Your New Favorite Way to Travel (That You Probably Already Wrote Off): The Southeast Asia Homestay
Why “regular” travelers should stop sleeping on homestays and start sleeping AT them
If you’ve ever thought “hell, no!” at the mention of a homestay…you’re not alone
I need my privacy and lots of alone time, I’m super picky about food, and I sleep at weird hours…
So sharing common areas/bathrooms just isn’t really an option for me, especially when I’m on vacation. And my whole life, that’s what I thought homestays entailed…a room in a local family’s house, like my friends did on the European study-abroads or when they visited Cuba.
But what I didn’t realize until a few years ago is that homestays vary widely across the world. And that false assumption cost me dearly in time, money, and energy on my trips to Southeast Asia, where “homestay” means something entirely different…and much more enticing…at unbelievable price points.
Read on for the honest truth about my Southeast Asia homestay experiences, what to look out for to make sure your choice works with your travel vibe, and how to streamline your search.
Or scroll to the end for a list of Southeasty Asia homestays I’ve personally stayed at and whole-heartedly recommend.
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Southeast Asia Homestays Are Their Own Animal
Throughout Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Phillippines, and other countries in the region, homestays tend to operate like boutique hotels…where you have your own spacious private room with en-suite bathroom, a private entrance so you can come and go freely without disturbing anyone, and usually some kind of terrace or balcony area.
The technical difference between hotels and homestays is that homestays are owned and run by a local family who lives on-premises.
But just like hotels, homestay quality varies. I wouldn’t say homestays are generally any less comfortable than hotels, but they do tend to be more casual/less “fancy”.
You won’t have amenities like room service (that’s what Grab and Gojek are for anyway 😉). But you’ll probably get daily room cleaning and sometimes laundry services, a pool, an on-site restaurant, on-site bike rentals, or a communal kitchen.
And you’ll almost always pay significantly less than hotels (we’re talking from as low as $11 per day). Prices vary from place to place but even in central Ubud in Bali I paid under $20 per day for a huge room with spacious private balcony and amazing view of the Indonesian rooftops where I worked and ate all the yummy food Gojek delivered.
After years of giving homestays a chance, it’s now my favorite way to travel Southeast Asia, especially as a solo female traveler who values the safety of staying on a local family’s property and having those local connections during my visit.
Plus, I’d MUCH rather stay somewhere with local character and a great view than somewhere “fancy”.
But to be fair, I’m also someone who doesn’t require a lot of fluff…
I’d rather eat whenever I want and sleep in, than set an alarm for a free hotel breakfast. I’d rather plan my own schedule and get local recommendations for more reasonably-priced activities, than have a concierge pack my schedule with generic marked-up tours. I hate having to go through a freezing lobby and wait for an elevator every time I want to run out to grab water or pick up a food delivery.
But if you value “luxury” in the traditional sense, then you might find yourself annoyed with the less polished operation of homestays, where you’re more likely to run into little inconveniences like lack of room service or not having a concierge available 24/7 to book your activities.
I Know What You’re Thinking: What’s the Privacy/Forced Socializing Situation?
If you’re hesitant about the forced social aspect of homestays, same. As an introvert, I was legitimately worried that I wouldn’t get the downtime I needed if I was constantly pulled into conversations I didn’t have social battery for. But in reality…
All of my hosts have been hands-off by default, friendly and open to conversation but rarely initiating beyond the logistics of room-cleaning.
Some hosts, I barely got to know at all. Others, I really hit it off with…like Tuong Vy in Vietnam, who I ended up giving a content creation lesson to and who made me hot tea with honey and lemon when I felt sick. But those connections developed organically over time, in a way that felt natural and not at all forced.
Getting Homestays Right: How to Avoid the Pitfalls
If you’re thinking that a Southeast Asia homestay might be right for you, the only thing left to do is to NOT mess it up…
Research is crucial here, just like with hotels.
I usually start my search with booking.com because they have the best filters and a huge selection of hotels, homestays, and even private villa and apartment rentals. I save my favorites as I go, then check booking.com’s prices against those on Agoda, Trip.com, and the property’s own website if it has one.
Pro Tip! Remember to compare the earnings rates on Rakuten before booking to try to maximize the number of points you earn. If you’re not signed up for Rakuten, click here to get 5,000 extra free points on your first purchase of $50 or more (easily met with a hotel stay on booking.com, Agoda, Trip.com, etc.).
You can also access my guide to setting up Rakuten in 10 minutes by clicking here.
Here’s exactly what I filter for on booking.com (or confirm separately if not in the filters):
Private bathroom
Air conditioning
Hot water
Private balcony/terrace
Free wifi
Price
Here are the features I confirm separately through photos or other information posted about the hotel:
Location (and neighborhood)
Plenty of natural light
Tall ceilings
Surface space in the bathroom to put my things (I also travel with S-hooks LOL)
Is the outdoor space truly private? Or is it more of a veranda that serves as a walkway that other guests will be accessing?
Does the outdoor space have a roof? Otherwise the sun or rain can make it practically unusable
Bedding - ideally it’s white and looks like a fluffy duvet with a cover (less westernized places sometimes just provide a comforter with no flat sheet under it, which I personally CANNOT handle. And one time I just got a sheet as the entire “comforter” 😅)
If you plan to work remotely while traveling:
A desk area, ideally one that’s set up to enjoy the view or moveable so you can drag it in front of the window or onto the balcony
Quality and realiability of wifi
When you’re doing your research, look at photos of the specific room type you’re booking (not just the photos of random rooms on the main page). I VERY rarely will book a room in a homestay, hotel, or otherwise, if they don’t have photos posted of my specific room type.
Pro Tip! Booking.com makes it easy to filter reviews and even search for specific keywords in reviews, which is clutch when you’re looking for specific info that isn’t listed on the hotel’s overview page or website.
Don’t Get Scammed
There have been reports of fake listings on third-party hotel booking sites (for hotels and homestays alike). But you can avoid most of these just by knowing what to look out for.
Confirm that there are recent reviews, and Google the place to make sure there’s nothing else sketchy-seeming after a quick search.
It’s also always a good idea to message with the hotel close to your stay (ideally before you get charged) to confirm your stay and expected check-in time.
Here’s a list of Southeast Asia homestays I’ve personally stayed at and recommend (with direct links):
Bali (Indonesia)
Canggu - Koming Guest House
Super-friendly and helpful host family. Large garden area with pool. On-site full-service laundry, great views of the Bali rooftops from the higher floors. Ideal location in quiet little alley off main road easy walking distance to beach, shops, cafes/restaurants.
Sanur Beach - Taman Bali Homestay
Putu and her family are the greatest hosts who are genuinely caring. Beautiful well-maintained property with just a few spacious rooms, each room has semi-private balcony overlooking the garden, gate is locked at night which made me feel really safe as a solo female (but you can arrange coming and going after-hours however you want). They were also happy to hold my luggage safely while I visited Nusa Penida. Down the street from convenience store and great full-service laundry spot and tons of restaurants, 7-minutes walking to Sanur beach and 4 minutes to the main road and a huge multi-level grocery store (even faster if you discover the secret alleyway 🤫), great kitchenette with handy basics like silverware, a kitchen sink, a hot plate, etc. so great for longer-term stays.
Seminyak - Titeng Guest House
Great small multi-level homestay with pool and common verandas on each floor that still feel like a private balcony onto the pool area. Perfect location in middle of main road in Seminyak close to restaurants, cafes, shops, massages, and walking distance to the beach.
Ubud - Teja Homestay
Spacious, fresh-feeling rooms in the center of Ubud town tucked into a quiet little alley. walkable to everything. Sweet but non-intrusive host family with multiple generation living on-site. Traditional Balinese architecture (the carved wooden doors on the ground-floor rooms are stunning), lovely serene grounds with fish tanks amid the family temple statues.
Thailand
Bangkok/BKK Airport - Lilac Relax-Residence
Convenient for BKK airport. Adorable lilac aesthetic, great little garden in the back. They’ll arrange private door-to-door airport transport for you. Nice competent staff that made me feel safe, older building but clean with sufficient space and surface area in rooms.
Chiang Mai - Suan Dok Gate Guesthouse
Quiet multi-level house in a prime spot in Chiang Mai Old Town, walkable to plenty of restaurants/cafes and one of the main temples (Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan). Kind staff. Traditional feel with house slippers and a shoe locker to keep your outside shoes at the entrance. Great balconies with nice views of the surrounding mountains and town street.
Vietnam
Tam Coc/Ninh Binh - Tam Coc Tuong Vy Homestay
Tuong Vy and her family are the BEST sweetest hosts who can and will arrange anything you want, and they’ll steal your heart in the process. Perfectly-located homestay in the picturesque town near Vietnam’s best Ninh Binh attractions, set on a quiet lovely little residential-leaning alley off the main strip in Tam Coc, full of great restaurants/cafes. 5 minutes walking to the Tam Coc boat rides. On-site bike rental makes it easy to ride right out into the rice fields and limestone karsts and lotus ponds and caves and everything else there is to explore in the area.
And here are some similarly-vibed locally-operated/boutique hotels I’ve stayed at:
Indonesia (Bali)
Balangan Beach (Bukit Peninsula, Bali) - Balangan Surf Resort
The perfect peaceful clifftop hotel with walking access to a gorgeous surfing beach below, and cows in the backyard! The grounds are gorgeous, the staff is friendly. Typical Bali architecture in individual bungalows with lots of light. Beautiful restaurant area with sweeping views of the cows roaming the cliff, nice pool area as well. Each bungalow has an outdoor terrace sitting area on the porch.
Kelingking Beach (Nusa Penida, Bali) - Kelingking Mesari Villa & Spa
Comfy rooms within easy walking distance to Kelingking Beach and the best food I ate in all of Nusa Penida (with outdoor dining options by the pool, or in-room delivery for the introverts). Outdoor terrace/sitting areas for each room. Amazing host family (pretty sure they live on-site or next door) who is happy to organize all tours, etc. with trusted vendors at fair prices.
Indonesia (Komodo Islands)
Komodo Islands (Labuan Bajo, Flores) - Bintang Flores Hotel
Incredible spot on a private beach within very close driving distance of the port where all the Komodo tours depart. Lovely light-filled with rooms with many having stunning sea views. Great food at the hotel restaurant. Competent friendly staff who offered to pack me a take-away breakfast for an early tour.
Thailand
Bangkok - Alley & Pier
Right next to the river and one of the stops on the tourist ferry boat that gets you quickly between the main Bangkok attractions. Also easy walking distance to Khao San Road and in a busy area with plenty of restaurants/cafes. Some rooms have river views. Contactless check-in and super cute library-type aesthetic. Spacious rooms with lots of light. Communal washing machines and dryer for use downstairs.
Hua Hin - BaanBusarin Hotel
Ideal location on the edge of the main Old Town tourist area within easy walking distance to the beach and tons of restaurants/cafes and shops, sweet management family, amazing huge communal areas with big a separate big communal balcony on each floor. Plus private balconies in each room. Comfy beds with nice linens.
Hua Hin - Thipurai Beach Hotel
Ideal location in a quiet bubble of central Hua Hin beach, around the corner from the beach and an excellent beachfront cat cafe (LOL), 7-11 and a major shopping mall nearby (walking distance). Great speedy elevator, feels super safe because main entrance is reception/restaurant/lobby area with staff on-site 24/7 as far as I could tell. Great linens, awesome private balconies with nice views, especially on the south-side rooms. Endless hot water and great pressure. Kind, competent management and staff (the housekeeper here was one of my favorites 🥹).
Koh Samui (Lamai) - MyVillage Lamai
Great spacious rooms in center of Lamai town, on a walking street/night market close to the beach and right on the main strip with 7-11 and everything else you want. Private balconies with nice views of the town and lush hills. Quiet if you stay on the side opposite from the walking street/night market. Comfy beds and linens.
Koh Samui (Lamai) - Marina Beach Resort
Quiet beachfront location in the middle of Lamai town while still being on the main strip, around the corner from 7-11 and tons of restaurants, etc. Plenty of beach chairs/umbrellas to use all day. Nice private balconies with great views. Spacious rooms with lots of light. Sweet accommodating staff.
For the Long-Term Travelers: If you need lodging for 10-ish days or more, you’re gonna wanna hear about my favorite new hack for reducing expenses AND stress…
A longer stay is a bigger commitment (and a higher price tag), and a wrong decision can be tough to live with for an extended time.
So I usually pick one place to stay for the first 3-4 days and make refundable bookings for the remainder of my stay, both there and at a couple of other good options. Then when I arrive, I scout the area for the first couple days, pop in to tour my alternate options, negotiate pricing with management on-site to make sure I’m getting the best price, before deciding if I want to stay or move.
Just make sure to cancel your backup bookings before the full-refund deadline! I have been this-close to making that mistake, several times. So now I set an alarm or reminder for the day before the deadline.
Pro tip! Booking.com has a “free cancellation” filter that makes it easy to narrow the search results for your research. Their superior filters are literally the reason every one of my accommodation searches starts there.
