Our 6 Month Southeast Asian Adventure

Koh Tao Thailand

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN.....

Our six-month adventure was truly unforgettable. Arriving in Bangkok, Thailand from London, we embarked on our journey with little planning. Our goal was to explore and see where life would take us. Looking back, we realize that this approach might not have been the best for us, as we made some mistakes along the way. Nevertheless, we have many incredible stories to share, such as our time teaching English language to 40 school children in Kalisan, Northeast Thailand (we have NO experience in teaching, kids or teaching English!!) , and our week stuck on an island in Busuanga Bay, which we affectionately refer to as our “We’re Not Celebrities, Get Us Outta Here” experience.

We found Southeast Asia a region of the world that is bursting with incredible food, stunning temples, magnificent wildlife, and thrilling adventures. From the bustling streets of Bangkok to the tranquil beaches of the Gili Islands, there really is something for everyone in this vibrant and diverse part of the world.

One of the highlights of our trip to Southeast Asia was the food. From spicy curries to flavoursome stir-fries, the cuisine in this region was simply amazing. And the street food – we found some of the best meals at the local food stalls!

For us a must-see was the majestic Angkor Wat in Cambodia this was incredible. I’m gonna be honest after visiting so many temples and buddhas in Asia we were unsure if we would be impressed and a little bit bored “Once you’ve seen one temple you’ve seen them all” or so I thought!!! We joined a sunrise tour which was worth doing. Up before all the crowds and the guide took us to the 5 most popular temples. It was fascinating to find out that Angkor Wat holds a Guinness World record for being the largest religious structure globally, with over a thousand temples and 72 major temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park. The following day, we rented bikes to explore more temples on our own. We could have easily spent more time in Siem Reap as there was still so much more to discover.

In Indonesia on the island of Gili Trawangan we took the plunge quite literally and gained our open-water dive certificate. This gave us the chance to explore a little of the underwater world – swimming with green turtles in Indonesia, shipwrecks in the Philippines and the coral reefs in Koh Tao all simply breathtaking.

We also enjoyed the food and drink of Southeast Asia from spicy curries to flavoursome stir-fries, And the street food – we found some of the best meals at the local food stalls! But even when you are away home comforts are always welcome. Nick couldn’t believe his luck when he found a supermarket selling Yorkshire Tea!!!

Countries We Visted

Thailand

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN THAILAND

MONTH WE VISITED:

Bangkok and the north of Thailand – August 2022 – September 2022

Koh Samui and Koh Tao – December 2022 – January 2023

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN THAILAND: 105

CITIES/TOWNS WE VISITED:

Bangkok, Kalasin, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Samai. Koh Tao.

WEATHER:

Yes, we managed to  hit the monsoon season in Chiang Mai September is the wettest month of the year. It was still warm at 25°C – 30°C but it just meant there were afternoons where there were short intense downpours of rain.

Koh Samui – Clouds and plenty of rain but still warm. 

CURRENCY: Thai Baht (THB)

NICKS FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Chiang Mai

NIKKI FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Koh Tao

STAYED IN BUDGET??? NOPE

Indonesia

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN INDONESIA

MONTH WE VISITED: Mid October 

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN INDONESIA: 29

CITIES/TOWNS WE VISITED: Lovina, Ubud, Gilli Trawangan, Nusa Penida and Kuta (1 day was enough!!)

WEATHER: Yep…. Again in Bali we hit the beginning of rainy season AKA Monsoon season. Rain in the afternoon and into the evening. 

At last sunshine on Gili T 60 miles from Bali and WOW what a difference 🙂  It was a chance to work on the tan!!

CURRENCY: Indonesian rupee (IDR)

NICKS FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Gili Trawangan

NIKKI FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Nusa Penida

STAYED WITHIN BUDGET??? NOPE

Philippines

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN THE PHILIPPINES

MONTH WE VISITED: November 2022

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN THE PHILIPPINES: 17

CITIES/TOWNS WE VISITED: Manila, Coron & for 1 week trapped on Busuanga Bay.

WEATHER: Hot Hot Hot and humid, I loved it! The average temperature in November is 29°C. Warm and breezy.

CURRENCY: Philippino Peso (PHP)

NICK’S FAVOURITE DESTINATION: 

NIKKI’S FAVOURITE DESTINATION: 

STAYED WITHIN BUDGET??? NOPE

Vietnam

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN VIETNAM

MONTH WE VISITED: January 2023

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN VIETNAM: 27

CITIES/TOWNS WE VISITED: Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Ninh Binh, Cat Ba Island and Hanoi.

WEATHER:We began our journey in Ho Chi Minh City where the temperature was consistently hot and humid with an average of 30°C. As we travelled further North, the temperature gradually became cooler …. In fact, it was freezing!!! Who knew Vietnam would be so cold?

CURRENCY: Vietnamese Dong (VND)

OUR FAVOURITE DESTINATION: Cat Ba Island

STAYED WITHIN BUDGET??? NOPE

Cambodia

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN CAMBODIA

MONTH WE VISITED: February 2023

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN CAMBODIA: 9

CITIES/TOWNS WE VISITED: Siem Reap & Phnom Penh.

WEATHER: February is considered relatively cool, averaging 27°C across the country. It was HOTTT!!

CURRENCY: Cambodian Riel (KHR)

OUR FAVOURITE DESTINATION:

STAYED WITHIN BUDGET??? NOPE

Singapore

QUICK FACTS ABOUT OUR STAY IN SINGAPORE

MONTH WE VISITED: February 2023

NO OF DAYS SPENT IN SINGAPORE: 4

WEATHER: The months of February, March and April see spring-like weather conditions, low rainfall and humidity levels, making it the best time to visit Singapore weather-wise. An average temperature of 28°C.

CURRENCY: Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Singapore was expensive but amazing a must-do if you ever get the chance.

STAYED WITHIN BUDGET??? DEFIANTLY NOT!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Read Our Latest Posts

Our Adventures In Pictures

Looking For Some Travel Tips?

Why not check out our travel resources pages and our ultimate travel tips.