Southeast Asia in 12 Days

Last April, my family and I went on a 12-day trip to the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam, Angkor Complex in Cambodia, Phi Phi Islands in Thailand, and Batu Caves in Malaysia. So before I forget all the whatnots of our trip, I’m gonna dump an overview (minus the expenses) of where we went and some tips for families traveling with toddlers.

Itinerary

DAY	DESCRIPTION	DEPART	ARRIVE
Day 1	Manila to Saigon (plane)	10:45 PM	12:20 AM
Day 2	Saigon tour	8:00 AM	5:00 PM
Day 3	AM: Travel to Phnom Penh (bus) / PM: Phnom Penh tour	7:00 AM	1:00 PM
Day 4	AM: Killing Fields + S-21 Prison / PM: Travel to Siem Reap (bus)	2:00 PM	10:00 PM
Day 5	Siem Reap tour	5:00 AM	3:00 PM
Day 6	Siem Reap to Phuket (plane)	8:30 AM	10:00 AM
Day 7	Island hop	8:00 AM	5:00 PM
Day 8	Free day	—	—
Day 9	Tour around Phuket	8:00 AM	5:00 PM
Day 10	Free day	—	—
Day 11	AM: Phuket to KL (plane) / PM: KL tour	8:10 AM	10:45 AM
Day 12	KL to Manila (plane)	12:45 PM	4:45 PM

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

How long did we stay: 2 nights

Where we stayed: New Saigon Hostel 2

Tips: Make sure that your host knows you’re arriving or have its contact details handy. We had difficulties in locating our hostel and we spent almost an hour before we found it. Bring water and portable fan for your little ones when exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels. It can really be exhausting even for adults.

Where we went:

• Cu Chi Tunnels
• Lamphat Handicrafts
• War Museum
• Ben Thanh Market

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

How long did we stay: 1 night

Where we stayed: RS III Hostel (Supposedly. I also don’t have photos as we were transferred to a different hostel when we arrived.)

Tips: Check whether your arrival falls on a holiday. Happened to us. Most of the establishments are closed and there are limited vehicles operating when we arrived, which resorted to us paying more just so we can continue on with our trip.

Where we went:

• Royal Palace
• Tonle Sap Riverside
• Choeung Ek Genocidal Center aka Killing Fields
• Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum aka S-21 Prison

Siem Reap, Cambodia

How long did we stay: 2 nights

Where we stayed: Bayon Shadow Villa

Tips: Again, check whether you’re arriving on a national holiday. It was the Khmer New Year. As expected, we got wet several times. Not complaining but we could have had more fun had we prepared for it. Food is really expensive in Cambodia. You pay in USD and your change will be in Cambodian Riel.

The Khmer New Year or Songkran or Water Festival is also observed and celebrated by other countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Malaysia.

Where we went:

• Angkor Complex temples
• Pub Street

Phuket, Thailand

How long did we stay: 5 nights

Where we stayed: The Beach Boutique House

Tips: There are plenty of travel agencies, usually in tiny booths, offering tours along the main roads of Phuket. Ask, haggle, and compare their rates. Don’t settle for the food you can order in restaurants. Some of the most delectable Thai dishes are cooked in the streets, on mobile carts.

Where we went:

• Kata Beach
• Kata Night Market
• Chaofa Weekend Market
• Big Buddha
• Wat Chalong
• Phi Phi Islands tour

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

How long did we stay: 1 night

Where we stayed: The Bed KLCC

Tips: If you’re traveling in a group, especially with a kid in tow, consider ordering a Grab instead of riding the trains in KL. You’d be surprised by how much time and money you can save.

Where we went:

• Batu Caves
• Petronas Towers

Excited to learn more about how we traveled from one country to another? Abang-abang na lang muna ulit for my next Southeast Asia posts.