Lakwatsarah

Young monks taking rest in Angkor Wat Backpacking Cambodia is a famous bucket list destination of many world travelers. This Southeast Asian country is famous for having the world's largest religious monument, the historical grandeur of Angkor Wat - made even more famous by Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie (ever watched Tomb Raider ?) It took us a long 16 hour cross border bus trip from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam . When we arrived in the bus terminal of Siem Reap, it was almost midnight. Good thing our chosen accommodation in Cambodia offers free pick up service. We settled in our rooms and rested immediately. Bou Savy Guesthouse, a TripAdvisor favorite Bou Savy Guesthouse Of all the guesthouses in Cambodia I decided to push through with Bou Savy Guesthouse mainly because of the ...

Mộc Bài Our 2 full-day tour in Vietnam has been a good introduction to this Indochina trip. We engaged ourselves into a lot of walking and shopping! Read: Vietnam Itinerary Day 1 |   Vietnam Itinerary Day 2 Off to our next stop - Cambodia We asked the assistance of our hotel in Vietnam, Bich Duyen, to book for us 5 tickets to cross border to Cambodia. Fee is $27 each. This Vietnam to Cambodia cross border process was much easier compared to Cambodia to Thailand. Onboard Mekong Express Limousine Bus, we proceeded to Mộc Bài border. 3 hours from the time we left the hotel, we arrived at the border and now ready to exit Vietnam. We gave our passports to the bus staff, went out and left our bags in the bus and waited for our names to be called to get back our stamped passports. You really need to listen carefully to hear your name, it's hard for Vietnamese to pronounce our names correctly.  Vietnam-Cambodia border map Across the border o...

Crossing border: Cambodia to Thailand I have always wanted to travel to Indochina by means of backpacking, it's cheap, there's more freedom plus it's more adventurous than getting a typical tour package from a travel agency. I have pictured doing this together with friends while carrying each of our own backpacks. But strikingly, one Piso Fare promo had me traveling with people more than twice my age!

I woke up seeing my aunt almost ready for the day's tour which I found odd because she has always been the last to prepare. She forgot that Vietnam is one hour delayed of Manila time!  Day 1 left our toes tired and muscles aching (the effect of our 10km marathon  stroll). The first day was more of 'DIY-slash-it's okay to get lost tour'. Day 2 turned out to be a more 'relaxed-slash-dive into Vietnam's historical tour'. Having booked a half day tour, we rode a bus that brought us to Cu Chi district. TNK Travel Our tour guide from TNK Travel was prompt, picked us up from our hotel, and assisted us to the bus where we'd be joining other tourists. Almost 80% of travelers inside the bus were made up of young American-European backpackers. Cu Chi district is approximately 1.5 hour's drive from Ho Chi Minh. It was a comfortable ride with our guide sharing his invaluable stories and insights about the Vietnam War. He was more than knowl...

our millions of Vietnamese Dongs How much will a trip to Southeast Asia cost? This is the most commonly question my relatives and friends ask me after knowing of my recent backpacking trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. I won't be able to give you an accurate answer to that. But what I can share here is our personal journey from budgeting to spending. 10 days won't cost you a fortune, that's the good news. Asia is comparatively an affordable region to travel. We set aside a simple plan of knowing head on what to save, when to save and where to save. 

Check out our travel video taken during our summer backpacking in Southeast Asia. Travel Dates: March 12 - 21, 2015 Location: Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam - Siem Reap, Cambodia and Bangkok, Thailand. Indochina  posts: How Much Should You Save For An Awe-Inspiring Asian Trip? Crossing Borders: Vietnam Itinerary (Day 1) Crossing Borders: Vietnam Itinerary (Day 2)  Crossing Borders: Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh to Siem Reap Crossing Borders: Cambodia Itinerary (Day 1) Crossing Borders: Backpacking with a Senior and Indochina Itinerary