We spent 7 months backpacking through Southeast Asia, visiting a total of 9 counties: Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Japan. It was an unforgettable trip, full of bucket list destinations, and something that everyone should experience if at all possible.
We know first-hand that a lengthy backpacking trip can seem daunting at first. The important thing is to just go for it. Here you will find advice covering all aspects of backpacking Southeast Asia.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Bucket list locations:
Here are our Top 6 places to visit throughout Southeast Asia:
Ha Giang, Vietnam
Embark on a 4-day motorcycle loop through the mountains in Northern Vietnam. The scenery here is possibly the best throughout Southeast Asia, and might look familiar to those who have seen the movie Avatar.
Flores, Indonesia
Flores is located east of the popular tourist island of Bali. It is accessible via airplane, or by a multi-day boat journey. Home to Komodo Island, Manta Bay, Padar Island, Pink Sand Beach and so much more, Flores is renown for its natural beauty.
Borneo, Malaysia
Borneo is home to one of the oldest rainforests in the world. It remains home to endangered Pigmy Elephants, Orangutans and many other rare species. On the Malaysian side of Borneo, travelers can access the jungle via the Kinabatangan River or Bako National Park.
Pai, Thailand
Pai is a small backpacker town located in Northern Thailand near the Myanmar border. Many travelers learn to ride a scooter in Pai, and there are tons of activities for day trips all around the town. It’s very common for travelers to plan for 2-3 days in Pai and later extend their time there to over a week.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
The Angkor Wat temple complex near Siem Reap, Cambodia is classified as a World Wonder for a reason. The scale, detail and history of the temples is astounding. If you have the time, days can easily be spent roaming the grounds and exploring the different ancient structures.
Palawan, Philippines
If you like beaches, you will like Palawan. The whole island looks like something out of a travel magazine as its white sand beaches and vibrant coral reefs draw travelers from all over the world. Popular beaches can be crowded, so book a tour that gets you away from the masses of El Nido or Coron.
The route:
Most backpackers will arrive via a flight to Bangkok, Thailand. Beginning in Bangkok, the most common backpacker route through Southeast Asia is as follows:
Thailand (30 days) > Laos (2 weeks) > Vietnam (30 days) > Cambodia (2-3 weeks) > Thailand
This route is recommended for a couple reasons:
- It makes the most geographic sense as it is a natural loop. No additional flights are required, and everything can be accessed via bus.
- A lot of travelers begin with this route, so it’s very social. We ran into old friends multiple times after parting ways earlier during our trip.
- Thailand has the easiest tourist infrastructure to navigate of any country, so it is a great starting point for new backpackers.
Note: This route leaves out the beaches of Southern Thailand. We recommend visiting the beaches following your completion of the loop.
While this route alone is a full trip for some travelers, many continue further to the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. With flights required for travel to the Philippines, Indonesia and parts of Malaysia, the traditional route usually breaks down at this point.
How to get around:
There is an extensive tourism network throughout Southeast Asia that makes getting around fairly easy. As long as you aren’t in a hurry, transportation is usually reliable and inexpensive. Just be prepared for everything to be running late almost all the time.
Bus
Traveling by bus is the most common way to move between cities in Southeast Asia. Along the common backpacker routes, there is a great bus infrastructure that can get you just about anywhere you want to go.
For those looking to pinch pennies, public buses are extremely affordable. If you have an extra dollar or two to spend on comfort, private companies charter busses with air conditioning and more leg room.
Plane
The most popular airline for backpackers in Southeast Asia is AirAsia. Unless you’re limited on time, you shouldn’t need to travel via plane through the traditional route of Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia). However, once you venture towards the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, you will need rely on flights between locations.
Scooter
Scooters/Motorbikes are easily the most popular method of local transportation. Renting a scooter for the day usually costs ~$5 USD, and they’re incredibly convenient for day trips around the area. The bustling streets of bigger cities can be intimidating for first time riders, so we recommend you get your wheels under you at a more relaxed location first.
For those uncomfortable driving a scooter, there are plenty of taxi-equivalents for local transportation such as tuk tuks, songthaews and rickshaws.
Where to stay:
The three main kinds of accommodation for backpackers in Southeast Asia are hostels, hotels and homestays. Each have their pros and cons, but you will likely stay in each of them at some point during your trip. Here’s more info on each accommodation type:
Hostels
Hostels are the best option for backpackers all throughout Southeast Asia, especially if you’re traveling solo. They’re cheap, social and catered towards the needs of backpackers. The best hostels will likely serve free breakfast, provide group activities and sometimes host free happy hours at the hostel bar.
We met so many great friends from all over the world while staying in hostels. The people you meet are one of the many highlights of backpacking, and there is no better place to do this than hostels.
For those unfamiliar with hostels, Hostelworld is a great place to start.
Hotels
In some countries, basic hotel rooms are even less expensive than hostels. In Northern Vietnam in particular, we noticed that a hotel room was usually between $7-10, while a dorm bed in a hostel usually started around $10.
Hotels can be a great way to regroup after weeks of staying in hostels. Having your own space for a night or two makes doing laundry, organizing your backpack and recharging much easier than it typically is in a hostel dorm.
During our trip we almost exclusively used Hotels.com for booking accommodation because it allowed us to accumulate free nights and other rewards.
Homestays
Homestays are perhaps the most authentic accommodation you can find in Southeast Asia. Local families host you in a spare bedroom of their home and you often get to invited to locally excusive experiences. We had a pair of homestay experiences that really stood out during our trip, one in Sapa, Vietnam and one in Flores, Indonesia. During both of these stays, we ate dinner with the families, and they took us to events like local parties, exclusive markets and introduced us to their friends.
Budget:
We recommend a budget of at least $30 USD per day. It’s certainly possible to get by for as little as $20/day, but in order to really experience Southeast Asia, you will need a budget closer to $30/day.
Note: This is a daily budget, not covering the flights to and from Asia.
For a more in depth look at our $30 budget, check out “Backpacking on a Budget: How to Travel Southeast Asia on $30 a day“.
For tips on how to save more while backpacking, check out “10 Ways to Save Money as a Solo Backpacker“.
What to bring:
You can pack relatively light when backpacking Southeast Asia. Here are the basics:
- T-shirts (5)
- Shorts (3)
- Swimsuits (3)
- Sweatshirt/light jacket (1)
- Jeans/long pants (1)
- Shoes (1)
- Flip flops/sandals (1)
- Hat (1)
- Sunglasses (1)
- Toiletries
Many hostels and hotels offer a laundry service for $1-2 USD. Don’t overpack on clothes, because you can easily buy cheap shorts and t-shirts when you arrive.
We also wrote about some additional items that aren’t necessarily essentials, but will make your trip much more enjoyable. Read about them here.
When to visit:
The best time to visit mainland Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) is between November and February. This is the region’s cool season, and is the most pleasant weather for tourists.
- Cool Season – November – February
- Dry, temperatures around 80° F / 26° C
- Hot Season – February – June
- Humid, temperatures around 95° F / 35° C
- Wet Season – June – October
- Rainy, temperatures around 86° F / 30° C
Countries on the southern end of Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore) have a dry season opposite of those in the north. With temperatures that hover near 83° F / 28° C year-round, places like Bali have only two seasons.
- Wet Season – November – March
- Dry Season – April – October
Based on the seasons above, many backpackers elect to begin their trip in Thailand during November. This allocates for 3-4 months of time in the northern countries during the cool season, before heading south for its dry season in spring. When lined up correctly this timeframe accounts for months of continuous sunshine.
Safety:
In general, we felt very safe throughout Southeast Asia. The most common form of crime towards tourist was petty scams, and you get better at identifying them as you travel. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, because there is almost always a catch. Worst case scenario, you will be out a couple of dollars.
Keep in mind, the use of drugs is a very serious crime in most countries throughout Southeast Asia. We heard stories of travelers who got themselves into bad situations that resulted in huge “fines” paid to law enforcement in order to avoid jail time.
For the most part, Southeast Asia is a very safe region for backpackers. Practice general travel safety and keep your wits about you.
More tips:
- Travel apps – There are a variety of apps that will make your life easier while you travel. We wrote about them here.
- Visa requirements – Be sure to check the visa requirement in advance for countries you plan to visit. Most countries in Southeast Asia grant visas on arrival, but you will have to plan ahead for countries like Vietnam, for which you must apply in advance.
- Night buses – If possible, book night buses for long journeys. This way, you save on accommodation costs and won’t need to waste a full day traveling.
- Food – Don’t miss out on local cuisine (pictured below). Southeast Asia is home to some of the best food in the world. Whether it’s street food or a sit-down restaurant, local food is always better and usually cheaper than the alternative.
- Tap Water – Do not drink the tap water in Southeast Asia. You will get sick if you do. Instead, you can buy large water bottles for around 50 cents at convenience stores, and some hostels offer filtered water in common areas.
- Malaria – Malaria is a concern in some rural locations, but in most areas the risk is very low. Meet with a travel doctor before you go to see if you need to bring Malaria pills, or get any vaccines for the areas you plan to visit.
- Monkeys – Be wary of monkeys. The monkeys throughout Southeast Asia are known to be aggressive, and they will steal your stuff if you give them a chance. How tourists act around monkeys is usually a great indicator of how long they have been in Southeast Asia. Don’t be the person who gets rushed to the hospital with rabies concerns because they were bitten by a monkey.
