Top Southeast Asian Destinations for Backpacking Travel

If you love backpacking, you’ll surely love Southeast Asia. This region offers you some of the best yet budget-friendly travels. You’ll be amazed at how much you’ve experienced and how less you’ve spent for your trip. There is no way of ranking these Southeast Asian destinations, so they’re simply listed randomly here.

Cambodia

Cambodia is home to the famous temple ruins of Angkor Wat, the world’s biggest religious structure. Meanwhile, Tah Prohm, provides you the landscape for internalizing the characters in the popular films, Tomb Raider and Indiana Jones.

Thailand

Thailand offers a wonderful combination of historic temples, exotic food and pristine beaches. Its friendly people are a bonus to backpackers, too. Thailand is also famous for huge beasts like the Bengal tigers and the Thai elephants.

Vietnam

When you visit Vietnam, make sure to spend the time in at least one of its popular cities. Ho Chi Minh is a bustling city that offers lots of nightlife entertainment; Hoi An is more of a traditional tourist destination, filled with heritage sites; and Sapa is a mountain adventurer’s paradise.

Malaysia

The vibrant city of Kuala Lumpur is a good starting point to visit some of Malaysia’s hidden jewels. There’s the historical town of Melaka, the flavorful dishes in Penang, the beautiful island of Langkawi and of course, the imposing mountain of Kota Kinabalu.

Philippines

If you love islands, beach and island hopping mixed with some modern conveniences and exotic adventures, then the Philippines is your go-to destination. Here you will enjoy some of the best natural landscapes, fine delicacies and pocket-friendly accommodations.

Indonesia

Another exciting thousand-island country to visit is Indonesia. Sumatra, Bali and Java are three of the most known Indonesian islands, but if you want to take the road less traveled then you’ll have 19,000 other choices. From temples to beaches, wild animals to mountains, Indonesia has a good assortment of backpacking destinations.

Nepal

Nepal is the ultimate place to go if you want to be up close and personal with the majestic Mt. Everest. However, you don’t need to climb up the steep, snowy and perilous path to have an enjoyable backpacking stay. The trekking hub of Kathmandu can be very busy and overwhelming, but you can always visit Pokhara for cheaper trekking adventures and classic Asian entertainment.

Photos by: Radek Lesak, Fran, Just One Way Ticket and Dhilung Kirat