My 3 Week SE Asia Recap- Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand
For my 2 month summer vacation this year, my teacher friends and I did our big one and booked an epic excursion to Southeast Asia. While we started the trip together, all of our ending plans looked different. After two weeks in, one friend went on to Tokyo, the other to Ecuador, and I continued my way on to Vietnam. In total, this turned out to be an epic 22-day trip of a lifetime, that I got to spend partially with friends, and partially as a solo traveler. A few people have asked me for my Southeast Asia itinerary so in this post, I am sharing my itinerary and general reflections of my time gallivanting around this wonderfully diverse side of the world.
Can you imagine winging most of a 3 week trip? Well that’s exactly what we did. Of us 3 women, we are all working professionals, busy, but also well-traveled. Because we spent the entire school year teaching children and going above and beyond our regularly-tasked duties, we did not have much time to dedicate towards planning this trip. Due to a lack of time, we only planned out our first stop, Singapore, in which we spent only a total of 3 days. And when I say planned- we only booked our hotel before arriving, and nothing else. So basically, we had no idea what we were going to be doing during our time together, we just knew that it was going to be a blast.
The great thing about Asia is that it is arguably very safe, technologically advanced, and affordable- so winging this trip caused no problem. As a woman who spent her time with a group, and partially alone, I never worried about my safety, other than of course the normal vigilance I carry anywhere I so happen to be. Also, as an American citizen, USD goes very far! Of course I was paying less when I was part of the group, but when it got to the point that I had to foot the bill on my own, treating myself to luxury was very accessible. I still had an amazing experience and did not break the bank unless I wanted too (hehe to when I was in Hoi An, Vietnam and got a whole new wardrobe tailored).
Are you interested in taking a trip to Southeast Asia? Feel free to use my itinerary to help inspire your next Asian Vacation!
Singapore-(3 days)
We started off this 22-day Asian in adventure in the island nation, Singapore, because it was the cheapest major hub to fly into from the US. Singapore proved to be exactly everything we’ve all heard about; it’s safe, clean, and very organized. It’s also super fun to reference different spots just like in the movie, Crazy Rich Asians.
The Singaporean airport alone was a city within itself, featuring a rainforest, a glass-ceiling waterfall, a butterfly pavilion, a large mall, and even museums. Overall, it seems that Singaporeans have technology, safety, and optimum functioning of society figured out. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed my time here.
Where We Stayed
YOTEL Singapore- This space was cute, compact, and clean, yet it was definitely QUITE smaller than we expected (especially because it said it could “comfortably” sleep 3 people). However, the cute little pool and friendly staff made up for the smaller space. Either way, I would recommend it if you’re traveling light, with two people or less, or want to be centrally located.
How to get around
Being that we love to get our steps in, we tried to be ambitious and walk, but Singapore humbled us real quick. Singapore is hot af, humid af, and the city is not walkable in the way we imagined- Singapore is so compact as an island nation that they discourage car ownership, the use of outdoor sidewalks, and have built the majority of walkways underground. The underground walkways also make up apart of their stellar transit system.
In order to cross the street in Singapore, you often have to go underground through the train stations where you will also be shoved into underground shopping centers, restaurants, and access to global brands. They literally have everything!
Instead of relying on walking to all the nearby spots, we used:
MRT (Metro): It was super affordable to ride, spotless, and efficient. The MRT takes you everywhere you could possibly need to go in Singapore.
Grab App: Asia’s version of Uber. Download it in your App Store and you can either set it to pay with card or cash. It’s reliable, quick, and safe and works in various Asian countries.
What to Do
Day 1: Explore Changi airport- The airport is actually a whole attraction within itself. You will definitely want to spend some time here before leaving to your hotel. At the airport alone, there is a sky train, a butterfly garden, an indoor waterfall, and a shopping mall. After stopping by a cafe at the airport, we got some rest in our hotel, then grabbed food at Newton Hawker Food center nearby; the same one spotted in Crazy Rich Asians. Flying to the other side of the world caught up to us with jet lag so overall, this was an easy going day.
Day 2: I somehow just learned on this trip that spending your first day on a food tour is the perfect way to learn what foods you’d like to eat, the history of the country, insight into the culture, and the lay of the land. On this food tour, we sampled a fusion of Indian, Malay, and Chinese food and at the end of the day, we took the metro over to catch the light show at Marina Bay Gardens.
Day 3: We spent the day getting more rest and planning the rest of our itinerary. Again, we only booked our first hotel for this trip and nothing else before arriving so we needed a better chunk of the day to get this done lol.
Malaysia-(8 days)
Malaysia is where things started to slow down. The moment we arrived, everything felt cheaper, more flavorful, and deeply diverse. From the high-energy of Kuala Lumpur to the tropical island of Langkawi, the vibe was giving big-city lights, eats, and beachside tranquility. Everything in Malaysia was at a budget-friendly price, making it an enjoyable country to travel to.
Flights from Singapore were also affordable, making Malaysia a convenient next stop. Malaysia also has an allure, as it is a muslim-majority country and the food is a mix a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous cultures. The culturally diversity of this country made everything seem that much more fascinating.
Where We Stayed
Kuala Lumpur: AirBnb- AirBnb’s are super cheap in Malaysia but I realized on this trip I would just prefer to have concierge, daily room service, and some guidance to what’s what in the city. While our initial place was cute, I am officially over the AirBnb life. We did choose to stay in hotel KLoe towards the end of our time in KL because of this.
Langkawi: We stayed in the luxurious, beachfront The Danna. The rooms are huge, the breakfast is to die for, and the pool space is expansive. We tried to stay at The Datai, a chic jungle-house retreat but it was fully booked. I would say either of these two would be stellar options for your Langkawi visit.
How to get around
Kuala Lumpur: The city is humungous so Grab rides were our go to. On average, most rides cost us less than 10 USD.
Langkawi: We really took resting very seriously and literally never left the resort lol. They normally have a ferry to Koh Lipe, an island off the coast of Thailand that is available, but it was not during this time of year of our visit (first ferry rides start from October-April). Since that ferry was not available, we took advantage of the opportunity to do absolutely nothing for 4 days.
What to Do
Day 1: Of course we started our exploration of KL with a food tour. We sampled items like the national dish Nasi Lemak, Satay, Durian ice cream, and roti and curry. Literally everything was so so good.
Day 2-6: We actually flew out straight to our Langkawi vacation where we spent the next 4 days soaking up the sun.
Day 7: This is the day where we returned to KL to do a city tour to see all of KL’s highlights. We visited the Petronas Towers, Batu Caves, Thean Hou Temple, and an Muslim mosque. We finished off the day grabbing authentic Korean BBQ and it was so good! Malaysia really has so many delicious food options!
Day 8: Another pool + rest day. This was all of our last day's together before everyone parted ways. One friend was planning to fly to Tokyo, and the other to Ecuador to visit family. I was on my way to the solo portion of my trip to Vietnam.
Vietnam-(8 days)
Vietnam turned out to actually be my favorite country of the trip. It was my favorite because it was the most over-stimulating. However, I did miss having my friends there with me though!
Upon arrival, the streets were hectic, you could hear the endless sounds of moto horns blowing, and the streets smelled of aromatic food cooking from every which corner. Vietnam was even cheaper than Malaysia too. I don’t think I paid more than $3.84 USD for a meal which included a drink and sometimes even a desert!
I had the option of choosing Bali over Vietnam but something told me that Vietnam is probably a trip I would never experience otherwise. I don’t often hear of people spending their birthday’s or girls’ trips to Vietnam…so I thought going on my own would make it the perfect once-in-a-lifetime experience. Plus I really wanted to eat endless pho, get a plethora of spa treatments, and still live a princess on a budget. In Vietnam I got exactly what I wanted and to top everything off, it’s one of the safest places for solo female travel.
Where I Stayed
Hanoi- Thien Thai Hotel- This hotel is right outside of the Old Quarter apparently, but it was still in the mix of the action. Breakfast was included and rooms were spacious. If I could change anything, I would probably stay closer inside the Old Quarter. But either way, Grab rides to and from my hotel around the city were so cheap, often less than $1.
Hoi An- Casamia Calm- Although this is yet another Airbnb, I really loved this one. I was intentional and got this Airbnb because I knew I wanted to film some YouTube videos while I was away. This place had the perfect amenities, space, and backdrop that I was looking for. While this AirBnb was actually to die for, I did realize I probably shouldn’t be staying in one while traveling alone. But luckily as aforementioned, Vietnam was pretty safe so I didn’t worry about my safety as much as I would’ve in any other country.
How to get around:
I really had the time of my life getting around in Vietnam. Other than my rides to and from the airport, I stuck to only riding on the back of moto’s for the entire duration of my stay. Again, each ride was less than $1 USD and every driver had a spare helmet. Whether or not they fit safety regulations, I don’t know, but I did at least strap up every time!
Using the Grab app, yet again is the best way to maneuver yourself around Vietnam. There are bicycle and moped rentals available around the city but once you see how Vietnamese traffic flows, I doubt you will even want to chance your driving skills here.
What to Do
Day 1: Hanoi- I arrived early in the day and scheduled a night food tour by motorcycle. My guide came to pick me up from my hotel, and since I was the only reservation for my tour, he escorted me one-on-one to about 5 different eateries in Hanoi. Literally EVERYTHING I tasted was delicious.
Day 2: The following day was centered around getting a facial to rid myself of the sunburn I got in Malaysia. I visited the Facial Bar, a facial chain, where they scanned my face, diagnosed my skin, and gave me a facial that fit my skin’s needs. The cheapest you might pay for a 1-hour facial is around $15. I splurged and got a double treatment plus some other add ons, so I ended up paying $55 and I loved the results.
Day 3: Handicraft Village and Ninh Binh Day Trip- I found this tour on AirBnb Experiences. We spent the day visiting a bamboo manufacturing village, the incense village, and cruising along the river in Ninh Binh.
Day 4-5: These days were reserved for me to visit Halong Bay on a 2-day/1-night cruise, using this discovery tool. However a huge storm came and unfortunately, a tourist boat capsized the day before my trip. For this reason, they cancelled all tours for the following 3 days, meaning I had to skip out on visiting Halong Bay for this trip. Prayers to all the families affected in this tragedy. Because of the incoming storm, I decided to depart from Hanoi expeditiously and head straight to Da Nang, in the South of Vietnam.
Day 4: Fly to Da Nang- This day was a travel day so I flew into Da Nang airport to spend the day at the beach, and as my starting point to visiting Hoi An. In Da Nang, I found this vegan and vegetarian eatery, visited the beach, got a life-changing 1 hour 30 minute massage for only $28 USD and also checked. out the night market underneath the Dragon Bridge. The bride has fire shows on the weekend, Friday-Sunday, starting at 9 pm.
Day 7-9: Ride out Hoi An- Getting to Hoi A represented the wind down of my trip. During this portion, I focused on filming, making content, and getting clothes custom tailor made. Hoi An is known for the amount of tailors and quality clothing you can get made just to your liking. I refused to do any shopping prior to this part of the trip because I was saving it all for this moment.
To sum up Hoi An, think of bright lanterns, pedestrian only streets, the countryside, extreme heat, and shopping! Hoi An is paradise for colors, creative inspiration, and clothing goods that you can find at unbelievable prices. Don’t leave Hoi An without your own tailored pieces or a new leather bag.
Thailand-(2 days)
As my trip finally wound down to an end, I chose just 2 days in Thailand because it is from here that I got the cheapest flight back to the US. I also have already been to Thailand twice before so I didn’t see the need to spend too much time in the area.
I was happy to go back though because of the food and I heard about the really nice hotels with infinity pools that are scattered all over Bangkok.
Where I Stayed
Bangkok: I chose to stay at INNSide Melia hotel and I am so glad I did. At less than $150 a night, this is possibly one of the most beautiful, urban hotels I have ever stayed in. It’s all white ambiance elevated the experience and breakfast was included that was also delicious. Bangkok is pretty large however, so I didn’t find that I was close to many tourist attractions. Everywhere I attempted to get to in Bangkok was no less than 30 minutes from my hotel each way. If possible, I’d say try to find a hotel close to the things you want to see. But if the hotel vibe is more important than transportation times, I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone.
How to get around
Like I said, Bangkok is huge so you will be spending a lot of time transporting yourself in between locations. I relied on Grab yet again, but the MRT is also well connected throughout the city. Thailand isn’t as cheap as Vietnam or Malaysia so expect to pay higher prices for Grab. On average, I was paying $12 or more for each one-way trip.
What to Do
Day 1: At this point of the trip, I was mentally preparing for the long journey back home. So I spent the majority of the day at the hotel pool, and by night, I hit Sakura Spa for a 1.5 hour body scrub + full body massage. Afterwards, I got a Grab to Chatuchuk market where I got some dinner and walked around the stalls to get a taste of the shopping I knew I was going to be doing the next day.
Day 2 (FINAL DAY): I wanted to visit some temples in Bangkok but to be honest, I was too tired to make the long commute, so I settled on just a market day. I went shopping, bought souvenirs, and had my lunch. I ended the day with one last facial at the Sakura Spa. I know I have been to the spa a lot on this trip, but I wanted one last face scrub before returning back to our typically high prices in the US. Afterwards, I went to the hotel to grab my things, head to the airport, then fly back home <3.
A Journey Well Done
This trip across Southeast Asia was more than just checking countries off a list. It was a slow and steady love-letter to myself. I got to experience the best of both worlds from travel with my girls, to traveling on my own, visiting bright and colorful locales, eating a diverse range of foods, and ultimately I got to live in luxury and touch peace for 3 weeks uninterrupted.
Each country taught me something different from the other. From the sparkle of Singapore to the layered chaos and beauty of Vietnam- I wandered markets, sweat through all my clothes, got lost on purpose, and found stillness where I didn’t expect it. I didn’t always wake up early, and I didn’t get to do every touristy thing- nor did I want to! Sometimes we just laid around and ordered bedside or seaside service and there are no regrets. No matter how it was done, I soaked in culture, flavors, new friendships, a whole lot of perspective, and I am so extremely blessed to have taken this trip in this lifetime.
If you've been waiting for the “perfect” moment to take your dream trip, this is your sign to just go for it already. Go lazy, go luxe, go local, but whatever you do, just go.
Until the next passport stamp,
Brendolyn