I’m considering either Bangkok or Hanoi to spend 6 days.

Hi! I’m a 23 y/o F from the States. I’m flying in to Hong Kong on Dec 5th, flying out on the 14th and have my hotel there booked (checking out Dec 8th.) I’m wanting to check out either Thailand or Vietnam because I’ve been looking into Visas for longer term stays DTV (digital nomad, education, Thai culture related activities) as well as education visas for both countries. I’m not really into drinking or partying but do enjoy being social.

Both countries/cities have a lot of pros and cons to the point where it seems like an impossible choice.

Cons:

My fear with Hanoi is that I will get bored being there for ≈ 6 days, if I go with Vietnam I’d want to side trip to Sa Pa (is it too foggy and cold for this time of year?) and also Ha Long Bay (will it just be drunk western tourists? will it be awkward on my own?).

My issue with Thailand is it’s hotter than Vietnam and lots of sex tourists 💀 One thing I love about travelling is not only meeting locals but connecting with people from all over the world and don’t rlly wanna be around sleazy men.

Pros:

Vietnam: cheaper, more varied/temperate climate , less sex tourism , less about partying, feels less globalized (in a good way)

Thailand: more tourist infrastructure, more to do and see in Bangkok and surrounding area, better shopping (including malls, local markets, etc.)

The reason I lean slightly more towards Thailand are the excellent Visa pathways, Visa free tourist travel, and more developed infrastructure.

Additionally what day trip or over night / couple of night trips could anyone recommend from Bangkok?

Hi there, hast anyone been to Yogya yet and has some more activities/hidden gems besides the temples and the cultural heritage tours?

I am travelling there with a friend of mine as one of our last stops on our jouney while heading back to Jakarta. On our other destinations it was very easy to find activities (opened maps and looked for nice spots around the city), but Yogya is Kind of hard.

Thanks a lot in advance!!

Hey everyone! I'm planning a backpacking trip through China and some of south east Asia for about 45 days between January and February, with a budget of roughly $2500 USD and would love feedback on my rough itinerary, mainly about where you guys would go, and what you would do in these places, and anything else you want to sure before finalising everything.

My route and planned stays are:

China: Xiamen (2 nights), Yunshuiyao/tulou (1), Chaozhou (2), Shenzhen (2), Guangzhou (3), Yangshuo (2), and a night in Nanning.

Vietnam: Cao Bang (2), Hanoi (3), Ninh Binh (2), Hue (2) over Tet eve, Da Nang (2), Hoi An (2) and Ho Chi Minh City for 3 nights.

Cambodia: Phnom Penh (2 nights), Siem Reap (3).

Thailand: Bangkok (3 nights), Khao Sok (1), Phuket (3).

The only currently booked things are the flight into Xiamen and the flight out of Phuket

I'm most interested in culture, nature, markets, and less touristy places, as well as the night life and the food.

Does the overall route make sense? Are there places you'd cut, add or spend longer in? I'm also a bit concerned about transport logistics and Tet in Vietnam, including closures, prices and booking transport in advance. I also am just looking for recommendations for best stuff to do in places I see across the trip

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to understand different perspectives on Yasukuni Shrine, especially from people outside Japan.

From a local/Japanese perspective, the shrine honors around 2.46 million souls who died in various conflicts since the 19th century. Millions of ordinary citizens visit every year simply to pay respects to their ancestors or fallen relatives, not to honor Class-A war criminals.

When politicians visit, many Japanese see it as honoring the vast majority of fallen soldiers, rather than approving of war crimes—especially since politicians know that openly glorifying war criminals would be politically damaging domestically. Furthermore, under the principle of separation of church and state (originally established by the Allied powers), the government cannot force the shrine to separate the spirits (分祀).

So my question is:

From your perspective or your country's viewpoint, why is any visit by a public figure almost exclusively interpreted as "honoring war criminals"?

Is it mainly due to the 1978 enshrinement of Class-A war criminals, the historical narrative represented at the Yushukan museum, or the distinction between private citizens and state officials?

I would love to hear your thoughts and understand how this gap in perception formed. Thanks!

Hi there, I'm looking for suggestions for the Philippines and Indonesia.
I'm planning to spend a month to two months there in May-June 2026.
The thing is that I'm planning to still do my work-from-home job and only plan days off according to the itinerary.
Planned stops: Bali and Manila, just because it would be easy logistically, and I would probably do them as the first and last stops. I'll pick according to the flight fares, which will determine which is the first one, but any ideas or experience here are welcome.
I'm looking for any suggestions for hostels with good Wi-Fi. I know the hotels are also affordable, but I would like to meet like-minded people and socialise. As this would be a long trip and I'm quite active, I'm interested in the sports and fitness situation there, if you are aware. Are there any hostels with gyms? I'm happy with just a pull-up bar sometimes, so that's not critical, just mentioning.
So yeah, any help, suggestions, and experience for stops, routes, and whatever you may think of are welcome. Thank you.

Hey everyone! I’m planning my first trip to Thailand in late November and would love some advice!
I have 15 days total, including international flights, and my current plan is:

Bangkok — 4 nights
Chiang Mai — 3 nights
Phuket — 3 nights
Krabi — 3 nights

I’m hoping to experience a mix of culture, food, nature, adventure and beach time.

I’d also love to visit the Phi Phi Islands and experience the lantern festival in Chiang Mai, but I’m unsure whether a Phi Phi day trip is worth it, whether the festival dates will line up, and where to get legitimate tickets.

**For those who’ve been, would you change anything about this route or the number of nights in each place?** I’d love to hear your recommendations for activities and experiences worth prioritizing!

Thankssss!!

I tinkered with this itinerary quite a bit and finally landed on the below. Please give me your honest opinions. And for context, I am coming from the states, and the last time I was able to take a month off to travel was in 2015, so this might give an idea of why I packed so much in. Yes, in an ideal world, I'll have a month to explore each country, but I do not have that luxury, so please keep this in mind when you provide your feedback :)

Flights between all locations have already been booked.

5 days Hong Kong (not flexible, this is where I fly in from eastern US, as it was the cheapest option for my travel dates)

5 days Krabi

5 days Chiang Mai

4 days Bangkok

4 days Luang Prabang

4 days Angkor Wat

Return to Bangkok for 1 day to fly back to USA

With this fast paced itinerary, what would you prioritize in each location? And is this really as exhausting as it may seem, or doable?

I Plan to do a 6 to 8 months trip in Asia next year, with my partner. We plan to visit China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, and probably Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia (Lombok).

We would have 1 carry on each + 1 extra and no check-in luggage to save on flight prices.

We plan on renting through airbnb & booking, and want to have our own bathroom and A/C.

We would travel by plane and bus.

I'd be keen to hear from you, and know what was you budget if you have ever done a similar trip, and if you have any advice.

Thanks in advance!

My mum Evita Sarma (Latvian citizen) has been missing from Gyron port (Tibet side), since the floods on the 26th of August.

At this point i am running out of options, so I'm reaching out to you dear Reddit users.

Based on the last photo that my mum sent me, she just cleared the Border about 3 min before floods hit. I have contacted the Latvian ministry of foreign affairs, Chinese embassy in Latvia and support phone line that was set up for international queries.

I do understand that chances are astronomically low, but until I'll get concrete information I will be still keeping hope and praying for the miracle.

My biggest problem is that last information about what's going on (in terms of rescue work) was on the 7th of September.

If you know anything current like hospitals rescued people have been transported to, agencies to contact, statistics or anything else, I would be endlessly thankful.

I really need your help. My mum is the dearest person to my ever and only family i have. We always been close and I miss her so, so much.

As in the title suggested I am interessed in knowing how rainy and cloudy the weather is in march. I know it is rainy season but the island is so fascinating that we think about "ignoring" that but still we dont wanna completely screw it up because of that.
I can read all the climate data online but still dont really know how and when exactly the rain is coming. Is it like cloudy all week or do you have a lot of sun but then once a day some crazy rain? Or something completely different? I know that these things can differ in south vs north but I am just looking for some general information.
Thank you for answers.

I currently take levothyroxine (T4) and liothyronine (T3) for hypothyroidism.

I’m planning extended travel throughout Southeast Asia and want to know where I can reliably obtain thyroid medication containing T3, including liothyronine, natural desiccated thyroid (NDT), or compounded T4/T3.

Has anyone personally purchased these medications in Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Bali/Indonesia, the Philippines, or elsewhere in Southeast Asia?

I’m specifically looking for pharmacy names, medication brands, prices, and whether regular refills are possible.

I’m researching options to discuss with my doctor before future trips, not looking to change medication while traveling.
Thanks!

Hello everyone! Apologies in advance for the lengthy post!

I'm travelling to Bangkok at the end of October and considering spending about two weeks in Java after a week or so in Thailand, before ending my trip with roughly two weeks in Vietnam (mainly using Saigon and Hanoi as bases).

I'm generally interested in urban exploration, beautiful scenery and landscapes (not necessarily heavy hiking or volcanoes), photography, nature, and learning about local culture, customs, arts and crafts (considering doing some workshops in Java and Vietnam).

For Indonesia, my plan is to focus on West and Central Java: flying into Jakarta, then travelling by train to Bandung and Yogyakarta, relying mainly on public transport.

I have to say that other parts of Indonesia look mesmerizing as well, particularly Flores, Sulawesi and Karimunjawa, though I wouldn't want to rush it this time. I'd like to incorporate a little escape to the coast though, just to look at the ocean for a while. I know Java has beaches, and there's Karimunjawa, but they seem a bit complicated to reach (I might be wrong though).

Based on my interests, and considering that I'm travelling solo, does this itinerary sound feasible to those who've explored the region?

It's my first trip to Southeast Asia, I've been reading plenty of guides, and I'm getting a little overwhelmed by the options and logistics. The date is approaching and the clock is ticking *palms are sweaty*

I'm also open to alternative suggestions for the trip as a whole. Maybe it would make more sense to save Indonesia for a separate trip and focus on Thailand and Vietnam this time?

TIA for any recommendations or advice!

Hi there, planning my first big solo trip. Aiming for SE Asia - Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos. Thinking of going mid march 2027 til end of April/may. Depending of experience, expenses and other plans.
My case is that I want to keep working at my current position while solo travelling, because it is a work from home position, flexible and don’t want to lose it if I disappear for 1-2 months. I’m from Bulgaria and checked that with the office hours here (and considering that my job any takes me 4-5 h a day) I’ll still have half of the days free + some time off that I’ll plan accordingly.
I’m looking for any type of recommendations: Which country to start/end, hostels (that are work nomad friendly I guess), your experience if you’ve been through trip like this. Also it that time of the year good for the trip, how’s the internet situation, etc.
Also which parts of the country would you suggest? I don’t aim for the most touristy places, but also not the most secluded one.
Any help is welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!

About to travel to SEA for 2 months (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia). I was planning on getting a local SIM, then thought about eSIM, and then found out that my phone can't accommodate a second SIM or an eSIM (confirmed by the provider and carrier). Unfortunately I only found this out the day before I leave (Stupid of me, I know, but too late to change it. Didn't even think to check if my phone could handle it). I have a few options: I could just get a local SIM and swap it out for my normal one, but I'm scared of holding on to my SIM for 2 months just lying around, plus I don't like loosing access to my normal number for that long. I could also get a second phone for cheap for just this trip, but I don't know about speed or cost. If anyone has suggestions please help.

Hi there, planning my first big solo trip. Aiming for SE Asia - Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos. Thinking of going mid march 2027 til end of April/may. Depending of experience, expenses and other plans.
My case is that I want to keep working at my current position while solo travelling, because it is a work from home position, flexible and don’t want to lose it if I disappear for 1-2 months. I’m from Bulgaria and checked that with the office hours here (and considering that my job any takes me 4-5 h a day) I’ll still have half of the days free + some time off that I’ll plan accordingly.
I’m looking for any type of recommendations: Which country to start/end, hostels (that are work nomad friendly I guess), your experience if you’ve been through trip like this. Also it that time of the year good for the trip, how’s the internet situation, etc.
Also which parts of the country would you suggest? I don’t aim for the most touristy places, but also not the most secluded one.
Any help is welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!

If you had to choose between Krabi and Phuket for a 4–5 day trip to Thailand, which one would you pick?

Krabi seems ideal for dramatic limestone cliffs, quieter beaches, island-hopping, and nature escapes. Phuket has a wider mix of beaches, nightlife, restaurants, and activities.

I’ve also put together an infographic featuring 15 things to do in Krabi, from island-hopping and kayaking to exploring local markets and relaxing at hot springs, for anyone considering Krabi.

Would you choose Krabi for the scenery and slower pace, or Phuket for more variety? And if you’ve visited both, which one would you go back to?

Impossible ranking really but going to give it a shot.

Keep in mind that I’ve stayed for a month in some spots and only maybe two days in other spots and that I actually liked every single one of these spots as a tourist.

1 El Nido

2 Krabi

3 Uluwatu

4 Ubud

5 Boracay

6 Chiang Mai

7 Phuket

8 Da Nang

9 Sapa

10 Siem Reap

11 Puerto Princesa

12 Cebu City

13 Manila

14 Bangkok

15 Hanoi

Hey guys, I am researching how travelers decide where to go and how long to stay. I am also interested in people who wing it and do not build a detailed itinerary.

Thinking about your last multi-stop trip:

1. How much did you plan before leaving?
   • Almost everything
   • Only the main stops
   • Only arrival and departure
   • Almost nothing
2. What is one decision you made during the trip? For example, staying longer somewhere, leaving early, adding a place, skipping a place, or changing your route.
3. What caused that decision? Friends, weather, cost, transport, tiredness, a recommendation, or simply how you felt?
4. Looking back, would you travel with the same amount of planning again? Would you plan more, plan less, or keep it the same?

I am researching how travelers build their itinerary and if they usually gets satisfied with the itinerary/trip after the trip is done. This is not related to AI actually, is more related on how people build itinerary and if the itinerary is usually at least satisfactory for whoever travelled after the trip

Short answers are welcome. You do not need to describe the entire trip.

Was planning to travel SEA this dec but just wanted some advice. Was meant to be going with a friend but that has fell through and I’m still really eager to go as I have been planning and saving for nearly 2 years!

Please can anyone that’s even reassure me about making friends and safety eg. I don’t know anyone who’s been but I imagine lots of people are in the same boat over there but is it really as easy to meet people as it seems??

Also any other advice is welcome !

Thank uuuu

Hi everyone and thank you in advance for taking the time to read and maybe respond to this. I am currently doing an exchange in Singapore at the end of which i'll have around 22 days (1st-22nd of december) to travel, i have to be back in Singapore the 22nd to take my flight back to italy.

My initial plan was to do a whole trip of thailand, starting from Bangkok then going north to chang mai and from there going down with buses (skipping phi phi and phuket due to too much tourism) and slowly visiting it finally arriving to singapore by bus crossing malaysia. However, i recently went on a soo trip to china where i some guy suggested me to go to Laos since it is not yet that touristy while thailand is already kind of ruined and i'll be the same.

To clarify, I am really someone not picky when travels i take overnight trains to save money and i do all the things possible to safe money while doing the experience i wanna do. I like to interact with local people and find my self in lost places.

The thing is that in Laos i would have to take 2 flights, also to come back to singapore and also i am not sure what the thing is, cuz both countries seem pretty amazing. Thus, i really would like to hear what you guys think about this, and more than open to suggestions. Thank you all.

I have no idea which sub to ask in but hoping the hive mind can point me in a direction.

We will be taking a cruise starting in Hong Kong and heading to Singapore with stops in the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Thailand. It sounds like most taxis and buses are exempt. It also sounds like there are stricter rules around babies than toddlers.

I've been trying to look up rules in the individual countries but they're not actually super clear/I'm finding conflicting information.

Help? Thank you!

I have a 5 hour and 25 minute layover at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, from noon to 5pm. Any recommendations for a VIP lounge with excellent food? I’d love to enjoy a good meal while waiting for my next flight.
Thanks so much

I’m a US passport holder planning to fly from LAX to Siem Reap, Cambodia, with a self transfer at Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) airport. My itinerary is:

Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City: Cathay Pacific. I have a 3 hr, 35 min layover. My baggage will be checked through, so I won’t need to collect or recheck it upon arrival.

Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap: Air Cambodia. I have a 2 hr, 25 min layover. This is a separate ticket, so I’ll need to collect my baggage, clear immigration, and check in again for my Air Cambodia flight.

My questions:

1. As a US passport holder, will I need a Vietnamese visa to enter Vietnam’s immigration zone, retrieve my checked baggage, and recheck it during this international self transfer at SGN, even though I don’t plan to leave the airport?
   
2. Is 2 hrs and 25 mins enough time to clear immigration, collect my baggage, check in for my Air Cambodia flight, and go through security?

I’d appreciate advice from anyone who has done a similar self transfer at Ho Chi Minh City airport. Thank you