Have you ever wished to immerse your self within the wonders of Southeast Asia? Our final information for lengthy stays in Asia may have you travelling throughout 4 international locations, absorbing the tradition, sights and sounds of this unbelievable a part of the world.
Are Long Stays in Asia For You?
Have you ever dreamed of a protracted keep in Asia? If you like journey, you will see that that southeast Asia has a captivating mixture of cultures and a price of residing that can stretch your journey greenback additional.
We spent seven months travelling all through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia. In that point, we based mostly ourselves within the cities of Chiang Mai Thailand, Da Nang Vietnam, Phnom Penh Cambodia and Penang Malaysia.
Visiting Asia on a protracted keep allowed us to decelerate and expertise life inside a unique tradition with out breaking the financial institution.
Benefits of Long Stay Travel
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia have visa exemptions or vacationer visas that permit for stays as much as a month or longer. This is a wonderful alternative to delve into the tradition and historical past of those 4 vastly totally different international locations.
Southeast Asia’s low value of residing makes it the right place for gradual journey. Depending in your journey model, lodging and meals prices could also be minimal in comparison with the West. The proximity to every nation can also be a profit with buses, trains and flights being inexpensive for any finances.
Long stays in Asia are perfect for studying about quite a lot of customs and cuisines. Here you’ll be able to uncover histories rooted in each triumph and tragedy. Have enjoyable exploring new horizons and benefit from the nightlife in these unbelievable cities.
Long Stays in Asia – What to See
During our travels to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia we had the chance to tick off a large assortment of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and bucket record locations.
In Malaysia we noticed the Batu Caves close to Kuala Lumpur and hung out within the charming UNESCO World Heritage websites of Melaka and George Town in Penang.
In Thailand we loved the river and massive metropolis vibe of Bangkok earlier than setting off to certainly one of our favorite locations on the planet, the metropolis of Chiang Mai. We explored the White Temple, Blue Temple and Black House in Chiang Rai and loved the agricultural mountain surroundings and laidback life-style of Pai.
In Vietnam we explored the “36 Streets” of Hanoi and admired the embroidery and life-style of the Red Dao hill tribe ladies in Sa Pa. We strolled alongside the golden hued streets of Hoi An Ancient Town and watched the solar come up over the Golden Hand Bridge at Ba Na Hills close to Da Nang.
In Cambodia we found the tragic historical past of the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. We watched the solar rise over the traditional surprise of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site close to the town of Siem Reap.
Cost of Living in Asia
The value of residing in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia is considerably decrease than in most Western international locations. Affordable lodging, meals, and transport make these locations excellent for anybody seeking to prolong their travels via Asia.
As we explored every nation, we skilled not solely numerous cultures but additionally noticed noticeable variations in residing prices. Overall, Malaysia and to a lesser diploma, Thailand had the very best value of residing of the 4. This was largely as a result of their extra developed infrastructure, which additionally made long-term stays simpler to handle.
For us, Vietnam supplied higher worth for cash than Cambodia, primarily as a result of we needed to convert Australian Dollars into US Dollars in Cambodia, which added further prices. However, in case you are coming from the USA, you might discover Cambodia extra inexpensive than Vietnam for prolonged stays.
Long Term Travel Accommodation
The value of lodging in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia will rely in your most popular mode of lodging, location and size of keep.
During our lengthy keep in Asia, we combined up lodging kinds with an assortment of finances guesthouses, luxurious motels and flats. This gave us a great overview the lodging out there in every nation.
If you take pleasure in staying in luxurious motels you may be pleasantly shocked as the costs are sometimes a fraction of the price of luxurious motels in your house nation. If you’re a member of a lodge loyalty program like us, this can be a incredible technique to accumulate loyalty factors faster.
Memorable luxurious motels are the Hotel des Arts Saigon – MGallery Collection in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok Thailand, Novotel Phnom Penh BKK 1 Hotel in Phnom Penh Cambodia and Novotel Kuala Lumpur City Centre in Malaysia.
Apartments and Long-Term Stays
During our Long Stays in Asia, we based mostly ourselves in Chiang Mai Thailand, Penang Malaysia, Da Nang, Vietnam and Phnom Penh Cambodia. Here we discovered that renting an condominium is among the finest methods to immerse your self in native life.
You will discover a good vary of flats with kitchenette, a eating space, sitting room and bed room. Having a kitchen is good for cooking breakfast, reheating road meals or having fun with a quiet meal at residence after a busy day of sightseeing.
Renting Apartments in Asia
You can guide long-stay flats via common lodge reserving web sites, these usually embrace utilities similar to water, electrical energy, and web within the listed value. This possibility is good for first-time guests who wish to know upfront prices earlier than they depart residence.
Alternatively, you’ll be able to deal straight with an area actual property or go to condominium buildings in particular person to barter a month-to-month fee. Using this methodology, you might have to pay a refundable safety deposit and canopy utilities individually, these prices are inexpensive relying in your utilization.
Food Scene in Asia
When you journey to Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia you might be in for an actual deal with in terms of their meals scenes. Here you will see that a vibrant mixture of flavours that had been formed by centuries of historical past and cultural range.
Across all 4 international locations, road meals is king, the right place to attempt low cost genuine dishes and skilled native tradition at its finest.
In Malaysia, pattern a mouthwatering number of Malay, Chinese, and Indian dishes. Sit down at your native hawker centre and take a look at Malaysian signature dishes similar to nasi lemak, laksa, or char kway teow. Savour every dish realizing they’re a fusion of Malay, Chinese, and Indian traditions.
Thailand is famend for its daring flavours influenced by a stability of candy, salty, bitter and spicy. Enjoy well-known dishes like pad Thai and pad krapow or attempt regional specialties similar to Khao Soi from northern Thailand.
Vietnam affords a brisker, lighter style, enhanced by a mountain of aromatic herbs, crisp greens and dipping sauces. Vietnamese dishes similar to pho, banh mi, and bun cha are world well-known. Try the wealthy flavours of regional dishes similar to mi quang and cao lau on a visit to Da Nang and Hoi An.
Though Cambodian meals is much less internationally identified, it’s equally scrumptious. Fish amok and beef lok lak are each stapples of Khmer delicacies.
Shopping in Asia
Shopping in Southeast Asia affords a heady mixture of vibrant road markets, fashionable buying malls, and attention-grabbing native outlets. Most main cities have massive buying malls which comprise fairly priced meals courts and supermarkets in your day by day wants.
Malaysia has every part from high-end malls in Kuala Lumpur to vibrant night time markets the place you’ll be able to cut price for garments, electronics, and native snacks.
Thailand is legendary for its buying scene. Bangkok alone is residence to large malls similar to Terminal 21 and Siam Paragon. Take time to discover an limitless assortment of road markets promoting style, souvenirs, and handmade items.
In Vietnam, buying tends to lean in direction of native craftsmanship. Lacquerware, silk, and tailored clothes are widespread finds, particularly in cities like Hoi An and Hanoi.
Cambodia has a extra relaxed buying vibe, with markets in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap promoting handmade jewelry, scarves, and artwork, usually supporting native artisans and social enterprises.
For me visiting the hustle and bustle of the markets is certainly one of my favorite issues. Interacting with the locals and experiencing each day life at all times makes me really feel linked to the nation.
Transport in Asia
Southeast Asia has a wonderful vary of transport choices together with flights, trains, buses, and a number of other native finances pleasant choices. Grab taxi is common for door-to-door transport in main cities inside all 4 international locations.
Both Malaysia and Thailand are effectively lined with flights, trains and buses for home journey throughout the nation. Both tuk tuk and songthaew are a enjoyable and economical technique to journey across the metropolis in Thailand.
Vietnam additionally has good transport hyperlinks operating between main cities. The alternative is simply restricted to finances with a terrific choice of home flights, in a single day trains, and buses on supply.
Cambodia’s transport choices are a little bit extra primary however there may be nonetheless a great vary of tuk tuks, buses, and shared vans to take you across the metropolis and past. Domestic flights join key locations similar to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Click right here for Asia transport choices together with buses
Weather in Asia
Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia all have a scorching, humid tropical local weather and monsoon season. Typically, the most effective time to go to the area is between November and February.
Both Malaysia and southern Thailand expertise a monsoon season that varies from the east and west coast. Monsoon season on the east coast is from round November to February, and west coast from May to October. In the north of Thailand, the climate cools to a cushty local weather between December and February.
Vietnam’s climate adjustments from north to south. In the south the climate is scorching and tropical year-round with a wet season from May to October. Northern Vietnam experiences cooler winters between December and February. In some locations similar to Sa Pa there might even be snow throughout this era.
Cambodia has two most important seasons the moist and dry season. Cambodia’s dry season is from November to April, and the moist season is from May to October. The finest time to go to Cambodia is from November to February.
Will You Need a Visa?
The size of lengthy stays in Asia will rely upon the entry requirement into your chosen Asian vacation spot from your own home nation. Visa necessities can change, and it is very important examine the newest visa info earlier than reserving your journey.
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Currency in Southeast Asia
Each nation in Southeast Asia has its personal foreign money, which is necessary to know when planning your journey to the area.
- Malaysia – Malaysian Ringgit (MYR)
- Thailand – Thai Baht (THB)
- Vietnam – Vietnamese Dong (VND)
- Cambodia – US Dollar (USD) & Cambodian Riel (KHR)
In Cambodia the US Dollar is the popular foreign money however you’ll most definitely obtain change in Cambodian Riel. Keep in thoughts that US Dollars will solely be accepted if they’re in pristine situation.
You will discover that money is king throughout all 4 international locations particularly with small companies, native eating places, markets and road stalls. Modern buying malls, increased finish motels and eating places, usually tend to settle for bank cards.
When you might be visiting these areas of Southeast Asia ensure you have entry to those currencies and don’t depend on bank card for cost.
During our lengthy keep travels in Southeast Asia we use Wise Card to maintain cash conversion prices to a minimal.
TIP
Find extra information a few Wise card and different journey financial savings
Last Words on Long Stays in Asia
After spending seven months drifting round Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Malaysia, we got here away with a horde of unforgettable reminiscences. We gained a way of connection not solely with the locations however the folks we met alongside the best way.
Long stays in Asia provide the freedom to decelerate and admire the unbelievable meals, tradition, historical past, and on a regular basis life that quick journeys usually miss.
With an inexpensive value of residing, pleasant locals, and straightforward journey between international locations, Southeast Asia is ideal for anybody searching for an prolonged journey with out breaking the financial institution. If you might have ever dreamed of travelling deeper and longer, this area is a perfect place to begin.
Have you had lengthy stays in Asia? What nation did you want finest? Feel free to depart a remark, we’d love to listen to from you.
