South East Asia EGuide

After six months travelling around South East Asia and visiting seven countries, I wanted to put everything we learnt into one place. The destinations we loved, the places we’d skip, where we stayed, how we travelled between them and the practical things that made the trip easier.

I’ve put all of that experience into this guide because I know how overwhelming it can feel when you first start planning a long trip. There is so much information online and it can be sooo difficult to try and work out what is genuinely useful. I’ve included our full itinerary as a reference, but I don’t want you to treat it as a plan you have to follow. Part of the fun of travelling is the spontaneity. You might love somewhere and decide to stay longer, change your route completely or meet people who take you somewhere you hadn’t considered. Our itinerary is there to give you ideas and show you how we travelled, not to dictate your trip!

More than anything, I wanted this to be something you can actually use while planning. Somewhere you can come back to when you’re deciding where to go, checking how to get somewhere, looking for somewhere to stay or simply wondering what to expect. It’s a starting point for your own trip, based on what we experienced along the way.

WHAT’S INSIDE

CHAPTER 1: TRIP OVERVIEW

A complete overview of our six-month Southeast Asia trip, including our full itinerary, budget and accommodation recommendations with links to where we stayed.

CHAPTER 2: BEFORE YOU GO

Everything we considered before setting off, including visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, bike licences, weather and the apps we found most useful while travelling.

CHAPTER 3: PACKING GUIDES

Practical packing lists for both women and men, alongside our best packing tips and links to videos showing exactly what we took with us for six months of travelling.

CHAPTER 4: MINI GUIDES

Destination-specific guides covering Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Ha Giang Loop, the Philippines, the Coron to El Nido boat trip, Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia and Singapore, with advice and recommendations based on our own experiences.

CHAPTER 5: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Answers to some of the most common questions you might have before travelling Southeast Asia, covering the practical things you may be wondering about before you go.

THIS GUIDE IS FOR YOU IF...

• You’re planning your first backpacking trip around Southeast Asia
• You don’t know which countries or destinations to include
• You’re overwhelmed by trying to plan a long-term itinerary
• You want honest recommendations based on real experience
• You want practical advice
• You want to know what to expect before you go
• You’re looking for ideas on where to stay, what to do and how to get around

A NOTE FROM ME

This guide is based entirely on our own experience, so the recommendations and opinions in it are personal to us. I’ve shared the places we loved, the things we enjoyed, what we’d do differently and what I think is genuinely worth knowing, but that doesn’t mean you’ll feel the same way.

Travel is personal and things can change too. Prices, transport, entry requirements and other practical details can change over time, so please double-check anything important before you book or travel.

I’ve tried to make this guide as useful and honest as possible, but it’s not intended to be a definitive guide to South East Asia. Take the recommendations that suit you, ignore the ones that don’t and use it as a starting point for creating your own trip.

45 pages of travel advice, recommendations, itineraries and practical information, all in one place.

I hope it helps you plan an amazing trip and makes the whole process that little bit easier.

Happy travelling,

Scarlett x