Explore South East Asia

South East Asia is a place that has the power to change anyone. I don’t know if it’s because of the weather (hot!), the people (some of the friendliest I’ve ever met), the food (simple yet incredibly tasty), the millennia-old culture (everything feels ancient, like it’s been there forever), or the cultural differences (want to experience something new? Head to Southeast Asia!).

After two and a half years in Australia (like many other travellers), we planned a 4-month trip to South East Asia. As you can imagine, I needed to get everything organized and ready for those 4 months. It wasn’t simple: 4 months, 5 countries, more than 22 flights, over 15 speedboats or transfers, and hundreds of places to stay.

It took me two weeks and many, many hours to organise everything. But of course, I did it! Every day of those 4 months was planned (sometimes I think I might have organisational problems!).

I have to say that thanks to my great organisational skills, we were able to see 3 of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World on this trip.

You can check my Instagram where I upload lots of videos and photos of my travels!

Indonesia

We spent a full month in Indonesia, starting in Bali (the cheapest flight coming from Australia). We immediately hopped on a plane to Labuan Bajo to embark on a 4-night boat trip through Komodo National Park, one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!
Here you have the link about my post of my Komodo adventure.

We were immediately struck by how incredibly sweet and lovely the Indonesians were. You’ll never see a local without a smile on their face. While there’s poverty within the country, which could be linked to insecurity, we never felt unsafe or had the feeling of being in a dangerous place, NEVER! The people truly go above and beyond to make you feel welcome and comfortable.

From Labuan Bajo, we went to Gili Trawangan, then Gili Air, Nusa Penida (my personal favourite island in Indonesia, truly wild!), Nusa Lembongan, Bali, Java (to explore two volcanoes and the biggest Buddhist temple in the world), and finally Sumatra, where we embarked on a jungle adventure searching for wild orangutang.

Indonesia was the first Asian country we visited, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. With over 16,000 islands, there’s always something new to explore!

Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur! We only stayed 3 nights, but it totally blew me away.
I definitely want to come back and explore this amazing country properly. The Batu Caves were unreal – something you have to see to believe!

We’ll for sure be back in Malaysia on our next Southeast Asia trip.

Philippines

We spent 3 weeks in the Philippines, and that’s where I saw the clearest, most turquoise water I’ve ever seen – even better than Australia, Mexico, and Thailand!

The Filipinos were fantastic. Almost everyone spoke English (it’s the second language here), which made things super easy. One interesting thing is that due to over 300 years of Spanish rule, many Filipinos have Spanish first and last names – it’s quite unique to hear names like Pedro, Hector, and Miguel so commonly used.

Another amazing discovery? The incredible musical talent in the Philippines! Live music is everywhere, and everyone seems to sing beautifully.

Our trip started in Manila, but we quickly flew to Puerto Princesa to explore the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, another Natural Wonder of the World! From there, we island-hopped to El Nido, with its paradisiacal islands and chill vibes. We continued to Coron, Moalboal (in Cebu), Camiguin, and finally Bohol.

Just like with Indonesia, we feel the Philippines needs a return visit! There are so many more amazing islands to discover.

Vietnam

We also spent a full month in Vietnam, and it became my absolute favorite country in Southeast Asia. Every town and city seemed to have something incredibly special, unique, and even magical.

Despite the struggles Vietnam faced during the wars with France and the United States, the people today are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The lingering effects of those wars are a stark reminder of the atrocities they suffered, not that long ago.

The influence of communist ideology and culture was fascinating, and quite different from what I expected.

While no one spoke English (which added to the authentic feel), being vegetarians, we occasionally found it a bit more challenging to find vegetarian options compared to Indonesia or Thailand.

Our Vietnamese adventure began in Ho Chi Minh City, where I witnessed a mind-blowing number of motorbikes! From there, we explored Da Lat, Hoi An, Hue, Tam Coc, Hanoi, Sapa, Ha Long Bay (another Natural Wonder of the World!), and finally, Phu Quoc, the perfect ending to an incredible journey.

Thailand

Thailand was our last stop, but certainly not least! In fact, I found it to be the most tourist-friendly country in South East Asia. The Thais are incredibly lovely as well. We spent a month here, exploring both famous destinations and hidden gems.

Thailand’s rich culture was immediately captivating – the language, the incredible FOOD (seriously!), the reverence for the king, the recent legalisation of weed, the majestic elephants, the crystal-clear southern waters, and the mystical mountains in the north.

Our Thai adventure kicked off in Phuket. From there, we island-hopped to Phi Phi Island, Krabi, Koh Muk, Koh Samui, and Koh Tao (my personal favorite in Thailand). We then journeyed inland to Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Rai, and Chiang Mai before returning to Bangkok.

With its vast size and diverse culture, I completely agree – ten years wouldn’t even be enough to fully explore Thailand! Thailand was the perfect ending to our South East Asian adventure, and we’ll definitely be back for more someday.