Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best time to visit Southeast Asia?
Keep Reading
November through March is the dry season across most of the region. March is ideal for Singapore (less humid), Vietnam (clear skies in the south), and the Thai islands. Avoid June-September monsoon season for island destinations.
How much does a month in Southeast Asia cost?
Budget $50-80 per day for two people across Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. Singapore is the most expensive (double the daily budget). Vietnam and Thailand are very affordable with street food from $2-4 per meal.
What order should you visit Southeast Asian countries?
If I were booking this: anchor the trip in Thailand (2 weeks is enough for Bangkok + 2 islands), add a Bali side trip for week 2, and save Vietnam for its own separate trip. Trying to sprint Singapore + Vietnam + Thailand + Bali in 14 days means most of your trip is airports.
Need a rental car? Compare prices on RentCars for the best deals in Singapore.
The Route I’d Book for Southeast Asia in March
March is shoulder season in Southeast Asia — monsoons have passed, heat hasn’t peaked, and a two-week loop covers three countries for less than a week in Europe.
In This Post
Two weeks isn’t enough to “do” Southeast Asia — which is why this itinerary does one country deeply (Thailand) and a side trip (Bali) rather than sprinting through four countries in 14 days. That’s the mistake I’d want to avoid. If I had three weeks, I’d add Vietnam — but it deserves its own trip, not a tacked-on five days.
Week 1 — Thailand (The Backbone)
Thailand is the anchor because I’ve done it and the pacing works: three days in Bangkok, three days on an island (Krabi + Koh Lipe is my ranked combo, see my Thailand post for the Jan 2025 version), one travel day to pivot.
Bangkok (3 days): skip the Grand Palace tour-bus circuit on day 1 — the jet lag will kill it. Start with the river: longtail to Wat Arun, ferry to Tha Tien, then dinner on Charoen Krung (the Chinatown end). Day 2 for the Palace + Wat Pho. Day 3 for Chatuchak weekend market or a long Thonglor food crawl.
Krabi (3 days): base in Ao Nang or Railay. Do a longtail island-hopping day (Phi Phi, Bamboo Island) but book the sunrise departure to beat the tour fleet. Hong Islands is quieter if Phi Phi sounds too crowded. Book through a reputable operator — the cheap beach-touts often cut the trip short.
Koh Lipe (2 days): 90 minutes south of Krabi by speedboat. Smaller, clearer water, less party than Phi Phi. Sunrise Beach for snorkeling, Walking Street for dinner, Pattaya Beach if you want the loud one.
Week 2 — Bali or a Side Trip
From Bangkok, a 4-hour flight drops you in Denpasar. Bali in March catches the tail end of the wet season — fewer crowds, daily afternoon rain is short and warm.
What I’d do: three nights in Ubud (rice terraces, warungs, the monkey forest — but book the Saraswati Temple before it opens to tourists), then three nights in Canggu or Uluwatu for the beach side. Skip Kuta unless you want to watch 20-year-olds drink. See my Bali trip post for what worked and what I’d change.
Alternative Week 2 options (if Bali doesn’t fit your miles/dates):
- Malaysian Borneo (Sabah): 3 days in Kota Kinabalu gets you orangutans, Mount Kinabalu base, and island hopping in Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park. 90-min flight from Bangkok.
- Langkawi (Malaysia): duty-free island, good for beach + cable car + mangrove kayaking. Less culture than Bali but easier logistics.
- Yogyakarta (Indonesia): Borobudur + Prambanan temples. For a temple-heavy trip, this is Bali’s cultural cousin.
What I’d Skip (And Why)
- Adding Vietnam to a 2-week SE Asia trip. Hanoi + Ha Long Bay + Ho Chi Minh City + Hoi An is its own 10-12 day trip. Squeezing it in means 3 days of flights and jet lag. Book Vietnam separately.
- Singapore as a destination. Two days in Singapore is enough to see the greatest hits, but it’s expensive hotels-wise and the food scene is better sampled on a long layover (which is what I did). Don’t burn two of your 14 days here.
- Tiger Kingdom / elephant rides. Full stop.
- Full Moon Parties (if you’re past 25). Koh Phangan the other 25 nights of the month is great.
Budget Estimate (2 weeks, per person)
- Flights JFK→BKK: 60,000–100,000 miles one-way, or $650–950 cash. Book 8–10 weeks out.
- BKK→DPS (Bali): $80–150 on AirAsia / Scoot / Batik Air.
- Accommodation: $30–80/night mid-range. Bangkok is cheapest, Bali mid, Koh Lipe highest.
- Food: $12–20/day on street food; $25–40/day with mid-range sit-downs.
- Activities: $20–50/day for tours, snorkeling, temple entries.
- Total 14 days (excluding flights): $1,200–1,800 per person.
Tips
- Grab (the Uber of SE Asia) works in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. Use it — way easier than street taxis.
- Buy an Airalo eSIM before you land. $15 for 10 GB gets you across all three countries without swapping SIMs.
- Carry cash in Bali especially — ATMs are fine but smaller warungs are cash-only.
- Sunrise flights out of Bangkok to beach destinations save a day. Late afternoon flights eat your daylight.
- Bali in March: book a villa with a covered outdoor area. Afternoon storms are short but loud.
Related Reading
- South Korea Cherry Blossom Season: Seoul, Busan, Jeju
- Two Weeks in Thailand: Krabi, Koh Lipe, and Bangkok
- Solo in Bali: April 2024
- Thailand Beaches
- Bali Beyond the Instagram Hype
- Japan: Two Weeks
- Singapore Hawker Centers Ranked
Gear and Guides We Recommend
Planning a similar trip? Here are some items we found useful:
- Southeast Asia travel guide
- reef-safe sunscreen
- waterproof dry bag
- compact snorkel set
- travel insect repellent
These are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which helps support this site.
Book Tours and Activities
Book on Klook:
Find Flights to Singapore
Cheapest Flights to Singapore
| Departure at | Return at | Stops | Airline | Find tickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 April 2026 | 30 April 2026 | Direct |  |
Tickets from 984 |
Book Activities in Southeast Asia:
- Southeast Asia tours on GetYourGuide
- Southeast Asia activities on Klook
- Southeast Asia transport on 12Go
Compare flights on Skyscanner — and grab an Airalo eSIM before you land so you have data the moment you arrive.
Tours: Singapore tours on Viator
Travel Insurance: We use SafetyWing for travel insurance on every international trip. It covers medical emergencies, trip interruptions, and lost luggage starting at $45/month with no fixed end date — perfect for multi-country itineraries.
Book hotels: Search Booking.com hotels
Get Travel Tips That Actually Help
Real costs, honest reviews, and what I’d do differently — delivered to your inbox.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Written by Jenna Fattah
I have visited 25+ countries across 6 continents, attended 7 Formula 1 races, and spent 4 years writing about what actually works and what I would do differently. Every recommendation on this site comes from trips I planned and paid for myself. Read more about me