Southeast Asia is a group of diverse countries
between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean,
featuring indigenous cultures influenced by
Indian, Chinese and Western culture. It has
long been a favorite corner of the world for
globe-tramping backpackers, known for its
perfect beaches, tasty cuisine and low prices.
The region represents a totally different
culture for Western travelers. Instead of
cathedrals, they’ll find temples. Instead
of cold temperatures in the winter, they’ll
be bathed in a tropical climate. They may
find simple accommodations in remote fishing
villages but also luxurious hotels in the
cities and on the islands. Here’s a look
at the best places to visit in Southeast Asia:
21. Vientiane
Vientiane, the capital of Laos, is located
on the Mekong River near the border with Thailand.
A former French holding, it is a graceful
city that is now the country’s economic
center. Visitors to Vientiane won’t want
to miss the Pha That Luang, a a Buddhist stupa
that dates back to 1586. The stupa stands
49 meters tall and is believed to contain
relics of Buddha. Buddhist temples and sites
abound, but travelers also will want to walk
through the Mekong Riverside Park.
20. Hanoi
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, blends the
charm of the old world with a pace of life
that is quickening as this old city modernizes.
Visitors may see locals taking tai-chi lessons
in the park in the mornings, while skateboarders
zoom by. At the heart of Hanoi is its Old
Quarter, an open-air museum of historic Asian
and French colonial architecture that has
largely remained intact. Ancient temples and
art museums share the attractions list with
museums devoted to the Vietnamese revolution
and military history.
19. Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a bustling city that serves
as the capital of Malaysia. The country’s
most populous city, it has a landscape filled
with innovatively designed skyscrapers, including
the iconic Petronas Twin Towers, the world’s
tallest twin towers. Kuala Lumpur also boasts
an outstanding Islamic Arts Museum; the Bukit
Bintang pedestrian bridge that connects the
downtown area, and a bird park that is the
world’s largest walk-in aviary.
18. Gili Islands
The Gili Islands are three small islands located
in northwestern Indonesia off the coast of
Lombok. The islands are perfect for travelers
who want to get away from the hustle and bustle
of modern life. Cars aren’t allowed on the
islands, with people using horse carriages
or bicycles to move about. Relaxing may be
the primary activity here, but the islands
also are popular with divers and snorkelers.
17. Phnom Penh
Once known as “the pearl of Asia,” Phnom
Penh is considered one of the prettiest of
the cities the French built in Indochina,
though the city is still recovering from war
and revolution. French influence can still
be found today in Cambodia’s capital. Located
on the Mekong River, the city actually dates
back to the 15th century. Top attractions
include the Royal Palace and the National
Museum, which contains a large collection
of Khmer artifacts.
16. Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand, was founded
in the 13th century, and is one of the most
culturally significant cities in the country.
It’s located on the Ping River among Thailand’s
highest mountains. The region is home to more
than 300 Buddhist temples. The most famous
temple lies just outside the city on a hilltop
overlooking Chiang Mai – head here for a
fantastic view. The city also hosts a night
market that is famous for handicrafts.
15. Inle Lake
Located in southeast Myanmar, Inle Lake is
the country’s second largest lake. The Intha
people live in small villages round the lake
and in floating houses on the lake itself,
making for a picturesque scene. Besides fishing,
locals also grow fruits and veggies on floating
gardens. Commuter and tourist motorboats and
flat-bottomed skiffs navigate the vast lake,
the latter propelled by the unique Intha technique
of leg rowing in which one leg is wrapped
around the paddle to drive the blade through
the water in a snake-like motion.
14. Palawan
Palawan is an island province in the Philippines
that stretches from Mindoro to Borneo between
the South China and Sulu seas. Puerto Princesa,
which is close to large karst formations with
an underground river, is the provincial capital.
Coron Reefs is one of the best diving spots
in the world, drawing divers who want to explore
Japanese shipwrecks from World War II. Another
popular destination is El Nido, a town sandwiched
between towering limestone karst cliffs and
a beautiful bay.
13. Hoi An
Hoi An is a charming town known for its great
atmosphere at the mouth of the Thu Bon River
on Vietnam’s central coast. The town boasts
a well-preserved Southeast Asian trading port,
which it once was until the river silted up.
The narrow, winding lanes of the old port
are lined with beautiful old architecture,
traditional wooden houses and hundreds of
tailor shops selling everything from clothing
to souvenirs.
12. Mount Kinabalu
Towering 4095 meter above northern Borneo,
Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain between
the Himalayas and the island of New Guinea.
The main peak of the mountain can be climbed
easily by a person with a good physical condition,
and requires no mountaineering equipment although
climbers must be accompanied by guides at
all times. For those with limited time or
energy, there are gardens and many short walks
through the jungle to enjoy in the vicinity
of the entrance.
11. Komodo National Park
Komodo National Park is located on an archipelago
near the island of Flores. The islands are
populated by thousands of giant lizards known
as “Komodo dragons” because of their appearance
and aggressiveness. This is the only place
in the world where these lizards, the largest
in the world, can be found. Although attacks
are very rare, Komodo dragons have been known
to attack humans.
10. Singapore
Singapore, a city-state, lies at the south
end of the Malay Peninsula just 137 km above
the equator. Chinese are the predominant ethnic
group, at 75 percent of the population. Travelers
will hear residents speaking a variety of
languages: Mandarin, English, Malay and Tamil.
Singapore is a former British colony, with
its top sights including the graceful Raffles
Hotel, gardens and nature trails, the Buddha
Tooth Relic Museum, and the city zoo.
9. Ko Phi Phi
Phi Phi is a beautiful archipelago located
in the Krabi Province not too far from Phuket.
Ko Phi Phi Don is the only island in the group
with permanent inhabitants while the smaller
Ko Phi Phi Leh is famous as the filming location
for the 2000 movie “The Beach”. Travelers
go here enjoy the beaches and to participate
in a variety of water recreation activities,
such as snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking.
The island was devastated by the 2004 tsunami,
but is bouncing back with new constructions.
8. Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang lies at the confluence of the
Mekong and Nam Khan rivers in northcentral
Laos. The former royal capital is famous for
its Buddhist temples and monasteries, with
monks walking through the city collecting
alms in the morning. The old town is popular
with tourists who want to shop, visit temples
or soak in the atmosphere. There are several
waterfalls nearby, as well as the famous Pak
Ou Caves.
7. Borobudur
Located on the island of Java, 40 km northwest
of Yogyakarta, the Borobudur is the largest
and most famous Buddhist temple in the world.
The Borobudur was built over a period of some
75 years in the 8th and 9th centuries out
of an estimated 2 million blocks of stone.
It was abandoned in the 14th century for reasons
that still remain a mystery and for centuries
lay hidden in the jungle under layers of volcanic
ash.
6. Ifugao Rice Terraces
Photographers will want to have lots of memory
cards with them when they visit the picturesque
Ifugao Rice Terraces on the island of Luzon.
For 2,000 years, people have been growing
rice on terraces that follow the contours
of the Cordilleras Mountains. The most famous
ones can be found around the town of Banaue.
They were created by the Ifugao ethnic people
without modern tools and are still used today.
5. Bagan
Myanmar’s answer to Angkor Wat, Bagan is
home to the largest concentration of Buddhist
temples, pagodas and stupas in the world.
Bagan was the capital of the First Burmese
Empire from the 9th to the 13th centuries.
The site that Marco Polo once described as
the “gilded city” was home to around 13,000
Buddhist temples in its 11th-century heyday.
Thousands remain, including the famous Ananda
temple with its sparkling gold spires.
4. Bangkok
What started out as a small trading post in
the 15th century has now grown into a city
of eight million people: Bangkok, the capital
of Thailand. Visitors will find plenty of
photo ops at the city’s famous floating
markets where they can also buy veggies, tropical
fruits and Thai snacks made in a floating
kitchen. When travelers grow weary of visiting
temples, they can visit a snake farm or just
go shopping.
3. Ha Long Bay
Located in northeastern Vietnam, Ha Long Bay
resembles a scene from a fantasy story with
its thousands of limestone karst islands of
different shapes and sizes. Halong means descending
dragons, which is indicative of the silhouette
of the limestone outcrops that poke out from
the water. Some of the islands contain lakes
while some are hollow, with a colorful fairyland
of grottoes inside. An overnight boat trip
is a spectacular way to experience the beauty
of the bay and to see as many of the islands
as possible.
2. Bali
The undisputed favorite of Indonesia’s more
than 17,000 islands, Bali lives up to its
reputation as the quintessential tropical
paradise. The waters around Bali are known
for its high marine diversity and coral reefs
while the lush rice terraces provide a picturesque
backdrop to its colorful and deeply spiritual
Hindu culture. The island also has several
great beach towns, like Kuta, as well as other
areas, such as Ubud, which are known for performing
and artistic arts.
1. Angkor
When it comes to archeological sites, travelers
won’t want to miss Angkor in northern Cambodia.
It contains some of the world’s most important
cultural remains. These include the enormous
Angkor Wat temple, the Bayon temple with its
multitude of massive stone faces and Ta Prohm,
a Buddhist temple ruin entwined with towering
trees. Historically, Angkor served as the
Khmer capital from the ninth to 14th centuries,
which influenced art throughout Southeast
Asia. Many of the temples at Angkor have been
restored, making tit one of the wonders of
the ancient world while offering an outstanding
look of Khmer history.
