The 9 Best Travel Bloggers in Southeast Asia contribute so much to people’s understanding of this fabulous region. I made a decision about 3 years ago that I was going to stay in Southeast Asia and write about the region that I love so much. I had, at that point, been living in Thailand and Cambodia for 5 years and had just moved to Vietnam. People, often asked me which is my favourite country out here, but I honestly think it is impossible to single one out. All have something different to offer, all have their strengths and weaknesses.
I thoroughly enjoy reading what other people have to say about Southeast Asia. I don’t see my fellow bloggers as competition, I see us all as hopefully enhancing people’s enjoyment. We are all in it together and high tides raise all boats. I have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending other sites that are doing such a good job in promoting the region. I place them in no particular order.
So who are the 9 Best Travel Bloggers in Southeast Asia
Nomadic Matt
Matthew Kepnes is a best author from Boston in the USA; he came to Southeast Asia for the first time in 2005 and never looked back. His blog is packed full of information and useful tips about travelling. His best selling book “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day” was described by the BBC as “The Bible for Budget Travellers”. It is obvious that Matt has a real love for the region and this comes across in his writing. His has some great advice for people on a strict budget.
As Matt says, “If travel is not a priority for you, you will always find some other things to spend money on and you’ll never have “enough” money to travel. I never have enough money to go shopping or buy a new electronic gadget because I spend my money on travel, so there isn’t much left over for non-priority expenses. Everything I do is focused on having more money for travel”.
Matt doesn’t just write about Southeast Asia but he has covered the area substantially and I think he, for sure one of the 9 Best Travel Bloggers in Southeast Asia.
Live Less Ordinary
Allan Wilson, from Northern Ireland travelled to and settled in Thailand, where he married a local girl, Fanfan. He has documented their lives and travels and turned it into a rather special and intimate blog. Allan threw himself totally into the Thai experience and relocated to a rural part of the country, far away from the normal expat hangouts. The articles are well written and have great humour in them. As there experiences have taken them further and further into Asia so the site has grown and now covers many countries.
I like Allan’s writing style and each piece is full of interesting snippets of information and colourful photography. This is so obviously a labour of love and that shines through in every blog.
Southeast Asia Backpacker
As the name suggest this site is aimed at the backpacking community, for which Southeast Asia is one of the greatest draws on the planet. The site covers the whole region and beyond, and is packed with fun to read articles. They have a good number of guest writers contributing to the site to keep it lively, up to date and informative. Southeast Asia Backpacker has a large group of “Ambassadors” that also contribute to the site. This is a website that has the feel of a really great team behind it.
Southeast Asia Backpacker is very well laid out and easy to navigate. It looks good and makes you want to stay on it.
Rusty Compass
Rusty Compass is the brainchild of Australian, and constant traveller, Mark Bowyer. The great strength of this site is Mark’s total commitment to travel. He seemingly never stops and has the most envious travel itinerary that I can think of. He writes from a personal perspective all the timed his personality shines through, giving the site an authenticity that many envy. The site covers Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Mark started the site in 2009 but has been travelling through the region since as early as 1990. He pays his way, as he goes, no freebies, that is the mark of his site and it definitely lends an air of authenticity to everything he writes about. If Rusty Compass recommends a place, it’s because he likes it, simple as.
The blogs are a combination of interesting takes on people and places of interest to informative dos and don’ts, and just general advice. This is an uncomplicated site and in my opinion, Mark is easily one of the 9 Best Travel Bloggers in Southeast Asia.
Adventurous Kate
This is the labour of love from Kate McCulley. She quit her job to travel the world alone at aged only 16. After spending six months in Southeast Asia she decided to try and turn her travel blog into a full-time business, she succeeded, and some! Today, Kate travels full-time. She has the dream job going anywhere that appeals to her sense of fun and excitement. She aims to show us all how to experience the world as a solo traveller; easily, safely, and adventurously
Kate writes with intelligence and wit, describing what she sees in a way that engages the writer instantly. This is a site that reads like just a well laid out travel journal. It is though, ordered and makes sense. She writes about places from all over the world but, for me, her sections on the Southeast Asian countries are really interesting.
Travel and Beyond
Writers Rosemarie John from Malaysia met Joseph Ellis from India, in the Philippines; they got married in Indonesia then lived in Singapore before moving to Australia. There was a damned good chance that their future would lead to travel and writing; it did. Their highly successful travel blog Travel & Beyond is a beautifully designed, laid out and written website that gets plenty of attention from serious journals around the world. Featured on CNN, National Geographic and in the Jakarta Post amongst others, this is a quality site. Travelling around the world they have spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia and write with a true passion for the region that we all love.
Bowdy Wanders
Bowdy is a filipino who got the urge for travelling at an early age and so began the life of a happy wanderer. He travels all over the world but is heavily into Southeast Asia. He certainly loves his coffee and has a section dedicated to the cafes that he visits on his world travels. Coffee culture of course is huge in parts of Southeast Asia, not least of all Vietnam, where it is an national obsession. Bowdy must have been a very happy wanderer when he visited Vietnam in 2016. His site is photo heavy and content light but he captures the essence of the countries that he visits.
One Travels Far
I should I know it, but I do have more respect for solo girl travellers than guys. I know that we can all do the same things but it takes more balls to head off alone as a young woman than it does as a young man. That is just a sad fact of life. One woman who really gets my praise is Stacey Kuyf. She quit her job aged 21 followed her dream of travelling. This adrenaline junkie, has done the lot, jumped off cliffs, rafted down rapids, and dived deep into the bowels of the earth. Her blogs cover a large part fo Southeast Asia and must be an inspiration for other young women.
and finally . . . well, if I don’t blow my own trumpet, who will?
In Southeast Asia
Inseasia was born out of desire to write about my new life in Southeast Asia. I started writing a little whilst living in Thailand, I broadened it a little when I went to Cambodia. Upon moving to Vietnam I started Saigon Districts but soon realised that I wanted to travel and write about more places. I simply love the region and the people. There is never a dull moment living out here, and I see no way that I will leave. Balancing the books is a nightmare, but I genuinely love my life. In the coming years I just want to travel like crazy and write every day, if I can.
So there you have it. Sorry if your site has been missed out; get in touch, I might not know it. To all the writers, well done, your efforts bring joy to thousands, to all the readers thanks for your time and patience and to all the haters, well you’re going to hate anyway, aren’t you!
