Hi Everyone,

At this point I`m going to do the typical thing and say I`m new, and would love some help/feedback.
I have this plan of traveling Asia and I have no idea where to start or how to go about it. At this point i was thinking of starting in North Vietnam heading south, going to Cambodia, Laos, North Thailand then heading South and into Malaysia. Ideally i think i would like to buy a small car for this. Is any of this sounding practical at this point. Can a single female travel alone safely...?
Any help, suggestions, ideas would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks so much!

Hi Steph, the best thing we found was to plan a loose route with a few things included that you definitely want to do (like Angkor Wat, Full Moon Party, Halong Bay etc...). Once you get there you will find there is a well trodden route in both directions through the more popular places, leaving you to just take it at your own pace. Its nice to not have a schedule to stick to so you can put your bags down and chill for a week or two if you really like somewhere.

One thing to budget and plan for is Visa's! We found it best to sort them before you get to the border, each country that you mention have embassies for the other countries and a lot of guesthouses and travel agencies will arrange them for you as well.

As for getting a car, I drove from Phuket to Bangkok without crashing. Most of the roads are fine if you are a confident driver, but I wouldn't recommend doing it if you are a more timid driver. Stay out out of Bangkok though, it's far too easy to get lost and then have to follow a road for miles before you can turn off!

Hi Steph,

All that sounds not only practical, but really good fun! I've never done it myself, but you need to check out the intricacies of the law in each country in terms of owning and driving a vehicle (registering it, etc), and also taking the vehicle across borders.

The following advice assumes you are either from the UK or the US.

Some visas you will need to arrange beforehand, such as Vietnam. Laos and Cambodia no need (30 days can be obtained on the border (on arrival)) but depends where you will be crossing the border (check with embassy if not sure). Thailand depends on how long you want to stay. You can get a 15 day visa exempt permission to stay on the border, so if you need longer than that, arrange a 2 month tourist visa at the embassy before you enter Thailand. Malaysia no probs for anything less than 90 days (on arrival).

I think the only thing you need to plan carefully is the purchase and registering of a vehicle (which may take time), and subsequent border crossings.

In terms of driving in Asia, maybe I've been here too long now but it doesn't bother me at all. I guess if you are not used to driving in any country, you need to be careful. Avoid driving at night if possible due to overworked haulage drivers tending to fall asleep at the wheel of their juggernauts, all too often ending in tragedy.

In terms of being a female, I wouldn't be overly concerned. Same dangers apply here as apply at home. Just be careful and doubly so at night.

All that said, it sounds fantastic. I hope you really enjoy yourself.

Hi Stephanie,

It's better if you travel by plane, bus or train instead of buying a car.
When you are in Vietnam, you can rent a motobike ($10 - $12/ day) or bike ($6/ day). Exploring Vietnam by motobike or bike is really fun.

Vietnam is one of the most peaceful country in the world. Believe me. I'm living here and found nothing in Vietnam is like BBC or CNN breaking news on TV everyday.

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You can hire a car in Cambodia, but I really wouldn't recommend it! The roads are bad, the police are corrupt and riding a motorcycle is much more fun!

I would recommend staying in Cambodia for as long as possible, it's a fantastic country and one that most travelers say 'I wished we stayed in Cambodia for longer!'

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