So you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia? Read on for 10 Southeast Asia travel tips to help you travel smart before you go on your adventure.
1. Be Flexible
It can be a good idea to have a plan when you’re backpacking, but don’t be afraid to be flexible and adjust your plans on the fly. The best travel adventures often unfold when you least expect them.
As an example: When our Visa Ran out in Vietnam
When our 4-week visa in Vietnam ran out, we had a choice: take a visa run to Laos or book flights to another country. We weighed up both options and ended up booking a spontaneous trip to Singapore.
Visa runs can be time-consuming and costly. An option is to leave Vietnam via a round trip in a car through a local service for about $200+ AUD | $130 USD per person to the border of a neighbouring country. It takes a full day just to get stamped out and stamped back in to receive a new visa before being allowed back into Vietnam.
We found it just as affordable to book two flights to Singapore instead of doing a visa run, which allowed us to explore a new city and culture in Southeast Asia.
2. Less is more. Pack light.
You don’t need to bring your whole life with you when you are backpacking. Whatever size backpack you select, you will find a way to fill it with stuff. We have found that trip enjoyment is directly proportional to how heavy your backpack is. So pack light and enjoy!
Not sure where to start? Here is what we travel with.
3. Learn to haggle
Haggling is the way in Southeast Asia. It’s expected, and you can often strike up some outstanding deals on items just by playing the game right. A couple of tips if you want to haggle well are:
- Know exactly what you want to buy and the price you want to pay before you approach the stall.
- Know your walkaway point or the maximum you would pay for the item.
People in Southeast Asia make a living off this. Haggling over the cost of a coffee can be a week’s worth of income for them. So play the game, but be mindful. If you do decide to make an offer, make sure you follow through with it.
4. Use online booking platforms for better deals
Klook is an easy platform to use to book tours, activities, and experiences that are run by locals for tourists in Southeast Asia. We found it to be a great way to get unique experiences. Another platform that has been great to snag deals the night before has been booking.com and Agoda for finding accommodation spots to stay while travelling.
For instance, we booked a Klook experience in Vietnam called the Saigon Sniper. It was an indoor shooting range, and we had a blast! We would highly recommend it if you’re in Ho Chi Minh City!
5. Research common scams in Southeast Asia
You will probably come across different Southeast Asia scams, mostly in person but also online. Doing research beforehand can go a long way toward being prepared for them. Scams can happen to anyone, even the most seasoned travel veteran. The people you least expect can often run them.
From our experience, most scam artists operate in crowded or public spaces and in teams. The phrase ‘If something is too good to be true, well, it probably is’ is quite accurate for these situations. By researching ahead, you’ll be more aware of when someone’s trying to bait you into a scam. The best thing you can do is say ‘no thanks’ and continue walking.
Two common questions that they might start with are “Where are you from?” and “Have you been to XYZ before?”
While this might seem harmless, giving anyone too much information is likely to be used against you. Especially when they’re thinking of ways to get you to pay too much for a service or for your knowledge of your surroundings and how gullible you might be. As good as it is to be aware, just note that not everyone is a bad person and some are just curious, so have your smarts on you and trust your instincts.
6. Learn the language basics
When traveling to Southeast Asia, one of the best ways to make a good impression on the locals is to greet them in their own language. Even a little effort in learning simple phrases can go a long way in getting help from the locals.
If you haven’t had the time to learn the local language in Southeast Asia before your trip, don’t worry. There are a number of resources available to help you, such as Duolingo on the app store. You can also use a translation app like Google Translate to help you communicate with the locals in real-time.
Alternatively, try out a cultural class while you’re in Southeast Asia to really appreciate the customs.
7. Carry cash, but don’t bring the entire bank
While there are plenty of ATMs in Southeast Asia, not everywhere you want to eat will have a working EFTPOS machine. We have found that by carrying cash, you are more mindful of your spending habits. Just make sure the cash you carry is enough to get around. Keep your cash in places that are not blatantly obvious. We would recommend a side bag, bum bag, or money belt, usually something with a zipper. Just like any third-world country, be mindful not to flash your wealth around. This means not pulling out all your cash at once. Try having your notes separated before payment. We made it a habit of ours to not leave anything in our back pockets.
8. Eat street food in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian street food is a great way to experience the local cuisines and save a lot of money. When traveling, consider whether you want to try local foods and live like a local or stick to familiar dishes. As the old saying goes, ‘When in Rome, do what the Romans do’
Smart tip: As far as overcoming food poisoning, which is notorious in Southeast Asia. A good rule of thumb when eating street food is to see your food prepared and cooked fresh and to avoid food that has sat out all day. Foods to be extra mindful of in Southeast Asia or less developed nations are milk, lettuce salads, and beef.
Also, when assessing what to eat, it can be helpful to look for restaurants and food stands with lots of customers. It’s a good sign that the food will be tasty too.
9. Invest in a filtered water bottle!
Easily one of the best Southeast Asia travel tips we have done, is invest in a great quality water bottle. The water quality and ice in Southeast Asian countries can be quite poor, so to tackle this, we bought a filtered water bottle. One of the best things we have done! You can expect anywhere from $30 to $100 AUD for a good-quality one.
Here’s the water bottle that we have been using to travel and drink water safely across the globe, from Water-to-go.
We have been using it every single day. You can drink water anywhere, whether it’s from the tap, out in the ocean, or in the bush, and know that the water is clean and safe.
10. Drink a fresh coconut in Southeast Asia
Imagine a warm, sunny day, and you are sipping on a fresh coconut in the middle of Southeast Asia. A great drink for when you are thirsty that costs as little as 0.50c AUD | 0.32 USD. We have found plenty of coconut stalls throughout Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. They are often located in tourist hot spots like temples and food halls on the streets. It is definitely worth checking out!
So that’s 10 Southeast Asia travel tips to help you on your travels!
Read this article if you’re planning to add Vang Vieng, Laos to your Southeast Asia trip itinerary.
This checklist provides helpful reminders for cultural etiquette and visa requirements. Don’t forget to consult the checklist before going on your adventure to Southeast Asia!
Make sure you download your free travel Southeast Asia travel checklist to start planning your adventure.
