Concluding 3 Months In South East Asia

I’m writing from Singapore’s Changi International Airport, specifically from the steps inside the iconic Jewel terraced garden and HSBC Vortex indoor waterfall. This is my third time this year transiting through this airport, which blows my mind considering how far it is from America. The earthy smells of plants and mist inside the Jewel are rejuvenating — they contrast the heavily polluted streets of Jakarta, where I woke up in a very unique pod-hotel this morning. I have a 10-hour layover before my flight to San Francisco, and there’s no cooler place to sit back and reflect on three months of travel through South East Asia.

The Itinerary

This trip has come and gone sooo quickly, and yet it feels like it was last year that I first stepped into the chaotic streets of Hanoi, anxiously dodging motorcycles. My itinerary was intense, with six countries crammed into three months (excluding Singapore, which I had already visited back in July on the way home from Australia). Some long-term backpackers would argue that my trip was rushed … but I simply planned well and knew exactly what I wanted to do. This meant skipping southern Thailand, central and southern Laos, and all of Malaysia aside from Kuala Lumpur (though I now wish I had stayed in Malaysia longer). I think it’s really important to know what you want out of travel, or else you can easily waste a lot of time and money.

Beautiful And Sometimes Annoying

I wish everyone could travel through SE Asia at least once. There’s so much to love here — from the ease of travel, the vibrant cultures, incredible hospitality, and the delicious local foods. But on the flip side there’s the sweltering heat and the alarming amount of garbage. Meanwhile the street vendors and local drivers are overwhelming in their attempts to solicit westerners with their services: “Tuk-tuk?” — “Massage?” — “Waterfall tour?” Hell, don’t even get me started with all the seemingly unnecessary fees attached to natural attractions — whether it’s a simple hiking trail in Laos, a waterfall in Vietnam, or a rice terrace in Bali.

Hostels And Guesthouses

I chose to stay in the cheapest hostel dormitories to keep my budget low (I stayed in a total of 33 hostels/guesthouses). I personally feel that I’m getting too old to be staying in hostel dorms. Many travelers in SE Asia are in their early 20’s, and are on their first trips abroad. The traveler vibe is thus very party oriented. As someone who loves a good 10 PM bedtime, separating myself from this crowd was a bit awkward at times. I’m at a point where I crave steady friendships over the “here today, gone tomorrow” type I romanticized in my travels years ago. Thankfully many of the guesthouses were quieter and smaller than most hostels — this is usually where I had better social experiences. As for the hostels themselves, it’s a real mixed bag. Pillows and mattresses were often too firm, but I was typically impressed with the staff and found it easy to book tours and transport directly through them. I always looked for accommodation with free breakfast, just to save a little cash.

My Biggest Shortcoming

Then there’s the topic of motorcycles. I decided before I left America that I would not rent or drive motorcycles in Asia. This was because I did not possess an American motorcycle license and thus would not be able to legally ride abroad. And yes, it did bother me that practically every other backpacker rode them anyway (the number of people with cuts and bruises associated with motorcycles was wild). I tend to experience FOMO, and there’s a LOT to miss out on in South East Asia without a motorcycle: distant waterfalls, caves, and a greater sense of independence. Not renting motorcycles forced me to stick to the cities and villages, and left me reliant on public transport. In the end I’m grateful to still have seen many beautiful places using bicycles or through tours, but the experience would have probably been greater had I come prepared to rent a motorcycle.

My Most Solid Trip Yet

All critiques aside, I still consider this trip to have been my most successful yet. In ways it felt like my first real backpacking trip, as those prior were much shorter or I was based somewhere (i.e. Sydney for my working holiday visa, or London for study abroad). Miraculously I seemed to avoid most of the problems that plague travelers here: I didn’t lose or have anything stolen, I didn’t injure myself, I thankfully avoided the mosquito transmitted dengue fever or the laughably named Bali-Belly, I had no bad sunburns, and my spirits held up until nearly the very end (*cough cough, Java*). The only significant hiccup was that I was almost turned away from Indonesian customs because I unknowingly ran out of space in the stamp section of my passport (which is kind of a flex, tbh).

What I Take Away

As for what I’m taking away from this experience, I’m not completely sure yet. We don’t always see how immersive trips like this affect us until some time afterwards. Having traveled abroad on-and-off for eight years I didn’t find this trip to be life-changing, but it surely was eye-opening. To an extent it burned me out on the idea of budget travel — I’d like to eventually pursue trips that put a greater emphasis on accommodation rather than just cultural immersion. Speaking of culture, the thing I loved most about this trip was being able to experience the sometimes subtle and other times dramatic differences in culture between six countries all in one go. The exposure to extremely poor communities with otherwise happy people inspired me to continue practicing gratitude, and to own and consume less. I’ve also become more aware of the impact of plastic consumption and pollution, most notably during my time in Indonesia. I hope that as western influences continue to take hold, so too will better methods to replace heavy plastic use and petrol emissions.

The World’s Most Affordable Backpacker Destination

Coming to the end here I’ll speak briefly on my budget. I ultimately saved a ton of money by not purchasing (or barely purchasing) the following: alcohol, motorcycle rentals, short taxi or tuk-tuk rides, and western food. I ate almost exclusively at the cheapest and sometimes unappealing looking local restaurants or food stalls — rarely spending more than $2 per meal. Where I did splurge a bit was at coffee shops, and even this only added $1.5-$2 to my day. It was almost ritualistic for me to find a new cafe each morning and write the previous days’ journal whilst sipping a mocha. The vast majority of my budget was occupied by 6 tours, 5 flights, the Laos “slow boat” along the Mekong River, and more bus/train journeys than I can recall. In the end I wound up spending a mere $3,500 across three months — excluding flights to Asia and back to America (those were on standby).

Favorite Places And Experiences:

1.) Favorite cities: Hanoi, Vietnam & Luang Prabang, Laos

2.) Best country(s) for food: Tie between Thailand and Malaysia

3.) Most beautiful scenery: Northern Vietnam. Runner up: Laos

4.) Best public transport: Vietnam

5.) Best historical sight: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

6.) Friendliest locals: Indonesia

7.) Best Tour: Komodo Island 4 Day/3 Night, Indonesia. Runner up: Ha Long Bay overnight tour, Vietnam

8.) Favorite food: Bahn Mi Sandwich, Vietnam

9.) Best cafes: Vietnam (love coconut coffee from Cong Cafe)

10.) Best country for budget travel: Vietnam

11.) Best night market: Chiang Mai Sunday night market, Thailand. Runner up: Luang Prabang, Laos

12.) Best hostel: Buffalo Hostel — Hanoi, Vietnam

13.) Most underrated city: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

14.) Favorite country: Vietnam. Runner up: Indonesia