Where, When, and Finding Affordable Luxury: How to Plan a Trip to Southeast Asia
In this quick guide, Amber Kampot have covered everything you need to know about how to plan a trip to Southeast Asia. We’ve brought you details on weather, entry requirements, finding accommodation, booking experiences in advance, and how you can enjoy some alluring slices of affordable luxury. Want to know how to plan a trip to Southeast Asia? Coming up, we’ve covered it all!
LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATION BY AMBER KAMPOT
CONSIDER THE TYPE OF VACATION YOU WANT
Southeast Asia is huge, and you could spend years in the region before getting bored. So to narrow down your options, think about the type of vacation you want:
Looking for affordable luxury? Head to Cambodia or Thailand. In both nations, you’ll find affordable resorts, low-cost 5-star hotels, and excellent high-end food (without the high-end prices). Singapore is another top-class option for inexpensive first-class food.
Hunting for the best cuisine? Head to Malaysia or Thailand. Thailand’s food has a reputation for being the best in the region, while Malaysian cuisine is Southeast Asia’s most varied. Cambodian food is also very diverse and delicious—and a little different to what you might have tried before.
Eager for rough, rugged, and under the radar? Head to Laos or Myanmar, the region’s two most untouched nations. Or you could venture to a lesser-known part of a better-known country… such as Cambodia’s Kampot, or the Isaan region of Thailand.
Want multi-day hikes, outdoor adventures, and the best scenery? Head to Myanmar or Laos for multi-day hikes, or Vietnam for accessible nature. You can also find some excellent (and underrated) outdoor adventures in Cambodia.
Looking for the nation’s best religious experiences? Head to Cambodia or Myanmar. Cambodia is home to the iconic UNESCO-listed Angkor Wat, while Myanmar offers the pretty-similar Bagan.
ANGKOR WAT – CAMBODIA
Want great service without spending lots of money? Head to Thailand, or the resorts in Cambodia. All Southeast Asian nations offer lots of homely hospitality, but Thailand and Cambodia might just be the most friendly and welcoming of all.
Want the best beaches? Head to the Philippines or Indonesia—or some Thai islands. Other good options include Vietnam’s Phu Quoc, or the quiet shores of Cambodia’s Kep.
Want a smaller country you can fully explore without too much traveling or trouble? Head to Cambodia, or the western part of Malaysia. In both regions, you can tick off most major sites within around a month (and without having to spend too much time on transport).
Want to learn about recent history? Head to Cambodia or Vietnam. In Cambodia, the genocidal reign of Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge is recent and raw… while the Vietnam War casts a similar shadow over Vietnam. Myanmar also offers many excellent insights into (both modern and long-gone) history.
Looking for the best all-round experience? This is a tough one, but we think you should head to Vietnam or Cambodia.
KAMPOT, CAMBODIA
CHECK FOR ANY REQUIREMENTS
Different nations have different entry and health requirements, depending upon how long you’re staying, where you’re from, and which parts of the nation you’re venturing to.
Do you need to apply for a visa? Do you need to take any malaria precautions? Are your travel vaccinations up to date?
Usually, Southeast Asian entry requirements are very simple and stress-free. At the time of writing, for example, citizens of many nations can enter Thailand for 30 days with no visa. Citizens of many nations can enter Malaysia for 90 days with no visa. Even for nations where you typically need a visa (such as Cambodia), you can often obtain that visa when you arrive at the airport—so it’s completely fuss-free.
But matter how easy it might be, you should always plan in advance. Check if your government has an official online travel portal—and if they do, it should offer visa-related advice on a destination-by-destination basis. Here’s the UK version of that portal, for example.
For vaccination and malaria information, visit a doctor or travel clinic wherever you live, and they’ll offer all appropriate advice. Again, this is usually very simple and straightforward—but here’s a little more information for now.
EXPLORE THE TIMES TO TRAVEL
When they’re working out how to plan a trip to Southeast Asia, some people overlook this step. So make sure you don’t! There’s often a perception that Southeast Asia is always warm and welcoming, and offers year-round travel-friendly weather. But some periods of the year are much hotter than others. Some are more humid. The rainy season can be hugely disruptive. Some mountainous areas are very cold during cooler months. Broadly speaking, November to February is the best and busiest period in Southeast Asia, with excellent weather. March, April and May can be very hot. And the rainy season typically runs from June until October. Of course, this depends upon exactly where you’re traveling. Different nations (and different parts of different nations) have different climates and different weather patterns. So make sure you check the weather according to where you’ll be, and when you’re planning to be there. WeatherSpark is a great resource for doing exactly that.
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Before you book any overnight stays, consider the type of accommodation you’re looking for. Southeast Asia (more than most places) offers a complete range of accommodation options. You can find backpacker budget dorms for a couple of dollars; you can find swanky private islands with endless privacy and luxury. And you can find everything in between. But here’s one of the region’s big perks: Southeast Asia offers many high-end resorts without outrageously-expensive prices. Here, for example, are the best places to stay in Cambodia—and as you can see, it’s easy to find lots of affordable elegance. No matter where you stay and what type of accommodation you stay in, it’s best to book in advance. If you don’t, you might wind up staying somewhere subpar—and if you arrive at your chosen accommodation without a reservation, they may have no space for you. That’s especially true during the busy season.
TWO BEDROOM POOL VILLA – AMBER KAMPOT
BOOK ANY OTHER EXPERIENCES OR CONVENIENCES
Another important part of planning your trip to Southeast Asia! Depending upon how much luxury you want (and how much of a fuss-free experience you want), there are other advance bookings you should think about making:
Travel: some travelers explore Southeast Asia exclusively by airplane. Others use buses and trains. Some ride with private drivers. But if you want a guarantee of privacy and comfort, it’s best to book your travel in advance. You can do this with online portals such as Bookaway or 12Go—or you can often ask your accommodations to do it for you. If you don’t book in advance, you might wind up unhappily crammed into the juddering confines of a hot and humid minibus.
Tours, trips and experiences: many travelers book these experiences spontaneously—but that can be stressful and fun-sapping, and can result in a bad experience. You should instead book in advance, using either a well-known experience provider (like Viator or GetYourGuide), or by asking your hotel to help you. At Amber Kampot, for example, we offer authentic local-led experiences including kayaking, river cruises, eating adventures, and trips to markets and temples.
Wellness packages: if you’re traveling to Southeast Asia, you probably want some luxury—and you can find plenty of it. Across the region, you can enjoy massages, spa treatments, facials, body scrubs, spas, saunas, and more. At Amber Kampot, we offer a wide package of unique and bespoke wellness treats and treatments.
YOGA, A WELLNESS OPTION WHILE IN ASIA
HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO SOUTHEAST ASIA: OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
To round things off, here’s a swift list of other things you’ll need to buy, plan and consider:
Travel insurance: don’t plan a trip without it. If you’re taking a longer trip (or an open-ended trip), you have options like WorldNomads or SafetyWing. If you’re taking a regular-length trip, a standard but reliable provider is fine.
Proof of onward travel: this isn’t always necessary, but it’s a good idea. Some countries will ask for proof of planned departure before they’ll allow you to enter their borders. Any land or air ticket is fine.
Things to pack: pack mosquito spray, sunscreen, and some aftersun lotion. And ensure you have the correct plug adaptors for wherever you’re visiting.
Medications: if you use any regular medications, bring them with you. You might not be able to get them in Southeast Asia, where rules around medications can be tricky.
HOW TO PLAN A TRIP TO SOUTHEAST ASIA: FINAL THOUGHTS
Okay, that’s us done—and that’s everything you need to know about how to plan a trip to Southeast Asia!
For more information on traveling in and around the region, read our guides on the best countries to visit in Southeast Asia, and our list of Cambodia travel tips. And if you’re looking for a luxurious place to stay, we recommend our award-winning high-end resort.
Thanks for reading, thanks for choosing Amber Kampot, and we hope you have an incredible vacation.