Hi
Im going to be travelling Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand and i was just wondering if anyones done it...and was it ok doing it alone, because im a little scared..also has anyone got any tips..
cheers lisa x
Travelling alone in Vietnam, Cambodia Thailand
go for it. i did it alone last year and had a blast. you will always meet people along the way. try and get to Laos, one of my all time favourite countries.
Hi lisa am in the same boat , am going nxt march on my own and am pretty nerves but excited . Just go for it you have nothing to loose.
How much are you taking by the way , the thing thats bugging me most is how much i`ll need to spend , am looking at about £500 a month which i think is enough to get by , infact its prob a bit more than that i want to take £2500 for 4 months .
This is a stock reply I compiled some time ago (with updates)
Here are 40 things to think about when visiting Thailand…
1. Bring a cell phone “unblocked” and buy a Thai SIM card for it on arrival, they’re cheap (apprx. 250 baht) and include some credit already on them
2. e.g. - International calls to UK are about 8baht per min…
3. Don’t rely just on Travellers checks in any currency…they are too much hassle - I have witnessed a friend being refused.
4. Bring ATM and/or credit cards. - check fees and tell your bank your are going abroad.
5. Very little cash – you tend to get a better rate of exchange here than any home country. Just enough to get you out of the airport to somewhere nice for the first night - avoid carrying large amounts of cash...you’ll lose it when drunk or get it nicked.
6. Beware! - The 1000 baht note looks very similar to a 20baht note. You might give an overlarge tip!
7. Very few clothes – they are so cheap here and you’ll only bring stuff that is too warm.
8. Very little luggage – this makes you more mobile if you need to be and less vulnerable to taxi touts and undesirable men….
9. Before you go home you can buy any extra luggage (cheap) to take souvenirs etc.
10. There are baggage storage facilities at Bkk airport…and elsewhere - hotels etc.
11. Mozzie spray – especially if you have the stuff from Oz. Anything with DEET. You can get “OFF” here.
12. Good quality sun-cream – especially if you have the stuff from Oz. Something that stays on in water, you’ll burn your shoulders in the pool.
13. Get some travel insurance – hospitals/medicine is cheap but why pay? Trailfinders is good.
14. Check out a few “jabs” – don’t bother with the malaria ones – too heavy! You can get tetanus or rabies here if you’re bitten by a dog - it’s cheap.
15. Internet access is everywhere – even on the beach… you can get all your photos copied to CD
16. If you have a lap-top you can connect it (broadband) at most cafes.
17. Thai food is very unlikely to give you food poisoning but can contain more chillies than you ever thought possible…
18. Western (“farang”) food is extremely likely to give you food poisoning – fridges are not part of Thai cooking lore yet…beware of Western Fast Food outlets and hotel buffets - food that has been out for over an hour or so. Thailand is not used to fridges/chill-serve etc.
19. Use common safety sense – it is easy to relax too much here…when it comes to petty crime the rate is certainly lower than in places like the UK…but every country has its share of con-men and psychopaths…..
20. Get a phrase book – lonely planet is good as is their guide to Thailand (better than the rough guide)….
21. Make a friend on the plane and safe money on a taxi to your hotel when you arrive in Bkk. Check out the ways of getting out of Bkk airport. This requires caution and common sense; it is most useful if you’re going further e.g. Pattaya.
22. If you can, avoid spending your first night or few days in Bkk – go there at the end of your stay –its better once you’ve acclimatized, and the airport is about 45 min from the centre. You can fly straight on to Samui and several other destinations or get a bus or taxi to Pattaya, Koh Samet. Etc.
23. Remember the new airport will open at the end of September...this is about 30 min nearer Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard.
24. Don’t be afraid to go to Pattaya – it is the sex capital of Thailand but they don’t jump out at single women and has good, cheap hotels, shopping and food. Not a bad place to start off for Koh Chang, Koh Samet or Cambodia.
25. Remember Thailand is more than beaches – there are beautiful cities, national parks, forests and lakes up North – your guide book will help you there…
26. Bring an international driving licence – although most national ones are accepted by motorbike and car hire companies and anyone else who wants to hire you something….
27. In Thailand they drive on the left - cars are Right-hand-drive. However driving is really only for the experienced. Be especially careful on a motorbike - Samui has the highest accident rate in Thailand.
28. Public transport is cheap. Planes, Trains, Buses, Minibuses, Taxis, from town to town.
29. If you’re in a minibus or taxi tell the driver you’ll tip him if he keeps the speed below 90/100 kmph!
30. Around Bkk try to use meter taxi with the meter on...it’ll be cheaper than the tuk-tuks.
31. Take a tuk-tuk once for the experience then use meter taxis.
32. Don’t let the drivers take you out of your way...they’ll try to take you to some store where they get commission
33. Check up on Thai manners and customs – this will earn you more respect from the locals.
34. Keep up some dress sense – how you dress in Thailand is quite important.
35. Don’t go topless without checking out if it’s acceptable where you are – usually it’s frowned upon.
36. You’ll notice that Thai women (even sex workers) are very modest in public –they usually swim fully clothed.
37. Check out table manners – Thais tend to eat from communal dishes in the centre of the table – don’t pour everything onto your own plate!
38. Don’t knock the royal family – even in jest.
39. Don’t point your feet at people – the body is seen as hierarchical and the feet are the lowest part and should not be waved about (this is like a “fingers up” sign.
40. It’s not necessary to “Wai” people - the Thai greeting - as you’ll probably get it wrong. If they Wai you, you might wai back.
Hi Lisa,
I take it that you are giving Laos a skip in doing the "Indochina Loop"? 
Well, what you could do is: Make your way down to Aranyaprathet (bus or train ), cross into Cambodia at Poipet to get to Siem Reap. Or if you have beach in mind, then head further down to Trat for entry into Cambodia at Hat Lek - Koh Kong Border.From Sihanoukville, you can take bus to Phnom Penh, head for Battambang, and cross Tonle Sap by ferry boat to Siem Reap.
From Siem Reap, you can take bus to Phnom Penh, and cross into Vietnam at Bavat-Moc Bai border to get to Hon Chi Minh City, and using the open express bus ticket go up north to as far as Hanoi. From Hanoi you can fly back to BKK.
How long you spend in Cambodia depends on what you wish to see & experience ( the normal touristy things or more exploring); the same goes to Vietnam ( Sapa, the tunnels, Halong?).
Well, don't worry...you will meet many travellers along the way...Go for it! I have seen female travellers doing it on their own...Just keep away from the dark lanes of the cities (PP, HCMC,etc).
Cheer me up...do Laos as well!
Dana
Hello liesel
I travelled in Thailand, alone. It is a lovely peaceful place, for women(i am presuming u are female. ). There is rarely any violent crime.
Also, you will meet lots of people. i usually do, when i travel. Not saying that u wont sometimes have a lonely few days.
Mel
cheers everyone thats really useful! i feel better about going alone..u know what people are like...'god your going alone arent u going to be scared'...people lovely at making you feel better..
haha yehh im beginning to think about doing Laos as well...but i am gunna be trying to do it all in 2 months and will have about £2,500 in accom, travel, food etc...thinking about possibly missing singapore for Laos...is this a good idea? anyone been to both, or thinks i can even do vietnam, cambodia, thailand, singapore and LAOS all in one???
liesel x
Hi Lisa,
With that kind of budget, you could even throw in Myanmar
But seriously, why are you giving Malaysia a skip. Are you flying into Singapore from BKK, or doing an overland (which means travelling through Malaysia)?
dana
I have had wonderful reports of Loas and a friend of mine took a 50% drop in salary to leave Singapore and go work in HK...she hated the place SO much!!!
I was thinking of doing it all overland..starting in hanoi right down vietnam to HCMC, then upto Cambodia, up to Bangkok...then to start heading south again right down to Singapore...I think i can get Laos in before i go to Thailand..southern Laos anyway...what parts better, southern or northern Laos? Do you think it would be better gettin flights..i kinda of liked the idea of overland just because 1) itll be cheaper 2) ill get to see the countryside and experience transport with the locals...
liesel x