Here’s What Six Months of Travel in Southeast Asia and India Look Like

This is a guest post by fellow Intentional Traveler, Lianne Bronzo. She describes herself as a Korean-American adoptee who returned “home” to teach, travel, and discover who she is. She and her boyfriend, Adam, are avid budget travelers. They are currently serving in Zambia for the Peace Corps.

Six months of travel overview

Constantly being on the go has been an adventure, full of lessons and stories. Every moment, every day, every month was remarkable.

I started to get burnt out, however, by the five-month mark. Certain things that used to excite me didn’t anymore. Walking around looking for a place to eat became burdensome when foreign, hungry, and vegetarian several times a day. I don’t want to ever be jaded by travel, so visiting home at the six-month mark was the perfect time to do so.

Here’s a video capturing one second every day from August 2015-March 2016, including a few days of saying goodbye in Korea and coming home to the USA.

September: South India

It started with a month of being on the go non-stop in India. We covered a lot of ground in thirty days–the time our visa allowed–but only experienced a tiny fraction of what the country has to offer. India is a challenging place to travel and I never felt totally relaxed, but it was still rewarding to discover.

This unique chunk of earth that can be its own universe. Out of all of my travels, it felt like the most foreign place. The noises, smells, sights, customs, crowds, and foods were like nothing I’ve experienced before. My senses were always stimulated and there were so many moments of shock. Wait… what just happened?

People were incredibly kind, specifically our CouchSurfing hosts. Sure, people are kind everywhere, but people were especially curious and wanted to learn about us because foreigners are few and far between. Most stereotypes I’ve had about India were diminished. Contrary to the warnings I received, I felt safe and generally trusting of the people. And no, I didn’t get Delhi Belly. In fact, I’m certain my stomach can handle any kind of food now. I look forward to traveling in the north one day, but I’d have to rebuild my energy before doing so. It’s an exhausting place to be.

Read Lianne’s South India Overview post

October: Northern Thailand

Next, we flew to Thailand for thirty days. It was my second visit and Adam’s first. Bangkok actually felt quiet compared to Mumbai because people weren’t heavy with the honking. The peacefulness was greatly appreciated. We indulged in all kinds of street food, got our hands dirty while volunteering on an organic farm, walked lots of dogs, went on motorbike adventures, met some great people, and played in waterfalls in Pai.

Thailand is easy and simply beautiful.

November: Laos

Most of November was spent in Laos, which is the most laid back country yet. The sunsets and natural beauty created wonderful memories. Some of the most beautiful waterfalls dot the country, Kuangsi being the most memorable. Motorbiking through the countryside and watching kids play soccer in the pouring rain were especially memorable.

I learned the horrific truth that the US left millions of unexploded bombs in Laos during the Vietnam War and how affected the people still are today. Laotian people seem to remain calm and forgiving, wanting to move on from the past. Traveling through Buddhist countries taught me more about mindfulness and equanimity. I tried to keep in mind that citizens do not represent the actions of the government, especially since I was not even born yet. Still, I couldn’t help but feel some responsibility.

Tourists tend to flock to Thailand or Cambodia before considering Laos, but I would recommend fitting this special country in your itinerary.

November & December: Vietnam

We were welcomed into Vietnam with a 12-hour bus ride equipped with disco lights and loud club music videos. Welcome to Vietnam! It’s busy, it’s loud, it’s my favorite. With the exception of Hoi An, tourism isn’t as developed as in Thailand. Because of this, I found travel to be authentic and adventurous.

Since Vietnamese letters are basically Roman letters, dining was made much easier. Pure vegetarian restaurants can be found in every city. Vietnamese cuisine ranks high on my list; food is light and fresh with garnished herbs in most of the soups. The French did leave the legacy of perfected baguettes. Crispy on the outside but somehow chewy on the inside.

CouchSurfing hosts were easy to secure in Vietnam. We had a great time with our hosts and their families. Cooking traditional Vietnamese food with Huynh’s mother, street food sampling with Thao and Denny, doing workout videos and teaching English with Phuoc, and riding a boat through the floating market with Vin and Jack were some highlights.

Again, I learned more about the other side of the story re: the Vietnam – or the American – War. The young generation we met is also forgiving and wants actually still views America favorably. The north may be a different story, but we didn’t go there. Yet. I am already planning on returning to Vietnam one day!

December & January: Cambodia

Sunrise at Angkor Wat. Surrounded by hundreds of other shutterbugs. Some sights really are worth dealing with crowds though. Angkor Wat is touristy for a reason! It’s incredible.

Crossing into Cambodia was like going back in time again. While Vietnam is fast paced, Cambodia is still laid back like its northern neighbor, Laos. The recent history of the Khmer Rouge left a scar in my heart, but I’m glad to see people continuing to move forward as cities develop and grassroots organizations blossom everywhere.

Like the pace of life, we began to slow down in Cambodia. We ended up staying about one week in each town, Kampot for ten. Even though there isn’t much to “do” in Kampot, we loved the little town. We found our favorite restaurants: Epic Arts Cafe and a family-run noodle stand. Something as little as going to a place and the owners recognizing you and knowing your regular order is comforting, like it was our home. We also got to know a few expats and locals.

Of course, Angkor Wat temple complex was brilliant and haunted my brain to try to understand how these marvelous structures were built hundreds of years ago. I feel okay with not going to the Taj Mahal when in India, but I would strongly advise against not visiting Angkor Wat while in Cambodia!

January: Bangkok & Southern Thailand

After our Cambodia visas expired, we crossed the border back to Thailand. By the way if you want to stay longer in Cambodia as a digital nomad, you have the option of a Cambodia business visa.

We volunteered for a week at an eco resort and organic farm in Chanthaburi. Kevin then hosted us via CouchSurfing in Bangkok for a few days. This young doctor cooked us a fabulous meal with his mother, took us to his friend’s artsy cafe, and played a mean game of chess!

We were in Thailand for weeks before we finally went to the (in)famous southern beaches. An overnight train and two minivans later, we made it to Clayzy House in Koh Lanta Island to volunteer in exchange for accommodation. The week was a blur and we got a taste of drama that happens while working in hospitality. Let’s just say it really was a “clayzy” house. But we did befriend some characters and got to sleep in a treehouse, even if we had to endure blaring house music from next door. Koh Lanta is a gorgeous island with nearly perfect beaches, so of course it attracts loads of tourists. It was worth a stay, but a week was maybe too long for me. There is something to be learned from every experience.

February: Malaysia, Singapore, and Vipassana Meditation Course

I didn’t anticipate to have loved Penang, Malaysia as much as I did; we stayed for ten days on the cultural mecca of an island. I never got bored with sampling all of the foods from the streets, relaxing in the park, and observing the architecture. Chinese New Year fell during that week, so lanterns lit the streets as well as fireworks and festivals.

We took a “super VIP” bus to the capital of Kuala Lumpur where we met our CouchSurfing host. A former pilot and current brain surgeon, our host had a calm aura and plenty of travel and life experiences. We enjoyed eating Indian food and having good conversations.

Malaysia is interesting for the mesh of Malaya, Indian, and Chinese culture and cuisine. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to see some of the natural wonders, like the Cameron Highlands and islands, but it’s just another reason to go back one day.

Singapore is a unique chunk of land bursting with culture. I’d say it is a mix between Malaysia (with its similar cultural diversity) and Japan (ultra modern and clean). Our days were spent walking around amongst the towering buildings, parks and gardens. We also CouchSurfed with a young humourous businessman in his hostel. We ate at the Buddhist Lounge twice for the vegetarian buffet and learn more about meditation and mindfulness in the library upstairs. Singapore is a quite fancy for my liking, but the four days we spent there were well worth it. There are plenty of things to do and see on a budget.

Vipassana Meditation Course

The highly anticipated 10-day meditation course at Dhamma Malaya Vipassana Center. Challenging. Insightful. Full of ups and downs, doubts and worries, emotions and lack thereof. Overall, I gained bodily awareness, calmness, compassion. About two months later, I still feel the effects of the course even though I am not keeping up with meditating as much as I should. I would like to do the course again and would recommend it to others. Expect a more detailed about my experience in the near future.

After the course, Adam and I had to adjust back into the city life of Kuala Lumpur. We only had a few days together before we parted ways temporarily: him to San Diego and me to Bangkok.

March: Bangkok

For about a week, I volunteered at my now favorite hostel, Kamin Bird Hostel. The rooms were immaculate, dorm beds comfortable and private (your own curtains, light, and outlet!), safe, and convenient. The neighborhood is far away from the disaster of Khao San Road and is in a nice area a few minutes from the MRT.

After doing light housekeeping, gardening, and chatting with the wonderful owners, I went off to explore Bangkok, met with some friends who happened to be there, and filled my belly with papaya salad. Since it was the end of this trip, I finally let myself go shopping! Carrying a heavy load is a big no-no when it comes to traveling light (duh!), so I mostly window shopped for six months. In Bangkok, I donated some of my salvageable clothes (the hostel owner was collecting) and got a few pieces for work since they’re cheaper and fit me better than in the states. Would recommend the Pratunam Market, train night market, and huge weekend market, Chatuchak. I was saddened when I had to say goodbye to Thailand and launch back to America. I thought I would be ready to go, but I wasn’t.

Heading to Southeast Asia yourself? Here’s a great backpackers travel guide for Southeast Asia. We also have a number of Southeast Asia destination posts on our blog.

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