HomeAsiaSouth East AsiaIndochina Itinerary: Wanderings in South East Asia’s battered backpacking trail By Marcos Detourist on October 23, 2012Uber cheap flight tickets, booked one year in advance, kicked-off my dream of finally embarking on a 10-week trip to Indochina. This well-trodden backpacking trail passes through countries located in the mainland part of South East Asia such as Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar.I didn’t have much time to plan any concrete itinerary or schedule. I even packed for the long trip a few hours before I left home. I knew traveling around the main tourist sites in Indochina would be easy because of its legendary popularity among backpackers. It’s definitely one of those places where you’re better off not over-planning. Photo summary of my 10-week trip around Indochina. An overload of ancient ruins, breathtaking natural scenery, temple-hopping marathons, history lessons, and intact cultural traditions. Weeks before the trip, instead of planning and getting excited on amazing places I’ll be visiting, I spent unhealthy amounts of sleepless nights in front of the PC trying my best to recover from a recent major financial loss. Pushing through with my planned travels for the rest of the year was the least of my concerns. I was scared a big dent in my savings could make it even harder for me to continue living this digital lifestyle I wanted for myself.My situation thankfully started to improve. I wasn’t earning remotely close to how much I used to (or was used to) but it was, at least, enough to make me feel like there was still hope.If there was one critical lesson I learned during my travels, it’s listening and trusting your gut feeling. If you have things you really want to do but fear is holding you back, just go for it! Those desires are best satisfied while the fire is still burning.My 10-week Indochina route itineraryI started with an overnight layover in Malaysia since I booked flights with AirAsia, which only flew to Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu (at the time). I meant to start my trip in the Thai City of Chiang Mai. It was my homebase for 3-weeks before I traveled around the rest of Northern Thailand for the remainder of my 30-day visa.I crossed overland to Laos. Traveled southwards for a little over two weeks then crossed the border to Cambodia. Vietnam was so close, I wasn’t able to resist a quick 3-day side trip :)Before the month was over, I backtracked to explore more of Cambodia then headed to Bangkok to catch a flight to Myanmar where I spent the last two but very memorable weeks of the trip.Pre-trip Iloilo to Manila, Manila to Clark, Clark to KL Surviving an overnight layover in KLIA-LCCTNorthern Thailand KL to Chiang Mai flight Three weeks in Chiang Mai Within the old city walls of Chiang Mai Wat Jet Yod Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep Mae Ya Waterfall and Doi Inthanon National Park Trekking and rafting in Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, Tak Province Thi Lor Su Waterfall (Tallest Falls in Thailand) Kamphaeng Phet Sukothai Phrae Chiang Rai White Temple of Chiang Rai Black Houses of Chiang Rai Laos Chiang Rai to Luang Prabang (Chiang Klong-Huay Xai border crossing) Luang Prabang Nong Khiaw Muang Ngoi Neua Vang Vieng Vientiane Applying for Myanmar tourist visa in Vientiane Bolaven Plateau Champasak Vat Phu Cambodia Champasak, Laos to Cambodia (Veun Kham-Dom Kralor border crossing) Kratie Phnom PehnHo Chi Minh, Vietnam Phom Pehn to Ho Chi Minh Walking tour of Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), VietnamSiem Reap, Cambodia Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap Angkor Archeological Complex Angkor Wat Big Circuit Bantay Srei Roulous Group Hotel1961, botique hotel in Siem ReapBangkok Siem Reap to Bangkok Khao San Road Shopping in Bangkok (Siam area, Platinum Mall, Asiatique)Myanmar Preparing for trip to Myanmar Bangkok to Yangon, Myanmar flight Don Meuang Airport Yangon Bagan Mandalay Ancient cities of Upper Myanmar Innwa Amarapura Sagaing Mingun Hsipaw Mandalay to Hsipaw via Pyu In Oo Kyaiktiyo Golden RockDon’t leave yet. There’s more!10 Weeks Indochina Itinerary — Thailand, Laos,…19 Days Laos Itinerary — North to South Traverse1 Month Northern Thailand Itinerary — Ancient Cities…Two Weeks Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand Itinerary3 Weeks Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia ItineraryEnlightenment at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, MyanmarComments killerfillers saysOctober 24, 2012 at 9:46 ambookmarked already for our future trip!:) Neila saysOctober 24, 2012 at 7:11 pmwhen I grow up I want to be like you…. I want to visit these countries your blog is great.. thanks. paul | walkflypinoy.com saysOctober 26, 2012 at 4:25 pmepic! you’ve explored more of northern thailand in one month than i ever did living there in six months. haha. Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:50 pmThe first three weeks, nandun lang ako sa Chiang Mai then visited as many places as I could for a week (before moving on to Laos). jj saysOctober 30, 2012 at 3:42 amsayang hindi ka natuloy sa new zealand.magkano ba showmoney for new zealand?hindi ba pwede ilagay sa travel fund ang nabili mo nang ticket or hindi ba rebookable?is it harder kaya kay sa japanese visA? Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:52 pmThe requirements are posted at the NZ immigration website. I booked promo flights, I couldn’t refund the ticket. Haven’t tried applying for a Japanese visa yet. Annabel P. Espina saysOctober 30, 2012 at 11:55 amI have been guided & instructed every details of my travel by your travels as I myself is a lovers of seeing places, peoples and cultures. Thanks for posting your travels as well as the details about it it really, really helps for people like me who loves travel. Keep up the good work. Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:53 pmThanks Annabel :) Esse saysJuly 25, 2013 at 3:02 amHello po, my trip is near na this aug 21 which I availed as piso fair promo last year bound for vietnam but will also cross boarders thru cambodia and thailand. Sept. 5 po yund date ng return ticket. Currently my source of income is my online job with a net salary of 23k/month. Allowable po ba yun as employment proof? I booked the ticket nung nagwowork pa ako as a guidance counselor (but only one semester).My documents are:Passport Complete tickets Hotel bookings Bank Statement (can provide for individual (70k), and joint accounts with my name and my grandmother’s name(six figures) Paypal Statements Can also ask for previous employment certificate I have 3 debit cards, but will bring only 1.kung kayo po yung IO okay na ba sa inyo? I’m really nervous po. :< thanks in advance! Marcos saysAugust 13, 2013 at 4:05 pmI can relate to being nervous but nobody can really assure you that you’ll be allowed exit except the IO. In my experience, I have never been asked to show proof of employment. I’ve been asked to explain my job but never to the extent of providing documents to prove such.Of course, it is always better to be prepared. Posting of new comments is disabled temporarily.Connect with Marcos on:Detourista.comMarcosDetourist.comFacebookInstagramTwitterDetourista.comDiscover more travel guides and blogs about the Philippines and beyond by Marcos DetouristChoose your next destination: Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Neila saysOctober 24, 2012 at 7:11 pmwhen I grow up I want to be like you…. I want to visit these countries your blog is great.. thanks.
paul | walkflypinoy.com saysOctober 26, 2012 at 4:25 pmepic! you’ve explored more of northern thailand in one month than i ever did living there in six months. haha.
Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:50 pmThe first three weeks, nandun lang ako sa Chiang Mai then visited as many places as I could for a week (before moving on to Laos).
jj saysOctober 30, 2012 at 3:42 amsayang hindi ka natuloy sa new zealand.magkano ba showmoney for new zealand?hindi ba pwede ilagay sa travel fund ang nabili mo nang ticket or hindi ba rebookable?is it harder kaya kay sa japanese visA?
Marcos saysNovember 11, 2012 at 6:52 pmThe requirements are posted at the NZ immigration website. I booked promo flights, I couldn’t refund the ticket. Haven’t tried applying for a Japanese visa yet.
Annabel P. Espina saysOctober 30, 2012 at 11:55 amI have been guided & instructed every details of my travel by your travels as I myself is a lovers of seeing places, peoples and cultures. Thanks for posting your travels as well as the details about it it really, really helps for people like me who loves travel. Keep up the good work.
Esse saysJuly 25, 2013 at 3:02 amHello po, my trip is near na this aug 21 which I availed as piso fair promo last year bound for vietnam but will also cross boarders thru cambodia and thailand. Sept. 5 po yund date ng return ticket. Currently my source of income is my online job with a net salary of 23k/month. Allowable po ba yun as employment proof? I booked the ticket nung nagwowork pa ako as a guidance counselor (but only one semester).My documents are:Passport Complete tickets Hotel bookings Bank Statement (can provide for individual (70k), and joint accounts with my name and my grandmother’s name(six figures) Paypal Statements Can also ask for previous employment certificate I have 3 debit cards, but will bring only 1.kung kayo po yung IO okay na ba sa inyo? I’m really nervous po. :< thanks in advance!
Marcos saysAugust 13, 2013 at 4:05 pmI can relate to being nervous but nobody can really assure you that you’ll be allowed exit except the IO. In my experience, I have never been asked to show proof of employment. I’ve been asked to explain my job but never to the extent of providing documents to prove such.Of course, it is always better to be prepared.