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Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok is the most obvious place to start backpacking in Southeast Asia. For
starters, it’s a major airline hub so it is very easy to get to. Flights also
tend to be more reasonably priced than ones to other Southeast Asian cities
which often pass through Bangkok anyway. It is one of the most westernised
cities in the region so the culture shock is less than if you landed straight
into Vietnam or Laos. It also offers you a chance to stock up on anything you
may need for your trip with prices much cheaper than back home but still with
great choice. Bangkok is very much base camp for travellers in Southeast Asia.
Love it or loathe it, chances are you’ll be back again before too long.
- Lumphini Park (สวนลุมพินี)
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Ayutthaya, Thailand
An ancient city and the former capital of Siam. Ayutthaya is effectively an
island in the middle of three rivers. History buffs will love it and for
everyone else it makes for a nice stop on the way to the north of Thailand.
- Wat Maha That (วัดมหาธาตุ)
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
Siem Reap has grown from nothing into a thriving little town thanks to its
proximity to the country’s main pride and joy, the magnificent Temples of Angkor
Wat, an essential stop for anyone backpacking in Cambodia or indeed Southeast
Asia as a whole. If you’re a fairly well travelled person, you’ve probably been
to some ancient ruin that was in all the guidebooks and been left thoroughly
disappointed at the crappy little pile of rocks that you paid to go and see.
Angkor Wat however is in a different league with hundreds of impressive ruins
spread out over a large area of jungle. In short, it’s a pretty amazing place.
In Siem Reap itself there are few sights but some decent bars on Pub Street and
plenty of great food.
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Dông Hà, Vietnam
Vietnam is very different to Laos and it will take a little time to adjust to
the increased pace of life here. The main sight near Dong Ha where the buses
from Savannakhet arrive is the former de-militarised zone (DMZ) which used to
separate North and South Vietnam. You won’t want to stay in Dong Ha more than a
day though and many travellers head straight to Hue.
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Hue, Vietnam
Hue is an ancient city on a musty coloured river with dragon boats. There are
lots more Vietnam War sites nearby and a pretty decent traveller scene. It’s a
good place to try Vietnamese food but again you won’t need too much time here.
It’s also worth noting that it rains a lot in this part of Vietnam with
torrential downpours common from September to December.
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Hội An, Vietnam
This riverside town is pretty damn cool. It’s the place where backpackers buy
tailor-made clothes of all varieties and then prance around like fools in their
bright, new and utterly impractical purple suits. The beach is a short moto-taxi
ride away and is one of the finest in the country. There are also some
surprisingly cool bars here catering to a variety of music tastes. It’s a nice
spot to hang around for a few days and there are loads of cheap places to eat in
Hoi An where you can enjoy local or international food.
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Phuket International Airport, Thailand
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Ko Yao Yai, Thailand
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Krabi, Thailand
Back on the Thai mainland and now the Andaman Coast, hit the popular beaches of
Ao Nang, Tang Sei and Rai Leh. Crash out in a cheap guesthouse or bungalows on
one of the beaches. There are also more opportunities for the active traveller
here so if you’re bored of lazing around all day, try your hand at rock
climbing, a popular activity on Hat Ton Sai and Hat Rai Leh AKA Railay Beach,
another favourite spot with anyone backpacking Southeast Asia.
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Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The Malaysian capital is a developed modern city. There is some excellent
shopping and lively nightlife here in the Golden Triangle, home of the iconic
Petronas Twin Towers, two of the tallest buildings in the world. It is more
expensive than most places on the route but still very cheap by Western
standards. Read about the cost of travel in Malaysia to compare costs here to
other countries in the region and beyond.
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Malacca, Malaysia
Another World Heritage Site, Malacca is considered one of the backpacking
highlights in Malaysia. It’s a rather old city having been founded over 600
years ago but there’s still plenty of buzz about Malacca today. There are plenty
of interesting, centuries-old streets and squares to kick back in, and there’s a
good choice of local dishes and drinks to try.
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Singapore, Singapore
The glamorous city state of Singapore is full of flashy skyscrapers and is a
complete contrast to most of Southeast Asia. The city is very multi-cultural and
has lots of fascinating districts to explore and foods to taste. The law here is
famously strict so behaviour that seems to often be considered perfectly
acceptable in Cambodia and Laos could be punished by the death penalty so don’t
take any chances. Even chewing gum is illegal here!