SE Asia Travel Destinations Advice

I know its been a while since I last wrote in my blog but yes, I'm still in Singapore. The Fulbright is long over and I'm finishing up my MSc in Building.

For the sake of my buddy Kevin who will be traveling to SE Asia, I thought I would outline all the places I've traveled to since I've been here to give him an idea of the must see places! No sense in only sharing with him though so here we go:

Indonesia
West Java - Mt. Bromo and Ijen Crater - Magnificent and well worth it! Only problem is getting there. I was in a big group and we went through a tour company which was around $100 USD per person. Probably cheaper (but a much bigger challenge) if going by bus or even hitch hiking.

East Java - Jakarta and southern coast - I had a friend who is from Jakarta and we drove down to this little fishing village called Sawarna on the southern coast which was insanely awesome and no tourists. Awesome surfing if you could find a board down there. Once again it is really tough to get to. Jakarta is huge, dirty and uninteresting unless you know someone there. I have some friends there so ask me if you want a hookup.

Bali - Bali is VERY touristy in some spots. We stayed in Kuta which is the "party" area which I don't recommend unless that is what you're there for. Better to stay in the north or the west if you want quiet and culture. The temples and culture there are unbeatable.

Malaysia
Kuala Lampur - just another big city but the food is good and it is interesting if you know someone there.
Penang Island - supposed to be the food capital of Malaysia but I was unimpressed. Skip this one.
Malacca - cool little colonial style town near Singapore. Great history and vibe.
Borneo - Sarawak - Kuching is a charming city and the jungle that surrounds it (Bako National Park) is fun to explore.

Thailand
Phuket - Tourist central. Beaches are not that good. Skip this place.
Krabi - Near Phuket but much better in my opinion. Still quite touristy. Try getting a boat to one of the adjacent islands.
Bangkok - Culture is awesome and the bars are fun and cheap. Kao San road is a must to hang out with other back-packers. There is a weekend market in the northern part of the city with is worth going to

Cambodia
Phnom Phen - Interesting city if you dig in a bit. A lot of crazy history from the Khmer Rouge.
Siem Reap - A MUST SEE in Asia. The temples will blow your mind. My strategy there was to go to the smaller temples to get away from the mobs of tourists and just chill with a little picnic or something. Siem reap as a city is probably the most touristy place I've ever been in my life.

Vietnam
 Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) - This city is crazy, fast, and the number of motorcycles on the road will blow your mind. Lots of really awesome food and a few things to see. I have some friends there as well.

Philippines
Manila - a big, dirty city. Not much to see
Cebu Island - lots of amazing beaches, food, and the people are the coolest in Asia. This culture is the most similar to Latin America that I have seen

Now for some places that I'm dying to go to:
Sumatra - Lake Toba
Kota Kinabalu - Climb Mt. Kinabalu
Laos
Burma
Beaches in central Vietnam
Philippines exploring
Langkawi, Malaysia
Tioman, Malaysia
Perhentians, Malaysia
Koh Samui, Thaliand