BACKPACKING: 5 ASEAN COUNTRIES FOR P25,000 (ALL-IN)

10:16:00 PM

10 DAYS, 5 COUNTRIES, 1 BACKPACK, AN ADVENTURE TO REMEMBER



Planning this entire trip is totally overwhelming. The excitement intensifies once you discover new places to go in the course of your planning. Imagine.. 5 countries in 10 days, a total of 6,970 miles. You have to list all the places you want to go, taking into consideration the time allocated in each destination. What you need in this kind of trip is intense research and well of course--- a budget, minimal but a conservative one.


People tell me that this trip is impossible. With just 25K? But what can I say? It's one hell of a budget trip! We really make the most of our resources to fully cram most of the cities' key highlights. So in this post, I will share to you an overview of our itinerary, breakdown of expenses and some snapshots of our trip. Ready? So, here it goes...


Day 1     CEBU>MANILA, MANILA>KUALA LUMPUR 
  • Flight to Manila (There are direct flights from Cebu to Kuala Lumpur. We opted this setting because the direct flights don't fall on our desired travel dates. So I bet you can still save further if you're from Manila or you choose the direct flights.)
  • Flight to Kuala Lumpur
  • Slept in KL airport (Slept in the airport since we arrived in KL at around 1 am. So, we just have to wait 'til morning to officially start our adventure.)

Day 2     KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA 
  • Bus from KL airport to KL Sentral
  • Shower and breakfast in KL Sentral (plus locker for baggages)
  • Batu Caves
  • Lunch
  • National Mosque, Merdeka Square, KL City Gallery, Petronas Towers
  • Dinner, shopping
  • Back to KL Sentral to get things, then to airport
*HIGHLIGHTS*
inside Batu Caves
National Mosque of Malaysia
Batu Caves
KL City Gallery

Petronas Towers

 Day 3     HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM 
  • Flight to Ho Chi Minh (early morning)
  • Check-in hostel (Vintage Hostel Saigon- they allowed us to take a shower even if our check-in time is still 1 pm)
  • Breakfast/Lunch
  • Notre Dame Cathedral, Saigon Central Post Office, Reunification Palace, Saigon Opera House
  • Dinner, shopping

                              *HIGHLIGHTS*
Notre Dame Cathedral
Saigon Opera House

Day 4     PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 
  • Breakfast
  • Bus to Phnom Penh (approximately 6 to 7 hours)
  • Lunch
  • National Museum of Cambodia, Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
  • Dinner
  • Sleeper bus to Siem Reap
                             *HIGHLIGHTS*
Royal Palace of Cambodia
National Museum of Cambodia

Day 5     SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA 
  • Check-in hotel
  • Breakfast/Lunch
  • Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Ta Phrom (I really wished to explore more temples and experience the beautiful sunrise but we lacked time. So, better allot 2 or more days in Siem Reap in your future travels)
  • Dinner
                             *HIGHLIGHTS*
The Crew
Ta Phrom
Angkor Wat
Bliss Villa

Day 6     BANGKOK, THAILAND 
               - not part of our destination but just a connecting city to our next stop--- PHUKET!
  • Bus to Bangkok, approximately 7 to 8 hours (some of my friends took a flight to Bangkok; bus is cheaper though)
  • Breakfast/Lunch
  • Khao San Road (chilling time while waiting for our flight)
  • Dinner at Don Muang airport
  • Flight to Phuket
  • Check-in hotel
                             *HIGHLIGHTS*
Khao San Road
Pad Thai Street Vendor
Day 7     PHUKET, THAILAND 
  • Breakfast
  • Wat Chalong, Big Buddha
  • Lunch
  • Patong Beach
  • Dinner
                             *HIGHLIGHTS*
Wat Chalong
Patong Beach
Big Buddha



Day 8     PHI PHI ISLANDS, THAILAND 
  • Breakfast
  • Khai Nai Island, Monkey Beach
  • Buffet lunch at Ton Sai Bay, Phi Phi Don (included in the package)
  • Viking Cave, Loh Samah Bay, Pileh Lagoon, Maya Bay
  • Dinner
  • Bangla Walking Street
                            *HIGHLIGHTS*
one hell of a ride
Ton Sai Bay, Phi Phi Don

Pileh Lagoon

Maya Bay


Day 9     SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE 
               (Since it's already my second time in SG, I opted to go to places that I wasn't able to visit before. Note that you'll spend more if it's your first time, assuming you'll spend time in Universal Studios and other attractions in Singapore.)
  • Breakfast
  • Early morning flight to Singapore
  • Check-in hostel
  • Lunch
  • Haji Lane, Chinese Gardens 
  • Dinner
                            *HIGHLIGHTS*
Haji Lane
Japanese Gardens
Chinese Gardens
Day 10     SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE 
                 - My friends went to Universal Studios but I took a trip to Pulau Ubin with my sister.
  • Pulau Ubin tour
  • Stayed in airport; waiting for the 3 am flight bound to Cebu
                            *HIGHLIGHTS*
cycling in Pulau Ubin
hazy Pulau Ubin


So now, let's talk about the damage done to my wallet. Summarized below is the breakdown of expenses.

Pre-booked Flights and Transportation (used the rate that was charged by the credit card company)  in PHP 
Cebu, PH to Manila, PH (Cebu Pacific Air)              499.00
Manila, PH to Kuala Lumpur, MY (Cebu Pacific Air)           2,001.50
Kuala Lumpur, MY to Ho Chi Minh, VN (Air Asia)              957.83
Ho Chi Minh, VN to Phnom Penh, KH via bus (www.giantibis.com) >> $19.00              904.76
Phnom Penh, KH to Siem Reap, KH via sleeper bus (www.giantibis.com) >> $16.00              761.90
Siem Reap, KH to Bangkok, TH via bus (www.bookmebus.com) >> $19.00              904.76
Bangkok, TH to Phuket, TH (Air Asia)              258.19
Phuket, TH to Singapore, SG (Air Asia)           1,085.10
Singapore, SG to Cebu, PH (Cebu Pacific Air)           2,876.00
Subtotal         10,249.04

Pre-booked Accomodations and Tours (used the rate that was charged by the credit card company)
Vintage Hostel Saigon (Vietnam for 1 night with free bfast)              348.60
Bliss Villa (Cambodia for 1 night)              169.50
Asialoop G-House (Phuket for 3 nights)              739.13
i.Stay inn (Singapore for 1 night with free bfast)              723.50
Phi Phi Islands Tour Package (http://www.phukettoursdirect.com/phi-phi-islands-tours.html) >> THB 1,400.00           1,966.00
Subtotal          3,946.73
Exchange rates used below:
MYR = 11.46
VND = 0.0021
USD = 46.60
THB = 1.35
SGD = 34.20
Day 1     CEBU>MANILA, MANILA>KUALA LUMPUR (Currency: PHP)
Transpo to airport                35.00
Food and drinks              107.00
Travel tax           1,620.00
Subtotal          1,762.00
Day 2     KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (Currency: MYR)
Airport to KL Sentral (bus) >> MYR 11.00              126.06
Shower plus locker in KL Sentral >> MYR 8.00                91.68
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner >> MYR 30.95              354.69
Train rides >> MYR 10.30                118.04
Miscellaneous (souvenirs) >> MYR 30.00              340.80
KL Sentral to airport (bus) >> MYR 11.00              126.06
Subtotal          1,160.33
Day 3     HO CHI MINH, VIETNAM (Currency: VND)
Taxi to hostel >> VND 36,000.00                75.60
Lunch/Dinner >> VND 100,000.00              210.00
City Transpo >> VND 25,000.00                52.50
Miscellaneous (souvenirs) >> VND 115,000.00              241.50
Subtotal             579.60
Day 4     PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA (Currency: USD)
Lunch/Dinner >> $5.67

             264.22
Day 5     SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA (Currency: USD)
Transpo to hotel >> $ 1.00                46.60
Admission fee to temples >> $ 20.00              932.00
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner >> $ 8.50              396.10
Tuktuk plus guide >> $ 12.50              582.50
Miscellaneous (souvenirs) >> $ 12.00              559.20
Subtotal          2,563.00
Day 6     BANGKOK, THAILAND (Currency: THB)
Tuktuk to bus terminal >> $ 1.67                77.82
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner >> THB 190.67              257.40
Miscellaneous >> THB 83.33              112.50
Taxi to airport >> THB 126.67              171.00
Subtotal             618.73
Day 7     PHUKET, THAILAND (Currency: THB)
Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner >> THB 190.00              256.50
Van (phuket tour) >> THB 300.00              405.00
Subtotal             661.50
Day 8     PHI PHI ISLANDS, THAILAND (Currency: THB)
Environmental fee >> THB 400.00              540.00
Breakfast/Dinner >> THB 213.33              288.00
Miscellaneous (souvenirs) >> THB 400.00              540.00
Subtotal          1,435.50
Day 9     SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE (Currency: SGD)
Transpo to airport >> THB 162.50              219.38
Lunch/Dinner >> SGD 14.00              478.80
Miscellaneous (train rides) >> SGD 10.00              342.00
Subtotal             698.18
Day 10     SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE (Currency: SGD)
Lunch/Dinner >> SGD 14.00              478.80
Miscellaneous (train and boat rides, bike rental in pulau ubin) >> SGD 20.00              684.00
Subtotal          1,026.00
Grand Total        24,987.52



Is this trip worth every penny? Hell yeah! Being able to achieve almost all that was planned is mind blowing. Travel details, insights and tips in every country will be posted soon. Thanks for reading! xoxo



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7 comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 25, 2016 at 12:57 AM

    Nice one Eden! Waiting for your travel details! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nicholai RudeSeptember 25, 2016 at 9:39 AM

    Travel Details Please... :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jayson BernilNovember 6, 2016 at 9:35 PM

    Yes travel details please...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jessa Delm CastanedaNovember 22, 2016 at 3:12 PM

    Travel details please. :)
    I wanna copy your itinerary. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. rogeline penaverdeDecember 31, 2016 at 9:22 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Notional InfosoftJune 22, 2018 at 10:23 PM

    Excellent blog post thanks for sharing keep it up good work.
    Thailand Tour Package for couple

    ReplyDelete
  7. The Girl with the Violet JacketJune 26, 2018 at 3:58 AM

    Hi Eden, I hope you come across this comment. I'm traveling with my 2 friends (all females) same as what you and your friends did on this post. I just wanna ask how you passed the immigration officers? Did you book the flight tickets as a group? Do you think the immigration will find it a problem that we are all girls and two of them are first time traveler? I have traveled outside the country already so I have a bit of chance but my friends have not yet step foot outside of our country. We all have office jobs so we don't worry much when they ask we have work. What do you think? Can you share any advice to us? Thanks in advance :) bdw, we will travel on December during Christmas ^_^

    ReplyDelete