1 month travel asia

• Oliver Lynch

Bucket List: One Month Southeast Asia Travel Itinerary

• Published: Mon 23 Sep 19
• Category: Bucket List

Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam make up the main destinations in the Southeast Asian trail, with their proximity perfect for a one month travel itinerary. But can you make travelling here worthwhile in one month?

You might be a teacher with a long summer holiday, or perhaps you’re between jobs. Or maybe you’ve just got a month free and you want to see the world! One month is the perfect amount of time to travel, especially around SEA (as it’s commonly called).

If you’re not the type who wants to sit by the pool for weeks at a time and you’re more into exploring then these simple itineraries will cover a variety of ground. From exotic to cultural, to party hot spots. The great thing about a month travelling in Asia is that you can cover a lot of ground and experience several different countries and cultures.

Most of these are designed for budget travellers looking for a fun way to explore the world, so we’re aiming for an outlay of around GB£1000 ish (approx US$1300) for your whole trip. You’ll be able to do this by staying in hostels , partying cheap (get takeout drinks and maybe one in the bar/club – or make rich friends), minimising your travel or buying tickets way in advance.

First of all we’ll take a quick look at each country and it’s main attractions and then suggest a few travel itineraries for you.

Oh… And don’t forget your travel insurance when going on your bucket list Southeast Asia trip! An essential purchase…

Getting around in Asia

In general, travelling around most Asian countries is affordable and efficient. Countries like Thailand and Malaysia have an excellent infrastructure of trains and buses. For budget airlines Air Asia, Tiger Air and the rest all offer dirt cheap fares.

As an example, travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok by air can cost you as little as $20 if booked in advance, with the flight taking just over 2 hours.

A bus from Bangkok to Siem Reap will cost you a similar price, in the region of $20-40, depending on when you book and with who. Definitely book flights in advance if you’re planning a one month travel itinerary in Southeast Asia… Buses and trains you should be able to reserve on arrival from local travel agents or the stations.

Less is more

Although it can be tempting to squeeze in as much as possible with a one month itinerary, this can be completely counterproductive to enjoying your break. Having done quite a few long term trips, I can suggest that if you’re gone for a month, pick two or three destinations – four at most, and take the time to enjoy them.

Ticking off all the bucket list sights is all well and good, but honestly, you don’t HAVE to go to Angkor Wat if you don’t want to. Don’t do it because you think you should, do it because you actually want to.

Save time as well and book your travel experiences and local tours in advance.

Using sites such as Viator you can easily book some of the most important things to see and do before you arrive – often for a better price than you’ll pay there. Check out Get Your Guide too which also has plenty of activities, tours and more.

The Southeast Asian Countries

Although the Banana Pancake trail (as it has been called) is traditionally the stomping ground of gap year types, now you’ll find a range of people from all walks of life. Expats, glam travellers and the unwashed backpacker all find loads to do in Southeast Asia.

Kick off your trip in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur as these are often the cheapest cities to arrive into with a great choice of direct flights.

Visa: Most Western passport holders get 30 days on arrival for free.

There is plenty to do in Thailand for a month, but if you’re doing a southeast Asian tour there is a fairly standard route you can take.

You’ll do Bangkok in a day or two, but head out and explore the palaces at Ayutthaya before heading to Chiang Mai. The northern city is less hectic than the capital but still has the action packed nightlife and amazing cuisine. Hippy hangout Pai is also a great place to lose a few days.

Head south to the islands of Koh Phi Phi, Koh Phangan or Koh Samui to top up the tan and do the full moon party. Snorkelling and scuba diving is also the order of the day on the islands. Five days is a good amount of time to spend on the islands, but be warned! You’ll want to stay longer…

Thailand is easily a good place to spend a good month exploring, so if you really want to enjoy it, just take your time. You’ll thank yourself when you get home.

If you want to explore Bangkok, check out these tours and experiences on Get Your Guide .

Main airports: Bangkok or Phuket

Main attractions:

• The islands (Koh Phangan, Koh Phi Phi etc)
• Chiang Mai and the Golden Triangle

Visa: You’ll need one before arrival or purchase at border towns. One month is $30, and you’ll need a passport photo.

Now one of the must visit destinations on the southeast Asian travel trail, Cambodia is almost like Thailand twenty years ago. Prices have been going up but travel around the country is still dirt cheap.

Siem Reap and the Angkor Wat complex are the highlights of a visit to Cambodia. Expect to spend at least two days tramping the temples of Angkor Wat – three for best effect. If you’re not too much of a temple type, skip town after day one and you’ll have done the essentials.

A stop around Tonle Sap lake, or a visit to Sihanoukville are also highly recommended. One, a sedate place of traditional subsistence living and the other a booming resort town and party hotspot. Take your pick.

Two weeks in Cambodia should allow you to cover the essentials.

Main airport: Phnom Penh (Capital) or Siam Riep (for Angkor Wat)

• Tonle Sap Lake
• Genocide museums in Phnom Penh including the Killing Fields
• Sihanoukville beaches and jungles

Visa: $25 before you arrive.

Doing all of Vietnam in a month will be tricky, but if you have a two week itinerary definitely head to Halong Bay and take a cruise. The imposing limestone rocks that rise from the sea are an incredible sight and the whole area is one of those awesome must visit natural destinations.

Ho Chi Minh city is one of Asia’s most dynamic and exciting cities, with incredible street food, nightlife and culture. It’s become quite an expat haunt in recent years, with all the trappings of a modern cosmopolitan metropolis.

Hanoi, the capital, is more compact and traditional than it’s high rise sister in the south. Both cities offer opportunities for lakeside wandering and visits to temples and both involve traffic like you’ve never seen before. You’ve been warned.

If you have more time head inland to Sapa or further south, mountain town Da Lat. From Da Lat you can do some of the easy rider trails, which involve motorbike rides along wild mountain roads.

If you prefer beaches, make your way to Hoi An (get your custom made suit or clothes while you’re there), Nha Trang, Mui Ne or Da Nang.

Like Thailand, there is a lot to do in Vietnam. A month will probably barely cover it, although you can whizz through in two weeks or so.

Main airport: Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi (Capital)

• Hoi An for custom clothing
• Dalat for mountains and easy rider bike tours
• Pho (the national dish) and street food

Visa: Most Western passport holders get 90 days on arrival for free.

Peninsula Malaysia is packed full of beautiful colonial cities including Penang . The island city offers some of the best street food in Asia as well as opportunities for hill walking, beaching and cultural exploration.

For tropical beaches head to Langkawi or the Perhentian Islands, which offer those white sands and azure seas. Langkawi is more modern and resort filled, whereas the Perhentian Islands are more remote and undeveloped.

Borneo is where to head for jungle trekking and Orangutan spotting. From Kuching you’ll find options to explore this stunning island and get into the rainforest.

It’s easy to lose track of time in Malaysia, and visitors will also find it considerably cheaper than Thailand (as of 2019, the Baht is strong and your foreign currency won’t go as far as it used to). Two weeks will allow you to do the essentials, but a month in Malaysia would allow you to really enjoy it.

Main airports: Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Penang.

• Orang utans in Borneo
• Colonial architecture and street food in Penang
• Langkawi for beaches
• Cosmopolitan KL

Visa: Most nationalities, including Brits, Europeans, Americans and Australians get 90 days free. 

This buzzing city state is not the cheapest place to arrive, but it is an interesting place to explore for a few days. Changi Airport is regularly held up as an example of one of the world’s best, so if you’re flying out of here, you might want to arrive early.

Singapore city itself isn’t short of a few things to do. Go shopping on Orchard Road, explore the food courts and markets of Chinatown (including some of the world’s cheapest Michelin Starred meals), wander the futuristic Gardens by the Bay with their Avatar inspired mega trees, and enjoy the view of the city from the Marina Bay.

And, if you just want to put your feet up on the beach. Head to Sentosa Island, which is also rammed full of resorts for the kids (and big kids).

We’d recommend spending somewhere around 3 full days in Singapore, which should give you the full flavour of the city.

Take a look at these tours and attractions in Singapore .

Main airport: Changi (frequently voted the world’s best)

• The Gardens by the Bay
• Sentosa Island
• Raffles Hotel
• Some of the world’s cheapest Michelin Star meals

Visa: Requirements vary, with UK citizens needing to get their visa in advance, or pay $35 on arrival. Many nationalities (especially Asian) do get free visa on arrival. Check before you fly.

The world’s largest island nation and the most populous Muslim country is hard to do in a month alone. Many visitors head to Bali and that is the extent of their Indonesia experience, but beyond Kuta and the surf paradise of Bali, there is so much more.

Jakarta, you can skip. Most people do.

Lombok is a great place to go if you’re trying to escape the tourist hoardes, with the Gili Islands (although Gili means island, so that’s island islands) some of the best places in the world to learn to dive.

Indonesia is huge and you’ll need more than a month to do it justice. If you’re just heading to Bali, then a couple of weeks exploring will be an incredible experience. 

Main airport: Bali/Denpasar

• Uluwatu Temple in Bali
• Ubud in Bali
• Gili Islands diving and beaches
• Yogyakarta temples and gamelan music

Don’t forget your travel insurance!! You don’t want to get caught out when travelling around South East Asia…

Our Recommended One Month SEA Itineraries

Itinerary 1 – a bit of everything.

It’s tricky cramming it all in, but if you’ve got 3 or 4 weeks, this is our recommended schedule, based on a return flight to Bangkok. Warning, this is the hectic option and you’ll need money for all the extra travels you’re doing. It’s strongly recommended to book everything in advance to save yourself the hassle.

Arriving in BKK

Bangkok – 2 days while you acclimatise and check out Chinatown, Kao San Road and maybe Patpong or Sukhumvit Road for nightlife.

A week on the beach – 5 days

Take the train (or fly if you prefer) to Surat Thani or Krabi and head to the islands. Surat Thani is the base for boats to Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui.

Krabi is a base for Phi Phi and the surrounding islands.

Go snorkelling, top up your tan and party the night away for a week or so.

Jungle trekking – 2-3 days

Head to Khao Sok National Park for a couple of days trekking in the jungle. Ride an elephant, splash under waterfalls and paddle canoes along serene rivers and lakes. Don’t forget insect repellent!

Penang – 3 days

Skip across the border to Georgetown in Malaysia. You can either fly from Phuket to Penang, or take the train which takes a little longer (less than a day end to end).

Not everyone loves Penang, but the best things about it are incredible food, a very cosmopolitan vibe, the street art and opportunities to explore the interior.

Choices, choices… 2-5 days

The Cameron Highlands are a nice detour from the hustle bustle of Penang. The area is best known for it’s tea plantations and can be reached in around 4 hours by bus from Penang.

If that doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, Langkawi is just a short boat ride from Penang too. Think beach resorts and relaxation.

If your budget allows, I’d highly recommend jumping on a plane from Penang to Kuching on Borneo. You can then go and see the Orangutans. There are several nature reserves around the city which are perfect for spotting these gorgeous and endangered apes.

Singapore – 2 or 3 days (optional)

If you’ve found yourself still on peninsula Malaysia then head to Singapore for a couple of days of indulgence. Two days will be the perfect amount of time to wander the Bay and enjoy the cuisine. If cities aren’t your thing then skip Singapore and jump on a plane to Cambodia or Bali.

Cambodia/Bali – 1 week

Fly to Siem Reap to tick off the Angkor Wat complex (3 days) and maybe Tonle Sap for a few days. (1 week total)

Fly to Bali to soak up the vibes (1 week minimum).

Itinerary 2 – Vietnam trail

Flying into Ho Chi Minh City, aka Saigon, you’ll need to make the most of your visa, so explore Vietnam in depth. This is a less intense itinerary and one that means you’ll be able to soak up the culture. And even relax! Maybe….

HCMC – 2 days

This dynamic city has a lot going on, so spend a couple of days exploring.

Mui Ne – 3-4 days

Get your tan started in Mui Ne. This party and beach haunt is a popular with Saigonites and backpackers.

Dalat – 3-5 days

The mountain town of Dalat will let you cool off for a few days. Explore forests, waterfalls and colonial architecture. If you’re thinking of doing an Easy Rider tour to Nha Trang, book it here.

Nha Trang – 3-4 days

Get the swimsuit back out for some tanning and snorkelling – or scuba diving.

Hoi An – 3 days

Need some custom made clothing? This is the place to do it… The town is pretty cool too!

Halong Bay – 3 days

The spectacular limestone formations are an unmissable stop when touring Vietnam. Make sure to book your cruise before you arrive for the best price.

Hanoi – 2 days

You thought HCMC was chaotically busy? Wait til you get a load of this. Beautiful architecture and great street food mean a must stop off..

Sapa – 3-4 days

After the rush of the capital city, enjoy some rural idyll in beautiful Sapa.

Time left over?

Jump on a flight from Hanoi to Cambodia to do the Angkor Wat complex for 3 days. Then back to HCMC for your flight home…

Itinerary 3 – Everything but keeping it basic (visas on entry)

Arrive Phuket – spend 7 days in Phuket exploring the island and enjoying the Thailand experience. Optional extra is to head to Krabi and Koh Phi Phi, or Koh Phangan for the full moon party.

Fly to Bali – Spend your next 7 days in Bali.

Fly to Kuala Lumpur – Take a direct flight from Bali to Kuala Lumpur. Take in the city vibes and head overland to Singapore.

Singapore then home – Enjoy a couple of days in Singapore, do your shopping and then fly home!

Find the cheapest accommodation when travelling by booking travel hostels. You’ll also meet fellow travellers and generally speaking, hostels in SEA are good quality.

Book your train and bus travel in advance and save loads of money – especially as it helps you avoid getting ripped off!

And that is our very rough guide to getting the most out of a one month bucket list trip around south east Asia. Any suggestions of your own? Drop them in the comments and we might pop them in for a future edit of this article…

Find the best prices for your flights on our handy flight widget right here…

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One Month in Southeast Asia: Itinerary + Planning Insights

• August 22, 2019
• Affordable Travel , Art & Culture , Asia , Cambodia , China , City Escapes , Itinerary Inspiration , Laos , Luxury Travel , Road Warriors , Thailand , Travel Tips + Planning , Vietnam , Wildlife & Nature
• 10 Comments

Inspiration for a Luxurious Month in Southeast Asia’s Hotspots

UPDATE (July 2020): We are back from an incredible trip exploring some of Southeast Asia’s most famous cities, towns, and natural wonders. Below you’ll find links to our completed adventures as well, with some highlights and takeaways! 

I typically begin sharing about our fall adventure earlier in the year but this season got away from me. The countdown is officially on and we’re departing in two weeks for a bucket list trip that I’ve been dreaming about for over a decade. Southeast Asia has made our shortlist conversation every year when we debate how to spend our month away in the fall. It’s an area that really requires enough dedicated time to make any sort of dent and with the luxury of a bit of time on our side, we’ve always brainstormed what a month in this magnetic region would look like. After months – well, years, in some ways! – of giving thought to our perfect itinerary, we’re there. Below, I’m sharing our itinerary for one month in Southeast Asia, plus some planning insights and booked tours and experiences. Many of the itineraries that I’ve found online for a trip this length skew towards the backpacking/hosteling bunch so if you’re looking for a more luxe take on a similar itinerary (which, by the way, is still a great value in the scope of global travel), I hope this is helpful!

Shanghai, China {3 Nights}

HOTEL:  Shanghai EDITION  {Bookable through Marriott Bonvoy points}

My sister just moved to Shanghai so we’ll be kick-starting our adventure with three nights in Shanghai to visit her in her new home town while we acclimate to our new time zone. For beginning your trip in the region, major airports include Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore as well, with many direct flights from the US. Singapore Air recently announced its Newark – Singapore direct flight, and there are direct flights to Hong Kong available from many major US cities including LA, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco.

During our three nights in Shanghai, we’ve booked a couple of swanky dinners, rooftop lounges for drinks with a view, and a breakfast tour through Shanghai with Untour Food Tours . More details on our three days in Shanghai forthcoming – after we depart! – plus I’ll be sharing a full post on our food tour as well.

TIP 👉🏼 Traditionally American citizens require a visa to enter China. There are a few exceptions to this though for shorter stays. Recently, China has changed the policy to allow 72 hours visa-free in a selection of cities and up to 144 hours in some other major cities. If you’re going this route, plan on having your exit flight details printed to show upon entry.

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN SHANGHAI ✧ A Breakfast Tour Through Shanghai •  Visiting Shanghai through China’s Visa Free Transit Program

Chiang Mai + Golden Triangle, Northern Thailand {6 nights}

HOTELS:  137 Pillars House (Chiang Mai) + Anantara Golden Triangle (Chiang Rai/Border Region)

From Shanghai, we begin the core of our adventure in Southeast Asia, starting in Northern Thailand. One of the major pieces in decision-making in terms of mapping out this itinerary was the way in which flights would work to be most sensible. When possible, I wanted one flight – no connections – between cities so we wouldn’t be wasting too much time in transit. We’ll be flying China Eastern from Shanghai to Chiang Mai direct (booked on AirFrance points, which is a great value if you have a Chase Sapphire card). We’ll have three nights in Chiang Mai including one day with a private guide (I’ll share more about that in forthcoming specific posts). Our time in Chiang Mai is followed by three nights at Anantara’s Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort where we’ll be touring the three countries (Laos, Thailand and Myanmar), enjoying a bit of pampering, and delving into some elephant learning experiences.

NOTE:  We have the luxury of time during our one month in Southeast Asia. If your time is more limited, you could combine Chiang Mai + Chiang Rai into a more condensed window. Many people do a day trip to Chiang Rai from Chiang Mai for a brush with the elephants. Also note that we exclusively opted to focus on Northern Thailand during our time in the region. We live in a beach destination so the beach scene further south wasn’t as compelling for us. Your itinerary and time in Thailand may look different from this if you prefer the Thai beach scene to the jungles and temples in the north.

TIP 👉🏼 Tourist visas for Thailand are granted upon arrival for a 30-day period for US citizens. A number of visa points require a passport-sized photograph for entry. We each have 4 photos prepared for entries just in case! Again, in this instance, I’m keeping physical printouts of all ongoing flights to show departure information in case required.

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN CHIANG MAI ✧ Three Days in Chiang Mai •  HOTEL INSIDER: A Stay at 137 Pillars House, Chiang Mai

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE ✧  HOTEL INSIDER: A Stay at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort • Delving into Anantara’s Elephant Encounters • A Three Country Tour with Anantara

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN MYANMAR ✧  A Three Country Tour with Anantara

Luang Prabang, Laos {4 nights}

HOTELS: Luang Say Cruise (1 Night, Downriver),  Belmond La Résidence Phou Vao  (Luang Prabang)

From Vietnam, we head downriver to Laos. Getting to Luang Prabang was one of our biggest question marks in this process but we knew that if possible, we’d prefer to skip the airport scene and opt for a more peaceful route. Flying from Chiang Rai or Chiang Mai would involve a layover in Bangkok and kill too much precious time with layovers and in airports. Instead, we opted to cruise downriver from the Golden Triangle to Luang Prabang on a 2 day/1 night cruise with Luang Say  (they also have a hotel in Luang Prabang if you want to combine those offerings). The cruise includes a stop in a traditional Laotian village, an overnight in Pakbeng at their accommodation, and then a stop at the Pak Ou Caves. Some of our interest in Laos generally was in visiting some smaller villages so this cruise is acting as transport, lodging, and sightseeing for us on this overnight.

From there, we’ll spend three nights in Luang Prabang at  Belmond’s La Résidence Phou Vao.  Our days include the morning Alms Giving Ceremony, a trip to Kuang Si Waterfalls and Bear Sanctuary, plus some sightseeing and temple visits in town.

TIP 👉🏼 Coordinating the cruise from the Golden Triangle to Luang Prabang was the biggest difficulty of the entire planning process. As you’d imagine, many of the cruises depart on specific days depending on whether you’re going upriver or downriver and depending on the season. Even after planning our schedule to accommodate for this we found that many of the boat operators wouldn’t take our booking as we were just two people and no one else had yet booked for our required day. A minimum of 4 people is generally required for the boat to go. I asked about paying more to compensate for being a lighter load but that wasn’t a viable option. I also asked about putting my name on a list so if other queries were to come through we could join forces to get a boat moving. Again, no luck with any operators. We were turned down flatly in almost every instance. As time drew closer and I began investigating flights I reached out to Luang Say yet again in my last-ditch attempts to finagle my way on to a cruise. As luck would have it, it was operating and we were able to get on board. All that to say that this requires coordination and you shouldn’t bank on being on a cruise until you are actually confirmed by the company. Also don’t be afraid to continue reaching out to verify options. If you’re a group (4+ people) this should be an easier proposition.

As far as visas are concerned, the Lao government issues visas on arrival for 30-day stays. A passport-sized photo is required and $30 – $42 for the visa fee is due upon arrival.

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN LAOS ✧ Cruising to Laos Aboard the Luang Say •  Exploring Luang Prabang with Orange Robe Tours • ITINERARY INSPIRATION: Three Days in Luang Prabang

 Vietnam – North to South {13 nights}

HOTELS: O’Gallery Premier Hotel & Spa  (Hanoi), Indochina Junk (Halong + Bai Tu Long Bay), Little Riverside (Hoi An), Le Meridien Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City)

In some ways Vietnam is the core of our trip. It was the anchor when we started our planning and it’s also where we’ll end up spending the most time over the course of our month in Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s makeup, being long and skinny, means that travel times between cities can require flights as going overland can take days to make a given journey.

We’re starting our time in Vietnam in Hanoi where we’ll have three nights, allowing us to enjoy a walking tour, the night market, a vegetarian street food tour  and more. From there, we’ll be transferred to the starting point of our Indochina Junk cruise which provides us 2 days and 2 nights touring Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Halong Bay is undoubtedly the most famous trip for visitors to the region but many friends who’ve visited encouraged us to add-on the additional night to get out to Bai Tu Long Bay where it’s more peaceful and clean, and where fewer tourists go on traditional trips. There are a range of operators for boating near Halong Bay, but we chose Indochina Junk because their boutique voyages appealed to us immediately with offerings like morning Tai Chi on the deck and plush staterooms.

We’ve pre-arranged transfers from our boat completion point to Cat Bi Airport (HPH) where we will catch a flight to Hoi An (Da Nang Airport) where we have 3 nights based at Little Riverside. We’re slated to spend two days in Hoi An exploring and have pre-booked a cycling adventure to My Son with Grasshopper Adventures for one of our days.

After three nights in Hoi An, we catch our final flight within Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City where we’ll complete our time with three nights based at Le Meridien Saigon (bookable through Marriott Bonvoy points at a decent value). We’ll be doing some requisite tours in HCMC like the Cu Chi Tunnel Tour, but I’m most excited for our evening excursion with XO Tours where we’ll be jumping on motorbikes with a female-led team to eat our way through Saigon!

Click here for the Beginner’s Guide to Vietnam .

HOMEWORK:  If your knowledge of Vietnamese history is a bit muddled, I’d highly recommend the docuseries that we’ve been watching on Netflix simply titled,  The Vietnam War .  It’s an 18-hour documentary done over 10 episodes and it’s incredibly dense and super informative; an amazing primer before your trip!

TIP FOR VIETNAM VISAS 👉🏼 Vietnam is the one country that we needed to apply for visas in advance. Starting in Hanoi, we’re eligible for visas on arrival as US citizens as we’re coming in by air to a designated port. Those coming in by sea (on a cruise for example) would need to apply for visas in advance of arrival. A Visa on Arrival still requires a visa approval letter .  The process is simple enough: you’ll send in your details, pay a processing fee, and receive a document to print and show at the border when you arrive. The Vietnam visa costs $25 payable at the border if you go this route (the visa approval letter fee is additional).

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN VIETNAM ✧  Exploring Halong and Bai Tu Long Bay with Indochina Junk • Cycling the Hoi An Countryside with Grasshopper Adventures • A First-Timer’s Guide to Tailor-Made Clothing in Hoi An   • Exploring Saigon’s Food Scene by Motorbike with XO Tours • ITINERARY INSPIRATION: Two Weeks in Vietnam

You can do this easily through iVisa – the cost is $20 per person (10% off through September 15th with this link ). See if you’re required to obtain a visa:

Siem Reap + Angkor Temples {4 nights}

HOTEL:  Jaya House River Park (Siem Reap)

We’re ending our month in Southeast Asia with a bang by visiting Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders of the world and the largest religious monument on the planet. Flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap are readily available. We’ll be flying on Cambodia Angkor Air, which we booked directly through their site. When we began brainstorming our trip, Vietnam and Cambodia were the core of what we wanted to experience. A visit to Siem Reap has been on my wish list for what seems like eons and I think it’ll be a special ending to a whirlwind experience in the region. We’ve carved out four nights for Siem Reap and in addition to visiting the temples a couple of days, we’ve shortlisted a visit to the APOPO Center (to see the HeroRATs in action) and the Phare Circus (a Cirque du Soleil type offering).

There are many great hotels to choose from in Siem Reap, but we wanted something boutique-y and unique and opted for Jaya House River Park, which has an associated NGO supported through the property.

TIP 👉🏼  Cambodia also offers a visa-on-arrival program if you’re arriving into Siem Reap (or Phnom Penh) and as with the other visa processes, you’ll want to have a passport-sized photograph ready upon arrival to expedite the process.

READ MORE ON OUR ADVENTURES IN CAMBODIA ✧  Exploring Temples in Siem Reap  • Siem Reap ⏤ A Taste of Jaya Discovery • ITINERARY INSPIRATION: 4 Days in Siem Reap

If you’re planning one month in Southeast Asia, this itinerary could take many forms and much of how you edit down your itinerary will be a reflection of what you prioritize personally when you travel. A month seems like a lot of time but you’ll find that the days slip away quickly when you’re trying to incorporate all of your highlights in a region this large. Transit time is something to consider as well, and that reality helped shape this itinerary in part. Where we could cut out time in airports or limit time on planes, we worked on planning to make that happen. With time constraints, we had to skip southern Thailand entirely, had to cut out Sapa in Northern Vietnam, and had to opt out of visiting the town of Pai, a hippie enclave in Northern Thailand that visitors rave about. Across the board, we opted for around three nights per city, which we hope will at least give us a taste of each area. For anyone else working on a more luxe take on a month in Southeast Asia, I hope this is useful for planning! Please feel free to drop any recommendations, questions, or insights in the comments below!

More about Shannon Kircher

Shannon Kircher is the founder and editor of The Wanderlust Effect. Founded in 2009, she has continued to document her international escapes as an expat in Europe and the Caribbean. Additionally, Shannon is the founder of Compass & Vine, a luxury boutique travel design firm, and is the Director of Marketing for the Frangipani Beach Resort. Shannon holds an MSc in Social Policy and Development from the London School of Economics and is a current candidate for WSET Level 3 in Wines & Spirits.

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Southeast Asia Itineraries: From 2 Weeks to 3 Months

Itinerary planning is a complex beast. There’s no single best route out there. Everyone has different travel desires, goals, and needs (let alone budgets). It’s why I’ve always shied away from discussing itinerary planning for long-term travel .

Showing someone how to plan a trip is one thing, but actually planning a trip for someone else is tricky, because I don’t know what they want or like.

Because, at the end of the day, there is no such thing as a perfect itinerary. You have to see and go where you want to go and, while suggested routes can help inspire you, at the end of the day, only you can plan the best route for you.

However, that can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to tackle an entire region like Southeast Asia . So, in this post, I’ll provide a few suggested itineraries to help you conquer this fantastic region.

For the two-week itinerary, I’ll break things up by day, but as we get into one-month and three-month territory, you’ll have a lot more flexibility with your time, so I’ll give rougher estimates of how to spend it.

After all, part of the beauty of travel is keeping yourself open to serendipitous moments and experiences!

Southeast Asia Itineraries

Southeast Asia Two-Week Itinerary

Southeast asia one-month itinerary, southeast asia three-month itinerary.

If you only have two weeks in Southeast Asia, I suggest sticking to just 1-2 countries so that you don’t spend all your time in transit. You’ll also be able to better soak up the atmosphere if you’re not trying to cram too much in. With a more limited time frame, just accept that you’ll have to leave some things to look forward to on your next trip!

Take a walking tour to get your bearings and get local recommendations from the guide. Bangkok Walking Tours or Free Bangkok Walks are two great free options — just remember to tip your guide at the end!

For a more in-depth tour, you can take a city highlights tour , on which your guide will take you through some of Bangkok’s major attractions.

While the famous Damnoen Saduak floating market just outside of Bangkok exists mostly for the benefit of tourists, I still like visiting it. The tours that go there leave early in the morning and last about half a day. It’s not a great place to shop (prices are much higher than elsewhere), but the area is good for photography and eating.

Where to Stay in Bangkok : Lub d Siam – This is a very popular spot for backpackers looking to stay somewhere other than the infamous party district that is Khao San Road. The hostel is modern, the rooms are spacious, and there are plenty of common areas to socialize in, including a café/bar.

Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is Chiang Mai’s most famous temple (the pagoda supposedly contains relics of the Buddha himself). It offers beautiful views of the surrounding area and, at 6pm each day, you can watch the monks chant. The main other temples are Wat Chiang Man, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Suan Dok, Wat Chedi Luang, and Wat Jet Yot.

If you want to see elephants, a good way to get up close with them is to volunteer at or visit Elephant Nature Park. This sanctuary near Chiang Mai rescues abused and injured elephants from around the country. It’s a phenomenal place, and after coming here, you will know why you should never ride an elephant. A one-day visit costs 2,500-3,500 THB for adults.

Where to Stay in Chiang Mai : Hostel Lullaby – This fantastic hostel in the heart of Chiang Mai was even voted the best in Thailand. Besides the comfortable facilities, there are a ton of perks here, including free bikes, free breakfast, and free Thai boxing, cooking, and yoga classes.

Days 7-9: Chiang Mai to Bangkok Here you have a few options: stay longer in Chiang Mai to do more jungle trekking; head up to Chiang Rai to see the famous White Temple; or take the long way back down to Bangkok, stopping for a night in each of Thailand’s ancient capitals, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, or spending some time in one of the national forests, such as the incredible Khao Yai National Park .

Once back in Bangkok, you can either head into Cambodia to see Angkor Wat if you’re ambitious, or just hang out in Bangkok for a few more days before your flight home.

If you choose to go to Angkor Wat, here are my recommendations:

Be sure to visit the Landmine Museum. Landmines have devastated the country, maiming and killing thousands. They still cause destruction today, as remaining mines from the Vietnam War (which spilled over into Cambodia) are discovered every year. The museum has an in-depth exhibit that is very worthwhile, as it gives perspective on their use, dangers, and efforts to remove them.

Spend your day at Angkor Wat , the ancient site that was the center of the Khmer Empire that once ruled most of Southeast Asia. The temple was built in the 12th century and covers over 500 acres.

While a single-day visit can cover the main temples, this is an amazing site to explore, so I highly recommend two days (at least).

You can hire a tuk-tuk for the day or rent bicycles and explore on your own. Tuk-tuks have room for 3-4 people, making it a cheap and convenient option if you can split the ride with other travelers. You can also take a full-day guided tour to learn even more from a professional.

Admission is $37 USD per person for a day pass, $62 USD for a three-day pass, and $72 USD for a seven-day pass.

Where to Stay in Siem Reap : Mad Monkey – This is a fun, lively, and social hostel with a bar, pool, and lots of tours and organized activities to help you meet people and explore the city.

Day 13: Bus back to Bangkok Take the bus back to the Thai capital, where you can spend the last day of your trip exploring more of the many things to see and do in Bangkok , or just simply hang out, relax, and eat all the delicious Thai food you can before your journey home.

Day 14: Departure day Head off to the airport knowing that you made the most of your two weeks in Southeast Asia. Chances are that you only whetted your appetite for traveling through this amazing region of the world, and you might already be planning your next trip on your way back home!

With one month, you’ll be able to take it a little slower, see more places, and get off the beaten path a bit more. You can add another country and leave more flexibility in your itinerary.

Days 1-3: Bangkok Follow the Bangkok itinerary above, and stay for a few more days if you like! There are endless things to do in Bangkok.

For more recommendations, check out my Bangkok city guide .

Day 4: Bangkok–Chiang Mai With one month, you can choose to take the day train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. It’s not only cheaper but a nice way to see the countryside. Sure, you “waste” a day, but you see the countryside, experience how Thais take the train and can eat from vendors who briefly board at every stop.

The day train remains one of my favorite experiences in Thailand. Just make sure you have a good book as the journey is 10-13 hours long.

Days 5-7: Chiang Mai See the Chiang Mai itinerary above. For more recommendations on things to do, check out my Chiang Mai city guide .

Days 8-10: Slow boat from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang, Laos After spending your first week in cities, take a load off and drift down the river on a slow boat. These boats generally take two days, stopping overnight at a guesthouse along the way. It’s a beautiful way to see the scenery and recharge a bit from a busy week.

Alternatively, if you want to save time, you can fly between the two destinations, or skip ahead in this itinerary to Vietnam .

Although it’s small (around 56,000 people live here), there’s a lot to see and do, with dozens of temples, streets lined with French colonial architecture, a bustling night market, river tours, and waterfalls. I came here for three days but spent a week.

Start off with a visit to the “Buddha Caves” (officially, the Pak Ou Caves). They hold over 6,000 Buddha statues that the locals still use for worship. There are standing Buddhas, sitting Buddhas, reclining Buddhas — you name it! You can visit solo or book a guided tour .

While you’re here, don’t miss the iconic Kuang Si waterfalls (you’ve probably seen them on Instagram already). They flow through the limestone-rich jungle and empty into a series of three gently cascading pools. While it’s one of the most popular attractions in the area (avoid the weekends, when it’s super busy), the Kuang Si Falls was also one of the most breathtaking things I saw in Laos.

Other things to do here include:

• The Royal Palace
• Mount Phousi
• Wat Xieng Thong Monastery
• The alms ceremony

For more things to do, check out my guide to Luang Prabang .

Where to Stay in Luang Prabang : Downtown Backpackers Hostel 2 – This is a great little hostel with free breakfast, moped rentals, clean dorms, and super helpful staff.

Kick things off with a tubing trip down the river. It’s the best way to relax and stay cool. Rentals cost around 55,000 LAK, which includes transportation to the starting point.

And if you want to stretch your legs, climb Pha Poak Mountain. It’s only a 30-minute climb to the top, where you’ll be rewarded with an incredible view of the area’s limestone mountains.

Other things to see and do in Vang Vieng include:

• The Golden Cave
• Hot air balloon rides
• The Blue Lagoon

For more things to do, check out my guide to Vang Vieng .

Where to Stay in Vang Vieng : Nana Backpackers Hostel – This is a fun, social hostel with a swimming pool, movie room, small gym, and bar with free vodka and whiskey every night from 7pm to 9pm.

Nowadays, the city is a hub for café culture, cheap spas, golden temples, and diverse riverside markets. Much of its historical center has kept its colorful colonial architecture intact too, making it a nice area to stroll around.

Wander the wide boulevards, take in the crumbling mansions, chill out in Chao Anouvong Park, enjoy the flavorful local cuisine (there are a ton of delicious French bakeries here as well).

Make sure you visit Buddha Park, asculpture park is just 25 kilometers (15 miles) outside of Vientiane. There are around 200 Hindu and Buddhist statues here, all of which appear to be centuries old (they’re not — they were made in the 20th century out of concrete). While not “historic” per se, it’s still worth visiting, as there are all kinds of unconventional designs, including a three-meter (9.8-foot) demon head that you can enter, and staircases from heaven and hell that you can climb. Admission is 15,000 LAK.

You’ll also want to admire the Great Stupa (Pha That Luang). It’s a a 44-meter (148-foot) gold-covered stupa (dome-shaped Buddhist shrine) and is the most important monument in the country. Built by King Setthathirat in 1566, its exterior looks like a fortress with high walls. Inside, the walls are covered in Buddhist, floral, and animal imagery. Admission is 10,000 LAK.

Other things to see and do in Vientiane include:

• The COPE Visitor Centre
• Victory Gate (Patuxai)
• Chao Anouvong Park
• Lao Boat Racing Festival

For more things to do, check out my guide to Vientiane .

Where to Stay in Vientiane : Dream Home – This is a fantastic hostel that offers everything you need while staying in the capital. There’s free breakfast, comfy beds, AC, a nightly happy hour at the hostel bar, and a 24-hour reception with friendly staff members.

Days 20-22: Pakse Pakse is the gateway to Laos’ 4,000 Islands (in the Mekong River), so there isn’t a ton to do here other than chill out and relax. It’s a nice place to stop while heading south to Cambodia. Alternatively, you can take a 1.5-hour flight from Vientiane to Phnom Penh to save some time and give you extra days elsewhere.

Where to Stay in Pakse : Sanga Hostel – This cozy hostel has super comfortable beds, a restaurant with fantastic home-cooked food (free banana cakes!), and a lovely owner.

The Royal Palace is home to beautiful flower gardens and the Silver Pagoda, whose floor is made up of more than 5,000 silver tiles; inside is an emerald-covered Buddha and a diamond-covered Maitreya Buddha. The palace also has murals around its outer wall that tell the story of the Ramayana.

On the palace grounds are five stupas, with the two largest to the east containing the ashes of Kings Norodom and King Udung (the two most famous kings of modern Cambodia) and a statue of King Norodom on horseback.

The most important thing to see here, however, is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. Tuol Sleng is a former school where the Khmer Rouge interrogated and tortured people in the 1970s. You’ll see rusty beds and torture devices, in sharp contrast to the beautiful trees and lovely jasmine smell in the gardens.

After, head to the Killing Fields. It may not be the most cheerful way to spend an afternoon, but it makes for a hallowed and memorable experience, a testament to the dangers of uncontested power. Take a guided tour to get an in-depth look at this haunting place.

For more things to do, check out my guide to Phnom Penh .

Where to Stay in Phnom Penh : Mad Monkey – This is a lovely social hostel with a bar, restaurant, beer garden, and swimming pool. They organize all kinds of events and tours, so it’s easy to make friends here.

Days 27-29: Siem Reap Follow the Siem Reap and Angkor Wat itineraries from above.

If you have time, visit Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake and UNESCO nature reserve. It is 52 kilometers (32 miles) from Siem Reap. Sailing down the river and around the lake gives you a look at how closely Cambodian life is tied to this major waterway.

Day 30: Bangkok Head back to Bangkok for your flight home!

If you have three months to spend, you don’t want to have everything plotted and planned out to the day, like you might want to with the shorter itineraries above. Having flexibility to change plans is a must (and will make your travels much more enjoyable). On a trip of this length, you don’t want to burn yourself out too fast!.

With three months, you have enough time to be flexible and still see a lot so I’d recommend rough planning in weeklong chunks.

MONTH ONE: Thailand

Week 1: Bangkok and Backpacking Kanchanaburi Province Follow the three-day Bangkok itinerary above, and extend your stay by a few days to take things slower and see even more of this vibrant city. You can also do more day trips or even multiday trips to the surrounding region.

When you’ve had your fill of bustling Bangkok, take your time heading north. Kanchanaburi Province is a great place to spend some time, as it’s home to a lush, undisturbed forest, wetlands, and mountains that are perfect for trekking, either on multiday tours or day trips from Bangkok . The area is very biodiverse, with two wildlife sanctuaries: Thung Yai Naresuan, and Huai Kha Khaeng.

However, its history is rather dark. The infamous Death Railway linking Myanmar and Thailand runs through here, which was built during World War II by prisoners of war and civilians. Around 90,000 civilian forced laborers and more than 12,000 Allied prisoners perished in the railway’s construction. The bridge over the River Kwai is also located here, built using POW labor and the subject of both a famous film and a book. While these sights are haunting reminders, they are an essential part of Thailand’s history.

Here are some options to consider for your meandering journey north:

Ayutthaya – Ayutthaya was the capital of Siam from 1350 to 1767, when it was razed by the Burmese during a war. The city’s ruins, with its palaces, temples, monasteries, and statues, form an archaeological park that is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s about 1.5 hours from Bangkok by train.

You can also visit on a day trip with Get Your Guide for just 900 THB.

Khao Yai National Park – Established in 1962, Khao Yai was Thailand’s first (and one of its best) national park and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s visually stunning and empty of tourists but filled with lush flora and fauna, bat caves, and even a few wild elephants. It’s about 2.5 hours north of Bangkok.

Where to Stay : Greenleaf Guesthouse – This hostel has the best tour/accommodation deals in the area. Let them know when you’re arriving by train or bus, and they’ll pick you up at the station.

Sukhothai – Sukhothai was the Kingdom of Siam’s first capital city, in the 13th century. There are hundreds of ruined buildings here, including the royal palace and countless temples.

There are actually three ruined cities that make up the UNESCO World Heritage site, and since they’re a bit spread out, seeing them by bike is a fun way to cover a lot of distance. You can take a full-day or two-hour bike tour with Sukhothai Bicycle Tour .

Where to Stay : Old City Boutique House – This hostel is in a great location, right near the entrance to the historical park. The guesthouse has AC, free breakfast, bike rentals, and friendly owners to help you with whatever you need!

Chiang Mai is the main starting point for all sorts of jungle trekking tours. I like the three-day ones the best, but the longer the tour, the more interesting and secluded places you’ll visit. Be careful with whom you sign up, as many guides simply walk with you and don’t tell you much about the land or wildlife.

Moreover, if you visit a tribal village, make sure that the money stays with the villagers, and that they aren’t being exploited, which unfortunately happens a lot. Check out Stray Away Travel for some ethical tour options.

If you prefer to do a few different day trips rather than multiday tours, TripGuru Thailand offers full-day tours to Doi Inthanon National Park and the Chiang Dao cave system , among others.

Week 4: Northern Thailand If you want to continue soaking up northern Thailand, a great way to do so is on a motorbike trip. Many people rent bikes and tour the countryside and take in the scenery. This area is particularly popular for a 1–3-day trip. Mai Hong Son Province offers a great loop, starting in Chiang Mai and ending in Pai.

Note: Make sure that if you’re renting a motorbike, you’re comfortable with driving it. And never everdrink and drive. Accidents are incredibly common.

Pai – Pai has grown as a tourist destination in more recent years, but it is still a great place to escape some of the craziness of the larger cities. It’s nestled in rolling green mountains and near incredible hiking trails. Stay on the outskirts of this backpacker town in a lovely little bungalow, rent a bike, traverse the hills, and bathe in the cool waterfalls.

Be sure to take a day trip to the Tham Lot Caves; you can stop off to swim in waterfalls and hot springs on the way.

Where to Stay : The Famous Pai Circus Hostel – This is the best hostel in Pai, with a host of amenities, from air-conditioned dorms, comfortable mattresses, and bamboo bunk beds to an infinity pool, nightly bonfires, a fantastic buffet breakfast, free dinners, and overall, a great atmosphere.

Chiang Rai – Many people visit Chiang Rai on a day trip from Chiang Mai , expressly for the purpose of seeing the White Temple. This intricately designed complex with its reflective pools and shimmering white exterior is designed in the style of a Buddhist temple. However, it’s actually a work of art by Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, and is still currently in the process of being completed.

Where to Stay : Baan Mai Kradan Hostel – This sleek, modern, and centrally located hostel has free breakfast, fast Wi-Fi, comfortable pod-style beds, and plenty of indoor and outdoor common areas to relax in.

MONTH TWO: Laos and Vietnam

Start your second month in Laos, wrapped in lush mountainous landscapes. I think it’s one of the most beautiful countries in Southeast Asia. Adventure travel is big here: you can go zip-lining, kayaking, hiking, and cave tubing all in one day. It used to be a popular destination for partying, but since the wild tubing days have been curtailed, it’s turned into a more relaxed, outdoor-oriented country.

Week 5: Slow Boat to Luang Prabang Take the two-day slow boat to Luang Prabang. Once there, follow the Luang Prabang itinerary above, but at a slower pace. You can also spend some time in the surrounding, even smaller villages like Nong Kiew, a sleepy village is located a few hours from Luang Prabang. The towering limestone cliffs surrounding it are ideal for experienced climbers, and there are many hiking trails leading to nearby waterfalls and caves. You can take the bus from the city for about 40,000-65,000 LAK.

Where to Stay : Lamorn Guesthouse – This is an incredibly affordable guesthouse located right on the river. The rooms are basic but clean, each with its own private bathroom and air-conditioning.

Week 6: Vang Vieng and Vientiane Follow the itineraries for Vang Vieng and Vientiane above. Then, you can either choose to continue your trip in Laos by heading south to Pakse and 4,000 Islands (in which case, follow the itineraries outlined above), or head on to Vietnam.

If going to Vietnam, you can take an overnight bus to Hanoi or a quick flight from Vientiane. If flying, keep in mind that there are only direct flights a few times a week (otherwise you must connect through Bangkok), so plan ahead if going with that option.

It’s also one of the best places to eat endless bowls of pho, bun cha, or cheap bahn mi from food vendors on just about every street corner.

Start your visit by exploring the narrow streets of the Old Quarter. It’s 2,000-year-old streets are a web of shopping opportunities and cheap eateries. There’s also a lot of fascinating Old World architecture that highlights the influence the French had on the area.

Hanoi is also a good base for doing multiday tours to postcard-perfect UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay. One of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, the area comprises more than 3,000 islands, all with different activities on offer. Tours here usually last 3-5 days and can include sleeping on a boat or staying on some of the islands around the bay, as well as cave tours and kayaking.

If you don’t want to do a longer cruise, you can choose a two-day (overnight) cruise or a full-day trip from Hanoi ; however, given that you’re on a three-month adventure, I’d recommend going with the few-day options.

Other things to see and do in Hanoi include:

• The Temple of Literature
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
• Dong Xuan Market
• Quan Su Pagoda

For more things to do, check out my guide to Hanoi .

Where to Stay : Little Hanoi Hostel – Located in the heart of the Old Quarter, this hostel has air conditioning, free breakfast, free welcome drinks, and — most importantly — clean, comfy rooms. The staff will help you book tours of the city and surrounding region.

Ho Chi Minh City – My favorite Vietnamese city after Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly known as Saigon) is the largest and most chaotic in the country. Motorbikes, bicycles, cars, and rickshaws go wherever they please, and lots of street stands and markets spill into the traffic lanes.

It’s a metropolis with a billion things happening at once, and a lot to offer travelers. Stay a few days here to take in the wonderful shops, fantastic nightlife, delicious food, plentiful historic sites, and interesting (though propaganda-heavy) museums.

Where to Stay : The Hideout – This is a conveniently located, social hostel with super clean rooms, free beer at the bar every day, and showers that you can use even after you check out. They organize many tours of the city and area as well.

MONTH THREE: Cambodia

Week 9: Phnom Penh and surroundings Follow the above suggestions for Phnom Penh, but also head out to Kirirom National Park for a day (or multiday) trip. This park has all sorts of walking and mountain biking trails, many waterfalls, and a few lakes. It was the first official park in the country and is a good place to take a break. The park is around a two-hour drive from the city, so you’ll need to hire a driver for the day. The best way to do this is to find some travelers to join you so you can share a ride.

If you’re looking to soak up some sun, Independence Beach and Otres Beach are probably your best bets. But mainly, Sihanoukville is a jumping-off point for other islands and beach towns in the area, such as:

Koh Rong – This island is a 45-minute ride from Sihanoukville. If you’re pressed for time, you can do it in a day trip, but stay overnight if you can. The beaches here are way better than on the mainland (and a lot less polluted), and there’s great snorkeling and diving.

Bokor National Park – Hike through a stunning rainforest or see the atmospheric ruins of the French aristocracy for whom Bokor was a big drawback in the day. You’ll have some amazing views, and there are ruins, waterfalls, and temples all around.

Kep – This quaint beach and fishing village is a quiet version of Sihanoukville but without a party atmosphere, therefore a nice place to relax near the ocean. It’s famous for its pepper crab and empty beaches. Sure, it’s quite sleepy and there’s not a lot to do, but it’s the perfect place to relax, read a book, and eat all the delicious crab. You can also spend some time on nearby Rabbit Island (Koh Tonsay), a secluded and charming escape from the world if you’re looking to disconnect.

Kampot – This is another quiet town on the coast. Most people come here to enjoy the scenic riverside views as well as the rolling hills and pepper farms that surround the city. The area used to be a getaway for the French, so you’ll see old colonial architecture around. At night, the street near the old bridge is lined with fruit shake vendors. Try a million — the city is famous for them. Also, if you only do one thing in this entire itinerary, make sure it’s eating the ribs at the Rusty Keyhole — they are some of the best ribs I’ve ever had.

Week 11: Siem Reap and Angkor Wat Follow the above suggestions for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat but at a slower pace. There’s a lot to see and do in the area. You can easily spend several days just exploring Angkor Wat. You can also do more day trips into the surrounding region.

A great way to spend a day is to head to Koh Ker, located in the jungle around 2.5 hours from town. Koh Ker was briefly the capital of the Khmer Empire, and many of the temples here are over a thousand years old. It’s a massive archeological site that sees far fewer tourists than Angkor Wat.

For another fun day trip, head to Phnom Kulen, considered the country’s most sacred mountain. It’s located just 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Siem Reap and offers some amazing jungles, hiking, and picturesque waterfalls where you can take dip to beat the heat. You can easily spend a day here. If you head up to the summit, there are some great views, as well as a large reclining Buddha statue. Try to arrive early, as the park fills up by lunchtime.

There’s seemingly an island for every type of traveler here. Some are overdeveloped, while others only have a single bungalow. Some of my favorites are Ko Samet, Ko Taruato, Ko Lanta, Ko Chang, Ko Tao, Ko Jum, Ko Lipe, Ko Samui, and the Similan Islands. You could easily spend weeks (or months) bopping around to different islands, but if you’re on your last week, just choose one or two, depending on what you’re looking for.

Some recommendations to get you started:

Ko Lipe – This lesser-known island is one of my favorite places in the world. There are amazing seafood meals, beautiful beaches, and warm waters in which to swim. I came for three days and ended up staying for a month. In the last few years, it has become more developed, and it’s not the sleepy little island it used to be, but it’s still way less touristed than many other destinations in Thailand.

Phuket – Phuket is the biggest destination for tourism in Thailand. There are great beaches and amazing activities on this island. While most visitors stick to the overdeveloped south, if you stay away from Patong Beach, you can avoid most of the crowds. In fact, the northern part of the island is one of my favorite places to visit in all of Thailand.

Ko Phangan – This island is home to the infamous Full Moon Party , one of the most famous parties in the world, with a lot of drinking, dancing, and drugs. Each bar has its own sound system, so you’ll hear different music loudly blasting onto the beach every few feet. The beach itself is lined with people selling alcohol, fire dancers putting on shows, and little booths selling glow-in-the-dark face paint.

Ko Tao – If you’re looking to dive in Thailand, go to Ko Tao , which caters specifically to divers. If you dive here, be sure to see Elephant Head Rock, as the reef is home to plenty of fish, snappers, rays, and turtles. Day trips start at 5,900 THB for two dives, including equipment and park fees.

After your time in the islands, head back to Bangkok for your return flight home.

If you’ve got even longer, this region has so much to offer — from Malaysia to Singapore to Indonesia and more!

Southeast Asia is one of the best regions to backpack in. It’s fun, affordable, safe, and has something for everyone. But it can be tricky to plan a trip here, as there is a ton to see and do. So, as you try to craft the perfect Southeast Asia itinerary, just keep in mind that plans change. You meet people or learn about something new, and all of a sudden your meticulous preparation goes out the window.

These days, I leave much more room in case plans change — because they always do. Give yourself that wiggle room. That way, no matter what comes your way, you’ll be able to adapt.

Be flexible. Go slow.

That’s how you plan an amazing itinerary. Not only to Southeast Asia but anywhere in the world!

Book Your Trip to Southeast Asia: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. It is my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe, so you always know no stone is being left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as it has the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancelations. 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. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money too.

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The Ultimate Southeast Asia Itinerary

06/17/2018 by Ashley Yap 14 Comments

The parallel universe called Southeast Asia draws me in over and over again. Coming to Southeast Asia feels like coming home. Each time I return, I find comfort in the ease of traveling there, the excitement of new discoveries, and the energy hanging in the sweet, sticky air.

I’ve traveled in Southeast Asia for over 2 cumulative years, going from popular spots to places that do not even have an English name yet. Whether you are a budget backpacker, solo traveler, a couple, family, or a group of friends, Southeast Asia’s bound to have something intriguing for you. This could make planning a trip to Southeast Asia overwhelming – there’s just so much to see and do!

So let’s make it easy. Here are a few amazing Southeast Asia itineraries, customized to different interests, ranging from 2 weeks to 3 months:

Table of Contents

2-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary

While two weeks is simply too short to attempt to see all of Southeast Asia, the good news is that you can still get a delicious taste of Southeast Asia all within 2 weeks.

My advice is to pick fewer places to see, and take travel time into account. Some countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam are easy to get around, whereas countries like Myanmar and the Philippines require much longer travel times to move from one place to another. Here are a few itinerary suggestions for 2 weeks in Southeast Asia that cover 2 countries:

Best of Both Worlds: Philippines + Singapore

Spend about 10 days in the Philippines and maximize your time in nature, be it the beautiful islands , the most stunning rice terraces, or the amazing waterfalls. You can narrow down the specifics by picking your favorites from this itinerary . Then fly over to Singapore and enjoy the metropolitan city, eat all the food, and have the country’s signature drink, Singapore Sling, at one of the many speakeasy cocktail bars before your flight home.

Hiking Adventures: Borneo + Indonesia

Spend about 4 days in Borneo and hike up to the country’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu , which requires a minimum of 2 days, then check out the orangutans of Sepilok. Next, fly over to East Java, Indonesia, to hike Mount Rinjani , or Mount Bromo . Spend your last few days relaxing in Bali or Lombok before flying home.

Sun, Sea, and Salt: Southern Thailand + Malaysia

Spend a week in each country. Both countries are home to some of the most gorgeous islands I’ve ever been to. Some of my favorite islands are Koh Chang , The Similan Islands, Koh Yao Noi , Langkawi , The Perhentian Islands, and Tioman Island.

A Cultural Experience: Myanmar + Cambodia

Spend about 10 days in Myanmar, not only because there’s  so much to see and do , but also because transportation can be pretty difficult. Expect to spend some nights on bumpy overnight buses. Bagan, Mandalay, and Yangon are awesome for anyone seeking a cultural experience thanks to the beautiful temples and the less touristy feel of Myanmar. Fly over to Cambodia and continue your journey with an awe-inspiring trip to the majestic Angkor Wat (you will need at least 2 full days for that, trust me!), and hang out with the locals before your flight home from Siem Reap.

Overland Travel: Southern Vietnam + Cambodia

Spend a week in each country. There’s a ton of things to do in both southern Vietnam and Cambodia, but it’s also easy to pick and choose based on your interests. My suggestion is to start your trip in Siem Reap and see as much as you can of Angkor Wat in 2 days, and take an overnight bus to Sihanoukville’s Otres Beach for some R&R time, before another bus ride to Ho Chi Minh City. Apart from eating all the food , there’s a lot of history to explore especially for those interested in visiting the Củ Chi tunnels and the War Remnants museum. From there, it’s another bus ride to Mui Ne for some sandboarding fun, and Da Lat to check out some beautiful waterfalls, before flying home from Ho Chi Minh City.

Slow-Paced Travel: Laos + Northern Thailand

Laos is incredibly slow paced and rustic, which is great for relaxation and discovery. Spend about 9 days in Laos and you will find yourself surrounded by the most incredible waterfalls in the northern city of Luang Prabang, floating down the river on a tube, or motorbiking the Bolaven Plateau down south. Then take a slow boat to northern Thailand, and spend the next few days exploring Pai , savoring delicious local food, and temple hopping  in Chiang Mai before flying home.

First Name:

1-Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

If you have a full month, I’d suggest picking 1 country and really doing it justice, or picking 2 countries and spending about 2 weeks each. You can refer to the itineraries above and combine 2 of them, or pick 3 countries and spend about 10 days each. Here are some more adventure possibilities:

Island Fever: Philippines + Indonesia

One could easily spend a full month just in Indonesia or the Philippines, and still feel rushed since both are island nations with so much distance to cover. The good news is both have tons of variety and each one has its own unique luster. The Philippines is known for friendly people and stunning beaches, whereas Indonesia is known for having great food, some of the best diving in the world, and unique culture on each island. The good news is both are pretty cheap to enjoy. I suggest either picking one to explore over the course of one month, or spending half of your time in each. Here’s a Philippines itinerary and an Indonesia itinerary to help you narrow down exactly where you wish to go.

If you’re into diving, after much exploration in all of the best spots in both the Philippines and Indonesia, I can confidently recommend Raja Ampat if traveling in October – April and Komodo if traveling in May-September. Both will blow your mind!

Food and Culture: Singapore + Northern Thailand + Myanmar

Myanmar is not the quickest to travel through, but it’s also one of the best places in Southeast Asia for cultural exploration, gorgeous temples, friendly locals, and an opportunity to head farther off the beaten path than one can find in places like Thailand these days. With three weeks in Myanmar, you should be able to complete this Myanmar itinerary .

Best of both worlds: Vietnam + Cambodia

One of the best trips in Southeast Asia is traveling from tip to tip of Vietnam, either beginning in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (but don’t forget to include  Sapa, Vietnam !). Give this Vietnam itinerary at least three weeks if you can, then head into Cambodia for Angkor Wat and if you have time, check out the smaller towns like  Kratie in Cambodia or head to the coast.

Off the beaten path: Laos + Myanmar

If you want to get away from the typical tourist route and are at peace with missing the Thai islands, focus on Laos and Myanmar, both of which are stunning countries that get fewer visitors. Either give two weeks to each country, picking your favorites from the Laos and Myanmar itineraries , or give one more weight and spend the bulk of your time in whichever calls to you more. Just make sure that at some point, you’re able to get to a major enough city to fly between the two to save time.

3-Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

You’ve got three months in Southeast Asia? Awesome! You can take your time more and enjoy each place you visit a bit more fully and feel less like you’re rushing around. While it may be tempting to try to blast through every country in Southeast Asia within these three months, as many travelers do, I highly advocate taking this time to more deeply immerse in the local culture and explore further than the well known destinations.

Since you have so much more time than the other itineraries, I’d leave a lot more room for serendipity and just pick a few must-sees to plan your trip around.

Here are the places that I recommend based on different interests to help you build a framework:

If You’re into Local Culture

For me, part of the allure of Southeast Asia is the various cultural sites and temples. Most countries have an interesting mix of different history, religions, and beliefs, resulting in different religious sites, styles of architecture, and cuisines. Here are the go-to places if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture:

Bagan, Myanmar: A UNESCO Heritage site and valley of more than 2,000+ ancient temples built during a golden era of Burma in the 12th century, this place is a must-see if you love temples. The best way to explore Bagan is to rent a bike and roam freely. Chances are you will end up in your own private little temple with no one else around to catch a beautiful sunrise or sunset.

Inle Lake, Myanmar: The floating villages, which are essentially neighborhoods on stilts, where locals live in huts built above a network of marsh and grass waterways, is a beautiful place to take a peek at the locals’ daily life. Take a boat and see what it’s like living on water.

Luang Prabang, Laos: Aside from the popular Kuang Si Waterfalls, Luang Prabang is also known for the early morning alms, where hundreds of monks walk along the streets to collect offerings from the locals. It is quite a sight that is worth setting your alarm for. Just make sure you watch it with distance and respect, and not be one of those tourists who shove their big cameras up in the monks’ faces.

Siam Reap, Cambodia: Angkor Wat is perhaps the most recognizable temple in Southeast Asia. Though the ticket prices have increased steeply over the years, you should still consider visiting it, especially if you are interested in temples and ruins.

Chiang Rai, Thailand:  The north of Thailand is home to some of the most creative temples I’ve seen, and there are hundreds of them. I promise you won’t get templed out if you pick the right ones to visit, though. My personal favorite is the White Temple , an architectural wonder that started in 1997, and is still undergoing construction until 2070.

Borneo: In Sarawak, the local tribes stay together in a longhouse. By together, I mean with the entire extended family. You can arrange a longhouse homestay with the local communities and experience what it’s like to live as a local tribe. Follow the family around as they go about their day, hang out with the children, and chat with the elders for a unique and unforgettable experience. Similar experiences are available in Sapa, northern Vietnam.

If You’re a Foodie

Bangkok, Thailand:  So. Much. Food! Whether it’s a local food market, street food stalls, or the restaurants galore in the giant shopping malls, Bangkok is guaranteed to satisfy your appetite. What’s really cool about Thai food is that you can try the same dish at drastically different price points. Pad Thai is a great example – I’ve had them straight from the wok at a night market for less than $1, at local restaurants for a bit more, and at luxury hotels for 5 times the price. To be honest, the street version is always my favorite! Needless to say, being a foodie in Bangkok is a lot of fun. Here are a few more of my suggestions on how to really fall in love with Bangkok.

Chiang Mai, Thailand : Aside from the delicious northern cuisine, Chiang Mai is also a great place to attend a cooking class and bring new skills home. In Chiang Mai, I went with Basil Cookery school which was pretty healthy and very well-run. You can see more about the cooking class and other Chiang Mai favorites here.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia : The capital city of Malaysia is a foodie’s wonderland, thanks to the country’s multiracial profile. Spoil yourself and indulge in Chinese, Malay, Indian and international cuisine at a reasonable price range. Immerse in the local culture by checking out a mamak (Indian Muslim eatery) for some awesome supper at night. There is a popular mamak within walking distance from the Petronas Twin Towers, in case you are wondering which one to go to!

Hanoi, Vietnam : Vietnamese food is a powerhouse mix of influences from all over the world. French, Chinese, and Japanese flavors blend with Vietnam’s own unique approach to food to create an unforgettable culinary experience. In Hanoi, the best way to sample the food is through a street food tour. Just ask your hostel / hotel for recommendations! Also, don’t forget to try an egg coffee at Cafe Giang! It sounds strange but it’s probably the best coffee I’ve ever had in my life, and that’s coming from a friend.

Singapore : As it’s the most expensive country in Southeast Asia, one would think that eating in Singapore is an expensive affair. I was very pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to find cheap and delicious street food through the hawker stalls, as well as hippie cafes serving western and even vegan food when I felt the need for a change.

If You’re into Beaches

These are not the typical suggestions you probably see that feature Phuket and Koh Samui. I like the places that fly under the radar a bit more, just on the cusp of popularity. They’re amazing because of who they attract, the fact that they aren’t as crowded, but that they offer the same as, or even more than, their more-known counterparts.

El Nido, The Philippines : With beautiful white sand beaches and blue waters, El Nido has everything a beach lover wants. Don’t limit yourself to just the main island, as there are many small islands around it worth exploring. Just search around and book an island hopping tour , and you will find yourself swimming in the crystal clear water, with a chance to encounter whale sharks and manta rays. For a unique experience, you can also camp on the beach.

Siargao, The Philippines : An off the beaten path island that is becoming more popular, but is still a laid-back surf island. Locals will welcome you into their guesthouses with open arms for you to explore powdery, undeveloped nearby islands, local cafes, fish markets, and surf!

The Nusa Islands, Indonesia : You can easily hop from one island to another, which is what makes the Nusa Islands so appealing even for those that are short on time. Each island has a ton of beautiful beaches and things to do. Click here for an awesome Nusa Islands itinerary !

The Gili Islands, Indonesia : Another 3-in-1 package deal, you can hop from Gili Air, to Gili Meno, and to Gili Trawangan . Each island offers a slightly different vibe, but all three islands have one thing in common – gorgeous beaches.

Tonsai Beach, Thailand : Rock climbers, slack liners, and beach bums alike love this hippie paradise. Go there and enjoy, but don’t tell anyone about it, okay?

Koh Chang, Thailand : I love Koh Chang because it’s closer to Bangkok than the southern islands in Thailand, making it a great choice for those low on time, and it’s just as beautiful but less touristy. It’s also lovingly referred to as the ‘last cheap island’ in Thailand. Lonely Beach is the backpacker hangout, though the whole island is worth exploring. It is also, in my opinion, the best island in Thailand for solo backpackers.

Perhentian Islands, Malaysia : These two islands right next to each other are so darn beautiful, and there’s a nice backpacker vibe on the smaller island. Book ahead when heading here, as things fill up quickly. Internet is very limited on the island, which is perfect for those who are seeking for a break from social media and work emails. It’s also great for diving!

If You’re into Hiking

Mount Rinjani, Indonesia : This 3 day/2 night hike was a truly unforgettable experience for me. I recommend showing up on Lombok and booking directly with a tour operator there rather than organizing through a travel agent elsewhere in Indonesia or online. The first two days of the trek are not too challenging, though the last day gets tough, offering a sweeping view from the top of the volcano as a reward. Find the  full guide to hiking Mount Rinjani here . I also highly recommend staying in Lombok and exploring the many waterfalls and beaches. It’s one of my favorites in all of Southeast Asia.

Mount Bromo, Indonesia : Mount Bromo is probably Indonesia’s most famous volcano. It sits at the eastern end of Java between Surabaya and Yogyakarta and is quite often lumped in as part of a tour heading out of one of those two cities. There are tons of tour operators selling Jeep tours to Mount Bromo, which is fun to some, but I did it independently and preferred it that way.

Kawah Ijen, Indonesia : Slightly more off the beaten path compared to Mount Rinjani and Mount Bromo, Mount Ijen is perfect for those who want to see something different (note: blue flames!). The volcano itself  is beautiful but hiking in with the stars, getting up close to the blue flames and viewing the truly stunning sunrise are what makes Mount Ijen so unique and special.

Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia : Why not hike up to the highest mountain in Southeast Asia? I managed to hike to the top in one day , but since the earthquake, it is no longer permitted. Hikers are required to do a minimum of 2D1N compulsory climb these days. The hike is challenging, almost entirely straight up stairs, but the view on top is absolutely stunning. Given the weather conditions, hikers often make it close to the summit and have to turn back. If possible, leave some room for serendipity just in case you need to stay one more night for the bad weather to pass.

Doi Chiang Dao, Thailand : Doi Chiang Dao is Thailand’s third tallest peak, accessible via a fairly easy drive 1.5 hours north of Chiang Mai and surrounded by mountain after mountain in every direction. It’s a lovely hike worth including in your northern Thailand itinerary. Concrete information online was hard to find, so here’s my guide to hiking Doi Chiang Dao that has everything you need to know!

Kalaw, Myanmar : Many people visiting the popular Inle Lake choose to do a 3-day trek from Kalaw to get there. The trek takes you through valleys and small villages where you’ll stay each night, experiencing rural Myanmar life. The cost is cheap, the views are spectacular, and the trek is life-changing. There are no hot showers, no electricity, and no internet, just pure experiences with the nicest people on earth.

If You’re into Diving

Raja Ampat, Indonesia : The liveaboard diving trip I did in Raja Ampat was the hands down best diving trip I’ve ever done in my life, and this is coming from a girl who has done more than 150 dives! The area was largely uninhabited, where I spent afternoons pretending to be a mermaid, and the time spent under water was incredible, with tons of diversity and abundance of sea creatures. If you want to see Manta rays, turtles, Wobbegong sharks, Mobula rays, Spotted rays, Black-Tipped Reef sharks and Groupers, go to Raja Ampat. It’s worth going the distance for.

Sipadan Island, Borneo : It’s called one of the best diving sites in the world for a reason. I love that they limit the area to only 120 divers per day, which really helps sustain the ecosystem and keeps the site beautiful and safe for both the sea creatures and visitors. Make sure you book at least 2 weeks in advance.

Coron, Philippines : This was another liveaboard diving trip I did in the Philippines and enjoyed thoroughly. If you love wreck dives, Coron is the perfect choice for you. I remember clocking around 10 wreck dives in 6 days!

Tioman Island, Malaysia : So underrated, but so good! The island is dreamy and beautiful, yet you won’t have to share it with too many other people. My guess is that since the restaurant choices are very limited, alcohol isn’t widely available, and you can pretty much forget about getting on the Internet, it keeps the crowds away.

Komodo, Indonesia: If Raja Ampat and Sipadan take the #1 spot for the best diving I’ve done, then Komodo is a very, very close second. The soft corals are colorful and gorgeous and it’s full of sea turtles and the occasional Manta ray as well. Plus, most liveaboard trips combine an excursion to see the Komodo dragons as well.

If You’re Seeking Spirituality

Chaiya, Thailand : I did a 10-day silent meditation retreat at Wat Suan Mokkh, Chaiya district, located in Surat Thani province, close to the popular Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, and Koh Tao. The retreat takes place at a Buddhist monastery in the forest where the attendees don’t speak, use technology, or even read books. They just meditate. Held once a month (from the 1st – 10th), Wat Suan Mokkh is a beautiful place for those who are into spirituality and meditation.

New Life Foundation, Thailand : Though this is more of a place to live and volunteer for a month or longer, particularly for those who are stressed out and just need a little vacation from everyday life, they do hold retreats here from time to time. I attended a silent meditation retreat at the center and found it to be more comfortable and an overall easier experience than Wat Suan Mokkh, though the two are hard to compare as they’re so different. You can read more about New Life here .

Bali, Indonesia : If you’re looking for a yoga retreat, Bali is the epicenter of such things in Southeast Asia. Each month all over the island there are tons of retreats to choose from that focus on wholistic wellness, raw food diets, tantric yoga, and a wealth of other options. You can find them on this booking engine . If you want something a bit more relaxed and remote, look at the Nusa Islands , which are just a 30-minute ferry ride away from Bali.

Siquijor Island, Philippines : The mystical island is full of healers and witches. If you want this experience, the first thing to do is talk to a local if you can. See if you can get him or her to bring you to a legitimate shaman. I spoke with another traveler who did a smoke clearing ritual in the middle of the island with a folk healer, which he gave me a moderately excited review of. You can find them  here  if it interests you.

If You’re into Wildlife

Chiang Mai, Thailand : Elephants are one of the icons of Thailand. Many visitors are excited about interacting with them, but sadly, it has resulted in unethical businesses that involve torturing wild elephants to tame them for entertainment purposes. It’s our responsibility, as tourists, to make sure we’re putting our money into the hands of programs that make their lives better. Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai is a highly reputable sanctuary for rehabilitated elephants. If you want to play (feed & bathe only, no riding) with elephants ethically, I recommend checking it out.

Sabah, Borneo:  Borneo is a great place for some adventure time deep in the jungle. Danum Valley Conservation Area is a beautiful place known for its beautiful primary forest and wildlife experience. For an experience that will remind you of the Amazon in Peru , check out Lower Kinabatangan River. Finally, Deramakot Forest Reserve is wonderful for many reasons – it is in accordance with good forestry practices, you will have the opportunities to see Pygmy elephants, bearded pigs and orangutans.

Komodo National Park, Indonesia : I had a close encounter with dragons in Komodo . They are the world’s largest, bloodthirsty lizards that roam freely on Rinca Island. This is also the only place on Earth that you can see them, so if you find yourself in Indonesia, be sure to check them out. Other than the Komodo Dragons, you may also chance upon the manta rays, sharks, turtles, and dolphins if you dive!

Bukit Lawang, Sumatra, Indonesia:  For an even more authentic orangutan experience, head to Sumatra. I just loved the little jungle town of Bukit Lawang, accessible via Medan, for hanging out, tubing down the river, and of course, jungle trekking to see the orangutans.

If You’re an Adrenaline Junkie

Cebu, Philippines : Many people rave about the Kawasan Falls tour, for a good reason! It’s a thrilling day trip around the area with canyoneering, cliff jumping, jungle trekking, and swimming on the docket. Your experience ends at Kawasan Falls, a picturesque waterfall that plummets into the turquoise lagoon below and has quickly become an instagram favorite. When you see it, you’ll understand why!

Vang Vieng, Laos : With strict rules and regulations imposed on the once deadly tubing that was notoriously popular among backpackers, the activity is now safer and just as fun as before. Other than tubing, kayaking and rock climbing are also popular in that area.

Gibbon Experience, Laos:  If trekking and ziplining through a lush jungle and staying in a treehouse is on your radar, check out the Gibbon Experience in Laos. Brochures can be found in almost all hostels, so you just have to ask! It’s also possible to book online .

Country Motorbiking in Vietnam or Laos:  If you are comfortable on a motorbike, take a road trip! You get all the freedom in the world, and it’s a great way to experience Vietnam from north to south  (or visa versa) or to explore Laos’ Bolaven Plateau, which is basically waterfall heaven.

If You’re into Off the Beaten Path Adventures

Myanmar:  Myanmar has only decided to open up its door to tourism a little 6 years ago. The locals are still getting used to seeing foreigners, and traveling around can be quite challenging and confusing. However, this is a paradise for those who are looking for a journey in Southeast Asia that’s off the beaten path. Just look further from the popular spots like Yangon and Inle Lake, talk to the locals (many young locals are receiving linguistic education from volunteers, and they are encouraged to practice their English with tourists! Just be friendly and respectful), who will be happy to show you around, rent a bike if you are comfortable on one and just ride away. Check this itinerary for the best spots .

Nong Khiaw, Laos : Though only a 4 hour bus ride away, Nong Khiaw is often hidden in the shadow of Luang Prabang’s popular waterfalls and backpacker area. It is a quiet, laid-back village with just a few guesthouses lying around. There are a few hills that make for amazing sunrise/sunset spots, and if you want to go even further, take a 2 hour walk to another village, Huay Bo, for a rustic, wholesome overnight stay with the locals. You’ll wake up to the sound of roosters, walk around a small village with kids running around, women making Laos liquor, and men working away in the fields.

Lampang, Thailand : Lampang is a northern province that is fairly popular among the locals, but not so much with the foreigners just yet. When I did a road trip there I found an emerald lake and had it to myself, until a small group of local cyclists came. I also hiked up to Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat, Thailand’s floating pagodas , and again, had the place mostly to myself except for a few local tourists. What’s keeping tourists away from these spots is the accessibility, but if you are considering renting a car, you will not have any problem getting there.

I gotta say it’s not easy putting this together, there’s just so much Southeast Asia has to offer! But I hope the itineraries are helpful to you, and if you need more information about each of the Southeast Asian countries, check out the destination page , where I’ve included the essential information, accommodation guides, transportation tips, top things to do, and all of the blog posts from each country. Enjoy the journey, and comment below if there’s any other places in Southeast Asia that you think I should visit next!

What to Pack for Backpacking in Southeast Asia

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06/17/2018 at 9:05 pm

Great overview of traveling in Southeast Asia! I have a questions for you. If you could ONLY go back to one country, which one would you choose?

Kristin says

06/19/2018 at 9:31 pm

In Southeast Asia? I’d pick Indonesia because it’s so huge and diverse.

Renuka Walter says

06/18/2018 at 7:30 am

I’m amazed! I’m always looking for a trip somewhere in Europe, but I think I should think about planning a trip in Southeast Asia. Lovely pictures!

06/18/2018 at 10:06 am

You have clearly put a ton of effort into this post, very impressive. You are to be commended and I will use this for any travel I do one day in SE Asia, I promise. The beauty of it is in my case I might be restricted to a few countries and limited time so this will help me immensely in planning a custom itinerary. You seem to really have covered your bases, tapped into years of past posts, videos and personal experiences. A beautiful, organized collage. The only thing I could possibly add to this for those who, in addition to outdoor, solo adventure, like shopping binges along the way is that Kuala Lumpur is ranked 4th in the world by CNN as the best city to shop :). Three of the 10 biggest malls in the world are there, they say at least. I’ve heard Bangkok is pretty good too. I don’t know if this is really an addition to this, but a side note :). As another interesting side note: There is a ski “resort” inside a megamall in Penang, Malaysia called “Snowland” or “Snowland at Megamall Penang”. It looks like fun. According to one site I found, it is fun for those who have never done it before and drops 46 meters and has 6 snow machines which keep it at -5 degrees C in the indoor arena, so it feels real too. Have you ever heard of it? There’s also “SnowTown Saigon” but I think that is more for kids and there is a small ski slope for training (it is warmer though, 10-15C). I found these when wondering about snow/skiing in SE Asia and found “snow” here :). Keep up the fine work you are doing!

06/19/2018 at 9:30 pm

There’s a ski resort in Malaysia?! Wow! Never heard of it until now!

09/23/2018 at 1:39 am

I love this post! I’m going to be in Southeast Asia with my boyfriend for 1,5 months this November and December. Though we’d be considered typical backpackers, being young, on a budget and traveling with a backpack (obviously), we are less into partying and more into exploring. We thought about following route:

Week 1 Starting in Hanoi and experience it for a few days Heading over to Chiang Mai, exploring Northern Thailand (including Wat Chaloem, Doi Inthanon, maybe Pai and the Elephant Nature Park)

Week 2 Traveling to Cambodia and taking a few days to visit Angkor Wat and maybe Sihanoukville Flying to Bangkok

Week 3 Exploring Bangkok Doing some island hopping in the south of Thailand

Week 4 Heading over to Kuala Lumpur for a few days Flying to Singapore and do some sightseeing

Week 5 (and half of Week 6) Bali Chill-Out (maybe exploring Nusa Penida)

I am afraid this could be to strict and fast-paced, but we don’t want to miss out on something. Would you recommend skipping Taiwan, which we want to visit before starting in Hanoi, to have one extra week in SEA (maybe for a whole 2 weeks in Bali and another few days in Northern Thailand)? Or skipping Kuala Lumpur for a few days extra on the islands in South Thailand?

Thanks and keep up the good work!

09/23/2018 at 5:49 pm

I would recommend spending more time in fewer countries and then having looser plans while you’re there. I tend to burn out when I’m moving so fast.

Rickey Masters says

12/04/2018 at 11:52 am

where can you go as a person with a hip disability. I am unable to backpack but can ride motorbikes. I understand my limitations but am eager to make 1 trip to as many countries as I can. time is not a limitation and money would be subject to a medium budget. Thank you for your knowledge and help

12/04/2018 at 11:48 pm

Anyone here have suggestions? I can’t answer from personal experience but I’d love to find out as well!

07/10/2019 at 2:31 am

George Town, Penang Island ‘s d food capital of Malaysia ! Kuala Lumpur pales in comparison..

Carlos says

11/27/2019 at 6:20 pm

Great article, the only thing I miss… where to go if you love to party!

11/28/2019 at 8:06 am

Pretty much everywhere! I’m not a party person but the Thai islands, Cambodian coast, most of the major cities and tourist towns will all have party options.

Siim Kuusik says

01/17/2020 at 12:41 pm

As for me and my girlfriend Malaysia so far has been the best country in Southeast Asia so far, because they have 50% Malaysians 30% Chinese and 20% Indians living there, which means they have the BEST foods there in ONE country. And it is cheap!

Ava Brown says

02/09/2020 at 8:26 pm

Nice blog you have here with unique and different thoughts!

Adventure | VanLife

One month in southeast asia travel itinerary.

Southeast Asia Travel is basically a right of passage. Strapping on a pack and perusing your way through the different languages, markets and unique cultures throughout the region is truly a life-changing experience. I have stood on top of 2 of the 7 world summits, backpacked Patagonia’s rugged backcountry, travelled all over Europe, visited MANY U.S. National Parks, and yet Southeast Asia easily holds its own with each of these for the category of unique and adventurous travel.

One month in SE Asia sounds like a pretty good amount of time to do and see a lot of things, right? WRONG! You could spend a month in EACH country in the region and it still wouldn’t be enough. Some people like to pack in every single country in this short amount of time, which really limits you from diving deep into the culture and getting a good sense and appreciation of each place. This itinerary focuses on visiting 3 countries during your time in the region, which provides a chance to really enjoy and appreciate each!

Don’t forget to pack all of these travel essentials for your trip!

When to Travel Southeast Asia

There is not necessarily a right or wrong time to visit SE Asia. Most people will say that the best time is during the “dry” season, but there are occasions where the “rainy” season might be best to suite your travels.

May-November in Southeast Asia

The rainy season (MOSTLY June-October) is also known as the green season! This is where you will find lush rice paddy fields and tropical jungle vibes. It is also cheaper and less crowded to travel during this time. If you are a little bit more flexible in your schedule and plan to stay more than a month, then this might be a good option for you!

December-April in Southeast Asia

The “dry” season is the most popular time for travel in this region. Temps are pleasant, rainy days are few and far between, and the overall humidity is mild (relatively, of course). For this itinerary’s purpose, I would suggest visiting during this time! Having only a month to explore means that time is of the essence; You cannot afford to lose a day to rain!

Which Southeast Asia Countries to Visit

Having to CHOOSE which of the SE Asia countries to go to is such a difficult task! Before our trip we spent hours scouring the internet, researching EVERYTHING about EVERY country so that we could make the most informed choice. Ultimately, we chose to travel to Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. We figured that with only a month to “see it all”, these three countries would provide the most diversity in their landscapes, cultures, histories, and overall experiences. Also, they are all located right next to each other, making travel between the three relatively easy.

Choosing Your Route through Southeast Asia

Choosing your route is the easy part. Almost all SE Asia itineraries begin at one of the major airport hubs and continue in a clockwise manor. Here’s what we chose and what will be highlighted below:

S Thailand (mainland) –> N Thailand (mainland)–> N Vietnam –>  S Vietnam–>   Cambodia –> Thailand (islands)

You can easily choose to start anywhere on this itinerary and the travel aspect would still make sense. OR just use this as a loose guide to plan your own trip! Either way, think big city-then clockwise!

What to pack for One Month in Southeast Asia

Probably the best piece of packing advice is to travel with a carry on backpack ONLY!  Traveling out of a carry-on is one of the most liberating feelings in world!  This itinerary is so fluid and you’ll be moving cities and hotels quite frequently making a big bag a total pain in the ass to bring.  Plus, it’s incredibly economical in the fact that you don’t have to pay extra for checked luggage on each leg of your flight. 

For the bag itself, we LOVE the Cotopaxi Allpa 42L Travel Pack for our carry on.  It’s SO roomy and has tons of organization pockets.  

SO now that we’ve decided what kind of bag to bring… Let’s talk about what needs to go in it!  

With any bag, you’ll want to get a set organization cubes to keep everything in order.  We have this set from Cotopaxi as well as this set from REI , but there are a ton of options out there!

A filter bottle is a necessity when traveling.  This Grayl GeoPress water filter and purifier bottle removes Protozoa, Bacteria And Viruses.  Some people also swear by the lifestraw filter bottle- but I find it a little more difficult to drink from .  A filter bottle can help you  save money, travel sustainably and never buy single-use bottled water again!

The GoPro is our go-to travel camera. It is so versatile and captures super clean footage!   We recommend the Hero12 or the Go-Pro Max !

Don’t forget a lightweight fanny pack for day-to-day use!

For more travel essentials check out our full post on what to bring with you for international travel !

This is the exact itinerary we followed: including the tours we booked, places we stayed, and everything in between!

Day 1: Arrive Bangkok

You will have likely taken a long flight to get here, so depending on how you’re feeling (and what time it is), today is a day to check in to your accommodation and take it easy. Roam around a bit near your hotel/hostel and make SURE to stay awake until a reasonable bedtime. Make conquering jetlag a PRIORITY.

Accomodation: Taraplace Hotel Bangkok

Day 2: Bangkok

Today you will be visiting a local floating market! If it’s a weekend day (Saturday/Sunday) then you will want to head over to Khlong Lat Mayom Floating Market. This is one of the super authentic local markets and you might just be one of the only tourists here, which makes for a super unique experience.

If it is a weekday, then you can opt for Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. This one is unfortunately a bit of a drive, but it will be worth it! This market is HUGE; You could spend endless hours here exploring and/or floating in the various narrow water channels.

After the floating market, you should spend some time roaming the streets of Bangkok. This is, in our opinion, the BEST way to get to know a new city and is always a favorite for us! Just set out from your hotel without a destination in mind… I promise, you’ll love it!

At least an hour before sunset you’ll want to head to the East Bank of Chao Phraya River where you’ll want to secure a spot to watch the sunset over Wat Arun. The sunset provides a perfect silhouette of the gorgeous temple and surrounding landscape! It’s a rewarding way to end the day.

After the sun sets, it’s time to head to the famous Khaosan Rd. This is a relatively small street, but with big personality! The road has cheap guesthouses, bars, and restaurants, as well as street vendors selling a variety of bugs on sticks, cheap massages and overall, just a good time!  We are not big “night owls” so we only stayed for about an hour to have a couple of beers and enjoy the atmosphere, but I can see where you could get sucked in for an entire night!

Accommodation: Taraplace Hotel Bangkok

Day 3: Bangkok-> Chiang Mai

Today you will want to get an early start! Check out of your accommodation and leave your bags with the front desk so you can get out and explore before your flight.

You should spend your morning at The Grand Palace. The Grand Palace is the official residence of the Thai Royal family and is a huge complex full of gorgeous temples and historical significance. I would highly suggest joining a walking tour of the palace or at least do an audio tour. There is so much to see and having something to guide you is super helpful.

After the palace, grab a bite to eat and then head to the airport because it’s time to go to Chiang Mai!

Accommodation: Old City Wall Inn

Day 4: Chiang Mai

You will be starting off your time in Chiang Mai with a little taste of the Thai culture by taking a half day cooking course with Grandma’s Cooking Schoo l! You can do a morning or afternoon session (or even an all-day session!) We chose the morning session because you get to go to the market with your guide and they show you a lot of ingredients that are in Thai cuisine. This was weirdly one of our favorite activities while in Thailand… and neither of us like to cook! We learned so much and are super confident that we can go home and cook some delicious Pad Thai and curry!

In the afternoon, you will want to take on the Old Quarter by foot! There are TONS of gorgeous temples to stumble upon as well as local eateries and markets. Don’t use your gps and just go wherever feels right… you know the drill!

After the sun sets, you’ll want to head to the night bazaar. I know you have already seen a bunch of markets at this point, but don’t miss out on this one! Whether you are looking for a nice atmosphere, street food, drinks, souvenirs, local art, massages, or any/all things in between- Chiang Mai’s night bazaar will have what you’re looking for. You will easily spend a MINIMUM of a couple of hours here.

Today you will be exploring Doi Suthep-Pui! This is the gorgeous mountain right on the outskirts of town! The best way to explore the mountain is via motorbike- and since you will be heading to Pai tomorrow you should go ahead and rent your bike for 4 days. Once you get the rental sorted, it’s time to explore the mountain!

There is only one winding road that goes up the mountain, so it is super easy to navigate. There are signs on the side of the road indicating where to stop and what the attraction is! Some of the things to see are Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (the temple on the hill), Mong Hill Tribe Village, waterfalls, viewpoints, and endless hiking trails! Spend the entire day exploring however you please!

**If you are not comfortable renting a motorbike you can always hire transportation or join a guided tour! You can also try your hand at hopping on one of the many songthaew’s which is basically a converted pickup taxi… but there’s no real “spot” to get picked up at, so these can be a bit tricky.

For dinner you MUST get Khao Soi at least once, so if you haven’t already gotten it then tonight is your last chance! It is a famous dish that is only served in Northern Thailand (specifically Chiang Mai) and it’s DELICIOUS!

Day 6: Chiang Mai -> Pai

Motorbiking from Chiang Mai to Pai is a just a quick 80 miles! Easy as Pai, huh? Except for the fact that the entire time you are driving up and over various mountains while navigating winding roads, tight turns, and steep inclines! We decided to leave our large backpacks in Chiang Mai and just took a small bag each on the bike since we were just staying in Pai for 2 nights! It made the drive much more comfortable. 

**AGAIN, if you are not comfortable driving a motorbike there are plenty of bus transfers that will take you round trip from Chiang Mai-Pai! But, if you’re up for the adventure then just take it slow and be sure to honk on blind turns!

Pai is a small, slow paced outdoorsy town. It is a little slice of paradise compared to the busy city atmospheres of Chiang Mai and Bangkok. When you arrive, you should settle into your accommodation and then make your way over to Pai Canyon for a gorgeous sunset over the town and surrounding mountains!

Motorbike Rental Place:  Mr. Pop Chiang Mai Accommodation: Farm Stay at Pai

Start the day by hopping on the bike (or joining a tour if you opted out of bike travel) and going to Nam Lod Cave. Once you arrive to the entrance, you will pay to have a guide take you through the 3 sections via kerosene lantern. It was honestly so much fun to explore, and it far exceeded our expectations!

After the cave, head back towards town where you can either go to the bamboo bridge or one of the waterfalls (or both if have time)! We ended up going to the bamboo bridge and then exploring the town a bit. But you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose!

Accommodation: Farm Stay at Pai

Day 8: Pai -> Chiang Mai -> Hanoi

In the morning, enjoy a nice soak in one of the 2 hot springs in Pai before making your way back to Chiang Mai! We chose Ta Pai Hot Springs since it is the one closest to town. It is the perfect temperature for a chilly morning and is surrounded by the jungle… so scenic!

The other option would be Sai Ngam Hot Springs, which is located about 20 km from Pai.

Make sure to book a late flight out of Chiang Mai because after you visit the hot springs, you will have to make the 4-hour drive from Pai, drop off your motorbike, pick up your bags, then taxi to the airport.

Accommodation: MayFlower Hotel Hanoi

Day 9: Hanoi -> Ha Giang

This evening you will be taking the night bus to Ha Giang… but first you MUST make use of your one day in Hanoi. Be sure to wake up early and get an egg coffee! Egg coffee is Hanoi’s claim to fame, and it is absolutely DELICIOUS (and strong)! After you’ve properly caffeinated, you’ll want to head towards the train street.

The “train street” is a narrow street lined with local Vietnamese homes and businesses. The street is literally composed of a railway where trains pass through and come within inches of the homes. It is truly a unique and exhilarating experience!

After the train street, you’ll want to head to the bus stop where you will meet the bus to travel to Ha Giang. it’s a 5 hr bus ride with one stop for restrooms and food mid-way through, so be sure you have something downloaded on your phone to watch or just enjoy a nap!

Bus Booking Company: Balou Accommodation: QT Motorbike Rental Guest House

Day 10-14: Ha Giang Loop

I hope you’re ready for an adventure because that’s exactly what you’re about to embark on! The Ha Giang loop is a circular route in the far North of Vietnam. The route winds through massive mountains, deep canyons, majestic landscapes, and ancient traditional villages to which people still inhabit today. It is so difficult to put into words how incredible this experience is. We have already talked about going back and doing the loop again, as there is an endless amount of exploration to be had!

There is way too much information you need to know for the Ha Giang Loop so we made a post dedicated to all of the ins and outs of completing the loop… including how you can do it without any motorbiking experience! Check out the Ha Giang Loop Post for more.

Motorbike Rental: QT Motorbikes and Tours Accommodation: Various towns along the loop ( See Ha Giang Loop Post )

Day 14: Ha Giang Loop -> Hanoi

After a fun 5 days exploring northern Vietnam via motorbike, it is time to head back to Hanoi for a little R&R. You’ll want to book the afternoon bus out of Ha Giang to have a bit of time to return your bike and grab some food. Once back in Hanoi you can either explore the streets at night or head to your accommodation to get some rest.

Bus Ticket: Balou Accommodation: The MayFlower Hotel Hanoi

Day 15-17: Halong Bay Cruise

It’s time to check yet another amazing bucket list item off your list! You will be going to Halong Bay to cruise the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin! Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rightfully so. The bay has massive vertical limestone mountains situated on tiny islands making it an incredibly unique and scenic area.

You can choose to cruise 2 days/1 night or 3 days/2 nights. I would suggest the 3-day option, as 2 days doesn’t give you nearly enough time to enjoy it. There are also TONS of cruise companies that operate on Ha Long Bay and choosing which one to go with can be an overwhelming process. Check out our post on How to choose a Ha Long Bay Cruise to help guide you.

Cruise: Halong Bay Tours

Day 17: Ha Long Bay Cruise -> Hanoi

After 3 gorgeous days on the bay, it is time to disembark the boat and head back towards Hanoi. We chose to spend the night in one of the airport pods at Noi Bai International Airport since we booked the first flight out to Ho Chi Minh the next day. Honestly, the pods were a great experience– one we would definitely do again!

Accommodation: VATC Sleep pod

Day 18: Hanoi -> Ho Chi Minh

Rise and Shine! Let’s go to Ho Chi Minh City! Make sure you take an early flight because we’re going to get right to it when we land. Go ahead and go straight to your accommodation and drop your bags off (it will likely be too early to check in anyway). After you drop your stuff, you’ll want to head over to The War Remnants Museum.

The War Remnants Museum is a very somber experience, but one that you absolutely should not miss. It tells the story of the American/Vietnam War in horrific detail. We spent 4 hours at the Museum, and it wasn’t nearly enough. The museum is laid out in a way that is very easy to navigate. I would recommend taking the self-guided audio tour, as there is a TON of reading involved and having an audio version helps to take on some of that burden.

After the museum you should spend the rest of the day exploring the city by foot! There are many interesting places are just a short walking distance away from the War Museum including:

• Ho Chi Minh City Hall
• Saigon Central Post Office
• Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon
• Reunification Palace
• Ben Than Market

During the day, MAKE SURE you try some of the famous street food of HCM City! Each stall has unique flavors and dishes, which makes for an endless number of options; just let your taste buds guide you!

Accommodation: Akoya Saigon Central Hotel

Day 19: Ho Chi Minh

Your time is limited in Ho Chi Minh City, so today you will be hitting 2 popular spots: Mekong Delta and Chu Chi Tunnels.

The Mekong Delta is basically a massive swamp… but one that is surrounded by beautiful rivers and islands and dense jungles. Here you will get to learn about the locals who live in the region and how the culture is still alive today!

The Cu Chi Tunnels are an immense network of underground tunnels used by the Vietnamese during the Vietnam/American War. You will learn about how many people (including women & children) lived in the tunnels for years, while simultaneously using them for combat. You will also get the opportunity to go down into a small section of one of the tunnels yourself, which is an eye opening experience.

Day Tour: Mekong Delta and Cu Chi Tunnels in One Day

Day 20: Ho Chi Minh -> Siem Reap

Today you are going to say goodbye to Vietnam as you head to the airport to catch a flight to Cambodia! Cambodia is home to the largest religious monument in the world known as Angkor Wat. You will be spending 3 days exploring the miles upon miles of Angkor Temples.

The first thing you want to do when you arrive is head over to the Angkor Ticket Office located just 2.5 mi from the center of town OR you can buy your pass online (convenient and simple).  You will want to purchase a 3-day pass (trust me on this… one day is not nearly enough).

Once you have your pass, you should spend the rest of the day exploring the little town of Siem Reap. Be sure to head to bed at a decent time though because you are hitting the temples at sunrise tomorrow!

Accommodation: Onderz Siem Reap

Day 21-23: Angkor Wat

We made an entire post on how to spend 3 days in Angkor Wat because it can be insanely confusing when you’re trying to plan it out!  Check it out here !

Day 23: Siem Reap -> Phucket

After 3 incredible days of exploring Angkor Wat, you will likely be READY for some much- deserved beach time! Grab your bags and make your way to the airport because it’s time to head to the Thai islands!

To get to Phucket from Siem Reap, you will likely be routed through Bangkok. You’ll spend a majority of the day traveling, so once you finally arrive you should just grab dinner and a drink (or 2) and relax!

Accommodation: The Regent Bang Tao

Day 24-26: Phucket

I know Phucket gets an infamous rep of being a big party island, but there is so much more to it than that! I mentioned before that we are night big “party” people (anymore lol), and we found Phucket to be an incredibly fun and relaxing place to explore. Some of the things we didover the 3 days that we were there include:

• Beach hopping: We wanted to see many of the different beaches the Island had to offer so we decided to take our motorbike and beach hop!
• Water Park: We LOVE water parks and the one in Phucket did not disappoint. We went to Andamanda Water Park for a full day of adventure and there were literally no lines for any of the slides! 10/10
• Phi Phi Island Tour : overpriced and crowded? Yep. Still worth it? YES! The Phi Phi islands are insanely scenic and a full day of boating with strangers can honestly be fun despite the crowds.
• Beach Bums: After a long month of action-packed days, it was SO NICE to just relax on the beach.

Day 27: Phucket -> Koh Tao

We’ve saved the best for last! It’s time to head to Koh Tao to get your PADI open water diver certification! Koh Tao is FAMOUS for its beginner friendly waters. The water is warm, clear and has mild currents YEAR-ROUND making it the perfect place to learn scuba.

Over the next 3 days, you will be learning all the ins and outs of becoming a scuba diver including going on 4 epic open water dives!! This was the highlight of the entire trip, and I cannot recommend it enough!

Accommodation: Simple Life Divers

Day 28-30: Koh Tao Scuba Course

We took our PADI open water diver course through Simple Life Divers. The course runs over 3 full days and includes a place to stay! The entire process went incredibly smoothly. The SLD team was professional and knowledgeable, and we felt fully supported the entire time.

NOW if you do not want to or don’t plan to get any scuba certs, I would still suggest visiting Koh Tao! The island itself is gorgeous, plus there’s a ton of other activities you can do including snorkeling, hiking, boating, or just enjoying the island.

Day 31: Koh Tao -> Bangkok -> Home

Unfortunately, it is time to go back to where you came from. We booked a flight from the islands to BKK and stayed at an airport hotel for the night. It was truly bittersweet to leave, but we went home with a huge appreciation of SE Asia and a longing to come back.

Accommodation: Suvarnabhumi Ville Airport Hotel

Gear Highlight!

We have always struggled to keep our electronics and cords organized on our trips.  This was our first trip using this Tripped Travel Tech Bag and it was awesome! All of our cords/memory cards/electronics organized in one place… complete game changer!

1 thought on “One Month in Southeast Asia Travel Itinerary”

This is a fantastic itinerary with very useful links and recommendations. I am putting together a similar itinerary and doing endless research. Will likely take a few things from this post. I am also reading your post on the Ha Giang Loop. So thank you! I only have two points to make. Some passages I wanted to copy/paste into my document for later reference, but you have protected against this. Or I wanted to right-click a few posts and references into a new browser window, and could not for the same reason. Not a big deal, but a minor inconvenience. Maybe you have had content stolen in the past. For me the most useful thing is having every reference linked out, which is SOOOO useful to readers who really want to take advantage of every idea. Not trying to be critical, just helpful from a reader’s perspective. Also, regarding booking a ticket online to Angkor Wat, do you have a link for that? That would beat a 2.5 mile hike from the center of town. Thank you again for a great post.

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The tour is great, it is very busy and you get to see a lot of SE Asia within the 31 days! The tour guides are very helpful and approachable and were an asset to the trip. I would note that this tour is more city based than island/beaches, so if sightseeing is what you are looking for this trip is definitely for you!

• 5% deposit on some dates Some departure dates offer you the chance to book this tour with a lower deposit.

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Ratha Van was an excellent CEO on our G Adventures trip. He is exceptionally knowledgable, well organized, friendly, funny and courteous. He is always calm and ensures the group members have the very best experience possible. I would take another tour with Ratha for sure!

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I really enjoyed the tour. It was a long time in the road, 37 days, and we covered many of the must see place in India. I was glad that I saw the south as well as it is really beautiful there. Some of my feedback (I am not sure on the next pages what space I will have to write), this is for the North and South trips. - I think the camel ride into the desert should be more optional. Many people were upset as the ropes which turn the camel are frayed ropes through their nostrils, and if the camel in front goes a little faster and their nostrils and heads get pulled. If people are told, “we are going out to the desert to stay the night, you can ride on a camel or walk the 1 or 1 1/2 hours alongside them which will be the same walking pace as the camel guides”. - I think Pushkar is a waste of time. The city is not nice and far from holy. I think the time could be spent better elsewhere. - If we arrive at a location at 1pm, and we are told to meet at 4pm for an orientation walk, then dinner after that. A lot of time is wasted here and there. I think once people arrive in a hotel from an overnight train or car of whatever that they have 1 hour max for a shower then be ready to go to start the trip, if people are tired then they can nap and catch up later. There were quite a few hours here and there which could have been spent seeing the town. This was both in the north and south. - The hotels need a bit of a reminder to keep the linen cleaner, there were some dirty laundry being given out which isn’t nice. - Tuk Tuks should have one male in each one if the numbers work. And the members be told, “we are going to Hotel.....” so that is they have trouble with the driver that they are able to find their way there. - Healthier food options being available would be good. Maybe some of the 3,600 Rupees could go to getting a pineapple or watermelon rather than our dinner be biscuits and chips on the train platform. - My tour works out to be 3,600 Rupees so each day I look at that and see if I see I have got value for money. If it is a free day and I don’t see the tour leader or just for dinner and we paid for all of the activities ourselves then I wonder where my 3,600 Rupees goes. I know there is admin and advertising etc, but when we stay in accommodation which is not great and we share rooms then there is a big hole where I am not getting value for money. - I think in the first group meeting that the leader gives everyone some paper and asks them what their hobbies are. Then if there are photographers, craft type people, car fanatics, museum fans, that along the trip there can be extra things that can be customised to their hobbies/interests in the free days. - Maybe more effort could be put into each day we learn a new Hindu or local language phrase or word so that we learn more. - That on sleeper trains that people are placed together. Getting no sleep because babies are screaming all night or creepy men are staring at girls. We all have similar sleep patterns and where we get in and off so life is easier and safer if we are together. This is one of the things that angered people with sleeper trains. - That we get options for eating dinner or lunch. The restaurants at the hotels were expensive and that was a bit annoying as many people expect India to be cheap. Just because it is cheaper than our home country, doesn’t mean that is good, it should be lots cheaper. - If the tour is in areas where there are electric tuk tuks rather than petrol ones, supporting that concept where possible would look more environmentally friendly. - Maybe encourage the hotels to be more environmentally friendly. We went through a lot of water bottles and maybe say to them, “we will choose you as you recycle bottles” or similar. - something for techie dept. a Dropbox style thing for people to share and download group photos and it is active for a month or two after the trip. We did a lot of Air Dropping which is fine for Apple users but not for Android folk. - More time should be spent in Hampi, it is great there. I think this is most of what I had in my mind. I am sure I will think of more. But I enjoyed the trip. I think there is an end of tour curse as many people get sick on the last day, I was very sick in the Maldives afterwards, not good. Don’t know if this can be prevented.

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What people love about 1 month+ asia tours.

We took 5 Stans and Mongolia with them. During the whole trip East Site provided us with professional guides, 4* nice hotels and free bottled water. At our request East Site changed our yurt camp to a luxury camp in Mongolia without problems. Best guys we ever travelled with.

I had the best time ever on Epic Asia. The itinerary was incredible - we got to see so many amazing things. My particular highlights were the snorkelling trips, elephant sanctuary, and seeing the lanterns in Hoi An. All transport was super well organised, I had no stress at all! A particular shout out to Mea, Adam Casey, and Tola, who was all excellent group leaders. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone!

the best experience of my life. recommend this tour to anyone and everyone!!

Best of Asia - 29 Days

Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh

Thailand & Vietnam Tour

Come and join us for the very best of Southeast Asia in just 1 month! Our 29 day / 28 night Thailand & Vietnam group tour captures everything Asia has to offer, from the ancient culture of Bangkok and the tropical islands in Thailand to getting lost in the lantern city of Hoi An and experiencing true local life in Hue & Hanoi. This 1-month trip covers all your South East Asia bucket list spots with floating bungalows, temples, sandboarding, elephants, and much more. This incredible backpacking tour in Thailand & Vietnam will leave you with a lifetime of memories and a bunch of new travel buddies!

See all included activities

What’s Included

Accommodation? Check! Activities? Yep. Guides? Of course! Meals? We threw in a bunch to keep you going!

HAND PICKED ACCOMMODATION

All Awesome ACTIVITIES

Unique Local Experiences

A BUNCH OF MEALS

PERSONAL AIRPORT PICKUP

TOUR LEADER & LOCAL GUIDES

24/7 HELP & SUPPORT

COMMUNITY FACEBOOK GROUP

See exactly what’s included

We’ve got you covered 😉

Best of Asia Itinerary

All packed and ready to go? Woop woop! It’s time to leave all those worries behind and head to the airport. We’ll be waiting for you at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (BKK) or the less commonly used Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). One of our trusted drivers will be standing with a sign with your name. Like all our other group tours, the first day is all about settling in and finding your bearings. We suggest aiming to arrive in the middle of the day to give you time to freshen up, explore the day markets, or just catch up on some sleep. We’ll head out for dinner and drinks at one of our favourite spots this evening! 📍 Location: Bangkok 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Airport pickup, getting settled in, dinner & chilled drinks

Today we really mix it up with a visit to a local temple before getting a real taste of Bangkok’s back alleys before finishing the afternoon racing around the crazy streets by Tuk Tuk. After a busy sweaty day, it’s time to relax with a traditional local massage. After dark, we’ll do it Thai style on the world-famous Khao San Road for cocktail buckets and beers. 📍 Location: Bangkok 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Walking tour, local temple visit, Wat Pho & Thai massage

Start the day with a cruise down the River of Kings as we head to one of Bangkok’s ancient temples. You’ll no doubt pick up an appetite but don’t worry, the local markets we’ll visit will satisfy your taste buds. In the afternoon, we jump aboard the overnight train as a group, sharing memories and reminiscing about the first few days in Bangkok!! 📍 Location: Bangkok 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: River cruise, Wat Arun, Wang Lang Market & overnight train

There is no place like it; as you arrive at Cheow Lan Lake, it will come to you… ‘WOW, this place is incredible’. We stay overnight in floating bungalows in 1 of the oldest evergreen rainforests in the world. Spend the afternoon sipping on cold beers while relaxing in a tube or going for a paddle in the kayaks. You might be lucky enough to hear or even see some wildlife. 📍 Location: Khao Sok National Park 🍽️ Included meals: Lunch & Dinner 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Floating bungalows, tubing & kayaks

Today we say goodbye to the jungle (after a secret stop) and hello to the white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters of southern Thailand. As we arrive in Krabi, we’ll take to the steps of the infamous Tiger Cave viewpoint. The views from the top are pretty special, and you’ll no doubt meet the families of monkeys along the way. We’ll finish the day with a well-deserved feast and a few drinks to celebrate. 📍 Location: Krabi 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast & Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Tiger Cave viewpoint

Krabi is home to some of the most incredible beaches in the world. After some chill time at the rooftop pool, we’ll take a longtail boat to the world-famous Railay Beach, home to towering limestone cliffs and white sandy beaches. There is no better place to top up your tan, relax and enjoy the tropical beauty of southern Thailand. 📍 Location: Krabi/Railay Beach 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Boat trip to Railay & Phra Nang Beach

Most of you have been waiting for this part of the trip. When you think of Thailand, you imagine island life, sunsets, beach bars, and fire shows. Well, guess what? Phi Phi has it all. We’ll explore secluded lagoons and snorkel in crystal clear waters by day. By night we’ll no doubt get our dancing shoes on with a splash of UV paint before hitting the bucket bars at the island beach parties. 📍 Location: Phi Phi Islands 🍽️ Included meals: 2 x Breakfast & 1 x Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Ferry, speedboat trip, snorkelling, fire show & beach party

Today is a much-needed chill day for the group, as the last 9 days have been truly EPIC. After waking up with a ‘Chang-over’, you’ll be glad to know the day is pretty relaxed. We’ll no doubt find time to visit the Phi Phi viewpoint, but you can tackle the day in your own way. Today is the perfect opportunity to go scuba diving. It’s not something we include on our trip, but you have the time, and we suggest the morning rather than the afternoon to give you enough surface time before the flight up north. 📍 Location: Phi Phi Islands 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Free day & Phi Phi viewpoint

A short domestic flight from the south will take us to the Jewel of the North... Chiang Mai! The city, surrounded by mountains and jungle, screams adventure and is the perfect place to continue our trip. We’ll drop our bags and head to the food market to try some northern flavours! 📍 Location: Chiang Mai 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Travel day, flight & night food market

Not every day you get the opportunity to tick off a bucket list experience... Well, today is that day. We start early and make our way into the jungle to find Thailand’s most sacred animals in a truly magical place. After taking a short walk through the rice terraces, we’ll spend time feeding them in a safe & ethical environment. We’ll finish what’s already been an incredible day, with our local guide showing us around the historic Old Town. 📍 Location: Chiang Mai 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast & lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Elephant sanctuary, walking tour & markets

Time to ‘find yourself’ in the most chilled and hippie vibes South East Asia has to offer. Home to some of the warmest locals, Pai is an ABSOLUTE must, and you’d be crazy stupid not to visit. We’ll spend these few days tubing down the river, soaking in the natural hot springs and getting physical with a beginner's Muay Thai session. We’ll also find time to wander the IG famous bamboo bridge and relax with a bunch of other backpackers at the Pai Canyon. 📍 Location: Pai 🍽️ Included meals: 2 x Breakfast & 1 x Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Tubing (seasonal), Muay Thai class, hot springs, bamboo bridge & Pai canyon

We’ll say goodbye to Pai and hello again to Chiang Mai. After some chill time, we’ll learn the secrets of preparing local Thai cuisine with an authentic Thai Cooking Class. Our local friends won’t just have you filling your faces with delicious food, but they’ll be filling your hearts with good vibes. Today will be a day you’ll never forget, with a night full of reminiscing and heartfelt goodbyes. 📍 Location: Chiang Mai 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast & Cooking Class 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Cooking class

Today we say a sad goodbye to Thailand and to those who joined us for the ‘South to North - 15 day Thailand’ trip. Now it’s time to adventure further into South East Asia to the incredible city of Hanoi, Vietnam. Today you’ll need to jump on a connecting flight from Chiang Mai to Hanoi, there is usually a direct option, and almost everyone books that. We’ll have a driver waiting for you in Vietnam before we get settled in and head for dinner and drinks at one of our favourite spots. 📍 Location: Chiang Mai & Hanoi 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Transfer day from Thailand to Vietnam, getting settled in, dinner & chilled drinks ⁉️ Important: The flight on Day 15 from Chiang Mai to Hanoi is not included and should be booked separately. You can use this super helpful blog to guide you through booking your connecting flight from Thailand to Vietnam.

Wandering the streets of the Old Quarter here in Hanoi is the best way to experience your first few days in Vietnam. We’ll visit a bunch of super cool spots and get our teeth into some yummy local flavours before finishing on the legendary 3 wheeled rickshaws. No trip to Hanoi is complete without a visit to the infamous ‘Beer Street’, so grab a stool and let’s see where this crazy city takes us (don’t worry, they serve other drinks, not just beer). 📍 Location: Hanoi 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Walking tour of the Old Quarter, rickshaw ride, try egg coffee

It isn't every day you get the opportunity to tick off one of the world's natural wonders. Halong Bay is a cluster of over 1,900 limestone islands that have been shaped over millions of years. The best way to experience this UNESCO World Heritage Site is by cruising around in a traditional ‘junk boat’. We'll indulge in ‘lunch with a view’ as we sail through the bay to our resting spot. After dropping anchor, we'll explore in kayaks and prepare for those sundowners. The views are surreal... today is all about the views! 😍 📍 Location: Halong Bay 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Arrive in Halong Bay, lunch with a view, kayaking & sundowners

Today we venture further off the beaten track to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh. This area served as the filming location for the most recent King Kong movie, 'Skull Island'. Let us introduce you to our local friends before we tuck into a family-style dinner with a little rice wine. Day 5 promises an adventure-filled day of cycling through the untouched countryside, cruising on traditional paddle boats, and enjoying 360-degree views of the valley from Dragon Laying Mountain. We then head south from Ninh Binh by overnight train to Hue. 📍 Location: Ninh Binh, Tam Coc 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast x2, Lunch, Dinner 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Tai Chi, a local fishing village, explore by bicycle & paddle boat, Dragon Laying Mountain, overnight train

Wakey wakey, today we arrive in the cultural capital of Vietnam! Hue is home to some of Vietnam’s best cuisine and coffee shops. You’ll find heaps of historical landmarks like the Imperial City, ancient temples and the Thien Mu Pagoda. After visiting some of these cultural sites, we head to a community project that is very close to our hearts. Today will definitely give you that warm fuzzy feeling and leave your heart complete. 📍 Location: Hue 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Arrive in Hue, Thien Mu Pagoda, Imperial Citadel, community project visit

Time to take the ride over one of the most iconic roads in Vietnam, the Hai Van Pass. Spend the afternoon cruising through the windy mountain roads. We’ll stop for lunch at 1 of our favourite spots, and no doubt cool off at a waterfall (seasonal). The views across the pass are truly incredible. We’ll roll into Hoi An with enough time to go explore and maybe even grab a fruity shirt for our party night out! 📍 Location: Hai Van Pass, Hoi An 🍽️ Included meals: Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Roadtrip on the Hai Van Pass, waterfall (seasonal), viewpoints

After seven fun-filled days, it's time to slow things down and spend three nights in the enchanting city of Hoi An. There is plenty to keep you occupied, from brunch cafes and tailor shops to a beach just a short 15-minute bicycle ride away. Of course, we have some activities planned to keep you engaged, including a visit to our local friends farm and their neighbouring cooking school. If that's not enough, we'll take you to the local coconut groves by traditional basket boat and get hands-on with a lantern-making class. Hoi An is always a favourite among backpackers and solo travellers. 📍 Location: Hoi An 🍽️ Included meals: 2 x Breakfast, 1 x Cooking class, 1 x Dinner 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Free time, beach, cooking class, traditional basket boats, lantern making

We board an early morning flight to Nha Trang before heading to the mineral mud baths and soaking up all that natural goodness! It’s a very unique experience and often a first for most people. All freshened up? Great, let’s head to the hotel & get checked in before a bit of beach time or rooftop pool (up to you!). Tonight we head to a beach club in the heart of Nha Trang for dinner! 📍 Location: Nha Trang 🍽️ Included meals: 1 x Lunch 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Flight to Nha Trang, natural mud bath, beach club

Our time in Mui Ne will be an interesting mix of beach, pool and adrenaline! Mui Ne is known for its Sahara-like dunes, and there really is no better way to do it than getting stuck straight into some sandboarding, 4x4s or even quad bikes. There is plenty of time in between to explore, enjoy the beach or catch some surf (seasonal). 📍 Location: Mui Ne 🍽️ Included meals: 2 x Breakfasts 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Sand dunes, sand boarding, quad biking, 4x4s, pool & beach time ⚠️: Quad biking is an optional activity during our time in Mui Ne, and it’s approx $30 per quad for around 25 minutes. Triple check your insurance covers you for this kind of activity as it carries clear and obvious danger. We take no responsibility in the event of an accident or injury.

We'll arrive in the vibrant city in style, and you'll be looking out the window wondering how on earth this place functions with so many motorbikes! Ho Chi Minh City is a bustling metropolis full of life. After getting checked in, we'll take a stroll with our local guide, making stops to satisfy our taste buds. Ho Chi Minh City truly comes alive at night as we wander through the square. 📍 Location: Ho Chi Minh 🍽️ Included meals: 1 x Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Bus to Ho Chi Minh, walking tour, city square

Prepare to explore the underground world of the notorious Viet Cong soldiers. Learn how these warriors lived beneath the ground, using tunnel networks and improvised weapons to overcome their enemies. If you're interested, you can even enter the tunnel systems yourself and experience it firsthand. If getting your hands on an AK47 or M16 assault rifle is your cuppa tea, you can pay a small fee to jump on the range and give it a go. Get ready for our last night out in Vietnam and experience some of South East Asia’s craziest nightlife! 📍 Location: Ho Chi Minh 🍽️ Included meals: 1 x Breakfast, 1 x dinner 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Explore the Cu Chi Tunnels and learn about the war

It’s not going to be easy, but today is checkout day and the time to say goodbye after an incredible 29 days in Thailand & Vietnam. I’m sure you’ll be reminiscing over breakfast and trying to piece all those happy emotions together before you set off on your journey home or to your next destination. The tour finishes in Ho Chi Minh, and most people book their onward travel from here. The final day has no plans, so you can leave anytime that works best for you! 📍 Location: Ho Chi Minh 🍽️ Included meals: 1 x Breakfast 🙌🏼 Key highlights: Check out & onward travel

• Extend your trip and join us on another tour
• Spend a few extra days in Ho Chi Minh
• Hop across to Cambodia or Laos

Where We Stay

We pay close attention to safety, comfort and convenience to give you the best possible stay in every spot we visit. Our Thailand & Vietnam trip will be twin-share hotel/guesthouse accommodation with 2 people per room. If you’re travelling with a friend or partner, be sure to make this clear on the booking form, and we’ll make sure you are sharing together. If you’re travelling solo, you’ll be paired up with another traveller of the same sex.

Twin/Double Share

Travel in Style

Private Room Upgrades

Trip Details

Start: Bangkok Finish: Ho Chi Minh Tour Length: 29 days Travel Style: Fully Guided Avg Group Size: 12 - 16 Age Range: 18 - 39 No. of Activities: 61+ No. of Included Meals: 43 Tour Price: From £2198 per person

What’s included for the price:

• All activities & local experiences
• Secret unique stops along the way
• Twin/double share accommodation
• Local Guides & a Western Group Leader
• Airport pickup on arrival
• Group transport while on tour
• Internal flight to Chiang Mai (Thailand)
• Internal flight to Nha Trang (Vietnam)
• Private WhatsApp group
• No Hidden Costs!
• Return airport transfer
• Travel Insurance
• Visas & Vaccinations
• Flights to/from Thailand & Vietnam
• Connecting flight on Day 15 to Hanoi

Included Activities & Experiences

• Locally guided city orientation in Bangkok
• Visit a local temple: Wat Chana Songkhram
• Take a tuk tuk ride to the Royal Wat Pho
• Relax with a traditional Thai Massage
• Wander the infamous Khao San Road
• Experience bars & nightlife in Bangkok
• Cruise down the river to Wat Arun
• Feed your tastebuds at Wang Lang Market
• Jump aboard the overnight train from Bangkok
• Visit the Khao Sok National Park
• Tubing and kayaking on the lake
• Fingers crossed for wildlife 🐘🐒
• Sleep on floating bungalows in the jungle
• Enjoy the views above the Tiger Cave Temple
• Railay & Phra Nang Beach boat trip
• Experience Ao Nang nightlife in Krabi
• Witness the legendary Phi Phi fire shows
• Phi Phi island hopper boat trip
• Get your dancing shoes on for our beach party
• Snorkelling, turquoise lagoons & monkey beac
• Freetime to enjoy the pool & explore in Phi Phi
• Hand feed cute elephants at a sanctuary
• Locally guided city orientation in Chiang Mai
• River tubing & our favourite sunset spot (seasonal)
• Bathe in natural jungle hot springs
• Enjoy a beginner Muay Thai experience
• Soak up a sunset at the Pai Canyon
• Learn to cook like a local hands-on
• Locally guided city orientation in Hanoi
• Ride a rickshaw in the Old Quarter
• Experience bars & nightlife in Hanoi
• Overnight cruise in Halong Bay
• Kayaking around Halong Bay
• Family style dinner in Ninh Binh
• Explore Tam Coc by bicycle
• Traditional paddle boat in Ninh Binh
• Hike to the top of Lying Dragon Viewpoint
• Locally guided city orientation in Hue
• Explore the Thien Mu Pagoda & Imperial Citadel
• Visit our local community project in Hue
• Cruise the Hai Van Pass by road
• Waterfalls and viewpoints along the pass (seasonal)
• Experience Hoi An’s best nightlife
• Freetime to enjoy the beach & explore in Hoi An
• Authentic farm visit & cooking school
• Traditional basket boat experience
• Lantern making class in Hoi An
• Nha Trang natural mud spa experience
• Sandboarding and 4x4’s in Mui Ne
• Locally guided city orientation in Ho Chi Minh
• Learn about the war at the Cu Chi Tunnels
• Optional: Fun diving for certified divers in Phi Phi
• Optional: Try diving for the first time in Phi Phi
• Optional: Sand Dune Quad Biking

Trip Preparation

Do I need a visa?

Thailand: For most travellers, Thailand is a very easy country to visit with a simple ‘Visa on Arrival’ process. This includes a long list of different countries* including; the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia and most of Europe. The ‘Visa on Arrival’ allows you 30 days when entering Thailand by air. If you don’t qualify for the ‘Visa on Arrival’, you can apply for a visa here .

Vietnam: For some, Vietnam is a very easy country to visit with a simple ‘Visa on Arrival’ process for nationalities such as the UK (not including Ireland) and a few other countries. The ‘Visa on Arrival’ allows you 15 days when entering Vietnam. If you need longer or your passport doesn’t qualify for the ‘Visa on Arrival’, you can apply for a one-month visa online or at your local Vietnamese embassy. It’s always a good idea to apply for a visa if you’re unsure of your plans to give you the opportunity to stay longer. Be sure to do your own research, as each country/passport will have different entry requirements, and the rules can often change. It's your responsibility to ensure you've ticked all the necessary boxes to enter Vietnam hassle-free. *You must check your visa eligibility as we are not visa experts. The information above is general in nature. Here’s a blog that we put together to help; ‘An Unofficial Visa Guide to Asia & Australia’.

What vaccinations do I need?

Similar to visas, we are not medical professionals and would hate to give you false or misleading information. We recommend you book an appointment with your doctor or local pharmacy to discuss your travel plans and what precautions you need to be aware of. They will provide up-to-date official guidance and will no doubt have your vaccination and immunisation history on file. All destinations and areas we travel to are generally low risk but best to be on the safe side. Click here for a useful resource provided by the UK NHS website .

What about COVID-19 travel restrictions?

It's always a good idea to check whether your destination or airline requires you to be COVID-19 vaccinated or tested to travel. It's your responsibility to stay up-to-date and ensure you join us on the Thailand & Vietnam tour without any issues. Click here for a useful resource provided by the UK government.

Is travel insurance compulsory?

Travel insurance is an essential part of your trip preparation. It’s not only a smart idea to get covered, but it will also give your loved ones peace of mind. We actually require all customers to show proof of coverage at the beginning of the tour. We’ll need to see your name, area of cover and dates that the insurance is valid. It’s a good idea to get this sorted ASAP to ensure you’re covered for all eventualities.

Will I receive a packing list?

You sure will, once your trip is confirmed, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a bunch of useful information, including an ‘Arrival Guide’. Within this guide, you’ll find a packing list, safety and cultural information and some useful tips to prepare for your trip.

Should I bring a backpack or a suitcase?

Most people do prefer travelling with a backpack, and it’s generally easier when moving around, but it’s not uncommon for some travellers to bring a suitcase. We suggest bringing something you are comfortable with carrying and lugging around. It’s also important to bring a small day bag that can hold enough for an overnight trip or those travel essentials. Click here to read a blog we wrote on this, ‘Backpack vs Suitcase - What is best for travelling?’

Is there a limit to my luggage weight?

We suggest not going crazy with the packing and keeping it simple. Try and bring loose/floaty clothing that isn’t too thick or heavy. No need to bring heels or walking boots. Bring a few warm layers during Dec and Feb, as it can get a little chilly in the north. We limit the luggage to 20kg per person. Best to leave the kitchen sink at home 🤣

Are there laundry services on tour?

There will be a few opportunities to do laundry throughout the trip, but we always suggest bringing enough underwear and essentials for the full trip. Your Group Leader will let you know the best time to do laundry, but this usually doesn’t happen until 4 or 5 days into the tour.

Do I need to bring a towel?

There are towels provided for showering and freshening up at all the hotels we stay at. We suggest buying a microfibre towel or large sarong as they are small and dry fast for use on the beach and swimming.

How much spending money do I need?

Once you've booked your flights, paid off your trip and got some solid travel insurance you'll be all set for that South East Asia adventure. We suggest bringing no less than £600/$800, but this should be the bare minimum. We suggest working from an average of £400-500/$500-700 over 2 weeks, this will cover things like shopping, drinks, extra meals and anything else you fancy treating yourself to... maybe a few massages!?

What's the best way to manage my money?

We always recommend having a few different options when managing your money while on the road. Having your everyday bank/ATM card with you as a backup is always a good idea, but we strongly suggest signing up for a travel/currency card. Most of these cards can be managed through an easy, easy-to-use app. There are ATMs throughout the trip, and we suggest grabbing some local currency when you arrive at the airport.

Will there be a Whatsapp group?

You’ll receive a final email with useful information to help with your arrival approximately 2 weeks before the trip. This includes a link to a private Whatsapp group for the tour date that you’ll be travelling on. It’s a great place to chat with the rest of the people on the tour and your Group Leader. If you’ve not already, click this link and join the ‘Feel Free Family’ Facebook Group . The FB community is ideal for discussing how things work with past and future travellers. Add yourself to the group and make a post asking who else has booked or thinking about booking the same date as you.

Your Arrival

When should I arrive on Day 1?

We suggest aiming to arrive during the middle of the 1st day, it’s not essential, but it will give you time to freshen up before we head out for dinner and drinks. You’ll be grateful for that little extra time to relax, soak up some afternoon sun or just go for a wander and explore the local area.

Can I arrive a day or 2 early?

Absolutely! We actually recommend arriving a day or 2 early to give you more time to recharge and enjoy a bit of ‘me time’ before the tour begins. There might be experiences on your bucket list that we don’t include on the trip, this is the perfect time to fit them in.

Will I get an airport pickup?

Anyone arriving on Day 1 or who decides to book pre-tour accommodation with us will be picked up by our trusted drivers when they land. They’ll be standing waiting at the airport with a Feel Free Travel sign, so you’ll have no issues finding them 🙌🏼

Which airport should I fly into?

Most of the big international airlines will fly in through BKK (Suvarnabhumi International). If you’re on a low-cost airline or 1 of the Asian airlines, you may come in via DMK (Don Mueang International). Both options are good, and we’ll pick you up from either… no worries!

How do I know where to meet at the airport?

We’ll email everyone up-to-date arrival instructions 2 weeks before the trip with exactly where to meet the driver. Once you get picked up, we’ll get you back to the hotel and check-in. If your flight is running late, don’t worry, we’ll be tracking your progress on Google and will be waiting for you to arrive.

What’s the plan for Day 1?

The first day is the ‘Arrival Day’, there isn’t a huge amount planned. It’s the perfect day to relax, catch some sun and get your bearings. In the evening, it’s time to meet your new travel family, as we’ll be taking you all out to one of our favourite spots for dinner and chilled drinks.

After the Trip

What time does the tour finish?

All our tours finish on the morning of the final day, this will give you plenty of time to get back to the airport ready for that flight home or onto your next destination.

What happens after my tour?

It really depends from group to group… sometimes we’ll have a whole bunch of people hanging out once the tour has finished, travelling for days, weeks or even months together. But in others, you’ll have many people going their separate ways. As the trip unfolds, you’ll soon learn about each other's travel plans and share ideas for what adventures lie ahead. The hardest part is saying your goodbyes and giving your last big hugs to the people leaving straight after the trip ends.

Can I get help with return airport transfers?

You sure can, our Group Leaders are available throughout the trip to chat about your onward travel plans. They will be there to offer help and assistance when it comes to booking flights, taxis, buses, and ferries. It’s always a good idea to get your flights booked before you arrive, including any internal flights after your tour.

When should I book my return flight?

We always suggest booking your return flight later on the final day. This will give you plenty of time to get back to the airport and enough time to say your goodbyes and leave without any stress or worries. The airport is approximately 20-45 minutes from the hotel in Ho Chi Minh.

Can I stay longer and extend my trip?

You sure can, we don’t offer the option to extend your stay, but our awesome Group Leaders are eager to help and support your onward travel plans. You’ll no doubt get ideas from other group members as the trip unfolds, so keep those ideas to yourself until you meet the group.

I’m doing more than 1 trip, how do I book my connecting flight?

We suggest booking those connecting flights soon after booking your big international flights. We’ve written a whole blog to help when planning flights, click here to read more .

Do I get help with onward travel?

Whether you’re on a short break from work or a slightly longer backpacking adventure, our Group Leaders will help with everything from return airport transfers to giving you a bunch of ideas for the rest of your time in South East Asia and beyond.

Feel Free Family

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there wifi on tour.

Almost all the places we stay on tour have free WIFI allowing you to stay connected with friends and family back home. There are certain places we visit that don’t, but we will always give you a heads up in advance so that you can prepare and let your loved ones at home know you may be unreachable.

Can I travel solo/come alone?

Absolutely! Our trips are built for solo travellers, and believe us… sharing new experiences with a group of new friends is one of the best things you can do. A large majority of the people that travel with us are 1st-time travellers doing it alone, so don’t worry, you’ll never be alone with us.

What’s the average age of people on these trips?

Our trips are specifically targeted towards individuals who are young at heart. If you’re between the ages of 18-39 and keen on a new adventure, you’re welcome to join us. We’ve found that the average age of our travellers is 22-32, we also get young travellers straight out of school as well as working professionals in their mid to late 30s.

How big are the group sizes?

We keep our group sizes small, with an average of 12-16 people per group, so that everyone gets to know each other and experience things at an enjoyable pace.

What’s included in the price?

We include most of the big ticket items like accommodation, activities, local experiences, secret stops, local guides, a western group leader and a bunch of meals. We also include an airport pickup on arrival!

What should I expect from the included meals?

You should expect almost all your breakfasts to be included to allow us to get the best out of each day. You’ll also get a few lunches on day trips and the odd dinner. We try and find a good balance between including meals and giving you the flexibility to eat what you fancy.

Do you cater for specific dietary/allergy requirements?

We make every effort to prepare for all dietary requirements and will do our best to support you during mealtime. Please provide clear information during the booking form and chat with your Group Leader during the first few days.

What’s not included?

You’ll just need to sort your international flights , travel insurance , visas and spending money 🙌🏼

Do we stay in hostels or hotels?

The accommodation on our trips is something we do better than anyone else, and our tours definitely wouldn’t be the same without the awesome places we stay. We’ve handpicked these places to give you the perfect balance of comfort, security and convenience. We really do love where we stay, and so do all our happy travellers 😍

Who will I share a room with?

All solo travellers will pair up with other travellers of the same sex… girls with girls & guys with guys. If you are travelling with a friend, let us know, and we can put you together… same if you are travelling as a couple, we will arrange a double room where possible. You can upgrade during the booking form if you’d like your own room.

Can I combine more than 1 trip together?

It’s common for our travellers to combine 2 or more of our trips. Our trips have been specifically programmed to allow you to do just that. You can often finish 1 trip on the same day another trip is just starting. After all, flight tickets are not cheap, you might as well maximise your experience if you have the time!

How do I book?

Booking your trip couldn’t be easier, find a trip that takes your fancy, pick a date, reserve your spot with a deposit and get that flight booked…

We always recommend reserving your spot before booking your flight. When our trips are full… unfortunately, they are FULL 😬 Check out our ’How it Works’ page for more information on booking your trip!!

This all seems too good to be true, how do I know it’s legit?

This is a question we recently added to our FAQs as we hear it time and time again, so we wanted to give you all a few ways to verify who we are;

• We are a UK registered company No.10549017
• Read our reviews on Facebook , Google & Trustpilot
• Join our Facebook Group ‘Feel Free Family’
• Follow our journey on Instagram

Is This For You?

We understand that travelling solo can be nerve-racking and often overwhelming. If you’re looking for a hassle-free experience from the moment you land, this is the Thailand & Vietnam trip for you! Most people travel solo, or some come with a friend/partner, either way, by the end of this adventure, you’ll have a bunch of new buddies for all those future travel plans!

If you’re all set and can’t wait, join us on this Thailand & Vietnam group tour... Book Now and reserve your spot with a small deposit of as little as £1.

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What Our Travellers Say

Other trips you might like, best of thailand - 15 days, bangkok & the south - 9 days, hanoi to hoi an - 10 days, best of vietnam - 15 days, best of sri lanka - 12 days, welcome to melbourne - 8 days, welcome to sydney - 8 days, best of bali - 12 days, share this trip with a friend, yes, it’s all included, we're here to help 😊.

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Three Awesome Southeast Asia Travel Routes For An Unforgettable Trip

Ready for an epic southeast Asia road trip? Here are three unmissable itineraries for the trip of a lifetime.

Southeast Asia. The land of majestic views, awesome beaches and unimaginable adventures. 

So… You’ve decided on your dream trip and now you’re wondering what’s the best Southeast Asia travel route to take. 

From Angkor Wat and Siem Reap to Krabi and Vang Vieng, we don’t want to hype ourselves up too much, but boyyyy we have put together a killer trio of itineraries. You’ll struggle to decide which Asia trip itinerary to choose (sorry, not sorry).

Whether you’re a beach lover, a culture addict, an adventurer or someone who’s just keen to see a little bit of everything, here are three one-month Southeast Asia travelling routes to help you rock your trip.

Ready? Pack your bags and book those flights, let’s get going…

South East Asia Travelling Routes: At A Glance

• The Beach Lover’s Dream: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia
• The Cultural Odyssey: Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar
• Adventure and Adrenaline: Vietnam, Laos, Thailand

Travelling Southeast Asia Route 1: The Beach Lovers’ Dream

Southeast Asia has more beaches than you could ever visit, even if you were travelling for a year. It’s a beach bum’s paradise. 

But which beaches do you choose? Here’s a Southeast Asia 1 month itinerary with the best beaches on the subcontinent. 

Day 1-3: Ho Coc Beach, Vietnam

Why go to Ho Coc?

*Checks watch* How long have we got? Ho Coc is a haven for rest and relaxation. We’d wager a bet that Ho Coc Beach is the most beautiful beach on the southern coast of Vietnam, with golden sands and crystal clear blue waters. 

Tip: Try to visit in the middle of the week when it’s much quieter and you will have the beach to yourself.

How to get to Ho Coc from Ho Chi Minh City?

Fly into Ho Chi Minh City, and make your way to Ho Coc Beach Resort. The cheapest way of doing this is to hire a car, which will take around 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Suggested Stay: Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort

Day 4-6: Phú Quốc

Why go to Phú Quốc?

Alright, I know we hyped up Ho Coc, but you should go to Phú Quốc as the island has some of the best beaches that Vietnam has to offer. Including its most popular beaches, Long Beach and Star Beach. 

Sink down into the golden sand and admire the swaying coconut palms (maybe accompanied by the delectable martinis from the beach bar). 

Make sure that you stay on the beach for sunset at least one day- Phú Quốc is famous for the dazzling light show it puts on every evening.

Suggested Stay: The Shells Resort & Spa

How to get to Phú Quốc from Ho Coc

It’s an early start today and drive your car back up to Ho Chi Minh City. You then need to take a bus or taxi to Ho Chi Minh Mien Tay, and then jump on the Kumho Samco Bus to Rach Gia. 

Once there, take the ferry to Phú Quốc and head onwards to your hotel. This route will take you a little over 9 hours, if you time things right. 

Day 7-10: Koh Rong Samolem and Pineapple Island, Cambodia

Why go to Koh Rong Samloem?

Koh Rong Samolem, only 9km long and 4km wide, is one of the main beach destinations in Cambodia . This spot is part of a tiny cluster of islands and, don’t tell the others, but this one is our fave.

There are great places to snorkel, kayak, mountain bike and even jungle-trek all over the island. Not to mention sun-bathing on the island’s beautiful beaches. 

They also hold Full Moon parties at Good Vibz Camp on the island during the high season. If you have more time, spend at least a few more days exploring the cool things to do in Cambodia.

Suggested Stay: Sok San Beach Resort

How to get from Phú Quốc to Koh Rong Samolem

Catch the ferry from Phú Quốc to Hà Tiên, and then take a taxi to Kampot. From Kampot, take a bus to Sihanoukville, and then a ferry to Koh Rong Samloem. This route should take about 9 and a half hours.

Day 11-14: Ko Samui and Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

Why go to Koh Samui?

This Southeast Asia travel route is all about the beaches – and there’s no way we could miss Koh Samui off the list.

It’s been a long day of travelling, we’ll give you that. But Koh Samui is more than ready to reward you for your efforts with some spectacular beaches.

Our favourites are Choeng Mon, Taling Ngam (which is the best for the sunset), and Bang Po. The latter has a reputation for being the most laid-back beach in Northern Samui – and I don’t disagree.

By now, after spending pretty much two weeks travelling Southeast Asia on a quest for the best beaches, you should be pretty relaxed. While there’s plenty of scope for more of the same in Koh Samui, take one of your three days to catch the 20 minute ferry ride to Koh PhaNgan. 

Pha Ngan doesn’t really need an introduction: the beautiful island is renowned for its white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and of course its huge full-moon party .

If you have more time, take a detour to Koh Tao, the diver’s mecca and one of the cheapest places to get your PADI qualification in the world. 

Is this the best south east Asia travel route? Hells yeah.

Suggested Stay: Moon Cottage, Choeng Mon Beach

How to get from Koh Rong Samolem to Koh Samui

First things first, get up early – you’ve got a long day of travelling to do! Although the distances when you are travelling Southeast Asia are relatively small, this is one that involves a lot of connections.

Catch the ferry back to Sihanoukville and get a taxi to the airport, and then get a flight from Sihanoukville Airport to Bangkok Airport. From there, then take a flight to Koh Samui Airport, and then a taxi to your hotel. 

This could take up to 12 hours, after waiting for your connecting flight.

Day 15-16: Railay Beach, Thailand

Why go to Railay?

You are NOT ready for Railay. Though it’s increasingly on the tourist radar, Railay has lost none of the chilled-out vibe and friendly atmosphere that attracted travellers in the first place. 

This paradise is surrounded by warm blue sea, golden sand and lush jungle – not to mention all of the karst rocks rising from the sea and in the surrounding areas. 

The area is a rock-climber’s dream and a great place to test your vertical skills if you can peel yourself off of your beach towel.

Suggested Stay: Sand Sea Resort

How to get from Koh Samui to Railay

From Koh Samui, take a ferry to Don Sak Pier. Grab a taxi to the Lomprayah Donsak Pier, and then get a bus to Krabi. Walk 9 minutes to the Krabi Town Pier, and then get a ferry to Railay Beach. 

This journey should take about 6 and a half hours. Once there, if you’re not too tired, head straight to the beach!

Day 17-19: Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Why go to Koh Phi Phi?

You didn’t really think we could make a beach lover’s South East Asia travel route without including THE Beach did you?! 

The Phi Phi island group is made up of 6 islands, but the two main ones are Phi Phi Don and the uninhabited Phi Phi Leh. Not heard of Phi Phi Leh? How about Maya Bay, where Leonardo DiCaprio’s ‘ The Beach ’ was filmed? Thought so.

These picture-perfect islands, with their tropical beaches, amazing rock formations and colourful marine life are pretty close to paradise on earth. Just don’t blame us if you don’t want to leave.

Suggested Stay: P.P. Blue Sky Resort

How to get from Railay to Koh Phi Phi?

Take the ferry from Ao Nang Pier to Phi Phi Island, which takes about an hour and a half.

Day 20-21: Ko Lanta, Thailand

Why go to Koh Lanta?

For the beaches, DUH. There are plenty of beaches on Koh Lanta (which is actually several islands), but we recommend checking out Long Beach and Klong Dao Beach, on the north of Ko Lanta Yai.  

Both have huge stretches of beautiful white sand with clear water, which make them perfect for swimming. Koh Lanta’s got a really cool vibe overall, just one of the reasons we’ve named it one of the top places to go in Thailand.

Long Beach has got something of a reputation as the island’s trendiest beach: head there for a (slightly) more upmarket vibe and lots of people spotting.  

Suggested Stay: Lanta Pearl Beach Resort

How to get from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lanta

Take the ferry from Koh Phi Phi to Koh Lanta, and then take a taxi to your hotel. This journey should take around 2 and a half hours. Now it’s time for you to explore…

Day 22-23: Ko Lipe, Thailand

Why go to Koh Lipe?

Koh Lipe is what everyone thinks of when they think of travelling Southeast Asia.

The island has 3 beaches: Sunrise Beach (our personal favourite with great views of the sunrise of course). There’s also Sunset Beach, a quieter beach with views of the sunset, and Pattaya Beach, the liveliest beach on the island, with great bars, restaurants and nightlife to entertain you. 

Guess where we spent most of our time? Answer: Pattaya.

That said, we recommend staying at Sunrise Beach, because it has got all the best bits of Pattaya without the crowds! And a tip – if you go to the top of Sunrise Beach, you can see the sunrise and also the sunset from the same spot – it’s out of this world.

Suggested Stay: Salisa Resort

How to get from Ko Lanta to Koh Lipe?

Take a taxi to the Ko Lanta Port, and then jump on a ferry to Koh Lipe, which should roughly take around 3 and a half hours.

Looking for more inspiration for a beach holiday? Our beach destination guides and tips are filled with ideas galore.

Day 24-26: Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

Why go to the Perhentian Islands?

After a few days in more popular spots, head to these islands to simply get away from it all. 

There are 2 main Perhentian Islands, Kecil, which is popular among the backpacking crowd, and Besar, which is more relaxed, full of blindingly white sand and crystal clear water.

While not as party-orientated as their Thai neighbours, you can usually find a beach party on the Perhentian Islands, and there’s always a bonfire. They’re like the Thai islands 20 years ago – all beauty and chill.

Suggested Stay: Perhentian Island Resort

How to get from Koh Lipe to the Perhentian Islands

You’ll spend most of the day travelling but it will be worth it. First take a ferry to the Pakbara Pier from Koh Lipe, and then take a taxi to Padang Besar. 

From there, get the train down to Sungai Kolok. Take a taxi or rent a car to Kota Bharu, and then take a bus to Kuala Besut. From there get the ferry to Malaysia’s stunning Perhentian Islands. 

Although this route is long, taking about 12 hours, it is by far the cheapest.

Day 27-29: Tioman Island, Malaysia

Why go to Tioman Island?

Shhhh… Tioman Island is still something of a hidden gem and you should put it onto your Southeast Asia travel route before everyone else does. It’s only 20km long by 11km wide, and the surrounding emerald sea is a perfect place to swim, snorkel and even dive. 

And it doesn’t stop there – there are cascading waterfalls, thrilling jungle hikes and laid-back island villages to bring out your adventurous side. You’ll never want to leave… Unfortunately though, your Southeast Asia travel adventure is almost over. 

On Day 30, head to Singapore Changi Airport to depart for home.

Suggested Stay: Tunamaya Beach & Spa Resort

How to get from the Perhentian Islands to Tioman Island

From the Perhentian Besar, take a ferry back to Kuala Besut. From there, take a bus to Mersing, change at Kota Bharu, and then take a ferry from Mersing Jetty to Tioman Island. 

This route will take about 13 hours, so make sure you get up early.

Want more Southeast Asia travel ideas? Check out my collection of Southeast Asia travel guides to help you plan your trip.

Travelling Southeast Asia Route 2: A Cultural Odyssey

Southeast Asia has incredible architecture, ruins and monuments, all oozing with culture (not to mention the perfect Instagram opportunity or two). 

Love culture and looking for the best Southeast Asia route for your trip? This backpacking Southeast Asia route will take you to the best of them. You can thank me later.

Day 1-3: Hué Monuments, Vietnam

Why go to Hué?

If the impressive visuals alone don’t convince you, the fact that the complex of Hué Monuments is a UNESCO world heritage site and it is located in and around the city of Hué, really should. 

History buffs will adore Hué. Designated as the capital of unified Vietnam in 1802, the huge complex features a number of monuments and ruins, such as the Imperial City, the Forbidden Purple City, and royal tombs, pagodas and temples. 

Rich in architecture and with a beautiful landscape surrounding, a visit to the Hué Monuments is definitely worth a visit if you’re on the lookout for some of the best cultural sites in Southeast Asia.

Suggested Stay: Cherish Hué Hotel

How to get to Hué from Hanoi?

Start your Southeast Asia 1 month itinerary by flying into Hanoi (if you have time – spend a day or two here checking out the best things to do in Hanoi, which has more than a few cultural sites of its own), and then get a 1 hour flight to Hué. 

Alternatively, you can take the (much slower but more panoramic) train from Hanoi to Hué. It’s one of the classic Southeast Asia travel experiences and worth it if you have the time.

Day 4-5: Mỹ Sơn Sanctuary, Vietnam

Why go to Mỹ Sơn?

The Mỹ Sơn Hindu Sanctuary is a cluster of more than 70 partially ruined Hindu temples, devoted to Hindu Gods and Goddesses, especially the God Shiva.

The intricate temples contain grand stone sculptures and towers in lush, tropical jungle settings. 

Learn from our mistakes, people. We recommend getting there in the morning, before it gets too hot and before the crowds arrive, and then returning to Hoi An in the afternoon/evening, so you can explore its Ancient Town. 

An increasing number of those travelling Southeast Asia visit the temples, but they’re still a relatively quiet spot.

Suggested Stay: Mỹ Sơn Hội An Resort and Spa

How to get from Hue to Mỹ Sơn

From Hué, take a bus to Da Nang, and then take a taxi to Mỹ Sơn. This should take about an hour and 40 minutes, but it’s best to stay in Hội An, as it is the closest big town to Mỹ Sơn.

Day 6-7: Temple of Preah Vihear, Cambodia

Why go to Preah Vihear?

This is where history nerds will really come into their own – bring your A-Level History knowledge with you. Dating back to 11BC, the site’s architecture and carved stone ornamentation is very high quality, and so well preserved for its remote location. 

Stay in a hotel in Preah Vihear for the night and then carry on exploring in the morning, before heading back to Siem Reap for night seven.

Suggested Stay in Preah Vihear: Sokha Home

How to get from Mỹ Sơn to Preah Vihear?

Take a taxi to Danang Airport and then take a flight to Siem Reap, which should take around 2 hours in total. 

In order to get to Preah Vihear, the easiest method is to rent a car, which should take about 3 hours. Preah Vihear is a temple situated on the top of a 525m cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, dedicated to the God Shiva.

Day 8-10: Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, Cambodia

Having spent the night in Siem Reap, head into Angkor Wat, a 5 minute taxi ride away. We recommend hiring a tuk tuk or bike to get around between the temples as some of the distances between the less visited ones are quite far.

Why go to Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom?

Because it’s one of the most fascinating architectural complexes on the planet – ‘nuff said.

But seriously, Angkor Wat is a complex of temples which also happens to be the largest religious monument in the world. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, this huge and incredibly detailed temple is awe-inspiring.

Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer Empire, and was a city with the residences of palace officials, military and priests inside, enclosed by a 12km high wall and a moat. 

Some of the best attractions and most important monuments in Angkor Thom to check out are the Royal Enclosure, Baphuon, Bayon and the Terrace of Elephants. 

We recommend spending about 3 days in the Angkor complex to see everything in depth.

Suggested Stay: Lotus Blanc Resort

Day 11-13: Grand Palace Bangkok, Thailand

Why go to the Grand Palace in Bangkok?

Seriously… just look at that photo! The Grand Palace is a huge complex of ornate buildings that have been the official residence of the Kings of Thailand since it was built in 1782.

There are 35 sights to see in the Grand Palace Complex, including the Phra Maha Monthian and Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall, the two oldest, and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which contains a Buddha Statue over 2000 years old. 

The beautiful complex of buildings is a must-see on your cultural sites itinerary.

The Grand Palace also features in our pick of the best things to do in Thailand – here’s why .

Suggested Stay: Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok

How to get from Siem Reap to Bangkok?

From Siem Reap, get a bus to the Bangkok Mochit Bus Terminal. This will take about 7 hours, so after arriving, head to your hotel and then explore Bangkok for the evening.

The next morning, take a short taxi ride to the Grand Palace Bangkok, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the old city.

Day 14-15: Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

Why go to Ayutthaya?

Who doesn’t want to walk among these beautiful ruins? Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Siamese Kingdom, after Sukhothai, and is an island at the meeting of the Lopburi River, the Chao Phraya River, and the Pa Sak River.

The ancient city continued to flourish until it was attacked in 1767 by the Burmese Army, and today the site boasts incredible ruins, such as the Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the largest temple in Ayutthaya, and the Phra Chedi Suriyothai, a white and gold chedi built in memory of a past queen.

Suggested Stay: iuDia Hotel

How to get from Bangkok to Ayutthaya?

Get the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya Station, taking only about 1 hour, and then get a short taxi ride to Ayutthaya.

Day 16-18: Sukhothai Historical Park, Thailand

Why go to Sukhothai?

Sukhothai Historical Park contains 193 ruins of Sukhothai, the capital of the Kingdom in the 13th-14th century. The entire area smacks you in the face with impressive temples and ruins.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, inside the park sits the remains of the Noen Prasad (the Royal Palace), Wat Mahathat (the most impressive and important temple in the park), and our favourite, Wat Sa Si, which is beautifully situated in the middle of the Traphang-Trakuan Lake.

Suggested Stay: Sawasdee Sukhothai Resort

How to get from Ayutthaya to Sukhothai?

From Ayutthaya, get a 6 hour bus journey to Sukhothai, and then get a short taxi ride to the Sukhothai Historical Park.

Day 19-21: Luang Prabang, Laos

Why go to Luang Prabang?

We could ramble on about our love of Laos for hours, but Luang Prabang might just be our fave spot. This is an ancient town in Northern Laos , which lies between the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. 

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is well known for its beautiful and ornate Buddhist temples and monasteries, including the Wat Xiang Kong Temple, and also for its natural sites, such as Mount Phou Si and the Kuang Si Falls.

Suggested Stay: Indigo House Hotel

How to get from Sukhothai to Luang Prabang?

Get up early because you’ve got a whole day of travelling to do! Get a bus from Sukhothai to Phitsanulok, and then a bus to Loei. 

All in all this should take about 15 hours, so we recommend heading straight to your hotel and resting before you start exploring tomorrow.

Laos is also one of the cheapest countries in the world and the perfect destination to help your cash go further. Check out the full list of affordable holiday destinations for a luxury trip .

Day 22-24: Chiang Rai, Thailand

Why go to Chiang Rai?

Views, views, and more views. This south east Asia route is a killer.

Chiang Rai is a big city in Northern Thailand, and it is home to some of the best sights in the country, such as Wat Ming Meuang, Wat Phra Singh and White Temple. 

But one of our favourite things was going up to the top of Buffalo Horn Hill – the views over the city were incredible. 

Suggested Stay: Maryo Resort

How to get from Luang Prabang to Chiang Rai?

From Luang Prabang, get a bus to Chiang Kong, and then another bus to Chiang Rai. This in total will take about 13 hours, so head to your hotel when you get there. 

The other option is to take a two-day slowboat from Luang Prabang up the Mekong river to the Thai border, cross into Thailand and then get another bus to Chiang Rai from there.

Day 25-27: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Why go to Chiang Mai?

Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand – it’s comparable to Bangkok, but with far fewer people. Which makes for a far more pleasant experience, if you ask us. 

There’s a vast array of things to see in the city, including Wat Phra That Doi Kham, Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep. If you want a more relaxed day, it’s also the kind of place where you can just leisurely walk and take in the Thai atmosphere, sampling scoffing some of the local cuisine. 

And if nature is more your thing, take a short scooter or Tuk Tuk ride out of the town into the rain-forested countryside, which is interspersed with beautiful waterfalls.

Suggested Stay: Anantara Chiang Mai

How to get from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai?

Get a bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai, which takes about 3 hours.

Day 28-30: Bagan, Myanmar

Why go to Bagan?

It’s a hidden gem! Bagan is an ancient city in Myanmar, known as the temple town, and home to 2,229 temples and pagodas. Trust us, Bagan is guaranteed to be one of the highlights on your cultural Southeast Asia travel route.

We recommend seeing the Ananda Temple and the Shwesandaw Temple, also known as the ‘sunset temple’ – head here in the evening to see the fantastic Bagan sunset.

On your last day, head to Mandalay Airport to get a connecting flight home.

Suggested Stay: Royal Bagan Hotel

How to get from Chiang Mai to Bagan?

Fly from Chiang Mai to Yangon, the Myanmar capital where you will connect onto another flight to Nyaung-U and get a taxi from there to Bagan.

Travelling Southeast Asia Route 3: Adrenaline + Adventure

Adventure opportunities abound when you travel Southeast Asia, so if you’re an adrenaline-seeker, this is the place to go. 

Whether you’re into diving, hiking or climbing, this continent’s got it all. This is your backpacking Southeast Asia route for ultimate thrills.

Day 1-2: Sandboarding at Mũi Né, Vietnam

Why go to Mũi Né?

Not that you’ll ever be bored on this trip, but this is the place where thrillseekers will thrive.

Mũi Né is a beach resort town in Southern Vietnam, famous for its Saharan-like white and red sand dunes, which are perfect for sandboarding down. And if you want something even more upbeat, try the quad bikes or the dune buggies.

Suggested Stay: The Cliff Resort and Residences

How to get to Mũi Né

Start your Southeast Asia 1 month itinerary by flying into Ho Chi Minh City, and then from there take a bus to Phan Thiet, and then a bus from there to Mũi Né. This all in all should take around 4 hours. 

On your first day, I suggest heading to your hotel for an early night before your month of adventure begins. Of course, it’s completely up to you whether you take that advice or not and you could start your Southeast Asia travel itinerary with a bang.

Day 3-5: Spelunking (Caving) at Hang Sơn Đoòng, Vietnam

Why Visit Hang Sơn Đoòng?

Nature lovers will adore this beautiful Vietnamese spot.

Located in the middle of the Vietnamese jungle in the Quang Binh Province, Hang Sơn Đoòng is the world’s largest cave – it’s 3 sizes of Wembley Stadium! And inside there is even a fast-flowing subterranean river. 

One of nature’s most incredible natural marvels, you can’t miss this on your Southeast Asia travel route.

Suggested Stay: Riverside Hotel – Quang Binh

How to get from Mũi Né to Hang Sơn Đoòng

Get up early, as you have a long travel day ahead. From Mũi Né, take a bus back to Phan Thiet, and then take another bus to Nha Trang Dien Thuan. 

Take one more bus from there to Dong Hoi Quang Binh, and then take a taxi to your hotel.

Day 6-8: Rock Climbing in Vang Vieng, Laos

Why go to Vang Vieng?

Vang Vieng is a tourist-oriented town in Laos. Originally, it’s known for its bars, partying and tubing, it’s a cool destination in itself. 

Rock-climbing is Vang Vieng’s hidden gem. The small town is surrounded by beautiful cliffs overlooking idyllic greenery and rice paddies. So clip on your gear and hold on to your ropes – there are cliffs for you to climb!

Check out our guide to rock climbing in Vang Vieng.

Suggested stay: Silver Naga Hotel

How to get from Hang Son Dong to Vang Vieng

Get the bus to Dong Hoi airport, fly to Luang Prabang and then get the bus from Luang Prabang to Vang Vieng.

Day 9-11: Hiking from Luang Prabang to Ban Hadkhor, Laos

Why hike from luang prabang to ban hadkor.

This two day hike starts at Luang Prabang, passing through Ban Hadkhang, Pha Theung, and finishing in Ban Had Khor. We love this route because you get to see a massive area of jungle landscape, as well as walk through local villages and trek across rice paddies. 

Camp on the riverbank overnight and then kayak to the Holy Pak Ou Cave on the second day, before heading back to Luang Prabang. It’s fabulous.

Green Discovery Tour from Luang Prabang to Ban Hadkhor

How to get to Luang Prabang from Vang Vieng?

Catch a direct bus from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, which takes around 6 hours. Then it’s time to get your hiking boots on.

Day 12-17: Hiking, Ziplining and Waterfall Abseiling in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is filled with an abundance of things to do.

First off, head into the jungle for a three-day hike. This trek allows visitors to hike all over the landscapes of Chiang Mai, swim in waterfalls and walk in the jungle. 

We’ll level with you – we don’t recommend taking a tour that visits the Karen Hill tribes, thanks to the questions of exploitation and ethics that surround these, nor do we advocate any treks that involve elephant riding. 

We think that hiking through the Chiang Mai jungle is an adventure enough though, so you should definitely do it.

Next up is ziplining. Nothing says adventure like zipping through the sky at fast speed. Chiang Mai’s ‘Flight of the Gibbon’ zip-line is not only the first in Chiang Mai, but the first in all of Asia! It features 5km of zip lines with 33 platforms, as well as abseiling and sky bridges.

If you’re not exhausted from your days of thrills, it’s time to go waterfall abseiling . After trekking in the forest and jungle, you can abseil down a 100m rocky waterfall in the middle of the jungle. 

If you want an adrenaline rush paired with some beautiful scenery, this is the one for you.

Suggested Stay: Wing Bed

How to get from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai?

The easiest way to travel from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai is to take a direct flight. The much slower and more scenic way is to take a two-day slow boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Khong and then get the bus from Chiang Khong to Chiang Mai.

Day 18-20: Scuba Diving in Koh Tao

Why go to Koh Tao?

We’re sure you’ve heard plenty of tales about Koh Tao – but mainly, Koh Tao is a fabulous place to scuba dive. With over 20 different dive sites, and we recommend using Crystal Dive as your guides. 

If you’ve ever thought about getting your PADI diving qualification, Koh Tao is the place to do it. 

There aren’t many places where your first dives will be in such spectacular sites. Crystal Dive offers normal dives and also wreck dives for the more adventurous among you, with all sites boasting stunning reefs.

Suggested Stay: Mango Bay Boutique Resort

How to get from Chiang Mai to Koh Tao?

From Chiang Mai Airport, fly to Koh Samui. From there, take the ferry to Koh Tao. All in all, this should take around 6 hours.

Day 21-23: Rock Climbing at Railay Beach, Thailand

Why go to railay beach.

Around Railay Beach is a rock climber’s paradise – all of the rock is limestone and part of the world’s largest coral reef. With over 700 routes around Railay Beach, ranging from beginner to extreme, there’s something for everyone. 

And if that’s not enticing enough, the views of the beautiful beaches should have you hooked. We recommend climbing with Real Rocks Climbing School .

How to get from Koh Tao to Railay?

From Koh Tao, take a 2 hour ferry to Koh Samui, and then take a bus to Krabi. Take a short walk to the Krabi Town Pier, and then get a ferry to Railay Beach. This journey should take about 6 and a half hours.

Day 24-26: Scuba Diving in Andaman Islands

Why go to the Andaman Islands?

Because who doesn’t dream of spending a couple of days on what feels like a private island? The islands are very remote and so have excellent areas for diving with stunning turquoise waters. 

In fact, diving in the Andaman Islands is some of the best in the world. That’s why it deserves its place on this epic southeast Asia itinerary.

There are hundreds of deserted islands to explore, a chance to snorkel with swimming elephants, and a dive site at a live volcano with beautiful marine life, near Barren Island. What more could you want?! 

We recommend diving with Original Diving . After you’ve finished your scuba diving, fly to Delhi, where you will make your trip home, until next time.

Suggested Stay: Advhasaha Resort

How to get from Railay to the Andaman Islands?

The last stop on your adventurous trip is probably the longest to get to, but it is probably also the best – so don’t stop now! Go to Krabi Airport and then get a flight to Port Blair, stopping at Bangkok and Madras, taking a total of about 17 hours.

Useful Resources

Travel currency.

UK travellers can take advantage of the fee-free Monzo prepaid card. Spend your money on cocktails and hotels, not on bank charges.

The Lonely Planet and Rough Guides are go-to reliable books for your Southeast Asia trip.

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Sophie Ritchie is a writer for The Discoveries Of. She’s had a passion for travelling since a young age, and loves to visit new places every year. If she had to pick a favourite place it would be Cuba. Her ultimate dream? To travel to every country in South America.

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If you have more time you could add Da Nang at the beginning of the trip and then to Nha Trang to go to Cam Ranh Bay. At the other end of the trip you could add the Mentawai islands and then the Gili Islands.

Thanks for the suggestions – totally agree. Although there’s a lot you can add in if you are going to Indonesia as well as SE Asia.

Thailand looks insane!! It has been on my mind for a while and after reading this, I know its my next destination!! Great guide and options for different types of travelers!

Hey Aaren – it’s really cool and I love it. In fact, heading back later this year. I hope you have a brilliant time!

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Discovering the Best of Asia in One Month: A Budget-Friendly Itinerary

Asia is a continent with a wide range of cultures, landscapes, and experiences to offer, and one month is the perfect amount of time to explore some of its highlights. However, traveling to Asia can be quite expensive, but with a bit of planning and research, it is possible to have an amazing time on a budget.

A great place to start your one-month Asian itinerary is Bangkok, Thailand. The city is known for its rich culture, delicious street food, and fascinating temples. It is also a great base for exploring other parts of Thailand such as Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya and more. While in Bangkok, you can visit Wat Arun, Wat Pho, Wat Saket and many other temples, which are all free to enter. Additionally, you can also take a boat ride along the city’s famous canals and enjoy delicious street food, which is quite affordable.

Next, consider visiting Vietnam, known for its stunning landscapes, delicious food and rich history. A good place to start is in the capital Hanoi, known for its ancient architecture, bustling markets, and street food. You can also take a day trip to Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and explore its limestone islands and emerald green waters.

After Vietnam, you can head to Cambodia, known for its ancient temples and rich history. A highlight of Cambodia is Angkor Wat, one of the most famous temples in the world. In addition to visiting Angkor Wat, you can also explore other temples such as Bayon, Ta Prohm and more, which are all part of the Angkor Archaeological Park.

From Cambodia, you can then head to Malaysia, known for its beaches, rainforests, and delicious food. A good place to start is in Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, where you can visit the famous Petronas Twin Towers, and the Batu Caves. From there, you can head to the island of Langkawi, where you can enjoy beautiful beaches, crystal clear waters, and lush jungles.

In conclusion, a one-month itinerary in Asia can be a budget-friendly way to explore some of the continent’s highlights. By visiting destinations such as Bangkok, Hanoi, Siem Reap and Kuala Lumpur, you can experience a wide range of cultures, landscapes, and experiences, while also keeping your budget in check. Remember to plan ahead, do research to find the best deals, and be flexible with your itinerary. With careful planning, you can make the most of your one-month Asian adventure and enjoy the best of this diverse and fascinating continent.

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The Ultimate 1 Month Vietnam Itinerary And Travel Guide

By: Author Lotte

Posted on Last updated: March 29, 2024

Categories Vietnam

Vietnam is a wonderful country in Southeast Asia. There are lush rice fields in the North and tropical islands in the South.

In between, you can find anything from stunning limestone mountains to colorful temples, historic sites, and interesting cities.

This Vietnam itinerary includes the best things to do in Vietnam and will help you plan your trip. Happy travels!

The ultimate 1 month Vietnam itinerary

Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). We're very grateful when you use our links to make a purchase:-).

Vietnam 1 month itinerary

In the map below you can find our Vietnam travel itinerary, accommodations, and highlights of our month in Vietnam.

I traveled from North to South but you can also do this Vietnam trip itinerary in reverse.

Click here for the interactive map.

The perfect 1 month Vietnam itinerary

Day 1-2: hanoi.

• Day 3-4 : Halong Bay
• Day 5: Perfume Pagoda
• Day 6-7:  Hoa Lu and Tam Coc
• Day 8-9:  Hue
• Day 10: Hai Van Pass and the Marble Mountains
• Day 11-17:  Hoi An
• Day 18-19: Hoi An to Dalat (via Nha Trang)
• Day 20-21: Dalat and around
• Day 22:  Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City

Day 23-25: Ho Chi Minh City and around

• Day 26:  Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc

Day 27-29: Phu Quoc Island

Plan your Southeast Asia trip like a pro with these tools: ✈️ Find the best flight deals on Kiwi.com . ? Book your transport tickets (train, bus, ferry, minivan, and more) via 12Go.Asia ?️ Find your dream accommodation on Booking.com or Agoda . ? Book the best tours with Klook and Get Your Guide . ? Plan your journey with the  Lonely Planet . ?️ Travel safely and get reliable travel insurance from Safety Wing .

Important things to know when planning a Vietnam trip

The best time to visit Vietnam is between February and April . Vietnam is a long narrow country with different climates in the north and south. While the north can be ‘chilly' in winter (around 15°C), temperatures in the south are much more consistent throughout the year (between 22°C and 30°C).

The official currency in Vietnam is the  Vietnamese Dong (VND).   Here  you can find the current exchange rates, at the time of writing €1 is approximately 26.000VND and $1 is approximately 23.000VND.

Yes, most nationalities need a visa for Vietnam . You can apply for a visa online. Keep in mind you will need to pay two fees: online you will pay the Visa Pre-Approval Letter Fee and once you arrive at the airport you must pay a Stamping Fee (to be paid in cash, so be sure to bring dollars).

Traveling and getting around in Vietnam is pretty easy. There are many options to choose from (flights, night trains, night buses, minivans, taxis, motor tours, etc.) and plenty of travel agencies selling tickets to each of those options, as well as organized tours . In the itinerary below, you can find more detailed information about how to travel from A to B in Vietnam.

Where to stay in Vietnam on a budget

In this table, you can find the accommodation we stayed at during our trip around Vietnam.

These hotels are all rated 8+ on Agoda and Booking , we stayed in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms. More details about these hotels can be found further on in the post.

Note: Prices for these hotels depend on the time of year and how far in advance you book. Therefore, the prices mentioned above are a rough indication of the price per night to help you compare the different options. Use ‘click here' to see the latest prices and book ahead to get the best deal.

Itinerary for Vietnam

Ideally, if you have a month in Vietnam as we did, you’d travel from North to South (or vice versa). It's best to start your trip in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, as these are the largest hubs for international flights.

If you have less time available to explore Vietnam, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. Further on in the post, I also suggest shorter options (7 and 10 days, plus 2 and 3 weeks) for your Vietnam travel itinerary.

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam and a fusion of different cultures (Vietnamese, French, and Chinese).

It's a busy city, with many (historic) sights, a chaotic but interesting Old Quarter, beautiful temples, and an abundance of restaurants serving delicious Vietnamese dishes.

I recommend spending at least two days in Hanoi, though you could easily stay much longer in this buzzing city without running out of things to see and do.

Spend two days exploring Hanoi on foot, board a two-day cruise to Halong Bay , and join a tour of the Perfume Pagoda, or a day trip to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc .

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

I personally found visiting the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh very impressive, though also a little creepy.

I mean, the man died in 1969, and yet it looks like he is sleeping in his glass coffin and could wake up any minute.

Combined with an impressive number of guards, soldiers, and other officials and the endless line of Vietnamese honoring their great leader made visiting the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum a very unusual experience.

Visiting the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is free, but there can be long queues. The mausoleum is only open from 7:30 am until 10:30 am, so it's best to arrive very early in the morning. Closed on Mondays and Fridays.

Ho Chi Minh Museum

While this museum is mostly a promotional campaign of the Communist Party of Vietnam, it's interesting to learn about history from this point of view.

However, I'll be honest: this wasn't the highlight of my Hanoi itinerary and if you only have one day in Hanoi, I'd skip this particular sight.

The entrance fee is 40.000VND per person and the museum is closed on Mondays and Fridays. On the other days of the week, you can visit from 8 am to12 pm or from 2 pm until 4.30 pm.

The Temple of Literature

This ancient temple was built around the year 1100 and nobles, royalty, and other members of the elite traveled from faraway places to study Confucianism here.

It's pretty incredible that the building is almost 1000 years old. Take a moment to look around and imagine how life must have been in those times.

The Temple of Literature is open every day of the week from 8 am until 6 pm. The entrance fee is 30.000VND per person.

Ngoc Son Temple

Located on a tiny island in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, it is hard to imagine a place more suited for a temple. It feels like an oasis of peacefulness in the middle of busy Hanoi.

The entrance fee is 30.000VND per person, there is a small booth left of the bridge where you can purchase a ticket. The Ngoc Son Temple is open every day of the week from 8 am until 6 pm.

Where to stay in Hanoi on a budget

Hanoi Serenity Hotel is a great place to stay in the middle of the Old Quarter. The rooms are spacious, clean, and modern.

Breakfast is good and included in the price. The staff is very welcoming and helpful.

Check prices on Agoda | Check prices on Booking

How to travel from Noi Bai International Airport to Hanoi city center

The easiest way, in my opinion, is taking the Vietjet airport shuttle bus.

This bus leaves every 1-2 hours and costs just 40.000 VND per adult. The price is clearly listed on the side of the bus, so you don't need to bargain.

The bus will stop next to Hoan Kiem Lake, where you can disembark and either walk or take a taxi to your accommodation (depending on where you are staying).

Travel tip: if you're exhausted from a long flight and want to get from Noi Bai International Airport to your hotel in Hanoi in a faster way, I recommend booking a private transfer . Your professional driver will be waiting with a personal welcome sign and deliver you safely to your Hanoi hotel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Click here to book your airport transfer .

Day 3-4: A two-day cruise in Halong Bay

Halong Bay is gorgeous, with its blue-green water and steep limestone cliffs rising high above the water, as far as your eyes can see.

It's one of the most popular places to visit in Vietnam and a UNESCO heritage site.

However, I have to admit that while the cruise was a lot of fun and we spent a lot of time chatting with the other travelers on the boat, I didn’t find Ha long Bay as impressive as I thought I would.

Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe I was spoilt because we had just visited El Nido in the Philippines , which to me is the ultimate tropical island paradise.

We also were a bit unlucky with the weather. On the first day of our cruise, it was extremely foggy and we barely saw anything of the famous cliffs.

Also, there were many other boats and a lot of trash floating in the water.

That being said, we enjoyed our cruise and I'm happy we went on this cruise. Halong Bay is a unique place to visit and should be part of any itinerary to Vietnam.

Important: cruising Halong Bay is a very popular activity in Vietnam. If you want to make sure you can travel on specific dates I strongly encourage you to book ahead.

Furthermore, I highly recommend booking with a reputable tour operator , I have heard horror stories from other travelers who ended up on a boat with huge rats.

Also check if meals and transport are included and if there are additional fees (for example, to enter Sung Sot Cave or to use a kayak).

This popular Halong Bay tour has great ratings from other travelers (4.8 stars out of 5).

Day 5: Day trip to the famous Perfume Pagoda

I really enjoyed our tour of the Perfume Pagoda because coincidentally we timed our visit perfectly. We did our tour of the Perfume Pagoda tour shortly after the Vietnamese New Year.

The week after the Vietnamese New Year, many Vietnamese people visit this particular pagoda and the Huong Tich cave to make an offering, which makes the tour extra interesting.

During this tour, our guide told us a lot about the complex combination of religions practiced in Vietnam (Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism).

To get to the Pagoda complex, we took a seat in a tiny boat rowed by a small but surprisingly strong Vietnamese man.

During this boat trip over the Yen Stream, we passed lots of boats jam-packed with Vietnamese families who were on their way to visit the pagoda as well.

They smiled enthusiastically, waved, and took pictures of us and it made for an amusing boat trip. Click here to book a tour to the Perfume Pagoda .

Day 6: Day trip to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc

This was the last of the three tours I did around Hanoi and my favorite one as well.

First, we visited Hoa Lu, which was the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009 during the rule of the Dinh Dynasty.

While this historic site was definitely interesting to visit, the highlight of the tour is Tam Coc. The area around Tam Coc is absolutely stunning, it's kind of similar to Halong Bay but with rice fields instead of water.

There are massive limestone cliffs soaring high above bright green rice fields, a beautiful sight!

We made a lovely boat trip along the Hoang Long River (the lady rowing the boat rowed with her feet!) and passed through an impressive case.

While this is a very worthwhile tour, please note that the bus ride from Hanoi to Tam Coc takes at least two hours (depending on traffic).

We opted not to go back to Hanoi, instead, we spent the night at Tam Coc as we planned to travel south.

Check out this excellent Hoa Lu and Tam Coc tour for more detailed information and book your ticket online .

Where to stay in Tam Coc on a budget

Tuan Ngoc Hotel is a small-scale hotel in Tam Coc and one of the best accommodations we stayed at during our one-month Vietnam trip.

The family who runs the hotel is incredibly friendly and really makes you feel at home. The rooms are clean, the bed is very comfortable and the Wi-Fi was good.

All the food was delicious and freshly prepared. A highly recommended place to stay!

Day 7-8: explore Tam Coc and travel to Hue by night train

I was very happy we got to spend another day admiring the beautiful surroundings of Tam Coc. We rented a bicycle and cycled over sandy roads between the rice fields.

We often rent bicycles during our travels and I always very much enjoy this.

Not only is it an eco-friendly way of exploring a place, but it's also healthy and allows for plenty of opportunities to make a quick stop to take a picture.

How to travel from Ninh Binh to Hue by night train

From Tuan Ngoc Hotel it's a 15-minute taxi ride to Ninh Binh station (we paid 100.000 VND). About 15 minutes before the train arrives, a bell will chime and railway employees will check your tickets.

Usually, they will guide you to the right spot on the platform, so you can board the cabin listed on your train tickets ticket.

I enjoyed our train trips in Vietnam. The 4 people soft sleeper cabins are pretty comfortable and I usually got a decent night's sleep. For more information about train travel in Vietnam, check seat61.com .

My most important tip for train travel in Vietnam is to book your train tickets online , at least a couple of days in advance! Beds sell out fast, particularly the soft sleepers.

Click here to book your train tickets via 12Go.

Day 8-9: Hue and around

I spent two lovely days in Hue, the capital of the Nguyễn emperors.

On our first day in Hue, we visited the Imperial City and on the second day, we rented a bicycle and cycled along the Perfume River.

The Imperial City

Hue was the capital of the Nguyễn emperors, who build the Citadel between 1804 and 1833.

Within the 2.5 by 2.5km and 6-meter high wall of the Citadel, the emperors build the Imperial Enclosure and within this enclosure, they build the Forbidden Purple City; a place only the emperor, his concubines, and eunuchs were allowed to enter.

Unfortunately, much of the complex has been destroyed during the Vietnam War, but with help from UNESCO, it is being restored.

The Imperial City is a very impressive complex, with beautiful temples and gardens and a must-visit during any Hue itinerary.

The complex is very green and quiet, it felt like we were the only ones there! Be sure to bring enough water along, it can get quite hot during the day.

The entrance fee to the Imperial City in Hue is 150.000 VND per person. The complex is open daily from 8 am until 5:30 pm (10 pm on Thursday evenings!)

Rent a bicycle

On our second day in Hue, we rented bicycles from our hotel and explored the area around Hue.

Thien Mu Pagoda

We visited the seven-story tall Thien Mu Pagoda, which is often regarded as the symbol of Hue. Found on the northern bank of the Perfume River, the Pagoda is an easy 5-kilometer bike ride from Hue city center.

Keep in mind there are monks living at the site so be sure to dress and behave respectfully.

Chùa Huyền Không temple

Another nice place to visit is the Chùa Huyền Không temple. This unknown temple is beautiful and highly worth a visit. It was built in 1973, around the temple there are lovely gardens and small lilyponds.

From the Thien Mu Pagoda, it's another 3km by bike to reach the Huyen Khong temple.

Other things to do in Hue

If you have more time to spend in Hue, other worthwhile activities are a day trip to Bach Ma National Park , the Tomb of Minh Mang, or the Tomb of Tu Duc.

? Only got a day to explore Hue? Check out this full-day private tour and visit the most significant and popular sights in Hue, (and learn more about the city's interesting history ) . Check availability here .

Where to stay in Hue on a budget

We received such a warm welcome at the Charming Riverside hotel . A cold towel, fresh fruit, juice, and information about Hue and the places of interest in the city.

There are different room options and some even have a river view! Bicycle rental for $2 a day. Breakfast is excellent and the staff is very helpful and accommodating.

Day 10: how to travel from Hue to Hoi An (by minivan)

The distance between Hue and Hoi An is only 150km and shouldn't take more than three hours without stopping along the way. However, that was not what happened during our trip from Hue to Hoi An…

The day before we departed, I asked the hotel how to get from Hue to Hoi An. No problem, they exclaimed, we have a minivan that can take you there for $15 per person.

I booked two tickets and we were picked up by an empty minivan the next morning. But as always in Southeast Asia, that quickly changed, and more and more people piled into the van.

After driving for about half an hour, the driver's phone went off, he had a short chat and pulled over. When one of the passengers asked why we had stopped the driver cheerfully said that more people were coming.

Apparently, they had forgotten to pick up two people in Hue, who were now on their way to our location in a cab. We patiently waited for a while until the missing passengers arrived and resumed our journey.

A friendly Vietnamese guy started talking about the surroundings, and the villages we passed and shared some historical facts.

Interesting, I thought, but why exactly is he telling this stuff? It turned out he was our guide.

Yes, apparently, I did not just book a transfer from Hue to Hoi An, I booked a tour!

Hai Van Pass

Along the way from Hue to Hoi An, we stopped at Hai Van Pass, a 600-meter high pass that gained instant fame when Jeremy Clarkson declared it ‘ A deserted ribbon of perfection ’ in the Vietnam special of Top Gear.

Beautiful? Definitely!

Deserted? Not so much.

The Marble Mountains

We also stopped at the Marble Mountains, which turned out to be an interesting place to visit.

There were many caves and Buddha statues, each of them slightly different. I didn’t know the difference between the different poses and types of Buddha statues but learned a lot during our visit to the Marble Mountains (see pictures above).

The entrance fee to the Marble Mountains is 40.000VND per person. The complex is open every day of the week from 7 am to 5:30 pm.

Final destination: Hoi An

Eventually, we arrived in Hoi An around 5 pm, after a great day of sightseeing. The tour reconfirmed my earlier lessons and my advice to you: when in Southeast Asia, always expect the unexpected:-)

For my husband and myself, it wasn't an issue that the trip had taken an entire day as we were planning to stay in Hoi An for at least a couple of days.

However, some of the passengers would be traveling back to Hue the next day, which unfortunately meant their day of sightseeing in Hoi An was cut short…

Day 11-17: exploring and relaxing in Hoi An

While we planned to spend three days in Hoi An , we ended up spending an entire week! Hoi An is a lovely town, with great food and a very relaxed vibe.

When darkness falls, Hoi An feels like a fairy tale village, lit by thousands of colorful lanterns.

Hoi An Old Town

Hoi An Old Town is a UNESCO world heritage site, with many beautiful historic buildings.

To visit these historic buildings, you need to buy a Hoi An Old Town admission ticket at one of the ticket booths spread around town.

The ticket gives you entrance to five historic buildings. There are 22 sights listed on the heritage map (you'll get one of these when purchasing the ticket) so choose carefully.

On the ticket, it says that it is valid for 24 hours only, but we used the same ticket on Monday and Wednesday without any issues. Some of the most popular sites to visit are:

• The Fujian Assembly Hall (also called Phuoc Kien)
• The Japanese Covered Bridge
• Duc An Old House
• Cam Pho Communal House
• Hoi An Museum

? Got more time to spend in Hoi An? Book this Hoi An bicycle tour and ride through the scenic countryside of Vietnam as you learn about the local way of life and enjoy a delicious lunch. Check availability here .

Have a massage

Something to add to your Hoi An itinerary is getting a massage. In Hoi An, there are many different spas, suitable for every budget.

I had a very relaxing massage at the Kiman hotel , which cost around 300.000 VND and took about an hour.

Get a custom-made dress

If you are looking to get a custom-made dress, suit, or other garments, Hoi An is the place to buy this. I had a beautiful dress made for my sister's wedding that I still wear.

Take a cooking class

During our week in Hoi An, we also took a cooking class . Before the actual cooking started, the instructors took us to the local market to buy the ingredients we were going to use in the dishes.

We learned to make fresh spring rolls and sauteed chicken. I love Vietnamese food and it tasted even better when we prepared it ourselves. Check the availability of the cooking class here.

Hang out at one of the many cafes

One of the best things about Hoi An was relaxing in one of the many cafes! I am a bit of a coffee addict and our favorite place in Hoi An was 11 Coffee.

Phap, the owner of 11 Coffee, is a great guy and a real coffee enthusiast. I can highly recommend visiting his cute cafe, we went there almost every day during our time in Hoi An.

Join a day trip to My Son

One of the most important historic sites near Hoi An is the UNESCO World Heritage site My Son Sanctuary . Learn about the Champa Kingdom and explore the ruins of this former capital.

Click here to book a tour to My Son Sanctuary.

Where to stay in Hoi An on a budget

Option 1: jolie villa homestay.

Our first hotel in Hoi An was Jolie Villa Homestay . We stayed in a spacious room with a huge comfortable bed.

The bathroom was large, clean, and modern. Also, the shower was high enough for tall people such as my husband, which is rare in Vietnam!

Wi-Fi was good (each room has its own router) and there are free bicycles available. You can also freely use the swimming pool at the Kiman hotel , which is also run by this lovely family).

But first and foremost, the host family is awesome, super-friendly, and helpful. They know each guest by name from the moment you arrive and make you feel very welcome. We had an excellent stay here!

Option 2: Sac Xanh homestay

Because all the rooms at Jolie Villa were booked and we wanted to stay in Hoi An for a couple more days, we looked for another hotel and found Sac Xanh homestay .

This was another great budget hotel and we had such a lovely stay with this family. The rooms are basic but spotlessly clean, the bed (with mosquito net) is super comfortable and there are free bicycles available.

The best thing about this homestay was the host family who was very friendly, welcoming, and helpful throughout our stay.

They arranged transport for us to Da Nang train station and helped us make a reservation for bus tickets from Nha Trang to Dalat.

Also, they made us a delicious Vietnamese breakfast each morning. On the day of our departure, the family organized a special going away lunch and the food was among the best we had in Vietnam.

Day 18-19: how to travel from Hoi An to Dalat (via Nha Trang)

After a relaxing week in Hoi An, it was time to move on. The next destination on our Vietnam tour itinerary was Dalat. In the table above you can find more details about our journey from Hoi An to Dalat.

Even though it was a 24-hour journey, it didn't feel that long because we had a good night of sleep aboard the overnight train and the road from Nha Trang to Dalat was breathtaking.

Click here to book your train tickets from Danang to Nha Trang and bus tickets from Nha Trang to Dalat

Day 20-21: Dalat

We rented two mountain bikes from our accommodation, Cam Ly homestay , to explore Da lat and its surroundings. Dalat is located in the mountains and there are many fun things to see and do.

Ho Xuan Huong Lake

On our first day in Dalat, we cycled around Ho Xuan Huong Lake, located in the heart of Dalat.

The Crazy House

Southwest of the lake you can find the Crazy House, a maze of stairs, and hidden passages in a Gaudi meets fairytale style.

The entrance fee for the Crazy House is 60.000VND per person. It's open every day of the week, from 8.30 am to 7 pm.

Did you know? Besides visiting the Crazy House, you can actually spend the night in one of the 10 unique themed rooms!

We wandered around the Crazy House for about an hour, before cycling to the train station of Dalat.

A train ride from Dalat to Trai Mat

At the pretty Dalat railway station, we got on a beautifully restored train, which brought us to Trai Mat, a little village about 7km away.

In the table below you can find the departure times, the ride from Dalat to Trai Mat (and vice versa) takes approximately 30 minutes.

A return train ticket from Dalat to Trai Mat costs 126.000VND per person

Linh Phuoc temple (Trai Mat)

In Trai Mat, we visited the unique Linh Phuoc temple. The main feature of the temple is the 7-meter high and 49-meter long dragon, which is made of 12.000 bottles!

After our visit to Trai Mat, we returned to Dalat on the historic train and cycled back to our homestay.

Datanla Falls

On our second day in Dalat, we cycled to the Datanla Falls (approximately 6km from town), a nice place to visit. The entrance fee to the Datanla Waterfalls is 30.000VND per person.

? Looking for an adventure? Go on an epic canyoning adventure at the Datanla Waterfalls! Check availability here .

Dalat Truc Lam Zen Monastery

We continued our Dalat itinerary and cycled to the Truc Lam Zen Monastery, located on top of a mountain. This serene complex has lovely gardens and beautiful buildings.

The Truc Lam Zen complex is a lovely place to relax and contemplate all the beautiful things you have seen so far on your trip to Vietnam.

Luckily the way back from the Truc Lam Zen Pagoda to Dalat was mostly downhill, we were pretty tired from climbing all the steep mountains!

? Take the Robin Hill Cable Car and enjoy more panoramic view of Dalat. Click here to buy cable car tickets .

Where to stay in Dalat on a budget

Our stay at Cam Ly Homestay in Dalat was lovely! When we arrived Tri, the owner, welcomed us by name and showed us to our room.

The room was spacious and light, with a comfortable bed (with mosquito net). It had a nice view of the Cam Ly stream and a small balcony.

I highly recommend joining one of the BBQ evenings; there is great food (homemade spring rolls!), and cheap beers and it's a great way to meet other travelers and exchange stories.

Day 22: Dalat to Ho Chi Minh City 

Tri, the kind owner of Cam Ly homestay , called the airport shuttle bus the day before our departure and the next morning the shuttle bus picked us up from the homestay (only 15 minutes late, which in Southeast Asia is considered right on time;-).

Liên Khương Airport is located about 30 km south of Dalat, so it wasn't a long bus ride and we arrived at the airport with plenty of time to check in.

The flight from Dalat to Ho Chi Minh was also very short, just 50 minutes. From Ho Chi Minh airport we took bus 152 to the city center.

On the bus, we had to buy one ticket for ourselves and one for our big backpacks.

Granted, these took up just as much space as the average Vietnamese person. And when a ticket costs a mere 5000 VND you can't really complain anyway.

Click here to book a flight to Ho Chi Minh

The word that immediately comes to mind when I think about Ho Chi Minh City is organized chaos.

The rule when crossing the street isn’t ‘ Walk when the traffic light is green ’ but ‘Don’t mind the color of the traffic light, just cross slowly but surely and maintain eye contact all the time’ . 

Whatever you do: don’t stop!

It still amazes me that I have only seen one traffic incident in my month in Vietnam, so despite the chaos, it all seems to work out pretty well.

There are many things to do in Ho Chi Minh City, as well as in the surrounding area.

I really wanted to visit the Independence Palace (pictured above), the home and office of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Unfortunately, it was closed during our visit, but it's usually open daily from 8 am to 4 pm.

We also visited the Mariamman Hindu temple , the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Saigon Central Post Office (pictured below).

The post office was definitely my favorite building, I loved the symmetry on the inside of this beautiful place.

Other places we visited in Ho Chi Minh were the War Remnant Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels (about 40 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City).

Visit the War Remnant Museum

When you are in Vietnam, you’ll inevitably come across some vivid reminders of the Vietnam War such as disabled people and bombed buildings.

If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, a visit to the War Remnants Museum is a must. This impressive museum tells a terrible story. It's not a place to visit with young children, as the stories and pictures are truly horrible.

There are disturbing images of entire villages being massacred, pictures of prisoners being tortured, and photos of napalm victims.

Altogether, visiting the War Remnants Museum is extremely depressing. However, when you are in Ho Chi Minh City, you must visit this place and learn about the Vietnam War and what war does to people.

There are no winners in war, only pain, and loss…

The entrance fee is 40.000VND per person and the museum is open daily from 7:30 am until 6 pm.

Take a tour of the Cu Chi tunnels

We took a tour of the Cu Chi tunnels , another vivid reminder of the Vietnam War.

This 200km network of extremely cramped underground tunnels was constructed and used by the Vietcong during the war to fight the Americans with a guerrilla tactic.

When we descended into the tunnels, which have already been widened for tourists, I almost panicked (I am a little claustrophobic) and went back up.

But I felt that, if people lived there for almost 10 years, I should be able to crawl a mere 100 meters through the cramped, hot, dark tunnel with little fresh oxygen.

I was so relieved when I got out and so impressed by the tenacity of the people who had called these tunnels home for years…

Click here for more information about the Cu Chi tunnels tour .

Where to stay in Ho Chi Minh City on a budget

Our stay at Thao Nhi Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City was good. We got a free upgrade to a bigger room and the hotel is run by very friendly staff.

The hotel serves delicious and affordable food and is located close to all the sights (in a small street just off the main backpacker street).

Day 26: Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc (by plane)

While it was a long day, it was an easy travel day. We took the local bus (#152) back to the airport, where we had to wait for a couple of hours as our flight was delayed.

Luckily, the flight from Ho Chi Minh to Phu Quoc island was only one hour and there was a taxi waiting for us upon arrival.

The airport is located in the middle of nowhere and arranging a taxi via your accommodation before arrival is recommended, particularly when you are arriving late in the evening.

Click here to book a flight to Phu Quoc

We spent three days in Phu Quoc , which was the perfect way to end our Vietnam travel route. On Phu Quoc, we rented a scooter for a couple of days and explored the beautiful island.

If you plan to travel to Phu Quoc during peak season (December-March), I recommend booking a scooter in advance to make sure there's one available for your trip.

Where to stay in Phu Quoc on a budget

Fortuna Hotel was another lovely place to stay. The rooms are lovingly decorated and spotlessly clean, with private bathrooms.

From the hotel, it's a 20-minute drive to Duong Dong, the main town in Phu Quoc. Not a problem if you rent a scooter but something to keep in mind when booking this hotel.

Alternative Vietnam itineraries (7 and 10 days + 2 and 3 weeks)

Vietnam itinerary 7 days.

If you just have 1 week in Vietnam, don’t worry! While you cannot see everything the country has to offer, you can get a taste and feel of the country.

Here is my suggestion for a 1 week Vietnam itinerary:

• Day 1-2:  Explore Hanoi and eat your way around this lively cit y
• Day 3:  Make a day trip from Hanoi (such as the Perfume Pagoda, or Hao Lu and Tam Coc )
• Day 3:  Take a flight to Danang and travel to Hoi An
• Day 4-5:  Explore Hoi An
• Day 6: Make a trip to My Son or a bicycle tour around Hoi An
• Day 7: Fly home from Danang

Vietnam itinerary 10 days

This 10-day Vietnam itinerary includes buzzing Hanoi, the imperial city Hue, and fairytale town Hoi An, but also the two most beautiful natural sights: Halong Bay and Tam Coc.

• Day 1:  Explore Hanoi and eat delicious street food
• Day 2-3: Make a cruise in Halong Bay
• Day 4:  Hanoi + take a night train to Hue
• Day 5-6:  Explore Hue + transfer to Hoi An on day 6
• Day 7-8:  Visit the historic buildings in Hoi An
• Day 9: Make a trip to My Son
• Day 10: Fly home from Danang

Vietnam itinerary 2 weeks

If you have 2 weeks in Vietnam, I’d recommend traveling either from North to South or vice versa. Your 2 week Vietnam itinerary could look like this:

• Day 1-2:  Explore Hanoi and sample some excellent street food
• Day 3: Make a day trip to Tam Coc
• Day 5-6:  Hue + transfer to Hoi An on day 6
• Day 7-8:  Explore the historic buildings in Hoi An
• Day 9: Make a trip to My Son or explore the countryside around Hoi An by bike
• Day 10: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City from Danang
• Day 11-12: Ho Chi Minh and a trip to the Cu Chu tunnels
• Day 12-14: Phu Quoc island

This itinerary for Vietnam in 2 weeks is especially suitable for people looking to travel in one direction instead of a loop.

Vietnam itinerary: 3 weeks

With this 3 weeks Vietnam itinerary, you get to experience very different sides of Vietnam. You'll explore several interesting cities, spend a night in Halong Bay, and get to relax in tropical Phu Quoc.

For this 3 week Vietnam itinerary, I suggest the following route:

• Day 1-2: Eat your way around Hanoi
• Day 3-4 : Make a cruise in Halong Bay
• Day 5: Day tour to the Perfume Pagoda
• Day 6-7: Day trip to the  Hoa Lu and Tam Coc
• Day 11-13:  Explore Hoi An Old Town
• Day 14: Make a day trip to My Son
• Day 15: Fly to Ho Chi Minh City from Danang
• Day 16-17: Ho Chi Minh and a trip to the Cu Chu tunnels
• Day 18-21: Explore Phu Quoc island

The best Vietnam itinerary: in conclusion

I hope this Vietnam travel guide and sample itineraries will inspire you to visit Vietnam and help you plan your trip.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below or send me a message . Also read these posts for more Vietnam travel inspiration:

• 10 interesting facts about Vietnam
• 50 unique things to do in Vietnam
• Authentic things to do in Hanoi
• Backpacking Guide to Vietnam
• Hang Son Doong: the world’s largest cave
• Planning a trip to Vietnam
• Sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh city
• The best Halong Bay cruises
• Things to do in Hoi An
• Things to do in Phong Nha
• Things to know before traveling by night train in Vietnam

This post was updated in November 2022.

Tuesday 20th of December 2022

Thank you for this. Very informative and quite helpful.

Wednesday 21st of December 2022

Thanks so much Kevin for letting me know:-) Have a great trip to Vietnam en let me know if there's anything you need help with! Lotte

Friday 18th of November 2016

I love that you spend a week in Hoi An LOL :) I did the same! Hoi An is such a cute place with nice food and things to see plus an amazing beach! Phu Quoc island looks wonderful, i had no time for that, maybe some other time? x

Haha Hoi An is so relaxing, I loved the vibe... Phu Quoc was definitely nice, I'm curious to see how the island has developed in the past 2 years. There was talk of direct flights from Russia and China so it might be very different now.

Tuesday 10th of May 2016

Great post, I love that you documented the prices too. We're going to Vietnam in two weeks and we haven't chosen our full itinerary yet so your article is a great inspiration!

Hey Laure, thanks so much for your comment! I am happy to hear my post gave you inspiration for your upcoming trip and helped you plan. Have an amazing journey through Vietnam, I am sure you'll have a great time:-)

Friday 5th of February 2016

A Dutch friend of ours actually moved to Vietnam a couple of years ago and we are invited to come over, however we still haven't made it. We really should, one day...

Awesome! It's always really cool to be shown around by somebody who actually lives there and who can take you to off the beaten track places!

Wednesday 3rd of February 2016

Ik zou het geweldig vinden om Vietnam te bezoeken. Ik zou dan een reis maken en alle overblijfselen en memorials van de Vietnam oorlog bezoeken, maar natuurlijk ook de prachtige natuur en stadjes! Als ik deze foto's zie, wil ik alleen nog maar meer gaan! Grappig he, dat je beleving van temperatuur zo veel anders kan zijn dan de personen die daar wonen. Gaan wij in de winter naar Marokko bv. dan doen wij luchtige kleding aan, terwijl zij helemaal ingepakt zijn. Kom je van de Fillipijnen af, bevries je weer zowat in Vietnam. Zo te zien heeft het je reisplezier niet nadelig beinvloed!

Vietnam is ook zeker qua historie een bijzonder land om te bezoeken... Ik vond het Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum heel bijzonder net als de Cu Chi tunnels en het War Remnant Museum. En reizen is eigenlijk bij alle temperature leuk, zolang het maar droog is;-)

How to Spend One Month Adventuring in Thailand

Blonde beaches, pulsating cities, rich rainforests, and blue oceans—Thailand has adventures on land and at sea. Check off the best highlights with this one month adventure Thailand itinerary.

We all know someone who’s been to Thailand. Even my mom has been to Thailand! But there’s a big difference between spending two weeks in a state of semi-conscious drunkenness on a party island (not what my mom did, just for the record), and really experiencing Thailand.

Instead of regaling your friends with stories of when you drank five buckets of red bull and vodka while a fire dancer almost lit you ablaze, wouldn’t you rather have some more unique tales?

What about telling them about the time you went cliff jumping, or hiked through remote villages in the hills of Northern Thailand?

Sure, indulge in a couple of Chang beers as the sun sets or treat yourself to a bucket of poison at the Full Moon Party. But, if you want to really experience Thailand, then you need to avoid the daily hangovers and seek out adventure.

Form the concrete jungles to the actual jungles to the beautiful beaches, there is always something on offer that will get your adrenaline pumping.

And, the best of all, it is very possible to travel Thailand on a budget of $30 per day .

So, you’ve got one month to explore. Spontaneity is a key ingredient. But if you go to Thailand without any kind of plan, you can easily get sucked into watching locals box each other into oblivion in Koh Phi Phi bars every night, getting lazy with Thai massages in Chiang Mai or making one too many questionable decisions on Bangkok’s famed Khao San Road.

What you need is a Thailand itinerary to gently guide you, while leaving room for Tom Kha Kai coconut soup runs and those times you’re convinced to hop on the back of a motorbike for a party.

And that’s exactly what I’ve made for you. Get ready for seriously legendary one month in Thailand.

Thailand Itinerary Day 1-3: Bangkok

Your first stop on your Thailand itinerary will be Bangkok. As you leave the arrivals section of the Suvarnabhumi Airport, the cheapest airport and largest hub for flight into Thailand, and step into the tropical heat, you will be instantly immersed in a whirlwind of color and sound. Welcome to Thailand.

Bangkok is a big city and, for first-timers, it can be pretty intimidating. Taxis jostle each other to navigate the dizzying traffic ( don’t fall for any scams !). Glittering temples like Wat Arun and Wat Pho (home to a 151-foot-tall reclining, gold-leaf Buddha), the ornate Grand Palace, and towering mega malls line the streets.

Sprawling markets like the Chatuchak Market , crawling with people shopping for food, clothes and artisan-made trinkets, stretch endlessly.

You will find a lot to love in Bangkok, but it will take you a day or two to get an idea of how the city operates before you’re ready for some adventures.

There’s a lot more to the Thai capital than just street food and shopping, of course. Right in the heart of the city is Siam Paragon , a mall with an aquarium. Sure, looking at fish isn’t that adventurous, but what if I told you that you can jump into the shark tank and dive among these fearsome creatures ? Suddenly, the aquarium doesn’t look so pedestrian, eh?

Alternatively, you could try your hand at wakeboarding at either Taco Lake or Thai Wake Park . The former is the cheaper, easier option, while the latter is more geared towards those with some wakeboarding experience.

When night falls, pick your poison. Soi 11 is the main nightlife neighborhood with bars and clubs galore. Khao San Road, Thong Lor and Ekkamai also boast some of the craziest night spots in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, over in Soi Cowboy, you’ll be able to find something a little naughty.

Let’s go!

• A great day trip from Bangkok is Khao Yai National Park where you can chase waterfalls and run into elephants.
• Another popular tour is visiting Bangkok’s famous floating market.

Thailand Itinerary Day 4-6: Kanchanaburi

Just two hours from the capital, Kanchanaburi might as well be on a different planet. Boasting seven national parks, the province is brimming with adventures. You could probably spend your whole month in Thailand enjoying the natural beauty of the region. But, I’m only giving you two days, so let’s make them count.

There’s not much adventure to be found in Kanchanaburi Town, as this part of the province is reserved for historical sites. After all, the town is well known for its role in World War II. It’s the site of the Death Railway, a railroad that prisoners of war and civilian laborers built under Japanese orders in hellish conditions to connect Thailand and Burma.

You can ride along the railway from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok these days, but just outside of the city are some seriously impressive waterfalls that you shouldn’t miss

One popular day trip is the Erawan National Park to see its eponymous Erawan Falls. The Khao Hin Lan Pee Nature Trail leads from the park HQ to the fifth tier of the seven-tier waterfall and takes around two hours to walk each way.

The park is also home to various caves, such as the closest and most accessible Phra That Cave , which has stalactites and stalagmites galore, and Ta Duang Cave, which features a number of rock paintings. Note that the Erawan Park is often fairly crowded. For a more secluded trip, I recommend visiting the Huay Mae Khamin falls, which are just as beautiful.

If you’re low on time, you can simply take a day trip to Kanchanaburi from Bangkok.

Thailand Itinerary Day 7-18: The Thai Islands

There are two clusters of Thai islands. Those in the Gulf of Thailand (east of the mainland) and those in the Andaman Sea (west of the mainland). While it’d be ideal if you had the time to visit both clusters in one trip, there’s too much to see in a single month—and the weather tends to play favorites depending on the season.

Both sets of islands are warm and sunny all year round, with the temperature ranging between 85 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. However, what differs between the clusters is the rainfall. The rain is heaviest on the Andaman Islands from May to October and on the Gulf Islands from October to January. You may want to use this to help you decide which side to visit.

Fortunately, whichever side you choose, we have the perfect itinerary for your trip.

Koh Phangan

From Kanchanaburi, head back to Bangkok and beeline straight for the train station. From there, take a night train down to Suratthani, a port city in the south of Thailand, where you can embark for Koh Phangan in the Gulf.

Book yourself into first class on the train. It’s worth paying a bit extra for this, and you’ll get your own bed and a curtain for privacy. The train will have a restaurant carriage. Vendors regularly wander through the aisles selling cookies, fruit, soft drinks and other treats.

It’ll be like living in luxury—well, kind of. Night trains in Thailand are an adventure in and of themselves. And they are far cleaner and more comfortable than anywhere else in Southeast Asia. (I’m looking at you, Vietnam!)

Once you’ve gotten to Suratthani, hop on a ferry (be sure to get to the port early because they don’t run too late) to Koh Phangan. Despite its fame as home to the Full Moon Party , which attracts upwards of 30,000 people, there’s far more than just partying here.

My first port of call in Koh Phangan is always the total wipeout course , The Challenge Phangan , on Laem Son Lake. This obstacle course consists of inflatable balls, climbing walls, monkey bars and a trapeze. You might as well get used to getting your butt kicked for the Thai boxing class you’re taking later on… Yea, we’ll get there.

Once you’ve acted like a big kid, enjoy the island’s nature by trekking to Bottle Beach . This jungle trail takes about an hour and a half and leads from Coconut Beach all the way to Bottle Beach. If that isn’t enough for you, you can also hike up Khao Ra , the highest peak on Koh Phangan, which is a three-hour round trip journey.

If you opt for Phuket on the Andaman side, the first thing you need to do is take the night train from Bangkok to Suratthani. From there you can hop on a bus that will take you across the Sarasin Bridge, which connects the mainland to Phuket.

Once you’ve arrived on Phuket, checked into your accommodation and you’ve taken a second to drink in your surroundings (and maybe a banana shake), it’s time for some adventure. If you’re comfortable on a surfboard, head over to Kata or Kalim beach . The waves here are fast and can get pretty big—hence why the island is a mecca for surfers from all over the world.

If you would rather be under the water than on it, there are plenty of dive shops in Phuket. The diving here is a little more expensive than in Koh Tao, but the beauty of the underwater scenery more than makes up for the extra few dollars. Popular dive sites in Phuket include Racha Noi, Racha Yai and Shark Point , which is home to leopard sharks, blacktip reef sharks and turtles.

Those seeking a real adrenaline rush can hop on an ATV and race around the circuit located just outside of Phuket’s main town. The route runs past tiny waterfalls and under the warm canopy of the jungle. You’ll take in some fantastic sights and get your heart racing – what else could you ask from an adventure activity?

Koh Phangan’s smaller, quieter neighbor Koh Tao has a lot going for it. The ferry between the islands only takes one hour and 15 minutes, so you could feasibly visit as a day trip. I recommend giving this island a lot more love, though.

Koh Tao is renowned as being the cheapest place in the world to get your PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) or SSI (Scuba Schools International) diving licenses (along with Utila in Honduras). With this in mind, it would be a shame not to go diving at least once while you’re there.

The PADI and SSI Open Water courses take three days to complete and, whaddya know, you’ve got three days here!

There’s a reason why Koh Tao is such a popular place to learn to dive—and it’s not just because it’s so cheap. The coral reefs that ring the island are sublime, and abundant with visitors like angelfish, butterflyfish, bannerfish and stingrays.

Chumphon is one of the best dive sites and barracudas, mackerels, big eyed jacks and, if you’re lucky, whale sharks frequent it, too.

Koh Phi Phi

From Phuket, Koh Phi Phi is just a short ferry ride. This island gained international acclaim when it starred in The Beach with Leonardo DiCaprio. Maya Bay was chosen for the main filming location and one of the top activities to do on the island is to visit said bay. It is outstandingly beautiful, if a little crowded with starstruck tourists.

You can also explore Phi Phi Le National Park , in which the bay is located. This is a top spot for snorkeling, diving or just chilling out in the sunshine. Craggy cliffs loom over dazzlingly turquoise water and the whole place feels like paradise on earth.

For adventure mixed with history, hope in a boat and head to the Viking Caves at the northeastern end of the island. Not only are the caves themselves magnificent to behold, but the interior is covered in colorful chalk. Legend has it that the drawings were done by pirates over one thousand years ago. The caves are totally free to visit, but you’ll need to pay around $5 for boat transport.

Alternatively, hop in a kayak and float around Koh Phi Phi’s islands. You’ll get front row views of the islands’ iconic limestone cliffs. Be sure to take a snorkel and mask with you so you can jump in the water and watch the fish when you need to cool off.

Koh Samet, one of the eastern seaboard islands of Thailand, sits just off the coastline of the province of Rayong. It’s just three hours southwest of Bangkok, and it offers quite the respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The unique factor about Koh Samet is that most of the island is a national park. The island has only three roads, so cars are few and far between. You’ll get around the park easiest by foot and by motorbike.

You might also choose water sports at one of the 14 beaches like Hat Sai Kaeso and Ao Hin Khok while you’re there. You can rent water sports equipment most of the beaches to try out jet-skiing, wakeboarding or even parasailing.

Koh Lanta is an island in the Krabi Province known for coral-fringed beaches, mangroves and rainforests—as well as for its super chilled out culture of semi-nomadic sea people known as the Chao Leh. Don’t let the relaxed atmosphere fool you though; there’s tons of adventure to find on Koh Lanta.

Mu Ko Lanta National Park spans several islands, including Koh Lanta. You can explore the Khao Mai Kaew cave network by kayak and hike over to the Khlong Chak Waterfall, about a 30-minute trek into the rainforest.

Koh Lanta is also known for snorkeling and scuba diving thanks to its abundance of coral reefs and crystal clear waters, home to manta rays and whales.

Of course, you don’t need to spend all of your time in the water just because you’re on an island. Koh Lanta is also home to a population of dogs who need care. You can walk some rescued stray pups around the island by visiting the Lanta Animal Welfare center.

The center only releases that animals back to where they were found when it’s safe for them; if they need more care, however, they help find the dogs forever homes.

The second largest island after Phuket, Koh Samui is the perfect mix of nature, nightlife and never-ending thrills. If you want to live large, look into one of the many holiday villas in Koh Samui. Otherwise, there are hostels and guesthouses all over the island.

The number one adventure in Koh Samui is a trip to the Ang Thong National Park . Your one month in Thailand won’t be complete without witnessing the green islands with craggy cliff faces that plunge out of the water within the boundaries of this park.

Boat trips are easy to do and take you around the islands, stopping frequently so you can swim, snorkel and kayak. You can also go on diving excursions within the park.

Ang Thong’s main island Koh Wua Talap. The hike to the top takes around 45 minutes but, given the many lookout points, you may end up taking over an hour. From the top, you will see coconut palms shading pearly white sand that runs into turquoise waters.

Back on Koh Samui, waterfall treks are abundant. Two favorites that both lead to great swimming spots are the Hin Lat and Na Muang Falls treks. Hin Lat is the more challenging hike of the two as it requires some scrambling over boulders and steep ascents. Na Muang is usually more crowded, though, so pick your poison.

• Check out this Koh Samui 4WD jungle tour .
• Or spend a day island hopping and snorkeling around the islands.

While not technically an island itself, the province of Krabi has all the hallmarks of an idyllic Thai island. Think white sand beaches, electric blue water and plenty of adventure activities.

If your kayaking in Koh Phi Phi left you hungry for more, kayaking through the Than Bok Khorani National Park will fix that. These peaceful mangroves are home to monkeys and birds and encompass secret caves and lagoons.

Over at Railay Beach, you’ll find some serious adventure. Those chalky cliffs you’ve been admiring from afar are now going to be your playground. Climbing these rocks may look intimidating, but it is easier than you might think. And, if you miss your footing, you’ll simply fall into beautiful, refreshing water.

Once you’re done with the water, explore Krabi’s lush landscapes by walking one of its many hiking routes. The trail that leads to Hang Nak Mountain is a favorite with visitors, thanks to the stunning photo ops from the top of vivid green jungle and undulating hills. The route is just under two and a half miles each way and takes about two hours to complete.

Thailand Itinerary Day 19-23: Chiang Mai

It’s time to say goodbye to the islands and brace yourself for slightly cooler weather as you head north. You’ll want to find the closest airport from you to fly to Chiang Mai (for example, there are direct flights from Koh Samui). I highly recommend flying, unless you want to spend 36 hours on trains across the country.

You’ll arrive in Chiang Mai, which boasts a blissful change from the sweltering heat and non-stop energy of the islands. Things move slower up there, but Chiang Mai is a hub of adventure activities.

Do you want to admire Chiang Mai’s gorgeous natural scenery and get your heart racing at the same time? Ziplining through the jungle that surrounds the city is a must. The Flight of the Gibbon is an established zipline operator that offers two and a half hour’s worth of ziplines and hanging bridges. The company also pours money into conservation so it gets a thumbs up from me.

Thailand’s tallest mountain, Doi Inthanon at 8,415 feet, also sits just outside of the city in the Chom Thong District. You can rent a motorbike to drive to the base and hike up. Or there are plenty of tours to guide your trek and teach you about the trees, mosses and plants in the area that change as you climb altitudes.

Elephant Sanctuaries in Chiang Mai

You can also get out of the city by venturing out to spend the day with Thailand’s national animal, the elephant. Just be warned: If you want to spend time with elephants in Chiang Mai, do your research. There are some legitimate sanctuaries, but there are also sham sanctuaries .

Elephant Nature Park is the only rescue center that I can comfortably recommend. Experts recommend it for its ethics.

Once you’ve had your fun on land, it’s time to get wet. The Mae Teng River , which flows past stunning hilltop forests, is the perfect place for whitewater rafting (from June to January). Here, you’ll find rapids suitable for beginners, pros and everyone in between.

If you’re the sporty type and don’t mind the risk of getting your ass kicked, I also recommend trying out a Muay Thai boxing class. But, I warn you, these classes can be pretty brutal, and Muay Thai is notoriously hard to master. Nevertheless, it’s a fun and unique experience. Alternatively, watch the pros do it from the sidelines at the Kawila Boxing Stadium.

Chiang Mai by Night

In the evenings, there is nowhere else worth being other than the city’s famous night bazaar. No matter how well you’ve been avoiding buying yourself trinkets you really don’t need, this market will crack you.

Clothes, jewelry, stationery, boxing shorts, delicate candles shaped like flowers, handmade soaps, hammocks—you name it, you’ll find it here. Plus, there’s a huge food court, selling every fragrant Thai delicacy you ever dreamed of. Yes, you will be here every night. And yes, you will end up buying more than you can realistically fit in your backpack.

Chiang Mai has lots of markets, though! Click here for a list of some other notable markets in one of Thailand’s best cities.

Thailand Itinerary Day 24-27: Pai

As we prepare for your final week of our month adventuring in Thailand, we move to the sleepy town of Pai. Pai is a hippy paradise in the middle of the spectacular hills of northern Thailand.

If you aren’t sick of waterfalls, there are some more to see in Pai. (Let’s be honest—no one ever gets sick of waterfalls.)

The Mor Paeng waterfall is not the most beautiful waterfall you ever visit, but it might be the most fun. Huge faces of stone, worn almost smooth by the running water, rise up from the water at an angle. These, my friends, are Mother Nature’s very own water slides. Spend some time sliding and splashing before walking the three-minute path back to the car park.

Another adventure for your Thailand itinerary is the supremely impressive Pai Canyon , which is located just five miles from the town. OK, it’s not quite the Grand Canyon, but it is well worth a visit nonetheless. There is one hiking path that runs through the canyon.

It comprises narrow paths with treacherous 100-feet drops on either side. This is more than a casual stroll and requires a good level of fitness and proper shoes.

When you’re done, the Tha Pai Hot Springs are located just four miles from town. They’re perfect for a soak, especially if your muscles are sore from your canyon hike.

Thailand Itinerary Day 28-31: Chiang Rai

Finally, you’re heading to Chiang Rai, the last stop on our Thailand itinerary. Chiang Rai sits just north of Chiang Mai, and it’s not far from the borders of Myanmar and Laos. It is less crowded than Chiang Mai and just as beautiful, if not more.

The first thing I recommend doing is hiring a bike for a few dollars per day. Head to the Chiang Saen District where you will see verdant rice paddies, ruins and daily local life.

Make sure you take the time to visit Chiang Rai’s most spectacular temple Wat Rong Khun (the White Temple). It features jagged sculptures that stick out of its external facades. These make it the most recognizable temple in the country. Admission is 50 baht ($1.50).

For a more arduous adventure, check out Lanna Trek . This tour company organizes single and multi-day treks through the region. Opt for the three days/two nights option. Your guides will take you on a rather bumpy off-roading experience. You’ll go through jungles, past waterfalls and down a steep dirt track. Eventually, you’ll reach the hilltop village of Ban Yafu.

You won’t find any welcome signs or villagers donning traditional garb to pose for photos when you arrive. No, this is an authentic hilltop village that’s a tiny piece of the past.

Traditional ways of life reign supreme here so you won’t see kids with iPads either—talk about culture shock. Instead, you’ll get a glimpse of what Thai life was like 100 years ago. You’ll enjoy traditionally cooked foods and cultural practices with just the handful of families from the Lahu tribe.

For another kind of adventure, you can zipline more in the Mae Fah Luang Gardens in Doi Tung . Roughly an hour by taxi from Chiang Rai, it hangs 100 feet above beautiful tea plantations.

There’s plenty to see in Chiang Rai but if you’re low on time you can pack a lot of it into one day. Book a day tour to see the highlights.

Goodbye Thailand, Hello the Rest of Southeast Asia

And so your one month in Thailand adventure has come to an end. But, that doesn’t mean you need to come home. Instead of hopping a flight from Chiang Rai back to Bangkok, why not carry on into Laos? You could easily spend three months in Southeast Asia —or more!

Don’t think that just because Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar are so close they are anything alike. Each country has a completely unique culture and history, and all of them are well worth exploring.

Let your Thailand trip inspire you to keep going. I mean, you’re already at the border—you might as well just hop across, right? You don’t really need to go back to work, do you?

So where in Thailand are you most stoked about? Let us know in the comments!

• Classic Mistakes to Avoid on Your First Visit to Bangkok
• The Cost of Travel in Thailand
• Adventurous Things to Do in Thailand
• 9 Scams in Thailand You Need to Watch Out For (And How to Avoid Them)

Thailand Itinerary FAQs

Is 1 month too long in thailand.

Thailand has plenty to offer for travelers staying for a month or longer.

How much money do I need for one month in Thailand?

You can travel in Thailand for under $1000 per month if you are careful with your spending choices.

Do I need a visa for Thailand?

Yes, you need to apply for a tourist visa for Thailand.

How long can a US citizen stay in Thailand?

You can stay in Thailand for 30 days with the standard entry stamp. You can also pay a fee to extend your stay for another 30 days.

Can I retire to Thailand from USA?

Yes, Thailand has a specific retirement visa that is available for US citizens.

Jeremy Scott Foster

I really would love to visit. I don’t know if they did something with tourism over there but I’ve recent in recent years that, as you say, everybody’s gone to Thailand. I always see my friends going to the beach with the big canoes. That always makes me want to go. Hopefully, I can put this itinerary to good use soon.

Thanks for sharing your itinerary, Jeremy!

Hi Jeremy, great article, really enjoyed reading about the places you have written about. There are several on our list to explore. Even after being here for 4 months each time for the past 4 years, it never gets old, so much to see and do. The food, the kindness and helpfulness of the Thai people, the scenery, and how large and diverse this country is! Thanks for writing such a good guide. ❤️??❤️

You should try to be in Chiang Mai for either the Sunday or Saturday Night Market, they are better and more authentical than the Night Bazaar.

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Southeast Asia Itinerary 1 Month

You can find eleven countries in Southeast Asia, and with many of them being neighboring countries, it makes sense to spend the time and to visit as much as possible. You can find diverse history and culture, even if they are so close.

Many individuals head off on Southeast Asia tours , yet you can miss out on some things taking this route.

While some individuals set off for a couple of weeks, others have the chance to head off for much longer and absorb all the region has to offer.

Here, you can learn much of what you need to know about traveling around Southeast Asia.

How Long Does it Take to Backpack Southeast Asia?

To travel South East Asia comfortably and take in the best of the Banana Pancake Trail, it can span two months. This offers enough time to cross the border into Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, and can take around three weeks.

You can see it doesn’t reach half of the countries in Southeast Asia, so add in these, and a couple of months will fly by.

How Much Does it Cost to Travel Southeast Asia for 6 Months?

When you start to add up the costs, it may sound expensive to visit Southeast Asia, but once you consider you are visiting 11 countries, and nearly all your expenses are included, then it is a reasonable option in comparison to back home.

Here is a rough breakdown of costs for 6-months of travel although it can vary in some areas.

Pre-travel Expenses

Travel insurance : $700 approx Flights : $1500 Travel gear and immunizations : $750 Visas : $150, some countries are visa-free, be sure to check beforehand

Trip Expenses can cost around $6500 for 6 months. This will include your accommodation, daily travel, and food (restaurant and street food). One of the most significant factors can be tours or activities, and the amount of time you spend in cities like Ho Chi Minh City, Yangon, or Penang .

Once you visit places like Angkor Wat along the way or take in some scuba diving, your budget can increase dramatically. In total, you can be looking at around $11,000 as a good average.

How Much Does it Cost to Travel Southeast Asia for 3 months?

If you have less time to travel, your costs do come down considerably, and not in proportion to a six-month trip.

If you are traveling with a partner, then you can be looking at the cost of $50 to $60 per day for travel expenses. If you are a solo traveler, then you will have daily trip costs of up to $40 per day.

• Couple 3 months travel – $5400 approx (not including pre-travel expenses)
• Solo 3-month travel – $3600 approx (not including pre-travel expenses)

Where Should I Go in Asia for 2 Weeks?

If you only have two weeks, this can have an impact on how much you can see and how far you can travel. You may have to forgive some island hopping, but you can still see a lot.

Here is a quick itinerary for two weeks travel around Southeast Asia. You can cover 3 countries traveling from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok.

Ho Chi Minh City – 3 days Start in Ho Chi and visit the Vietnam War museum. Head to the Mekong River to the villages floating markets, and mangrove trips.

Phnom Penh – 2 days

Heading from the east into Cambodia toward Phnom Penh. Visit the Killing Fields, and the history of the Khmer Rouge.

Siem Reap – 2 Days

Home to Angkor Wat temples (Unesco World Heritage site). Explore on the first day so you can venture toward Tonle Sap Lake and another place to tick off your Southeast Asia itinerary.

Koh Chang – 3 Days

Move from Cambodia into Northern Thailand to the Trat province. Check the islands (Koh Chang) and do some snorkeling.

Bangkok – 3 Days

Bangkok, the capital, is the last stop ( not as large as Chiang Mai ). You can fit in enough with temples, nightlife, and a floating market.

One Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

One of the benefits of traveling around Asia with plenty of time is you can adapt your travels. You do, however, need to have a rough idea of your direction of travel because of visas, etc.

Here is a rough guide to what you can fit in, although it is highly adaptable. Make sure you don’t try to do too much and don’t always be drawn toward the world heritage sites.

Many backpackers focus on particular countries when they have four weeks. It can be Thailand and Laos where you can visit Myanmar, or Thailand, Malaysia, and spend some time in Kuala Lumpur , or combine Vietnam and Cambodia.

However, a lot who go backpacking can follow well-trodden routes. Such as starting in Hanoi and heading to Halong Bay, from there you can take a train down the coast toward Hoi An before making your way down south toward Ho Chi.

Moving away from the coast takes you across the border to head north toward Phnom Penh and up to Siem Reap.

At this point, you can split your travels unless you have more time.

South takes you from Bangkok toward Krabi , and then you head down to Malaysia, Singapore , and Indonesia. These will be your last stops before flying back.

If you take the northern route, you head overnight into Chiang Mai and then travel toward Chiang Rai right on the border.

The last couple of places take you to Luang Prabang and then Vientiane before traveling back to Hanoi for an onward flight.

The majority of this route is inland, and you may wonder, which countries in South Asia are islands? If you plan on backpacking Southeast Asia route that takes in islands, it will be very different, than traveling in Asia on land.

Traveling Asia can deliver a rich experience. You can relax on the beaches, take a day trip on a slow boat or make the most of one country. It is highly recommended to spend as much time in each place to cut down on a bus ride.

Add in places that are easy to get to and take less than one day. Travelling Asia in this amount of time is about being able to spend time to experience something different.

Because most of the above are on the mainland, we haven’t even touched on Kho Phangan, Manila in the Philippines, Koh Rong, Sumatra Borneo, or even Bali. While some are located close to shore, there is another world of islands, which makes any travel Asia backpacking trip much slower and will take you longer than 4 weeks.

There is a world of adventure waiting for any backpacker who wants to visit the length of a country. Check out all the hidden caves, visit a temple and see all the amazing things there are without resorting to a cruise.

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One month Vietnam Itinerary: Travel guide, tips and recommendations

• July 27, 2023
• curious goose

This post may contain affiliate links. I will receive a small commission if you use these links.

Planning a trip to Vietnam, but not sure where to start? This 1 month itinerary covers all the places my husband and I visited during our 4 week trip to Vietnam in May 2022. In this guide, I’ll share my Vietnam highlights, must-see places… and also the places I didn’t enjoy so much, along with recommendations and my top tips for travelling in Vietnam.

First time in Southeast Asia? Make sure you also check out my 50 essential travel tips for visiting Southeast Asia to help plan your trip!

Vietnam is a beautiful country in Southeast Asia, known for its stunning green landscapes, winding roads and bustling cities. It is a country of contrasts – with busy cities and sandy beaches in the south and rolling mountains in the north.

During our 4 weeks in Vietnam, we travelled from south to north, starting in Ho Chi Minh City and ending in Hanoi, but you can also do this route north to south.

Table of Contents

One month vietnam itinerary: travel guides, tips and recommendations, ho chi minh city: days 1 - 3.

Vietnam’s largest city, Ho C hi Minh City , is located in the south of the country. It’s a modern, vibrant city which is full of life – day and night. You’ll find all the things you might expect from a large city: big shopping malls, skyscrapers, fast food chains and rooftop cocktail bars. Despite the relatively new development in the city, there are still some traces of the traditional Vietnamese way of life, with local markets, street food stalls and small local restaurants and noodle shops tucked down little side roads.

Some of the best places to see in Ho Chi Minh City are located in the area around the Nguyen Hue Walking Street . This tree-lined pedestrianised promenade connects the Ho Chi Minh City Hall with the Saigon River . Strolling along Nguyen Walking street you can admire the architecture of the City Hall and the Opera House and see the statue of Ho Chi Minh himself.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes on either side of the walking street, including the famous Cafe Apartments . The Cafe Apartments are a collection of businesses, shops and cafes housed in an old apartment block and are one of the best places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City. After you’ve taken a quick photo of the Cafe Apartment building from the outside, pay a visit to one of the cafes inside and grab a seat overlooking Nguyen Hue walking street – I can personally recommend Dosh for their shakes!

Another one of Ho Chi Minh City’s most visited places is the War Remnants Museum . The museum provides extensive information regarding the American-Vietnam war with 11 rooms of photographs, news articles and diary entries. There’s also a small exhibition detailing life in the war prisons and several planes and tanks on display outside of the building. This is quite a sobering visit but it is very informative and covers an important part of Vietnam’s history.

After you have visited the War Remnants Museum, take a daytrip to the Cu Chi Tunnels , located 2 hours outside of Ho Chi Minh City. A trip to the Cu Chi Tunnels is one of the most popular day trips from Ho Chi Minh City. Here, you can learn how the Vietnamese soldiers used the underground tunnel network in their battle against the American army in the war, and even experience what the tunnels are like for yourself.

Other great places to visit in Ho Chi Minh City include the Ben Thanh indoor market , where you can shop for clothes, shoes, souvenirs and local food produce and for nightlife in Ho Chi Minh, head to the lively Bui Vien walking street , with large nightclubs and bars.

Dalat: Days 4 - 6

Dalat is a mountain resort in the south of Vietnam, which is centred around the pretty Xuon Huong lake . The most popular way to travel from Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat is on the overnight sleeper bus. This can take between 7 and 9 hours, so expect to arrive in Dalat early in the morning. Dalat is a great place to stop to break up your journey between Ho Chi Minh City and the coast, and 2-3 days in Dalat will give you plenty of time to explore the main sights here.

One of the best things to do in Dalat is to visit The Crazy House . The Crazy House is a bizarre collection of buildings and spaces connected by undulating bridges and twisting walkways where nothing is normal. The cost of the Crazy House is only 60k vnd per person (£2) and is walking distance from the centre of Dalat, making it a great activity to do in the city. You can even stay overnight at the crazy house in one of the themed rooms!

Another of Dalat’s most popular attractions is the Datanla Waterfall . The waterfall is quite commercialised and its popularity does mean that it can get busy, however it is a fun way to spend a couple of hours in Dalat. The best thing to do at Datanla Waterfall is to ride the Alpine coaster through the forest!

Located close to the Datanla waterfall, just outside of Dalat, is the Truc Lam Lake and Buddhist Monastery . Take a ride on the Dalat Cable Car between the Monastery and Dalat city for panoramic views over the forest hills and lake.

In the evening, go for a wander around Dalat night market . Although it’s not as good as some of the other night markets I’ve been to in Chiang Mai and Phuket in Thailand, there is a fun atmosphere here. As well as market stalls selling clothes and shoes, there’s live music, street food vendors and hotpot restaurants where you can cook your own BBQ meat and seafood.

Nha Trang: Days 7 - 8

Nha Trang is a popular seaside resort in the south of Vietnam and is just a scenic 3 hour bus ride from Dalat. Initially we weren’t planning on stopping in Nha Trang, however, we decided that a couple of days relaxing on the beach sounded pretty nice.

Nha Trang is most famous for its long sandy beach, which stretches for almost 6km. Alongside the beach is a pedestrianised beachfront promenade with landscaped gardens, shady benches and drinks stalls. Overlooking the beach are tall skyscrapers and high rise hotels on a busy main road. Nha Trang is already a popular destination with local visitors, but it has received a great deal of recent development specifically aimed at bringing in more foreign tourists. There are modern shopping malls, fast food chains and lots of western restaurants and markets.

Although Nha Trang is quite popular, personally I wasn’t blown away by it. Perhaps this is because we visited in May 2022, when tourists had only just started to enter Vietnam again. The effect of the pandemic and lack of tourists over the previous 2 years was evident in Nha Trang and it felt a little lifeless to me. Also, the beach was not as pristine or clean as I had anticipated. So overall, I was left feeling a little disappointed. The silver lining for our stay in Nha Trang was the fact that we had a really nice hotel. We stayed in the Apus Hotel, which had a rooftop pool and small gym overlooking the sea and was a great place to relax and recharge for a couple of days.

If I was to take this trip again, I would definitely skip Nha Trang and head straight to Hoi An from Dalat. However, if you want to break up the journey, then Nha Trang is a good place to stop as you make your way up the coast. There are some nice hotels here if you just want to take it easy for a couple of days.

Hoi An: Days 9 - 12

Hoi An was one of my favourite places that we visited during our 4 weeks in Vietnam. From Nha Trang, we took the overnight sleeper bus and arrived in Hoi An at 5am. Hoi An is most well known for its historic unesco-heritage ancient town . Parts of the ancient town date back to the 15th century and it’s full of charm and character. Strolling through Hoi An’s ancient town amongst the old yellow buildings with traditional wooden shutters adorned with beautiful colourful lanterns is one of the best things to do in Hoi An.

Another great way to explore Hoi An is by bicycle and many of the hotels and guesthouses offer free bicycles for guests. Spend a few hours cycling out of the ancient town, into the more rural areas of Hoi An and to the beach. We stayed just outside the Ancient town at Onion homestay , which was fantastic and in a great location. One of the most popular activities in Hoi An is to take a ride on a coconut basket boat . The basket boat tour is very touristy but a lot of fun and a must-do when in Hoi An!

Hoi An is also a great place for shopping and there are many tailors in the town where you can get a tailor made outfit for a fraction of the cost back home! For one of the best things to do at night, visit the Hoi An night market and pick up some souvenirs or local street food before taking a ride on a rowing boat on the river.

Hoi An is one of the best places to visit in Vietnam, in my opinion, and is a great addition to any Vietnam itinerary!

Hue: Days 13 - 15

Hue is just a short 3 hour bus journey from Hoi An and is known for its ancient Imperial City, which is the main reason we decided to visit Hue. The imperial city in Hue was built in the 1800’s and originally consisted of over 147 buildings. The city was an important site for the political and daily affairs of the Nguyên emperors who reigned between 1892 – 1945. Unfortunately the imperial City was heavily damaged during the American-Vietnam war, but parts of it have since been restored.

Entry for foreigners to the Royal Palaces of the Imperial City is 200k vnd (£7). To be honest I thought this was a little high compared to other sites we have been to in South East Asia. And I have to admit, after visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok and the incredible Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia, I was a little underwhelmed by the imperial city in Hue. In addition to the Imperial City, there are several pagodas and tombs around Hue which you can visit either by taxi, hiring a scooter or joining a tour. Apart from visiting these and the Imperial City, there isn’t a lot else to do in Hue.

In hindsight, we would have been better going straight from Hoi An to Phong Nha as we didn’t really enjoy Hue too much.

Phong Nha: Days 16 - 18

Phong Nha is a relatively new destination for tourists in Vietnam. Following the discovery of Son Doong – the world’s largest cave back in 2009, the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park has been slowly growing in popularity for thrill seekers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The town of Phong Nha is relatively small but there are several guesthouses and hostels as well as restaurants and convenience shops. The closer you stay to the main town centre, the more options you will have for places to eat. We stayed at Lucky Homes guesthouse which was really nice and we loved having our breakfast overlooking the river each morning.

Getting to Phong Nha can be tricky, especially if you’re on a budget, as there are fewer public transport options available. When we travelled in May 2022 most of the routes connecting Phong Nha with the larger towns were not back up and running yet. This meant that we had to get a bus from Hue to Dong Hoi, then take a 50 minute taxi ride to Phong Nha, which we arranged with our guesthouse. I would recommend contacting your accommodation to help you arrange transport to and from Phong Nha. They will be able to give you up-to-date information on which routes are running, rather than relying on internet booking sites.

Song Doong Cave

The main reason visitors go to Phong Nha is to visit the incredible collection of caves here. The most impressive cave in Phong Nha National Park is the Song Doong cave. It was originally discovered in 1991 but wasn’t properly explored until 2009 and was announced as the ‘world’s largest cave’. If you want to join an expedition into this cave, you will need to be an experienced climber and book far in advance. The expedition takes 4 days and costs around $3000 per person. But there are lots of other Phong Nha experiences you can book that are more budget friendly!

There are even some smaller caves which you can visit without a guide. During the two days we spent in Phong Nha, we visited Paradise cave and Phong Nha cave.

Paradise Cave

Paradise cave (known locally as Thien Duong cave) is one of the most popular caves in Phong Nha National Park. From Phong Nha town, you can either get a taxi or hire a scooter and drive there. From the entrance, it’s just a short 1km walk to the base of the cave or you can pay for a shuttle bus. When you reach the base of the cave, there are about 600 steps to reach the cave entrance. Paradise cave was only discovered in 2005 and is 31km long, making it the longest dry cave in Asia. You can walk 1km on the raised wooden boardwalks through the cave and it really is incredibly impressive.

Words and photos do not do this place justice, you just have to see it for yourself! I would highly recommend visiting this cave when you are in Phong Nha. If you want more of an adventure, you can pay for a guided tour which will take you another 4km into the cave with proper equipment.

Another popular cave in Phong Nha National Park is Dark Cave (known locally as Hang Toi). This cave is particularly great for those who want an adrenaline rush and a fun day out. You will need to join a guided tour to visit this cave as you’ll be zip-lining to the entrance of the cave as well as canyoning, wading through water and taking a mud bath!

Although the famous caves are the main reason people visit Phong Nha, there’s also several hiking trails around the National Park. As Phong Nha grows in popularity, now is a great time to visit and if you enjoy being outdoors, this is definitely one place you should add to your Vietnam itinerary.

Phong Nha Cave

Visiting Phong Nha cave requires you to take a boat ride so this is a great cave to visit if you don’t want to do much walking. Purchase your ticket from the office in the centre of town for 150k vnd (£5) and wait to be joined by other passengers. You will have a scenic boat ride down the river to the entrance of the cave. The boat will float gently into the cave for a short distance, before turning around. On your way out, there’s an option to jump off and walk about 500m through a small section of the cave, before getting back on the boat.

Ninh Binh province / Trang An / Tam Coc: Days 19 - 23

Following our time in Phong Nha, we got a taxi back to Dong Hoi where we caught another overnight bus to Ninh Binh and then a taxi to Trang An. Ninh Binh is in the north of Vietnam, and is both a city and province. If you’re thinking of travelling to Ninh Binh, don’t stay in the city, there’s nothing to see there, instead, you want to be in the region around Trang An and Tam Coc, which are located in the province of Ninh Binh.

Tam Coc is the main town in this area and you can find several convenience stores, larger hotels and hostels as well as bars, restaurants and salons. If you are looking for something quieter and more peaceful, stay in Trang An instead. We stayed at Trang An Memory homestay in a little chalet hut, nestled under the mountainside with views of the lake. The setting was idyllic! If you want something more central and lively, the Banana Tree hostel in Tam Coc is a popular choice.

Ninh Binh province is often referred to as ‘Halong Bay on land’ due to the numerous limestone and karst mountains which are dotted all over the region. It really is a beautiful place to visit and this was one of my favourite places in Vietnam.

One of the best things to do in Ninh Binh is to take the Trang An scenic boat ride . You will float along the river on a small rowing boat through beautiful mountains, caves and lush green landscapes. Another great thing to do near Ninh Binh is to go to Hang Mua viewpoint . There’s a short climb up a series of steep steps to the top of the viewpoint. From there, you will get panoramic views across the rice fields, mountains and Trang An river.

Other sights in the area include Am Tien Lake, Hoa Lu Ancient capital and the Van Long nature reserve . Perhaps one of the best ways to explore Ninh Binh province is to hire a bicycle (or many of the home stays have them for free) and cycle around the countryside, taking in the views. This was definitely my favourite way to spend the day.

Hanoi (stopover before Halong Bay): Day 24

From Ninh Binh, it is a short 2 hour bus journey to Hanoi. We had just one night in Hanoi initially, ahead of our overnight trip to Halong Bay the following day.

Of course, if you wanted to go to Halong Bay, you could spend several days exploring Hanoi first, then go to Halong Bay at the end of your trip. At the time of our visit to Vietnam, there were only a limited number of operators running cruises to Halong Bay, so we had limited options in terms of days when we could join a trip that was still available.

Halong Bay: Days 25 - 26

Cruising in Halong Bay is one of the top ‘Bucket list’ activities for many people visiting Vietnam, including me. We chose a one night, two day overnight trip with Athena Cruise and had a great time. The tour included a bus transfer from and to Hanoi as well as all our meals on board the boat and several excursions.

During our two days on board we visited Sun Sot (Surprising cave) and Titov Island, where you can climb the viewpoint for some of the best views over Halong Bay. We also had the chance to kayak in Luon Cave and enjoyed relaxing on the sun deck. Watching the sunset and then rising again the next morning in the middle of Halong Bay was such a special moment. If you are considering a tour to Halong Bay , make sure that you research the itinerary as there are many companies who offer various tours with different excursions included. I’ve written a full review of our Halong Bay cruise here , so you can have a look at what to expect.

Hanoi: Days 27 - 30:

The capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is known for its historic architecture, bustling Old Quarter and the now-famous Hanoi Train Street. In stark contrast to the modern Ho Chi Minh City in the south, Hanoi is much more traditional. It’s a melting pot of Chinese, French and Southeast Asian influences and is quite charming.

One of the best things to do in Hanoi is to wander around the Old Quarter . Here, you’ll find a maze of narrow streets with local stores selling everything you could possibly want and need! Head over to Hanoi’s famous Train Street and pick a spot in one of the cosy cafes overlooking the train line and watch as the train passes by with only inches between you!

In the centre of Hanoi is Hoan Kiem Lake . There is a paved path all the way around the lake, perfect for exercising or a leisurely walk around. The Temple of Literature is another great place to visit in Hanoi. The small temple complex is centuries old and sits within beautiful landscaped gardens.

If you happen to be in Hanoi over the weekend, you’re in luck as the Hanoi Night Market takes place every week Friday – Sunday and is a great way to spend an evening in Hanoi. For some of the best nightlife in Hanoi, head to Beer Corner . There’s such a fun atmosphere here, with everyone sitting on small plastic chairs outside the bars enjoying the music with some drinks and street food.

Is there anything I would change about my Vietnam itinerary?

As the saying goes, hindsight is a wonderful thing and yes, there are definitely a few things I would change or recommend that you do differently.

As we only had one month in Vietnam, it was hard to fit everything in and unfortunately, this meant we didn’t get a chance to visit Sapa. This was a mistake. I’ve since spoken to fellow travellers who visited Sapa and they loved it and the photos from there really do look beautiful. If I could change anything it would be to remove Nha Trang and Hue from this itinerary and instead, use the extra days to visit Sapa at the end of the trip. The only other thing I wished I could have done differently was to have spent more time here! I loved Vietnam, it really is a great country to travel in and the landscapes are just beautiful.

Useful information for travelling in Vietnam

When is the best time to visit vietnam.

The climate in Vietnam varies depending on where you are in the country, as the seasons in the north and south vary slightly. But overall, the best time to visit is between January and May. The worst time to visit Vietnam is between August – October when the country experiences its highest rainfall.

How to get to Vietnam?

By plane: Vietnam has three international airports in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hanoi. Flying into Vietnam is straightforward and can be easier than crossing a land border, but it is the more expensive option. If you are travelling the length of the country, it is best to fly into either Ho Chi Minh City and work your way up to Hanoi, or fly into Hanoi and work your way down. This means that you would be flying in and out of a different airport, so book two one-way tickets, unless your airline allows you to book a multi-city ticket.

By land: Vietnam has several land borders with Cambodia, Laos and China. There are buses that run between Cambodia and Laos with Vietnam and from China there is a train into Hanoi. At the time of my visit in May 2022, I was travelling to Vietnam from Cambodia and the land borders had only just reopened. Unfortunately not all of the large bus companies were operating routes across the border between these two countries. However, I did manage to find a small, local company via a Vietnam travel group on Facebook who offered a shared minibus to get across the Moc Bai border. As of December 2022, I understand that more companies are now operating on this route again.

Moc Bai is one of the busiest land border crossings between Cambodia and Vietnam, travelling between Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. If you are travelling via land border, make sure that you have all your paperwork prepared and watch out for scams – they are more frequent at the land borders sadly.

Do I need a visa to travel to Vietnam?

Most nationalities will need a visa in order to visit Vietnam. Currently, tourists can only apply for a 30 day visa, and unlike previously, this cannot be extended in the country. If you want to stay in Vietnam for longer than 30 days, you will need to leave the country and re-enter on a new 30 day visa.

How to get around Vietnam?

Travelling in Vietnam is relatively easy. For getting around in the towns and cities, taxis and motorbike taxis are readily available, and in the larger cities public buses are also a great way to get around cheaply. If you are travelling a longer distance between places, there are many overnight sleeper buses – this is definitely the best way to travel long distances in Vietnam, especially if you are on a budget. The buses can be booked via sites like 12go, or ask your hotel or hostel to help you book one. One thing to note when booking the overnight sleeper buses is that they often arrive much earlier than scheduled, which means you might be left outside at 5am waiting to check into your hotel or hostel! If budget is not an issue, then the best and fastest way to travel long distances is to fly.

What currency does Vietnam use?

The currency of Vietnam is Vietnamese Dong (vnd). It helps to arrive in the country with some ‘dong’ as you will need this to pay for taxis or buses on arrival. There are places where you can exchange money, however we found that they were in tourist offices or jewellery shops, rather than designated currency exchange offices, even in larger cities like Ho Chi Minh. Always check with your hotel or hostel which exchange places are reputable to avoid getting ripped off.

There are plenty of ATM’s in the larger towns and cities, so you can withdraw dong, however be aware that many of the cash machines will charge, even if your bank doesn’t. I travel with a Starling bank card, which is great for avoiding bank charges abroad. Also, always remember to select ‘transaction without conversion’ at the ATM to avoid high exchange rates on your withdrawal.

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FootLoose Dev

Travel blog by an Indian travel blogger.

1 Month Southeast Asia Itinerary

Disclaimer: Before you make any opinions, please note that this 1 month Southeast Asia itinerary was written keeping two things in mind: one, travelling a maximum number of Southeast Asian countries. And two, doing it on the minimum possible budget.

If Southeast Asia is the world’s top backpacking location then there’s a reason for it. It is a perfect destination for millennials, who have time but no money — the kind of people falling in my category.

In southeast Asia, the visas are cheap travelling through one country and another is possible by land (even for the unfortunate Indians with their weak Indian passport thanks to many countries’ including Thailand visa on arrival ) and flights to major airports like Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur cost as low as flying domestically in big countries like India.

For Southeast Asia,  all you need is a bit of planning, and a little bit of time and you can do (almost) the entire continent for a bargain.

I suggest you try Air Asia and Flyscoot airlines for cheap airfares.

Also note that if you just happen to be someone who needs visas for Southeast Asia, please note that right now is even better to do so, because to increase the tourist inflow, many countries, including Malaysia and Thailand, have just cut slashed their visa costs. [In 2019 I grabbed my 15-day Malayasian Visa for less than INR 1,500].

If I had one month, and wanted to cover as many countries as possible, in a budget, this is the first thing I’d tell myself…

Southeast Asia in 1 Month – Itinerary and Tips

Don’t Touch Philippines or Indonesia

You fly to the Philippines, and you fly back. You fly to Indonesia, and you fly back again. So why even do that and bleed unnecessary money, unless you really want to do the two countries? Rather, cover a few others in mainland Southeast Asia.

The Mainland Southeast Asia

Myanmar, Thailand , Laos, Cambodia , Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore make mainland Southeast Asia and offer you a lot of freedom while travelling between them. You can travel by land in between them, without having a need to fly.

Moreover, the visas for all of them can be obtained electronically or on arrival. The only problem, however, can be long distances and limited time (you need more than 1 month to cover them all without hurrying).

So, given that you have one month to travel, I’ll advise focussing on 4 countries, namely, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The distances between them aren’t that brutal. They make for a cheap 1 month Southeast Asia itinerary.

4 Countries | 7 Highlights | No Flying

Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok offer city highlights in Southeast Asia. Both capital cities are safer to travel, cheaper to eat, and more entertaining to spend some time in. I totally loved Thailand for its ease of travelling.

You name a thing and Thailand will provide that. Malaysia, on the other hand, is a little sophisticated and offers a better place for grown-ups. If you want something more wild and raw, you have Cambodian and Vietnamese capitals. Siem Reap is all about history and people. And Phuket, a party city.

The seven cities, altogether, moreover offer centuries-old history and rich cultural experience. You stay in Phnom Penh for a few days, and you understand the country from the inside out. The same thing applies to the rest too, making each one of them a must-see and a know-it-all city.

Use Kuala Lumpur And Ho Chi Minh As Your Entry/Exit Port

Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh have always been of two major highlights in Southeast Asia keeping their airports among the busiest airports on the continent (alright Bangkok has busier airports, and two of them, but its location doesn’t suit us in this regard). And because Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh are busy, flying to and from them is always a comparatively cheaper and better deal.

From India, and in India from Chennai or Kolkata, you can fly to either of the two in under 7,000 INR, with Ho Chi Minh being a comparatively expensive deal, but still, be a bargain!

If You Had A Little more time

Traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, overland, is a highlighter and an awesome route, with tons of incredible places to see along the way. So if you’ve at least 20 more days to spare, I’d suggest you travel from Malaysia to Thailand exploring a few places in between. The route offers you a chance to see the best of hippie beach culture and some gorgeous islands — a kind of journey to cherish.

As per my proposed route, and from what other people recommend, this may just be your ideal route map. Starting from Kuala Lumpur… Kuala Lumpur – Penang – Koh Phi Phi – Koh Phangan – Bangkok.

If you have a little more time than just one month, here’s three months in Southeast Asia itinerary blog written by a fellow traveller.

Do you have anything to add to this 1 month Southeast Asia itinerary? Write in the comments below. 

Recommended read: Cambodia Visa On Arrival

Thanks a lot dev for sharing this amazing post on the one moth tour of south-east asia.This is the best way to travel anywhere in the world with a limited budget.Vietnam has some amazing places to visit and one such place is mui ne which is famous for its beaches & beach resorts.Out of many beach resorts bamboo village beach resort is famous for its hospitality & services.It is also voted as best beach resort in mui ne,vietnam.The resort offers homely feeling to its guests.For more info. visit the website http://www.bamboovillageresortvn.com

The origin people of south east asia are arabic and indian

Hi Dev, thanks for sharing such an informative post. Never thought travelling to South east Asia from India is this easy. I am a budget traveller, so what would be the best time to visit this region in a much lesser expense. There would be definitely a tourist season and we can save some extra money if we avoid peak time.

Hi Jithin, consider any time of the year (except for winter) not the best time for a budget traveller because right now (as I am in Malaysia) I can assure it’s too hot to walk the cities. And being a budget traveller you’ve to do that a lot. But winter can raise the travel cost because accommodation becomes slightly expensive. So, visit during winter, pay a little extra, but have a good time. Or visit now, suffer a bit, but save a couple of grand.

ahh man, you missed some nice places in Vietnam like Hanoi, Cat Ba, Cao Bang & Hoi An. Vietnam is really more satisfying for a traveler than Cambodia.

You should also visit Philippines someday! 🙂

Hey Atria, it’s definitely on my list. Next year perhaps. Have so many friends to see in Philippines.

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4 Weeks in Southeast Asia: Itinerary & Planning Tips 2024

With more than a dozen countries in Southeast Asia, 4 weeks/1 month can satisfy your ambitions to travel to many places. Check out recommended plans for your 4 weeks/1 month in Southeast Asia and expert advice.

• Which Southeast Asia Countries to See in 4 Weeks

Week 1: Myanmar

Week 2: vietnam, week 3: laos and cambodia, week 4: thailand, how much is a 4-week trip to southeast asia, guided or independent tours, which countries to visit in southeast asia in 4 weeks.

The most popular destinations in Southeast Asia are Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Bali (Indonesia), and Singapore. For a 4-week trip to Southeast Asia, we recommend you visit 4-5 countries .

A highly recommended combo for a 4-week tour in Southeast Asia is Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar . This combination offers a rich tapestry of experiences, ranging from pristine beaches and ancient temples to a vibrant religious vibe, exotic culinary delights, encounters with elephants, and the lush wonders of the rainforest.

If you prefer a more relaxed pace , consider focusing on three or four of these nations. You might choose to omit Laos or Myanmar from your itinerary for a more leisurely experience while still enjoying the diverse offerings of the region.

Free feel to tell us your preferences and requirements. We will make a trip based on your ideas. If you don't have some ideas now, you can check our Best Southeast Asia Tour Packages for inspiration.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family 's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

A Classic 4-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar

Considering the overall tour experience and transport connections, usually our route goes Myanmar–Vietnam–Laos–Cambodia–Thailand.

Myanmar and Vietnam, rich in attractions and activities, are good to place at the start of the trip. Laos and Cambodia, centering around temple visiting, are suitable for the middle part, and finally end at Thailand's beaches.

Days 1-2: Mandalay Days 3-4: Began Days 5-6: Inle Lake Days 7-8: Yangon

Days 1-2: Mandalay

Embark on a captivating tour of Mandalay's highlights, including the magnificent Kuthodaw Pagoda, home to the world's largest book. Explore the remnants of Bargaya Monastery in the former royal capital of Inwa. As the sun sets, witness the breathtaking sunset over the iconic U Bein Bridge , a symbolic landmark of Mandalay.

Days 3-4: Bagan

Immerse yourself in local life with a cooking class supported by JICA . Wander Nyuang U Market, absorbing vibrant flavors. Explore the awe-inspiring Shwezigon Pagoda and delve into Bagan's history at the Archaeological Zone. Visit iconic sites like Ananda Temple, Shwesandaw Pagoda, and Htilominlo Pahto. As dusk falls, be captivated by the sunset over the pagoda complex, a moment of tranquil beauty.

Days 5-6: Inle Lake

Discover the serene beauty of Inle Lake, where leg-rowing fishermen showcase their unique skills . Enjoy the tranquility and explore the local way of life.

Days 7-8: Yangon

Explore Myanmar's history at the National Museum and witness the stunning sunset from Shwedagon Pagoda. Visit the heart of the city at Sule Paya and contribute to the community at Thadama Myintzu Nunnery. Experience local life aboard a train and conclude your day with a stroll through Bogyoke Aung San Market, offering an array of souvenirs and crafts.

Days 9-10: Ho Chi Minh City Days 11-12: Hoi An Days 13-14: Hanoi Days 15-16: Halong Bay

Days 9-10: Ho Chi Minh City

Feel the bustling energy of Ho Chi Minh City, exploring the War Remnants Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon, and the historic Cu Chi Tunnels . Dive into local cuisine with a street food tour.

Days 11-12: Hoi An

Explore Hoi An's waterways on a traditional round basket boa t. Visit the ancient town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its charming architecture, lantern-lit streets, and enjoy a cooking class.

Days 13-14: Hanoi

Uncover the cultural gems of Hanoi, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature, and the vibrant Old Quarter.

Days 15-16: Halong Bay

Cruise through this UNESCO World Heritage site, surrounded by stunning limestone karsts, and partake in a kayaking adventure. Marvel at the ethereal beauty of the bay's unique landscapes.

Days 17-19: Luang Prabang Days 20-21: Siem Reap

Days 17-19: Luang Prabang

Interact with elephants at Elephant Village and explore their world. Visit the hospital, museum, and dung paper-making facility. Trek the Trail of Falls. Witness the morning alms-giving ritual and explore Luang Prabang's cultural gems.

In the afternoon, relax at Kuang Si Waterfall. Luang Prabang offers a blend of nature and cultural charm.

Days 20-21: Siem Reap

Explore Angkor's exquisite temples, including iconic landmarks like Angkor Wat , Bayon, Ta Prohm, and Banteay Srei. Delve into Cambodia's history at the Landmine Museum. Discover remote temples like Beng Mealea and Preah Khan, adding layers to the Angkor experience.

Days 22-24: Bangkok Days 25-27: Phuket Day 28: Departure

Days 22-24: Bangkok

Embark on the final leg of your journey in Bangkok. Explore the Grand Palace, Wat Pho, and Wat Arun. Experience the vibrant street life at Khao San Road and indulge in local street food.

Days 25-27: Phuket

Relax in the tropical paradise of Phuket, visiting Patong Beach, Phi Phi Islands, and Big Buddha. Enjoy water activities, explore Old Phuket Town, and savor Thai cuisine.

Day 28: Departure

As your 28-day odyssey concludes, depart with a treasure trove of memories, having explored the best of Southeast Asia's history, culture, and natural beauty.

Southeast Asia offers good value for money. For the price of a mediocre restaurant in Western countries, you can enjoy a superb meal at a Michelin-starred establishment in Southeast Asia.

• If you have a lower budget, you will need around 180–200 USD /day per person (including airfare within Southeast Asia, 3-star hotels, lunch, attractions, guide, and transfers). 4 weeks is about 5500–6000 USD.
• For a medium budget, it will cost around 200–250 USD per day per person (including airfare within Southeast Asia, 4-star hotels, lunch, attractions, guide, and transfers). Thus, it may cost about 6,000–7,500 USD for 4 weeks.
• For a higher budget, US$250–350 per day per person is needed (including airfare within Southeast Asia, 5-star hotels, lunch, attractions, guide, and transfers). The cost for 4 weeks is around 7,500-10,000 USD.

>>> Planning a Trip to Southeast Asia: A Beginner's Guide

Although Southeast Asia is a paradise for backpacking, it has its drawbacks. With an independent tour , you must handle all things by yourself : booking the transport and hotels, making detailed itineraries… But, you may be unfamiliar with these countries and will probably face unexpected events, especially if yours is a multi-country trip.

With a guided tour , all you need to do is concentrate on fully enjoying your holiday. With a well-planned itinerary created by an expert travel consultant, you can make the most of your vacation without unnecessary stress or missing out on the best of every city.

With private transport, you can reduce your time on the road, and spend more at the highlights. With a local guide, you can learn more of the culture's secrets and stories behind the attractions. He/she can help you travel safely and solve any problems — expected or unexpected.

Thus, a guided tour is recommended if you don't have much time to sit and plan. Contact us to create a worry-free tour .

Contacting Us for a Booking/Inquiry

You are warmly welcome to have us customize your trip based on your group size, interests, budget, and other needs. For a personalized tour and quote, sit back and use our Create My Trip service.

Or start from a recommended fully-modifiable itinerary:

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Southeast Asia, my travel itinerary

Last update : 08/02/2021

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Even though I have returned from my tour of Southeast Asia at the end of 2013, 6 years ago as I’m writing these lines, I can’t help thinking about it. It’s like a song you love and can’t get out of your head. It does happen quite often to think to myself or to say “do you remember when we went to that little temple over there… and when we went to eat at that little place in the street… when we went to Cambodia …”. In short, my head is full of memories, it’s a fact and I realize having been able to make this 1-year tour of Asia was really one of the most beautiful experiences I had the opportunity to live.

In fact, I had started blogging in 2012/2013, mainly for allowing our family and friends to follow us during this trip. In the meantime, life had sort of caught up with me and I hadn’t been able to keep writing. I kind of picked up the torch by opening this travel blog in June 2017. I had already started to write about some Asian countries, but I thought it could be more interesting to talk about my itinerary in Southeast Asia and give an overview. I won’t explain here what you need to know to prepare a travel plan of Southeast Asia, as I plan to do it in another article. However: How did I choose my itinerary? Why did I choose it? What was my route in general? My favorites and disappointments of this long trip? Well, you’ll find all these answers here!

I know many of you are trying to prepare your vacations activities as best as possible. So, I advise you to take a look at this great site that compares prices for all the activities available in many places around the world, including Southeast Asia.

Small geography lesson

I’m sorry, but as a geographer, I often feel the need to write about geography in articles! Don’t be mad at me! Geographically speaking, the Southeast Asian region is considered to extend south of China/Japan, north of Australia and east of India. If we make a small list of autonomous countries, we have Burma, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, East Timor and Vietnam – a total of 11 countries and tens of thousands of islands! I visited 8 out of the 11, it’s not too bad (even if, honestly…we don’t really care about how many countries we’ve visited, it’s not a run, isn’t it?).

Southeast Asia Map

Choose the length of the trip and the locations

Back when my wife and I were thinking of going to Asia, we were living on the island of Mayotte, in the middle of the Indian Ocean. We decided to save money for a year and a half and then left for a one-way trip to the farthest reaches of Asia, a region of the world still unknown. Before leaving, we agreed on two things:

• Staying in Southeast Asia : it was a personal will not to choose to go “around the world”. It was a little less common at that time than it is in 2019, when everyone is doing it and wants to “travel the more they can”… We really wanted to take our time and especially not to run from one tourist spot to another. And with hindsight now, I’m glad I made the choice to focus only on a small region of the world. I really feel like I do know the area very well although some countries would have deserved that we spent more than the classic Visa month there.
• Going one-way was also a really important point for us. Indeed, the main idea of this trip was to discover a region of the world while taking our time as much as possible. What could be better than leaving without return dates? Because when you think about it, leaving with your return ticket means you already have a deadline in your sight. Leaving with a one-way ticket to an unknown destination was for us the ideal way to leave with an empty head, without having to think about the return, etc… The only thing you need to take into account in this particular case is having enough money aside to stay there, and especially to come back home when you want to. I could also write an article (certainly very critical) on travelers (those famous “begbackers” who beg for money in poor countries to be able to pay for their return ticket…).

Organize your itinerary according to the weather forecast

This is a great debate we had at the beginning. Should we organize the itinerary of our trip or not at all? With more than 5 years of hindsight on my trip, I must confess that I was a little disappointed with the way we decided to travel. It is essentially my fault, I admit it, but I had decided to organize a kind of itinerary according to the weather – mainly to stay in the countries at the right time and to avoid the big monsoon periods, which can easily ruin a trip.

So, I relied on websites like Where and when to travel? which allow to visualize quite quickly which is the best season for each country. This is what we had planned before leaving, as an itinerary template.

December/January : Central/Western and Northern Thailand

February : Laos

March : Vietnam

April/May : Cambodia

May/June : Burma / Southern Thailand

June/July : Malaysia + Singapore

August : Indonesia Sumatra

September : Indonesia Sulawesi.

Except a few exceptions, that’s more or less the itinerary we followed. The only snag at the end of the trip was that we could not go to Sulawesi because we had to be evacuated by the travel insurance as we were sick in the middle of the jungle in Sumatra. But I’ll tell you more about it later on.

Anyway, if I had to do it again – and I hope I’ll do so that my little one could discover it – I wouldn’t plan that much, even on the weather side. At a pinch, to have a general idea of the countries I would like to visit, but nothing more. There are one-way flights from Paris to Bangkok for only 220/250€ and, once there, traveling in other countries costs almost nothing. That’s my plan! For Canadians planning a trip in the area, there are flights from Canada to Thailand, starting at 500$ if you are flexible.

My itinerary in Southeast Asia

Here is a small testimony of our trip in Southeast Asia. As I already said back in time, we should travel twice in Asia: a first time to visit the great tourist attractions (because, despite what we can say, we all go there!) and a second one to forget all these spots by getting off the beaten path. Basically, you take your Lonely Planet travel guidebook, and you don’t go to any place mentioned in the book. Cool idea, isn’t it? It might make you smile, but I’m not far from the truth. I travelled for a year, visiting all the touristic spots almost every time, and you may as well be prepared: you’re going to come across many (many!) tourists. We had a few moments where we pushed ourselves and deviated from the basic routes, and we keep such good memories of it! Because afterwards, it is not the city of Angkor, Ha Long Bay or Phuket we’ll remember from our trip in Asia. Well, at least not me!

Let’s go for a quick travel story in pictures, to make you want to discover the region.

Our beginnings in Western and Central Thailand

Our itinerary began as many others’ in Bangkok, Thailand, a few days before New Year’s Day. After enjoying the basic visits in Bangkok (The Royal Palace, Wat Pho and its lying Buddha, Wat Arun, floating markets, Khao San Road, Chinatown, etc.), we continue our route westward towards Kanchanaburi and the famous Kwai River Bridge. A nice stop on the riverside, but it is quite crowded. We keep going a little more towards the Burmese border to the city of Sangkhlaburi. This is a really nice area with only a few tourists. Here, you should rent a motorcycle for one or two days, and go for a walk at the border. Amazing experience off the beaten track. If you are wondering where to go to Thailand , here is an idea!

We then come back to Bangkok to keep following the classic route: Ayutthaya and Sukhothai. This is the cultural part, with many temple visits. We really appreciate, in particular the outside of the park of Sukhothai, the Si Satchanalai. A beautiful Indiana Jones atmosphere.

We follow the route towards Chiang Mai (way too many people for me) and Chiang Rai (already calmer). We rather quickly pass the area to arrive to a little village in the mountains: Mae Salong. We spend 4 days in these beautiful sceneries at altitude where it is good to live. Same advice again: rent motorcycles and get lost for a few days at the border of China. There are almost no tourists here, people don’t speak English and it’s perfect this way.

A very nice meeting with a French couple bilingual in Thai makes us change our route, and we go down along the Mekong towards the Nan region, at the Isan’s border. We spend a few days in this area, visiting traditional Thai villages and enjoying countryside life. Don’t look for tourists here: there are none. We even attend an unexpected funeral ceremony in a small village. A moment that will remain engraved in our memories.

The road still continues along the Mekong river towards Chang Khan (a famous village for Thai tourists) and Sangkhom (a small and quiet municipality on the riverside). If you have the opportunity, it is a very peaceful area but really worth to see. The initial idea being to go up to Laos (and then down to Vietnam), we cross the border walking to Mukdahan. Here we are in Laos!

Going on a trip to Laos, the continuation

The passage to Laos gives us a shock, but obviously in a good way. We roll back 50 years ago compared to Thailand, and it’s great to see. We go down towards the South in Paksé to do the Boloven plateau road. Superb experience in motorcycle during 3 days, even if there would apparently be much more people now? A few days spent at the 4000 islands, on the island of Don Det (the least polluted by tourists at that time) in a peaceful setting, we then cross the country in a night bus to the capital city Vientiane, which is honestly of no major interest.

We head towards the very beautiful (and very touristic) Luang Prabang, further north. We spend the week exploring the region while waiting for our visas for Vietnam. We did a really nice small day river cruise on the Mekong to Pakbeng. We go even further north, to the village of Nong Khiaw (a favorite during our Laos trip ) where we spend another week or so, exploring the area on foot, bike or motorcycle.

The journey keeps going by boat in the direction of Muang Ngoi. The Vietnamese border is not that far. Even if we meet some tourists here, this is a really beautiful region and you can even stay a few days to stroll and hike in the area. The boat trip ends in Muang Khua, from where we will cross the border to the very famous Vietnamese city of Dien Bien Phu.

Travel in Vietnam from North to South

The passage from Laos to Vietnam is superb and straight after we follow a splendid road towards Sapa, a small town in the North-West of the country. Even though it’s touristic, we still have a good time hanging out in town and around, enjoying the breathtaking views over the rice fields. 12 hours by train later, we arrive in Hanoi and spend a few days discovering this really nice city. A little bit of culture and gastronomy, we’re in for a treat!

Small necessary stopover by the famous Ha Long Bay. We spend 3 days accompanied by a very nice German couple and wander on a small boat through these majestic landscapes.

Back on dry land, we keep descending towards Ninh Binh, the bay of Ha Long land as it is nicknamed. A passage in Hué (by night sleeper train), then Hoi Han allows us to deeply discover the country.

We continue the road towards Dalat, inland. A small friendly stop in the middle of the countryside. Back into the city, Ho Chin Minh City is very nice and we take advantage of it to go sightseeing a bit. We make the most of the opportunity to go to Can Tho and visit the magnificent floating market. We finish our road at the Vietnamese border in Ha Tien, where we spend a few days resting (and eating mangoes as well as other local dishes). For fruit lovers, the Mekong Delta is a paradise.

Welcome to Cambodia

We cross the Vietnam-Cambodia border by motorcycle to the town of Kep, known for its green pepper crab. A quick stop on a small relaxing island, Ko Tonsay (Rabbit Island), does us good. On the program: liters of beer, all-you-can-eat crab shared with Cambodians and midnight bath! We continue on our way to Battambang where we meet Thomas and Pauline, a French couple with whom we sympathize. Fun fact: at the time of writing these few lines, we are back in touch and they just settled in Tahiti. What a small world, isn’t it?

We continue the trip towards the temples of Angkor , where we will spend 3 days discovering wonderful Cambodian World Heritage sites. We try our best to avoid the hordes of tourists and frankly, we are doing pretty well overall. Even if it’s very (very) touristic, I would recommend anyone to spend 3 days there to appreciate these places. A small visit of the city of Pnom Penh is nevertheless a must see for 1 or 2 days.

We end our trip in Cambodia with a week in the Mondolkiri region, in the North-East of the country. This is a cooler region, a little bit more mountainous and it was such a nice discovery!

First return to Thailand

We come back by the land border to Thailand, that we left a few months before. The main idea was to rest for a week getaway on an island on the Thai side. Following a beautiful encounter, we settle one week on the Koh Chang island, not far from the border. We spend an amazing week with several Thai families, discussing about local life, tasting typical dishes and sharing. We also take the opportunity to visit Koh Chang, which is very beautiful and way less touristic than some islands in the South of Thailand.

Back to the capital for a few days in Bangkok before flying to Burma for 2 weeks. At the time, we could only enter the country by air. For a few years now, land crossings in certain places seem to be authorized.

Discovery of Burma

We may set the tone directly: Burma will remain by far our favorite part of our Southeast Asia trip. The contrast with the other countries we just visited is huge, and you are really in something way different! You could even consider that Burma is a little bit “on the edge of Southeast Asia”.

In 2013, the tourism in Burma had just opened little by little, but there was not so much crowds yet. It seems to speed up a bit in the last years apparently. A large part of the country was not even open yet for travellers to visit.

So, we visited the places which were possible, that’s to say the city of Bago and its extraordinary market, the region of the Inle Lake (around Nyaungshwe) or the region around Hsipaw, further north in the mountains. We then went back down to the region of the famous Bagan temples ruins to end our stay with a visit of Yangoon.

The big difference with other South East Asian countries in 2013 was mainly the few people there. Tourism wasn’t really developed yet, and people were really curious to see you here, asked all kinds of questions to exchange, and it was a great experience! In our route, we were several times invited to eat and we made superb, authentic, real encounters. The notion of money related to tourism was frankly not very present at this time, and it’s the first country where we had real exchanges with locals.

We keep a superb memory of this country and I honestly would like to go back and see more of it before it becomes a real tourist factory like some other Asian countries.

Descent towards the South of Thailand

Our passage in the South of Thailand was the only thing not really adjusted to the climate when preparing our itinerary in South East Asia. Indeed, we arrived there theoretically in the middle of the rainy season and in the “off” tourism season (so much the better!).

A little tired after travelling already 6 months, we decide to settle down on a small unknown – or almost unknown – island on the west coast (Andaman Sea): Koh Phayam island. Here, nothing to do but enjoying the landscape, places, small local restaurants. We find a guesthouse closed for several months with a small note on the table: “it’s closed, but you can settle down and pay to this person in the village”. Something inconceivable in France…

We spend a great week in what I consider to be a small paradise: no tourists, heavenly beaches with coconut trees, very tasty Thai food and nothing else to do than reading, eating coconuts and clams that we pick up on the beach. Out of season, we are not far from the perfect island!

We keep going towards Malaysia and decide to stay on the famous island of Koh Lanta (yes, the same one than the TV show). We will spend there 10 days off-season. There is almost nobody, everything is closed, as well the hotels as the restaurants – a kind of ghost island during the rainy season, which is finally not so unpleasant!

We voluntarily avoid the islands way too touristic for us (Koh Phi Phi, Phuket, Koh Samui etc.) and continue the road to Hat Hai for a passage by train in Malaysia.

Arrival in Malaysia

I must say that we were quite surprised as we arrive in the country, as it seems very “clean” compared to what we have known for these 6 past months. Visiting Kuala Lampur for a few days is nice.

We decide to go North in direction of the Cameron Highlands, especially famous for their tea plantations. It’s chilly up there and the landscapes are pretty different, which is nice to see. Then, we spend a few days on Penang island, a very nice island you can discover by scooter, between Chinese temples, waterfalls and beaches!

We cross then the Malaysian peninsula towards the Perenthian islands, and we now settle down on the supposed quietest island: Pulau Besar. We spend there some beautiful days of relaxation. We have a very good time, still without too many people.

The journey continues with the island of Tioman, where we stay a little week. We decided to go on the other side of the island, known once again as less touristic. We barely see nobody, that’s saying something! We spend excellent moments in this paradisiacal setting.

An lightning visit of a few days in Singapore to quickly feel like a European in this trip in Asia. It’s nice, but personally not what I prefer. We return then for the visit of the very beautiful city of Malacca. We were supposed to spend only a few days there, but it will finally be about ten days. Some visits but mainly some rest, well deserved after already 8 months of travel. We take advantage of it to work on the pictures too! We leave Malaysia for the last country of the trip: Indonesia, where we will stay for 2 months (yes, we’ve finally bought our return tickets!).

The discovery of Indonesia!

We had decided to voluntarily avoid the tourist islands like Bali and others, and decided to spend 2 months in the country: one on the island of Sumatra and the other one on Sulawesi island. So, we landed in Medan, capital of Sumatra, a big heaving and polluted city. Not the most charming one, for sure. After some health problems, we continue our road towards the famous place where you can see Orang-Outangs in the forest: Bukit Lawang.

Honestly, we do feel that tourism has arrived there, but I find the atmosphere still very good. We spend 3 days in this superb setting, in the middle of the tropical forest, to observe all these animals. Amazing!

We keep going in direction of Berastagi, where we were planning to go for a hike in the surroundings. 18 km of walk made a superb day at the edge of a volcano. The atmosphere is great, we cross a very few tourists around here, and we live at the locals’ rhythm. We have very good memories of it.

We leave this small sympathetic corner for the famous Lake Toba and the Tuk-Tuk small locality. We will have time, for a few days, to enjoy the area by scooter, and I really recommend to anyone to stop by here and enjoy the surroundings. There are plenty of things to see around the lake: typical house, waterfall, hiking, discovery of the rural area by motorcycle, etc. It will make your trip even more unforgettable!

Unfortunately for us, after an endemic parasite which does not disappear, 10 days of antibiotics, several round trips to the Medan hospital, we have no choice but to mourn over the end of our trip in Indonesia , and not to go to Sulawesi. We are in such a great disappointment, knowing that we had planned to stay 1 month in full-board in some superb diving spots of the country. We are repatriated by our insurance (somehow) to Paris, with a return flight Medan -> Kuala Lampur -> Hong-Kong -> Paris. That’s also part of the trip…

My favorites

On such a long and intense journey, it is difficult to love and appreciate everything. Here are a few favorites for each country, in no particular order.

Thailand : meetings with ethnic minorities in the region of Nan, a small village along the Mekong (Isan) and Koh Phayam

Laos : North of Laos with the discovery of superb landscapes north of Nong Khiaw and along the Mekong river. Visit of a typical village in the countryside with an expatriate (who spoke Laotian).

Vietnam : Motorbike ride north of Sapa, Ha Long Bay (such a beautiful place)

Cambodia : discovering the region of Mondolkiri

Burma : An endearing local population! The country is a favorite in itself. If you can get lost there now, just go.

Malaysia : Tioman Island and Malacca

Indonesia : A great love-at-first-sight with Sumatra, even if we didn’t see all the things we wanted to…

That’s it, I’ll stop here for this first article about Southeast Asia. I did not go into detail of all that we have done, seen and experienced – that was not the purpose here. Instead, it was to retrace our itinerary in Southeast Asia and to give you some trip ideas if you are planning to visit this part of the world.

As a bonus, I leave you via the following link (.kml to open with Google Earth) the complete trip itinerary and all the info about it. You’ll find all the routes (departure-arrival, duration, prices), the accommodations and the places of interest for these 10 months. Quite a job to do, believe me. When you’ll be around the world, I hope this sharing will be useful.

An article about budgeting for a trip to this part of the world will follow. It will mainly be based on our experience as backpackers. In the meantime, here is already a first article about budget for a trip to Thailand .

See you soon,

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My 4-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary

Apr 10. 2016.

One thing about Southeast Asia (SEA), it is incredibly affordable, making it a top destination for backpackers and budget travelers.

I have done quite a bit of solo travel, but my jaunt around SEA was the first where I visited multiple cities and countries in a relatively short amount of time.

This is all the time I had to venture across 4 countries. For some people, a definitive plan is a must. They book every flight, bus, hotel, and excursion well in advance. Me, on the other hand, I break out in hives at the thought of concrete plans with no room for flexibility. What if I don’t like a place? What if I want to stay longer in another? What if I wake up one morning and I don’t want to do this (whatever this is), on this particular day at this particular time? It just doesn’t work for me. I need freedom and flexibility. But, unlike my usual methods of preparation or the lack thereof , I couldn’t just “figure it out as I go” for this trip. I actually had to sit down and, roughly, plan out the logistics. So here is my 4-week itinerary of SEA, including where to go, how to get there, and where to/not to stay.

Note: this itinerary does include a quick trip to the Philippines, which is not a part of the Indochina region. So, if the beautiful beaches of Boracay aren’t in your plans shame on you , you can always spend more days in other cities or add in Laos or Myanmar.

Vietnam was the first stop on my journey. This place was simply magical, for the lack of a better word. Everything about this place captivated me; from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, to the charming, idyllic, town of Hoi An, and everything in between. But what I loved absolute most about Vietnam is the food! Even those with the pickiest palates (me) are sure to find delight in Vietnam’s delectable dishes. It has easily become my favorite international cuisine, hands down.

Hanoi is dizzying and electrifying, all in the same token. If it’s your first stop, as it was mine, this is where you’ll learn how to cross Vietnamese streets without being turned into roadkill, and learn just how many people and how much stuff can be piled onto a motorbike.

Getting to Hanoi :  It is important to note that some people will require a visa in order to enter Vietnam. Check here to see if you fall into that category.  If so, be sure to check out my guide on getting a Vietnam Visa on Arrival . Now, the logistics…since I’m already in Asia, I booked a flight through budget airline, Vietjet . There are tons of budget airlines in Asia. Check out some of my favorite sites such as Expedia and Sky scanner to find the lowest prices. Upon arrival, I had pre-arranged to have the hostel pick me up, and I’m so glad I did. It was one less thing to worry about. But, if you opt to take a taxi make sure you negotiate the price before taking off.

Days Spent : My time in Hanoi was very brief, essentially amounting to a single evening. This allowed me time to wander the streets of Old Quarter and grab dinner and drinks at Greet Restaurant, where I had my first taste of Vietnamese spring rolls. A definite must-try, by the way. If you have more time, I would recommend at least 2 full days.

Where To Stay : Golden Charm Hotel ($7.64 USD for a 4-Bed Female Dorm)

Cheap! Great location Breakfast included

Rock hard beds No hot water

As a Unesco World Heritage site, cruising along Halong Bay was definitely at the top of my list for things to do in Vietnam. It is an impalpable wonder that certainly did not disappoint. I spent the day meeting amazing people, eating delicious foods, taking a joy ride on a bamboo boat, and taking in the incredible sites. Since I knew I only had a narrow window of time to visit Halong, this is actually one (and only) excursion I booked in advance. But, you can definitely book upon your arrival. There are tons of tour companies and your hotel is likely partnered with one of them. Just make sure if you book through the hotel they are not overcharging you in order to get their cut.

Getting to Halong Bay : Your tour company will pick you up from your hotel/stay, and from there you will depart for Halong Bay. It is about a 4-hour ride, so be prepared. Once you arrive you will then board your junk boat and cruise around the bay for your allotted time. Afterward, you will be dropped off at your hotel/stay in Hanoi.

Days Spent : I opted for the Day Trip with V’Spirit Cruises , due to time restraints. However, there are different options available including a 2 Days 1 Night cruise, and a 3 Days 2 Nights cruise. Since the weather was a bit drizzly and chilly the day of my cruise, I found the Day Trip to be sufficient. If weather permits, I would suggest the 2 Days 1 Night cruise , as you will have longer to relax and partake in more activities at your leisure.

If you would like to see more photos and read more about Hanoi and Halong Bay click here .

Ahhh…I could go on and on forever about Hoi An. This is easily one of my top 5 favorite places. Hoi An has it all! Great food, great people, great shopping, and great beaches! Sounds pretty ideal to me, wouldn’t you say?

Getting to Hoi An : You have a couple of options. You can either take an hour and 15-minute flight OR take an overnight train from Hanoi to Da Nang (about a 30-minute taxi ride from Hoi An). There isn’t a huge difference in price, and depending on when you book your flight it may even be cheaper than taking the train, which was $45 one-way. I already knew I would be taking tons of flights for this trip, so opted for the overnight train for the experience alone.

If you do the Halong Bay Day Trip you will return to your hotel around 8:30 pm, which gives you enough time to make the 10:00 pm overnight train (check out seat61. co m  for the most comprehensive guide for train travel). It is a 14-hour train ride, but time passes quickly as you will likely sleep a good bit of the way. Whatever you do, don’t sleep through the last hour or so of the ride. The coastal views between Hue and Da Nang are absolutely breathtaking.

Personally, I would recommend flying. If you’re expecting a nice kempt, modern-ish train (as I, naively, was) you will be HIGHLY disappointed. It was quite old and dirty. You will save yourself time, comfort, and likely money by flying.

Upon your arrival in Da Nang, you can catch a taxi into Hoi An. Do not pay more than 18,000 VND for a taxi.

***Note: If you do opt for the train, be sure to book in advance to ensure you get your preferred choice (upper or lower berth, hard or soft bed), as they tend to book quickly. I ended up being stuck on an upper berth.

Days Spent: Ancient Town, Hoi An is small and quaint, definitely a change of pace for Hanoi, but there is still so much to see and do. I spent 5 days and 4 nights here. I definitely could have stayed longer.

Where to Stay: Golden River Hotel

Initially, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to stay the full 5 days at this hotel so I booked 2 nights in a mixed dorm room ($8.19 USD/night), but I ended up switching to a private room upon arrival for $24/nt. Having my own space was totally worth it. I ended up keeping the private room for the duration.

Great price Nice size rooms with a mini fridge Great location Breakfast included Wonderful staff Comfy bed Offers bicycles and motorbikes to rent Wi-fi

None really

Want to see more amazing photos and read more about Hoi An check out Hoi An : Part 1 , Hoi An: Part 2 , and Off the Beaten Path: Hoi An .

Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City (HCM)

Busy and bustling and one of Southeast Asia’s biggest Metropolises, HCM is a definite contrast compared to the more laid-back Hoi An. Filled with so much rich history, HCM is a definite must. Stop by the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace to take a step back in time. Also, don’t forget to try Vietnam’s famous iced coffee made with condensed milk.

Getting to Ho Chi Minh : You can take a 16-hour train to HCM, but the cheapest and quickest way is flying. It’s a quick hour and 15-minute flight. I nabbed a super cheap flight for only $20.64 USD with budget airline VietJet Air. Bundle and book on Expedia to save money.

Days Spent:  I spent 2 days and 2 nights here. Stretch it to 3 days if you can. It’ll ensure your days are not jam-packed as mine were.

Where to Stay : DDA Hotel District 1 (Private Room $18.65 USD/nt)

Decent price Mini fridge Great location in backpacker district Clean and modern room Wi-fi

Located right above a bar, so noise can be a disturbance Hard beds Small room No window in room

Find Cheap Flights to Vietnam Here!

I have a strong appreciation and admiration for Cambodia. This is a resilient country that withstood the horrors of genocide and famine brought on by its own government. Even still, this country still shines. Its people are kind, and the food is incredible.

As the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh has a rich culture and a heartbreaking past. I was able to see first-hand the aftermath of the story told by Loung Ung in the harrowing novel First They Killed My Father .

Getting to Phnom Penh: First things first, since you are crossing international borders, you will need to get a visa. There are two options. You can get your visa at the border, or you can apply online for an E-visa. To avoid any hiccups, I opted for the latter. You have a couple of options for getting to Phnom Penh. You can either fly or take a 6-hour bus ride. I chose the bus ride as it was the most cost-efficient route. The 3 most popular bus companies are Mekong Express ($12 USD), Sapaco Tourist ($12 USD), and Giant Ibis ($18 USD). I opted for Sapaco Tourist and booked through bookmebus. com . It was quick and easy and I just showed the e-ticket at the bus terminal. However, I must say I would not take Sapaco ever again. Definitely spend the extra money and go with Giant Ibis (which provides a snack, wifi, and power plugs). Sapaco’s bus was quite old and had the most rancid odor. Also, the ride itself was treacherous. The bus driver was more reckless than most and I swear he would blow the obnoxiously loud horn, long and hard each time he came near a car, which was every 10 seconds. So if you’re hoping to get any sleep on this bus you can forget it. Pay the extra money. Go with Giant Ibis. Trust me on this.

Days Spent:  I only spent 2 days and 2 nights here. It was an adequate amount of time for me, as I didn’t completely fall in love with Phnom Penh. But, if you can squeeze in one more day, then go for it. Definitely set aside one day for the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as the S-21 Prison) and the killing fields. It is a bit emotionally heavy but worth it.

Where to stay :  After doing some research I discovered sex trafficking is a huge problem in Cambodia. I also discovered Daughters of Cambodia which is an organization that helps victims of sex trafficking escape by providing them jobs and health and supportive services. This also led me to discover White Linen Boutique Hotel , which partners with Daughters of Cambodia. They provide jobs to young rescued women and teach them life/job skills to help these women create a sustainable life for themselves. I loved this place; everything about it. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

Supports an incredible cause Bed and Breakfast feel/very homey Clean and beautiful (the photos does it no justice) One breakfast item free (Try the bread of the day with honey butter. I legit still crave this bread everyday) Amazing staff Wi-fi

Price (Standard Lily room $35/nt ). This is a bit pricier compared to other SEA hotels, but still relatively cheap, and totally worth it Location is not terrible, but also not great. It is a bit outside of all the main action

As the home of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is truly a gem. A quaint little city with lots of restaurants to be tried, lots of massages to be had, lots of fruit shakes to be consumed, and lots of temples to venture. I loved it! It definitely gets my vote over Phnom Penh.

How to get to Siem Reap:  From Phnom Penh, I took a 5.5 hour bus with Giant Ibis for only $15 USD. Giant Ibis was pure luxury compared to Sapaco. As previously mentioned, they give you a snack and bottled water, and it comes with wifi and power plugs. ‘Twas amazing!

Days Spent:  I spent 2 days and 2 nights here. I honestly would have liked to have stayed one more day, so if you can…do.

Where {Not} to stay : Admittedly, my hotel in Siem Reap was not the best. I chose the Villa Sok San Square (Private room $23.75/nt).

Great location Friendly staff Wi-fi

DIRTY! If you can’t tell by my previous mentions of dirt, I can’t tolerate anything dirty. This place was just that. Dirty. The walls were dirty, the sheets were stained, the shower curtain was moldy and disgusting. If you can tolerate these things, then go for it. I won’t be returning.

Find Cheap Flights to Cambodia Here!

Philippines.

Boracay was somewhat of a last-minute addition to my vacation plans, but I am so glad I fit it into my schedule. Aside from the breathtaking beaches, Boracay is filled with all sorts of amazing people, incredible restaurants, and a smorgasbord of activities that will satiate the adventure junkie in you.

How to get to Boracay:  First, you have to decide if you want to save on money or time. If money is not a factor, book a flight directly to Caticlan, then it’s around a 10-minute boat ride to Boracay. Me, on the other hand, I chose the most cost-efficient option, but turns out it was definitely not the most time efficient. From Siem Reap I booked a flight to Manila, Philippines (which entailed a 9-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur). Once in Manila, I took a one-hour domestic flight to Kalibo. From Kalibo, I’d pre-arranged door-to-door transportation services through Southwest Tours . At the airport, we boarded a shuttle bus, drove an hour and a half to Jetty Port, where we then took a 10-minute speed boat ride over to Boracay. Once on the island, we were taken to our respective hotels.

Days Spent : I spent 5 days and 4 nights here, but honestly could have stayed forever. I was seriously sad to leave, and even, briefly, contemplated spending the rest of my vacation there. It’s just that awesome!

Where to stay:  MNL Beach Hostel Boracay (6-bed female dorm $16.34/nt). At this point this was the best hostel I’d ever stayed in, in life. Aesthetically, it was fun and super artsy. But, what I loved most was that the rooms were fairly big and the bunks were encapsulated and spacious, so you had privacy and places to keep your things inside with you.

Amazing location! Just a short walk to the beach and tons of restaurants/bars Super friendly staff Breakfast included 2 rooftop desks great for mingling with other travelers Hosted events several nights a week (i.e. yoga, BBQ mixer, etc) Spacious rooms and bunks Clean

Wifi only available in the common area

To read more about That One Time I Went Scuba Diving in Boracay click here.

Find Cheap Flights to the Philippines Here!

You can’t mention Southeast Asia without mentioning Thailand. You just can’t. It is like the epitome of SEA and where everyone flocks to; understandably so. It is something kinda amazing. My original plan was to start in Bangkok and make my way down to Chiang Mai, and then the islands, but by the time I’d reached Thailand I was exhausted! So, things changed (thank goodness for not having set plans, reservations, and flights). Not only did I end my trip in Chiang Mai, I also ended it a few days early.

I was quite surprised by Bangkok. I really didn’t have that great of expectation for it. I presumed it to be just another big city. But, boy was I surprised. I actually LOVED Bangkok. Of all the places I’d visited in SEA, this is the one place where I could actually see myself living long-term, maybe because it reminded me of an Asian version of home (Atlanta). Either way, it’s an incredible city that shouldn’t be slept on.

How to get to Bangkok:  From Boracay I flew back to Manila and then booked a separate flight to Bangkok (with yet again another long layover in Kuala Lumpur).

Days Spent:  Sadly, I only had 2 days and 2 nights in this amazing city. Initially, I’d only planned to stay one night, but I loved it so much I extended it for 2. Had I known that I wasn’t going to make it down to the islands I definitely would have stayed longer, 4 or 5 days at least.

Where to Stay:  Ok, so I know I said MNL Hostel was the best I’d ever stayed in, in life. Well, that was until I stayed at Analog Hostel in Bangkok. For only $12.64/nt it was an absolute steal! This place was super modern, super clean, super spacious, super secure, super EVERYTHING! And the decor is what took the cake. I am obsessed with all things vintage and retro, and that was the entire theme of this hostel. Old mixed with new. It was absolutely perfect! I will say this is definitely not your fun, party, hostel. So, if that’s what you’re looking for, look elsewhere. This place is more relaxed and laid back and people kept to themselves for the most part.

Great location near BTS Station, shopping, and restaurants Huge spacious rooms (even in an 8-person dorm) Clean and modern Amazing staff Great common area Very secure with cameras and badges to unlock all doors Wi-fi

May be a little difficult to find at first, as it is down a small alleyway No elevator

Chiang Mai, the city built around a moat, is also easily in my top 5 favorite cities. Not as busy as Bangkok, but still just as lively. I could spend hours on end walking up and down all the little alleyways discovering all the hidden gems of this city and never tire. Also, Chiang Mai has some of the best markets I’ve ever experienced. It is truly an incredible place.

How to get to Chiang Mai:  From Bangkok I took an hour and 10-minute flight that only set me back about $30 USD. Not too shabby.

Days Spent:  I spent a total of 5 days and 5 nights here. Initially, I was only going to stay 3 days plus 1 day in Pai, but again, things changed. And that’s ok. I loved each and every day I spent here, and will definitely be returning in the near future. One thing that you should definitely do while here is to visit the Elephant Nature Park . Truly an amazing experience with an organization that rescues elephants from the abuse of logging and tour companies. So, no riding the ellies here; only caring for and nurturing them.

Where to stay:  The An Teak Chiang Mai Hotel (4 bed dorm $18.52). This hotel is in an amazing location, in walking distance to everything. It is very modern and clean and zen-like. Like the Analog Hostel, it is very quiet. There weren’t too many people staying when I stayed, in fact, I only shared my 4 person room with one other girl at a time. The owners are incredibly nice, helpful, and accommodating. Initially, I only booked for one night but each day I would advise them, that I decided to stay one more day and it was no problem at all. Also, the cafe attached is absolutely delicious! I ate there just about every day, whether breakfast or a quick snack. I highly recommend this hotel.

Great price Modern and clean Spacious rooms Amazing owners Perfect location Wi-fi

No elevator

Well, there you have it. My 4-Week Southeast Asia Itinerary. A bit ambitious? Yes. Would I have done it any differently? No. 4 weeks was all I had, so I had to make the most out of it, and I loved every minute.

NEED MORE TIPS? HERE’S HOW TO STAY CONNECTED WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA

Planning a trip.

• Here’s a $30 voucher off your next booking!
• Stay connected  with Skyroam portable wifi
• Book your travel insurance  with  SafetyWing  or  World Nomads. You never know when you might need it. Lost luggage, trip cancellation, accidents. Better to be safe than sorry.
• Don’t forget   these packing essentials

Please note: all hotel pricing are listed at the time of my booking. Prices are subject to change. Also, there are some affiliate links on this post, which is just a fine way of directing you straight to the source without a bunch of searching on your part. 

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Stay Connected While Traveling: Southeast Asia SIM Cards

May 16. 2016.

Bernard Tan

I have never been to Hanoi and Hoi An, But have heard many stories about this places. What do you think is the difference between travelling in HCMC and Hanoi

Hoi An is amazing! Definitely my favorite of the 3. As far as the differences between Hanoi and HCMC, Hanoi is more charming and has a lot more character than HCM. Walking through Hanoi somewhat reminded me of New Orleans with all the French Colonial buildings and such. HCM, was more of just a big city, in my opinion. It still had it’s cultural aspects, but not anything like Hanoi.

Sharmistha | That Girl's Life Stories

Colby! Your pictures are beautiful. This is such a detailed article. I’m bookmarking it for my future trip!

Thanks so much Sharmistha!! 🙂

Yes!! I’m bookmarking this page and coming back for when I plan my SEA tour next year! I love how organized it is too…love the pros and cons list! Also, let’s seriously go back to Philippines! I’m having paradise withdrawal!

Omg! Another trip to the Philippines is a MUST!! Seriously, one of the best trips ever!

Svetoslav Dimitrov

This is a great itinerary – you covered amazing countries. Your pictures are excellent – I love the Cambodian one! I would love to visit all of them!

Thanks so much Svetoslav! All of them were incredible, in their own right. I hope you get to visit them all someday!

Lily Travella

Will definitely be trying the vietnamese iced coffee when i go soon. this is the perfect post for me at the moment, i’m off to south east asia pretty soon and will definitely be referring back to this before i go!

That’s awesome! So glad it will be of help! Let me know if you need any other recommendations 🙂

Just like you, i really dont like planning my journey to the very last bit. I feel like it takes away some form of freedom to do random things.

Nice read. I like your style of writing.

Yes, exactly! I need that freedom for spontaneity and randomness! Glad I’m not the only one :). Thanks so much for your kind words.

Wow! such an adventure, I haven’t been to Asia yet, from your details and pictures it is definitely on my list!

Yay! Southeast Asia is absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to go again.

Tonya Denmark

What an extensive itinerary! These are always good to go off of to get ideas on where to go and what to do. And I agree, sometimes you have to make the most of everything. Now here’s hoping you can sit back and relax!

Ahhh…yes, thank you 🙂 I’ve definitely had a chance to relax, but now I’m itching to go back lol. I still crave the foods so much! Some of the best I’ve ever had.

I haven’t been to any of these places – but definitely inspired now! You did cover a lot in 4 weeks, but this plan does not sound crazy hectic!

Yeah, it was a lot, and not so much hectic as it was tiring from being on the go non-stop. I was actually quite surprised how smoothly everything went considering I did so much in so little time. I hope you get to visit all of these places someday, they are all amazing!

Claire Martin

This is a great itinerary! Hopefully I’ll be putting it to use soon!

Thanks so much Claire!

Thank you for sharing! I have already backpacked Cambodia and the Philippines this spring since I’ve been on exchange in Hong Kong. I leave for my month and a half solo trip this May through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam! Your blog has been heaps of help and encouragement.

That is amazing!! Glad you found the post useful. Feel free to contact me if you need any other recommendations. Safe travels!

Andreja Jernejčič

Ah, this is great, I have very similar plans for this fall, Phillipines first, and then hopefullv Vietnam and laos, maybe a little bit of thailand!I can´t wait!

How exciting! What part of the Philippines are you going to? Boracay was awesome, but I also hear Palawan is amazing too.

Christine K

I have not been to Vietnam but will be going in May. Loved your article and the photos. You were fortunate to have four weeks and it looks like you took full advantage of your time. Thanks for putting this together, very entertaining and useful.

Thanks so much! I hope you love Vietnam as much as me! What parts will you be visiting?

Elaina O' Brien

Love this – you have dominated SE Asia my friend! I agree the major con about the Philippines was that damn non existent wifi!! Other than that I really couldn’t complain .. thanks for sharing! awesome read! 🙂

Oh my gosh, wifi was horrid! But, I guess it’s good to unplug every now and then and be in the moment. But, still….lol

So much information I love it, I’ve spent a long time in Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam but am dying to visit Phillipines soon!

I hope you get the chance soon! It’s amazing! What parts of Cambodia have you been in? Which places do you prefer?

Wow! Such an amazing trip. I wish to visit these countries one day also, although now I have to plan something closer 🙁 Especially loved Wietnam!

I hope you get to visit soon! They are all amazing places. Vietnam was definitely my favorite!

Safari Junkie

Sounds tempting although have never been attracted to this part of the world, have to admit.

I totally understand. I was the same way prior to moving to Asia. I’d always wanted to visit Thailand, but that’s about it. But, I fell in love with SEA!

Kimberly Erin @ Walkaboot.ca

very informative, I have never been to SEA yet but I am sure I will in the upcoming years….what I am really looking farward to is some scuba diving 🙂

Scuba diving was great! And it’s so cheap to do in the Philippines!

Life, Other Than - - - Shannon

Great informational post about traveling SE Asia. I’m yet to venture to this area of the globe and this post is worth its weight in gold to help give a person her bearings before heading out. I’m curious why you opted for the private room instead of the mixed dorm at the Golden River Hotel. Were there problems with the other guests? Too loud?

Thanks for sharing!

Oh no, nothing like that. The guests were all great. Not rowdy or obnoxious. But, prior to arriving to Hoi An, I’d slept in an airport, slept in a 4 person dorm on a rock hard bed, and shared a 4-person, tiny overnight train cabin with a guy with smelly feet lol. So, by the time I arrived to Hoi An I just wanted/needed my own space.

It is a good few years since my visit to Vietnam – and it looks exactly the same in your pictures, which is very nice to see! So often places become ruined once tourism takes hold. I have to put the Philippines on my wish list.

I totally agree! Hoi An, was a bit touristy, but it still had so much character, charm, and culture.

Asia is a beautiful continent. Cool you enjoyed 4 weeks there. Nice details of trip. Great pic 🙂 I just returned from the Philippines and loved it. I didn’t make it to Boracay.

Ahh nice! What parts did you visit in the Philippines? I definitely want to return and venture to other places.

Wow these pictures are amazing it’s making me want to go right now. I have pinned for future reference as your tips are great

Thanks so much Jenni 🙂

Jacqui Travels

What a brilliant itinerary and great tips! I can’t believe you fit so much in to four weeks. We’ve often thought that four weeks wouldn’t be enough in SEA, but you’ve made me think we could achieve it, too! I’ll be keeping this for later. Thank’s for sharing.

Thanks so much Jacqui! It was definitely a lot to pack in, in that amount of time, but it’s doable. You can easily spend a month or more in any one of these cities and feel like it’s still not enough time. I’ll definitely be returning and staying longer in most of these places.

LIndsay Nieminen

I have been to Malaysia, but have not had the chance yet to visit the rest of SE Asia. When my kids get a big bigger i would love to spend three months traveling here!

That would be awesome! Ideally, I would like to go back for 2-3 months as well!

Definitely an ambitious itinerary, but it looked like it worked out well enough for you! I actually can’t believe how much you managed to see.

If you were to go back to these countries, is there a particular place you would choose to return to for a longer time?

I would absolutely love to spend more time in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Bangkok, because I feel like I didn’t even scratch the surface, but from the short amount of time I was there, it felt like a place I could actually see myself living. And Chiang Mai was just amazing in so many ways.

Kaylene Chadwell

Awesome itinerary – very organized and informative! You make me want to get to Southeast Asia! I’d especially love to get to Vietnam and Thailand.

Thanks Kaylene! They were both amazing!

Love it, Colby! Your photos are absolutely stunning.

Thanks so much Taylor! 🙂

Sophia Reed

Great post. All love international travel and all the places you went to look like there were so full of culture.

They definitely were! I can’t wait to visit SEA again!

really thorough information and fantastic photos! A great guide

Thanks Hannah! 🙂

I thoroughly enjoyed this post… in fact I could’ve heard even more about your adventure. I have yet to make it to SEA, but when I do, I will be keeping your tips in mind. Thanks for sharing your journey

Thanks so much Robbi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the read 🙂

Cephe Paneli

Only wanna state that this is invaluable , Thanks for taking your time to write this.

Thank so much! Glad you found it useful 🙂

This is perfect! I am just starting to plan a pretty last minute trip to SEA, I will have a bit longer than 4 weeks travel time but this is a great starting place for my plans – so thank you!!

You’re so welcome! Glad you found this helpful! Where all are you headed? Hope you have an amazing trip!

Truly enjoyed reading this.

This coming January I am visiting a friend in Korea and after my visit I have 4-6 weeks available to travel. I’ve traveled a bit around Europe but I am intimidated with the language barrier in Asia. Since you stayed in Hostels, where do you leave your belongings? Any tips for first time female solo traveling in Asia? Thank You, -Gen

Hi Gen! Language barriers are hands down the most difficult thing about traveling (for me), and furthermore Korea was by far the most difficult place of them all. But, I managed to live there for a year in an incredibly rural part of Korea (like the only foreigner in the town, kind of rural)…so if I can survive that (with the knowledge of all of 5 words and not being able to read hangul) you´ll be fine. Trust me 🙂

I found that the language barrier really wasn´t that big of a problem in Southeast Asia. Most people I interacted with spoke enough English for me to be able to get by (especially in the touristy areas). Also, I always felt really safe in SEA. So you´ll be fine traveling solo. Of course always use discernment to avoid sketchy situations, but most everyone I met was extremely kind and helpful. The only place I was a little iffy about was Cambodia…mainly because EVERYONE there kept drilling to be safe. The motor drivers, the staff at the hotel, random people on the streets. Them constantly ¨warning¨ definitely made me take more precaution and made me a little on edge. I didn´t venture out after dark and was just always extra careful there.

One thing to be aware of are the taxi scammers. Never ever agree to whatever price they say. They´re ripping you off. Always insist on using the meter. They will tell you it´s broken. It´s a lie. Tell them nevermind and you´ll get another cab. They´ll change their tune.

As far as hostel, they usually come with lockers where you can lock up your belongings. I typically just locked away the valuable stuff.

Overall, I think SEA is an amazing place for solo female travelers. You´ll meet tons of other travelers along the way. Don´t worry about the language barrier, you´ll be fine 🙂

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Charlotte Newman

Thanks so much for sharing your itinerary! I’m always struggle with whether to stay in one country for an extended time or try to hit several, but your itinerary is very tempting 🙂 Would you be willing to share what your budget was (not including flight from the US) for the month? Thank you!

Your trip looks awesome! Chiang Mai sounds amazing!

Thanks so much! Chiang Mai is one of my absolute favorite places I´ve visited.

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Thanks for the great post! I am planning a trip for this May! How was it arranging travel, hotels, etc with the language barrier? Also how did you feel safety wise traveling alone as a woman. I did a solo trip last year for 3 months in South America and did not feel unsafe at all. Thanks for the help!

Actually I was able to read your response above to a similar question. Thanks!

IndiGo Volontärresor

It took me several visits but Pnom Penh has really grown on me. Not too big to feel like the city is drowning you nor so small that it feels, well, too small 🙂 Just like Bangkok was 20 or 30 years ago. A good advice is to check out the Raffles Hotel breakfast buffet, absolutely amazing!

Sofia Snellman

Nice info! How much time should I count on planning my trip for a one month travel in SE Asia?

Thank you really, for I was going nuts about whether 4 weeks are enough to cover it all. I have somewhat similar itinerary in mind but I was discouraged by people’s reaction of “ahhh nah you can’t do it”. It seems you even squeezed Boracay in between. You gave me a real inspiration for my trip. Thank you!

You’re so welcome! I know people will try to discourage you from packing too much into a trip, but the way I look at it is, I can either get a taste of it and return later, or don’t do it at all. I’d rather have just a taste. Sometime you really do have to just make the most out of the time you have. Glad I was able to help. Enjoy your trip!

Psyche Castillon

Hi, Colby! When you get back from the Philippines, try booking flights with Cebu Pacific and/or PAL (Philippine Airlines). They have direct flights from Manila to Siem Reap/Manila to Bangkok.

So good to know! Thanks for the info!

Would it be possible to breakdown the total cost? I’m very much interested in following this. Thank you for a great blog!

Hey love this post! I’m planning on going to most of these countries in the next couple months and have bookmarked this page to remember all your tips! One question: how much did you end up spending over the 4week period?

Did you fly in and out of the same airport at the beginning and end of your trip? I am looking at doing a 4-5 week solo SE trip next summer and I am starting to shop initial flights now.

Hi Maddy! I flew out of Incheon airport in South Korea to Hanoi Vietnam. Then, the last leg of my trip I flew from Bangkok back to Incheon. So, basically, I only booked one way tickets for each leg. Hope that helps 🙂

Best itinerary I have seen by far! So if you had a little longer – say 6-7 weeks what else would you have done? Would you be able to give a rough guesstimate of how much you spent or how much you would recommend to bring?

Thanks so much! If I had longer I would definitely explore more of Vietnam. Add in Sapa, perhaps. I also would’ve made my way to Chiang Rai and at least one of the islands in Thailand.

Tonkin - Travel Vietnam

Oh, welcome to Vietnam! I’m very happy when you love Vietnam. If you want to come back Vietnam once more, please add Hue Imperial City, Mekong Delta or some islands like Phu Quoc or Con Dao in your itinerary.

Hi Colby, I found your blog by accident back in November and I liked your itinerary. I just completed my 21 day solo trip to all the places you went in Vietnam and Cambodia, I added Phuket for 3 days and one day in Beijing since I got my free miles flight from there to NY. Thank you sooooo much for having this information available, it made the difference since I was overwhelmed with the possibilities and I planned this at the last minute. All the best! Cris

Thanks so much Chris! Gotta love those free flights :). I wish I’d gotten the chance to visit Phuket, but I’m thinking about going back later this year. Any recommendations on where to stay?

Steph Brown

Thanks for this post! My boyfriend and I are nearly at the end of our 4 week SEA trip and used your blog as a guide for our trip! We even stayed at the Golden Charm in Hanoi, which was great!

That’s amazing! I hope you guys are loving SEA as much as I did!

Andrea Bojkovska

Hi, thanks for the post, I will certainly use it as a guide! Can you tell me how much money did you spend total for these 4 weeks? Cheers

Fabian Keresztfalvi

Great info. I love SEA too. Might go back again, maybe to Vietnam and Cambodia. Thanks for sharing.

Backyard Travel

As read above i remember my journey that was great time in Asia. As my Thai visa was almost over I needed to cross the Thai border. I was on the island Koh Chang close to Cambodia. I went to the local tourist office and I booked a ticket to Siem Reap by road that was amazing tour ad fit to my pocket.

Thanks for sharing such an amazing & informative blog which will surely be a big help to those travelling to the southeast asia.Out of many amazing places in asia vietnam is quite popular because of the cost of travelling is quite low as compared to other southasian countries. There are many amazing places to visit and out of many the beach resorts in the southern part of the country is very popular among the tourists.There one can find many beautiful beach resorts which provides top class hospitality

Hi John! Thanks so much for reading. I agree, there are so many amazing places in Vietnam. It was my favorite country while traveling through Southeast Asia. I’d love to return and experience a beach resort.

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m starting to plan my month-long SEA adventure for this summer and your guide is super useful for giving me an idea of where to start 🙂 In terms of the flights you took between the various destinations, did you book these in advance/ahead of your trip? Or is it possible to still find cheap deals while you’re out there planning your journey ahead? Also, as a solo traveller, what was your experience with befriending other travellers out there?

Hi Megan! I’m so glad this was helpful! I did a little of both. Some flights I booked ahead of time, others I booked while traveling. I found flights as cheap as like 19 euro, so you can definitely still find really good deals while on the road. Plus, not booking everything in advance gives you the flexibility to change your schedule around. By the time I made it to Chiang Mai. I was exhausted! I was supposed to go down to the islands, but opted to just stay in Chiang Mai longer. I hadn’t booked my flight yet, so I didn’t feel like I was losing money or anything.

As a solo traveler, it is SUPER easy meeting people. I stayed in hostels while doing SEA so I’d hang out with people also staying there, or my roomies. I met people by simply eating breakfast at a café and they would strike up a conversation with me (I’m more of an introvert, so I hardly ever initiate convos, but will happily talk to people who approach me haha). There are so many solo travelers, digital nomads, and just all around friendly people in SEA, I never really felt alone, unless I wanted to be. I hope this helps and I hope you have an amazing trip!!

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Planning Your Adventure? Find The Best Time To Visit Bangkok, Thailand's Capital

We delve into the nuances of bangkok's seasons to help you plan the perfect getaway with our guide to the best time to visit the city..

By: Shubhanjana Das Published: Apr 08, 2024 02:16 PM UTC

Bangkok can be called a rite of passage for every traveller. Its undeniable charm that continues to draw tourists from across the globe lies in its thrilling blend of tradition and modernity. Adding to its allure is the juxtaposition of ancient temples adorned with intricate designs, bustling markets teeming with exotic treasures, and tantalising street food that delights the senses. The city’s vibrant nightlife, colourful festivals, and warm hospitality cannot go unmentioned, making it a destination where tradition seamlessly merges with innovation. And if you’re planning a trip to Bangkok, understanding the best time to visit can make all the difference in ensuring a memorable experience.

From vibrant festivals to ideal weather conditions, timing your visit right can enhance your exploration of this dynamic city. While the best places in Bangkok welcome visitors year-round, some seasons are better than others. The high season from November to March features cooler temperatures and minimal rainfall, making it the best time to visit Bangkok’s outdoor attractions such as the Grand Palace and Wat Arun. Shoulder seasons , April to June and September to October, bring warmer temperatures and occasional rain, yet fewer crowds. The low season from July to August experiences heavy rainfall but offers budget-friendly accommodations and fewer tourists. Despite the weather, indoor attractions like the Chatuchak Weekend Market and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha remain accessible, ensuring an enriching experience throughout the year.

Explore our selection of the most beautiful temples to visit in Thailand .

Best time to visit Bangkok for great weather

If you want to experience Thailand’s capital in great weather throughout, minus any surprises, the best time to visit Bangkok is during the cool and dry season spanning from November to February. This period offers comfortable temperatures and clear skies, perfect for exploring the city’s outdoor attractions. Visit the iconic Grand Palace, home to stunning temples and intricate architecture. Take a boat ride along the Chao Phraya River to experience Bangkok’s bustling waterfront. Explore the vibrant street markets like Chatuchak Weekend Market, where you can shop for unique souvenirs and taste delicious s treet food. It’s also when many exciting cultural festivals are celebrated in the city, like Golden Mount Temple Fair (November), Loy Krathong (November), Chinese New Year (January), and Makha Bucha (February) Basically, you’ll get to experience the best of this dynamic city.  

Here’s our selection of the best things to do in Bangkok .

Book your stay at Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok - SHA Extra Plus via Booking.com

Book your stay at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok via Agoda.com

Best time to visit Bangkok for a honeymoon

Bangkok is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations in Asia for couples and for good reason. When visiting with your beau, we suggest taking no chances and choosing the most reliable season – November to March – when it’s dry and cool. Besides being one of the best times to visit Grand Palace, Bangkok, you should check out the luxurious night cruise down the Chao Phraya River, the Grand Pearl Dinner Cruise Bangkok, getting a taste of traditional Thai food and shows. Also visit Muang Bora, also known as Ancient City and one of the world’s largest open-air museums.

Explore our guide to the best rooftop bars in Bangkok to enjoy all year round.

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse via Booking.com

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Hotel The Surawongse via Agoda.com

Visiting Bangkok for great deals and low prices

If you consider yourself a daring traveller, then you can save some money by visiting Bangkok during the shoulder seasons of March to May and September to October. During these periods, you can find discounted rates on accommodations and attractions due to fewer tourists in the monsoon. However, Bangkok’s monsoon season features only short bouts of rain, nothing that can’t be combatted with a good rain jacket. Explore the majestic Wat Arun temple, known for its stunning riverside location and intricate architectural details.

These are the most popular streets in Bangkok that are totally walkable .

Take a stroll through the bustling streets of Chinatown, where you can sample delicious street food and browse through vibrant markets. Don’t miss out on a visit to the serene Lumphini Park, an oasis of greenery amidst the urban landscape. Off-peak seasons are the best time to travel to Bangkok, Thailand if you want to experience the city’s attractions at a relaxed pace while saving money on your travels.

These are the best luxury malls in Bangkok for the ultimate experience.

Book your stay at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok via Booking.com

Book your stay at JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok via Agoda.com

Best time to explore adventure activities in Bangkok

Just because you’re there to chill doesn’t mean you can’t have a day of adrenaline-pumping outdoor activities! The best time to visit Bangkok for a mix of adventure and leisure is during the dry season from November to February when the weather is pleasant and rainfall is minimal. Embark on a thrilling bike tour through the city’s bustling streets, exploring hidden alleys and vibrant markets. Head to Lumpini Park for a kayaking adventure on its serene lake, surrounded by lush greenery and skyscrapers. Experience the adrenaline rush of indoor rock climbing at Rock Domain Climbing Gym, perfect for both beginners and experienced climbers. For an offbeat adventure, try wakeboarding at Thai Wake Park, offering cable wakeboarding amidst scenic surroundings.

You can also explore our selection of the best nightclubs in Bangkok to party the night away.

Book your stay at W Bangkok Hotel via Booking.com

Book your stay at W Bangkok via Agoda.com

Best time to try Thai food in Bangkok

If you are visiting Bangkok for the sole purpose of trying Thai food, then any time of the year is good to visit. However, if you plan to do a lot of street food hopping, it’s best to avoid the core monsoon season between April and October. And if you’re visiting for food, any time is the best time to visit Chinatown, Bangkok to have rice and curry at Khao Gaeng Jek Pu, Shark Fin Soup at Hoo Chalarm, Kway Chap Rolled Noodles at Nai Lek Uan, and Chinese doughnut at Pa Tong Go Savoe, among others. Don’t miss out on other street food delights like Pad Thai , and Som Tum, Tom Yum soup, and crispy, golden-fried spring rolls. Don’t miss the aromatic delights of Yaowarat Road, where you can savour mouthwatering seafood dishes and delectable desserts amidst the lively ambience of this bustling food paradise.

Here’s our ultimate checklist on how to spot a good restaurant in Bangkok .

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit via Booking.com

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit via Agoda.com

Best time to explore wildlife and parks in Bangkok

While there aren’t many wildlife parks to visit in Bangkok, there are a few that are worth keeping on your itinerary. You can explore Macaw Land, Tiger Den Safari Park, and Safari World, which consists of Safari Park and Marine Park.

The best time to visit these parks is during the cool and dry season from November to February when the weather is pleasant for outdoor activities and wildlife sightings are more common.

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queens Park via Booking.com

Book your stay at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen’s Park via Agoda.com

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The worst time to visit bangkok.

While Bangkok can be visited around the year, it’s best to avoid the peak of the monsoon season, typically from June to October, especially if it’s your first time visiting the city. During these months, Bangkok experiences heavy rainfall, high humidity, and occasional flooding. Outdoor activities may be disrupted, and attractions may be crowded or temporarily closed due to inclement weather. Additionally, the risk of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever is higher during this time.

shop the best travel experiences here

(Feature Image Credit: Travel mania/Shutterstock)

Related: The Best Time To Visit Thailand For Great Weather, Low Prices, And Fun Festivals

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

-What is the best time to explore adventure activities in Bangkok? The best time to explore adventure activities in Bangkok is during the cool and dry season from November to February when the weather is pleasant

-What is the best time to try local food in Bangkok? Local food can be tried in Bangkok all year round.

-What is the best time to explore wildlife in Bangkok? Explore Bangkok’s wildlife from November to February when there is minimal rain and wildlife sightings are more common.

-What is the best time for a solo trip in Bangkok? Any time of the year is good for a solo trip to Bangkok. November-February, however, is the best time to experience the overall great weather in Bangkok. Explore the best neighbourhoods in Bangkok for solo travellers.

– How can I avoid extreme temperatures while visiting Bangkok? Avoid the peak of the monsoon season, typically from June to October.

-What are the specific seasonal attractions in Bangkok? Loy Krathong (November), Songkran (April), Chinese New Year (January/February), and Bangkok International Film Festival (July) are seasonal attractions.

-What are the best festivals to attend in Bangkok? Loy Krathong, Songkran, Chinese New Year, Visakha Bucha, Moon Festival, And Golden Mount Temple Fair are some of the best festivals in Bangkok.

• Best time to visit
• south east asia
• Thailand Bangkok

Shubhanjana Das

An English Major, Shubhanjana is an independent culture and lifestyle journalist with extensive experience in fashion and travel writing. Her bylines have appeared in Vogue, Vice, FirstPost, and Mint Lounge, among others. She is a wannabe wine-taster and given the chance, wants to travel for a living and treats true crime podcasts like her lullaby. .. Read More An avid reader, Shubhanjana loves reading magic realism and surrealism literature. Read Less

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10 Cheapest Countries That You Can Travel To Affordably In Asia

• Asia offers incredibly affordable destinations for budget travelers, where the cost of living and attractions are surprisingly cheap.
• Travelers can enjoy affordable vacations in countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, India, Laos, Nepal, Mongolia, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka.
• By visiting during the cheaper times of the year, like September to November in Vietnam or April to October in Cambodia, travelers can save even more money on their Asian adventures.

Asia is an incredible place for budget travel, as even its most popular destinations can be surprisingly cheap. Usually, the most expensive cost travelers will have to deal with when visiting the most affordable countries in Asia is the cost of flight tickets. Once in one of these countries, explorers will most likely never complain about price, especially when visiting during the cheapest times of the year to travel to Asia.

For vacationers on a budget seeking the most affordable destinations in the world, Asia is where it's at - and the continent doesn't fall short on beauty, culture, and incredible experiences for every type of traveler. So, wondering where to travel for cheap in Asia? Look no further; here are the cheapest countries to visit in Asia, where travelers don't have to break the bank to live the dream.

Related: 10 Surprisingly Beautiful But Also Surprisingly Cheap Destinations

Vietnam has long been one of the cheapest destinations in the world for budget travelers. Despite being home to so many incredible spots like the dramatic Ha Long Bay and Ho Chi Minh City, this Asian country promises to be easy on tourist pockets.

While it really depends on individual spending habits, budget travelers can enjoy a fun-filled day in Vietnam from $40 to $50 .

• Cheapest times to visit Vietnam: September to November, April to June

Indonesia is one of the cheapest Asian countries to visit on vacation, and there are even plenty of free things to do, so travelers will have a lot of opportunities to save money while having amazing adventures. Also, many attractions in Indonesia that require payment only set visitors back a few dollars.

Of course, there are expensive attractions in this country, but visiting them and spiking the budget is the choice of the tourist involved. Overall, $20 can cover the cost of accommodation, food, transport, water, and other daily requirements that travelers may need in Indonesia in a day.

• Cheapest time to visit Indonesia: October to April but avoid Christmas and New Year

Philippines

The Philippines is one of the most beautiful yet cheap countries in Asia to visit, and it offers an abundance of things for tourists to see and do - with most being very affordable. Also, the cost of living in the Philippines is low, especially for those armed with foreign currencies like Dollars, Euros, or Pounds. In the Philippines, there are good hotels that cost as little as $10, and some street food can be as cheap as $5.

Transport here is also cheap, as train fares are usually between $1 and $2, although it can be higher depending on the distance. Bus tickets are higher but still cost between $2 and $10. Overall, expect to spend between $40 and $80 a day in the Philippines . Although it can be much less depending on the level of frugality of the traveler involved.

• Tip to visit the Philippines affordable: Avoid traveling in April and May, and late December and early January

In Thailand, visitors can choose how cheap or expensive they want their vacation to be. Thailand can be explored on a budget , and it has plenty of attractions that are quite literally free, and visitors will only spend between $0.50 and $2 on trains in many major cities daily.

In addition, food in Thailand is very affordable, with some costing as little as $1. Plus, the country has many budget hotels, some of which cost $10 or less. What's more, Bangkok is one of the few places in the world where one can get a good hour-long massage for less than $10.

Overall, a great day in Thailand can cost around $75 , although many travelers can still live the dream for less than $30. With such affordability, it’s easier to tip in Thailand, as tourists usually have a lot of spare money in their pockets.

• Cheapest time to visit Thailand: July to September

Related: This Is How Far You Can Get With $100 USD In Thailand

India is so massive that it has budget options for everybody, and for those seeking affordable travel destinations in Asia, this country is a haven. Everything from food to bus fares, tickets to attractions, and accommodation can be ridiculously cheap in India.

Some budget travelers can cut their daily costs in India to as little as $30 a day or less when taking cheaper transport options like trains.

• Cheapest time to visit India: June to September

Laos is the most underrated country in Asia , but that’s not because it does not have anything to offer tourists. It’s just that it is overshadowed by more popular options like Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. But popularity aside, Laos has so many incredible things to offer, from beautiful natural attractions like Kuans Si Caves & Waterfalls to cultural and historic attractions like the ancient temple of Wat Phu.

The country is also super mild on the pocket, and when that is added to a smaller population and lots of things to see and do, Laos becomes one of the best places to visit in Asia on a budget. This country has hotels offering a good night's sleep for as little as $5, and food is very affordable, as it usually costs between $1 and $5. In summary, with careful planning, travelers can enjoy a memorable vacation in Laos with a daily budget of less than $20 .

• Cheapest time to visit Laos: March to June (hottest time of the year in Laos) and July to October (rainy season)

Related: Guide To Laos: What People Wish They Knew Before Visiting

Nepal is one of the most popular Asian destinations on the list, as it is home to Mount Everest and several other towering mountains that attract about a million people yearly. Besides mountaineering, Nepal also offers other thrilling experiences like cave exploration, wildlife watching, and ziplining.

When it comes to cost, Nepal is another one of the cheapest places in Asia to visit, with daily spending hanging around $30 to $40 . However, that is if Mount Everest or one of its summits is out of the budget because it costs a lot of money (and time) to summit a mountain . While the average cost in Nepal is a little bit higher than the other cheap vacation destinations in Asia, it definitely is affordable compared to other parts of the planet with world-famous attractions.

• Tip to visit Nepal Affordably: Avoid the high season (October - November)

Mongolia invites visitors to come enjoy some of the most unique adventures in Asia with little money. This country finds itself among the cheapest vacation destinations in Asia to visit, with modest accommodations ranging from $10 - $20.

By Vietnam or Thailand standards, that’s expensive, but when compared to other countries where the same meal or accommodation can cost several dollars more, Mongolia is affordable. Realistically, budget travelers should expect to spend about $30 to $50 a day in this country, which includes accommodation, food, water, and transport.

• Cheapest time to visit Mongolia: November to March

Cambodia is home to some of the most interesting attractions in the world, one of which is Angkor Wat - a Buddhist temple considered the largest religious structure in the world. But even with so many points of interest spread out across this country, it has remained one of the most affordable countries in the world to visit on vacation.

Whether it's food, transport, or accommodation, most things in Cambodia are fairly cheap, especially for foreigners coming with stronger currencies. Besides the few hundred dollars that one will inevitably spend on flights, visitors only need about $30 to have a good time in Cambodia in a day.

• Cheapest time to visit Cambodia: April to October

Sri Lanka is one place where travelers will never complain about prices but will rather be shocked by how cheap it can be to travel the country.

With less than $40 a day , travelers can live the dream in Sri Lanka, especially when visiting in the off-season (December to April) when things are so budget-friendly that it almost feels like a steal.

• Cheapest time to visit Sri Lanka: December to April

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This Malaysian city is one of Asia’s most budget-friendly summer destinations in 2024

Summer is approaching swiftly, bringing along the excitement of planning a memorable vacation in 2024! Before you begin your selection process, delve into the budget-friendly destinations of Asia for summer 2024, where you can travel without exceeding your limit.

Agoda, the popular online travel agency, surveyed to determine the most budget-friendly destination in Asia for 2024 by comparing the average room rates across top destinations in the Asia-Pacific region. This exclusive list features Udon Thani from Thailand as the top-ranked destination, followed by Surabaya in Indonesia, Hue in Vietnam, and Kuching in Malaysia . These cities offer affordability and unique experiences within their respective countries, with Bangalore standing out as India’s most budget-friendly destination.

Discover the most budget-friendly summer destinations in Asia 2024

Udon thani, thailand.

Ranked first in Asia, Udon Thani offers affordability without compromising on cultural and natural richness. Explore archaeological wonders such as Kham Chanot, the Red Lotus Sea, and Phu Phra Bat Historical Park.

Surabaya, Indonesia

Located on Java island in Indonesia, Surabaya blends the traditional and the modern along the coast. Discover the myth of Sura and Baya as you navigate the bustling streets of the port city through its Javanese, Chinese, and Arab influences. Explore the nightlife, local cuisine and culture at Pasar Atum and Townsquare Surabaya.

Hue, Vietnam

Former home of the Nguyen Dynasty, Hue is steeped in history, making it a fascinating destination in Vietnam. Explore the UNSECO-enlisted Hue Citadel and the tombs of past emperors. Also famous for its cuisine, the Dong Ba Market is the centre for relishing world-class Vietnamese dishes like Banh Khoai and Banh Beo.

Kuching, Malaysia

The capital of Sarawak, Kuching offers breathtaking nature on Borneo island and showcases Malaysia’s diverse culture. Witness the lush greenery, stunning landscapes and pristine waters of Bako National Park, Kubah National Park, Kuching Waterfront and Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.

Iloilo, Philippines

Designated as UNESCO’s first “Creative City of Gastronomy” in the Philippines, Iloilo offers a blend of history, culture, delicious cuisine, and nature in one destination.

Bangalore, India

Dubbed the “Silicon Valley of India”, Bangalore is also the most affordable destination in the country. You can witness India’s past, present, and future through its monuments, bustling streets, and innovative spaces like Bengaluru Palace, Cubbon Park, Commercial Street, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, and Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum.

Narita, Japan

Beyond being a gateway to Tokyo, thanks to the Narita International Airport, Narita offers cultural gems like Naritasan Temple, Katori Shrine, Sawara Town and Boso no Mura, providing a glimpse into Japanese heritage.

Kaohsiung, Taiwan

The port city on the tip of Taiwan, Kaohsiung is a major trading centre and metropolis. Catch a glimpse of Taiwanese city life through Liouhe Tourist Night Market, Ruifeng Night Market, The Pier-2 Art Center, Kaohsiung Music Center and Great Harbor Bridge.

(Feature image credit: Sasha India/Unsplash)

Priyaja Bakshi

Priyaja took her love for reading to the next level by majoring in English and minoring in Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College For Women (DU). She is extremely curious about the world and wishes to visit all the countries once in her life. She identifies as a foodie and loves to spend her free time exploring different cuisine and curating new dishes. As a former Food Writer at NDTV, she can help you find the best places to eat in Delhi!

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Japan revolutionised train travel, but delays plague its ambitious new high-speed rail projects.

TOKYO – Japan’s ambitious plans to debut the world’s fastest train service by 2027 have hit a snag, with the project at least seven years behind schedule.

On March 29, it was announced that the first phase of the maglev, or the Linear Chuo Shinkansen, connecting Shinagawa in Tokyo to Nagoya was drastically behind schedule. The service would cut travel time between the two places to 40 minutes, down from 1hr 26min via the bullet train.

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7 Countries Where You Can Live For Under $1,500 A Month

From Europe to Asia, these countries offer diverse cultures, scenic landscapes, and a low cost of living under $1,500 monthly for expats.

• Experience diverse cultures and live affordably in countries like Spain, Brazil, and the Maldives for under $1,500 a month.
• Embrace a laid-back lifestyle surrounded by scenic beauty in the Philippines and Vietnam at a cost of living under $700.
• Beautiful countries like Bulgaria and South Africa offer rich history, culture, and a welcoming environment for under $1,000.

With the world facing global inflation, the expenses of food, transportation, healthcare, rent, and all things necessary are also affected, thus causing some people to find a place where the cost of living doesn't demand a big budget (plus, there are many countries where it's easy for Americans to get a job , for those still intent on working). Others are retirees who simply want to keep their fixed income going further, while some are expatriates wanting to experience different cultures without worrying about the high costs.

For many Americans, their dollars could go further in these affordable countries—even when they live in one of the happiest small towns in America , which all have a low poverty rate, low crime rate, and low unemployment rate. For instance, Bisbee, Arizona, has all these factors, and although its cost of living of about $2,043 a month with rent, give or take a little, is lower than the national average of $2,433 , this doesn't change the fact that it's still more expensive than the Philippines, Vietnam, South Africa, or Brazil. Most of these countries are also among the places around the world where you can retire for less than $1,000 a month .

Living in these countries with a cost of living of less than $1,500 a month, including home rental, scores the hearts of many people from around the world, particularly Americans who want to explore and discover new cultures, live comfortably, find financial stability, comfort, and personal development. Some of them are also countries that offer retirement visas , not only to senior-aged people but also to foreigners of any age, so long as they meet certain requirements.

Here are some of the beautiful countries where people can live for less than $1,500 a month without sacrificing comfort, be they retirees looking for a new start during their golden years or young to middle-aged people seeking affordable living abroad and an adventure at the same time.

The statistics of these countries, such as the cost of living, the best cities or towns to live in, and population, were sourced from Living Cost and World Population Review . Take note that statistics may change as they get updated from time to time.

8 European Countries With Retirement Visas (& Their Costs)

Average cost of living with rent: $1,383.

Hola! Bienvenido a España! With a mesmerizing and unique mélange of culture and rich history, Spain is one of the countries to live in for less than $1,500 a month. Gleaming with diverse landscapes, temperate climate, architectural wonders (don't miss out on the gorgeous cobblestone streets in its historic towns and cities), mouthwatering cuisine, and vibrant fiestas , Spain is such a feat!

Most of all, Spain's affordable cost of living, welcoming environment, and iconic, centuries-old attractions and landmarks are among the major reasons why it's a good place to live.

But there's more! Spain is also one of the countries with the strongest passports in the world as of 2024 , which allows passport holders to enter 194 countries visa-free. So, if there's anything that would persuade travelers and adventurers to try and start anew and even seek citizenship, Spain is one for the books, not to mention its world-famous football clubs. Ever heard of Real Madrid and FC Barcelona?

10 Affordable Countries That Provide Workcation Perks For Americans

6 the maldives, average cost of living with rent: $1,263.

Pristine white-sand beaches, turquoise waters, rich marine life, and a breathtaking coastal landscape are just among the top reasons why the Maldives made it to this list of places to live under $1,500 a month. For those who are seeking a permanent home surrounded by beautiful beaches and to experience a laid-back island lifestyle, the Maldives is the answer!

Not only is the Maldives one of the most affordable places to live in, but it also boasts many beautiful yet cheap Maldivian islands to visit on a budget . For only $1,263 a month , a single person can live in the Maldives comfortably, not to mention its booming economy because of its strong tourism industry and its warm and welcoming communities.

Ithaa Undersea Restaurant is the world's first undersea restaurant, boasting five meters below the ocean's surface with breathtaking views of the coral garden and mouthwatering local and Western fusion cuisine and fine wines.

7 Countries Americans Can't Travel To

5 south africa, average cost of living with rent: $815.

South Africa's breathtaking coastlines, enchanting mountains, and rich culture are beckoning. Its affordable cost of living is something to consider for those who are seeking a place with a unique culture, diverse geography, and a blend of cultural influences. Its major cities, including Johannesburg and Pretoria, are two of the most beautiful cities to visit in South Africa .

South Africa also boasts unique must-visit attractions , and its excellent healthcare system, top-notch educational institutions, warm climate, and legendary hospitality make it a great place to call home. Its vibrant experiences in the form of art, music, and delicious cuisine are not to be missed!

10 Easiest Countries For Americans To Immigrate To

Average cost of living with rent: $754.

Do Brasil com amor! How about a blend of gorgeous people and captivating diverse landscapes? Brazil has it all. Known for its vast forests, such as the world’s largest tropical rainforest, the iconic Amazon Rainforest, which was recently revealed to have hidden human-made structures during the pre-Colombian era, Brazil is a crowning jewel in South and Latin America.

With a cost of living of less than $800 a month , anyone who is eyeing a place with a vibrant lifestyle, natural landscapes, pristine beaches, and diverse indigenous influences can take a flight to Brazil and never look back. Plus, the Brazilian's warm hospitality, booming economy, and strong job market are inviting.

Also, don't forget about the Brazil National Football Team, and, of course, the country's mouthwatering cuisine! Feijoada , anyone?

Christ the Redeemer , a massive Art-Deco statue of Jesus Christ, is located in Rio de Janeiro and charges an entry ticket of $16 .

7 Places To Live In The US With The Lowest Crime Rates In 2024

Average cost of living with rent: $773.

A beautiful country right in the heart of the Balkans, Bulgaria is known for its diverse terrain and a tapestry of rich history and cultural heritage. This Eastern European country weaves unforgettable experiences—from the best things to do in Bulgaria's off-the-beaten paths to watching live performances and events at one of the best preserved Roman theaters, the Roman theater of Philipopoli .

The enchanting peaks of the Balkan Mountains, the sun-kissed coast of the Black Sea, and the ancient tales of its storied past helped shape Bulgaria today. But above all these, the country's affordable cost of living and remarkably welcoming environment are what make it a great place to call home.

Many of its beautiful cities, like Sofia and Plovdiv, are also steeped in history and charm with a sense of belongingness and camaraderie.

10 Hardest Countries For Americans To Visit

2 the philippines, average cost of living with rent: $614.

Mabuhay! Welcome to the Philippines, where its most beautiful beaches are worth a flight . Steeped in rich history and culture, the Philippines, being one of the best places to live in for less than $1,500 a month, offers a tapestry of sapphire seas in its tropical islands, lush vegetation, old-world architecture, and its famed legendary hospitality.

From the bustling streets of its capital, Manila, to the pristine, white-sand beaches of its tropical provinces, including popular destinations like Cebu and Bohol, and the whistling joys of its majestic mountains and volcanoes, expect unconditional and boundless warm smiles from its people!

Known for its karaoke culture (for good reason), the Philippines, with its storied past, was a colony of Spain for 333 years ( Intramuros, the Spanish colonial fortified center in Manila is a great place to visit), and the United States for 48 years, hence the unique blend of Spanish and American influences.

Anyone who lives here will love the country's vibrant festivals, exotic dishes (try Balut, an incubated developing egg embryo of duck or chicken, boiled or steamed; and eaten with salt, chili, and spicy vinegar), and the array of laid-back beaches among swaying palm trees and the enchanted countryside.

The Philippines is also one of the cheapest English-speaking countries to retire or live in (regarding the former, it's also one of the many countries that give retirement incentives if that helps!). Overall, this nation of over 7,000 islands is a beautiful blend of unique culture and charm; a place of resiliency, and a great tropical destination to call home, not to mention that it's the third-largest English-speaking country in the world !

Intramuros is free to visit. The Basilica del Sto. Nino in Cebu, where the image of the miraculous Santo Niño (Child Jesus) is housed, is also worth checking out, which is honored through a celebration every third Sunday of January called the Sinulog Festival, the biggest festival and Christian celebration in the Philippines.

7 Cheapest US Cities To Live In

Average cost of living with rent: $611.

Vietnam's enchanting landscapes, a weaving tapestry of diverse cultures, mouthwatering cuisine, and warm and friendly people are very tempting for anyone seeking a unique place to live. With only around $600 a mont h, one can live comfortably in Vietnam, where a blend of unique experiences awaits.

From Vietnam's hidden gems and off-the-beaten tracks to the top tourist attractions in Vietnam that are not to be missed , the country is undoubtedly a captivating place to call home. Many people are enchanted by the country's ancient Buddhist pagodas, the French colonial landmarks, and the sun-drenched beaches.

The warmth and the sense of community in Vietnam, the tasty flavors of its famed street food, and the tranquil countryside make Vietnam an enriching experience and a great destination for those who are looking for a place where belongingness is easy and a comfortable, laid-back lifestyle is legendary.

Today, Vietnam is a far cry from its tragic past during the devastating 20-year war in 1955, a struggle for reunification and independence.

Vietnam's unique (and safe) sleeping buses are common among backpackers, and anybody moving to the country will probably use one at some point!