A sense of familiarity would be something to expect for Indonesians when exploring other countries in Southeast Asia, such as the culture, the people, and the weather. Although it has never been listed as the top holiday destinations for most of us, but I honestly think there is more to see than what might seem identical. Before I packed my bags for the second episode of summer break, I held on to several good reasons that finally sent me to northern part of Southeast Asia: the needs to experience real backpacking adventure, affordable cost, captivating sites of UNESCO World Heritage, ancient exploration, and of course, THE FOOD. Finally, 30 days of my summer holiday well spent in five neighbouring countries: Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.
My ultimate mission was to visit as many different sights and as many northern countries as possible. Although it didn’t go entirely according to plan, at least most of my “bucket list” has been crossed off and it felt satisfying. However, the actual challenge was hopping from one place to another especially when you travel by land. Expect for some delays and the much needed “body language” conversations with natives (that was actually quite fun). Don’t forget to make friends along the way with other travellers to make your long journeys bearable. If you come during November to March, you would meet more Europeans and Americans escaping from winter – those adventurous fellows whose been writing travel blogs and spent months (or even years) of traveling!
Without a doubt every country has its own beauty. Here I listed down the highlights of each country that might lure you into this heritage adventure.
- Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
I had to take on a 3-hours drive from Hanoi to finally reach Ha Long Bay. But don’t surrender yourself to the beauty of Ha Long Bay without booking a spot on a day tour, a cruise tour, or other tour options available to make the most of it. Enjoy kayaking, island hopping, and breathtaking view of many layers of islets… and there were many beautiful caves and a couple of floating villages, too.
Quirks of Vietnamese: Banh Mi. Pretty girls. Very mad drivers. Most natives don’t speak English at all.
- Nam Kan National Park, Laos
Fancy the experience of living in a treehouse? “Gibbon Experience” captured my heart for the pristine nature of Laos. If you’ve got enough time and money, spend a couple days or two in Nam Kan National Park before moving to other cities in Laos. This is the chance to actually experience living as Gibbon and, if you’re lucky, watching Gibbons. Be prepared to hike a lot, zip line a lot, and stay for a couple of days in a treehouse with only low lights, open air bathroom, and no electricity.
Quirks of The Lao: Natives don’t speak English at all, except in Gibbon Experience.
- Chiang Mai, Thailand
Done with Laos, I stopped for a few days in Chiang Mai before leaving to Myanmar. It was a city full of tourists but it gave me the sense of intimacy. I loved the landscape, the people, the night markets, and I loved how I actually had a chance to get personal with the locals and learned their perspectives – Wat Chedi Luang was where I met a monk and had a deep conversation regarding Buddha, while Chiang Mai Women’s ex-prisoner massage was where I had a long conversation with a masseuse that was once behind bars for a drug offense.
Quirks of Thais: Beautiful local street food. Natives are pretty fluent in English, but still, a little body language is required.
- Bagan, Myanmar
Take a bus from Yangon or Mandalay to reach the magical UNESCO World Heritage site that has been famous for its 2,200 ancient temples, hot air balloons and unbeatable view. Make sure to enjoy sunrise and sunset from Shwesandaw, Low Ka Oushang, or Buledi Pagoda – these Pagodas had couple of storeys where people can climb. Be prepared to pay 20$ per day to get in, and rent motorbike or van to explore the whole area.
Quirks of Burmese: A very obsolete country – natives are very much traditional it made me feel like travel back in time to the history.
- Siam Reap, Cambodia
Behold for a Tomb Raider experience in Siam Reap and treasure the charming temples that has unique combination of nature and human made as well as the ruins that will fascinate you. Preserved as UNESCO World Heritage, Siam Reap has all the ancient beauty it could offer, but get prepared to sweat a lot in the daytime. After dark, experience Khmer’s nightlife full of cosy restaurants, bars, and beautiful night markets.
Quirks of Khmers: There’s a 90% of dollarization within the country, including street food. Each dollar equals to 4,000 riels and this value never fluctuates. Natives’ English are acceptable.
*As featured in OZIP Magazine, February 2017
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