Disclaimer: The personal opinion of the guest doesn’t necessarily reflect the views of Muslim Solo Travel.
In Journeys with Muslimah Solo Travelers Ep. 4, we have Muslimah Solo Traveler and Digital Nomad Syifa (@itsacipa on Instagram ) sharing her tales on Solo Traveling as a Muslim woman in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, The Phillipines and more.
In this episode, she shared her invaluable experiences in dealing with unpleasant situations like losing her purse, dealing with immigration when you’re on a flexible schedule (i.e. you have not yet bought a return trip back home), the various kinds of helmets that feel daunting to your face’s safety.. All the important know-how that can help Muslimah Solo Travelers to become savvier in their future trips in the Southeast Asian region.
As an Indonesian local who’s familiar with Bandung, a laid-back alternative to Jakarta, Syifa also shared the Muslim-friendly what and hows of the city, so you can experience Bandung to the fullest!
Watch the entire session on YouTube or Listen to the Journeys with Muslimah Solo Travelers Podcast!
Inside This Episode (timestamps)
02:50 – Early days of solo traveling – join a student exchange in Phuket, Thailand. Extension of the exchange program by exploring the city and region by herself. 18 years old in 2019. Thailand, Singapore & Malaysia.
05:20 – Mental health, Solo travel as a form of self-discovery, Experiencing flight delays
06:57 – Family reactions to solo traveling, and gaining your parents’ trust. Knowing the risk of your decision, as a responsible adult.
09:45 – Challenges when solo traveling as a Muslim woman. tales on Vietnam and Cambodia, meeting Muslims that made you question your faith.
11:50 – Language barriers & Lost in Translation. Malay vs Indonesian. Similar words but have different meanings. Stories on losing her purse, her ID, and money and what’s a back up when this would happen.
20:21 – Solo Traveling as a Muslim woman in Southeast Asia.
- The Philippines as a Meat-eater country, finding Halal food via Muslim-friendly ingredients. & Muslim-friendly region in the Philippines like Davao, near to Indonesia’s Manado.
- Difference between transportation in The Philippines via Joyride, Angkas in comparison to Jakarta’s Gojek. The different helmets in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.
- Halal food options in Hanoi, Vietnam. The pronunciation of pho. Alternative to not finding Halal certification & communicating with the owner on Muslim-friendly ingredients
- Malay Lane in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The ability to speak in Indonesian/Malay when ordering in Malay lane because there’s no language barriers.
31:18 – The Benefits of Hostel Life as a Muslimah Solo Traveler. Finding friends, travel buddies, and affordability of Hostel life. Everyone’s comfort level when doing hostel life. Suggestions & friends Syifa met in female dorms when traveling solo. More authentic experiences from hostels than the hotel.
37:30 – Packing lightly as a Hijabi to multiple destinations. Mix-and-match. Vacuum bag, and doing laundry.
40:10 – Navigating Immigration when you don’t have a return ticket, as a Muslimah Solo Traveler with flexible plans. Tales from Cambodia-Thailand (Aranyaprathet/Poipet) border. Consequences of traveling without insurance and the need for proof of funds.
48:55 – Traveling Solo in the laid-back and cooling Bandung, Indonesia’s West Java like a Pro! Bandung vs Jakarta. Temperature in Bandung, its landmark, and natural attractions. Must-eat Halal food in Bandung (what does Batagor stands for) & more tips from a local like Syifa!
53:40 – Final words from Syifa, her postcard travel habit, her gift for Muslimah Solo Travelers who answer this question (watch till the end on how to get it!)
Listen to the Podcast:
Watch on YouTube:
Related Journeys with the Muslimah Solo Travelers:
- How to Solo Travel in Indonesia as a Muslim Woman; Beyond Bali, Halal Food like a local & MORE with Giannisa Ovie (@giannovie)
- Solo Traveling as a Dutch-born, North African Muslim Woman with Shaimaa @salamsanctuary (ft. Tales from Kenya, The Netherlands, Sudan, Egypt, Malaysia, & Australia)
- Solo Traveling in Romania in Search of Castles; Uganda for Gorilla-trekking; and Kenya for Eid alongside Lamu’s Muslim Community with Nafeesa (@travelwithnaf)
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