What to Know Before Backpacking Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia

Cities to Visit in Thailand and Why

·         Chaing Mai

o   Great for shopping and food

o   Tiger Kingdom

·         Elephant sanctuary

·         Ubon

o   A great quiet city to stay in transit.

o   Has train and bus stations and small airport

o   My favorite hostel is there: Fun Dee Mansion

o   Shopping area

·         Ao Nong, Krabi

o   Cheap massages beachside

o   Monkeys on the beach

·         Bangkok

o   Koh San Road- crazy partying and shopping area

·         Patong, Phuket

o   James Bond Island

o   Cave kayaking into beautiful lagoons

o   Monkey Island

o   Koh Phi Phi Island

o   Great Shopping, entertainment, dining, nightlife
I I don't recommend staying here just because it's extremely touristy and crazy 

Phuket Town
Old Town Phuket is my favorite place in Thailand because it's cheaper than the other parts of Phuket, it's not as touristy, it has lovely street and night markets, has a colorful and charming feel to it, it's quiet, and best of all, you can take the really cheap tuk tuk shuttles that are located near the round-a-bout to various parts of Phuket.  There are so many beautiful beaches to choose from (they are labeled on the tuk tuks).  These destinations are much better than the overly-populated beaches in the touristy areas of Phuket.

There is a cheap local bus that goes from the Phuket airport to Old Town Phuket

Other Islands in Thailand
The islands of Koh Phi Phi, Koh Pangan, Koh Samui, Koh Samet are really popular

Hua Hin
This smaller fisherman town is a nice escape from the crazy busy cities

Chang Rai
Located in the far north, Chang Rai is quite popular for travelers

Laos

·         Don Det Island on the Mekong River

·         Kayaking from Laos to Cambodia

·         Stunning view

·         Bungalows

Cambodia

·         Angkor Wat, Siem Riep

Tips and Other Useful Advice

*pack less than you want. You will most likely not use it or want to carry it around. You will also buy stuff throughout your travels

*check cheapoair.com, cheaptickets.com, skyscanner.com and momondo.com for all types of great airfare.

*check hostelworld.com, hostelbookers.com, booking.com, asiarooms.com, agoda.com, and directrooms.com for great hotel prices.

*budget flights are great. Be aware of baggage limits. Asia air is super cheap but is strict with baggage weight and most people get charged more when they check in.

*get a bank card and credit card that doesn't have foreign transaction fees and one that refunds foreign ATM fees. ATM fees are usually 150 baht ($4-$5)

*exchange money at thailand airports, they have no fees. If you have $50 and $100 bills to exchange, you get a better rate than lower bills like 20s and 10s.

*most hotels, tour companies, bus stations will take credit card but they will charge a 3% fee. They will let you know that.

*try to book more so as you go! don't worry much about booking flights far in advance.

*try not to plan too much for anything. Plans and desired routes will change constantly.

*make like 6 copies of a passport like photo that are 2 X 2s to bring for border crossings. You'll be asked if you have one, if not it'll cost a few dollars or baht which is fine

too.

*airport shuttles outside of phuket airport to patong cost 180 baht.

*there is free shuttle between Bangkok a international and domestic airports.

*many people like going to koh phanang for the full moon parties

*prices anywhere on phuket island are higher so I recommend saving your shopping for chiang mai, bangkok (not as pricey but not as cheap), ubon is very cheap too.

*you can hire a car and driver for any amount of hours to drive you around phuket island to wherever you'd like. Many people go to tiger kingdom, the big Buddha, the southern point to see the sunset, beach viewpoints, and more. The car hire costs around $30 for the whole day. No fees for anything but Tiger kingdom, which varies depending on tiger sizes that you want to take photos with.

*the only elephant trekking place I recommend to go to is the elephant sanctuary in chiang mai. It's the only non-cruelty one. It's pricier but there's a lot more to do and it's worth it. Many people get put off

by the other companies who use hooks on the elephants for discipline.

*ao nang in krabi is a great beach town. Super cheap massages beachside from 10am-2pm everyday. I heard that railway beach in krabi is nice too.

*you don't have to book buses ahead of time. You can book a day before from a travel company anywhere in town or buy at the bus station itself.

* it says VIP buses so you okay more but mostly all of the buses are the same type.

*always pay attention to your change given back at stores or anywhere and the price of items being rung up. They tend to try to add to your bills or change prices without you realizing.

*i felt safe in all of the countries in se Asia but always have your

valuables, money, and passport with you at all times, be aware of your

surrounding, put little locks on your suitcases when traveling on the buses just in case, be aware of stray dogs, and don't touch the animals due to

diseases.

*you don't have to take malaria pills, just use bug spray often. The

mosquitoes arent that bad here.

*i loved the city of ubon. There's not much to see or do there buts a great place to relax at a cheap but really nice hotel, shop, get much cheaper prices for everything, not be hassled by tuk tuks or taxis yelling at you, everyone is extremely nice and helpful there.

*always settle on a price for a taxi before going anywhere or ask to use the

meter.

*the riots/protests in bangkok are not as bad as they are said to be.

youll be fine, just try to avoid the area if you see one.

*the nights in the

inner areas of thailand like chiang mai and bangkok get pretty cold at night to bring or buy a sweater.

*the water is fine to shower and brush your teeth with. Just drink bottled or boiled water. The ice is fine to use.

*Budget much more than you expect for thailand because it's pricier than you expect.

*you can get nice hotel/hostel rooms for around $12 a person a night. A nice way to enjoy your sleep and relaxation while saving on money for other things like tours.

*carry tissues or toilet paper with you. Many places don't have

it.

*carry hand soap and sanitizer with you. They don't really wash their

hands.

*always add at least 2hrs on to any quoted or estimated times of

arrivals in places. Usually takes 3or 4 hrs more than they say for

anywhere.

*thai/Cambodia border takes about 2hrs to cross due to the lines. They're safe though.

*street food is fine to eat

*toilets in public areas are either free or most cost 5 baht

*try not to take many taxis or tuk tuks so that you can get a map if you can (sometimes they're free at hotels) and walk

around. Locals like to lie about distances or info on places so that you pay for taxis or go to the hotels that pay them commission. You will see a lot more of places by walking.

Cambodia

*you get visa at the border.

*be careful of visa scams. They will try to scam you. Never pay an agency for one, especially 1200 baht. Just keep saying you'll get it at the border. They will get mad at you but it's ok.

*google what the thai/Cambodia official border office looks

like. There is just one. There are a lot of signs and people who will try to

tell you otherwise.

*visa only costs $20 at the border plus 100baht (officers like money for themselves too)

*there isn't an exit or entrance or re-entrance fee for thailand.

*siem reap in Cambodia has the Angkor wat temples park. You can get a one day pass for $20, 3 day pass for $40, or a week pass. The 3 day is best to get.

*you should hire a tuk tuk driver for the day for around $15 total who will pick you up, drive you around the park (it's huge), always wait for you, drop you off for lunch, be with you for whatever timeframe that you want,and drop you back off at your hotel.

*they use u.s dollars everywhere in Cambodia. Most stores price items in dollars. ATMs give you u.s dollars. They don't take u.s coins though. Your change is given in local Cambodian riel though which is fine because things may cost less than $1.

*cambodia exit fee is $3

*water is fine to shower and brush teeth with. Drink bottled and boiled water though. Their ice is fine.

Laos

*you get visa at the border

*visa scams at Cambodia/laos aren't as bad as thai/Cambodia border

*visa costs $40 for u.s citizens.

*lao entrance fee is $2, exit fee is $1

*laos/thai border headed towards ubon, thailand is much easier and faster than any others in Asia

*4000 island town is great. You can stay on don Det island in a bungalow villa which is a relaxing, quiet, and scenic place. Cost of boat is $5. They

will take u.s dollars for that ticket. *exchange some money before any island

because rates on the island aren't great and there aren't ATMs

*laos is cheap

*take a kayak adventure tour down the Mekong River. It's an all day

awesome experience. Food and water is included too. I paid $22 for it.

*cities like luang probang, vientiene, and vieng Tieng are popular and great to visit I heard

Backpacking Guatemala

·         Don’t spend much time in Guatemala City.  The capital cities in Central America are large, over-populated, really dirty, and can be dangerous.  You’ll probably have to fly in/out of the city and/or transfer buses there.  You can easily get to almost anywhere by bus from Guatemala City

·         Fly in and out of Guatemala City because it’s cheaper

·         Visit the small old rustic town of Antigua which is about 30 minutes outside of Guatemala City.  You can get a super cheap bus to and from Antigua.  Lots of tourists here because it’s a popular place for foreign volunteers and study-abroad programs.  Climb up the hill to the giant cross, beautiful viewpoint in the town. Great cheap shopping in Antigua.

·         Visit Tikal and Flores.  Flores is a town on an island in NW Guatemala.  It’s beautiful scenery.  Stay the night there and take a day trip to Tikal (less than an hour away).  Tikal is a Mayan Ruins site.  It’s super cool to climb up on the ruins.  There’s one ruin in particular that’s super high and you can climb up above the trees, so pretty.

·         You can easily go from Tikal/Flores to Belize, if you want and if you have time.  You don’t need to book anything ahead of time.  Just go to Belize City and go to the port.  Book a cheap ferry ticket to Caye Caulker Island (only like $10 or so to get there).  Walk around and find a cheap hostel (I stayed at a place from $10, super chill place).  Belize waters are stunning! Belize has beautiful water but do know that the people suck and there are lots of stray dogs on the island.  The island has a jamacian-feel to it.  the atmosphere can be quite off-putting because people will try to offer you drugs and sex for money.  I didn’t like walking around by myself (although I was fine to do so), but I loved my hostel and the friends that I made and enjoyed canoeing for free in the stunning waters and saw lots of marine life.

·         From Belize, I booked a ticket back to Belize City, got a bus down the coast to Punta Gorda, stayed the night in a private room in that small town for super cheap.  The next day I walked to the port and booked a boat ticket to Livingston, Guatemala (on Western coast of Guatemala). 

·         From Livingston (cool little fishing town, little to no tourists), I booked for cheap a boat ticket down the Rio Dulce (awesome forest/river ride, stopped at locals homes on the water for gas, saw old abandoned big boats, and more).  Got to the little town of Rio Dulce itself, then went to a bus station and got a cheap ticket back into Guatemala City (I was heading back to Antigua)

·         If you had south, you can easily go to the boarder and cross it into Honduras.  I went to the Mayan ruins small rustic town of Copan Ruinas. 

·         I never booked any accommodations ahead of time.  I always found a place when I got to the town.  

      You can bargain room rates too!  But, you can book ahead online on sites like hostelworld.com, hostels.com, booking.com (no booking fee), and others if you want.

·         Crossing borders is cheap and easy.  But be sure to go to the right officials office (there may be scammers, and NEVER pay anyone before you get to the office itself)  

·         You can use U.S dollars everywhere in Central America but know that they will give you change in their local currency.

·         If you want local currency, I’d just use an ATM but always be aware of your surroundings, cover your pin number, and don’t carry too much money on you at once. (I have PNC bank and my debit card automatically refunds any ATM fees back into my account anywhere in the world, its great)

·         Always bargain when shopping!

·         Just about every in Central America, especially Guatemala, is super cheap; buses, shopping, hostels, food, etc. But be sure to bargain, compare prices (for instance, for bus companies, hostels, etc), and be sure to count your change (they might try to rip you off)!

·         Drink bottled water only

·         Enjoy the yummy cheap street food and markets! But be sure to always wash your fruits and vegetables in bottled or boiled water.

·         You can take a chicken bus if you want but don’t’ take it out of Guatemala City (gang problems) but you can take a chicken bus into the city.  It’s a crazy cultural experience and extremely cheap, like 10cents!

·         Look up the organization Ninos de Guatemala if you’d like to stop by a really poor school and volunteer for a few days.  They are based in La Ciudad Viejo which is right outside of Antigua.  The organization will take on a tour of the city to places like the chicken bus “factory”, coffin “factory”, villages, farms, the school, and teach you about the poverty and lifestyle there.  You’ll only be charged $20 for a t-shirt total (at least that’s what I was charged when I went in 2010).  Contact them and tell them that you are planning to go to Antigua anyways and would just like to help out at the school for a few days if you can.

·         Be sure to always be aware of your surroundings and your belongings.  Don’t count money in the open, don’t carry too much money on you, don’t wear anything expensive, always carry a bag/purse that has your money, id, ATM cards, passport, money, camera, and anything else important on you AT ALL TIMES.  Make sure that it closes securely and you cant be distracted and pick-pocketed from it.

·         If you take any over-night buses, always secure your belongings on you under a sweatshirt, blanket, or something.

·         Bring some warm clothes, it get pretty chilly at night in the central part of the country and in towns in higher elevations.

·         You don’t have to be fluent in Spanish to be able to get around.  They are use to English-speakers by now.

·         Keep a small lock on your suitcase, bring a padlock for any free lockers, and always secure your belongings in a hostel and never leave any valuables in a hostel room, ever, no matter how secure you think they are.

·         Make sure that you are up-to-date on your rabies and tetanus shots.  This is really important.  There are so many stray dogs throughout all of Central America.  I have heard countless dog bite stories from other travelers.  I was almost attacked by 3 huge vicious dogs in Costa Rica.  There are also lots of monkeys in some areas and other wild animals that can definitely bite.  As for the tetanus shots, you never know when something may happen.  The country can be old and dirty.  I was so thankful that I had my tetanus shot when impaled my arm with a rusty nail on an old bus in Thailand.  Better safe than sorry.  And you don’t want to have to make a trip to a hospital there, they can be really unsanitary and unsafe. You can make an appointment to see a travel doctor at a local clinic.  Tell him/her that you’re planning on going to Guatemala/Central America and they will give you ALL the info that you will need.  They’ll give you folder of info to keep and tell you your vaccine options.  You may want to make sure that you’re also up-to-date with your hepatitis shot too.  

·         As for malaria pills, I don’t recommend taking them although a physician might tell you to get some to take.  I did take them once and was fine but they aren’t good for you and there are some types that have serious side effects.  IF you do want some, get Malarone, they’re the safest.  But again, I don’t suggest them.  Can be a waste of money.

·         Use LOTS of bug spray! Take eucalyptus spray/oil too, it helps to keep mosquitoes and other insects away.

·         Make sure to always check your bed mattress as soon as you get to your hostel room.  You never know when a bed will have them.  They are very visible.  They are the size of a tick and like to hide under a mattress and behind the head board.  I never had any but there have been beds in hostel rooms that I have stayed in that did.  I always always check first though.

·         If taking a taxi, always negotiate on a price BEFORE getting somewhere, and have them run the meter if there is one. 

·         Just be careful if you plan to go out at night, party, drink, etc.

·         Try not to arrive in a new city from a night bus or flight late at night (if you have to, make sure that you have a room booked and directions to hostel written down)

·         Take peto-bismol with you in case you do get ill from any water or food.

·         Carry your own toilet paper with you because it’s not abundant there. Same for Kleenex and napkins.

·         Use hand sanitizer and make sure you have your own hand soap in case you need it

·         I didn’t visit much of the coastlines in Guatemala but I hear that the Pacfic coast beaches aren’t great…

·         Mentally prepare yourself to see lots of garbage on the ground, especially in bigger cities, tons of stray dogs which people tend to be mean to (one of the hardest things for me to see while I was traveling in central America), don’t be surprised to see men and some young boys walking around with large guns (they’re ‘officials’ ‘military’ or ‘guards’, it never really got use to being around that), in supermarkets be prepared to possibly be followed and walked by people working there (they do this often to tourists), also be prepared to be stared at (especially being a white girl with light hair)

·         You’ll have a great cultural experience, you’ll learn a lot about under-developed and developing countries, meet great people, eat delicious and cheap food, and you’ll learn a lot about what you appreciate about living in the U.S 

Other places to visit in Guatemala:

·         Lake Atitlan

·         Chichicastenango (great markets)

·         Pacaya Volcano (near Antigua)

·         Quetzaltenango city

·         Semuc Champey (I didn’t go but I wish I did. Has beautiful waterfalls.  I saw lots of pics and heard great things about it!)

Hostels I Stayed at There:

·         Los Amigos on the island of Flores- really cool. LOTS of animals/pets running around such as rabbits, lizards, mice in a tube built through the ceiling, dog, cats, birds, etc.  They have their own menu and food to buy. SO GOOD! I fell in love with their HUGE freshly made smoothies and granola!

·         Antigua has tons of hostels, everywhere.  You will not have a problem going into the city and finding a place to stay.

·         Bella’s Backpackers on Caye Caulker island in Belize- loved this place.  Really cheap, owned by a nice guy from Seattle, next to the water, pier in back, free canoes (great way to explore the water for free! So fun), bungalow-style place, I met such cool people from all other while I was there, nearby everything, short walk from ferry port, kitchen to use to cook in, t.v to watch,  wifi for a fee (at least back then there was a fee)