Backpacking South East Asia Route
In 2016, I went on a 5 month trip altogether with a backpacking South East Asia route and New Zealand for 1 month with my partner. We travelled from May to September in South East Asia and went to three countries: Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Afterwards, we went to New Zealand for 1 month.
South East Asia
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In South East Asia, we went to about 20 different places within Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. 4 months was an ideal amount of time to do the route backpacking South East Asia. Below is a list of the places we went and the amount of time spent in each place.
Book your travel between South East Asian Countries using 12Go Asia.
Southeast Asia Essentials
- You have to take the latest Lonely Planet Guide. It’s the bible.
- GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. Imperative.
- Use this minimalist packing list for Southeast Asia as a checklist.
- I can never advise people to take sunscreen enough!!
- Be sure to check out these essential apps to download for South East Asia travel too.
Thailand
Ah, Thailand. The hub of backpacking routes. Thailand has everything you need and more. I absolutely love Thailand and is one of my favourite countries in the world.
Thailand was the first stop on our backpacking South East Asia route and it welcomed us to the region comfortably. We used our 30 day visa-on-arrival by exploring the south of Thailand before moving on to Cambodia and then returned to Thailand to see some of the North spending around 3 weeks in Thailand each time.
Bangkok
Pattaya
Phuket
Koh Samui
Koh Tao
Read: The 9 Places You Have to Visit in Thailand
Bangkok and Pattaya
Of course, we started in the capital city of Bangkok and didn’t stay here long as we felt a little overwhelmed to begin with. But Bangkok is a must-visit and a place that grows on you! Ensure you visit the famous markets and Khao San Road as Bangkok is one of the top bucket list places in Thailand!
We went two hours south to the infamous Pattaya for about 4 days. Pattaya really is somewhere you need to see with your own eyes. It’s a different world with hundreds of bars along every Soi (street).
I wouldn’t highly recommend Pattaya for beaches but it can be a gateway to smaller islands such as Koh Larn. If you visit Pattaya, you have to see Walking Street by night.
Phuket
After the craziness of Pattaya, we travelled by bus to Phuket and spent 3 days in Patong. Unfortunately, it rained non-stop in the day so we only really went out at night but we enjoyed good street food here.
Koh Samui and Koh Tao
This is where our true backpacking fun started and where we got to experience the beauty of Thailand on the beaches of the island, Koh Samui. We spent 10 days on Koh Samui and enjoyed Thai massages, beach days, fire shows at night and met fellow backpackers in hostels.
A two hour ferry ride away, we arrived on the island of Koh Tao and stayed for 4 days. This small island was true paradise with the most serene sunsets I’ve ever seen.I highly recommend going snorkelling here because the sea-life is so pretty!
Cambodia – the 2nd country on backpacking South East Asia
We took the morning bus straight from Bangkok into Cambodia. This was the first land border crossing I experienced and it is an experience to say the least. Everything went smoothly and we entered Cambodia and then had another experience. Culture Shock. It hit me when I first arrived in Siem Reap because it was absolutely foreign to me. It soon left after I met with friendly locals and other backpackers.
Siem Reap
Sihanoukville
Koh Rong
Phnom Penh
Siem Reap
Siem Reap was a wonderful place to visit in Cambodia and somewhere I would recommend to anyone. It had lots to do there and we spent about a week here.
Click here for what to do in Siem Reap.
Sihanoukville and Koh Rong
Getting an overnight bus from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville was one of the best nights I had while backpacking South East Asia. It was comfortable, cool and as soon as I awoke, I was in a new place! Staying on Otres Beach in Sihanoukville for 1 night was the gateway to getting the ferry to Koh Rong. We had wood fire pizza and watched old movies in Sihanoukville.
Koh Rong was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. We stayed here for 4 nights.One thing I would recommend would be to find a quiet beach. After climbing over rocks and a short swim, we were mesmerised by a long beach with sand like talcum powder and we had it all to ourselves. One slight issue was the boat ride back to the mainland because the weather was torrential and the waves were crashing our boat immensely. It was one of the scarier moments of the backpacking route.
Phnom Penh
After the ropey boat ride, we got a bus to the capital city of Phnom Penh. We stayed in Phnom Penh for 3 days. There was one thing we wanted to do here and is the one thing I’d recommend. The Killing Fields.
I cannot put into words how harrowing a place this is. And I’m not going to try. I didn’t take any pictures at all here. Out of respect, I believe when visiting Cambodia, visitors should go here and remember what happened not so long ago.
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From Phnom Penh, we got a bus back to Thailand to see some of the north.
North Thailand
Chiang Mai
Pai
A little piece of me was left in Chiang Mai. It is my favourite city in South East Asia and somewhere I have returned since (and will continue to return to). It has a magical pull and sets the standard very high for what a city should be. If I could recommend one thing it would be to try their famous dish called Khao Soi. Thank me later.
I’ve written a few articles about Chiang Mai, you can find them here:
Where to Find Live Music in Chiang Mai
A Guide to Chiang Mai’s Lesser-Known Neighbourhood of Santitham
Chiang Mai (and Thailand’s) Best Dish
We got a bus from Chiang Mai to Pai which took about 4 hours but the way up was so windy and gave everyone motion-sickness. Pai is very chilled out place but they do have cool excursions such as exploring caves, waterfalls and hot springs. We spent about 3 days in Pai.
To read more about places to visit in Thailand, click here.
As I’ve said previously, I love Chiang Mai. We were only meant to spend 3 days there and ended up staying for a week, returning after Pai for 2 weeks and returning after Vietnam for another 4 weeks.
Vietnam
We applied beforehand for a 1 month visa for Vietnam and received it on arrival. We flew into Hanoi and went to the following places:
Hanoi
Sapa
Ha Long Bay
Hue
Danang
Hoi An
Nha Trang
Dalat
Ho Chi Minh
For the full itinerary of what we did, where we went and what to do, read the ultimate Vietnam Itinerary for 1 month.
Hanoi
The capital of Vietnam is a fantastic city in South East Asia. We stayed in Hanoi‘s new quarter for 1 night before Sapa and then stayed in the old quarter after Sapa. I prefer the old quarter and would recommend going to Bia Corner at night to sit on a tiny plastic stool and drink extremely cheap local beer. If you’re in Northern Vietnam for a while, don’t miss these easy day tours from Hanoi.
Sapa
Sapa is a lesser-known destination in Vietnam but shouldn’t be. Sapa is beyond beautiful located high in the mountains and offers unique insights to local tribes here. We spent 1 night in a homestay in a local tribe village.
Ha Long Bay, Hue and Danang
We booked our company while in Hanoi and paid for a 2-night cruise that would dock in a quieter place within the bay. Ha Long Bay is a wonder to witness because it’s stunning and so peaceful. We kayaked, explored caves, ate glorious food and star-gazed on top deck at night.
Hue is in between Hanoi and Hoi An and something to do here would be to visit the Imperial City also known as the Citadel.
The Hai Van pass is a popular trail to follow and Danang is a stop on that route. There are a few day trips from Danang too to see the Dragon bridge and marble mountains.
Hoi An
The charm of Hoi An leaves its mark on you. Hoi An is a remarkably gorgeous place. Rent a bike here and tour for yourself.
Read More: How To See Hoi An in 2 Days
Nha Trang and Dalat
Busy beach resorts can be found in Nha Trang but the real pearl is the waterpark ‘Vinpearl’ which you can get a cable car to reach it.
Dalat is a cold area because it is in the mountains. It is home to some great architecture such as the crazy house.
Ho Chi Minh City
Lastly, we went to Ho Chi Minh city formerly known as Saigon. The thing I loved most about this city was the array of street food available! You cannot visit Vietnam without trying mouthwatering bowl of Pho.
If you’re wondering what Pho is, read here for the Pho low down.
After Backpacking South East Asia
After the 4 months was up, we flew from Bangkok to New Zealand to visit some family. We stayed in the South Island and had a lot of fun exploring quite a few places. The highlight for us was doing a 1 week Road Trip in the South Island.
The South East Asia route is ideal for backpackers on a budget with a flexible itinerary. This itinerary includes some of the main spots in Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam and you can travel at any pace within 4 months.
Is there anywhere that I didn’t go but should have? Let me know in the comments!
Pin this itinerary for your South East Asia trip!
