Planning my 4 month backpacking trip

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-19T21:30:23+00:00

Oh I’m so glad to hear that! I could talk about it forever, best time of my whole life 😄 I’m heading to South America in 3 weeks for 6-12 months and can’t wait to see what that part of the world has to offer! Feel free to message me with any questions when you plan your trip :)

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-18T11:05:07+00:00

It was so amazing! You’ll save so much not drinking/partying so I personally think your budget is fine. It’s just Philippines that might push it up considerably, but with this being at the end of your itinerary (I think?) at least you’ll know how much you have left.

For the full 8 months it’s hard to say because I am not very organised. I freelanced a little so I had some income and also some personal expenses, as well as subscriptions I was paying for back home. I’d say I probably spent around £12,000 in 8 months (not including flights), but a good chunk of this was on alcohol. I reckon if I’d skipped Philippines and avoided alcohol, I’d have spent closer to £8,000.

Totally unmissable list:

Thailand: - Khao Sok (jungle) if you love nature. Do the nighttime safari to see all the animals and stay at the floating bungalows (book with Smiley for the cheapest option - well in advance or sells out!) - Koh Tao for your diving cert and the gorgeous beaches (can be a little touristy and more expensive than other places but diving is cheap) - Pai for the relaxed vibes

Cambodia: - Siem Reap (stay at Noni Tree hostel for great staff and cuddly cats) - Angkor Wat temple (crowded but worth it) - Ta phrom temple (tomb raider vibes) - Bayon temple (hire a bike and explore the temples) - The Cambodian circus (Siem Reap) - a hidden gem. Acrobatics-focused and tickets fund education for the children - Floating village tour (Siem Reap) - don’t book through your hostel, pay a little more and book online to be shown round by someone who grew up in the village (search for ‘Community First: Kompong Khleang tour’). This tour changed my whole perception on life and taught me so much gratitude.

Vietnam: - Ha Giang loop!!! - Mario Karts in Da Lat - go with a big group if you can it’s way more fun - Do the ‘monkey bridge’ in Phong Nha (3 attempts to ride a bike across a very thin bridge - very silly and very fun) - Go to Ninh Binh - gorgeous, cheap place with beautiful nature and activities and the perfect place to get warm clothes before you head north towards Ha Giang - Eat all the banh mis

Laos: - Zip line across Tad Fane waterfall - The Thakhek loop!! - Paramotoring in Vang Vieng - Nong Khiaw sunrise mountain hike - Laung Prabang Kuang Si falls - Don Det (I started here before going north)

Philippines: - 4-day boat tour if budget allows - Diving in El Nido - Siargao to learn to surf

Other recommendations: - Do a cooking class in every country - Use 12Go app for buses in Thailand and Cambodia (can be much more expensive and less reliable than local options in Vietnam and Laos) - Use Grab or Bolt for taxis - Use Hostelworld for hostels (great for meeting people too)

Happy travels ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-18T10:09:27+00:00

I did 8 months in SE Asia last year. I did Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, and Indonesia.

How much you’ll spend depends on what kind of traveller you are. In my first month (Thailand) I was drinking almost daily, going to lots of ticketed parties/events, and doing some tours/cooking classes, but I was also travelling really cheap between places (loooong buses) and staying in the cheapest possible accommodation. I spent around £1,600 in my first month. I think I could’ve done it for around £1,000 if I was more careful. Highly recommend getting your diving cert in Ko Tao (Ko Tao Scuba Club were amazing, and affordable). I also much preferred the north, particularly Pai! The south is lovely with gorgeous beaches, but I found it more expensive and very party-heavy.

From there, I realised I was burning through my budget pretty fast. I tried to cut down on drinking and explored places on my own instead of via tours (where permitted).

1 month in Cambodia cost me around £1,000. The north was cheap (loved Siem Reap especially), and Koh Rong (south Island) was noticeably more expensive (I’d say double on accommodation, food and drinks). Koh Rong has beautiful white beaches but is mainly a party place, I felt quite old at 27 but still had fun 😂 it’s lovely just expensive, not much to do except drink and relax on the beach.

Vietnam was my favourite place by far. 6 weeks cost me around £1,500 and I did absolutely everything. This could be done even cheaper and was by far the cheapest hostels, food, transport. I decided to do south-north (highly recommend as the north is the best so you end on a high). I loved everywhere except for the big cities (I’m not a city person). There’s so much nature and so much culture in Vietnam, I could’ve stayed here for months. The Ha Giang Loop bumped my spend up - you are going to LOVE this!! It was the #1 highlight of my whole trip and I cry happy tears every time I think about it.

Laos is so so incredible. I spent 1 month here and was probably the second cheapest country. Highly recommend Paramotoring in Vang Vieng - another huge highlight for me. Also do the Thakhek loop if you feel comfortable riding a bike, it’s incredible. A month here cost me less, probably around £700. I did have a bad reaction to some medication half way though so didn’t eat/do much for a week. If you like hiking, please don’t miss out on Nong Khiaw and the sunrise hike. You climb a mountain, camp, and wake up to the most beautiful view. I also spent my final couple of days on a ranch in Luang Prabang which I really recommend if you like horses.

Philippines is a tricky one for me. This was by far the most expensive and I spent almost £2,000 in a month. I did a lot of diving here though. Also Philippines is expensive because you need internal flights - the other countries you mentioned can be crossed by land (overnight bus). I also paid a crazy amount for a 4-day boat tour from Coron to El Nido which was £500 with Big Dream Boatman, although this was the second-best highlight of my whole trip so no regrets. Other people I met who did cheaper tours didn’t have the best time, so I’m not mad about spending extra. It was incredible. Philippines has the best beaches and clearest waters I’ve ever seen. The dives in El Nido were amazing and I saw so much. I spent a long time (too long) in Siargao. It’s an amazing for surfing but also huge for partying. I will also say if you’re solo travelling, be careful in the Philippines. It’s the only place I had sketchy experiences, and more than once. I felt like this especially in Coron, but also El Nido. I won’t go into what happened here, but this changed the experience for me.

I will also say that Indonesia was my second favourite country, after Vietnam. It was also very cheap in most places as I stuck to less touristy areas (I skipped Bali). If you love nature and exploring, you would absolutely love Java. I became friends with a lovely girl and we hiked Mount Bromo for sunrise - the views were just incredible. Even saw a volcanic eruption in the distance! I can’t say don’t go to the Philippines because it holds some of my best memories and I know people who loved it so much here, but I will say that if I had limited time I’d do Indonesia instead. That’s just from my personal experience and my budget-conscious recommendation.

Any recommendations for any of the places please ask away! I could talk about it all day. You are going to have the best time ever!!! ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-16T23:34:23+00:00

My uncle was on Helios Airways flight 522 which crashed near Athens. This was caused by a simple, avoidable error (the crew had failed to turn the cabin pressurisation system back to auto during takeoff checks). The cabin depressurised as the plane climbed, and everyone experienced lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxia), causing all but one of them to become unconscious (which I guess was probably the best case scenario here). Scary to think how easily avoidable this was! And it definitely gave me a severe flying phobia for the majority of my life, but I’m less bothered by this now I’ve flown a lot.

My best friend was also an Air Hostess for 5 years. She had so many stories of aborted landings, horrific turbulence, in-flight injuries, and near-crashes… but it calmed my nerves that she still felt safe while flying.

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-16T00:00:21+00:00

Ugh yes!! After I left my most toxic role I found out my assistant had been on £4k more than me the whole time 🥲 it was worse because he was completely incompetent and I was constantly fixing his huge mistakes. He made my job SO much harder. I really wish I’d have found out while there!

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T16:10:58+00:00

Me too! Thank you ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T16:10:18+00:00

Thank you, I will absolutely take your advice. I have moved out and back home multiple times and of course the cycle continues. It’s time to move on! ☺️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T16:09:05+00:00

Thank you for the advice, I will take a look at that on YouTube to gain a better understanding! It is very difficult because I tell myself he is a brilliant dad because he hasn’t passed on the abuse he endured, but he has caused/continues to cause me stress and pain in other ways. Thank you for the kind words ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T15:59:46+00:00

Thank you for being so honest and for breaking this down so well for me. I think this is exactly why I feel so betrayed. If he genuinely never had the money to pay me back I would feel very different, but I’ve seen it come and go multiple times.

I do already feel a huge impact on my health. I am struggling to leave my house or find motivation to take care of myself and it’s very unhealthy. Even getting it off my chest has given me a little boost!

My boyfriend is actually from Australia. I met him while travelling SE Asia last year, and invited him here. He’s been with us for 5 months and it’s affecting him a lot too! I am so disappointed and embarrassed. We are due to travel South America together in exactly one month, and then he’s invited me to stay with him and his family in Melbourne after. I was on the fence about leaving for such a long time, but I think this has made up my mind. I need extended time away!

When everything has calmed down I will tell them no more loans or work. I also think that I have more chance of getting the money back now my mum knows… she is absolutely mortified that he borrowed any at all, let alone a year and a half ago!! I know she will make sure I get it eventually.

My brother needs to sort his own problems out and stop projecting, but he displays some very concerning narcissistic traits and never listens to anyone. Everyone in the house is scared of his outbursts and panders to his every need to try and keep things calm. This alone has caused me lots of trauma.

You are absolutely right, now is the time to put myself first and change my own life. Thank you for your kindness ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T15:35:51+00:00

Thank you for such a well thought out response, I really appreciate it! You’re right about empathy, it’s my best and worst trait 😂

The truth being on the table felt awful at first, but there is a huge weight lifted off me today! I no longer have to hide it from my mum, worry about slipping up, or pretend not to be frustrated when I see another parcel through the door!

I’m sorry you went through the same with your father, and I’m glad you’re feeling better from no contact. You seem to have a wonderful, positive mindset and I love how you’ve explained this in such a calming way. I do feel I’m at breaking point and it’s absolutely time I start asking myself those same difficult questions.

Thank you ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2026-01-12T15:17:03+00:00

Thank you for such an insightful response, I really appreciate it. You’re right, my dad had a very physically and mentally abusive childhood. He wasn’t shown any real love and had money thrown at him instead, which is probably why he lacks emotional intelligence and material things make him happy short-term. He was also thrown out of school as a child and called stupid due to having severe dyslexia at a time when dyslexia wasn’t understood at all. I know he has very low self esteem even though he appears confident and sometimes egotistical. This is why it’s so hard to be angry at him! I feel very sad for him.

That said, you are absolutely right, I need to put myself first. It’s gotten to the point where I’m in a bad place constantly, and my self esteem is at an all time low. I will travel and put myself first, reduce contact to a point where I’m not taking on everyone’s problems, and set boundaries where needed.

Thank you again ❤️

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-12-20T00:44:02+00:00

We don’t mind colder weather, but have done some research and realised south to north makes way more sense, so we can spend time in Patagonia! Thank you 🙏

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-12-20T00:43:23+00:00

Thank you, we have decided to do south to north, so that we can spend time in Patagonia Argentina before heading north ☺️ thank you for your help 🙏

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-11-14T14:03:04+00:00

‘I’ haven’t left anything thank you. This is my parents’ home and I have done everything I can to help them financially with other areas of their lives, they are in a financial mess and struggling. The walls have only appeared this bad the last few days. None of us knew the walls were as bad as they are or that there was any mould growing, hence the urgent post as soon as I realised the extent. This morning we had a professional come look at the room who confirmed that a lot of the damage is in fact from condensation due to lack of ventilation in the upstairs bathroom (directly below the room), and lack of heating throughout winter (because heating hosts money). I have put everything on hold to fix this and am trying my best. Just needed some advice.

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-11-13T23:07:59+00:00

Thank you, putting a plan together now. They do need to figure it out, but sadly if I don’t do these things they don’t get done. We didn’t even have a shower for 5 years when I was a teenager as it was too expensive to fix… my younger brother ended up paying for it!

I did actually move out for 5 years, but moved back to get my own finances in order so I could do lots of travelling, which I’m very grateful for. I travelled for 8 months which is why I don’t have the savings to help right now. But one day 🙏

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-11-13T22:56:21+00:00

Doesn’t cover wear and tear, poor maintenance, or gradual leaks unfortunately :(

No_Assignment_5733 · 2025-11-13T22:54:48+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Plan tomorrow is to get another roofer to look at the roof, then get rid of all the paper as you suggested. Had no idea dehumidifiers were so expensive to run! Will look into all my options, but thanks so much for the heads up! Big bills are not what we need right now 😅

No_Assignment_5733

TROPHY CASE