- PLEASE NOTE! POST STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION! -
Mona called Felicia one day.
"Hey, I looked at your blog for some inspiration on South East Asia in general now when I'm going to Singapore, but... I kind of just want a post with the most essential tips. Do you guys have anything like that that I just havn't found yet?"
Sadly, we were forced to respond with a no, we don't have that on our webpage. Yet. But it was a really inspirational idea and we sat down immediately to sketch on a post.
The thing was, there is sooo much to know before going, there could be a whole book about it. And there is. Countless of them. Therefor we decided to boil it down and personalize it up a bit from the ordinary backpacker's guidebook - after all, we are not your ordinary backpacker.
The thing was, there is sooo much to know before going, there could be a whole book about it. And there is. Countless of them. Therefor we decided to boil it down and personalize it up a bit from the ordinary backpacker's guidebook - after all, we are not your ordinary backpacker.
Even though we are being typically-Swedish-modest, this (awesome) GUIDE still INCLUDES
- Personal fails and how to avoid them
- How to trick both cookies and swindlers
- How to not be The Dumb Tourist
-
Here we go.
THIS GUIDE INCLUDES
GENERAL TIPS
- Safety
- Accommondation
- Keep to your budget
- Stay wired - and understood
- Stay healthy
- What to pack
- Moral aspects
THAILAND TIPS
- In general
- Do's and don'ts
MALAYSIA
- In general
- Do's and Don'ts
VIETNAM
- In general
- Do's and Don'ts
INDONESIA
- In general
- Do's and Don'ts
LAST WORDS OF ADVICE
READ MORE
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GENERAL TIPS
First, you might find value in knowing our preferences:
- We usually travel "slow", meaning hoping from city to city is not something for us. General time in the same place is a week.
- Places smelling like tourism gives tickles our gag-refelexes, so therefor we might not recommend places like Kuta, Krabi or even places were the locals go when they are on vacation. At the same time, off the beaten track is not our fortee either. There has to be some kind of possibility to transportation and to be understood.
- We prefer cities over beaches, and pools over beaches. (We really don't like sand.)
- Our daily budget for accommondation was about 20 USD per person and night, probably higher than many people traveling these regions.
- Fullmoon parties and such simply does not interest us. Alcohol does, but in moderate forms.
- We don't need luxury, but we like it. Especially after having rough periods or after a period when we've cut the costs a lot. We try to squeeze in as much luxury as possible on the tiniest budget as possible, so to speak.
For a Swede/these Swedes, drinks are strong abroad!
- We don't need luxury, but we like it. Especially after having rough periods or after a period when we've cut the costs a lot. We try to squeeze in as much luxury as possible on the tiniest budget as possible, so to speak.
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SAFETY
DO:
●...Wear a bag that you can see all the time and are close to your body. Thin straps is not a good idea when it does happen that muggers drive by on mopeds and snatch your bag.
Jonathan modelling a Good bag
- can be worn over the chest, close to hands and hips
and with a zipper AND button.
- can be worn over the chest, close to hands and hips
and with a zipper AND button.
(Bought at a night market in Silom, Bangkok for basically nothing.
Can be found literally all over S.E)
●...Report any theft to the local police as soon as possible as your insurence company most certainly will need a written report on the case if you want to get your money back.
●...Be aware of fiddlers. If someone is unreasonable nice to you, it's probably because they want something from you - your attention or your money. Read up on common scams in the area you're going to and always be aware of yourself and your possesions. That being said, a firm 'No' is always a good start.
●...Go online and check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for each country for statements to avoid certain places. If you go to these places anyway, your travel insurance company will most probably say "Though luck chuck".
DONT:
●...Bring your pass with you when your going anywhere as long as you have a good deposit box in the room.
●...Leave any of your belongings unattended at any time.
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ACCOMMONDATION
We knew we enjoy cleaness and comfort, so we budgeted extra for hotels with a bit higher standards. We love staying in luxury hotels when the prices are low and often look for the quirker, unique places to stay even if it comes with a higher rate.
That being said, we try to go cheap when only staying for a few nights or when we have stayed in fancy places for a while so we don't get used to it.
● We usually stayed in places offering free breakfast and ate A LOT, which kept us full for the majority of the day. That way, we saved a lot on food. (And simultaniously lost weight, so one might be careful about that.)
OUR BUDGET PER DAY//PERSON: 20 DOLLARS
That being said, we try to go cheap when only staying for a few nights or when we have stayed in fancy places for a while so we don't get used to it.
HERE'S HOW WE THINK WHEN WE LIVE IN A SUITCASE:
● We usually stayed in places offering free breakfast and ate A LOT, which kept us full for the majority of the day. That way, we saved a lot on food. (And simultaniously lost weight, so one might be careful about that.)
● Pool was a must when there wasn't a beach nearby (and yes, frankly even when there was...).
We thought we didn't need it in Bangkok but BOY were we wrong. The heat nearly killed us, or at least our moods. It does depend though. Neither in Vietnam nor in China did we have pool or access to a beach but the weather was colder there, so we didn't miss it.
We thought we didn't need it in Bangkok but BOY were we wrong. The heat nearly killed us, or at least our moods. It does depend though. Neither in Vietnam nor in China did we have pool or access to a beach but the weather was colder there, so we didn't miss it.
The point is: check up on temperatures in the area before going for a low-cost alternative without pool.
● Speaking of temperatures, we did not enjoy our lives without aircon and internet. Almost every hotel, hostel and AirBnB offer free WiFi, but Aircon is usually an extra fee.
Internet is often easy to find if you happen upon a accommondation without network. Even shabbier shack-restaurants has wifi many times.
The place were we lived in Chiang Mai.
And we don't mean Rainforest Boutique, we mean this pool.
● Speaking of temperatures, we did not enjoy our lives without aircon and internet. Almost every hotel, hostel and AirBnB offer free WiFi, but Aircon is usually an extra fee.
Internet is often easy to find if you happen upon a accommondation without network. Even shabbier shack-restaurants has wifi many times.
● We used Hotels.com Reward system to get a discount (every eleventh night free) at most of the time - as long as it was the cheapest alternative.
Beside from Hotels.com we also used Kayak, Expedia, Amoma, Trivago, Momondo...
Many of these are comparing sites that will find which site gives you the best price.
● We signed up for every hotel-site's newsletter and reward system, so we could use discount-codes and got a heads-up when a sale started. Recommended!
As long as you always scout for alternatives, compare and see if a great price isn't really just the regular price at another site, you will save money.
Also: Hotel chains has their own newsletter and reward systems sometimes, even cheaper ones. A free membership in one of those can lead to room upgrades and other perks.
Beside from Hotels.com we also used Kayak, Expedia, Amoma, Trivago, Momondo...
Many of these are comparing sites that will find which site gives you the best price.
● We signed up for every hotel-site's newsletter and reward system, so we could use discount-codes and got a heads-up when a sale started. Recommended!
As long as you always scout for alternatives, compare and see if a great price isn't really just the regular price at another site, you will save money.
Also: Hotel chains has their own newsletter and reward systems sometimes, even cheaper ones. A free membership in one of those can lead to room upgrades and other perks.
● Read reviews on TripAdvisor carefully - if the good reviews are the complete opposite of the bad or it has just been a few reviews and they are hundred per cent positive, or the reviewer has only made this one comment, that someone might be in association with the place and has written it for good publishing.
BONUS TIPS!
● A tip that we are yet to try is AirBnb. Then you stay in a private persons house, or a room in there flat, and often get the chance to use a stove and fridge, which can make you save a lot of money on food.
● For the absolute cheapest way of living, go through Couchsurfing. Locals have signed up for renting out their sofa, or an extra bed, for free.
DO REMEMBER to show respect. If someone has opened up their home to you, you do not treat it like it is a hotel. Often it's expected of the guest to show interest in spending time with the host.
● For the absolute cheapest way of living, go through Couchsurfing. Locals have signed up for renting out their sofa, or an extra bed, for free.
DO REMEMBER to show respect. If someone has opened up their home to you, you do not treat it like it is a hotel. Often it's expected of the guest to show interest in spending time with the host.
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KEEP TO YOUR BUDGET
- Haggling is good - in markets!
We remember our stroll down Khao San Road as very lucrative as Felicia would never accept the first offer the vendors gave us, but decline, look around for what the other stalls are selling (the exact same item) for and then decide. If you say a price and the vendors doesn't agree - just go to next stall.
- An old tale is that you get cheaper hotel and hostels by just getting into the reception and haggle. Although it migh work at times, nowadays internet is really the place to compare prices and get your paws on hidden offers by for example getting an account on different hotel sites.
- Know what you want to get out of the trip. If it is partying, maybe you'll have to save when it comes to food; if you appreciate nice hotels, maybe you don't buy that many new clothes. Know your priorities.
- In markets, haggling is usually the norm as long as there is no sign with a price. Of course it is an idea to ask nicely for a better price, but respect if the vendor have specifically asked you not to.
- Know that city-hopping will cost you a lot in transportation, which in our oppinion is the most boring way to spend you money.
- Scout the area the first one or two days and decide on a maximum budget for each day depending on local prices. Keep to it - one slip easily turns into five, that turns in to never-looking-at-the-budget-again and ending up going home a lot sooner than you think.
- Know what you want to get out of the trip. If it is partying, maybe you'll have to save when it comes to food; if you appreciate nice hotels, maybe you don't buy that many new clothes. Know your priorities.
- In markets, haggling is usually the norm as long as there is no sign with a price. Of course it is an idea to ask nicely for a better price, but respect if the vendor have specifically asked you not to.
- Know that city-hopping will cost you a lot in transportation, which in our oppinion is the most boring way to spend you money.
- Scout the area the first one or two days and decide on a maximum budget for each day depending on local prices. Keep to it - one slip easily turns into five, that turns in to never-looking-at-the-budget-again and ending up going home a lot sooner than you think.
DO:
●...Download a currency converter so you know how much you actually pay. It's easy to get lost in the extra zeros that some of the countries have.
●...Buy water in big packs and refill your waterbottles instead of buying brand new every time.
●...Turn off cookies by turning on Incognito Mode when searching for flights and rooms. Sometimes rates increase when cookies have registered that you are in need of something, and we do not want to be a victim of that.
But be attentive - at one time we found it to be cheaper with cookies.
●... Research the internet for good prices on rooms. We usually go with Hotels.com (especially for Thailand) or Expedia, not because they are the most famous but because we've found that they have good rewards system and often offer the best prices.
For flights, we took to Kayak.com, Google Flights, Skyscanner and specific airlines' own webpage.
●...Keep a lot of change with you so you can give the agreed upon price and avoid risking somebody running away with your change. (Not that it happens a lot, but in some countries and areas, it's more common than in others...)
●...Turn off cookies by turning on Incognito Mode when searching for flights and rooms. Sometimes rates increase when cookies have registered that you are in need of something, and we do not want to be a victim of that.
But be attentive - at one time we found it to be cheaper with cookies.
●... Research the internet for good prices on rooms. We usually go with Hotels.com (especially for Thailand) or Expedia, not because they are the most famous but because we've found that they have good rewards system and often offer the best prices.
For flights, we took to Kayak.com, Google Flights, Skyscanner and specific airlines' own webpage.
This superior bungalow we got for $30/per night instead of original $90/per night
just by booking it at the right time
●...Keep a lot of change with you so you can give the agreed upon price and avoid risking somebody running away with your change. (Not that it happens a lot, but in some countries and areas, it's more common than in others...)
DON'T:
●...Pay for anything you didn't agree on from the beginning.
Make sure you know all the 'hidden' prices from the start, or else - refuse to pay it.
●...Give in to "fixed prices" - at least investigate if there is a cheaper alternative, but don't let your cheap-hunt take all day. (There's the famous balance again...)
Example: At the airport in Chiang Mai, they said there was only one driving company and they had fixed prices-taxis getting out of the airport area. We found it hard to belive (it smelled a little Bali..) and searched the whole grounds for a cheaper alternative. In the end we had to give up and pay the "hefty" 200 baht fee (like 5 dollars so basically nothing), but at least we took pride in seing for ourselves.
What we are trying to say is: See for every situation if it's better to be the stupid tourist than the stingy tourist. Sometimes, for the sake of time and energy, it is.
●...Give in to "fixed prices" - at least investigate if there is a cheaper alternative, but don't let your cheap-hunt take all day. (There's the famous balance again...)
Example: At the airport in Chiang Mai, they said there was only one driving company and they had fixed prices-taxis getting out of the airport area. We found it hard to belive (it smelled a little Bali..) and searched the whole grounds for a cheaper alternative. In the end we had to give up and pay the "hefty" 200 baht fee (like 5 dollars so basically nothing), but at least we took pride in seing for ourselves.
What we are trying to say is: See for every situation if it's better to be the stupid tourist than the stingy tourist. Sometimes, for the sake of time and energy, it is.
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STAY WIRED - AND UNDERSTOOD
●...Spend all your time trying to find internet. Stop and smell the roses at some time :)
The internet in Thailand is good most of the time, but comparing to Sweden's, its slower.
In Vietnam you don't have access to some facebook apps by some reason but you can reach all of your usual social media.
- In Malaysia, at least in Kuala Lumpur, internet was strong and Felicia even remember that it worked well to use skype and messenger for calls.
- Streaming is hard in general as the internet is slower. We would suggest you download the music and series and movies you usually watch on Netflix as you otherwise might have to take an unvoluntarily break from OITNB...
DO:
●...Buy yourself a dictionary Download a translation app beforehand.
In general and in tourist places, the locals know at least a little bit of English but to be on the safe side or if you stray from the bigger tourist areas, it's wise to have a translation app prepared. Most of them are free.
●...Rethink if you actually need a prepaid card with internet. Most bars, restaurants, cafés, hotels, even stores, have free wifi that is good enough. The rest of the time may be seen as a lesson in the Art of Being Here and Now?
●...Know that you can't search on Google maps if you don't have internet, but it works fine for navigating the old fascioned way.
DON'T:
●...Forget to download an offline map where you can search for restaurants and attractions in the area, like Citymaps2go.
●...Be afraid to look foolish when the language Gods are just not on your side. Try every possible way to get your message through - we've used pictures, charades, trying every language we know.. At points we've even made up words. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it did not - but in the end we got food on our plate.
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STAY HEALTHY
DO:
- Know that the air in cities in Asia are not as it is in Europe, at least not Sweden.
Felicia's skin took a real turn downhills after cities like Bangkok, Beijing and even Singapore, getting spots in the face worthy of a teenager.
●...Get all your vaccinations done beforehand.
The Hepatitis A + B is ALWAYS good to have, as well as the Tyfoid and the one for Japanese encephalitis.
We did takes the drinkable vaccin Dukoral that suppose to protect you from Tourist diarrhea, but we got it anyway...
●...Use sunscreen. A lot of it.
And not like factor 5. When backpacking S.E you'll have plenty of time to get tanned, so let it take time and gradually reduce the factor instead of getting burned.
/ Felicia, when she 'was only going to be in the pool for a liiittle while' and ended up getting a second degree burn on her sholder that didn't heal in two months.
Also, heavy sunbathing can lead to cancer, why Australia has abolished all solariums...
●...Stay hydrated.
Dehydration can lead to lightheadedness, passing out or even ending up in the hospital with an IV. Easiest way is to always have water with you, so putting an extra bottle of water in the bag before leaving the room is a good idea, but also be sure to have rehydration like Resorb packed.
Remember to drink even more water after having coffee, tea or alcohol, as it makes more liquid leave your system you added.
Coffee with a side of water, please
●...Cover yourself to avoid unwanted chews from insects, especially in the nighttime.
Mosquitos are not only unpleasant but they also spread horrible deseases, like malaria or japanese enfecelit. Bring a lot of mosquito repellent and when you run out - we used soo much more than we thought we would - ask the locals for their recommendation of brand for new ones.
Note that there are some recommendations NOT to overuse mosquito repellent as it is not good for the skin and risk making you sick.
Seriously protected from mosquitos and other unwanted bugs
in the forests of China
●...Stick to fruit and vegetables that you peeled yourself.
When you wash something yourself with clean water and clean hands you can at least know for sure that it isn't being contamined by the local water or that you don't have any bacteria on your hands that you transfer to the food.
Or you might as well check yourself in to the hospital immediately.
Coming from Sweden, our tap water is quite exquisite, if we may say so ourselves, and therefor our stomages are not used to the water that the locals drink every day. So stay on the safe side and stack up on big water cointainers or do detailed research if the place your going to actually has drinkable water.
●...Indulge in some local yoghurt.
A lot of the cuisines positive bacteria can be found in yoghurt which gives you immunity system a boost when it comes to handeling the foreign food! Just
make sure it's chilled when you eat it.
●... If something does happen, make sure that you've brought Imodium (medicaiton for stopping diarrhea) or such as the local varieties might taste like crap or be hard to find.
"I got mine from the clinic on Koh Lanta. I tried every night for four days but I couldn't make myself swallow the "orange"-tasting tard they'd given me. One of the best facts about that part of the trip was the fact that I had brought a better alternative.." - Felicia
DON'T:
●...WAIT TO LONG BEFORE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL.
Two or three days vomiting or such and you're better of visiting a doctor immediately. Even though it might not be something very serious, you'll get dehydration or be malnutricioned if you can't keep your food.
At least 4 days too late, Felicia finally got her IV and started feeling better
●... SKIP TRAVEL INSURANCE!
YES, WE WRITE THIS IN CAPTIALS AND YES, for the most of the time there will - hopefully - be no need for using it, but the day something happens and you don't have an insurance, it can become serious and/or very expensive fast.
YES, WE WRITE THIS IN CAPTIALS AND YES, for the most of the time there will - hopefully - be no need for using it, but the day something happens and you don't have an insurance, it can become serious and/or very expensive fast.
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WHAT TO PACK
DO:
● ...pack at least one item for every possible weather in the region - like in Mona's case, she will go to Asia under dry to monsoon season (December to May) so it’s preferred to bring a jacket that can handle rain.
●... make sure that you have all possible medications with you, like for fever, diharréa, acid reflux.. Everything might be available in Singapore and close countries, but we wouldn’t risk it.
●... Pack comfortable shoes. Prioritize them. Trainers are a most. Pack flip-flops, sandals and trainers and you have clothes for almost every weather.
● ...Some people prefer to make a packing list and check it before leaving every place. Then you can make sure you don’t forget anything.
●...Bring long, loosefitted items of clothing with cuffs in the ankels and wrists so mosquitos doesn't find their way in the nighttime.
●...A scarf is good for a lot of things - to wrap around your shoulders when the sun is too strong, to make to a shirt when entering a temple, to use as a pillow when laying on the beach...
●...If you're planning on spenidng as little as possible on accommondation, it may (?) be good to bring a duvet cover for sleeping in when the bed lice are creeping.
This is a tip we got from Felicia'a mother when she backpacked in the 80's, but after first time around in Asia, we found it a bit... overkill. We were about to toss the idea aside for all eternity ("Asia has better standard nowadays" we said to ourselves), until a workfriend told Felicia about the raches she got from bed lice in Kambodja.
So if your straying from cities or plan on living as the roughed explorer, it might still be a good tip.
DON’T:
●...Pack anything if you’re not sure you will use it. Make sure that every piece of clothing can be used in at least two outfits.
● ...Stuck up on a lot of toiletries, as everything you’ll need like shampoo and soap and so on is available - and cheaper - in the east.
●...Pack expensive or sentamentaly valuble clothes. You never know if a bag gets missing at the airport or if anything gets forgotten or discoloured in new and different environments.
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MORAL ASPECTS
We have a responsibility when we travel, to leave the world as we found it, for other wanderers to explore and for locals to keep enjoying. therefor we’ve gathered a couple of things you can and can not do when traveling these specific countries.
Don't be that bimbo backpacker that walks around shirtless and treat locals bad. Just don't.
DO:
●...Research local customs. If internet fails, ask the locals!
●...In general, keep the nudity and the skin-showing to a minimum as many countries in S.E are more "conservative". It's a good idea to bring a scarf with you at all times, both for protecting shoulders from sun, but also that it can easily turn in to a skirt.
Fancy scarf-skirt that is!
Felicia making sure she is not doing anything haram
●...some serious research before going to any place involving animals. If the animals are dancing, doing tricks or anything that is not natural to them, stay away. If animals wouldn't do it
DONT:
●...As a woman, you should never look a monk in the eyes or touch them in any way. As a woman it might also be polite to cover shoulders and knees, especially when entering temples.
●...Point your feet at someone as it is considered rude and unholy.
●...Refuse to buy something you've been haggling with the seller about for a long time. That is just bad form.
●...Visit Tiger temples. Tigers are predators naturally, so why aren't they attacking when humans are near them, touch them or sit on them? (Warning! Disturbing footage.)
Our first guess would be drugs or long time of supression from humans. And neither sounds like something we want to support.
● EVER RIDE AN ELEPHANT. Elephants are sensitive creatures with an intelligent mind and the physical and phycological abuse that it takes to get them ”ridable” is nothing less than cruel.
●...Litter.
Not even if the locals do it. Also, a lot of the thing considered garbage is reusable, like water bottles.
Example: In China, we were in the most amazing park - but if you looked outside the fence on the cliffs you saw tons of plastic bottles and candy wrappings. It felt so disrespectful, both against nature and the other people going there for a serene experience.
If we would have tilted the lens down, you would have seen heaps of candy wrappers and plastic bottles. Why OH WHY ruining this beautiful scenery?
BONUS TIP!
To be more environment-friendly,
try to travel as much by land as possible.
Also, walk instead of taking the taxi.
It's good for your health, wallet and the environment.
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THAILAND
VISA:
Most nationalities are granted a 30 days VISA upon arrival for free.
You will need to have a ticket out of the country.
Thailand is easy accessable, both when it comes to getting around, and when it comes to how easy it is to get to know the people and the culture. They are used to tourists so take advantage of that - just remember that they might as well take advantage of you, as they are so used to tourists. Again, trust your gut and learn by your own and others mistakes.
NORTH OR SOUTH?
Our first tip is to not go where the western people go most - Krabi province and Andaman Sea, the south of Thailand. Not only have we been sick there, the weather also tends to be too hot at times whereas the north of Thailand is cooler generally.
The quality is, in our experience, kind of non exsisting in south of Thailand. The genuine feeling of the country is long lost between cheap day trips and tourist shops.
Our proposal would be to instead spend your time in Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Pai (we havn't been in the later two, but we've heard enough stories to know that there is something for everyone there.)
BANGKOK - ONLY A STOP ON THE WAY?
Some say Bangkok is only for transfer, but every time we been in Thailand, we've made sure that we take some days to enjoy the city as well.
Bangkok has so many flavours. It's crowded with a blend of locals and backpackers, with a rich night life (sky bars are at their best here!), great shopping and a lot of genuine culture to experience, like the Royal Palace or the floating market.
There's also the grand street market:
"My first time in Bangkok, I was almost most impressed by the weekend street market around Silom. They close a whole four-lane road for it! I have never seen so many different quirky things in one place in my life. Every kind of jewelery, bag and item of clothing, food in strange colours and even goats - everything was for sale. So if it's possible, make sure your three-day stop in Bangkok occurs during a weekend and head to Sala Daeng sky train stop for the market of your life."
- Felicia
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●... pay a visit to Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai. This is one of the few alternatives that is OK when it comes to visiting elephants.
Certainly one of the best moments of our trip! Be sure to book at least a week or two in advance as whole days fill up fast. We went with the half day and missed out on bathing with the elephants, but we still had a great time.
●...Try to avoid southern Thailand in or close to March. Some sites say you should go there during March as the rest of the country is so hot, but in the middle of March, we were slowling dying in the heat with the water more sweaty than refreshing. Avoid Thailand all together in March and April if you can. In both January and February, the temperature is warm but not too hot and it's not raining so if you can, visit in that period.
●...
DON'T:
●...Spend too much time on the Andaman coast. It will drastically shrink your savings much faster than the north would, and, in our experience, also the quality.
●...Be limited to only the more famous places. Thailand in all is a great country to explore more than what Lonely Planet recommend, since they have good railways and people speaking English in a lot of places.
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Oh how we loved the hi-tec Kuala Lumpur after weeks on the islands of southern Thailand. Here is everything us citybugs need - crazy cheap cinema and starbucks around every corner.
KL was also the only place we visited in Malaysia, therefor our experience is limited. But we'll try our best to spread the few tips we know.
- In KL, we were surprised everyone spoke very good English after having to gesture our way around at times in Thailand.
- The medical practice in KL is one of the best in S.E Asia. This is surely the place to be sick in!
(See this post for our experience with hospitals in KL).
- If you look for higher standard when it comes to living, we dearly recommend Furama Bikit Bintang, situated in the center of the town, near Pavillion Shopping Mall and Beraja Times Square (the latter being a shopping mall with an indoors theme park!).
Upon check in, we were told we were upgraded to a suite for no extra cost and without having to ask for it. Other than that we had lovely personal service throughout our stay, from help with taxis to a great breakfast buffet included in our room price. We paid around 45 dollars per night and had a million-dollar experience, but sure, it is not for those on the tightest budget.
- If you're out for iconic sights, the Petrona Twin Towers are one of the most famous backgrounds of South East Asia. The whole area is quite impressive - there's a park, fountains in different colors and people - travelers - everywhere on the grounds.
The fee is (85 RM) and either book tickets in advance online or by going to the office in the ground floor of Petrona Towers building.
●...Check the Ministy forForeign Affairs if a location is black-listed or bewarned of. Malaysia is used to tourists in general but some places are just not recommended visiting. Here's a link to the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their recommendations on Malaysia.
●...Make sure that you bring clothes that covers your knees and shoulders, even for just strolling around in the city. Only tourist wear short-short.
●...Head out to Langkawi if you want to live island-life for a while.
●...head up to Trader's Hotel's Skybar for a drink with a view.
They have happy hours with affordable prices. Might be good to make reservations if you want a table by the pool as they were all reserved when we arrived quite early in the evening. Remember to dress formal-ish; no flipflops and beach shorts!
Not recommending the Mojito though as they used dark rum and that's just yucky.
//Felicia
●...Hit the cinemas!
This is our kind of luxury - the crazy cheap kind. A ticket costs as much as popcorn, so here's your chance to see the latest Disneymovie for a pittance. It was a part of our perfect luxury day in Kuala Lumpur, that didn't cost us anything compared to what those activities would have cost in Europe...
●...Trust somebody telling you there is no way but taxi to get to the airport by 4 in the morning. We blindly trusted our hotel that told us that Nothing leaves as easrly as 4 am. and therefor ended up with a taxi-bill of $50 USD. We met a girl on the plane that told us she gotten a public bus for about 5 dollar...
●...Walk around in short shorts and tub tops! Show some respect by covering your shoulder, especially if you are going to a temble like Batu Caves...
...kind of boring.
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VIETNAM
VISA: Get a free 15-day VISA upon arrival.
For longer stays you will have to apply for a VISA on arrival.
VISA: Get a free 15-day VISA upon arrival.
For longer stays you will have to apply for a VISA on arrival.
LOVE OR HATE?
Vietnam is widely devided when it comes to reception from tourists. Both Heart My Backpack and Nomadic Matt describes how they got a bad first impression and never want to return. We, on the other hand, are eager to come back, both for the fantastic food, the luscious nature and the beautiful culture.
Nomadic Matt describes this in his post as the perseption vietnamese have of 'westerns', that they in general treat "luxury" tourists better than backpackers since they spend more money. If that is true know neither we nor Matt, but it could as well be as we usually have a higher budget than the usual backpacker.
Luckily, we have the fortune to get an insight from the other side as well. Claudia is born and raised in Gothenburg but both her parents are born in Vietnam, so she has spent a lot of time in Vietnam, especially Hanoi and Nha Trang, and the parents has blessed her with both vietnamese and swedish culture.
What Claudia really loves about Vietnam is its vivid culture.
"It is a whole other vibe, you eat out a lot, meet the whole family... you kind of live with the whole street. Very common to go out and eat together in a big group. You kind of bond with the food place and everyone talks to everyone. In Sweden, it's more common to cut the cords and completely separate with your family as soon as you are 'grown up', but in Vietnam the family takes care of each other."
Claudia's mother adds "It's expensive to move to an own place, so it's common to go live with the husband's family. Then you can expect a lot of help from the family when you get children, and help with the economy and such."
Claudia says herself that what she don't like about Vietnam is that it is really really cold in the winters, especially in Hanoi where she has family. "The isolation in the walls are really bad so you never really feel warm".
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES & TIPS FOR TRANSPORT
Claudia says: "I would have started in the north and gone by a sleeping bus down in the country, and stay a few nights in every stop the bus has. I usually go for a route that stops six or seven stops and that usually takes me at least two weeks."
- Most people recommend Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon, Mui Ne, My Son, Ha Long Bay, Hoi An and Nha Trang. We have only been to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, but oh, where this places we totally fell in love with.
Ha Long Bay
- Taking taxis might be ta nightmare, since many people have experienced drivers that refuse to give the right change back or change the price afterwards. We tackled the problem by walking (a lot - as we always do) and go with Über, which was great, and crazy cheap.
- According to Claudia, there is a bus price for around 30-40 dollars (she wasnt sure) that brings you all the way from the top to the bottom of the country (or vice versa) with unlimited hop-offs. Worth looking in to if you want to travel cheap and experience a lot! She recommends taking the night bus and save a nights accommondation.
BAD AND GOOD LUCK
According to Claudia and her aunt, Claudias mother is an expert on what is considered bad luck, so when in Vietnam, try avoiding this:
- Don't hit your bowl with the chopsticks when you eat
- Don't spill fishsauce.
- Break a mirror.
- Don't look in a mirror or brush your hair in nighttime.
- Black cat
- Owls are unlucky, says Claudia's aunt Yen ("No, that's bull!" Claudia's mother)
Good luck, on the other hand, is
- Having thick earlobs
- Having birthmarks near your lips - but careful if it touch your lips, then it's considered bad luck.
- Touching a turtle statues head is considered good luck in some parts of Vietnam.
A tradition you'll encounter when strolling the streets of Hanoi is the small buckets filled with burning money. Claudia and her mother explains that it is common throughout Asia to burn fake money to honor the dead.
DO:
●...Be careful about swindlers still. We happened upon a lot of "fixed" menus - different prices regarding if you could read the wall menues or not... - but we just walked away and found a place that had one set menu. We don't like to be swindled either.
●...Explore the food! Try everything! Everything will be in the spectra good - fantastic! So just eat your way around!
●..."Take advantage of the opportunity to go cheap to the cinemas or bowling alleys" - Claudia
●...Eat Che (a sweet soup in different flavours).
Felicia is still completely nuts about it!
Also make sure you try Pho (rice noodle soup), Nem ran (deep fried spring rolls), Bun Cha (grilled pork), Xoi (hard sticky rice in a lot of different varieties), Banh Mi (baguette filled with pork and vegetables), Banh Bao (either sweet with coconut and suger, or savory with meat, mushrooms, egg and noodles.)...
●...visit the Cu Chi tunnels in the South. Also, take a boat down the Mekong Delta is supposed to be fantastic and definately on our list.
●..."Stay in family owned hotels, not 'the fancy ones with breakfast and elevator and stuff', to save money" - Claudia.
DON'T:
●...Make others impressions colour how you experience Vietnam.
●... Miss the War Museum in situated in central Hanoi.
Claudia says it is interesting with a lot of history.
●...Stick you chopsticks in a straight upwards in the rice.
"It's bad luck" says Claudia's mother.
●...Expect too much of busses and trains. All over internet we've heard stories about crowded, loud, bumpy experiences with all sorts of animals. A friend of Felicia's father went with train in Vietnam in the 80's and got hit by cow feces from outside the window. The defecation aside, going on long distance buses and trains in Vietnam sure is a authentic experience with its own charm.
●..."Give "good" food to animals as people will think you waste it and think you are stupid" - Claudia
●...Be stingy with tip as it is expected since the price is so cheap, says Claudia. Her mother disagrees though, saying that you don't HAVE to.
On the other side, when going on Tam Coc the rower asked for tip, and was very happy with the 20,000 we gave her - which is about a dollar. There might be a happy middle road here.
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INDONESIA
General VISA is paid on arrival for 35 dollars and lasts 30 days.
You can apply for longer stays in the Ministy of Foreign Affairs
(but seriously, we've heard that the best way to extend
your stays is by buying the right papers on the black market)
IN GENERAL
Indonesia is a very beautiful country with a lot of island life and culture - and corruption.
- Yes, Indonesia is quite corrupt. Sometimes you'll need to pay (freelancing?) cops on the road just to get by. There are places where a tourist have to pay costums fee when locals just drive by.
- Speaking of fees, most airports have a special airport fee that you need to pay in cash upon departure. In western measurements it's not a grand sum, but it's good to know that you should always have cash on you. See this page for more about airport taxes.
- In Bali, the schools teach English and therefor the people will have no problem communicating with you, but in other parts of the country, you might have to gesture your way around as some don't speak almost a word English.
- Jakarta is said to be a little dangerous, but also have a reputation of being instructured and not so exciting. Spend your money and time visiting Bali, Yogjakarta, Lombok and Komodo Islands instead is our advice, though we can't say for sure as we haven't been in Jakarta. It's just never on anyone's "To Do List".
- Taxis are crazy cheap here - as long as you put on the taximeter. Stay with licensed taxis like Koperasi Jasa Angkutan Taxi Ngurah Rai Bali or Blue Bird, that is famous for its blue cars. Be attentive though - since Lonely Planet wrote about good taxis and mentioned they are from a blue brand, most of the taxi cars in Bali has 'turned' blue.
- You'll entounter a lot of small braided baskets on the street, very beautiful and often filled with flowers, rice, cigarettes or coins. Do not step on them as this is offerings that balinese people take very seriously.
DO:
●...Visit Tanah Lot when in Bali. The temple is situated on the shore, so be sure to get there when it's lowtide as it otherwise is hard to reach it. Ask your taxidriver to take you there.
●...Explore the whole island of Bali. Ubud and Seminyak is the most popular by more experienced travelers, although Ubud has increased in popularity the last years and may therefor be more touristy, but it's still the home of Monkey Forest and amazing nature.
●...Make sure that you see some rice terraces!
DON'T:
●...Miss the indonesian cuisine. Jonathan is still talking about the Satay (chicken stewers and peanut butter sauce) he had in Bali, but indonesia food is more than chicken and rice. Be explorative and open to taste anything (vegetarian) they have to offer, as it's usually prepared with both mind and soul.
Best Satay in all of Indonesia?
Eaten at a place in Kuta area
●...When arriving at the airport on Bali, people will approche you and give you an offer for the ride to the hotel, stating that this is "Fixed price" or "Regular price". DO NOT BELIVE THAT. You'll really see why you shouldn't go for the first offer as soon as you've walked imple go to the next person until you find a better price. Remember that a 1 km ride shouldn't be more than 15,000 rupiah when taximeter is on, so knowing the distance to the hotel in advance really helps you here.
●...Repeat the same mistake as we did by going to a coffee plantation that sells and makes Luwak coffee - yes, poop coffee. We were on one such and saw how bad the animal was treated, locked in a small metal cage with nothing but a bowl of water and a house, and the staff at the plantation shook the cage violently for the visitors so they could see it. Had we known that, we would never had gone there and it's still to date one of the regrets we have of the choices we've made on the road.
●... Spend much or any time at Kuta Beach. There's barely any culture left there and the prices are at least twice as high. They do have some affordable 5-star hotels though.
●...Do drogs as it is punishable by death, according to our tazi driver in Bali.
●...Go by boat as the safety in Indonesian ship are amongst the worst in the world, according to Adventurous Kate. She tells in the post about her shipwreck and how she was chocked about how bad the crew handled the situation.
Better to be safe than sorry, right? Or bring your own lifejacket...
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SINGAPORE
For VISA, see this page
Felicia: I were there 2015 for just a couple of days, but here's what I remember:
- There really is a fee for everything. Be sure to know all the rules so you don't accidentally break them - here's a list of rules. For example is smoking prohibited, as well as chewing gum, littering and walk in someone else's garden or pee in the elevator (that does happen in China though, editors note).
Extra:
Here's another fun list of things you can NOT do in Singapore:
via Buisness Insider.
- For its location in the middle of the low price-delta that is South East Asia, Singapore is really not that cheap.
- Singapore is the mekka of shopping malls. I remember walking the distance of seven metro stops through different underground and over-ground malls. There's a lot of western brands, but the prices are the same as in rest of Europe.
- Another thing I strongly remember is people being so polite and nice.
One time me and my friend had trouble finding change for the metrotickets, so the man next in line put in his own change.
This sign about how to treat people in the ticket booths is simply genious, especially since I've been selling tickets for a long time and know that common sence is sometimes lacking:
- For vegetarian options, it's easiest to find food in Little India (maybe that's an obvious one..). China town may be harder, but in general it shouldn't be hard to find options without meat.
- If you visit during the Chinese New Year, please note that many store may be closed. That is a good reason for leaving all the shopping be for a couple of days and participate in the celebrations, which are grand especially in the Esplanade area.
DO:
●...Instead of going up in the expensive Marina Bays Observation deck ($23 for adults) for the view, instead go to this XXXXX in China Town and have the same view, but for a lot cheaper.
●...Fight the urge to pee in elevators as it is illegal...
DON'T:
●...Chew gum.
●...Smoke.
●...Give in to the urge to buy EVERYTHING - because this sure is the city that has eveything.
●...Eat on the metro ("which to this day still is one of the most badass things I've done..." - Felicia)
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SOME LAST WORDS OF ADVICE:
With all the caution-taking, it can be easy to be on your toes all the time and not trust anyone. While you really should be careful and trust your gut, you should also know that traveling gives you the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and
This guide is not complete in any way as there is so much more to all these countries that we've yet to se, and things we've seen but forgotten about, but it's an inspiration and a reminder of thing handy to know before going and while on the road.
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And also, if you get the chance to visit Hong Kong, like by making your stopover longer, you really should. It's more expensive than it boarder countries but the silhouette will be with you forever.
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And also, if you get the chance to visit Hong Kong, like by making your stopover longer, you really should. It's more expensive than it boarder countries but the silhouette will be with you forever.
Also, they have a Disneyland!(!!!)
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READ MORE:
54 Do's and Don'ts in Bali - via Contented Traveler
Adventurous Kate Gets Shipwrecked in Indonesia - via Adventurous Kate
16 odd things that is illegal in Singapore - via Buisness Insider
About Homosexualy in Singapore - via Wikipedia
Traditonal Thai Dishes - via Wikipedia
How to survive a longer trip with someone - via Suitcasepacking
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