Southeast Asia is
known to be one of the most exhilarating, vibrant and complex areas in the
world. Southeast Asian countries include Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore,
Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar. Serene beaches, high
mountains, lengthy rice paddies. These are usually the things that come into
mind whenever you mention Southeast Asia. If you are looking for an adventurous
journey filled with marvelous views of nature, Southeast Asia is the top
backpacking destination for you. To truly enjoy your time backpacking around
this region, here are a few tips:
List down your start point and end point: Estimate your number of days per country so you
can decide which tourist spots to go to. You can choose to start from
Myanmar-Thailand-Vietnam-Cambodia-Malaysia-Singapore-Indonesia-Philippines or
the other way around. Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia are neighboring
countries and you can reach each destination by bus or ferry.
Prepare your budget: Southeast Asia can be very cheap. There are a lot
of budget accommodations such as hostels and guesthouses and the typical cost
per night can be around $10-$20. Cleanliness of the hostel is not definite and
you would probably have to share the room with someone else. As for food,
hawker centers are common around Southeast Asia. Expect to find delicious food
from $1-$3. Airfare and transportation included, a budget of $3000-$4000 would
be ideal.
Immerse with the locals: The best way to experience a country is through
immersing yourself with the locals. With an estimate number of 600 million
people in Southeast Asia, not everyone you meet will be nice. Expect to get
ripped off at least once in your whole journey. This doesn’t necessarily mean
that the whole country is filled with bad people, in fact, there are locals who
can help you find the cheapest deals and most exciting adventures. You just
have to be alert and not too trusting. Southeast Asia is filled with diverse
cultures and different religions; you also need to be respectful of their
beliefs.
Pack the basic necessities and budget-friendly
options: The point of backpacking is to pack as
less as possible. A heavy luggage is not applicable when you have to transit
between two countries on a run-down bus. Most bus journeys would take up around
4-5 hours. It is best to pack light clothes since the weather in Southeast Asia
is mostly tropical. When you are hiking on a mountain in Indonesia, a best
value backpacking stove is a good option to save on food, for selecting a backpacking stove you can see the propane backpacking stove reviews. At the same time, it
needs to be portable and easy to use.
Bring an easy and light camera: The weight of an SLR matters especially when you
are backpacking. It is best to use a camera that’s easy to carry around and can
also withstand different weather and environment changes. If you can leave the
heavy SLR at home and bring a more portable one instead, it will save you from
the hassle.
Do not be grumpy pants and inject spontaneity to
your adventure: There are a lot
of mishaps you can encounter when backpacking. You can get food poisoning, miss
out on your bus, get injured while hiking. If things don’t go your way, it is
best to just laugh it off and continue on to your next journey. The point of
backpacking is the experience as a whole and the little details will eventually
not matter.