things i wish i knew BEFORE visiting SOUTHEAST ASIA (our mistakes)

Last summer I backpacked South East Asia like many do after graduating from university. However, despite it being such a popular region for budget travellers, there are still many things I wish I knew before I went. Here are 11 of them :)
MY ROUTE
19th July Airport Plane
20th July Bangkok Bangkok
21st July Bangkok Bangkok
22nd July Bangkok Bangkok
23rd July Bangkok Bangkok
24th July Chang Mai Chang Mai
25th July Chang Mai Chang Mai
26th July Chang Mai Chang Mai
27th July Chang Mai Chang Mai
28th July Chang Mai Hanoi
29th July Hanoi Hanoi
30th July Hanoi Sleeper Bus
31st July Ha Giang Ha Giang
1st August Ha Giang Ha Giang
2nd August Ha Giang Ha Giang
3rd August Ha Giang Hanoi
4th August Hanoi Ha Long
5th August Ha Long Hanoi
6th August Hanoi Ninh Binh
7th August Ninh Binh Ninh Binh
8th August Ninh Binh Hoi An
9th August Hoi An Hoi An
10th August Hoi An Hoi An
11th August Hoi An Hoi An
12th August Hoi An Hoi An
13th August Hoi An Hoi Chi Minh
14th August Hoi Chi Minh Hoi Chi Minh
15th August Hoi Chi Minh Hoi Chi Minh
16th August Hoi Chi Minh Phnom Penh
17th August Phnom Penh Phnom Penh
18th August Phnom Penh Siem Reap
19th August Siem Reap Siem Reap
20th August Siem Reap Siem Reap
21st August Siem Reap Bangkok
22nd August Bangkok Khao Sok Coco
23rd August Khao Sok Khao Sok
24th August Khao Sok Surat Thani
25th August Surat Thani Koh Tao
26th August Koh Tao Koh Tao
27th August Koh Tao Koh Tao
28th August Koh Tao Koh Tao
29th August Koh Tao Koh Phangan
30th August Koh Phangan Koh Phangan
31st August Koh Phangan Koh Phangan
1st September Koh Phangan Surat Thani
2nd September Surat Thani Bangkok
3rd September Bangkok Bangkok
4th September Fly Home