Travel in Southeast Asia is changing. The region is now one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. The secret of getting off the beaten path by traveling to the remote corners of Southeast Asia is out.
As word gets out about cheap food and beautiful landscapes, travel in Southeast Asia is changing at a rapid pace.
What’s happening?
Modernization of Southeast Asian Cities
Southeast Asia is one of the most rapidly modernizing areas in the world. The days of strolling Bangkok and feeling like you’re in another world are gone.
Singapore is the model of a modern Southeast Asia. The city is modern, clean and really expensive. Transportation is new and efficient. The city now hosts international summits and political events, as well as a large presence of ultra-luxury hotels.
Kuala Lumpur is not far in distance or infrastructure from Singapore. KL has a mix of old and modern, but the modern is quickly taking hold. Especially in the city center, it’s hard to believe this modern setting is in Malaysia.
Continuing north, Bangkok is home to one of the most drastically changing travel landscapes. The Bangkok of television and film is a dusty, wild city. This can not be further from reality. Bangkok is an enormous city that becomes increasingly more modern by the day. Fancy rooftop bars and striking skyscrapers are common in the 21st century.
In Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are progressing, but a little slower than the cities mentioned above. These cities are booming, but are clinging to their identity stronger than other major cities of Southeast Asia.
Cambodia and Myanmar are teetering on modernization, with the former getting a serious helping hand from Chinese investment. Laos, has its modern moments here or there, but lags behind more than any other country in the region.
Modernization and changing cities in Southeast Asia is sad for travelers, but generally a very good sign for local economies. It’s going to happen whether tourists like it or not, and there are still plenty of traditional and authentic vibes away from cities in these countries.
English is the Language
Language barriers are changing and disappearing, and you don’t have to travel far in Southeast Asia to hear English. English has become the global language in the last century, and is more prevalent each day.
It is shocking for many travelers, thousands of miles from home, to hear a local speak clear and articulate English in shops and restaurants. However, money is the name of the game and people in Southeast Asia recognize the financial importance of being fluent in English.
There are still plenty of places in Southeast Asia where no one speaks your language, be it English, German, Russian, etc. And most people are not fluent in English. The feeling of being far away is still easy to find. Nevertheless, it is surprising to hear how English is so common and see so many signs in English, even on local businesses that don’t cater to foreigners.
The common western language makes travel to the area much easier, and is a great example of how this changing pattern of travel affects culture in Southeast Asia.
Political Stability
Perhaps the most significant force changing travel in Southeast Asia is political stability.
In the second half of the 20th century, every country in Southeast Asia experienced war or violent unrest. Millions of lives were lost from conflicts and genocide.
In recent years, the region has been relatively stable and calm. Not that the governments are all fair and free (more on that below), and conflicts exist, but overall peace is at its highest point in recent years.
Peace and stability leads to safer travel and more travel options.
In the years following war, as stability is assured, Southeast Asian countries have opened their borders. It wasn’t long ago that it was nearly impossible to travel to Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar. Today, millions of tourists visit Cambodia. Laos and Myanmar are a little behind, but are now safely open to visitors.
Prices Surging
As infrastructure improves and tourism increases, prices are rising. Southeast Asia is changing for the better, but travel is trending costlier for visitors.
Cheap travel and food is still a thing in Southeast Asia, but a hostel, food and beer for $5 a day is a thing of the past. For beer info, read my analysis of beer in Southeast Asia.
As tourism grows, cities are developing. Roads are improved, airports expanded and historical sites restored, costs are passed on to the millions of foreigners who visit Southeast Asia. For instance, tickets to visit the temples of Angkor are considerably more expensive than a few years ago. A single day now costs $37 and a 3-day pass is $62, more than double the previous entrance cost.
Southeast Asia is still a great destination for budget travel, but as travel in the area is changing, prices will increase further.
What’s hindering further growth?
Inadequate Infrastructure
Although transportation in Southeast Asia has made significant improvements in recent decades, large areas remain inaccessible.
The good part about areas remaining inaccessible is that local culture is preserved and shielded from tourism. However, improving infrastructure is not for the benefit of tourists. Tourists enjoy these improvements, but for the sake of improving local quality of life, the current situation needs work.
Cities in Southeast Asia may be surprisingly modern and well-built, but many rural areas seem largely forgotten. There are still plenty of villages lacking electricity or connectivity to the outside world, and dirt roads are normal. Not only small, local roads, but many larger routes remain inadequately constructed.
Poor infrastructure is a major hurdle in the advancement of Southeast Asia, and is a significant roadblock to improving travel for tourists and locals.
Inept Government
The biggest hindrance to further growth in Southeast Asia is government. Corruption is rampant and politicians are too often concerned with lining their own pockets than getting citizens out of poverty.
Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are single-party states. Until 2018, Malaysia was ruled by the same political party for decades. Myanmar finally rid itself from the stranglehold of its military junta, only to be swamped in controversy over treatment and persecution of minority populations. Indonesia is largely intolerant of non-Muslim leaders. Brunei is an absolute monarchy that limits individual freedoms. And the Philippines has been battling corruption and insurgencies for years.
Thailand is somewhat of an outlier in the region’s poor ruling, though its government is not flawless. However, with the most sensible regime in Southeast Asia, it’s no surprise Thailand has made the most of the changing travel industry, turning it into billions in revenue and prosperity.
The corruption and oppression in Southeast Asia is notable in the press, or lack thereof. Many of these countries quietly imprison or deport public detractors. Free press in the region is closely monitored by governments, if it is “free” to independently report at all.
Some countries even punish citizens for publicly speaking out against rulers. Cambodia recently passed a law making it illegal to criticize the king, who already has zero power or authority.
Despite the toilet that is Southeast Asian politics, the region is in better position than ever before. The changing world of travel, i.e. more tourists, has brought attention to the governments of Southeast Asia, pressuring some to loosen restrictions on personal freedoms.
Regional governments are learning that closing an area in question to outsiders is not the best way to solve (or hide) a problem in this day and age. Attention only intensifies.
The current limitations on personal and public freedoms are a serious roadblock to continued growth and prosperity in Southeast Asia. Without change, the fancy new skyscrapers and subway systems will be nothing more than a pretty facade, masking a harsh reality of dictators and oppression.
Trash
With the travel industry changing in Southeast Asia, many things are left behind. The most glaring problem facing Southeast Asia – that is, visible problems on the surface – is the massive buildup of trash.
Let me say that again: Southeast Asia has a huge problem with trash.
It doesn’t take long to see the effects of booming populations and industrial growth. Trash is everywhere in Southeast Asia – on the streets, in the sea, in the air. A few countries are cleaner than others, but none is immune to the negative side effects of prosperity.
Southeast Asia’s meteoric growth surpasses its ability to cope with all the waste. Granted, it’s nothing compared to the problem of trash and pollution in India, but finding a trash can in a big city in Southeast Asia can require walking dozens of blocks. IF you ever find one.
In Vietnam, small piles accumulate on streets. Every few days, collections are made and it disappears. In popular tourist cities like Luang Prabang (Laos), an effort is made to keep appearances cleaner. In rural areas, trash is either burned or left to accumulate.
Trash is such a problem that famous locations, such as Boracay in the Philippines and the famous Maya Bay in Thailand, have temporarily closed to tourists deal with the issue.
Some of the blame falls on tourists. More people means more trash.
As a whole, the blame falls on the shoulders of local governments and citizens. Governments need to step up and fix the issue, while citizens need to take personal responsibility and understand that their refuse has to be disposed of properly.
If Southeast Asia does not fix it’s waste problem, the changing world of travel will adjust course, pack up and find somewhere cleaner. Tourists seldom want to fly thousands of miles to sit on beaches of garbage or walk streets and huff burning garbage.
Overtourism
Overtourism is an issue that, sooner or later, plagues most popular tourist sites. As popularity grows, so do the crowds. The rise in popularity is partially responsible for the changing travel demands in Southeast Asia, as tourists shift to calmer, quieter locales.
There is no way to avoid crowds in certain places, but choosing the right destination can help to avoid such situations.
As tourism in Southeast Asia expands, countries will develop alternate destinations. This is a good thing for local economies, as the financial impact of tourism will reach farther from cities.
For tourists, we all want to go somewhere unspoiled. Finding that paradise is a bit of a challenge. At the moment, Southeast Asia has plenty of unspoiled scenes for curious wanderers. With continuing development, the region will change significantly as it figures out how to cope with overtourism.
How will a changing Southeast Asia affect future travel?
As Southeast Asia’s economy shifts and populations grow, the current problems will only be exacerbated.
Higher Prices
As development spreads across the region, prices will rise. It is very likely the number of hostels and guesthouses, which cater to backpackers and budget travelers, will decrease. With fewer options for affordable accommodation, tourist numbers will likely level off in time.
The positive side is that development attracts tourists that spend more money. Overall, revenue is likely to increase substantially.
Better Infrastructure
However, if development continues at the current rate, tourism will multiply. There are millions of people who believe that travel to Southeast Asia is still a crazy idea to a land of far away opposites.
With improvements in transportation, quality of roads and a higher number of quality hotels, the number of free-spending visitors will increase. Many people who never dreamed of visiting Southeast Asia will see the changing quality of travel and add it to the list.
More Trash
Unless something changes soon – and it doesn’t look good – trash and pollution will only get worse in Southeast Asia. More tourists means more development and more trash.
Recent evidence suggests that efforts to eliminate waste in China have merely shifted the problem to Malaysia. If trends like this continue, travel in Southeast Asia won’t be changing for the better. And the tourism industry won’t be sustainable.
Regardless of the quality of infrastructure and the level of comfort, tourists rarely flock to filthy destinations.
Extreme Overtourism
The most popular destinations eventually get really busy. In Europe, most of these places are already equipped to handle millions of visitors. And most of the cities are already highly developed and capable of dealing with all the trash. Adding more visitors basically means a few more hotels and a lot more bookings.
In Southeast Asia, the changing world of travel and increase in visitors will likely exhibit serious negative effects of overtourism. The region will eventually exhaust the expansion of resources and secondary destinations, and it will become increasingly difficult to avoid other tourists.
Changing Travel in Southeast Asia
The Bangkok of movies, stories and old travel blogs barely exists today. Singapore is now one of the world’s most modern cities. And Saigon streets host Starbucks, towering skyscrapers and Buffalo Wild Wings.
Southeast Asia has become incredibly popular for good reason. Cheap travel, great food and dramatic landscapes are perfect reasons to visit any destination. Southeast Asia has all of these and more.
Tourism and the increase of travel to Southeast Asia has been changing the region for decades. As a result, travel to Southeast Asia is a different experience than in the past. For now, tourists can expect all of the good things as advertised. How the region handles the increase in tourism remains to be seen.
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