Last April, my family and I went on a 12-day trip to the most popular destinations in Southeast Asia. Cu Chi Tunnels in Vietnam, Angkor Complex in Cambodia, Phi Phi Islands in Thailand, and Batu Caves in Malaysia. So before I forget all the whatnots of our trip, I’m gonna dump an overview (minus the expenses) of where we went and some tips for families traveling with toddlers.
Itinerary
| DAY | DESCRIPTION | DEPART | ARRIVE |
| Day 1 | Manila to Saigon (plane) | 10:45 PM | 12:20 AM |
| Day 2 | Saigon tour | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Day 3 | AM: Travel to Phnom Penh (bus) / PM: Phnom Penh tour | 7:00 AM | 1:00 PM |
| Day 4 | AM: Killing Fields + S-21 Prison / PM: Travel to Siem Reap (bus) | 2:00 PM | 10:00 PM |
| Day 5 | Siem Reap tour | 5:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| Day 6 | Siem Reap to Phuket (plane) | 8:30 AM | 10:00 AM |
| Day 7 | Island hop | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Day 8 | Free day | — | — |
| Day 9 | Tour around Phuket | 8:00 AM | 5:00 PM |
| Day 10 | Free day | — | — |
| Day 11 | AM: Phuket to KL (plane) / PM: KL tour | 8:10 AM | 10:45 AM |
| Day 12 | KL to Manila (plane) | 12:45 PM | 4:45 PM |
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
How long did we stay: 2 nights
Where we stayed: New Saigon Hostel 2
Tips: Make sure that your host knows you’re arriving or have its contact details handy. We had difficulties in locating our hostel and we spent almost an hour before we found it. Bring water and portable fan for your little ones when exploring the Cu Chi Tunnels. It can really be exhausting even for adults.
Where we went:
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- Lamphat Handicrafts
- War Museum
- Ben Thanh Market
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
How long did we stay: 1 night
Where we stayed: RS III Hostel (Supposedly. I also don’t have photos as we were transferred to a different hostel when we arrived.)
Tips: Check whether your arrival falls on a holiday. Happened to us. Most of the establishments are closed and there are limited vehicles operating when we arrived, which resorted to us paying more just so we can continue on with our trip.
Where we went:
- Royal Palace
- Tonle Sap Riverside
- Choeung Ek Genocidal Center aka Killing Fields
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum aka S-21 Prison
Siem Reap, Cambodia
How long did we stay: 2 nights
Where we stayed: Bayon Shadow Villa
Tips: Again, check whether you’re arriving on a national holiday. It was the Khmer New Year. As expected, we got wet several times. Not complaining but we could have had more fun had we prepared for it. Food is really expensive in Cambodia. You pay in USD and your change will be in Cambodian Riel.
The Khmer New Year or Songkran or Water Festival is also observed and celebrated by other countries in Southeast Asia like Thailand and Malaysia.
Where we went:
- Angkor Complex temples
- Pub Street
Phuket, Thailand
How long did we stay: 5 nights
Where we stayed: The Beach Boutique House
Tips: There are plenty of travel agencies, usually in tiny booths, offering tours along the main roads of Phuket. Ask, haggle, and compare their rates. Don’t settle for the food you can order in restaurants. Some of the most delectable Thai dishes are cooked in the streets, on mobile carts.
Where we went:
- Kata Beach
- Kata Night Market
- Chaofa Weekend Market
- Big Buddha
- Wat Chalong
- Phi Phi Islands tour
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
How long did we stay: 1 night
Where we stayed: The Bed KLCC
Tips: If you’re traveling in a group, especially with a kid in tow, consider ordering a Grab instead of riding the trains in KL. You’d be surprised by how much time and money you can save.
Where we went:
- Batu Caves
- Petronas Towers
Excited to learn more about how we traveled from one country to another? Abang-abang na lang muna ulit for my next Southeast Asia posts.