Indochina
is a pretty popular destination for budget travelers, especially for Americans
and Europeans who want a truly southeast Asian experience. And because the
countries are connected by land, it’s pretty easy to cross borders and tick off
several destinations in one trip. The more popular countries are Vietnam, Laos,
and Cambodia, which comprise the French Indochina territory.
There
are many ways to go about these countries by plane, train, bus, or ferries. Since
we were on a budget, we agreed to fly only from and to Manila, and go by land
the entire trip. Our route was to fly from Manila to Hanoi, and work our way
south from there; crossing borders to Luang Prabang, then Vientiane, cross
borders again to Siem Reap, Cambodia, head to Phnom Phenh, and cross borders back to Vietnam in Ho Chi Min.
Note
that we did take a lot time researching and planning this route – bus
schedules, accommodation reviews, costs, horror ride stories. And though we had some misadventures along the way, we
still consider this trip a big travel success. :)
Leg 1:
Hanoi, Vietnam (Day 1-3)
What to
do: Take the Halong Bay Cruise (they have flexible itineraries depending on
duration and your budget); go on a gastronomical journey on the streets of Old
Quarter; visit the heritage sites in the city like the Temple of Literature,
Pagoda at the Hoam Kiem Lake.
Where to stay: Cruise ship; there are
a lot of affordable hostels in Old Quarter, we got ours for $9/pax per night.
What we
loved most: The food! Hot pho + iced Vietcoffee served on the sidewalk is the best!
 |
| It's a little gritty, but it's how they roll. | Old Quarter, Hanoi City. Photo by Mau. |
Know more about our side street adventure in Hanoi, and our cruising escapade in Halong. :)
On the
Road: Hanoi-Luang Prabang Sleeper Bus (Day 3-5, 30 hours)
What to remember: Wear your most
comfortable clothes, eat and drink light (I say it again, light).
What not
to do: Expect to find a comfort room in the “VIP” bus.
What we
loved most: That we made it through alive.
 |
| All cozy in this cooped up bus. Haha. | Photo from my phone. |
What was it like in this cozy bus? Find out here. :)
Leg 2:
Luang Prabang, Laos (Day 5-7)
What to
do: Temple hopping, food tripping at the city center, shopping at the night
market, witness the monks’ morning ritual, go to the outskirts and ride
elephants, visit the thousand Buddha cave, whiskey village, waterfalls... it’s
endless. But honestly, simply biking or walking around this heritage city is
already well worth it.
Where
to stay: There are a lot of hostels and dormitories in the city center depending
on your budget.
What we
loved most: The peaceful, leave-the-world-behind vibe. Oh, and Beerlao. *thumbs up*
 |
| Waking up early to witness this ritual is definitely worth it. | Luang Prabang, Laos. Photo by Mau. |
On the
Road: Luang Prabang-Vientiane Sleeper Bus (Day 7-8, 10 hours)
What to
remember: Bus leaves on schedule, so be sure to be on time.
What to
do: Sleep. :)
What we
loved most: That we didn’t have to share bunks and blankets with complete
strangers.
Leg 3:
Vientiane, Laos (Day 8)
What to
do: For a day trip, hire a tuktuk driver to take you around the city. Explore
the temples, visit the Buddha Park, enjoy Beerlao some more.
Where
to stay: Since we were there for just a day, we didn’t book any
accommodation. We did crash into a backpackers hotel to leave our stuff and
take showers for free.:p
What we
loved most: Aside from the friendly people, shopping! Everything is so much
cheaper in Vientiane that in Luang Prabang.
 |
| One of the many grand temples right at the heart of the city. | Vietiane, Laos. Photo by Mau. |
On the
Road: Vienttiane- Siem Reap Sleeper Bus (Day 8-9, 27 hours)
What to
remember: There is no Vientiane-Siem Reap sleeper bus. There’s a route, but no
direct trip. And travel agencies wouldn’t tell you that. Instead it’s a series of
transfers from bus to minivans back to bus back to minivans, and in our case
even a ferry.
What to
do: Prepare your butts, heart, and mind for a long uncomfortable ride.
What we
loved most: Taking a shower after the entire trip – best we’ve had in our
lives!
 |
| After 27 hours, minus shower, minus decent meal. | Seam Reap. Photo from my phone. |
Leg 4: Siem Reap, Cambodia (Day 9-11)
What to
do: Stand in awe of the grand temples. ‘Nuf said.
Where
to stay: If you're on a budget, we highly recommend Happy Guest House. They have average rooms but
affordable rates and very friendly staff. They have great food, too!
What we
loved most: Cliché, but watching the sun rise behind Angkor Wat, with the
temple reflecting would remind you to thank God for such beauty.
 |
| Resting our tired feet and in-awe'd hearts on the second day of endless temple-hopping. | Angkor Wat Complex, Siem Reap. Photo by Brian. |
On the
Road: Siem Reap-Phnom Phenn Sleeper Bus (Day 11-12, seven hours)
What to
do: Nurse your Angkor hangover. :)
What we
loved most: The family who let us hitch a ride to Phnom Phen when our bus broke
down in the middle of nowhere.
 |
| During our bus breakdown. | Somewhere in the middle of Phnom Penh nowhere. Photo from my phone. |
Leg 5:
Phnom Phenn, Cambodia (Day 12)
What to
do: Visit the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum; go shopping and food tripping
at the Phnom Phenn night market.
What we loved most: Not exactly loved, but hit us - hard. The gripping stories of families and individuals who suffered under the Pol Pot Regime, and their resilient spirit to bring their lives and country back together.
 |
| This 7-storey memorial stuppa is built in remembrance of the 3M torture victims during the Khmer Rouge regime. | The Killing Fields, Phnom Penh. Photo by Mau. |
On the
Road: Phnom Phenn-Ho Chi Minh Sleeper Bus (Day 12-13)
What to
remember: Nothing. We sure didn’t, just slept all throughout the trip.
Leg 6:
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam (Day 13-14)
What to
do: Visit the War Museum, explore Cu Chi Tunnels (we didn’t have to do this
though), shop, shop, shop!
Where
to stay: In the first hotel you see when you got off the bus. Really, by this
time, we were too tired to care. Haha.
What we
loved most: Cheap bags and accessories, Vietcoffee and tea!
And that's it! Two weeks worth of backpacking, food tripping, culture crash course, mishaps, and selflies. The whole trip cost us P35,000 (around $770). Excluding shopping money, that's another story. Haha.
Had a different experience from ours? Got questions on the details of our trip, or suggestions on other accommodations, places to visit, food to try, and modes of transit? Leave a comment below or shoot me an email. :)
 |
| Because you do not go to Vietnam and not bring home a taste of it. :) | Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Photo from my phone. |
And that's it! Two weeks worth of backpacking, food tripping, culture crash course, mishaps, and selflies. The whole trip cost us P35,000 (around $770). Excluding shopping money, that's another story. Haha.
Had a different experience from ours? Got questions on the details of our trip, or suggestions on other accommodations, places to visit, food to try, and modes of transit? Leave a comment below or shoot me an email. :)
Whew! Thats a long trip you have there! planning to go there for a month. is it easy to get hotels/hostels on the spot? looks exciting but a bit scary. Lol. maybe better to book in advance?
ReplyDeleteHi Sanya!
ReplyDeleteIt wouldn't hurt to book in advance, especially if you're traveling alone. It would definitely save you time and money. But the cities we visited were pretty safe for tourists. It's pretty easy to just book a place once you get there if you plan to be a bit adventurous and play your trip by the ear. :)
Hi Roanne, thank you for sharing. I'm set to travel by September and I feel my budget is a little too less for about 3 weeks. i hope 1you can send me detailed budget/expense list too. thank you. kgtimbol@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteHi! You've got mail. :) Glad to be of help. Let me know how your trip goes!
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