Backpacking Southeast Asia Last Stop: Bangkok, Thailand

Last Updated on April 4, 2021 by Tina

Finally, after almost two years, I am now writing about the final stop of my six weeks Southeast Asia backpacking trip. But just like my Chiang Mai post, I will not be able to share my expenses for Bangkok because I forgot to write down my expenses.

After taking the overnight train from Chiang Mai, I arrived in Bangkok around 8:00 in the morning. I went straight to Best Bed Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Hostel. I booked there because of its proximity to the airport. It is less than 10 minutes drive by car. I booked for a night because the following day is my flight back to the Philippines.

I was not able to check in immediately because their early check-in starts at 11:00 in the morning. While waiting, I stayed in the common area until it was time to check in. I didn’t do much on the last day. I just went to Terminal 21 Mall and Pratunam Market. I’ve been to Terminal 21 Mall in 2013 and I just want to see it again. I love it because it is a travel-themed mall. Each level has a different theme e.g. 1st floor is Tokyo, 2nd floor is London, 3rd floor is Istanbul and so on. I had lunch there and also ate a fancy-looking cheesecake.

From Terminal 21, I went to Pratunam Market to do some last-minute shopping. I bought pasalubong for my sister and aunt, some Thai hippie bags, and harem pants. Then I went back to the hostel to pack up and rest early for my flight the following day.

Backpacking Southeast Asia Fourteenth Stop: Chiang Mai, Thailand

Some Tips For If You Wanna Go Backpacking Someday Too

Save, save, save. You’ll be able to travel longer if you have more cash to spend. And now is the perfect time to save, because we are not spending much on shopping for new clothes, eating out or traveling short term.
Stay longer in one place. Don’t rush things. Take the time to get to know a place. Don’t visit it just to tick off one country on your list.
Learn how to be safe. Don’t go out alone at night and don’t walk in dark alleys.
Trust your gut, always.
Pack light. It is hard moving around from one place to another with a heavy backpack.
Buy a local sim card with mobile data. It is very useful to have internet especially when you are traveling alone to book a ride, or to research how to get to your hostel or to a particular place.
Prepare an itinerary, but don’t freak out if things don’t go as planned. Be open to changes (there will be a lot) and enjoy every moment you have.
Be open to meeting new people. Don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with your roommate or someone on the tour. This often results in new friendships.
Try the local food. Ask local people for recommendations. Trying local foods is a great way to taste and experience a small part of that country’s culture.
Make sure a friend or a family member knows of your whereabouts, just so they know you are still alive and doing well.

Final Thoughts About Southeast Asia Backpacking

If you are thinking of doing the same when the pandemic is over, I say go for it. I don’t know how things will be by then, but I think that backpacking Southeast Asia will still be a great experience that you should try once in your lifetime. Don’t wait for your friends to join you. You can do it on your own. I know, because I was able to do it. I’ll be honest, it’s going to be scary at first- not knowing what will happen. But once you get the hang of it, you probably wouldn’t want to go home anymore.

It won’t be boring, that I can assure you. You’ll learn a lot of things about the history and culture of other countries, and you will learn a lot about yourself. You will learn that you could actually do things you were always afraid of doing, like doing land border crossing on your own, taking a night bus, or riding an e-bike. You will learn how to budget, read maps, and take public transport in countries you’ve never been to.

I have so many great memories during that trip. I would love to do it again, and maybe longer next time. Maybe it would be fun to do it with someone else too next time.

And in case you are wondering, did I ever feel sad traveling alone for a long time? Never. It helped that I had someone I share about my day-to-day activities. I never got lonely while I was in bed in the hostel room, because I’m texting him. I tell him how my day was, and he asks me what my plans are for the next day. My best friend also checks up on me all the time. If she notices that I haven’t posted anything on my Instagram story, she messages me to check if I am okay.

Let me end this Southeast Asia backpacking series by thanking once again the two people who made sure I was okay the whole time that I was on the trip. If you are reading this, Hanna and Andreu, thank you! I have already thanked you guys before, but that was on Instagram. Let me do it once again on my blog. It really helped a lot knowing that I have someone to reach out to in case something bad happens during the trip. And I consulted them a few times just to check if something I was about to do is safe.

I would also like to thank my younger brother Raymond, who inspired me to do it. He did it the previous year, and so I thought if he could, maybe I could too. He also shared useful tips about each of the countries he visited. Thank you also for agreeing to take over the shop, while I was away traveling.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my backpacking series. I also hope I was able to inspire you and give you the courage to do the same in the future. If you have any questions regarding the whole trip, feel free to leave a comment. Subscribe to my blog to get notified of new posts. And please follow my Facebook page @iwentanyways and like my Instagram accounts @iwentanyways and @tnadeperalta for updates. You can also check out my backpacking highlights in my IG @tnadeperalta.

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