Transport & Accommodation in Southeast Asia
Getting around Southeast Asia is affordable and straightforward, with well-established transport routes and accommodation for every budget. From city transport to cross-border travel, this section covers how to move efficiently — plus reliable places to stay in each country.
Transport
Moving Around Cities
Most cities are easy to navigate using a mix of public transport, taxis and walking.
Public transport: Buses, metro systems, and trams in major cities
Ride-hailing apps: Grab is widely used and affordable
Walking: Common in old towns and city centres
Motorbike taxis: Cheap and fast, but best for short trips
Travelling Between Countries
Cross-country travel is simple and popular with backpackers.
Buses & trains: Cheapest option for neighbouring countries
Budget flights: Best for long distances or tight schedules
Ferries: Common for island routes
Border crossings: Usually straightforward, but can take time
Click on the boxes bellow to find out more about different companies that help with transport between cities and countries across Southeast Asia.
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12Go Asia — An all-in-one booking platform for buses, trains, ferries, vans and even some flights across Southeast Asia. Great for planning complex routes and booking in advance.
Baolau — A popular search and ticket site where you can compare and book buses, trains, ferries and flights across multiple countries.
Easybook — Large online platform focused on buses, trains and ferries throughout Southeast Asia with routes connecting many major destinations.
Traveloka — A major travel booking site/app for flights, trains and buses in Southeast Asia (especially strong in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam).
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AirAsia — Strong coverage across Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and beyond.
Scoot — Budget carrier for longer regional flights (e.g., Singapore to Indonesia).
Lion Air / Cebu Pacific — Popular in Indonesia and the Philippines respectively (tickets often bookable via Traveloka or airline sites).
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Transport Co. — A major intercity bus provider in Thailand with routes into neighbouring countries including Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia via overland services.
redBus — A large online bus ticketing hub that connects multiple operators across countries (including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore), ideal for cross-border bus travel.
Causeway Link Express — Provides cross-border and regional coach services between Malaysia and Singapore, including express connections useful for backpackers moving between the two.
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Ferries don’t have one big operator across all countries, but platforms like 12Go Asia and Easybook list major ferry routes between islands (e.g., Thailand’s Gulf/Andaman islands, Indonesia archipelago, Philippines routes).
Train systems are limited between countries but:
Vietnam’s Reunification Express is the backbone in Vietnam
Thai trains connect to Malaysia (and onward to Singapore)
Tickets and schedules for these can also be booked via 12Go Asia or Baolau.
Accommodation
Accommodation in Southeast Asia ranges from social hostels to comfortable budget hotels, with options to suit every travel style and budget.
Bellow is curated selection of hostels and hotels in each country.
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Bangkok – Lub d Siam (Hostel) – £15–30 – Central, social, great transport links
Chiang Mai – Green Sleep Hostel (Hostel) – £10–25 – Old City location
Pai – Common Grounds (Hostel) – £10–20 – Relaxed backpacker hub
Koh Tao – Sairee Cottage (Hotel) – £25–40 – Beachfront location
Krabi – Pak-Up Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Close to transport and tours
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Siem Reap – Onederz Hostel(Hostel) – £10–20 – Near Angkor Wat transport
Phnom Penh – Mad Monkey(Hostel) – £10–25 – Social and central
Kampot – Bohemiaz Resort(Hotel) – £15–30 – Riverside location
Battambang – Here Be Dragons(Hotel) – £10–25 – Quiet and central
Koh Rong – Nest Beach Club( Hotel)– £20–40 – Beachfront stay
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Ubud – In Da Lodge (Hostel) – £15–30 – Central and social
Canggu – Lay Day Hostel (Hostel) – £10–25 – Popular backpacker area
Gili Trawangan – Gili Castle (Hostel) – £15–30 – Close to the beach
Yogyakarta – The Packer Lodge (Hostel) – £10–20 – Central location
Nusa Penida – Nuansa Penida Hostel (Hostel) – £15–30 – Budget-friendly base
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Hanoi – Nexy Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Old Quarter, social atmosphere
Hoi An – Tribee Bana Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Close to Ancient Town
Da Nang – Memory Hostel (Hostel) – £10–25 – Near the beach
Ho Chi Minh City – The Like Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Central location
Hue – Jade Hotel (Hotel) – £20–35 – Comfortable budget hotel
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Manila – Z Hostel (Hostel) – £15–30 – Social rooftop bar, great for meeting travellers, central Makati location
El Nido – Spin Designer Hostel (Hostel) – £15–35 – Modern, social, walking distance to tours and beach
Coron – Hop Hostel (Hostel) – £12–25 – Rooftop views, perfect for island hopping trips
Cebu – Mad Monkey Cebu City (Hostel) – £12–25 – Lively, social, good base before heading to islands
Siargao – Mad Monkey Siargao (Hostel) – £12–30 – Surf vibe, beachfront feel, backpacker favourite
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Luang Prabang – Downtown Backpackers (Hostel) – £10–20 – Central, social
Vang Vieng – Nana Backpackers (Hostel) – £10–20 – Close to nature
Vientiane – Sailomyen Hostel (Hostel) – £15–30 – Comfortable and quiet
Pakse – You Empire Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Easy access to transport
Nong Khiaw – Meexai Guesthouse (Guesthouse / Hotel) – £10–20 – Riverside views
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Kuala Lumpur – The Bed KLCC (Hostel) – £10–20 – Central location near transport and attractions
Kuala Lumpur – BackHome Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Social, walkable area
Penang (George Town) – Tipsy Tiger Party Hostel (Hostel) – £10–20 – Great base for food and nightlife
Penang (George Town) – Muntri Grove Hotel (Hotel) – £25–45 – Boutique stay in the historic centre
Langkawi – Bed Attitude Hostel Cenang (Hostel) – £10–20 – Close to the beach and bars
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Singapore – The Pod Boutique Capsule Hotel (Capsule Hostel) – £25–45 – Central, clean, MRT access
Singapore – Beary Best Hostel (Hostel) – £20–35 – Chinatown location, budget-friendly for Singapore
Singapore – Wink Capsule Hostel (Capsule Hostel) – £25–40 – Modern capsules, great location near attractions
Singapore – Cube Boutique Capsule Hotel (Capsule Hostel) – £30–50 – Stylish, comfortable, central
Singapore – Hotel 81 Chinatown (Budget Hotel) – £45–80 – Private rooms in a prime location for less
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Yangon – Little Yangon Hostel (Hostel) – £8–15 – Central, friendly, great for first stop in Myanmar
Bagan – Ostello Bello Bagan (Hostel) – £10–25 – Social hub, ideal for temple exploring
Inle Lake – Song of Travel Hostel (Hostel) – £8–18 – Cosy, great base for lake tours
Mandalay – Ostello Bello Mandalay (Hostel) – £10–20 – Social, rooftop views, central location
Hsipaw – Mr. Charles Guesthouse (Guesthouse) – £10–25 – Famous for trekking routes and backpackers