Flights
The airlines I used were AirAsia, ANA, JetStar, Scoot, VietJet, Japan Airlines, Air Canada, United, and American. Small delays became expected using the budget airlines, but the biggest hiccup was with American when my flight to Thailand from Chicago was canceled. Otherwise, the flight experience was excellent. Note: Some airports have security right before your gate instead of for all gates, so be cautious of the time you need.
Planning
I highly recommend having a basic itinerary of what you want to do before you arrive. However, booking is best done once you arrive through bartering for the best offers and deals.
Payments
We paid for most things in SEA using cash. Card payment options were limited (and never preferred when offered). My friend and I kept track of everything using Splitwise. We each had one of the Chase Sapphire cards (Preferred and Reserve). The Sapphire Reserve card gave me (and 1+ guest) lounge access that saved us tons on airport food. She got cash for us using her debit card that reimbursed for ATM fees.
Philippines
While I visited Manila and Boracay, I highly recommend El Nido. Family, friends, and other travelers were all shocked to hear it was not on my itinerary. While Manila is the capital of the Philippines, if you don't have family there, I would prioritize the beach destinations as there are limited tourist attractions in Manila and the beauty of the beaches is hard to beat.
Seminyak was a great, lowkey location, however, it seemed that most people stay in Canggu as it’s closer to the social scene. Seminyak is about a 40 minute drive from Canggu, so keep that in mind if you want to check out any of the clubs, restaurants, or shops there (or even get a tattoo like my friends did!). Whether you opt to stay in Seminyak or Canggu doesn’t affect day trips such as Nusa Penida (pictured right) as both places have about the same travel time to many of the most popular locations. Additionally, most day trips will offer direct pickup and dropoff for both Seminyak or Canggu whether you stay in an AirBnB, hotel, hostel, etc. You can also hire a driver at a rate of ~$40 USD per day (please reach out to me directly for driver recommendations and contact information).
Bali, Indonesia
Thailand
I couldn't have asked for a better start to Southeast Asia than Thailand. My Bangkok experience was definitely unusual as it was pouring all day and tons of spots were closed due to preparations for the king's birthday celebration. Even still, the food was incredible and the temples were breathtaking. It was the perfect precursor to Phuket as we went from busy city to beautiful beaches. Next time I go I'll definitely add Chiang Mai to the list but Bangkok and Phuket were an A+ combination.
