South East Asia Travel Map

[Thomas Merino]

Startingin beautiful Thailand, the trail makes its way to up-and-coming Laos, through Vietnam, and to the temples of Angkor Wat. It then winds back into Thailand, where people head south to party in the Thai islands before moving down to Malaysia and Singapore.

This region of the world is covered in amazing jungles with diverse wildlife, plentiful camping opportunities, and cool waterfalls. The best jungle treks are found in northern Thailand, Western Laos, and Malaysian Borneo (the latter are also the hardest and most intense). Some of my favorites include Danum Valley (Borneo) for its incredible wildlife; Ratanakiri (Cambodia) for its pristine wilderness and thousand-year-old trees; and Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Vietnam). Costs vary but jungle trekking generally costs $30-50 USD per day.

Located in southern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park is constantly rated as one of the best parks in Thailand, with incredible trekking, camping, limestone karsts, cooling rivers, and a glistening lake. Visit for semi-challenging hikes, tons of wildlife, walking paths, and breathtaking sunsets. Park entrance costs around $6 USD while full-day guided tours are $95 USD. I highly recommend spending at least one night here to get the full experience.

Simple guesthouses or bungalows throughout Southeast Asia generally cost $12-20 USD per night for a basic room with a fan (sometimes air conditioning) and hot water. If you want something nicer that includes a more comfortable bed and a TV, expect to pay $25-35 USD per night.

On an upscale budget of $150 USD or more per day, you can stay in nicer hotels with more amenities, eat out as much as you want, do more paid tours including private tours, hire a driver, fly between destinations, and basically do whatever you want. The sky is the limit with this kind of budget!

Tuk-tuks (small, shared taxis with no meter) are available around much of the region and require a bit of haggling. They usually have 3-6 seats and generally cost more than public transportation but are faster. To find a reputable driver, ask your accommodation as they usually know someone. Tuk-tuk drivers can often be hired for the day for a discounted rate (this is what a lot of people do to visit the Killing Fields and Angkor Wat in Cambodia, for example).

The train prices in Southeast Asia are determined by distance and class. Night trains with sleeper cars are more expensive than day trains. The night train to Chiang Mai from Bangkok takes twelve hours and costs $27 USD for a sleeper seat. However, that same train during the day is $8-9 USD. In Vietnam, trains run up and down the coast and cost $60 USD from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

Also, keep in mind that you usually must pay to check your baggage on these cheap flights. If you wait to pay for your luggage at the gate, you end up paying almost double. Travel carry-on only to avoid this added cost.

In Indonesia, the best time to visit is April to October. Temperatures average 24-30C (75-86F), and the weather is mostly dry. July to September is the peak holiday season and when you can expect to pay the highest rates. December to February is the rainy season.

In Vietnam, the weather varies by region. In Central Vietnam (including Hoi An and Nha Trang), January-May is the best time to visit because it is dry and the temperatures average 21-30C (70-86F). June to August is also a decent time to visit. If you want to stick around Hanoi, March to April is great, or October to December (for mildest temperatures). The rainy season is May-September.

The dry season in Cambodia is from November-May and the cool season is from November-February (and when most people visit). Temperatures during this time are still high, but humidity is lower. Laos has the same cool season as Cambodia, with the dry season running from November-April.

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My next visit was in 2016 when my friend, Emilie, and I decided to jump on a great flight deal and spend 3 weeks in Vietnam. We had the best time cruising down deltas and bays, getting dresses made and eating the plentiful vegetarian food.

In 2019, I got to bring my now-husband to the region on his very first trip to Asia. From light shows in Singapore and temple hopping in Cambodia to bathing elephants and eating Khaoi Soi in Thailand, we really fit a lot into our Southeast Asia 3 week itinerary.

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That being said, you will want to build your Siem Reap itinerary around Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After seeing the temple complex with my own eyes in 2019, I thought it totally lived up to the hype and I hope to bring my parents back to see it one day.

I highly recommend taking a Cambodian cooking class, shopping at the night market, seeing a Phare Circus show, visiting the Landmine Museum or the landmine sniffing rats, taking a dip in your hotel pool and eating delicious Cambodian street food.

In Hanoi you can experience the hustle and bustle of this big city with motorbikes whipping past and tangles of power lines overhead. While overwhelming, I found Hanoi to be a pretty cool place to walk around, museum hop and eat great street food.

I recommend staying at least one night on Ha Long Bay or one of the islands in the bay; Cat Ba Island is a popular choice. That way, you can get away from the day trippers and enjoy the beauty and solitude of Ha Long Bay.

Just outside of town you can climb up to Doi Suthep for a view over Chiang Mai, explore the tunnels of Wat Umong or enjoy a peaceful lunch by Huay Tung Tao Lake. I loved all three of these experiences!

If visiting an elephant sanctuary is of interest to you, make sure the sanctuary is operating ethically in a way that protects elephant welfare over human entertainment. A popular option near Chiang Mai is Elephant Nature Park.

We visited a different elephant sanctuary while in Chiang Mai, Chai Lai Orchid Eco Lodge. The experience we had with the elephants was incredible but I still have conflicting thoughts on the overall impact of elephant tourism.

We also stayed at Chai Lai Orchid for a few nights. While a few things rubbed me the wrong way about the place, overall it was a magical experience to wake up in our beautiful room, feed elephants from our bed, enjoy a delicious breakfast as elephants walked by, and go rafting down the river.

Add to that the traffic of Bangkok, getting lost in a market and being scammed the first day and I was pretty over it. Colin and I ended up spending half our time in our hotel room, soaking up the AC, and ordering Pizza Hut!

On the one day we did make it out into Bangkok, we visited the Grand Palace and Wat Pho. And both were incredible! Despite having temple hopped for the last few weeks, I was totally amazed by these complexes and enjoyed seeing all of the intricate details.

I wanted an itinerary that hit the highlights but still made time for some relaxation away from the crowds, balanced cities and nature, and introduced you to a few different countries but without a bunch of connecting flights or back tracking.

Bonus: While not technically in Southeast Asia, many flights to the region have a layover in Japan. Why not spend 24 hours in Tokyo admiring temples, getting coffee at quirky cafes and having your fill of sushi?

On my first Southeast Asia vacation itinerary I spent my entire time in Vietnam travelling from south to north (Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Hue, Hoi An, Hanoi and Ha Long Bay) before spending a few final days on Phu Quoc Island.

Must-see lists in Southeast Asia usually include Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Halong Bay in Vietnam and The Grand Palace in Thailand. While I do recommend all of these spots, I think you can have an incredible trip without hitting all of the must-sees.

Certain countries, like Singapore, will be much more expensive than other countries, like Vietnam. In most cases though, your largest expense will be your long-haul flight to get to Asia from your home country.

I think you could be very comfortable in Southeast Asia on a budget of $30-50 per person per day. That would get you a private room at a mid-range hotel, meals out at casual restaurants, a few Grab rides and entrance to a tourist attraction or two.

Riana Ang-Canning is a travel writer who has been sharing her global adventures as the founder of Teaspoon of Adventure since 2012. In that time, Riana has travelled to almost 50 countries on 6 continents, including interning in Eswatini, working in Tokyo, road tripping New Zealand and living abroad in Prague. Riana helps everyday travellers discover the world on a mid-budget, proving that you don't have to be athletic, wealthy or nomadic to have an adventure!

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!

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!

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!

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