Favourites in Vietnam!

Vietnam and my favourite things!

 

Cooking Class!! We cooked 4 dishes and got a recipe book afterwards in Hoi An.

At the Vietnam War museum in Ho Chi Mihn City

 

 

 

 In one of the seven natural wonders of the world in Halong Bay.

Enjoying a mud bath in Hue!

Jumping off the junk boat in Halong Bay.

Bike riding in Hoi An!

Some of the seafood in Vietnam!

Favourite Things in Laos, Cambodia & Singapore!



 

Some of the best things in Laos, Cambodia & Singapore!

 

 

 

In Luang, Prabang, Laos at the a lagoon!

 

 

 Dead snakes in jars for the famous "Snake Blood Shot"  in Laos

Sunrise at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Before dinner snack - deep fried tarantulas!

The group at Angkor Wat

View of Marina Bay Sands from the Singapore Flyer - tallest observation tower in the world!



Some of my favourite things in Thailand

Some of the best things I experienced when travelling through Thailand:


The Grand Palace in Bangkok where the King and his family live.

 

Elephant Riding in Chiang Rai!

 The yummy snacks in Thailand. 30 cents to take pictures of them!

Enjoying the beautiful view on Railay Beach.

Koh Phi Phi fire show on the beach/

The filming location for the movie "The Beach". The first picture is the disaster we had to go through to get on the island from the speed boat. Ended in many cuts and lost flip-flops.

Just walking a tiger at a tiger temple north of Bangkok

Enjoying a not-so-typical pedicure from the fish in Koh Phi Phi. And below is the view from the top of the view point mountain on Koh Phi Phi.

 Meeting some of the fabulous Thai Lady Boys in Phuket.

And last but not least, The Full Moon Party June 23, 2013 on the beach in Koh Phangan

you will need to learn.......

There are some things we had to learn while travelling:

1) learn how to use a squat toilet. Trust me! Work on your squats now while you're planning the trip - you will need strong legs for this one! Make sure you bring tissue paper and hand sanitizer. Watch this video of how to use the toilet properly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtHbBAai0bM

2) get a iron stomach. You cannot be picky about food when you are in Southeast Asia. There is a good chance the meat you are eating is not really what they say it is. Time to get over it! If it's good - eat it! Also, if you have any dietary concerns, be prepared that the locals will not be able to understand them.

3) bottled water is your best friend! Always, I mean, ALWAYS carry one with you or be prepared to buy one.

4) local food is generally much better than Western food.

5) be prepared to walk!

6) be prepared to sweat! You will probably sweat through every article of clothing you have on. Do not even bother wearing make-up or doing your hair. After 5 minutes outside in the humidity, you will look the same as you did when you woke up.

7) get off your high-horse! The locals will give you attention because they know you have money. This is not an excuse to be rude to anyone! The people who are approaching you are extremely hard work people and do not deserve to be treated disrespectfully. Do not think that because you have more money than them you can mistreat people.

8) do not participate in any illegal activity! This is not the place to make poor decisions in terms of illegal things - even if you do them at home. For example smoking marijuana; there is a 20 year imprisonment in many countries in Southeast Asia.

9) do as much as you can! Yes, it will cost a lot in the end - but when are you planning on going back to Thailand or Vietnam? Who knows, right? Look at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity - live it to the fullest.

10) the customs in SE Asia are very different than at home. Be respectful!!! In most countries, everyone is Buddhist - respect their religious beliefs even if their values are different than yours. Try not to show off your PDA with your significant other. It is rude to be kissing in public.

11) understand that the standards in Southeast Asia are much different than those at home. You may not get what you expect.

Budget... what budget?

I had a had time wrapping my head around the idea of a budget when I was travelling. How can you really figure out how much you are going to spend when there are so many different activities to do and places to see!!

Here is a general budget for travelling in Southeast Asia:

Food
     When Danielle and I were travelling we researched other blogs and figured out a food budget of $10 US a day. That was absolutely ridiculous, but it is doable if you are dedicated to keeping on budget. We were not.
      For local food in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam can be as inexpensive as $2 US for street food or as expensive as $20 US in a restaurant. A typical meal is approximately $5-10 US. Western food (pizza, sandwiches, bacon and eggs) are more expensive in every country. Prices for western food ranges from $6 US to $25. Singapore was more expensive  typical meals costing approximately $12-18 US. 
     This all depends on what you are eating and the quantities as the meals are typically smaller portions than in North America.


Alcohol & Water
     As ridiculous as this may sound, we did not take into account drinking - in any aspect. I highly suggest putting aside at least $3-$5 US a day for water alone. The climate is extremely hot and humid and you will be dehydrated much faster than at home. A bottle of water costs anywhere between $0.30 - $1 US. Make sure you keep a bottle of water with you at all times during the day and take advantage of hotels that have complimentary bottles.

     Now, let's talk about alcohol. Beer and spirits are cheap in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand! A bottle of Chang (Thai beer) costs about $3 US. Spirits, mostly vodka, will be served in cocktails or in buckets. A cocktail costs $4-$7 US in a bar or restaurant. Buckets are available at stands on the street and in bars. They generally cost $10-$15 US. Let's talk about wine. Probably best not to drink it at all. You will probably end up drinking rice wine - as I did. Not my thing at all! Wine is the most expensive choice.


Transportation
     Tuk-tuks are the best mode of transportation out there! I wish they had them in Canada. They are super fast and inexpensive. I suggest that you barter for taxis and tuk-tuks. The price will always depend on the distance but they are reasonable. We always asked the tuk-tuk drivers to take us for tours or make multiple stops. This way, we always had a tuk-tuk waiting for us and got a good deal on the price! Most of them are quite honest and helpful and will bring you to major tourist attractions if you ask. BUT only pay them half up front and half once you get home - in case they are one of the few dishonest people and take the cash and run!

     Subways and metros are also super convenient. Singapore has the most amazing metro, and if you can figure out Kuala Lumpur's - go for it! Bangkok also has a great subway system that will take you right from the airport to the centre of the city - which will allow you to get a cheaper tuk-tuk or taxi ride to your hotel. Metros cost about $3 US per trip.

     Planes, trains and ferries are great for going long distances. I preferred planes over trains obviously for the time convenience.  The flights in Asia are reasonable starting from $20. Make sure you take note of what is included in the price of the flight - most of the time on budget flights baggage is NOT included and can be an additional $30 US per bag. Trains are about $20 US depending on the distance and ferries are about $5-$10 US.


Accommodation
     In Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam the choices of accommodation vary. They range from super cheap guesthouses to moderately priced hostels/guesthouses to expensive hotels. Danielle and I stayed in a number of great places for relatively low prices.
     Generally we spent $6-$15 US each per night. There were some places that inexpensive accommodation was not available such as Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, so we splurged on hotels that were approximately $15-$30 US each. The accommodations generally included a private bathroom, two beds, wifi and air conditioning. If you do not feel like you need air conditioning or wifi you can definitely save some money there.


Activities
     Activities in Southeast Asia can range from a couple dollars to a couple hundred all depending on what you plan on doing! Scuba driving will easily cost anywhere from a hundred to a couple hundred dollars. Visiting temples can cost from $3-$30 US depending on the temples. Bike riding, tours, boat rides, and everything else can be reasonable - just shop around at different "tour agencies".

     Now shopping! Well we spent a ton of our money here. We bought little knick-knacks, clothes, bags, accessories, make-up and gifts. If you are on a budget - DO NOT SHOP! I ended up getting custom clothing made in Vietnam which ended up costing me well over $800.


Daily Budget
     Overall, I would put aside about $40-50 US a day. There are many people who say you can live in Southeast Asia for as little as $15 a day. I look at it this way - you spent all this money going on this fabulous vacation - you are going to want to do EVERYTHING you can! I highly recommend over budgeting just in case!

Transportation and Our Route

The route Danielle and I decided to take was very similar to many other travellers. We had only booked our roundtrip flights from Toronto to Bangkok and the Asia Adventure Contiki Tour prior to our trip. Everything else we planned while we were in Asia. I included the dates, the means of transportation and approximate costs of them.

·         Toronto, Canada

o   Flight leaving April 26

o   Layover in Paris, France April 27 costing $1400 (roundtrip)

·         Bangkok, Thailand

o   Flight arrived April 28

·         Chiang Mai, Thailand

o   Overnight train arrived April 30 included in tour

·         Chiang Rai, Thailand

o   Coach bus arrived May 1 included in tour

·         Pakbeng, Laos

o   Long tail boat May 2 arrived May included in tour

·         Luang Prabang, Laos

o   Long tail boat May 3 arrived included in tour

·         Vang Vieng, Laos

o   Arrived May 5 included in tour

·         Vientiane, Laos

o   Arrived May 7 included in tour

·         Phnom Penh, Cambodia

o   Flight arrived May 9  included in tour

·         Siem Reap, Cambodia

o   Flight arrived May 10 included in tour

·         Phnom Penh, Cambodia

o   Coach bus arrived May 11 costing $12

·         Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

o   Coach bus arrived May 12 costing $12

·         Nha Trang, Vietnam

o   Coach bus arrived May 13 included in tour

·         Hoi An, Vietnam

o   Flight arrived May 15 included in tour

·         Hue, Vietnam

o   Flight arrived May 18 included in tour

·         Hanoi, Vietnam

o   Coach bus arrived May 19 included in tour

·         Halong Bay, Vietnam

o   Coach bus & “Junk” boat arrived May 21 included in tour

·         Hanoi, Vietnam

o   Coach bus & “Junk” boat arrived May 22 included in tour

·         Singapore, Singapore

o   Flight arrived May 24 costing $69

·         Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

o   Flight arrived May 29 costing $100

·         Hat Yai, Thailand

o   Flight arrived May 31 costing $110

·         Krabi, Thailand

o   Mini-van arrived June 1 costing $15

·         Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

o   Ferry boat arrived June 3 costing $10

·         Koh Lanta, Thailand

o   Ferry boat arrived June 10 costing $10

·         Phuket, Thailand

o   Minivan arrived June 11 costing $10

·         Koh Lak, Thailand

o   Minivan & coach bus arrived June 17 costing $15

·         Koh Phangan, Thailand

o   Coach bus to Koh Samui costing $10

o   Ferry to Koh Phangan arrived June 20 costing $15

·         Bangkok, Thailand

o   Ferry to Koh Samui costing $15

o   Flight arrived June 24 costing $125

·         Amsterdam, The Netherlands

o   Flight arrived June 26

·         Toronto, Canada

o   Flight arrived June 30

Here is a map of the destinations in Southeast Asia: 

 

All the prices of the transportation are approximate. I cannot remember all the minivan, coach buses and ferry prices. However, none of them were more than $20 for a one-way trip. Our tour guide had suggested that we try to barter the price down a little bit. Sometimes we did, but other times we were just too tired to bother! These transportation costs do not include travelling within the cities, but travelling from one city to another.

All transportation is extremely easy to access. There are a number of travel agents or tour companies in every town. No surprise that flying is more expensive than travelling by land, but if you have more money than time - book the flights! Airlines I recommend are Tiger Airways, Vietnam Airlines, Bangkok Airlines and Air Asia.

Keep in mind, there will be a number of times when you are waiting around for other travellers to fill the van or bus. Expect long wait and travel times! Buses break down, trees fall in the middle of the road, things will happen! So if you are in a rush to get anywhere, make sure you give yourself enough time for travelling.

What to pack when travelling around Southeast Asia!

I researched many different blogs and travel websites and spoke to people who have travelled to Southeast Asia about what to pack. Now many of them were very helpful, but we listened to some very bad advice – in my opinion, of course.

Many people told us – do not bring any nice clothing, you will be travelling and your clothes will get ruined. Yes, that CAN be true. BUT don’t you want nice pictures of you in cute clothes rather than old, ugly ones you were going to throw out anyways! Once we started looking at the stuff we packed (and even more so looking at our pictures), we wished we brought different clothing! Just remember you are going to be showing people your photos of an incredible trip, so look fabulous!

Here are the necessities for travelling girls:

Clothing:

- 2 pairs of shorts (do not bring denim, extremely heavy to carry and incredibly hot in the humid weather)
- 3-4 t-shirts or tank tops (make sure you bring at least one t-shirt, a lot of temples have dress codes your shoulders need to be covered)
- 1 dress/skirt (for nights out when you want to dress up)
- 1 pair of pants (buy there! In Asia those silly, hippie, harem pants are everywhere; and everyone wears them!)
- A few pairs of socks, bras, bathing suits and 7 pairs of underwear
- 1 light weight sweater for travelling and air conditioned rooms
-a clutch or little bag that has a zipper where you can keep your cash and camera for dinner or day trips
-1 pair of sandals
-1 pair of running shoes

Other necessities:

- PASSPORT!

-smartphone (make sure you keep it on airplane mode, there is Wifi access at almost every restaurant and hotel/hostel)
- Medication (including aspirin, Gravol and any tummy issue medication)
- contacts/glasses
-SUNSCREEN! (Most sunscreen in SE Asia is extremely expensive and has whitening cream in it, so bring some from home!)
-bug spray (I barely used it, but if you don’t want to get malaria or constantly be scratching, bring it!)
-toiletries (minimal makeup, hair supplies, toothbrush/toothpaste, shampoo, soap)  
-first aid kit (just in case you get a cut, or need an ice pack; infections can be much worse in humid weather)

 What to shop for when you arrive:

-everywhere in SE Asia, there are cheap clothes ($3-$10 US) for shirts, pants, dresses, sweaters, purses and flip flops
-all toiletries can be purchased once you arrive, all very inexpensive and in travel sizes

Things you can’t find easily:

-if you wear a large size in any clothing, it is extremely difficult to find something that will fit unless you have to custom made
-contact solution 
-medication; medication can be found HOWEVER, you may not get what you want due to availability and language barriers. Rural areas have very limited supplies, so stock up before you go or in major cities.

Take it out of your bag now!:

- Hair dryer, curling or straightening iron (your hair will NEVER stay nice in this humidity, it’s not worth hauling around hair styling tools you will not use)
-anything denim (too heavy to carry, too heavy to wear, take it out of your bag!)
-a coat/jacket (you will NOT need it)
- Illegal substances (Do not even think of travelling with any illegal substances. The laws vary depending on the country but generally are extremely strict in Asia.)
-travel books (This sounds crazy, but do you have any idea how heavy a 300 page travel book is to carry around for 2 months? In my experience, you do not even look at it.  You should have your smartphone and the option of internet cafés to do research.)

The packing list is based solely on my travelling experience. To make my own "vacuum-seal" bag, I used large zip-lock bags. This kept all of my stuff organized and in the event your bag ends up soaked or dirty, your stuff with be clean and dry. I hope it can help future backpackers!

Deciding to Backpack through Southeast Asia?

"Ya. Why not!" was my first reaction when my friend, Danielle asked me to travel to Thailand with her.

I really had no idea what Asia is like. I never really had an interest in travelling there. Once I did my research on Thailand, I became obsessed. Just looking at the pictures was incredible. There is no way I could pass up this opportunity. 

Once we started talking about Thailand, it just made sense to travel to more countries in Southeast Asia. We decided on Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia due to time constraints and funds.

There were so many things we needed to look into before going: where to go? what medications do we need? what food should we eat or avoid? is it safe? how much money will we need? what are things we need to do? and what do we even pack for first time backpackers?

Danielle and I researched many different sources trying to find good advice for all these things. So I decided, why not write a blog and tell future backpackers about our experience and how we dealt with everything!

Hope you enjoy!

Danielle and I wrote a blog while we were there if you want to check that out too!
http://shaunadanielletakeasia.blogspot.ca/