Your Ultimate Guide To Backpacking South East Asia

Ah, South East Asia. The continent of mouth-watering cuisines, ripper beaches, waterfalls and forests, deep history and culture, activities up the wazoo and bang for ya buck. 

There's no wonder it's such a popular travel destination... I mean, I've done it three times now because of the aforementioned perks. So now, I gift to you my ultimate guide to taking on this bangin' continent. You're welcome. 🥰

What countries you have to choose from 🌺

There are eleven countries in SE Asia but the main travel destinations are Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia and The Philippines. Here's what's poppin' in each country: 

🇹🇭 Thailand

• Bangkok's famous Khao San Road - wild street food, shops, bars, massages... sensory overload.
• Chiang Mai for its insane national parks and jungle mountains
• The small town of Pai (ie. my fave place in the world) for the Byron Bay of Thailand, swapping the beach for mountains.
• Koh Tao to get scuba certified for cheap
• Railay in Krabi for rock climbing and beaches
• Other Thai islands like Koh Phi Phi and Koh Samui
• Attending a Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Phangan

🇻🇳 Vietnam 

• The Pham Ngu Lao area of Saigon
• Hoi An in Central Vietnam
• UNESCO World Heritage Site Hanoi's famous Halong Bay
• Trekking in Sapa
• The Ha Giang Loop by motorbike - the sickest adventure (dw, you can ride behind a guide if you're not confident on a motorbike. I did it this way.)
• Dalat to go canyoning

🇰🇭 Cambodia

• Siem Reap to see the Angkor Wat temples and suss out Pub Street
• Koh Rong Sanloem - a tiny island. Stay at Mad Monkey Hostel for a bonkers time.
• Elephant Valley Project in Mondulkiri. Highly ethical elephant sanctuary (so many are seedy!)
• Phnom Penh to visit the museums and temples

🇱🇦 Laos

• The capital city of Vientiane
• Vang Vieng for tipsy tubing and socialising
• Luang Prabang (taking the slow boat from Thailand is super popular)

🇮🇩 Indonesia 

• Bali... I mean, duh
• Kuta on the island of Lombok for surf lessons
• The Gili Islands for partying, diving and r&r time
• A trek to Mount Bromo in East Java
• North Sumatra with Lake Toba 

🇵🇭 The Philippines 

• El Nido on Palawan Island for island hopping, beaches, bars, diving and good food
• Moalboal on Cebu Island for the gnarly sardine run and canyoning
• Siargao Island for a surfer's paradise
• Siquijor Island also known as the witchy island - I had an insane palm reading here and bought a love potion
• Boracay for a boujier, more expensive side of The Philippines if you so choose - stunning beaches though
• Coron for insane beaches and dives/snorkelling

🇲🇾 Malaysia 

• Georgetown on the island of Penang
• The Cameron Highlands for trekking
• The Perhentian Islands, especially Perhentian Kecil
• The cultural hub of Melaka (Malacca)
• Kuala Lumpur ofc

Visas (for Australians) 🇦🇺

Note: Most countries require 6 months of validity left on your passport. For this section, we're just focusing on short-term visits. 

🇹🇭 Thailand - Thailand doesn't require a visa for a short stay of 30 days. 

🇻🇳 Vietnam - Have to get a visa before entering Vietnam. Must apply online. (Super quick and easy). 

🇰🇭 Cambodia - Can get a visa on arrival in Cambodia. This extends for a maximum of 30 days, costing approximately $35USD, and will be payable upon arrival in cash.

🇱🇦 Laos - Visas on arrival take just a few minutes to process and cost around $35USD. Can also get an e-visa. 

🇮🇩 Indonesia - As of May 2022, Australians require a tourist visa to enter Bali for periods of 30 days or less. You can apply on arrival at the airport - $35USD per person. 

🇵🇭 The Philippines - Visa exempt for a stay of up to 30 days. 

🇲🇾 Malaysia - You can travel here visa-free for a total of 90 days per trip.

How to get around 🚌

Your SE Asia trip doesn't have to be booked to the last tuk-tuk ride. Not only is it easy to get around, being spontaneous is accessible. See, the thing about SE Asia is that it's flooded with travellers. You'll meet a tonne of people giving gnarly location, activity, and hostel recs that you've never heard of before. The best part about the continent is you can afford to keep plans loosey goosey since buses, trains and accom isn't exxy!

Having a rough route is of course a good idea. When it comes to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, getting around is pretty cruisey as they're all connected - tonnes of travellers will just focus on these three. Overnight buses and trains will be your best mate as they're affordable and accessible. Laos is connected too but as it's a little less touristy, it requires more time and admin to get to, but it's doable and so worth it! Malaysia is accessible from Thailand or by flight!

When it comes to getting to Indonesia and The Philippines, you'll of course need to hop on a plane to get there obvs. Flights can be reasonably cheap, especially if you pack light and just have a carry-on bag. We were always buying flights last minute as well and it never dinted the bank account too much! 

Where to stay 🏨

Accommodation around SE Asia is super affordable. I'm sure you can find insane hotels and Airbnb's if that tickles your fancy, but I've only ever hit up hostels. Here's why hostels are elite in SE Asia:

• They're chockers with young adults - you'll make lifelong friends in them
• They're super affordable - a lot of bang for your buck
• So many of them throw the gnarliest parties
• A lot run hectic tours and activities too like boat trips, tipsy tubing... etc. 

Some of my fave hostels around were:

• Frendz Hostel El Nido - Palawan Island in the Phillipines
• Fable Hostel - Siquijor Island in the Phillipines
• Pai Circus Hostel - Thailand
• Mad Monkey Hostel - Koh Rong Sanloem in Cambodia
• Nexy Hostel - Hanoi in Vietnam

Well there you have it! Your guide to SE Asia. If you have any more q's, don't hesitate to slide into our dms.

Now what are you waiting for? Book those flights and start packing.