Southeast Asia travel is a favorite choice of many tourists. This region is home to some of the most beautiful destinations on the planet with a huge variety of landscapes and attractions. Details about the best places to travel in Southeast Asia in this article will be helpful for your forthcoming trip. Don’t miss it!

What to know before your departure

Southeast Asia is a group of countries which are situated between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Its indigenous civilizations are dominantly affected by Indian, Chinese and Western influences. This region is home to the world’s most populous Muslim country, many notable Buddhist countries, and considerable Christian, Hindu, and Animist communities.

It has long been a popular destination for globetrotting backpackers thanks to its gorgeous beaches, delectable cuisine, low travel expenses and convenient flight connections. Therefore, many tourists travel to Southeast Asia in their getaways every year. Before starting your trip, you should know the things below:

  • The best time to travel Southeast Asia: This region can be visited at any time of the year because its climate varies substantially depending on the locations. Which country you want to visit in your Southeast Asia travel will determine the best time to visit. For example, if you want to go to the beaches in Vietnam, you should pay a visit to this country in the summer, around April to August. Meanwhile, from January to April is the festival time in Thailand and also the ideal time for traveling.
  • The best way to travel Southeast Asia: Plane is the favorite transportation to go from each country to another country. Concerning traveling from provincial Southeast Asia tourist attractions to the others, you can ride a motorbike and choose to travel by bus. In addition, each destination has its own service transportations like cyclo, cano, tuk tuk,… Trying these things is also an exciting experience that you should not ignore during your Southeast Asia travel.
  • How much does it cost to travel Southeast Asia: The Southeast Asia travel budget is quite low. On average, it ranges from 35 USD to 40 USD per day for solo travelers and from 50 USD to 60 USD per day for two people. You can note down this expense range to be financially prepared for the upcoming trip.

Vietnam

Southeast Asia travel - Vietnam
Phu Quoc is a perfect addition to your 2-month Southeast Asia itinerary, offering pristine beaches, luxury resorts, and vibrant night markets. Located in Kien Giang Province, Phu Quoc is Vietnam’s largest island, measuring 573 square kilometers. This highly forested island lies in the Gulf of Thailand, about 45 kilometers away from Vietnam’s Southern mainland to the West and only 4 kilometers away from Cambodia. It has limitless pristine beaches for water sports, romantic sunsets for Instagram feed, uninhabited isolated islands for exploring, and lush tropical forests for adventure.

Ong Lang Beach, Starfish Beach, Khem Beach, and Long Beach are just a few of the numerous magnificent beaches that surround Phu Quoc Island. The calm waves and clear blue sea make it Vietnam’s most popular location for water sports. A long hike through the evergreen forest will reward explorers with scenes of waterfalls, rock pools and caverns, yet, even short excursions will also bring many fantastic things.

Aside from the white sandy beaches, Phu Quoc has a variety of luxury resorts with stylish eateries, soothing spa treatments and countless entertainment activities, Vinpearl Phu Quoc for instance. When you stay at this high-end complex of hotels and resorts, you will have access to suite rooms, spacious spas, well-equipped gyms, infinity swimming pools, shopping streets, golf courses, and more.

LAOS

Southeast asea Travel - Laos

Vietnam’s unspoken customs for eating on the sidewalk are simple and forgiving, especially for newcomers. A rule you can always rely on is, ‘eat first, pay later.’ Place your order at the front, then choose your own table or stool to sit. A quick wipe down of your chopsticks or spoon before eating is perfectly normal (and even wise), as is using your chopsticks to sample any shared dishes on the table. Dirty napkins, squeezed limes or herb stems can be dropped into bins below as you eat. Once you’re finished, lay your chopsticks together on the top of your bowl.

For small stalls, diners usually ask the total and pay the chef directly on the way out. In some cases, a server may come to the table and do a mental tally of your bill. Trust them — they do this every day. A written tab is not common for local food, but you can ask for it if needed.

TIP: At peak times, other diners may join you to eat at your table. In these cases, a smile is all the interaction that’s required.

Cambodia

Koh Rong is a Cambodian island which is located 40 kilometers off the coast of Sihanoukville in the Gulf of Thailand. This island is recognized as the most picturesque place in the Kompong Som region. Actually, it is somehow untouched so it used to be considered a well-kept secret. However, thanks to its outstanding features, it will predictably soon become a famous tourist attraction in Cambodia.

This island features 23 white sand beaches and many things for tourists to see and try. For the adventurous, there is a good amount of trekking to be done in unspoiled jungles. In both offshore and inshore areas, diving and snorkeling are superb. The main attraction, though, is the phosphorescent water, which sparkles like twinkling stars when disturbed.

Indonesia

Condiments are essential to the Vietnamese dining experience. On your table, there will often be a jar of light fish sauce, a jar of garlic and chili in vinegar, and perhaps a jam-like chili paste, freshly chopped chili, limes or calamansi, or even a pungent shrimp paste. All these are for you to customise the meal to your liking.

With noodle dishes, a side serving of herbs and leafy greens — mint, cilantro, basil and lettuce — comes free of charge. Fold these into the broth or toss with dry noodles for added crunch and aromatics. For rolls, a stack of rice paper and larger leaves for rolling and dipping is offered. Dipping sauces may range from tangy tamarind, to sweet-and-salty fish sauce to roasted peanut sauce. Your server will be happy to show you the right pairing.

TIP: Instead of soy sauce, the Vietnamese prefer a few drops of fish sauce to season their meals. There are countless grades and varieties of fish sauce, and it’s a staple of any kitchen.

Thailand

Southeast Asia travel - Thailand

Condiments are essential to the Vietnamese dining experience. On your table, there will often be a jar of light fish sauce, a jar of garlic and chili in vinegar, and perhaps a jam-like chili paste, freshly chopped chili, limes or calamansi, or even a pungent shrimp paste. All these are for you to customise the meal to your liking.

With noodle dishes, a side serving of herbs and leafy greens — mint, cilantro, basil and lettuce — comes free of charge. Fold these into the broth or toss with dry noodles for added crunch and aromatics. For rolls, a stack of rice paper and larger leaves for rolling and dipping is offered. Dipping sauces may range from tangy tamarind, to sweet-and-salty fish sauce to roasted peanut sauce. Your server will be happy to show you the right pairing.

TIP: Instead of soy sauce, the Vietnamese prefer a few drops of fish sauce to season their meals. There are countless grades and varieties of fish sauce, and it’s a staple of any kitchen.

Malaysia

Condiments are essential to the Vietnamese dining experience. On your table, there will often be a jar of light fish sauce, a jar of garlic and chili in vinegar, and perhaps a jam-like chili paste, freshly chopped chili, limes or calamansi, or even a pungent shrimp paste. All these are for you to customise the meal to your liking.

With noodle dishes, a side serving of herbs and leafy greens — mint, cilantro, basil and lettuce — comes free of charge. Fold these into the broth or toss with dry noodles for added crunch and aromatics. For rolls, a stack of rice paper and larger leaves for rolling and dipping is offered. Dipping sauces may range from tangy tamarind, to sweet-and-salty fish sauce to roasted peanut sauce. Your server will be happy to show you the right pairing.

TIP: Instead of soy sauce, the Vietnamese prefer a few drops of fish sauce to season their meals. There are countless grades and varieties of fish sauce, and it’s a staple of any kitchen.

Philippines

El Nido in Palawan is highly recognized by both local and international tourists as one of the best places to visit in the Philippines for its tranquility. It has many paradise-like features such as pure white sand beaches, blue waves, bright coral reefs and breathtaking limestone cliffs. Therefore, it has been ranked as one of the top island beaches in the world by several travel magazines.

El Nido offers a variety of activities, including island hopping, relaxing on beaches, trekking up cliffs, and even scuba diving for your Southeast Asia travel. However, the local government has varied admission restrictions for different categories of tourists, thus it is recommended to check what category you fit into and what your requirements are before planning a vacation to this paradise.