After having spent about six weeks in Southeast Asia (in Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia), we were starting to feel like we were getting the hang of it. We were recognizing similarities between the countries we had visited and began to think we knew what to expect. Street food on every block. Crazy motorbikes zooming in and out of traffic. Beautiful temples to explore. Night market stalls, selling the same type of souvenirs every night. So, as we were gearing up to country-hop and spend just a few, quick days in Singapore, Cambodia and Laos, we figured it would be more of the same. Instead, what we found were three incredibly unique places that had hints of the familiar elements we had come to know and love about Southeast Asia, but with memorable differences.
Marina Bay in Singapore
Singapore just topped the list of the world’s most expensive cities for the third year in a row according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s pricing index aimed at expats and business travelers. That made it a little tough for these budget travelers to find affordable accommodations! To cut travel costs, we rented a tiny room from AirBNB in a 3-bedroom, shared apartment and we made good use of the pristine subway system. We were still able to find cheap street food that didn’t break the bank, but everything just felt a little fancier than what we had seen in previous countries. The government places an incredibly high emphasis on cleanliness and it shows in the spotless streets, parks, trains and even the lack of bugs in the city. The marina was beautiful and we enjoyed a visit to our 36th UNESCO site at the Botanical Gardens. The fact that we took an Uber with our friends when we went out to dinner instead of a tuk-tuk ride made us realize we weren’t in Myanmar anymore!
Singapore Botanical Gardens
Supertree Grove
Next, we headed to Cambodia. Over the past decade, the poverty rate in this country has improved, but the majority of citizens still remain vulnerable. As we pulled into our guesthouse, we noticed a big contrast to the thriving cityscape that we experienced in Singapore. Both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap were very hectic. Walking along the dusty roads to get into the center of town, we were constantly jumping out of the way of passing tuk-tuk drivers or families of four piled onto their motorbikes. We noticed hundreds of tangled electrical wires hanging perilously close to shop windows. We could also feel the hustle of every vendor we passed, vying for our attention and our business. Both cities we visited had incredible energy.
Bustling market in Phnom Penh
Massive crowd waiting for the sunrise view
Amazing Angkor Wat
In terms of unique places, you can’t get much better than the Angkor complex of temples in Siem Reap. There is no place like it on earth. The main reason we came to Cambodia was to explore this UNESCO site and it was well worth the trip!
Exploring the temple complex
Trees overtaking the temple
Buddha peeking through the forest growth
A quiet moment away from the crowds of tourists
After Cambodia, we were off to Luang Prabang. Laos wasn’t originally on our itinerary until we got to India and a fellow volunteer raved about it so much that we wanted to check it out for ourselves. We are so glad we did! Probably one of the only places in Southeast Asia that could be described as quaint, Luang Prabang was a calm, quiet town with cute storefronts and beautiful views to enjoy over the Mekong River. The night market was different than any other we had seen so far, filled with vendors who weren’t pushy at all, quiet stalls, and an overall serene atmosphere. We took a day trip to the beautiful Kuang Si waterfalls and spent our days lingering in coffee shops, stopping for smoothies at one of the dozens of fruit carts, or just walking through the adorable town.
Monks participating in the alms giving ceremony in Luang Prabang
Too many smoothie options to choose from, and all for just around $1!
Peaceful setting for the Luang Prabang night market
Our quick few weeks in these countries reinforced our view that you just never know what a place is like until you get there and check it out for yourself. Even if you think someplace will be similar to what you’ve seen before, you can’t safely say “been there, done that” until you go!
Clear pools at the base of the Kuang Si Waterfalls
The stunning Kuang Si Falls
Next up, we are heading back to Thailand, but this time it is to volunteer at the Elephant Nature Park for a week in Chiang Mai. Wish us luck and stay tuned for lots of elephant photos!
-The Morts
Wow, your stories and pictures never cease to amaze us. So glad to know that Cambodia and Laos are peaceful places now. Thanks for sharing. We love every word!