Routes
Southeast Asia Overland: Bangkok to Bali Without Flying
Trains, buses, slow boats and ferries through five countries — the route, the timings, and what to skip.
By Théo Nguyen · 18 February 2026 · 10 min read
It is genuinely possible to travel from Bangkok to Bali without boarding a single plane. The journey takes about six weeks at a relaxed pace, costs less than 600 euros in transport, and crosses some of the most beautiful borders in the world.
Start in Bangkok and take the overnight train to Chiang Mai. From there, the slow boat down the Mekong to Luang Prabang is the kind of two-day journey that justifies the entire trip. Continue south through Laos by bus to Vientiane and on to Vietnam.
Vietnam rewards a slow descent: Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, each connected by the Reunification Express. Cross into Cambodia at Moc Bai, spend a week between Phnom Penh and the temples of Angkor, then bus down to the Thai gulf islands.
From southern Thailand, ferries chain through Malaysia (Penang, the Perhentians, KL) into Singapore. Book a passage on the Pelni ferry across to Sumatra or fly the short hop to Jakarta, then trains and buses east through Java to the ferry that lands you, finally, in Bali.
Skip the night buses you can replace with night trains. Trade two cheap hostels for one good guesthouse. The journey is the destination, but only if you stop occasionally to enjoy it.
