southeast asia travel tips

This is the advice I wish I'd had. It's catered to my preferences; caveat emptor.

Packing:

• (for men) bring one pair of long pants, for temples, long flights, formal restaurants. Otherwise, plan to wear shorts everywhere.
• Bring an umbrella. Rain jackets are not very useful in humid weather, but you might want one if you plan to spend time riding on scooters where an umbrella isn't an option.

Preparation:

• book a reservation at Sorn or a similar high-end Bangkok restaurant, far in advance.
• learn to drive a motorbike and get an international drivers' license. Alternately, schedule a few hours of lessons when you arrive.

Next time with friends:

• Chiang Mai is great
• Spa/massage day
• Elephants
• Islands

Things I like about southeast asia:

• fresh fruit smoothies anywhere usually for <$1
• great food
• because everything is cheap, I'm more open to experience. It's easier to try new foods, new activities, go on tours, etc. Hotel rooms are nice and I don't feel stressed about the cost.
• People mostly seem happy even though they're much poorer than me. Probably similar to most other developing regions, it becomes harder to defend the idea that I have objective reasons for being unhappy.
• thai massage
• beaches
• lots of great nature - want to explore this more next time