Backpacking Southeast Asia, solo or in any other case, is an unbelievable expertise and you need to strive it, not less than as soon as.
Be aware, after all, that not all Southeast Asian international locations are the identical (duh) so don’t anticipate behaviors which might be okay within the Philippines, for instance, to be additionally okay in Singapore.
To your reference, the eleven international locations in Southeast Asia are Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
I wholeheartedly suggest to do some readings earlier than going — whether or not on journey guides, journey blogs, authorities web sites, and magazines. This helps you put together and know what to anticipate.
These backpacking Southeast Asia suggestions are extra relevant to some international locations than others, particularly Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
1. Discover out in regards to the wanted visas and their charges
Keep in mind to learn in regards to the visa necessities!
Completely different international locations in Southeast Asia have totally different visa necessities, and the visas have totally different prices relying on the passport you might have. For instance, People want a visa to Vietnam, which will be obtained on-line earlier than touring. Realizing the worth of the visa will assist to keep away from some border scams.
Ensure to additionally examine if there’s any particular requirement for the passport.
2. All the time have journey insurance coverage
Sure, I do know, lots of people don’t assume they want journey insurance coverage. It may be costly, particularly in case you journey long-term.
Nonetheless, evaluate the price of the journey insurance coverage with the potential prices you may want you probably have an accident. Too many vacationers forgo having insurance coverage and find yourself establishing a GoFundMe once they crash their motorbikes in Bangkok or slip from a cliff in Bali. Consider me: a journey insurance coverage is a should. Prioritize getting one earlier than you permit.
3. Take an image of your passport and different journey paperwork and e mail it to your self and/or a good friend/household
Ensure to maintain your paperwork secure when you find yourself on the transfer. To be on the secure facet in case all precautions fail, scan your passport (or take a pic) and ship a replica to your self and to a trusted individual (which, for me, is my sister). It will make the method of getting a brand new passport, in case you lose yours, a lot simpler.
One other tip is to at all times carry just a few spare passport photographs. They’ll come useful for visas and it’s a very helpful factor to remember when backpacking Southeast Asia.
3. Plan to cowl the longer distances by airplane
Backpacking Southeast Asia normally means plenty of bus and prepare journey. However…does it actually must be?
Visitors in Southeast Asia is horrible, and except you might be getting a sleeper bus, touring will be actually uncomfortable and tiring, with shuttle buses which might be packed to the brim with folks and their baggage, and the driving completely mad (honking is the rule in some international locations, for no matter purpose). It’s method higher to cowl longer distances by airplane, particularly as it’s straightforward to get low cost flights.
4. Don’t trade forex on the airport, and at all times rely the precise change
For no matter purpose, exchanging forex on the airport prices far more than doing it at every other place within the metropolis. Moreover, it’s not unusual that even in banks the attendants who trade the cash “overlook” to provide the complete quantity anticipated.
All the time rely the cash on the spot, and demand the entire quantity if something is lacking. It’s an important lesson to study when backpacking Southeast Asia.
Once you do determine to trade your cash on the airport, make certain to maintain your baggage in entrance of you! I used to be very busy counting the a whole bunch of hundreds of Vietnamese dong that I used to be given within the Saigon airport and didn’t notice two girls had taken my baggage cart, with ALL my baggage in it, together with my laptop computer. They have been already going out of the arrival space once I realized it. I didn’t know I might run that quick!
A associated tip: Get a colourful baggage to make your baggage straightforward to identify. I had two baggage, and one in all them was vibrant crimson. It made it simpler for me to see from the forex trade counter. Think about if each my baggage have been black?
6. All the time carry multiple debit and bank card
The very last thing you need when backpacking Southeast Asia (or wherever else, actually) is to be left with no card and no strategy to get money.
You see, typically banks block playing cards, or ATMs gained’t settle for yours (occurred to me as soon as). Playing cards can get misplaced, stolen (I had my two bank cards stolen in a hostel in Bangkok) and even de-magnetized with all of the touring.
So, make certain to hold a number of playing cards, maintaining them separate in order that you’ll nonetheless have one if thieves get the opposite. Carry one with you, one in your day pack, and one in your backpack, rigorously hidden.
7. Carry spare money
Money is king when backpacking Southeast Asia!
Carry an honest quantity of US {dollars} wherever you go, maintaining it elsewhere. Give desire to US {dollars} as they’re extensively accepted. In case of emergency, having some money will imply you can simply get a meal, a mattress, and not less than native transportation, and name your loved ones to wire you some cash till you may kind issues out.
8. Don’t e-book excursions upfront — they price a lot much less domestically
Backpacking Southeast Asia means touring roughly spontaneously and reserving issues on the go.
You certainly anticipate excursions to be a bit cheaper when purchased domestically, however in Southeast Asia the distinction will be as much as 4 instances much less. I’ve been on a tour of the Mekong Delta in Vietnam the place individuals who purchased the package deal on-line, from dwelling, paid one thing like US$160 and people who purchased them domestically paid solely US$40.
Don’t be afraid to not discover a tour or to not have time to rearrange every part domestically. Something is feasible in Southeast Asia. A tour will at all times pop up, and native operators will play their magic to discover a appropriate answer — and there can be appreciable financial savings.
9. Pack mild and use a backpack
Backpacking Southeast Asia will be really uncomfortable and having the suitable journey gear is a requirement. Shuttle buses typically don’t have a trunk and place the luggage in between seats; plenty of finances lodging don’t have elevators and you might have to hold the luggage all the best way to the highest ground; and when doing boat journeys in Ha Lengthy Bay, it’s typically essential to hold baggage on and off the boat.
All of that is a lot simpler when carrying a backpack reasonably than a suitcase; even higher in case your backpack is definitely mild. Selecting the correct backpacking gear is a key issue when touring in Asia.
10. Go for stable toiletries
Realizing what to pack when backpacking Southeast Asia is crucial. Strong shampoo correctly positioned in a tin, stable conditioner, and a bar of excellent cleaning soap as an alternative of bathe gel are method lighter than their liquid equivalents, and occupy much less room within the backpack. There’s even stable sunscreen and stable insect repellent.
Strong toiletries assist to pack lighter and can be packed in a stick with it. There’s additionally much less threat of getting your stuff moist if the bottle breaks or opens! (Private expertise. Not enjoyable!)
11. All the time carry a bathroom roll in your day pack
I’ve realized from a few years of touring that, particularly in creating international locations, bogs don’t normally include bathroom paper. Make it a behavior to pack up a bathroom roll in a sandwich bag — higher but, a pack of moist wipes! — and hold it in your day pack. It comes actually useful particularly throughout lengthy bus journeys.
12. Do carry medicines and first support equipment
It’s fairly frequent to get sick when touring. Crowded buses and trains and even planes are identified to be wonderful autos for viruses. You may as well get diarrhea, which is NOT good whenever you’re in a bus touring for hours!
Essential: Examine the nation’s laws concerning prescription medicines. Some international locations in Southeast Asia are actually strict about medication.
What I at all times have with me: medicines for migraine and diarrhea, paracetamol, painkiller, and antihistamine.
13. Eat native meals
Meals in Southeast Asia is sweet and low cost just about wherever. Even after a month there, you gained’t miss Western meals in any respect, as a result of native delicacies is so tasty. The perfect locations to eat are literally on the road, as I’ve realized in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh.
You possibly can establish a very good place to eat whenever you see a very good quantity of individuals consuming (and presumably even forming a line). Their meals might be tasty, low cost, and extra importantly, fit for human consumption.
14. Be taught to cross the road
Visitors is mad in a whole lot of cities in Southeast Asia. There are many vehicles, and, within the case of Vietnam, tens of millions of scooters. In Ho Chi Minh, for instance, the important thing to crossing the road is to — actually — by no means cease to look. Simply step off the curb, stroll slowly and confidently, and scooters will keep away from you.
Don’t do that within the Philippines! Now we have buses and jeepneys which might be at all times in a rush to select up passengers and so they could not see you shortly sufficient to brake. Use the pedestrian lane and overpass (an overhead bridge) when crossing main roads.
15. Ask to make use of the taxi meter
Taxi drivers typically attempt to set a flat fee, however the worth they counsel is mostly larger than the one passengers ought to anticipate to pay in any other case. For instance, once I arrived in Hanoi, the driving force instructed a flat fee of 400,000 Vietnamese dong to take me to my lodge. I paid 310,000 with the meter.
In Saigon, the driving force instructed a flat fee of 300,000 to take me from the airport to the backpackers space, however I learn beforehand that it shouldn’t price greater than 150,000. I demanded to pay by the meter and ended up paying solely 120,000. It’s best to do the identical.
Be aware, although, {that a} actually frequent rip-off in Southeast Asia is a quick taxi meter. I’m actually an skilled traveler and nonetheless bought scammed by a taxi driver in Hanoi as a result of I didn’t listen quickly sufficient to see how briskly the meter was going. After solely a few streets, the meter was exhibiting at 500,000 dong. I couldn’t get out of the taxi sufficient!
So, discover out which taxi firm is dependable within the nation you’re visiting or if there are ride-sharing apps. The latter is extra dependable. Within the Philippines, for instance, obtain the Seize app. You should utilize it for transportation and meals supply, amongst others.
16. Convey ear plugs
Visitors by no means stops in Southeast Asia, and in some international locations, folks have an actual ardour for honking. They honk to get others out of their method, they honk to get the site visitors transferring, they honk simply to say they’re driving by. When you can’t stand the noise of site visitors when you find yourself making an attempt to sleep make certain to hold a pair of ear plugs to put on at night time.
In addition to, in case you’re staying in hostels (dorms in Vietnam are very reasonably priced, from US$5 and up), you’re taking the danger of getting a roommate who snores. Consider me, being stored awake by somebody loud night breathing is certainly an expertise you gained’t get pleasure from!
17. Don’t essentially belief on-line evaluations
It typically occurred to me that tour operators, motels, and eating places which have glowing evaluations have been a complete disappointments. I requested myself the way it was potential that such poor companies had unbelievable evaluations. It’s fairly easy: these evaluations are sometimes faux. A touch into understanding that the 5-star evaluations are faux is when the reviewer has solely left that one evaluate.
Do examine who’s leaving the evaluate earlier than trusting it. Moreover, be suggested that motels, eating places, and tour operators can (and can) pay to take away unhealthy evaluations and get good ones.
18. Carry a journey towel
Hostels have a tendency to stint on towels, or company must pay to lease one. A journey towel is an efficient answer, as this can be very mild and it dries shortly, and it can be used within the seaside.
different to deliver is a sarong. You should utilize it as a towel, a gown, a seaside mat, a blanket, and so forth.
19. Put on flip flops within the bathe
I typically see folks strolling round barefoot in hostels, together with to go to the bathroom. I could also be a neat freak however I might reasonably keep away from getting athletes’ foot or different type of pores and skin points. Getting within the bathe with flip flops is an efficient strategy to shield your self in opposition to nasty stuff.
20. Ask permission to take photographs
Individuals in Southeast Asia like to pose for footage, a lot in order that every time they see a foreigner take a photograph they’d truly cease you and ask you to take one in all them too. Some could even ask you to pose within the photograph with them! No matter that, asking for permission to take a photograph is at all times well mannered and appreciated.
Do you have got every other suggestions for backpacking Southeast Asia?
