Tips for travelling South East Asia

If you’re planning on travelling South East Asia and want some advice on where to go, what to take, and how to make friends, then this blog cuts to the chase.

Backpack vs Suitcase

The first thing you need to decide is whether you want to take a backpack or a suitcase. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of these and I've tried travelling with both. I personally think a backpack is a lot easier and some of my other travelling friends would agree with me, especially if you're going to be in Southeast Asia where you’ll be doing a lot of moving from place to place. A suitcase is advantageous as you can fit more in, however, as you’ll be in South East Asia, you won’t need too much anyway.

I’ve made a free packing list of everything you need to take with you on your travels to South East Asia which you can download here. You should take a pair of comfortable, versatile trainers, sandals, long flowy trousers for temple visits, and one or two jumpers for cooler nights. You won’t need to take jeans, a hair dryer, or heels as you won’t need them in the warm, humid climate, and they will just be annoying to lug around with you.

Tip: pack as lightly as possible. If you’re contemplating whether to take or leave an item, it’s probably best to leave it otherwise you’ll just be carrying it around unnecessarily. If you don’t take it and you do need it, you can just buy a new one while you’re travelling.

Where to stay while travelling

I would definitely recommend staying in hostels in South East Asia for a number of reasons. They are the central hub of meeting people and where I’ve met most of my friends since travelling. So many different kinds of people go through hostels from all corners of the world and this is where we cross paths.

Hostels are also normally in ideal locations too, so if you’re looking to stay in a city for example then they’re likely to have good transportation links and be close to shops.

Another great advantage of staying in a hostel is that they’re considerably cheaper than a hotel or Airbnb. I think the cheapest one I stayed in was in Dalat, Vietnam which cost around £3 a night - and that was including breakfast too! The social life of staying in a hostel is fantastic. When I was saying in Brisbane, there would always be someone I knew to have a chat with, no matter what time of day or night it was.

Tip: unless it’s super busy, it’s best to only book a few nights at a time when you travel so that you can keep your plans flexible and be spontaneous.

Where to travel in South East Asia

In terms of starting points, Bali and Thailand are good places to begin because other people tend to start there so it would be nicer to make friends and then go travelling with them. They’re also popular exit points, so you can meet people who have just travelled to the places you’ll be heading to and get advice that’s relevant at the time you’re going. If you're travelling from the UK, there are direct flights to Thailand so you won’t need to do a layover.

If you’ve finished travelling a country and are unsure of where to go next, a good way to decide is just by looking at the cheapest flight out. Be spontaneous. I love booking the cheapest flight somewhere and seeing where it takes me. You may find yourself wanting to travel with the friends you make or meet back up with them later after you’ve gone your separate ways. The beauty of solo travelling is you have the freedom to do anything you want without having to consult with anyone.

How to make friends when travelling

Again, the easiest way to make friends while travelling South East Asia is to stay in hostels. Everyone who stays there is also looking to meet people to travel with, so just be open, put yourself out there and talk to people. I don’t normally recommend tours, however, some informational tours are better than exploring a place by yourself. Here, you can meet other people who are likely going to the same places as you and go together.

How much money you’ll need to travel to South East Asia

I'll be realistic, I spent around £1200 a month while I was in Asia and that was including food, accommodation, things to do, having fun, and everything in between. I wasn't really limiting myself too much in doing things. You can spend less than that if you want to budget, and you can spend a lot more if you waste lots of money on alcohol. South East Asia is cheap but it can be expensive and add up quickly when you're partying a lot.

Battling anxiety before a trip

Something that never really goes away while you’re solo travelling is the anxiety, especially in the lead-up to the trip. The only thing that changes is you trust yourself more and trust the process that everything will be okay. It’s completely normal, and I get it too even after I’ve been travelling for over a year. The key is to acknowledge the anxiety, and then turn it into excitement knowing that you’re about to go on an adventure of a lifetime. If you can try to think positively about it, then you’ll definitely see a shift in your mood.

What a lot of people I’ve met along the way have agreed with me on is the lead-up to the trip is the worst part. As soon as you step into the airport by yourself, the anxiety melts away and you realise you weren’t anxious about anything in particular. It was just the whole ‘going away’ that was scary in itself. The worst part of saying goodbye to everyone is over, and now the journey begins.

How to stay safe while travelling

Of course, besides having fun, safety is the most important thing while travelling. Don’t let this deter you from going away though, as you’re never truly 100% safe no matter where you are in the world. When you’re out and about, keep your bag close to your body and zipped closed. Physically hold the opening and keep your hand there. If it’s a crossbody, put the strap over your neck instead of just on one shoulder. If you’re on a bike, put your bag inside the seat. Don’t have your phone out in your hand while you’re walking around. If you need directions, put one headphone in (on the opposite side to the road) and have your map read out the directions verbally to you while your phone is safe away.

Your passport is your most valuable possession and you need to keep it in a secure place at all times. There are normally lockers in the hostel where you can keep your valuables, so make sure you take a padlock with you.

Be wary - always agree on a taxi fare before getting in and beware of beggars. There are plenty of deceitful people so wherever you’re going, do some research on common scams such as the Bangkok tuk-tuk scam.

If I’ve missed anything, please send me a message on Instagram to let me know. My dm's are always open for questions and I look forward to hearing from you. Check out my podcast Destination Happiness where I give more advice, share stories, and interview other travellers I’ve met along the way to inspire you to travel. I’ll see you there!