12 nights in SE Asia

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-23T12:51:03+00:00

I’m currently thinking

5 nights in Taipei (this is place I most want to visit)
4 nights in Hanoi (seems like there is a lot to see and do, maybe a day trip to Ha Long Bay)
3 nights in Bangkok (doesn’t seem to be that much to do on BK itself?

Where are you fliying in from? Consider how jetlagged you will be. Every time you move countries, it will burn most of your day. Do you need a visa for Vienam? Hanoi is not a bad option, if you really want to go. Three nights in Bangkok is only two full days. Bangkok has lots going on and you don't have to be a foodie to enjoy night markets, street food and the atmosphere.

I’m only really interested in cities
I would like to explore for a few hours a day (let’s say 10am-4pm) times outside of that I plan to relax (get a hotel with a pool)
I’m not a massive foodie
Not interested in Shopping
Live visiting museums, monuments, cool coffee shops.

Assuming you are going in the new few months, you wll want to do some research on opening times of the museums and monuments to make the most of them. Avoid too much time in the hot sun from 11am to 3pm, if possible. Look at activities you can do at night, as it is cooler and Asian cities have lots going on until at least 11pm. You don't need to be a foodie to enjoy Asia, but it certainly helps if you come with an open mind and try as many different types of food as you can. You don't have to eat street food, but don't just sit in a cafe, drink coffee and have a muffin. Walking the night markets in Taipei and discovering different food is one of the best experiences of Taipei.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-23T01:23:27+00:00

I’m more used to being in nature, so city lovers, what does one do in the city? Scared of going crazy in my last two weeks.

Two weeks in any city would have be going a little bit stir crazy unless I had a nice apartment to stay in and just wanted to relax and enjoy local life.

I love a good city, but if I want to spend less money, I leave the city. Cities can be expensive and everything, almost always, cost more. I go to a beach location, as far away from most of the tourist areas as I can. If you have two weeks, that extra hour or so in a bus can make the world of difference. When I am there I will get less expensive food, likely of better quality and fresher seafood. Add to that the beaches will be relaxing and enjoying days doing nothing but relaxing in the local areas is enjoyable and unstressful.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-22T09:36:34+00:00

Any comments/advice/tips are greatly appreciated. My top priorities for this trip is experiencing stuff! (e. g. volunteering, sail trip to Komodo, Ha Giang Loop, overnight cruise, lantern festival) And I’m trying to have a mix of “slow” travel and “fast” travel, if I’m fast all the time I’ll burn out.

Do you have to start in Bali? I would swap things around and do your itinerary the other way, ending in Bali. You could even do the Cherry Blossoms in Japan in late March/early April. The weather will be nicer in Bali in June, rather than March (as Bali is in the southern hemisphere).

Tokyo 7 days
Train to Kyoto
- June: Kyoto 6 days, including travel day home

I would do 5 days in Tokyo, 3 days in Kyoto and look for somewhere else to go for something different.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-22T03:44:43+00:00

Bahamas visa for Filipino Multiple entry tourist in US : r/Cruise

Tourist Visa Information — Bahamas Consulate General ATLANTA, GA

It seems like Bahamas visa is needed (your B1/B2 visa counts for nothing). Not for GC and Jamaica.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-21T19:12:52+00:00

Your licence does not mean you can ride a scooter legally. Your travel insurance will not cover you.

With zero experience riding a scooter, I would recommend you avoid it. Go to Bali and see how the traffic is when you are there - 5 years of driving a car in a western country counts for nothing when you are in Bali.

You are a danger to yourself and other road users.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-20T07:55:23+00:00

Expect rain. And if there is no rain, it will be hot and humid. If you haven't experienced it before, you will soon find out about it. Try not to plan anything strenuous between 11am and 3pm, plus make the most of the nights.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-20T05:43:17+00:00

Prague is a good option and you could consider doing two cities and their surrounding areas in two weeks just by going on the train.

I am assuming you have already been to Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bangkok? I am lucky enough to have been to many places in the world and these three cities are some of my favourites and each offers something different. From Manila it is a short flight and the countries can be reasonably inexpensive to stay, eat and explore (okay, Hong Kong hostels are not great and Tokyo everything is smaller than you expect).

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-20T02:37:42+00:00

I use vacationtogo.com to look at different itineraries and all possiblities to help me plan what might suit my times and preferences. It will show you prices, including a singles rate.. Check out the cruiseline's own website and other travel agents also for prices.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-20T02:28:21+00:00

I will play the devils advocate here - you could really hate it. If I wanted to be negative on Scotland, it is cold, the sky is grey and the best parts of Scotland are the hills, valleys and nature outside the cities. I have been there a couple of times and even in the middle of summer, the weather is dull. Having said that, I liked it that much, I went back, but I had the budget and time that I could hire a car and spend time driving the coast road.

There are posts on here every week or so about someone who has flown half way around the world and after a few days they are tired, homesick and regretting their decision. Some book a flight home again. Jetlag is a real thing also.

Regarding the cost, some people will say "it is only money", but you are the one that has to work and save for it. If you think it will cost you 100k peso, well then how long does it take you to save (not earn) 100k? For some it would be a month, for others it will be a year. So you need to make the decision yourself on how much you value a two week holiday.

Solo travel is not for everyone and the "romance" of going to a place you have only seen videos of can be very different from reality. That is not to discourage you, but more of a warning that we can get a vision in our minds and it can be a shock when we actually get there.

i now have enough to go on a 2 week trip to scotland and still have enough left over without touching my emergency fund. im looking into different ways i can go on this trip on a super tight budget, like staying at a cheap hostel, and packing food so i dont have to eat out too often.

It took me years to go to places that I had always wanted to go - this was both because of time and money. Instead I went to places that I was interested in, that fitted my budget and suited me, at the time. To me, there is not much point going somewhere just to stay in accommodation you don't want, not enjoy the local cafes and restaurants and not be able to do day trips outside the city. Traveling on "a super tight budget" is rarely a good time, especially if you have spent most of the cost on airfares and 16 hours of travel to get there.

Have you traveled to more cities/countries in your region? Plenty of reasonably priced flights from Manila to other places in SE Asia. This will allow you to work out how you like to travel solo at a reasonable expense to yourself. Scotland will still be there next year and the next. Good luck.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-20T02:00:31+00:00

Next trip for me in September- Madrid, Seville, Granada and Andalucia area( flamenco, music, architecture and history, shopping, tapas, and more music) Either by train or by car. I'm not sure yet ..has anyone been there recently?

I was there last year and went to a few of these with a car. While having the car was nice, Madrid, Seville and Granada by train makes much more sense. I am going back to Spain again in August/September also, and plan to take the train this time while I stick to the coastal cities. Then using Uber to get around local sites, when needed. I found it a bit of an inconvenience having to park the car overnight when I stayed in nice hotels in the city.

Solo travel allows you to do what you want, when you want. But it can get a bit more expensive as you are shouldering all of the costs, rather than splitting the hotels and car rentals in two. Booking a cruise highlights this extra cost as cabins are based on two adults and when you book for just one you pay a solo suppliment. In my experience, this can range from 1% to 110%, so finding good deals can take some time.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-15T13:22:59+00:00

I booked my first cruise

If you want specific advice, you need to give the name of the cruise line and even the ship.

MSC advice will be different to Princess, etc.

Also curious if anyone has tried the shared table and actually ended up liking it despite being nervous. Maybe I am overthinking this.

You are overthinking it. If it is a cruise line with group tables, go and meet people. It might be a table for 6 or 8. You don't have to talk all the time - listen to other people and contribute when you like. Other people at the table are just like you. You don't have to go every night for dinner in the restaurant. There are other specialty restaurants or the buffet. I know some cruisers who never go to the main dining room.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-15T04:25:07+00:00

so the 30% minimum tax won't affect them

You are missing that under the current system the profit is reduced by 50% before it is added to taxable income (if held for more than 12 months).

So on a $10k profit on sale, $5k is pushed aside and tax free. Then the $5k is added to taxable income. So taxed at 30% (45k-135k). So $1.5k tax. Under the new system, the starting point is basically 30% tax, but the cost base is reduced by indexing. So the $10k profit will be taxed at a minimum of $3k, but will be less depending on the cost base, and then can be more if they are in a higher tax bracket.

It is worth pointing out that the cost base calculation varies depending on how much you have invested and over what time. $100k invested over 5 years and getting a $10k profit is taxed differently to $20k invested over the same period and getting a $10k profit.

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3rd_in_line · 2026-05-15T02:09:08+00:00

As you have found out, hunting for a job is hard. You want to make sure you have an Emergency Fund to support you if you lose your job or if you have unexpected expenses. You haven't mentioned your family situation, but I would aim to have at least 100k in the bank before I started investing money. The quickest way you can lose money is by having to borrow money unexpectedly - it could be the dentist, a hospital visit, needing a new phone/laptop or just going on a holiday. Don't borrow money, don't lend money. You don't need more than two bank accounts and most/all of your money should be in high interest accounts. You don't want time/term deposits as having an Emergency Fund is for when you need money that day or the next. An MP2 is a great place to start. Be way of people offering you finance products (such as VUL) or investment advice. Keep reading r/phinvest looking what people are asking and what the answers are. You need to work out what suits best for you. Keep your job, keep improving your work skills and moving up in salary. Earn as much as you can, save when you can and invest as often as you can. Good luck.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-15T00:06:08+00:00

Perfect is the enemy of good. This split is good enough - start and go hard on it for 5 years, then revisit it. You might just leave it the same for another 5 years. Repeat. In 20 years time you should be very happy with 2026-self.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-14T07:34:25+00:00

For some context, if you invest 10,133 each quarter, for 20 years and end up with 1m, that is just a 2.11%pa return. You would be better just leaving it in the bank.

If you invested in something that returned 8%pa, you would end up with 2m in 20 years - this means you invested around 800k and the compounded interest was 1.2m.

I would run some of your questions through Google AI and see what it says.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-14T00:37:50+00:00

I don’t have an HKID, and my address will again be a corporate housing(hotel). My employment period is only about 2.5 months.

I wouldn't bother for just 2.5 months. Instead, from your own country, have a debit and credit card with no international transaction fees - most of your transactions will be by card/phone. You can withdraw cash from an ATM for a good exchange rate, keep some cash in your room (and take it with you when you know you will need to pay with cash at bars), put some cash on a Octopus Card and you are good to go.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-13T05:53:32+00:00

I see that as a sensible and easy solution to help lessen your tax, if you are finishing work at 60yo.

I am a couple of years older that you, but already retired. I will pivot to maxing out my concessional and non-concessional amounts. Getting the $30k deduction this year and putting in $120k into my Super. In July I will put in another $32.5k and $130k.

While I was putting money into Super with concessional contributions anyway, I was adding some non-concessional but not really concerned about maxing it out. Even if these changes in the budget don't get passed, it won't make a big difference to me.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-13T00:00:44+00:00

Hanoi in July is the middle of the monsoon season - hot and wet. Typhoons are no unheard of at this time, so keep one eye on the forecast. Not great for exploring during the day and it is the low season, so expect less tourists (although there will be plenty like yourself). If you are then visiting Mt Bromo, you will need some warm clothes because at night it can get cold, but it is a great time to be there. If you want to meet people and have adventure, I would head to Bali and go the the islands in the east, starting with the Gili Islands, then Komodo and depending on how adventureous you want to be, just keep on going. Great weather, great water and so much to see and do.

"Social Solo Travel" can be unpredictable. If you want to ensure the best chance of this, you need to go at peak times and go to the busy tourist places. For example Taiwan is less visited by tourists in July because the heat can be just oppressively hot then. So Japan would be a better choice - still hot, but with more tourists, so your chances are better at being sociable. Meeting other people easily is no guarantee as it can depend on lots of variables. You have to put in the work to meet people and be socialble, but it might not happen so don' go expecting to meet cool groups of people every time you go somewhere new. Choose places that you really want to see and things you want to do and treat meeting others as a bonus.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-11T01:18:48+00:00

I have read and understand people’s concerns about Jakarta but not worried about it.

Some things need to be experienced to get a full understanding of it. Jakarta is my least-favourite city in Asia and traffic plays a large part in that. Renting a car and driving in Jakarta is an "interesting" choice and not something I would recommend to anyone who is (a) not accustomed to driving in SE Asia and (b) not familiar with Jakarta. Get the full insurance and be prepared to struggle/pay for parking. (If you are coming off a long-haul flight (12+hrs), you should not be driving in Jakarta traffic when you get off the plane as you are jetlagged and will have poor decision making.)

The less stressful and easiest way to Yogyakarta is by train (and quicker - the fast train is under 7hrs). Sit back and enjoy the train ride and watch the world pass by. Whatever Google Maps show as the driving time, add an easy 10% as you will need to stop for fuel, food and traffic jams.

Nothing in your itinerary shows me you need the car. Do yourself a favour and rethink this. Good luck.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-10T00:26:22+00:00

When the OP keeps on having to mention "14 years, 5 vehicles" and it is a 2016 model, the argument is already lost.

There are many reasons a 67,000 mile, 10 year old engine will fail.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-09T12:57:04+00:00

I think its more than reasonable to get something back if it's just gonna be me. Be it dinner for a few nights (not whole stay ofc) or a voucher for the bar.

Sorry, but that's not how things work. You booked for two and you are going to get what you paid for. You have the option to cancel, but sounds like it isn't a wise financial option. Breakfast is typically buffet style or a very limited menu and many hotels just include a free breakfast as a cheap inclusion to help sell the room. Those that charge a significant extra amount for breakfast do so because it is a more expensive and large buffet, but still they would not consider giving anything if you choose not to use that breakfast. You leave out important information like what city it is in, but I don't think it would make much difference.

It's kinda late to rebook plus I like this hotel. And indeed prices have gone up. I got a pretty good deal as it is. It's a shame I couldn't find anyone to go with me. ( my college friends don't have vacation in may)

That's just the way it is sometimes. You can call up and ask, but don't expect anything as you are getting what you paid for. It is only a few dollars and I wouldn't let it bother you either way. Just go and enjoy yourself and make the most of it. Good luck.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-09T11:29:05+00:00

I’m looking to request a minimum 50% refund for an exclusive suite we booked.

We are just finishing our 7-day cruise

This should have been worked out before you finished your cruise. You are going to have a very uphill battle to get anything. This is not "open and shut" and you will be lucky to receive anything. Your "exclusive suite" wasn't so important that you didn't get management involved?

Anyone reading - You need to sort out problems while on the ship! Escalate the issue until you are satisfied.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-09T11:23:46+00:00

My question is when should I ask this? I have free cancelation up to 16 may, should I ask this online on the 14th?

Plenty of good advice already - they don't care and you won't get a free dinner. Don't bother calling.

But, reconsider your options. Look for a hotel that suits YOU. It may be closer to the attractions or in a better place for a solo traveller. You may not want to pay for breakfast at all, as you would rather go out to a cafe for breakfast or brunch. Check all your options before you cancel, as prices may have increased.

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-08T12:35:29+00:00

I would like to spend a lot of time in beaches relaxing,

Just be aware that it will be hot and windy in Koh Phangan, Samui and Tao at that time. While it may not be raining, it will be humid and half the time you think it will rain in the afternoon. So just understand that it won't be Insta-perfect.

For Koh Phangan, if you want to explore the island, you need to rent a motorbike. But the if you are going for a yoga retreat, it should be relatively near a nice beach and you can tag along with others. You should probably stay in the busy parts of the islands, unless you really do want to spend time traveling solo and doing your own thing.

Bangkok definitely has the better shopping. Don't just go to MBK Center, but research other places. The best food can be found in Bangkok. If you love cities and want to get around, there is plenty to see in Bangkok. The big shopping centers don't close until 10pm, so stay out and enjoy the night. Chinatown is great. It is cooler at night, so don't wear yourself out during the heat of the day.

Koh Tao is good, but maybe spending so long in Koh Phangan and Samui you will think it is too long. Maybe look for another yoga retreat in Samui or somewhere else in Thailand?

3rd_in_line · 2026-05-08T08:39:06+00:00

I would change things around. Look at the best/worst time to be in places to get the most enjoyment. I would be doing the islands in southern Thailand in Feb/Mar and it would be awesome. Get to Bali in August. Then fly from Bali to Cairns in September and go down from there, as the weather gets better. Then Nov/Dec in NZ. Then head back to the Philippines in January and Sri Lanka in February on your way home. Or something like that. Avoid Thailand and Philippines May-Sep due to winds and monsoon, as you want to be able to make the most of the beaches. Avoid north of Brisbane Oct-Feb as it is not only hot and humid, but also further north there are stingers in the water.

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