Exploring Neighbouring Countries Around Singapore: Malaysia, Cambodia, and Thailand
Guest Post By: Miku Hara, a Senior studying Marketing and Information Systems. She studied abroad through Foster Exchange at the National University of Singapore in Queenstown, Singapore, during Autumn Semester 2023.
While studying abroad, it is common to find fellow students from different countries to explore unfamiliar cultures. Singapore is an island country surrounded by many other Southeast Asian countries. Although most of the countries are similar in terms of how humid it is, there are unique differences that make them special.
Although Singapore is known for its multicultural society, traveling was still one of the most exciting things I did while being away from home. The whole experience from researching the place, and planning where to stay, to actually visiting the country with newly made friends was an adventure. Since we had so many countries to choose from, we ended up doing a week-long trip to Malaysia, Cambodia, and then to Thailand!
Among all countries I visited, Cambodia was one of my favorite places I visited in my life. Vising Angkor Wat; the largest religious monument in the world, was a great opportunity for me to learn the history of Buddhism. It was the best choice we made to sign up for a tour because the site spreads over 400 acres of land. Although it was unbearably humid during the day, seeing the results and the history of humans working together to build such a beautiful monument was worth the travel.
In addition, my friends and I all agreed that the transportation in Cambodia was the highlight of the trip. Riding on a tuk-tuk was the cheapest and the most authentic way to go around the city. We got to see around the city open-air and interact with the local drivers who knew the place better. Some of the tuk-tuks were decorated with neon lights which made the experience even more special at night time.
Overall, this week was full of exciting adventures that made me want to travel more and explore the world even more. This trip has become one of my favorite memories in my life!
I strongly recommend traveling with your new friends because it is a very different experience from traveling with your family. It adds so much value to your trip and allows you to build tighter bonds with your friends.
