I would so recommend getting vaccinations in the country once you arrive – we got them at medconsult clinic ( a british doctor based in Bangkok), saved a fortune compared to the UK for the exact same vaccine – got typhoid, japanese encephalitis and a hep b booster done.

Excellent information! Thanks for sharing.

I am really appreciative of this blog post. My boyfriend and I had been dreaming of backpacking SE Asia on a shoestring budget for some time now. He is Norwegian, and I am from the USA, but have been living with him in Oslo for the last three months. My visa extension was just denied, and he cannot get a visa for the US until January, so, we decided to push up our dreams and go backpacking and not be split up! We are starting in Bali, May 16th and I had NO idea where to go after that. I want to be adventurous and go where the wind blows, but also have some sort of a plan as we are on the smallest of budgets and HAVE to figure out how to make some money online, or find volunteer locations to house us. Anyway, this has helped me so much, as we are planning a 6 month trip right now, and are leaving in less than a month!

Thanks for dropping by! We hope that your backpacking trip in SE Asia is amazing!

What a long list of South East Asian countries to visit. The photos you used here just enticed me to add some of these places that I haven’t visited in my bucket list! I can’t wait!

Such amazing post!!

Thanks man!

Great post! I cannot wait to visit Asia next summer, my friend and I are looking for volunteering opportunities in Asia, we would like to know if it is possible and easy to find as we tavel around. We will really appreciate any kind of information about that.

If you’d like to find work as you travel through Southeast Asia, then try asking around English schools. Otherwise, Worldpackers is an excellent way to find work exchanges as well.

Thanks for the informative travel guide! My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to Thailand in June and were looking for something like this! We are planning on staying in Southeast Asia for a while, so we have plenty of time to do everything there is to do.

This may be the best travel article I have ever read and I have read a lot! Massive amount of useful information and I love that you added in the message about being respectful as a backpacker. I was actually warned in Japan by a young Belgian girl working at a hostel that drunk backpackers had a negative impact on her trip thru Vietnam. I’m on an 8 month trip thru Asia but do to some rookie mistakes will only have 3 weeks to get from Ha Tien, Vietnam to Singapore. Super disappointed not to have more time to explore Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia but your article gave me hope that I will at least see some amazing things along the mad dash. Thank you for all the time and effort!

Really glad you found this guide helpful and informative. Enjoy the rest of your trip!

I saw your Myanmar political situation post was made in February, do you know if there has been any change in government?

Just a little correction Will. Its “Lake Toba” not “Lake Tabo”. It`s in the 2nd paragraph below the Penang street art image. Anyway, if you guys planning on visiting West Sumatera, Sipora Island or Nias Island hit me up for some local tips.

Thanks for the correction, cheers!

Love his advice, thank you! Would you say it’s cheaper and better to do backpacking alone on a whim with rough idea of things to do rather than paying for a set tour prior to arriving? Some set tours are like 2500 excluding flights and I’m just wondering if it would be cheaper to get to Thailand, get a bike and then do any internal train bus journeys whenever I want.

Personally, I think paying for a tour in an ‘easy’ country like Thailand is a waste of money. Go with the flow, it’s probably the easiest region in the world to explore 🙂

Hi, Dig the site. Thanks for setting it up. My name is John. I’m from Texas. I’m currently in The Philippines. Looking for the best deal on a round trip ticket, from Manila to Cambodia, and back again . Any helpful hints?

Not a flight hacker or travel agent brother 😉

Wow @ Will – super extensive write up! Some of our friends just asked us for recommendations how to travel SE Asia. We send them your post together with our own experiences (which were much less exhaustive). 🙂

I see you mentioned that the hammock tent has been quite useful, though regards to safety, sleeping out in the open with your belongings. What exactly do you do with your pack and such? Also as a solo female traveler, would you still recommend this mode of accommodation?

Hammocking, and hammock tents, are an awesome way to sleep out as they don’t weigh as much as a traditional tent… However, I would not encourage sleeping out in a hammock EVERYWHERE – You need to pick your spot wisely, make sure it’s cool to camp there etc. I keep all my valuables in a daypack which acts as my pillow. My main pack I put under the hammock.

Truly an amazing post filled with so much information and more. Me and my boyfriend are planning to travel south east Asia for 7 weeks at the end of the year. You have given me so much information for us to digest and use. Thank you so much!

You are very welcome! Happy to be of service 🙂 Have an awesome time traveling in Southeast Asia!

Dude this was an epic write up and has gotten my partner and myself super excited to head off on our 6 month journey to South East Asia in October. Looks like Malaysia has now made the cut, and we are looking into adding The Philippines back on the agenda after getting some pretty mixed reviews. Wise words and sound advice, thanks again!

You are welcome! I’m glad you find it useful 😀

Great post!

I just came back from Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines, and I am 100% going back. Beautiful countries and each with their own unique cultures as well. I went for 40 days! Here’s a video of my travels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osXq2N6e5aA&t=4s

I hope it inspires everyone to travel to these same places I did! 🙂

What a RAD article…thank you 🙂 I am about to embark on my first backpacking adventure around SEA and this was really helpful!

Great Post! Could get some very good information for my own worldtravel. Which country is your favorite one?

Myanmar and Thailand are my favourites…

As a seasoned spearfisher, I really need to put Asia on my agenda. I actually have a trip planned for the end of this year for Thailand and will definitely look into some fishing whilst I am there. I am only afraid of one thing. That I won’t want to return home!

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Southeast Asia Backpacking (2+ months)

2-3 months is a great amount of time to travel the backpacker crowd favourites: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, affectionately known as the 'Banana Pancake' trail. 

There are some truely incredible highlight destinations and attractions along this track, but if you're keen to also check out some less well known, off the beaten track places, that are harder to reach - the Stray route could be for you! 

If you're wanting to

• have freedom in your schedule
• be able to change your itinerary to stay longer in the places you love
• meet loads of different people
• connect with the locals
• learn more about the culture and country you're travelling in
• get local insights from a local Tour Leader
• be guaranteed a bed to sleep in each night
• travel on reliable transport
• feel safe while you're travelling 
• have a fun trip without extra travel stress
• and not travel on a traditional touring style product...

...then keep on reading. We think we could make great travel buddies! 

Working out where to go...

Most travellers want to see Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam so that's precisely where our route will take you, and we've been refining this travel route for years -  check out a map of the full route here.

The destinations on the route are a mixture of 'must see' places backpackers love, like Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Siem Reap and Hoi An, and epic little  off the beaten track places  you won't find in the guidebooks, but may just be the most memorable places you visit. 

You can choose to travel the entire route, or just part of it. 

If you've got 2months or more, we recommend the  Lot Pass  - this is our entire Southeast Asia route. 

Find out more  

Sorting out how to get around...

Travelling around Southeast Asia on public transport is cheap, but it can take a lot of admin time working out timetables, which bus station to go to, which bus to catch, how to buy tickets etc. Not to mention public transport in Southeast Asia isn't the most reliable, safe or comfortable.

When you travel with Stray you don't have to worry about getting dropped at the wrong bus stop or whether the bus will show up or not because you're travelling on Stray's private transport network . This includes all buses, trains, boats, vans, even tuk-tuks - whatever means necessary to get around and get the full Southeast Asia experience without the hassle.

You have control over your trip and can manage your travel in Stray Mate , the online personalised Trip Manager tool which makes it super easy to book on and off buses. 

Minimise the travel anxiety and maximise the good times. 

And we don't just go from A to B, if there are cool things to see on the way, we'll stop off and check them out. We break up long travel sectors with short walks, waterfall swims, a visit to an important landmark, or a photo op from a gorgeous scenic look out. 

Who travels with Stray? 

Travelling on the Stray buses you'll find a bunch of like-minded travellers who crave adventure and want to see and do more than the average tourist.

You'll also find an awesome, local, English-speaking guide, who's job it is to ensure you're having a great time, are safe and teach you about the culture and country you're travelling in. Guides can also suggest great places to eat, help you order food (particularly useful if you have specific dietary requirements), book accommodation and activities and translate anything you're curious about. 

Deciding where to stay and what to do...

That's completely up to you! Accommodation and Activities are not included with a Freestyle Pass, which allows you the flexibility to choose where you want to stay (to suit your taste and budget) and only do the things you want to do.

Guides are always happy to offer recommendations and we guarantee that there will always be a bed reserved for you at the Stray preferred accommodation at each overnight stop - so you'll never get caught out without somewhere to stay. The guide will ask you on the day if you'd like to stay at the Stray accommodation, or if you've arranged something on your own. Either way - it's completely up to you. 

Figuring out how much time to spend in each place...

One of the most amazing things about travelling is the freedom!

Because your Stray Pass is flexible, you can decide how much time you want to spend in each place, as you go. If you arrive somewhere and want to stay longer, that's completely fine! 

The bus departs twice a week all year round. So when you hop off you can spend 3-4 days exploring, then jump back on the next bus with a new Guide and a new group of travellers. 

Passes are valid for 12 months so you can hop on and off the bus as much as you like for up to a year.

If you want to, you can also check out the Travel Guides and plan where you are going to hop off in advance. You can book the dates in Stray Mate Trip Manager - but if you change your mind you can clear your dates - no worries at all! 

Are we a good match? 

If you like things to go smoothly, with less stress and more fun, have the flexibility to go with the flow, and meet lots of other travellers, then you'll love travelling Southeast Asia the 'Stray way'! 

The convenience of hassle-free travel, safety, reliability and fun, social travel is what Stray is all about. 

If you're looking to travel Southeast Asia for 2-12 months we recommend checking out the Lot Pass

Find out more

Southeast Asia Packing List – ULTIMATE Guide for 2024

Planning a trip to Southeast Asia? Our guide covers the essentials to include in your Southeast Asia packing list.

We’ve visited all countries in SE Asia, and it’s one of our favourite areas to explore.

Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!

We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!

Whether you need an expertly planned itinerary , some experienced hints and tips , or just craving a delicious food adventure , we’ve got you covered!

We may earn affiliate commissions from websites we link to, at no cost to you. Click here for details.

Travelling through Southeast Asia is exhilarating! Expect your trip to be full of adventure, diversity, smiling locals, beaches, incredible cities, and  fantastic street food ! 

The best part is that it’s super affordable too.

Southeast Asia includes nine countries – Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Indonesia, and Cambodia.

Each country has different local customs and traditions, varying weather conditions depending on the time of year you visit, and various things to do.

Our best advice for your Southeast Asia packing list is that less is more!

Travelling around SE Asia is much easier when your backpack or suitcase is light. It makes it so much easier when you’re guaranteed to jump on and off buses, boats, trains, tuk-tuks, and ferries to get around this gorgeous region.

Southeast Asia is one of the easiest continents to travel through. Many travellers wander through these countries with just a few items and some comfortable shoes.

If you forget something or need anything else, picking it up at the markets or the nearest mall is easy. 

Here it is! Your Southeast Asia Packing List :

Table of Contents

Choosing the Right Travel Bag

Ok, some people are backpack travellers, and others are suitcase travellers. We chat about the pros and cons of each travel bag in our post,  Suitcase Vs Backpack – Which one should you choose?

In saying that, we recommend choosing a backpack over a suitcase for your travels in Southeast Asia. You will encounter uneven surfaces, rough terrain, numerous islands, stairs, and random transport options. It is much easier to navigate this if you have a backpack rather than wheeled luggage.

Nowadays, you can buy fabulous travel bags that offer both options, like the Osprey Wheels 36 Bag. You can wear this bag as a backpack and then convert it into a rolling suitcase, too. 

Over the past twenty years, we’ve used many travel bags. We now use the Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack ; we love it!

This is the ideal backpack for your Southeast Asia packing list. 

Do you need a small day pack?

Travelling with a small day pack is a personal choice. We travel with one as we always prefer to keep our valuables with us.

This is especially important when taking overnight train/bus rides.

We carry this small Osprey day pack

We often lock our large 40L backpack to something stationary when we sleep, and our small daypack containing our valuables remains on our person, inside our silk sleeping sheet—it feels much more secure to do this to deter any opportunistic thieves.

When we’re on the move, our small Osprey day pack sits on the front of our body with our Osprey 40L backpack on our backs; this makes it easy to access passports or money quickly.

Choosing Your Travel Clothes

Generally, most of Southeast Asia is relatively warm throughout the year. Temperatures range between 26 and 36 degrees from cool to hot season, and the humidity is high year-round. 

The best clothing for your Southeast Asia packing list is light, breathable cotton, clothing you can mix and match, and items that dry quickly. 

Southeast Asia Packing List: Clothing for WOMEN

• 1 pair of  black skinny jeans
• 1 pair of Columbia zip-off long trekking pants  OR  Lululemon travel pants
• 1 North Face  lightweight jacket/fleece
• 1 Light Rain jacket
• 1 pair of black  loose cotton pants
• 1 light  long-sleeved cotton shirt
• 2  basic t-shirts
• 3 loose  singlets/tanks
• 1  denim shorts  
• 1  cotton shorts  (H&M brand)
• 1  light short  (wear as pyjamas or to the beach)
• 1  nice top  to wear out
• 1 little  black dress
• 2 pairs of  ankle socks
• 7 pieces  underwear
• 1  bikini   (we love Roxy brand swimsuits)
• 1  Ripcurl cap
• 1 bra  and  1 sports bra
• 1  headscarf   (to visit places of worship)
• Birkenstock Sandals
• Havaianas – Slim Black flip flops
• Merrell Women’s Black Hiking Shoes

Southeast Asia Packing List: Clothing for MEN

• 2 pairs of Quiksilver Boardshorts
• 1 pair of Travel/Hiking Shorts
• 1 pair of Long Trousers
• 3 Tank Tops
• 1 Long Sleeve Cotton Shirt
• 1 Smart Shirt
• 1 Casual short-sleeved shirt
• 1 Warm Fleece
• 1 Light NorthFace Waterproof jacket
• Salomon Hiking Shoes
• Underwear & socks

Toiletries for Women

We’re lucky to share some toiletries on the road, giving one of us more room in our backpack.

I’ll take our espresso mac hine and fresh coffee to share the load if Marty carries the toiletries.

We try to keep toiletries to a minimum as they can be heavy. We also travel with carry-on baggage; therefore , all our toiletries must be 100ml or less.

• Hanging Toiletry Bag
• Small containers  (100ml) for refills
• Shampoo/Conditioner  100ml each
• Bar of  soap
• 1  shaver/razor  (we never have a problem at airports with this in our carry-on)
• 1  hairbrush
• Roll-on deodorant
• Toothpaste & toothbrush
• exfoliating shower glove  (we found these in Morocco..love them)
• 100ml sized  sunscreen  – We like Nivea or Neutrogena brands
• Nivea face moisturiser SPF30
• Blistex  and lip balm
• A few pieces of makeup (which we rarely use, but sometimes it feels nice to dress up) 1 tube of  foundation , bronzing powder, and brush,  1 mascara

Toiletries for Men   (as suggested by our male travel buddy)

• Toothpaste and toothbrush
• Moisturiser
• Shaver/small shaving cream
• Mosquito repellent (with DEET!)

 Accessories/Extras

• A  pouch  that holds my passport, different currency, bank cards, passport photos, copy of my passport, driver’s license, and a copy of our  Heymondo travel insurance  policy
• Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker
• Silk sleeping sheet
• Sarong  (our shower towel, beach towel)
• Frank Green Portable Coffee/Tea Cup
• LifeStraw  filter water bottle (this lives in our small day pack)
• Oakley Sunglasses  & Protective Case
• Travel clothesline
• Lonely Planet Travel Guide ( Southeast Asia on a Shoestring )

Read more: 20 Most Popular Foods From Laos

Technology/Electronics

We understand if you’re a photographer, digital nomad, or can’t live without your MacBook and other electronics. We need these things as we work online as we travel the world.

Here’s what we take in our Southeast Asia packing list regarding electronics.

• 13″ Macbook Pro   with charger
• iPhone 13 Smartphone with a USB charger.
• Apple  AirPods  for iPhone
• Old-school  iPhone headphones 
• Sony RX100 Mark III Camera   with leather case
• Sandisk  2TB external hard drive
• Worldwide adapter plug.
• GoPro Camera  – a waterproof stick/a few extra clips for it
• Belkin  Powerbank 
• Small portable  USB drive
• Small pouch  that holds all cords for cameras, etc
• Gorilla tripod  for our Sony camera

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Safety in Southeast Asia

Travelling around Southeast Asia is considered relatively safe, but reading our 12 tips for safe travel is best.

The same goes for  travelling anywhere in the world; accidents do happen.

We highly recommend you sort out some good travel insurance to cover you when things go wrong.

We recommend Heymondo  Travel Insurance (here’s a 5% discount on all policies )

We recommend adding one of their comprehensive travel insurance policies to your Southeast Asia packing list.

Another fantastic (and affordable) Travel Insurance company is SafetyWing Travel Insurance.  This company was created by travellers, for travellers.

These guys offer Travel Medical Insurance that covers people from all over the world outside their home country.

Get Connected with eSIM

Get connected easily on your travels—buy an eSIM! An eSIM works like an app: buy it, download it, and get connected in minutes! It’s easy, affordable, and convenient. Keep your original phone number, too!

Click below and view which eSIM data plan you need for your next adventure. Use our referral code: RACHEL5045 , to get $3 off your first purchase !

Transport and Getting Around Southeast Asia

Getting from A to B in Southeast Asia is easy. If you’ve got the budget to include flights, that would be fantastic! We book all our flights o n Skyscanner . The prices are unbeatable, and you can pay in your chosen currency.

If time doesn’t matter to you and you’ve got a budget to stick to, consider looking at trains and buses.

The best website for checking boat, bus, and train timetables is  12Go.asia

When deciding what to pack for Southeast Asia, remember that you may be taking many forms of public transport.

Therefore, a light backpack is essential to help you move about easier with more freedom and flexibility.

How to Book Accommodation in Southeast Asia

We always use the same websites to book accommodation in Southeast Asia.  Booking.com  is our number one choice.

In saying that,  Agoda  has some unbeatable deals all over Asia, so it’s worth double-checking if you can get a better price with these guys.

• 🔥 Hot Tip: Book accommodation in advance on Booking.com
• 🎟 Book your attractions and tickets online: We recommend Viator and GetYourGuide
• 🔋 Stay charged: This Belkin Power Bank is essential!
• 📸 Join a Group Tour: Find some amazing Group Tours here
• ✅ Get Connected with an eSIM: Fast, easy and affordable! View easy eSIM options here

Apps to download for Southeast Asia

Download these apps on your phone to make your Southeast Asian travels easy.

• Skyscanner (to search for flights)
• Booking.com  (to book accommodation on the go)
• XE.com (to check the latest exchange rates)
• Maps. me (the best offline maps to help you navigate around)
• Google Translate (while English is widely spoken in SE Asia, this app is handy when you get lost in translation. )
• 12.Go (book a bus, boat, ferry, train, or flight in Asia)

RELATED POST – 20 Best Travel Apps (Plus They’re Free)

Staying in Southeast Asia long-term?

If you’re considering staying longer in Southeast Asia, check out the Trusted Housesitters  website for tips on saving loads of money on accommodation. If you’re considering staying in one place for a little longer, you can become a housesitter in Southeast Asia (and worldwide).

Being a house-sitter means free accommodation for you in return for looking after different homes around the globe. Signing up for a membership was one of the best things we ever did!

Join now with our invitation and receive a massive 25% off your membership!

Travelling Beyond Southeast Asia?

Our  Ultimate Packing List for every traveller includes the items we carried on our journey to visit every country in the world!

Considering we move between all types of weather, from very cool temperatures to sweltering hot ones. And we still manage to travel with carry-on baggage only, our 40L Osprey backpack or sometimes our Samsonite suitcase , often weighing less than 10kg.

Make sure you get Travel Insurance before hitting the road. We recommend Heymondo & SafetyWing Travel Insurance.

Click here and get 5% off Heymondo from us!

Join a Small Group Tour in Southeast Asia

Have you considered travelling around SE Asia on a small group tour? We highly recommend  G Adventures . They offer 30+ different itineraries in SE Asia, so there is a trip to suit everyone.

Check out the range of G Adventures Southeast Asia Tours.

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Travel Tips for Southeast Asia

If you enjoyed this post, check out these  20 Jobs that PAY YOU to Travel the World.  We love sharing our TOP TRAVEL HACKS to save you money  and the travel websites we use to save cash .

If you’re heading to SE Asia, we highly recommend you plan to spend a good chunk of time in Thailand!

Check out these  15 Amazing Things to do in Thailand  to help you in the planning stages, and we’ve got your back with these 26 Handy Travel Tips for Thailand.

Whether you’re planning to chill, surf, and relax at Kata Beach in Phuket , go island hopping or go on an eating adventure in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand (you’ll need our Chiang Mai food guide for that), Thailand is a fantastic destination to kick off your Southeast Asian adventure!

For food lovers, these 20 Most Popular Foods in Myanmar may inspire you to visit this fascinating nation.

Travel Planning Resources

✈️ Flights : We use Skyscanner to book cheap flights worldwide.

🏨 Accommodation :  Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation.

🏥 Travel Insurance : We recommend Heymondo ( Get 5% off Heymondo)  & SafetyWing

🚌 Transportation : Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.  

🚘 Car Rental : We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.

👫 Group Tours :  G Adventures OR compare multi-day tours worldwide with Tourradar .

📸 Day Tours & Trips :  GetYourGuide  & Viator are the only two platforms you need.

📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks , and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)

🎒 Luggage :  Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack  or  Samsonite Luggage Range.

🛄 What to Pack:  Don’t forget your Universal charger and a good  power bank .  To help you pack the essentials, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers .

🐶 Become a House Sitter:  Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.

💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE  &  Revolut  are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.

📶  Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination, and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product! Use promo code NOMAD15 for 15% off ALL eSIMs (new Airalo users only) OR use NOMAD10 for 10% off ALL eSIMs (for existing Airalo users)

✅ Check out our Travel Gear  and  Travel Resources for more valuable tips to save you money!

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You guys are such an inspiration for me thank you for this post it’s helping so much for my first solo (female) backpacking trip!

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An Adventurous Thailand Itinerary: 2 Weeks – 2 Months

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I lived in Thailand for years.

My original plan was to teach for a year and then head out , but I fell in love with the country and its perfect placement in that part of the world.

From Thailand I could travel to surrounding countries, visiting for as short or as long a time as I wanted and still come back to a home base.

There are just so many things to do in Thailand that it has taken me forever to put together a Thailand itinerary, to narrow down a priority list for visitors, new and old, who want to explore one of the most magical countries and my second home, Thailand.

What you’ll see below works for everyone.

The main points of the Thailand itinerary below will take you about 2 weeks. But you could pick and choose among the major places and shorten/lengthen your trip up considerably.

Visit Bangkok and a few surrounding areas with just 1 week in Thailand. Build the Gulf Islands onto your Bangkok trip and you’re looking at 2 weeks in Thailand. And if you add on ALL the extra options I’m giving you, you could end up falling in love with this country and staying for months (oops!/not).

Don’t lose this! Click to pin it now.

Table of Contents

Resources for Your Trip:

>>>  add-on – koh samet or koh chang (2 days each), >>> add-on – kanchanaburi (1 – 2 days), >>> add-on – lop buri (1-2 days), >>> add-on – khao yai national park (1-2 days), >>> add-on – ayutthaya (1 day), >>>  add-on – sukhothai (1 day), >>>  add-on – chiang rai (1-2 day), >>>  add-on – doi inthanon (1 day), >>>  add-on – mae hong son loop (5 days), tips for booking your trip:, >>>  add-on – prachuap khiri khan & sam roi yot (3-4 days), >>>  add-on – khao sok (2 days), >>>  add-on – tup kaek (1 day), >>>  add-on – ao thalane (1 day), >>>  add-on – ao luk (1 day), >>>  add-on – koh phi phi (2 days), >>>  add-on – koh jum (2 days), >>>  add-on – koh lanta (2 days), >>>  add-on – trang beaches (2 days), backpacking thailand: the only guide you need to prep for your trip, what to pack for thailand and what to wear/not wear, things to do in krabi, thailand - a comprehensive guide to the region, 11 budget travel tips for thailand, 3-day bangkok itinerary for first timers (thailand), thailand itinerary: the best things to do in thailand with 2 weeks +.

The key to this list is to pay attention to the hierarchy. If you have less time, hit the biggest boldest titles below.

If you want to spend more time in one particular area like the jungles and mountains or the islands, you can build on with the “add-ons” I’ve provided. Don’t want to visit the beaches? Cool, you have plenty to choose from just hanging out in the north.

There are so many things to do in Thailand, the itinerary below could go beyond two months if you’re on a loose schedule and feel like staying a while (you will).

I’ll give you a sense of the number of days to spend in each place (and these are a minimum). Also be sure to account for the travel time it will take you to get from one spot to the next.

If you simply do the 2-week itinerary, you’ll notice it’s just shy of 14 days giving you a few days for transit.

You’ll begin in Central Thailand because most flights arrive in Bangkok. Should you want to start in another major area of Thailand and are low on time, hop on a flight as it’s going to be the quickest way to get there.

Don’t forget insurance!

Get a quote with the best and easiest travelers insurance: Safety Wing

Where to Stay?

• Get a Genius Discounts on Booking.com
• Get your 11th night FREE at Hotels.com
• Check current deals here

Best Deals on Vehicle Rentals:

• I find deals on cars here
• Rent a van or RV for a road trip

How to Get Free Accommodation Anywhere!

Check my top 3 (legit) ways to get free stays!

You NEED the Right Travel Cards!

• The best travel cards you need
• Most recommended travel credit cards

All The Gear You Need

• Anti-Theft Bags
• Travel Accessories
• Packing Lists

Travel Jobs + Visas

• Everything you need to know about visas
• How to work around the world (& travel longer!)

Thailand Itinerary: Bangkok for 2-3 Days

Every Thailand itinerary includes Bangkok. It’s hard to ignore those cheap prices to the busy and bustling Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Obviously, there’s a ton to do here, and if you’re looking for a party or a fancy night out on the town, Bangkok is where it’s at. You’ll want to check out the Lebua (yep, the hotel from Hangover II) or Vertigo for their sky bars. The views are next level, pun intended.

You’ll probably want to check out The Grand Palace, the biggest tourist attraction in Bangkok, once home to the king. Although skipping the entrance fee to get in and just enjoying the outside is totally cool too (you’ll be seeing tons of temples, the entrance fee to this one is stupid ridiculous)

When you’re in the mood for a little romance, float down the Chai Phraya River in a ferry that makes several stops along the way. You can get on and off as you like or simply gaze out at the dramatically changing scenery as it goes by. Get the camera ready before you float by Wat Arun.

If you’re here during the weekend and are itching to get some shopping in (although this may be better for your visit to Bangkok on your way out) take a few hours (or an entire day) to wander Chatuchak Market. Shopping or not, this place is a sight to see. It’s the largest open-air market in the world and the buying opportunities don’t disappoint!

The infamous Khao San Road will certainly attract those backpacking Thailand. Shopping, bars, street food carts… It’s the mecca for backpackers and can be worth a visit but its certainly not the best place to hang out in Bangkok .

For those a bit more flashpackery or those wanting to get out of their backpacker mode…

For a more sophisticated visit to Bangkok, hanging around the Sukhumvit area may suit you better. Less backpacker-y, more modern and hip. Thonglor is a popular area for the locals to party, Ari is small but it’s an up and coming cool neighborhood to chill at, and Ekkemai is a cool and trendy spot to sip on coffee but the night scene-seekers move to the nearby Thonglor at night.

Your Thailand itinerary would clearly not be complete without a quick trip to Bangkok, but you really can move on from here and get on to much better things to do in Thailand.

RELATED: 3-Day Bangkok Itinerary For First Timers (Thailand)

Koh Chang is one of my all-time faves in all my travels. This island is full of the most beautiful beaches and getaway spots.

Lonely Beach is absolutely the best for sunsets and is known as the backpacker beach. Kai Bae Beach is also great to lay low, stay close to the bustle but not in it and is less commercial. White Sand Beach is the most touristy of them all and I never stayed in this area but it’s the most convenient being so close to the ferries.

The island is pretty massive (3rd largest in the country) so there’s still plenty of opportunities to get lost and away here. Long Beach is one of the most remote beaches on the island.

You can go jungle trekking and then island hop to the nearby paradise of Koh Mak .

Koh Samet is another great island outside of Bangkok. This is the thing to do in Thailand if you’re looking for a true “Thai” experience as this is where all the Bangkokers flock to for the weekends.

Many locals throng to Koh Samet because it’s a quick island getaway, just about a two-hour bus ride then under an hour boat ride from the mainland. The island is also mostly a national park, so you’ll get a ton of natural landscape.

So no surprise that the first thing everyone thinks of is “Bridge over the River Kwai.”

No, the movie wasn’t filmed here (it was filmed in Sri Lanka, oddly enough) but this is the real bridge of so many deaths during WWII as the Japanese forced POWs to build this railway bridge. You can certainly visit this for memorial purposes.

Beyond the morbid, this area is simply gorgeous. Waterfalls abound at Erawan National Park, the river area is rich in history, and the caves are fun to explore. You can tackle Kanchanaburi as a day trip from Bangkok on your Thailand itinerary if you are low on time.

A great opportunity to hang with wildlife and wild nature, Lop Buri is best known for its marauding macaques.

Monkeys live freely in the streets around “Monkey Temple,” and are known to harass passerby for snacks (or steal them from stores—yes, seriously!). If that wasn’t enough, go spot monitor lizards and chill with them on the banks of the lake, Ang Sub Lek, just on the outskirts of town.

You can also check out the bats as they fly out of Wat Khao Wong Khot cave temple at night.

Finally, walk among the wildflowers. Acres of sunflower fields stretch out in Lopburi as far as the eye can see (from November to January). It’s like a scene out of a movie. You’ll be dying to walk through it with your arms out.

Of course, there are plenty of beautiful ancient temples to explore as well.

Crocs, monkeys, and elephants, oh my! Khao Yai is one of the country’s best national parks to visit and considering it’s super close to Bangkok, it’s also super easy to get to. You can take a long day trip, spend a night camping, or spend around 5 days exploring this area by trekking and waterfall chasing.

Taking a tour will be ideal as you’ll need to be guided through the treks anyway (there are wild animals everywhere). This way you can have a guide and transportation taken care of as you’d need your own car to comfortably navigate your way here and around.

Most recommended tours:

• Best of Khao Yai tour
• Custom 1-5 day ultimate tour of Khao Yai

Temples. Temples. More temples…

Ayutthaya is home to a handful of the most majestic temples because it was the second capital of the kingdom of Siam. If you’re a history buff, or a temple explorer, this day trip from Bangkok is one of the top things to do in Thailand for you.

It doesn’t hurt that it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Center.

Oh, and fun fact, Ayutthaya was my first home when I lived in Thailand. I got my first job teaching English here.

• Ayutthaya Biking Tour
• Ayutthaya Grand Pearl River Cruise Tour
• Ayutthaya Day Tour with Sunset Boat Ride

Another UNESCO site, and it’s full of gorgeous historic temples from its days as the first capital of Siam.

You should certainly choose this option if you’re headed north by bus or by train as it’s on the way to Chiang Mai. If you are not headed north at all, Ayuttaya is your best bet for seeing beautiful temple ruins.

• 2 day 1 night from Bangkok tour
• Bike tour of Sukhothai (the best way to see it!)

Thailand Itinerary: Chiang Mai for 2-3 Days

This city is filled to the brim with modern conveniences, luxury resorts, bargain markets, all topped off and surrounded by stunning views of natural landscape and glorious ancient temples.

Chiang Mai is a tourist attraction for sure, but it’s one of the good ones. The city’s got something for everyone; if you’re a history buff, visit a temple or two or ten.

Easily the most famous and most visited thing to do in Thailand is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, with its steep mountain ride up and then its precipitous final walk, and Wat Chedi Luang, which is within walking distance of most hotels and hostels in Chiang Mai and is gigantic as the highest point in the Old City proper.

Shopper? Go pinch your hard earned pennies at one of several open-air markets. The Sunday Walking Street and the Night Bazaar are just two among many.

There’s also a jumping nightlife, a splendid variety of top-notch restaurants, an elephant sanctuary, and so much more. This part of your Thailand itinerary will have you on your feet with your eyes wide open!

RELATED: 7 Unusual Things To Do in Chiang Mai

Okay, so I say “one day,” but you could spend much longer in Chiang Rai.

Chiang Rai is just such a cool spot to chill just a few hours outside of Chiang Mai. There’s a “beach,” the Black House and the very famous (Wat Rong Khun) White Temple just to name a few of the famous spots.

A one day visit is possible with a day tour from Chiang Mai, if you come on your own, you’ll need at least two.

Most recommended tours

• Half day tour -Black House, Blue Temple White Temple
• Countryside tour + White Temple visit

RELATED: 10 Things To Do In Chiang Rai That You Can’t Miss

Doi Inthanon is a great day trip from Chiang Mai. Behold, the tallest mountain peak in the country! Surprisingly, it’s even a bit chilly up here if you’re up in the morning hours. Camping, waterfall chasing, trekking and more can be enjoyed here.

• Ultimate full day tour
• Private Doi Inthanon & Mae Sapok Day Trek

Thailand Itinerary: Pai for 2 Days

Seriously, this is my advice to anyone who ever visits Pai. It sucks to get to (3 hours and over 700 turns) but totally worth the trouble.

You could spend an entire month in Thailand here (I’ve spent probably 7 months in total). Waterfalls, super laid back and adorable cafes, circus school… You name it. You can spend 3 days or 3 months and never get tired of wandering and chillin here.

RELATED: 27 Things to Do in Pai, Thailand + Where to Eat and Sleep

The Mae Hong Son Loop will take you through gorgeous country and hillside territory of Northern Thailand.

Rent a motorbike and stop in the little villages for a rest, a snack, and to explore.

This loop is quite popular with tourists; you’ll typically leave from Pai or Chiang Mai, depending on where you want to start/end the trip.

You’ll want to take your time on this loop, stopping at hostels or hotels along the way, as it’s not only 600 km long, but it’s also windy and mountainous.

RELATED: 4 Lesser-Known Spots Around Mae Hong Son To Go To

TRANSPORTATION – 12Go

The best way to get bus, train, and ferry tickets around Asia. Check here .

Agoda may not be well known to you, but this is a popular site to book your accommodation around Asia. Booking still works as well!

Things to do

You’ll want to book a few tours! A popular site to book tours for Asia is Klook but I also use Viator and GetYourGuide .

Travel deals to anywhere! Look here .

Thailand Itinerary: Gulf Islands for 2 – 4 Days

Yay! Beaches!

Three islands make up the bulk of the Gulf Islands people visit. Koh Tao is the ideal spot for scuba divers and snorkelers. It is known as the mecca for diving.

You can even get dive certified here in a three-day course. If you’re interested, check out New Way, Scuba Junction, or Simple Life for some of the recommended places to get certified from.

Koh Tao has a super laid back chill vibe that says sit on the beach and watch the waves or wave at the sea life underwater. You can even hike or rock climb on some pretty isolated territory out here.

Koh Phangan is just a quick ferry ride from Koh Tao.

This is a must stop on your Thailand itinerary if you’ve still got the rave itch in you. My intense party days are a thing of the ancient past, so the Full Moon party would be a bit much for me now with its 5,000 and even up to 30,000 party goers bumping to DJ spins all night long.

But it’s not to say I haven’t been to a few in the past. 🙂

However, when Koh Phangan is not vibrating in its foundations, it’s actually a beautiful, serene, out of the way spot to rest and relax IF you know where to go. Almost any area in the north of the island is “safe” from the revelers.

Koh Samui is the luxury stop for my fancy-schmancy readers. You’ll get the five-star treatment with resorts and gourmet chefs preparing food. If you’re into that, check it out. Just be prepared to spend much more here than you would on the other two islands and the rest of Thailand really.

This adorable not-so-out-of-the-way fishing village really should not be an “option” on your Thailand itinerary. If you’re this close, go.

Prachuap is the spot to go to just bliss out on a peaceful and lovely atmosphere away from most tourists. An army base is home to Ao Manao beach, is a stunning contrast of bright green mountains and pine trees against the blue sky and resting on sandy beaches with crystal waters.

From there, head over to Kao Lommuak, a “jagged mountain” you can climb to the top of to get a view out across the sea worth the steep hike.

*IMPORTANT* look out for dusky leaf monkeys here. They are the cutest, most docile, adorable monkeys you ever did see, unlike the cheeky and terrible macaque monkeys which you will see far more often.

Ah, I just don’t know if three days is enough but then again, I lived here for two months!

You also really need to travel inland a bit from Prachuap and visit Sam Roi Yot, a national park whose name means “the mountain with 300 peaks.”

The landscape here is a brilliantly mesmerizing sight to behold. You have to visit the Phraya Nakhon cave, full of arching chambers that let sunlight in from above, and the Thung Sam Roi Yot freshwater marsh, to look out over flat fields and up at the steepest mountains you can imagine.

Do keep in mind both of these spots are not heavily visited by tourists so having a car, enough money for taxis/tuk-tuks, or know how to ride a motorbike would be helpful. Cheap and easy public transport isn’t as available, particularly in off-season.

Most recommended tour:

• Sam Roi Yot day tour

If you need a bit of a beach break (weirdo) head into the jungle and explore Khao Sok. The gorgeous lake surrounded by the karsts is perfect for kayaking and canoeing, and the overwater villas backed by the lush trees seriously makes this place a paradise.

• 2D1N Khao Sok Cheow Lan Lake Tour from Krabi

Thailand Itinerary: Krabi for 3 Days

Krabi is amazingly beautiful and so much fun! Island hopping and snorkeling are some of the best things to do in Thailand in this area.

Railay and Tonsai are also super cool spots to hit in Krabi for beach time. Both are only accessible by boat, even though they are connected to the mainland of Thailand.

Both beaches are perfect for just hanging in the sand or, even more popular on these beaches, rock climbing. Rock climbers flock here for the challenge. If you’re feeling especially daring, you can even deep water solo.

Out of all the things to do in Thailand, Krabi is one of my favorite places to explore because there’s just so much to do. But then again, I’m probably biased as I lived in the area for over a year.

READ MORE ABOUT KRABI: 11 MUST-VISIT Beaches in Krabi, Thailand 9 Krabi Island Hopping Tours 1-7 Day Krabi Itinerary Where To Stay In Krabi, Thailand For Any Budget 21 BEST Things to Do in Krabi , Thailand

A relaxing day trip while you’re in Krabi, Tup Kaek is the lonely luxury beach among your options here. White sand beaches, calm, shallow waters… Oh, wait, and a massive mountain to climb?

Yes, don’t just come here for another beach, climb Tup Keak first. This is about a 4-5 hour round trip hike depending on how quick you are and the views up top are so worth it.

One word: remote. Ao Thalane is the spot to add to your Thailand itinerary if you want to get away for a bit. There is little activity here outside of kayaking and only a few restaurants.

Come here to kayak calm waters among the mangrove forests and find hidden lagoons and beaches; you’ll hear birds calling and watch monkeys jumping among the trees. It’s an experience that will etch itself into your memory.

Now you’re in paradise. I honestly don’t know how Ao Luk has remained so untouched by mass market commercialization, but it has. The Than Bok Khorani National Park offers a trail through the rainforest, past trickling waterfalls, and into deep caves.

On the Tha Pring Canal, you can hire a long boat to take you out to explore mangroves and even more caves. This day trip is one of purely visual pleasure.

Leonardo DiCaprio and his movie “The Beach” made this place popular. Everyone planning a trip to Thailand, I’m sure, has stumbled upon this place in their research.

You can add this to your Thailand itinerary just for Leo (sad note: he won’t actually be here), or you can come and look at out the beautiful beaches and rest in the soft sand. It’s the location for a movie for a reason—it IS beautiful but…

Just note that this is one of the most touristy places in Thailand. Personally, I am not the biggest fan. The vibes are all about the parties, the beaches have become less than average, and the prices are inflated. I know most dream of coming here but if you do, set that bar a few notches down so you’re not disappointed.

• Krabi to Koh Phi Phi Boat Transfer
• Koh Phi Phi Snorkel Trip
• Koh Phi Phi Snorkel and Maya Bay Trip

There actually isn’t too much to say here. This island is not super popular and it’s sprinkled with adorable beach bungalow huts. Come swim, sunbathe, read, do nothing… This is one of the most chill islands in the area.

For those who need adventure, there’s a bit of hiking around Koh Pu and snorkeling and diving opportunities.

Another beautifully unspoiled island off Krabi, Koh Lanta is mostly Muslim (i.e. conservative), so progress is long and slow to unravel, which means the pace here is way calmed down and totally laid back… Actually, this is the case on most islands in Thailand.

Rent a motorbike, cruise the island, explore nature, chill on the beach, snorkel, take island trips… It can take forever to get here by buses and ferries so really dig in and luxuriate in the relative peace of the place once you arrive.

Phrae Ae Beach is where I usually hang out and stay as it’s where most of the action is, the Old Town is nothing to write home about, so you may want to avoid if you’re low on time, and staying in Saladan will be convenient as it’s near the ferry but it’s not the nicest area to stay.

TIP: Head south for quiet and lonely beaches.

The beaches in the Trang Archipelago are relatively untraveled compared to the much more popular (partier) beaches off the west coast of Thailand.

This reality makes it perfect for those of us who love to explore the unexplored.

Exploring Emerald Cave is easily one of the most remarkable things to do in Thailand in the area but it’s also the most commercialized. Head there by boat into clear green shallow waters to explore this cove tucked inside of a cave surrounded by mangrove and jungle wildlife.

Just a word to the claustrophobic or those afraid of the dark, you have to swim through a pitch black cave to get to the cove. if you’re on a boat tour, you will have a guided swim in front while everyone hangs on to each other in a line.

The cave echos the waves powerfully, swishes you around, and can be seriously frightening for some. Me being me, I was apprehensive yet did it anyway (because I like scaring myself) all while nervously laughing like a freak with my friend.

TRANSPORTATION TIP

If you’re looking for bus, boat, or train tickets around Asia, you can easily book them online! Check Availability

So how long do you think you’ll be in Thailand after reading this? Has your 1 week in Thailand just turned into 2 weeks in Thailand? Or maybe your 3 weeks in Thailand has turned into over a month?

After living in Thailand for four years (while traveling to the neighbors), I can seriously say my list has grown longer instead of shorter. There are still so many things to do in Thailand, this magical country will forever be calling me back.

More Around Thailand

Where will you go after Thailand?

Laos | Malaysia  |  Singapore  |  Indonesia  |  Philippines  |  Cambodia  |  Vietnam

Where you are you going first? What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!

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Nina Ragusa is an adventurer, messy bun master, breakfast fan, and full-time travel blogger. She's been abroad since 2011 and blogging on Where in the World is Nina? for nearly as long. Nina helps people like you move around the world while making money. She loves talking about how to work abroad and online to travel longer! Read more about Nina

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Really nice post! We’re “stuck” in Thailand at the moment and I feel like there’s so much to do in the country, even if the borders remain close, we have enough to keep us busy. Thanks for the inspiration, there’s a lot of places I still haven’t checked yet.

Thank you! Enjoy being “stuck!”

Hello Nina. I enjoy reading about Thailand even about places I’m not planning to go to but, sometimes that plants an idea and has me wondering about “the next trip”. We are visiting Chiang Mai for the first time in February and really looking forward to it so thank you for the information and ideas. Happy travels. Andy 🙂

Awesome, Andy! Have fun!!! 🙂