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We are happy you found your way to our travel blog! Above all, we are happy that you’re taking the time to learn something about us. On this page, we want to give you the opportunity to get to know us better.
Home is where your Bag is: Tobi and Marcel
We are Tobi and Marcel, two good friends who have been running this travel blog since 2012. The original idea behind Home is where your Bag is was to give our relatives and friends insights into our 2013 world trip.
The planned world trip then turned more into a trip to Southeast Asia and Australia/Oceania because the plans changed again along the way. We fell in love with the beauty and culture of the Southeast Asian countries, and from there it quickly grew into one of the largest travel blogs with a focus on Southeast Asia.
Over the years, many trips followed to Thailand, Indonesia and beyond. Eventually, Thailand became our home base, allowing us to get to know the country and culture as thoroughly as possible.
By now, however, we love the contrast and also enjoy exploring the cities and nature of Europe. In addition to Southeast Asia, you’ll find plenty of tips and travel reports on Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe, and more. Our fascination for countries like Australia, Japan, or Hong Kong has also grown significantly over the last few years, so you can find numerous tips and travel reports on these destinations as well.
Today, we are both proud parents and have been traveling with our families for several years. As a result, our travel style has changed a lot. This gives us the opportunity to rediscover all the places we’ve already explored in a whole new way.
What Is “Home is where your Bag is” All About?
On our travel blog, you will find helpful articles and guides on the following topics:
- Our main focus is on travel destinations in Southeast Asia
- Insider tips and insider information that not everyone knows
- Help with your travel planning and choosing your destination
- The best beaches and attractions
- Everything else you need to know for your trip to Southeast Asia
- Exciting travel reports as well as travel videos
- Recommendations for the best accommodations
- Food guides
Our Most Popular Blog Articles
The following articles are our evergreens, and you should definitely read them if you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia:
- Bangkok things to do
- Koh Samui things to do
- Phuket things to do
- Koh Phangan things to do
- Lombok best sights and beaches
- Singapore things to do
- Kuala Lumpur things to do
- Khao Lak things to do
- Full Moon Party Koh Phangan dates & info
- Chiang Mai things to do
And What Else You Should Read
The following pages could also be very helpful for your trip:
Frequently Asked Questions
We receive a lot of questions, and some of them come up regularly. We’ve compiled the most common ones in the following list.
We actually get asked a lot about itineraries. Questions such as “I’m traveling to Thailand for 3 weeks – can you recommend an itinerary?” or similar often land in our inbox.
Please note that we are unfortunately no longer able to answer such questions personally. You will understand that an itinerary is very individual and depends on many factors: travel style, budget, personal preferences and much more. It takes us a lot of time to put this together individually and write it down.
If it helps you, we have put together a Thailand itinerary for 4 weeks. There are currently no itineraries for the other countries in Southeast Asia.
We mainly book our hotels on Booking.com as we really like the site in terms of usability and choice. In addition, there are often generous discounts with the Genius loyalty program, where you can save a lot of money on the hotel if you’re lucky. Nevertheless, for us, there is no way around Agoda when looking for a hotel. We compare the prices on both sites and choose the best offer for us. You can find more tips on this topic in our blog article on booking hotels.
For flights, Skyscanner gives us a first rough overview. However, sometimes it’s also worth looking directly at the airlines’ websites to get a better price.
Yes, we do. We want to communicate openly and honestly with you. Every time you click on one of our referral links (so-called affiliate links) – be it a hotel, a credit card or a tour – we receive a small commission. There is no disadvantage for you, and nothing is more expensive than usual – we promise! What’s more, we only recommend what we really think is good or use ourselves.
We put together our best travel tips and insider information here on the blog free of charge and with a lot of effort and work. This commission helps us to continue to run this blog free of charge and, above all, free of advertising. If you like our blog posts or find them helpful when planning your trip, we would be delighted if you booked a hotel or tour via our affiliate links.
Thailand is a popular country for newcomers to Southeast Asia. We can confirm this for most regions of Thailand. The tourist infrastructure is good, and especially in the popular places such as Phuket, Koh Samui, Krabi, Chiang Mai, etc., everything is geared towards tourism. We would not necessarily recommend a trip to the remote regions of Thailand, such as Isaan, if you are a beginner. Of course, Bangkok is also a must on a trip to Thailand! You can find all the information and sights in our Thailand blog.
Another country that is ideal for a first-time tour of Southeast Asia is Malaysia. Although there is less tourism there, many people speak English quite well, and, in our opinion, communication is the easiest in the whole of Southeast Asia. Malaysia and Thailand can be wonderfully combined, whether by bus, train or flight. We have compiled tips and travel reports on Malaysia in our blog.
You can also travel to many regions of Indonesia as a newcomer. Bali and Lombok are prime examples, but more exotic destinations such as Java, Sulawesi or Flores are also possible. However, language barriers can easily occur there. You can find out more in the Indonesia blog.
If you want to experience a metropolis of superlatives (in addition to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur), you might want to plan a stopover in Singapore. Here, too, the people speak excellent English, and the city is considered one of the safest in the world.
Countries such as Vietnam are also suitable for a first-time tour of Southeast Asia. However, it depends on the region or city, and you should be prepared for language barriers. The traffic in large Vietnamese cities can be confusing and chaotic for beginners, but after a short time you will get used to it.
Do You Have More Questions?
Then just write to us or leave a comment under one of our blog articles. We will try to answer your questions in the best possible way and give you advice and support, as far as our time allows. Please note that we may not be able to answer every question in detail – but we’ll do our best!
Of course, we are also pleased to receive general feedback on the blog and our tips.
And Finally: Connect With Us
Please don’t hesitate to exchange ideas with us on our social media channels as well. In addition to the blog, you can find more tips, photos, and videos there. Be part of it and follow us now on Facebook and Instagram.
We wish you a lot of fun planning your trip and hopefully plenty of inspiration. We hope you have a great time, no matter where you travel.
Best regards
