Itineraries
The Best of Southeast Asia
8 WEEKS
This sampling platter for Southeast Asia hits all the highlights. Start in fun-filled Bangkok, then bus over to Cambodia to Siem Reap for Angkor’s magnificent temples. Continue the party in Phnom Penh, then roll southeast to Vietnam’s bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Head north to charming Hoi An, then hit the antique streets of Hanoi and the dramatic karst outcrops of Halong Bay.
Fly out of Vietnam to Laos’ Luang Prabang for some laid-back river life, then fly on to chic Chiang Mai for fabulous food, terrific temples and jungle encounters. Loop back through Bangkok to Ko Tao and learn to dive before hitting the rock-climbing playground of Krabi. Cross the border from Ko Lipe to Malaysia’s Pulau Langkawi, then tumble on to the foodie paradise of George Town (Penang) and overland to Malaysia’s multi-ethnic capital Kuala Lumpur, with a stop in the lush Cameron Highlands.
Roll on to Singapore, for five-star food-court feasts, then fly to Medan in Sumatra and bus to Bukit Lawang to meet orangutans. Travel on by bus and boat to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital; soak up Java’s renowned culture in Yogyakarta, then bus it to active volcano Gunung Bromo. Finally, leapfrog to Bali for sun, fun and surf.
Itineraries
Almost Everything
6 months
If you really want to immerse yourself in Southeast Asia, you’ll need time to explore. Six months will give you room to roam, from mighty megacities to tropical islands and remote rainforests, with time in between to relax in some of Asia’s favourite traveller hang-outs.
Start in Bangkok and follow the coast to forested Ko Chang, then zip across the Cambodian border bound for the up-and-coming beach islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem. Stop in French-influenced Kampot, then zip inland to battle-scarred but rebounding Phnom Penh. Now bus it to Siem Reap and admire the splendour of Angkor.
Board a flight to Pakse, gateway to the river islands of Si Phan Don, then a bus to gentle Vientiane and on via Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang. Trundle to Nong Khiaw for tribal trekking and follow the rugged revolutionaries’ trail to Hanoi.
Roll south through Vietnam, sampling history, culture and beaches, then fly from Ho Chi Minh City back to temple-studded Bangkok. Now start your journey south along the Malay peninsula, snorkelling or diving around Ko Pha-Ngan and climbing at Krabi.
Slip over to Malaysia for the street eats of Penang and teeming coral reefs at Pulau Perhentian. Seek terrestrial wildlife inland at Taman Negara, and detour to the mist-shrouded hills of the Cameron Highlands before taking in the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur. A swift train ride will drop you in bright and bustling Singapore.
Fly on to Jakarta and admire the cultural treasures of Yogyakarta and Unesco-listed Borobudur. Bask on the beach in Bali or the Gili Islands, spot real-life dragons on Komodo and escape the crowds in Flores, or in Dili in little-visited Timor-Leste.
Alternatively fly from Jakarta to Pangkalan Bun to spot orangutans at Tanjung Puting National Park, then fly from Banjarmasin to Pontianak and bus to the border to reach Malaysia’s Kuching, a gateway to more nature and former headhunting cultures.
Take a connecting flight onwards to Yangon and the beautiful Buddhist temples of Bagan. Take a trek to Kalaw or relax by the placid waters of Inle Lake. Finish up back in Bangkok for some last-minute souvenir shopping before flying home.
Itineraries
Islands, Beaches Jungles
8 WEEKS
Become a beach connoisseur by splashing along the coastline of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, with some cultural and wildlife detours to keep things interesting.
Start in Bangkok and make a beeline for the islands in the Gulf of Thailand: dive-crazy Ko Tao and hippy-trippy Ko Pha-Ngan. Get certified on Tao, then head to the Andaman coast. Hat Khao Lak is the base for dive trips to the world-class Surin and Similan islands. Skip down to adrenaline-charged Krabi for rock climbing and cave exploring, then island hop to beach-bum-vibed Ko Lipe. Cross the border at Pulau Langkawi and bus south to graze at the famous hawker centres of Penang.
From Penang, take a bus to Kota Bharu, jumping-off point for the fabulous dive islands of Pulau Perhentian. Head south to Mersing, the mainland port for sleepy, beachy Pulau Tioman, then head to Kuala Lumpur to pick up a flight to Indonesia.
From Indonesia’s tip in Medan, visit the orangutan reserve of Bukit Lawang and hike up a volcano in Berastagi. From Medan fly to less-visited Banda Aceh and dive offshore near Pulau Weh.
Say goodbye to Sumatra and buzz over to Java, touching down in Jakarta, Indonesia’s intense capital. Explore Yogyakarta and take a day-trip to the giant Buddhist stupa of Borobudur and the ancient Hindu temple of Prambanan. Continue eastwards to the volcano Gunung Bromo for a sunrise spectacle over a lunar landscape.
Leapfrog to Denpasar to nuzzle the sandy beaches of the Bukit Peninsula or get cultured in Ubud. Party in Gili Trawangan, spot dragons on Komodo and go rustic on the beaches of Flores. You may need to extend your visa in Denpasar before flying to Makassar. Pay your respects in Tana Toraja, famed for its surreal funeral rites travel to the remote and pristine Togean Islands and Pulau Bunaken; it’s well worth the trip.
To close the loop, fly from Manado to Balikpapan on Kalimantan and head overland to reach the orangutan reserve at Tanjung Puting National Park. Roll on to Pontianak and cross the border to reach Kuching in Sarawak, Malaysia, for one last flight to finish up in calm and comfortable Singapore.
Itineraries
Mainland to Borneo & the Philippines
10 WEEKS
An adventurous trip from mainland to islands, climbing to the heavens and diving the depths. Kick off in Bangkok and follow the overland trail through Ko Chang to Sihanoukville for detours to beach islands offshore. Roll on to shabby-chic Phnom Penh, and take the river boat to Siem Reap to gaze at the architectural wonder of Angkor Wat.
Fly on to full-throttle Ho Chi Minh City, and dial down the pace at the beaches of Mui Ne and Nha Trang. Drift north to the antique city of Hoi An, the imperial capital of Hue and the extensive caves of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. Rest in mature capital Hanoi, and make detours to karst-filled Halong Bay and ethnic highland gateway Sapa.
Fly on from Hanoi to Vientiane (Laos), bus to Vang Vieng and on to Luang Prabang, a temple-studded World Heritage town. Ride the Mekong River to the Laos/Thailand border at Huay Xai and enter the fabled Golden Triangle.
Onwards to Chiang Mai; take in the temples then make detours to the mountains of Pai or Mae Hong Son for views and cultural encounters. Tumble south through the ancient capitals at Sukhothai and Ayuthaya before returning to Bangkok. Take a budget flight or bus south to Kuala Lumpur. Explore colonial Melaka and loop back to KL via the steamy rainforests of Taman Negara. Fly to Brunei’s unassuming capital, Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB), gateway to wildlife-rich Ulu Temburong National Park.
Cross the border into Malaysian Borneo by bus, bound for Kota Kinabalu, and ascend Mt Kinabalu, Borneo’s highest peak. Detour out to the orangutan sanctuary at Sepilok, and scuba dive around Semporna, then return to Kota Kinabalu for a flight to the Philippines. After landing in fast-paced Manila, bus it to the spectacular Ifugao rice terraces near Banaue then return to Manila and hit up party isle Boracay via dive-tastic Puerto Galera. Spend a few days unwinding, then fly or bus to Cebu City, the Philippines’ second city.
Cebu is an easy base for detours to dive at Malapascua and hill-hike on Bohol. Fly on from Cebu to Puerto Princesa on Palawan and drift north to El Nido via lonely beaches and pristine jungles. Take the all-day boat to wreck-diving playground Coron before flying back to Manila.
Itineraries
Mekong Meander
4 WEEKS
This trip follows Southeast Asia’s signature river downstream from northern Laos all the way to Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, offering a mesmerising window onto ever-changing landscapes and cultures.
From the bustling international gateway of Bangkok, make a beeline for Chiang Rai, near the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand converge. Cross over into laid-back Laos at Huay Xai and step back in time. Take a slow boat down the Mekong to Luang Prabang, stopping overnight in Pak Beng. Soak up the magic before leaving the river for some relaxation in Vang Vieng.
Continue to Vientiane and reunite with the mighty waterway. The Lao capital has some great cafes, restaurants and even a sprinkling of nightlife (the last you’ll encounter for a while after leaving). Board a bus and follow the river southeast, stopping off in Tha Khaek and Savannakhet before arriving in Pakse, jumping-off point for the imposing Khmer sanctuary of Wat Phu Champasak. Detour to the waterfalls and villages of the Bolaven Plateau then drift south to the laid-back islands of Si Phan Don.
Cross into Cambodia. If you missed the Irrawaddy dolphins near Si Phan Don, you’ll get a second chance to spot them further south in the laid-back riverside town of Kratie. From Kratie, consider a visit to the mountains of Mondulkiri province, home to elephants, hill tribes and untamed jungles.
After weeks in rural provinces, it’s back to big-city living in Phnom Penh, where the Mekong merges with another vital regional waterway, the Tonlé Sap, a riverine link to Siem Reap and the majestic temples of Angkor. See the waters turn gold on a sunset cruise and hit the bars for a well-deserved night on the town.
Suitably recharged, board a fast boat downstream to Chau Doc (Vietnam), gateway to the Mekong Delta. Continue to Can Tho, commercial heart of the Delta, then hotfoot it to Ho Chi Minh City for food and fun. Delve deeper into the Delta with a homestay around Vinh Long, or make for the tropical retreat of Phu Quoc Island, a well-earned reward. If you still have time and stamina, the rest of Vietnam beckons.
Itineraries
Where the Wild Things Are
6 WEEKS
Southeast Asia is home to a magical menagerie of signature wildlife: tigers, elephants, whale sharks, orangutans and the Komodo dragon.
Start in Bangkok, and roam east to explore Khao Yai National Park, home to wild elephants and Asian black bears. Follow the peninsula south to Khao Sok National Park to see gibbons and macaques, then explore the underwater wonderland of the Similan Islands.
Continue to Kuala Lumpur to board a flight to Kuching in Borneo. See rare proboscis monkeys in Bako National Park and gentle orangutans in Semenggoh Wildlife Centre. Cross over to Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, to explore the Sungai Kinabatangan and perhaps see rare pygmy elephants. Wind down on the beaches and reefs of the Semporna Archipelago.
Head south into Kalimantan (Indonesia) and explore the jungle waterways of Tanjung Puting National Park. Stay overnight in a klotok riverboat and visit the orangutan research station at Camp Leakey. Fly on to Bali then head east to the rocky outcrops of Komodo and Flores, home to the Komodo dragon.
Itineraries
Temple Trails
6 WEEKS
Southeast Asia sets the bar high when it comes to tremendous temples for travellers to explore.
Start out in Bangkok, home to iconic Wat Pho, Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Arun, before heading north to the stupa-studded former capital Ayuthaya and the ancient Khmer-era capital of Sukhothai.
See gems of the northern Lanna temple style in Chiang Mai, then continue through Chiang Rai to cross the Mekong River border at Huay Xai. Cruise on to Luang Prabang, Laos’ gilded city of step-roofed temples and saffron-robed monks. Travel on to Laos’ deep south to see the Khmer mountain temple of Wat Phu Champasak.
Continue into Cambodia, pass through Phnom Penh to the pre-Angkorian temples of Sambor Prei Kuk, and make an adventurous diversion north to the mountain temple of Prasat Preah Vihear before hitting the big league at the temples of Angkor.
Fly onwards from Siem Reap to Yangon, home to the shimmering Shwedagon Paya, then finish up the temple trail at Bagan, where a veritable garden of stupas stretches to the horizon.
