- Anfal Sheyx
- Jun 12
- 9 min read
Updated: Jun 13

Boarding my 12 hour flight to Hanoi, not knowing what was waiting for me (aside from the one week of accommodation I’d booked in a party hostel) was one of the most surreal moments of my life. Yes – I had travelled, as a 20 something girl I had been lucky to experience the world; family holidays to far flung places, not to mention the oh - so famous girls trips abroad as I got older. I had even dared in my early 20s to solo travel to neighboring countries, dipping my toe outside my comfort zone on my year abroad in Europe. But to travel alone – armed with nothing but my small backpack (which would become far too small before the trip was over) and my belief that I could accomplish this, was a much more intimidating task than I believed.
I had first started planning my trip a year before I left. It started off small as I hypothetically asked myself which part of the world would I want to see most? Those questions spread to when would I go? And for how long? And before I knew it my friends were amazed at the itinerary I had amassed in my notes app: pages and pages detailing where I’d stay and what I would do, even a map with a drawn out route for me to take, but remember – this was all hypothetical. That was until the turn of the year, when the clock rang to bring in 2025, I decided I want this year to be different and that my vision board full of travel would have to become a reality.
Hanoi, Vietnam
Landing in Hanoi, tired from my flight and being yet unable to navigate my way around, was a harsh beginning. Yet my arrival at my friendly hostel via Grab (a helpful taxi app popular in South East Asia) and the subsequent week proved to be worth my journey. Staying in Mad Monkey Hanoi and being only minutes away from the famous Pub Street was a highlight, as well as the coconut and egg coffees of Vietnam which quickly became a favourite.
I had decided before the start of my trip to travel for a total of 2 months, starting in north Vietnam and moving south before jumping to Cambodia and up to Laos, to North Thailand and down to the islands before ending my trip in Bali. I had resolved early on to stay around a week in each location, simultaneously afraid of burning myself out and/or losing interest in my travels.
Very much a city hub, Hanoi was great for shopping. Streets lined with lululemon and Kipling bags as well as hand woven and crochet bags lined the streets. If you could be careful enough to avoid the scooters, you could even catch a water puppet show in town, I recommend catching dinner at one of the famous Met restaurants in town before heading to Train Street to catch a showing of the train (be careful where you stand!) and then going to Pub Street for a few drinks.
Something to think about when you start out your travels is how to stay connected to home. A lot of travellers I met relied on Esims such as Airalo or Nomad which worked well for them, and while I initially tried this it didn’t work the best for me (some Esims may be incompatible with some phones or unreliable) so for the rest of my trip I decided to sim cards to make sure I was able to stay in touch. Many sim card providers can be found in 711s all throughout South East Asia, as well as in airports when you first arrive. If unsure I would recommend asking the front desk at your accommodation where you might be able to find a sim card and be sure to ask for the data only package to get a better deal!
While in Hanoi you could also check out Ha Long bay or Ninh Bihn, as well as look into doing the Ha Giang loop which can usually be booked through your hostel or accommodation.
Hoi an, Vietnam
Having loved my time in Hanoi I headed south to Hoi An. While a lot of sleeper buses are available to tourists and usually work well, to save time in my travels I opted to fly everywhere so my arrival to Hoi An actually came through Da Nang and from there I easily booked a taxi via Grab to take me to my hostel in Hoi An. Mad Monkey Hoi An was a great hostel which was super social and hosted nightly events making it easy to meet people.
Having stayed there for a week, I enjoyed a cooking class and a day trip to Ba Na Hills which houses the famous Golden Hands Bridge. I also had fun exploring Hoi An itself; from An Bang Beach to the lantern festivals wherein you can join in on the boats and release a lantern on the water to make a wish. As for the nightlife in Hoi An, expect to find fun at Tiger Tiger Bar and don’t be afraid to join in on the hostel bar crawls!
If you have time, an amazing souvenir would be some tailored clothes, I recommend Canali Clotheshop in town for the best quality and tailoring. Another thing to note about Hoi An is the high number of thefts or muggings via scooters and taxis, I was always advised by other travellers and my hostel to book through Grab to ensure my safety on nights out and throughout my visit.
After my time in Hoi An, I headed for Siem Reap. My trip only being 2 months long I opted to skip Ho Chi Mihn City. Another helpful hint I gathered from other travellers is that people tend to travel in Vietnam South to North as Ho Chi Mihn city is described as calm and as a good starting point before moving to Hoi An and Hanoi, both of which get increasingly busier.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
My arrival into Siem Reap initially was hectic, as a I booked a tuk-tuk to take me to my hostel without being aware of the city wide celebration of the Cambodian New Year – a tradition which lasts 3 days in the middle of April and which aims to wash away the negative of the past year through water. So, as I arrived into Siem Reap I was immediately hit with water guns from every angle as people of all ages celebrated this tradition, being able to join in the next night remains to be one of my favourite memories.
After its new year celebration Siem Reap proved to be a very calm and beautiful city. Its main attraction is the Angkor Wat Temple built in the early 12th century and immortalized on the Cambodian flag. Booked through my hostel (Mad Monkey Siem Reap) I was able to take a day tour visiting it as well as the surrounding temples. If allowed a little more time in Cambodia, I would make my way south to Phnom Penh to see the Killing Fields and then from there take the journey to Ko Rong Island in time for the Nestival celebration which falls on Saturdays.
Luang Prabang & Vang Vieng, Laos
After a relaxing time in Siem Reap I was excited to explore Luang Prabang. Initially hesitant to travel to Loas because of reported methanol poisonings in that area, I decided to go because I was so eager to see that part of the world. My hostel (Once again Mad Monkey Luang Prabang) was amazing and organized a trip to Kuang Si waterfalls which was a dream come true!
I had also decided to travel to Vang Vieng in Laos that weekend (which was highly recommended to me by other travellers!) instead of spending the entire week purely in Luang Prabang. My hostel was great in arranging my travel and my accommodation there in Mad Monkey Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng in Laos is known for its beautiful mountains and its hot air balloons which I eagerly tried after my arrival! This can also be booked through my hostel and with the addition of tipsy tubing if you want to try that too!
My week in Laos was perfect and I wouldn’t change a thing! A few days in Luang Prabang was perfect to get to know the area and then Vang Vieng was a short train (only an hour or so) away. One important thing to note is if you plan to travel to Laos is that instead of Grab app (which works in: Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand excl. Koh Phanghan, and Indonesia) Laos has its own travel apps called Loca and Xanh SM. Another popular way to travel around if via tuk-tuks or vans that will usually pick up 8 – 12 people outside train stations and airports, and while this was useful, I was vary as a female solo traveller and leaned on the side of caution by always booking via an app.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
After a great time in Laos, I headed to Chiang Mai. Being so eager to explore Thailand and wanting a more relaxed vibe I stayed in The Yard Hostel which was a great addition to my trip. One of my main goals in Thailand was to visit an elephant sanctuary which I was also lucky enough to be able to book through my hostel. Elephant Nature Park was ethical in its treatment of their animals and was a great experience overall as we spent the day watching and following the elephants, learning about their life stories and daily lives.
Chiang Mai also has tipsy tubing experiences, water parks and a great night market which I definitely recommend trying out.
Phuket & the Islands, Thailand
After my time in Chiang Mai, I headed straight to the south to Phuket. Given more time Bangkok would be a great stop for a few days where you can explore Chatuchak Market and stay in hostels like Mad Monkey Bangkok or The Yard Hostel Bangkok.
Phuket proved to be beautiful with its beaches and old town where you could relax and shop for days. I spent a couple days exploring here before I decided to fly to Koh Samui, an island just off the coast of Thailand. Koh Samui was one of my favourite parts of my trip, I stayed in SocialTel Hostel which was near the centre and close to the beach bars like Ark Bar which hosted nightly fire shows, as well as being close to Sound Club which was a great spot for nightlife. SocialTel Hostel was also close to Samui Central, a mall which hosted day and night markets which lots of souvenirs and great food.
If inclined, you could also take a short ferry to Ko Tao to explore another island, or Koh Phi Phi which lives on the other side of Phuket. Samui is also a popular place to stay during the Full Moon Party celebrations on Koh Phanghan which happens monthly. Only a thirty minute ferry from Haad Rin pier in Koh Phanghan, Koh Samui is the perfect place to stay if you don’t want to stay on the Full Moon Party island itself. Transport can usually be booked through your accommodation, and you’ll be dropped off only a five minute walk away from Haad Rin beach where the party happens on Koh Phanghan.
One thing to note is that a lot of thefts usually happen during the Full Moon Party so be sure to be aware of your belongings and to maybe bring a spare along on your trip. I took out a certain amount of cash as well as one my bank cards and left my ID and other cards at home, I recommend doing the same.
Bali, Indonesia
After my time in Koh Samui I travelled to Bali, Indonesia. Had I had more time I might have gone from the Islands in south Thailand to Singapore and Malaysia for a few days but I enjoyed my time in Koh Samui so much I stayed 2 weeks instead of the allotted on 1 and thus headed straight to Bali. I recommend staying in Ubud and exploring the centre where you can see a selection of waterfalls and monkey forests. I spent a few days staying in the Arya Wellness Retreat, a female only hostel which offers complimentary daily massages as well as manicures and pedicures. You can also visit the Water Temple and Ubud Temple in the town centre – a perfect way to finish off your trip!
Some of the best parts of my trip have been meeting other travellers in hostels or bars and immediately bonding over our trips and often times overlapping journeys. A great tip I picked up is to book your accommodation through your current accommodation. For example, Mad Monkey hostels had a discount if you book your stay directly through their reception, and they also had an app which allows you to collect points and get perks as you make your way through your trip. They also have passes for 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days which can be helpful if you know your route and duration of travel.
Somehow, boarding my 12 hour flight back I was both relieved that I would be going home, and sad that my adventure was over. But, if like me you want to explore the world but you’re not sure exactly where to start, I hope this guide has given you enough information (and hopefully inspiration) to take the leap for yourself.