Southeast Asia Travel Guide

Over the course of several trips, I spent almost two years exploring the region, visiting every one of its countries.

Whether it’s a two-week trip or a backpacking trip lasting several months, in this article you’ll find a ton of useful information and tips to help you plan your trip to Southeast Asia as best you can.

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Ha Giang Loop in Vietnam.

When to go to Southeast Asia

The region can be visited all year round, but the best time is during the dry season, when there’s practically no rain and temperatures are more pleasant. This period runs roughly from November to April for most of mainland Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Broadly speaking, this is a good time to visit Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines, while Indonesia and the island of Borneo – split down the middle between Malaysia and Indonesia, where you’ll also find the small Sultanate of Brunei – are drier from April to October. The best time to visit Peninsular Malaysia is from April to October for the east coast and from December to March for the west coast.

This means there’s no single best time to go to Southeast Asia: a lot depends not only on the country in question but also on the region within the country itself. That said, during the rainy season the rain, which falls almost daily, tends to be concentrated in a few hours, especially during the first months, while it becomes much more frequent as the season goes on; although these last months are generally best avoided, it’s just as true that the earlier months can still be a good compromise, and on top of that you’d enjoy less crowded sites and lower prices.

If, for example, you only have vacation time in August, my advice is to look at countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Another option at that time could be northern Vietnam or the islands in the Gulf of Thailand (Koh Tao, Koh Phangan and Koh Samui), where the monsoon usually arrives later than in the rest of the country. If you’re planning a trip with several stops across the region, it’s worth planning your moves around the weather so you don’t end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. For more detailed information, I suggest you check the guides for each country:

Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

Documents and vaccinations for Southeast Asia

With the exception of Myanmar, if you hold an Italian passport you don’t need to apply for a visa in advance for any country in the region (the rules change depending on your nationality, so check yours). You can in fact get your visa on arrival at the airport or when you cross the border overland. That said, there’s really little uniformity in the terms of the so-called “visa on arrival”. They range from a completely free 90-day visa for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei to a paid 30-day visa for Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia.

For more detailed information on extensions and visa length, I suggest you check the specific section of each guide and your own government’s official travel advice (for example, the UK’s Foreign travel advice), which is updated frequently and is undoubtedly more reliable than my guides.

Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

Ban Gioc Waterfall, Vietnam.

Be aware: officially, some countries require proof of onward travel within the limits of your visa. This isn’t a problem for anyone who has a return flight or a flight to another country (even a bus ticket is fine), but it could be for those who have a one-way ticket and plan to leave the country in question overland or by sea without a precise date or booked tickets.

Checks are at the discretion of the border officer and of the airlines at boarding before departure. Over my various trips to Southeast Asia I was asked only twice: at the AirAsia check-in desk for a direct flight to the Philippines and by the immigration officer at Bali airport. If you want to avoid any problems or having to sort things out on the spot, my advice is to rent a ticket (a real one, it’s a paid service) on a site like Onward Ticket. To learn more about the issue you can take a look at this article.

As for vaccinations, besides the “standard vaccinations”, those against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and typhoid are always recommended. Other possible vaccinations are the one against Japanese encephalitis, which, however, isn’t easy to get in Italy, and the rabies vaccine. Although there’s a risk of malaria, the region isn’t considered high-risk. Travelers who take prophylaxis are extremely rare. Personally, I think taking it is overkill, but obviously these are decisions that are up to you. I recommend discussing it with your doctor, as with any other decision about your health. I don’t know how it works where you live, but where I live you can book an appointment at a travel medicine clinic.

Chocolate Hills, Philippines.

Backpacking Southeast Asia: where to go, what to see and costs

Below you’ll find mini travel guides for all the countries of Southeast Asia, with the best destinations, the most beautiful places to visit and an overview of each country just to give you an idea of what to expect. As always, for more detailed information see the guide for each individual country.

At the beginning of each country’s section you’ll find the recommended daily budget. This budget obviously depends on the way you travel and on the activities/tours you’re going to do, but it’s fairly reliable as long as you travel on a budget. The budget can be summed up as: hostels, street food/local restaurants, public transport, the odd tour every now and then, not-too-crazy nightlife and, above all, slow travel. If you plan to visit every single country in Southeast Asia in a three-month whirlwind where you never spend more than two nights in the same place and no more than two weeks in the same country, this budget becomes unrealistic.

If, on the other hand, you plan to volunteer, cook all your meals, hitchhike and so on, you can easily get it down to less than half. It’s not unusual to meet bikepackers or other travelers who make full use of the sharing economy, traveling around the region on a budget of just 10€ a day or a little more. Just as it’s not unusual to meet travelers who easily spend more than 50€ a day. As often happens, I believe the truth lies somewhere in between.

Mulu National Park, Malaysia.

Thailand

Daily budget: 30-35€

Thailand was probably the first country in Southeast Asia to open its doors to travelers and is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Over the years, some regions of the country have perhaps become overly touristy, but if you’re looking for an exotic, cheap and safe destination, then it’s the perfect place to visit. Precisely because millions of tourists visit Thailand every year, traveling around it is really easy… even for less experienced travelers.

From Buddhist temples to markets and beautiful beaches, not to mention the delicious cuisine, Thailand has something to offer for every taste. When it comes to costs, there’s a substantial difference between the islands and the rest of the country: food, and not only food, can literally cost twice as much, especially on the smaller islands and those farthest from the mainland.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Thailand travel guide.

Koh Tao island, Thailand.

Myanmar

Daily budget: 20-25€.

Unfortunately, after a brief period of peace and openness to tourism that I was lucky enough to make the most of, following the 2021 coup the country is once again in a political situation that’s unstable, to say the least, with a full-blown civil war underway. Technically the borders are open and the main tourist destinations are considered safe, and every now and then you do meet a few travelers who decide to visit the country anyway, but the situation is certainly not rosy. I suggest you do your own research and draw your own conclusions, but unfortunately it’s not a destination I feel I can recommend at the moment, hoping the situation may improve in the future.

That said, temples, spectacular landscapes and an extremely friendly population that will literally shower you with smiles make Myanmar one of the countries that has stayed closest to my heart.

Add to all this a site like Bagan, which offers the largest and most densely concentrated collection of Buddhist temples, pagodas and stupas, a great many of them dating back to the 11th and 12th centuries. It’s estimated that in the past, during the city’s golden age, there were more than 13,000 structures between temples and stupas; today about 2,200 remain, but I assure you the city is still absolutely fascinating. In 2019 the city was finally added to the UNESCO World Heritage list.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Myanmar travel guide.

Sunrise in Bagan, Myanmar.

Laos

Daily budget: 25-30€.

Laos, officially known as the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), is one of the least explored and most snubbed countries in all of Southeast Asia.

Maybe it’s because it’s the only landlocked country in the whole region, maybe it’s the lack of one-of-a-kind attractions like Bagan in Myanmar and Angkor Wat in Cambodia; the fact remains that the country receives a fraction of the tourism of the other countries, but I assure you it hides many gems that are absolutely worth seeing.

The charm of Laos perhaps lies precisely in its simplicity, which many travelers seem to appreciate so much that more than a few consider it their favorite in the region.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Laos travel guide.

Kuang Si Falls, Laos.

Cambodia

Daily budget: 25-30€.

Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is also often snubbed in favor of other destinations in Southeast Asia, but the country has more than a few interesting destinations.

Angkor Wat, the largest temple complex in the world and the most visited archaeological site in Southeast Asia, the paradise islands in the south of the country, untouched forest, but also a lot of recent history that unfortunately involves one of the worst genocides ever.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Cambodia travel guide.

Sunrise at Angkor Wat.

Planning your trip? If you still need travel insurance, you can find my guide to the best travel insurance here. Purchasing through the links in the guide supports this site at no additional cost to you.

Vietnam

Daily budget: 20-25€.

Surreal landscapes that change profoundly from north to south, a rich cultural heritage and finally a cuisine that’s nothing short of delicious, all at rock-bottom prices, which, as far as I’m concerned, make Vietnam the cheapest country in the region and perhaps also my favorite.

If you’re looking for breathtaking beaches and paradise islands, you’d better look elsewhere, but for everything else I think Vietnam is a really interesting destination.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Vietnam travel guide.

Mù Cang Chải rice terraces, Vietnam.

Philippines

Daily budget: 30-35€.

The Philippines is a tropical paradise made up of more than 7,000 islands. It’s known for its breathtaking beaches, crystal-clear waters, some of the best diving sites in the world and the hospitality of its people, with whom it’s really easy to communicate since English is one of the official languages. The country also has a rich history and culture influenced by its Spanish and American colonial past.

The cost of living in the Philippines isn’t high at all; in fact, I think it’s one of the cheapest countries in the region, but its geography makes getting around much more expensive than in other countries, significantly raising the daily budget.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Philippines travel guide.

Twin Lagoon in Coron, Philippines.

Brunei

Daily budget: 35-40€.

The small Sultanate of Brunei is certainly not an unmissable destination, but I recommend that anyone planning to visit the island of Borneo spend at least a few days there. In fact, if you decide to travel overland from one part of Malaysian Borneo to the other, Brunei becomes an almost unavoidable stop.

The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, boasts mosques that are impressive, to say the least, and a few other noteworthy sites where you can discover the history of this small country that many people don’t even know exists. The cost of living is high, especially when it comes to accommodation, but a couple of days in the city shouldn’t have too much of an impact on your budget.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Brunei travel guide.

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei.

Indonesia

Daily budget: 25-30€.

Indonesia is an archipelago with more islands than anyone could realistically visit, home to Bali, the famous Island of the Gods, the celebrated Komodo National Park with its famous dragons and also some of the best diving sites in the world. With its varied landscapes, ranging from mountainous areas through rice terraces and culminating in beautiful beaches, not to mention the culture, the many temples and the excellent surf, Indonesia is undoubtedly a spectacular destination.

If you stick to visiting the main islands, avoiding the particularly touristy areas of Bali and the surrounding area, Indonesia in itself is extremely cheap. Together with Vietnam, it’s perhaps the cheapest country in Southeast Asia. But as soon as you start visiting less popular and more remote islands, costs go up considerably.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Indonesia travel guide.

Kelingking Beach Nusa Penida, Indonesia.

Singapore

Daily budget: 35-45€.

Clean, organized, futuristic. The prosperous city-state of Singapore really feels like another world compared to the other countries of Southeast Asia. It’s a fascinating destination that’s easy to explore, perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to deal with the chaos that often characterizes the other countries in the region, at the expense, however, of a fairly high cost of living. Singapore is by no means a cheap destination, especially when compared to the countries around it.

That said, it’s a city that can easily be visited in a few days and, especially during a long-term trip, it shouldn’t have much of an impact on your budget.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Singapore travel guide.

Marina Bay, Singapore.

Malaysia

Daily budget: 25-30€.

Often snubbed in favor of other more popular destinations in Southeast Asia, Malaysia actually has much more to offer than people might imagine, especially once you include the island of Borneo in your itinerary: from modern Kuala Lumpur to the many national parks, home to species found nowhere else on the planet, by way of some of the best beaches and diving sites in the world. This country certainly doesn’t disappoint, especially if you don’t limit yourself to visiting just Peninsular Malaysia, as many people do.

For itineraries, costs, tips and much more, I suggest you check out my Malaysia travel guide.

To conclude, in case you’re wondering how much a trip with several stops through Southeast Asia costs, if you stick to the way of traveling described above, a comfortable budget is around 1000€ a month; obviously there are countries where you’ll go over it and others where you’ll spend less, but from my personal experience and that of other travelers this is a realistic budget. In many of the guides you’ll find precise figures on how much I personally spent.

Orangutan, Malaysia.

To reduce exchange and withdrawal fees on a trip through several countries, you can find my guide to the best travel cards here.

Backpacking itineraries in Southeast Asia

Some of the most beautiful seas in the world, lots of biodiversity typical of the countries straddling the equator, picturesque landscapes but also lots of culture and excellent food, all topped off with rock-bottom prices and levels of safety far better than in other developing countries. With its legendary Banana Pancake Trail, Southeast Asia is in fact the most popular region among backpackers from all over the world; the itineraries that take in the most popular destinations are by now well established and well trodden, with all the advantages (easy travel, excellent hostels thanks to the strong competition, the ease of meeting and making friends with other travelers, etc. etc.) and disadvantages that come with it (crowded places, tourist traps, etc. etc.).

In any case, for specific itineraries for each individual country, see the dedicated section in each guide, which I link below for convenience.

Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

For those who instead have in mind a trip through several countries, or maybe the whole region, the itinerary that many people follow is the one you can roughly see on the map below; you’ll find detailed information on where and how to cross the various borders in the guide for each individual country. As for timing, if you plan to visit every country during the same trip, I think six months is a good starting point. With that amount of time you’d be able to see all the main attractions of each one without moving every other day. That said, if you want to take it easy and also visit some less popular destinations, you can easily spend nine months or more traveling around the region and still not feel like you’ve seen “everything”.

As for flights to Southeast Asia, generally speaking the cheapest destinations to fly to from Europe are Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, but of course great deals can pop up to any other destination; I recommend taking a look at my article on how to find cheap flights. If you have a bit of flexibility with dates and destination, I assure you it’s possible to fly to Southeast Asia for less than 500€ round trip.

Backpacking Southeast Asia: what to bring

Southeast Asia is a fantastic region for anyone who loves minimalist travel. Except for a few mountainous regions, it’s always hot, so there’s absolutely no need to bring lots of heavy, bulky clothes. It’s not unusual to see travelers going around with 30-liter backpacks, and I myself managed to spend an entire year there with a single 40-liter backpack, despite my camera gear and computer. In short, traveling light is anything but impossible; I suggest you take a look at my list of things to bring on a trip to pack your backpack efficiently.

Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia.

To conclude, many people ask me which SIM is best to choose; the fact is that there are no roaming agreements between the various countries like there are in the European Union. If you want to be always connected, I recommend buying a local SIM every time you enter a new country. If you have a phone that supports eSIMs and you want the convenience of being online right away without having to buy a local SIM, then I recommend using a service like the one offered by Airalo and Ubigi. If you go for this solution, though, there are at least a couple of things to consider. First of all, with rare exceptions, you pay much more per gigabyte than you would with a local SIM; secondly, their local partner isn’t always the one with the best coverage in the country.

Basically, I think most travelers would be better off buying a local SIM (or maybe trying to buy the eSIM of a local provider), but I suggest you think it over for yourself, since there’s no shortage of exceptions. For example, when I visited Japan, the plan offered by Ubigi was cheaper than any local SIM I could buy without proving I was a resident.

That said, you can easily travel far and wide without being constantly connected to the internet. It may sound absurd, but during my entire trip through South and Central America I never had a local SIM. I only ever used wifi whenever I had the chance and, in general, I think staying disconnected isn’t so bad after all. To find your way around the various cities you can simply download Organic Maps and the various maps you need. In any case, in the individual guides you’ll find information on the best operators in each country.

Kelimutu National Park, Indonesia.

Backpacking Southeast Asia: safety

Is it safe to travel in Southeast Asia? Generally speaking yes; obviously you need to use common sense, as in any other part of the world, but the fact is that Southeast Asia is one of the safest regions in the world. According to the Global Peace Index, one of the measures usually used to assess how safe a country is, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Laos have scores similar to those of Italy and many other European countries, or in some cases even better. If we leave aside Myanmar, which unfortunately is in a full-blown civil war, and some areas in the south of the Philippines, I really believe that safety in the region shouldn’t be a cause for concern. Take a look at my tips on how to travel safely and you’ll see that everything will be fine.

Planning a trip to Southeast Asia? Check out these posts:

Which travel backpack to choose

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