When low on time, I advise sticking to smaller countries like Laos, Thailand, or Cambodia. 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. 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. This could include world-class SCUBA diving in Malaysia, or a freediving course in the Philippines.Įven 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. I’d say this part of the world takes the cake when it comes to budget backpacking.īecause 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. 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. Generally speaking, backpacking in Southeast Asia is very cheap compared to travelling to other parts of the world. Of course, obligatory rice wine was shared each night! I camped on the outskirts of small villages amongst unruly jungles that hadn’t seen tourists come through in 10 years. Some of my best memories come from taking a side road through the jungle on the Vietnam-Laos border.
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.Ĭonversely, it’s very easy to step off into the wilderness and have a raw, untamed adventure. 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. When I first landed in Vietnam and began my travels on the continent, I got that wonderful thought of so this is what travelling is about. Why Go Backpacking in Southeast Asia?īackpacking Southeast Asia is wildly chaotic, punctuated by brief moments of reflection and utter calm. This is the ultimate backpacker’s guide to travelling Southeast Asia! Spoiler alert: banh mi is the best street food!įasten your seat belts and put on your motorcycle helmet.
Never fear! This Southeast Asia travel guide will give you a detailed low-down of everything you could possibly need to know before you embark on your epic journey.įrom the OG Banana Pancake Trail itinerary to ideas for something more offbeat to my favourite street food, this guide has it all. Legions of inspiration are found in every country throughout the region – and you want to see it all !
With enticing tales of adventure coming from a few generations of travellers, it can be hard to know where to start planning your visit to Southeast Asia. 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 beautiful. Your senses explode from stimulation and you head out into the hustle and bustle in search of an ice cold beer… If you are coming from western civilisation, exploring the countries of Southeast Asia is like being catapulted into an alternate reality.įrom the moment you set foot on the continent, you can feel the electricity in the air. For many travellers, backpacking Southeast Asia is the ultimate highlight of their backpacking adventures.