Hello! Our names are Morgan and Maddy, and we have recently returned from a 2-month trip in Southeast Asia. We visited Bali, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia.
We had many amazing experiences, visiting beautiful places and learning so much about the rich history and culture.
Bali:
We started our trip off in Bali, the tourist capital of Indonesia. For the first week away, we spent time sunbathing on beautiful beaches, visiting a sacred monkey forest, and exploring the local streets of Kuta.
We also decided to go on a sunrise hike of one of Bali’s tallest mountains, Mt. Batur. While it was challenging, hiking the steep hill in the darkness of the early morning, the 360-degree views of the island were stunning and well worth it.
Thailand:
Next, we landed in Phuket, Thailand. We stayed in the beach town of Patong for a few nights and spent time wandering through local markets and enjoying the bustling nightlife.
Koh Samui was our next stop. The island was bordered by pristine beaches and filled with vibrant restaurants, Buddhist temples, and waterfalls. Our favourite experience here was a tour of Ang Thong Marine Park: an archipelago of islands harbouring great spots for kayaking and breath-taking mountaintop views.
We then headed further north to Chiang Mai. We loved exploring the old city with its historic temples and landmarks. We walked with elephants in the jungle, learned to cook the local cuisine at a cooking class, and had a fun day at the Grand Canyon waterpark.
Laos:
We then travelled from Thailand to Laos. We crossed the border on land and embarked on a 2-day slow boat journey along the Mekong River into Luang Prabang. In Luang Prabang, we visited Kuang Si waterfalls, where the water flows over limestone rocks giving it a bright blue colour. At the waterfalls, we also visited an animal sanctuary that looks after rescued moon bears, and a butterfly garden. In Laos, we also enjoyed shopping and eating at the night markets, exploring histo
rical temples and watching the sunset over the river.
Vietnam:
We arrived in Vietnam roughly one month into our trip. We started in Hanoi: the bustling capital city, where we explored pretty cafes, did some shopping, and visited historical sites.
We then enjoyed a 2-day cruise around Ha Long Bay, recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site, featuring an archipelago of 1,969 islands with cliffs and lush greenery. We spent our time kayaking, swimming, touring the islands, and eating plenty of locally caught and prepared seafood.
After a few more days exploring Hanoi, we headed up north to Sapa on an overnight train. A small town nestled high up in the mountains, we enjoyed the slower pace, cooler weather, and beautiful scenery. We wandered through a local village with picturesque rice terraces and visited the highest peak in Indochina.
From Sapa, we began travelling south down the country, via train and bus. Our first stop was Ninh Binh, where we were guided through the beautiful Trang An Caves. We then visited Hue, once the capital of Vietnam, which featured some of the country’s most beautiful historical landmarks, like the Imperial City. Hoi An was our next stop, where we enjoyed the local cuisine and got some clothes made by one of the many tailoring shops in the old town.
We then visited Nha Trang, a beachside city featuring skyscrapers along the waterfront. We bathed in a mud spa and visited VinWonders theme park, located on an island off the coast and was just a cable car ride away from the busy city. Our final stop in Vietnam was Ho Chi Minh, where we spent our time doing lots of shopping and visiting relics of the Vietnam War.
Cambodia
Cambodia was the final country we visited, and we started our stay in Phnom Penh, the capital city. We did some shopping at the central markets, attended a cooking class, and learnt about the history of the Khmer Rouge.
Our final destination was Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat, a collection of Ancient temples built in the 12th Century. We admired these temples on a sunrise bike tour and explored the surrounding jungle on a zipline tour. We spent our final few days enjoying the warm weather, swimming in the hotel pool and having a relaxing Khmer massage before beginning our journey back home to New Zealand.
Our two months in Southeast Asia was a life-changing experience filled with amazing adventures. World Travellers were so helpful with arranging our flights and insurance, and providing us with important information, which made our trip much easier and a lot more enjoyable! We are so thankful for their help in arranging this wonderful trip!