My Collection: Southeast Asia

With Southeast Asia at my doorstep and the advent of budget travel, it has never been easier to pack my bags and head off to somewhere, just under five hours by air (notwithstanding the hours spent comparing airfares and cumbersome flight booking systems and payment). 

My target is to visit all the ASEAN countries and here's my progress (60%): 

- Singapore (where I am 90% of the year)

- Malaysia

- Indonesia

- Thailand

- Vietnam

- Cambodia

- Philippines (Soon!)

- Brunei Darussalam (In time to come!)

- Laos (Before you know it!)

- Myanmar (In the works!)

Southeast Asia is a very charming area, and I never tire of visiting the various countries, which are same-same, yet so different. Here's my collection of posts (excluding Singapore) from around the region. Perhaps it will help you figure out where next to venture to. 

Click link or picture to link to the respective posts.

Malaysia

Johor Bahru, Malaysia: Some Shots of Food

Redang Island, Malaysia

for snorkeling

Kluang, Malaysia: UK Farm

for animals and a humid UK experience

Kluang, Malaysia: 4 Reasons to Visit Kluang

Kluang, Malaysia: 8 Reasons to Visit Zenxin Organic Park

Kluang, Malaysia: Kluang Railway Station

Kukup, Malaysia

for seafood, mahjong, tian deng, fireworks and ktv

Melaka Malacca, Malaysia

for just a lot of food

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

for food and a metropolis of skyscrapers

Indonesia

Batam, Indonesia 

for a short trip from Singapore

This is the itinerary for our June 2012 from Yogyakarta to Bali (via Mt Bromo):

Day 1: Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Malioboro and Sorsowijayan

Day 2: Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Borobodur and Prambanan

Day 3: Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Yogyakarta Palace (Kraton)

Day 4: Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta, Indonesia: Fort Vredeburg and more food

Day 5 - 6: Mt Bromo

Mt Bromo, Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia

(need to not stay in a villa and do this island justice)

Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand (September 2010)

for food and shopping 

Bangkok, Thailand (September 2011)

for more sightseeing


Chiangmai, Thailand: 8 Things to Do About Town (November 2016)


Chiangmai, Thailand: Some shots of food (November 2016)


Chiangrai, Thailand: Coffee Journey

Vietnam

I visited Vietname twice, once as part of Cam-Viet trip (see below) and the other simply Northern Vietnam. 

This is the itinerary for our June 2009 trip from Cambodia to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh):

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam 

Day 7: Cu Chi Tunnels

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: Cu Chi Tunnels

Day 8: City Tour

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: Museums and Cathedral

Day 9: Food and Shopping

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam: Food and Shopping

This is the itinerary for my second trip, this time to Northern Vietnam in December 2010:

Day 1-2: Hanoi and Halong Bay

Hanoi, Vietnam: Halong Bay

Day 3: Halong Bay

Hanoi, Vietnam: Cruising around Halong Bay

Day 4: Catba Island

Hanoi, Vietnam: Catba Island

Day 5 - 6: Sapa

Sapa, Vietnam: Warm-Up Hike

Sapa, Vietnam: Hamrong Mountain

Day 7: Sapa

Sapa, Vietnam: Homestay Trek

Day 8: Sapa

Sapa, Vietnam: Homestay

Cambodia

This is the itinerary for our June 2009 trip from Cambodia (Siem Reap to Phnom Penh) to Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh):

Day 1: Angkor Wat

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Angkor Wat

Day 2: Siem Reap School

Siem Reap, Cambodia: School Visit

Day 3: Siem Reap Food and Shopping

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Food and Shopping

Day 4: From Siem Reap to Phnom Penh

Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Day 5: Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Genocide Museum and National Museum

Sapa, Vietnam: Homestay

Actually we were only here for 3D2N, but I did split up the posts a little! I forgot to mention our international group - 2 Brits, 2 Germans, 2 Belgians and 2 Singaporeans (yours truly). Anyway, there were comments that the homestay was more like a 'motel/B&B' in the mountains. Good enough for me and boy, was it so cold that I appreciate how a lil rice wine goes a long way. Forced to bond and interact, played some party games (guess the famous person, written on paper and stuck on the forehead, with SALIVA) and teaching Blackjack (which was modified to Poker), played with bottle caps. Entertaining enough.

French Fries with Garlic. Yum.

The Bedspread

All around the world

He hates me because I steal his fries :/

Cat and Broom hmm

Sanitary...

Make your own rolls

Sense the hatred?

That was fun

Pops out from nowhere during dinner time. We all know someone like that!

Reward after a weary trek back to the start

Worried for her

Rushed back for some last minute shopping - bargaining with the local ladies was fun. Discovering intricate pouches (cross stitched by hand, no less). I promised I would rave about it! Support Local!!

A shot of the cabin back to Hanoi and beyond - Free breakfast yet again at hostel although we didn't stay the night!

Miss you, Vietnam!