Three months is the natural length for Southeast Asia. It is long enough to cross the mainland overland, spend a week where two nights were planned, and still reach the islands; short enough that most visa allowances, savings and employers can stretch to it. The route below is the one we publish in full with stops, nights and budgets as Three Months in Southeast Asia; this guide explains the decisions behind it.
Direction and season
Start in November or December in Bangkok and move clockwise: north to Chiang Mai in the cool season, the slow boat into Laos, overland down Vietnam while the north is dry and the centre has passed its floods, Cambodia in the dry season, then south through Thailand's islands as they dry out in January and February, Malaysia, and Bali in time for the start of its dry season in April. Reverse it and you fight the weather at every border. The month pages show the climate normals behind this.
The budget
Our route costing puts the on-the-ground spend at about $2,700 for a dorm-and-street-food traveller, $5,400 mid-range and $11,500 comfortable, excluding long-haul flights. The spread between Laos and Cambodia (backpacker tier around $26 a day) and Bali or Malaysia ($30 to $35) is small; the big variables are flights within the region (three or four at $40 to $120 each), a Ha Long Bay cruise, a dive course on Koh Tao and the Ha Giang loop. Budget those as line items rather than hoping they fit.
Visas in one paragraph
Thailand's visa exemption (60 days for most Western passports, extendable once), Laos and Cambodia visas on arrival, Vietnam's e-visa applied for a week ahead, Malaysia's 90 days with the arrival card, Indonesia's visa on arrival. Check each passport in the Visa & Work Finder, which shows the official source and the date we last verified the rule.
Where people lose time
Island-hopping in the Gulf eats weeks; decide on one or two islands. Sleeper buses in Vietnam are cheap and awful; the train is worth the small premium. Border-town touts (Poipet, Chiang Khong, Moc Bai) sell transport that exists but is slower and pricier than the bus you can book yourself. The Ha Giang loop needs three to four days; do not try it in two.
Health and safety
Dengue is the regional constant; repellent in the evenings is not optional. Scooter accidents are the leading cause of injury among visitors, and most insurance policies exclude unlicensed riders. Methanol in cheap spirits has killed travellers in Laos and Indonesia; drink sealed, branded alcohol. See each country page for the specifics and the official advisory level.
How to stretch it
Drop Malaysia and Bali for a slower Vietnam and Cambodia. Replace Bali with the Philippines if water matters more than culture. Add a month in Chiang Mai with a Muay Thai or meditation course and treat it as a base. The Route Builder will recost any of these in seconds.
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