The Wandering FamiLee

We don’t often leave our dogs to travel so the thought of leaving them to go away to the other side of the world seemed quite daunting. One month felt the the right amount of time to give it a go, for us to be away from them and for someone else to look after three spaniels!

So, where to backpack for 1 month?

Asia of course! Asia is an amazing and huge continent offering so much for any first time, or seasoned traveller. There is so much to see and experience; a month is simply not long enough! However, like us you may be restricted to a shorter time frame due to school holidays, work annual leave, pets, family commitments or budget. If that’s the case, read on. We’re going to tell you how we made the most of our 1-month trip to Asia and experienced some of the very best of Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore without rushing and on a reasonably modest budget. We have two children so this guide is perfect for families as well as individual and couple travellers.

Where to go in Asia?

Firstly, let’s get straight to what you want to know. Where did we go? Here’s a couple of maps of our routes and what transport we took to get there:

Why Choose Asia for a Family Backpacking Trip?

1 Month Family Trip to Asia: Itinerary

To be clear, for us, there was no itinerary. In fact, the whole trip was a surprise to me as the flights were brought by my husband, Jez as a surprise 40th birthday present.

The plan was to fly into Bangkok, Thailand on 1st November and out of Singapore on 30th November – what happened in-between would be an unknown adventure. That might sound like a complete nightmare to those of you who like an itinerary and know where they’re going. If this is you, why not try this method of adventure travel? You can’t really go wrong, and you’ll soon learn to enjoy the process of planning what and where is happening next. Asia is a well travelled destination and makes the perfect destination for first-time backpackers.

Getting there

We flew from France which is our base-camp to Thailand, via Doha. We had two six and a half hour flights with an hour so in between to connect. That was fine. Long enough to watch a few movies, or have a sleep if you’re able to,

We flew with Qatar Airways which we would thoroughly recommend. Super happy and supportive staff, plenty of room and the food was pretty good too.

We booked our plane tickets via Trip.com which uses Skyscanner so you are sure to get a good price on airfares. Trip.com was actually quite essential to our trip (I’ll explain why later in the post) but worth downloading the app to your mobile phone. The more you book through the app the more discount you get, which is always good news if you’re travelling on a budget.

We travelled through the night and didn’t sleep at all so we felt the effects of jet-lag for three nights after. We decided to remain at our first stay in Bangkok for three nights while our bodies got into the grove. I think this was a good shout all round.

A few tips for dealing with jet-lag:

• Be present for it. If you’re feeling a bit squiffy, acknowledge that your body is trying to catch up with itself and its perfectly natural and it wont last long.
• Drink plenty of water to counteract the dehydration from the flight.
• Eat well. Fresh, natural foods will help your body get back on track quicker and will help avoid the effects of air travel such as constipation of excess wind (phew)!
• Move your body. Get outside and explore your new environment. Walk, run if that’s your thing. Youtube a Yoga or Pilates video, chuck on some music and dance round the room or my favourite; hone in on how your body is feeling and move in an intuitive way. It doesn’t need to look pretty – it really is the best medicine.
• Go mix with the locals or see something you’ve been looking forward to seeing. Remind yourself why you’re there if you’re feeling a bit rubbish.
• Take a short day-time nap if you need to but set an alarm. Don’t have a full-blown sleep in the day. It will make the process of your body accepting the new time zone even harder.

Thailand

Wahoo! Thailand, one of the most easy-going countries in the world. Everyone is so friendly, the pace of life is mellow and it offers so much for singles, couples and families to delight in. Here are a few of our favourites that might be worth you checking out if you’re visiting the same locations as us; namely Bangkok, Hua Hin, Koh Tao, Ao Nang, and Ko Lipe.

• Wat Pho – Buddhist Temple and a must see for any visitor to Bangkok. Amongst beautiful Buddhist architecture and over 1000 Buddha images, you will see the great 46 meter long reclining Buddha covered in gold leaf. We loved it!
• China Town – Many major cities of the world have a China Town and one that must be on your list for a visit is Bangkok. Your senses will literally be overloaded with the smells, sounds and visions to feast on. Let alone what you can actually feast. Imagine the unimaginable[. You’ll find it in Bangkok’s China Town.
• We can’t go any further without mentioning the Wildlife Friends Foundation (WFFT) in Phetchaburi. We had such a wonderful experience here and learnt so much about the wildlife trade in Asia. The WFFT does amazing work in rescuing animals across Thailand and beyond and in many cases rehabilitating and releasing them. You are able to go on a day tour of the foundation with a dedicated and knowledgeable guide. If you are looking for wildlife interaction while you are in Thailand, we urge you to visit the WFFT first as it will impact all other wildlife interactions going forward. Our children really learnt so much on this one day-experience that will stay with them forever.
• Koh Tao Island – As I’m sure you know, there are an abundance of beautiful Islands to visit in Thailand. Each one is exquisite in it’s own right and each offer you a different aspect of Thailand, not to mention activities to enjoy! As we only had a month in Asia, so effectively two weeks in Thailand, we needed to think carefully as to which Island(s) we should stay, Full moon parties and nightlife is not really our thing and we really wanted to dive or at least snorkel. It also needed to be somewhere we could logistically get-to without costing the earth. Lucky for us, we chose Koh Tao. This island has an abundance of diving and snorkelling opportunities, a lower-key nightlife, some delicious places to eat and above all a focus on it’s environmental impact and sustainability. It’s easy to get around the many beaches on mopeds or long boats can take you to all the best spots.
• Ko Lipe – Clear turquoise ocean, white sand, a relaxed laid-back vibe. What’s not to love about Ko Lipe. The journey getting there it itself is amazing travelling through jungle remote islands and when you get there, you truly feel as if you have struck gold. You can walk to the various beaches on the islands, or even take a long boat to visit the more distant shores. The chilled ‘Walking Street’ is your place for scrumptious food and things to bring home (if you have room in your backpack) but you’ll have the most enjoyment just being in those clear waters – bliss!

A few tips to travelling Thailand:

• Don’t advance book your ferry transfers between the mainland and the islands. When you’re ready to go visit the ferry operators near the piers.
• Inner city travel – Tuk-tuk’s are the way to go. They are cheaper, get you there faster and are a hell more fun!
• The train is a great way to get further afield. Go for class C carriages and mix it up with the locals.
• Check out Trip.com when considering booking accommodation. Download the App beforehand. The more you book, the more discount you will receive. Yes, they have top-end hotels on there but they also have lower budget options, hostels and homestays.
• Our most favourite tool for planning travel was Rome2Rio. Simple put from where to where and it will list all the options of how get there with links to book too.
• It is super easy to purchase travellers data sims from mobile shops to Seven to Eleven stores (which are everywhere). You’ll need a clear picture of your passport to show when purchasing a card. Other than that, it’s super simple.
• Eat as much as you can while in Thailand. From street food to Thai restaurants, the food is amazing and super cheap in comparison to western prices. Load up, you won’t regret it!

Malaysia

Malaysia, a varied and cultural place of delicious food, awesome people and a range of cultural identities. What struck us most about Malaysia, is that everyone is represented here. It’s a place for everyone. If you can’t seem to find your tribe elsewhere in the world, you’ll find it in Malaysia. Religions and cultures live side-by-side, as do a multitude of way of lives. It was quite an honour to experience this intermingling and something that makes Malaysia quite unique. There is no doubt about it, Malaysia is very much up-and-coming. In fact, its already come! Here are some of our faves from our few weeks exploring this beautiful land:

• Langkawi – Although a stones throw away from Thailand, the island of Langkawi is very different from the idyllic islands of Thailand. It does however, have some fun to be had. Some notable sights include the Langkawi Skybridge, and our favourite; the natural waterfalls, of which there are plenty. We stayed near the Marina and as we were short on time and wanted to see as much of the island as possible, we hired a guy. This guy was called Mohammed and it cost us very little for him to drive us around the island and take us to all his noteworthy places. It was really great and we learnt so much about the island from him, as well as his culture, family and what life is like living in Langkawi. Side note: Our favourite things about travelling is seeing the world from a different view. We mean in terms of the view of mother nature and all she has to offer but also of the inhabitants of different lands, both people and animals. Travel always provides this magical retrospection, There is always something new to witness, to learn or engage with.
• We loved Penang! How can you not love a place that has as artsy road name called Love Lane?! For us it was all about George Town as we were a little short on time. You just can’t have enough. We did however, venture out to Penang Hill and visit The Habitat – a pristine rainforest preserved by a B Corp doing all they can for the environment there. The highlight being the treetop walk high above the canopy. George Town itself has it all. It’s a kind of mash-up of everyone and everything that just seems to work. Explore the old Chinese wooden piers, browse street art, visit artsy cafes or explore the makers markets. I belive you can even enjoy an English High Tea at a couple of the historical and stately hotels – but that was pushing our budget too over the edge, Instead we opted for local cuisine or a burgers and jams at Junk.
• Kuala Lumpur – KL is so much fun! It has it all. The kids enjoyed Go-Karting on a roof-top, theme parks inside malls and driving their own cars around the shops. Us parents enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city, the delicious food and friendly, safe atmosphere. A couple of noteworthy stops include the Central Market for picking up crafts and souvenirs (if you have space), the Butterly Museum and Petronas Towers. We really enjoyed getting a Grab out to the Batu Caves – a collection of Hindu Temples adorned in natural caves, filled with monkeys. It was also timed perfectly well as Seb was learning all about Indian Mythology in Home Schooling, so it was great to see all the deities he had been learning and reading about.

A few tips for travelling Malaysia:

• Grabs are by far the easiest and cheapest way to get around. Download the app and call a grab it’s as simple as that!
• Data cards are easily accessible and you can purchase one for as little as seven days. There are lots of phone shops around but SevenEleven stores are easily accessible everywhere,
• As mentioned above , it’s not unrealistic or uneconomical to take a private taxi tour to see the best of the area. Make sure you get a recommended guy but they’ll know where to take you, will hang around for as long as it takes, it won’t cost the earth, you’ll no doubt make a friend and they’ll be super grateful for the earnings and the experience.
• There is a train network that runs on the west side of the mainland and operated from north to south. Carriages are quite small and tickets sell fast so book in advance by a few days. Alternately, Malaysia has a great bus network which will take you pretty much wherever you want to go. Whilst not always on time, they are pretty regular.
• Cheeky Macaques live in abundance around Malaysia. The Lonely Planet warns you of them steeling your food and we have heard stories of them steeling phones too. However, we never had any problems with them and just loved to see them hanging around!

Singapore

We all have to experience Singapore at least once, right? With its formidable architecture, state-of-the-art designer malls and inner-city botanical gardens it’s quite some experience.

We opted to hire bikes and explore the city which we really enjoyed. It’s a great way to see the vast array of noteworthy sites at your own leisure. We most enjoyed:

• The Gardens By the Bay – you know of this, even if you haven’t visited Singapore before. It’s a scenic paradise of nature including those iconic super trees.
• Fort Canning Park is a lovely place to walk around and for the children to play. There’s nature a plenty including some rather massive spiders and Monitor Lizards.
• Riverside is a lovely place to amble along, perhaps stopping at the many restaurants and bars?
• Haji Lane is not to be missed. It’s a very cool place to hang out and watch Singapore go by, Trendy and artsy shops-a-plenty!
• We couldn’t complete this trip without visiting at least one water park as our children are water-mad. We opted for Singapore’s Wild Wild Wet as it was the most value for money and has some super cool water rides for us all to enjoy.

A few tips for Singapore:

• Singapore is very expensive and it feels even more so having been to Thailand and Malaysia. Be prepared to pay big bucks if you eat or drink out and hotel costs could easily blow your budget.
• The MRT (underground) is a really good way to get around. It’s cheap and you only pay for where you go. The same applies on the buses.
• Grabs are available but at a last resort as they are expensive. You can however share rides if there are less than four of you.

Getting Back

We journeyed back to base-camp on France on two flights. The first was to Istanbul and took 11 hours. We were hoping to explore Istanbul but the airport is quite far away and we were exhausted. We’ll save that for another time in the van.

Tools to Plan Your Journey to Asia

Just to summarise again a few tools that could help you during your journey in Asia:

• Rome to Rio – transport guide
• Trip.com – for flights, hotels, transfers & attractions (discounted)
• Grab – taxi transport
• Rail Ninja – train tickets
• Revolute – our choice for foreign currency current account
• Lonely Planet – you can do it without but we still love to have a paper copy of a book when travelling

Backpacking Asia: What to Take

You really don’t need much when backpacking, especially in Asia. Remember even when its monsoon rain, it’s still warm so leave those woolies behind! You really can pick up anything you do need including mosquito repellent, suncream, shampoo and the like.

Wear flip-flops, take a light pair of shoes. Wear shorts but take 1 long pair of trousers when visiting temples or mosques. Wear t-shirts but take something to cover your arms. Take a light mac or cag-in-a-bag. You don’t need a weeks worth of pants. You can hand wash as you go. A mozzi net would be beneficial if you’re going jungle side. Don’t forget a couple of drawing pins to go with it. A towel (or two for a family) is enough. Traveling light with a comfortable backpack is key.

Well, we hope you’ve enjoyed this little guide to a months backpacking trip in Asia and you have one little nugget somewhere a little bit helpful.

Wherever, whenever you’re going – have fun and tell us all about it!

Love the FamiLee xxxx