It’s time to embrace all the jokes about finding yourself in Asia. Your Eat, Pray, Love era has arrived and you can’t wait for Pad Thai, monk guided meditations and the (very overhyped) Full Moon Party.
Say goodbye to that 9-5 grind and hello to beaches, overnight buses and bum guns!
Here’s everything you can expect from your upcoming adventure in South East Asia…
1. It’s Giving Tourist
Between the massive rucksacks and very English sounding “Sawadee Ka“, it’s pretty obvious you are new to the area. As tuk-tuk drivers swarm you to offer their services, be prepared for some laughably extortionate prices to be thrown your way. Let’s keep it real – you’re going to get ripped off. This is unavoidable so be sure to get your head around currency conversions as soon as possible.
Five pounds is almost 16,000 Vietnamese Dong. That’s right, your cash is about to feel a whole lot like monopoly money. You’ll be counting notes feeling like a millionaire. Only to realise you don’t have enough to buy a bottle of water…
The locals will anticipate any currency conversion struggles and excessively inflate their prices. The goal is to master having enough self respect to haggle without disrespecting people’s livelihoods. The financial crisis is everywhere and prices in South East Asia are unfortunately not what they were ten years ago…
2. Embrace the Journey (or try to sleep through it?…)
When backpacking in South East Asia, you’ll have to quickly adjust to extremely long and uncomfortable bus journeys. On the positive side, they’re cheap. On the negative side, they’re cheap. Other benefits to this style of travel include developing the ability to sleep absolutely anywhere, and an increased appreciation for taxis. Pack snacks, grab your headphones and hoodie (if you’re lucky you’ll need it). Prepare for all temperature extremities and a VERY smelly toilet.
It is absolutely worth paying the extra few pounds for VIP – trust me. TOP TIP: Don’t be first to get on the bus because you will get taken to the worst seats at the very back (see above).
*If you’re lucky your VIP experience will look something like this*.
Unfortunately the toilet stops are not much better. A lot of the plumbing in South East Asia doesn’t support toilet paper so be prepared for that before you go and definitely practice those squats…
Expect to feel very gross the next morning but fear not – it will all be worth it when you arrive at your next destination. These journeys from hell will be forgotten in no time once you’ve had a shower and headed back out there to explore.
3. Stay Safe
There’s several things you can do in advance of your trip to ensure a safer backpacking experience.
Firstly, a lot of the hostels in South East Asia do not have storage lockers for your bags. Make sure you have a padlock with you. Don’t take any valuable possessions with you as you are likely to have some items “go missing” no matter what you do. Keep your passport and phone on you at all times. Get a good quality bum bag with lots of zips. Don’t take your bum bag off and make sure that essential valuables are on you at all times.
*I upgraded to this super cute Fjallraven knock off in Vietnam*
There’s a fantastic app called Maps.me which allows you to download travel routes so you have these on your phone without internet connection. I would strongly recommend downloading maps for the areas you’ll be visiting so that you always have accessible navigation to hand.
I would also recommend having exact cash in hand when purchasing items or taking transport. Emphasise that this is the ONLY cash you have to avoid getting scammed.
When it comes to insulin, always ask hostel receptions if you can keep this in the staff fridge to ensure this stays safe and cool! Always have spare equipment in your bum bag and on you at all times in case anything happens to the rest of your luggage.
4. Street Food
The street food in South East Asia is amazing because it tastes incredible and is ridiculously cheap. If you’re in Thailand, be sure to try mango sticky rice and get yourself some Pad Thai. Diabetics be warned, adjusting to carb counting feels like a guessing game to begin with, but you’ll find your rhythm with this.
My favourite night market was the one in Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand. This was absolutely fantastic so be sure to make the most of it when you’re there. Thailand is totally geared for tourism and things stay open late! Indulge in an affordable and reviving post dinner massage whilst you’re there.
5. Look the Part
Ensure that your clothing choices are culturally respectful. This means making sure you are covered up when visiting temples (get that sarong out).
Also, in Vietnam it is not considered appropriate to wear short shorts and tank tops. Do your research before visiting so you can stay respectful and sun safe. It’s also a great idea to wear medical ID somewhere on your body (just in case!). I wore a rubber band on my ankle which read ‘Type 1 Diabetes- Insulin Dependent’. I found these on Amazon.
After spending your days out in sweltering heat you will be coming back to heavily air conditioned dorm rooms. Bringing a jumper and some warmer layers for bed time is absolutely essential. When you’re waking up at 5 am for temple tours and constantly on the move, getting ill is unavoidable on your trip. Be prepared with cosy clothes and an abundance of medicine.
Make sure that you take care of your skin. After getting second degree sunburn in Thailand, I can confirm that the sun burns far brighter in Asia than it does in Europe. Definitely pack for scorching sunshine and make sure you throw in t-shirts and a hat to cover up from that afternoon sun. Skin bleaching is prevalent in this part of the world so bring plenty of suncream from home to avoid having to buy bleach filled products.
6. Say YES to new experiences
You’re on the trip of a lifetime. Embrace it! Say yes to new experiences with a smile on your face.
If you’re in the Philippines, I would strongly recommend trying out Canyoneering. This water experience combines several hours of hiking, rock climbing, swimming and jumping! This is guaranteed to be a trip highlight. Make sure you have a filling breakfast beforehand and a LOT of sugar to hand (you will need all of it).
South East Asia is the perfect place to try out scuba diving or even to gain your PADI open water diving certificate. Koh Tao, in the south of Thailand, is one of the cheapest places in the world to obtain this. Be mindful that a medical certificate from a local GP is required for medical conditions such as Diabetes and Asthma before diving. Leave enough time before your dive to get this!
Other experiences I would strongly recommend include;
Exploring an ethical elephant sanctuary in Thailand.
Visiting the War Remnants Museum and Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam.
Going for a swim at Kuang Si Waterfall in Laos.
Conclusion
Backpacking in South East Asia is absolutely amazing. There will be ups and downs but the highs make the lows totally worth it. If this is your first big trip, be ready to embrace how give and take the experience is and have fun making lifelong memories!
**DISCLAIMER : During my time away I visited Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines and this blog is based exclusively on my personal experiences in these countries.**
Highs, Lows & Hypos 
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