Southeast Asia is one of the most beautiful destinations to visit. With countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, this region is full of incredible beaches, rich tradition, and history, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet.
Countries in this area regularly make it onto lists of the top places for backpacking adventures – and it’s easy to see why. If you’re keen to add the region to your travel plans, here are some tips for what to do:
Look for Festivals
There are some incredible cultural festivals that take place in the region of southeast Asia. The cities come alive with celebrations, with street parades, firework displays, magical costumes and more. It’s highly recommended that you plan your trip around at least one festival so you can experience the history, the tradition, and the party.
Just remember, these festivals are likely to bring in lots of tourists. That means it’s a good idea to book your accommodation well in advance.
Have a Reliable Weather App
This region can be prone to some intense weather patterns. Typhoons and tropical cyclones regularly hit the Pacific Ocean and can wreak havoc on the islands and mainland in the region. Typhoon season is usually between May and October, but it is starting to expand to all year round thanks to climate change.
It’s best to have a reliable weather app on your phone that gives you up to date information about these storms and other weather patterns in general. This way, you can plan your trip on the fly and stay safe.
Learn How to Ride a Motorbike or Scooter
Small-engine motorbikes and scooters are incredibly popular across Asia. They’re the perfect means of transport for getting around the cities and for traveling through the countryside. You can usually rent one or even buy one for your whole trip quite cheaply.
Like players checking out the rules of Neteller slots in Australia, just make sure you know the rules of the road in the countries that you’re traveling to. Sometimes road signs and traffic lights are more of a suggestion than hard and fast rules. You may also have to learn to just be brave and drive – even though the roads seem like chaos.
Having your own mode of transport will also allow you a lot more freedom on your trip. Public transport is pretty good in the cities, but not so much when you head out into the rural areas. You could save a lot of money with a motorbike instead of booking a private tour to get to some of the further away places.
Have Cash in the Right Currency
Speaking of rural areas and smaller villages, you need to have cash with you if you’re going to visit them. You’re very unlikely to find ATMs and card machines in outlying areas. You may also find that the locals only accept the local currency, unlike the larger cities and towns, which usually accept US dollars too.
Make sure you do your research before you head off on your adventures.