South East Asia Guide

For sheer, unforgettable, mind-boggling variety there are few destinations that can compete with South East Asia. With a travel infrastructure that is sound enough to be enticing – yet still adventurous enough to offer a wealth of those sought-after Road-Trip anecdotes – a few months touring the region is sure to offer a kaleidoscope of images for your mental scrapbook:

• colourful and fascinating cultures – from the Hill Tribes of the Golden Triangle to the Dayaks of Borneo
• fine architecture – from the world’s tallest towers in KL to the wonder-of-the-world that is Angkor Wat
• alluring jungles – ancient forests of Malaysia’s Taman Negara NP to the endless rainforests of Kalimantan
• great peaks – Sabah’s Mount Kinabalu (the region’s highest) to the largely unexplored highlands of Irian Jaya
• romantic cities – from the glitz-and-glamour of Singapore’s Orchard Road to the opium dives of Vientiane’s Chinatown
• beautiful beaches – the pristine tranquillity of Indonesia’s Gili Islands to Thailand’s raging full-moon parties
• unforgettable food – enjoy countless exotic rice dishes (cooked in more ways than you would imagine possible) or rise to such gastronomic challenges as durian – ‘king of fruits’ – or deep-fried locusts…

THAILAND

Intro: Still one of the world’s favourite backpacker countries. Although the main sights can be over-crowded at times, Thailand still delights with its tropical scenery, ornate temples and laid-back, beautiful people. The trail between Bangkok and the islands has long been known as one of the great party routes but it’s not all about full-moon raves and unless you head off the beaten track you will not have seen the real Thailand.
Highlights: Khao Sok National Park; tranquil beaches of Trang, Krabi and Similian islands; Bangkok’s frantic nightlife; visiting Golden Triangle hill-tribes; drifting down the Kwai River.
Getting around: Excellent train and bus connections make it so easy to get around that you have no excuse not to take the time to explore before falling for the attractions of ‘The Beach.’
Getting there: Bangkok is one of the cheapest Asian destinations and the most competitive SE Asian hub. Flights from London start at around £349.

MALAYSIA

Intro: It is instantly obvious that Malaysia is richer, more developed and better organised than its regional peers. The tourism catchphrase is ‘Malaysia: Truly Asia’ and it is fair to say that the country offers a very trouble-free way of sampling the region’s cultural and geographical diversity. Most people combine a visit to Malaysia with a brief jaunt into the bright lights of Singapore.
Highlights: Trekking in Taman Negara Park or Cameron Highlands; colonial history of Melaka and Penang; diving in Perhentian Islands or beaching on Langkawi; KL’s vibrant architecture and nightlife.
In Borneo, Mount Kinabalu (Sabah) could be described, quite literally, as a ‘highpoint’ of any trip to SE Asia as could the (relatively) accessible Dayak communities of Sarawak.
Getting around: Peninsular Malaysia boasts an efficient transport system and good roads. What you lose in speed and efficiency in Borneo is invariably compensated in excitement!
Getting there: There are excellent overland communications with Singapore and Thailand and frequent flights from KL to East Malaysia (Borneo). Sample fare from London to KL – £430

CAMBODIA

Intro: With its profound heritage of beauty and sorrow Cambodia is high on many a traveller’s wish-list. The fabulous Angkor Wat ruins could justify a visit on their own and there is just enough of that adventurous ‘killing fields’ trepidation to add spice to wilderness treks. But it is the simple tranquillity of rural life that makes many old-hands rate it as Indochina’s best kept secret.
Highlights: Angkor Wat; un-crowded beaches; sunset sampan cruises on the Mekong; ‘The Killing Fields’; the remote Kampong Cham region.
Getting around: The roads are among the worst in the region – though the road from capital to coast is a welcome exception – so take boats wherever possible (the river ride between Angkor and Phnom Penh is great).
Getting there: The easiest option is to fly in and out of the country from Bangkok to Siem Reap (for Angkor Wat) but flights direct to Phnom Penh from London start at around £587.

VIETNAM

The DMZ, Ho Chi Minh Trail, The Delta, Dien Bien Phu…For a generation raised on the roll-call of such ‘war-like’ place-names Viet Nam (to use the original, pre-Hollywood spelling) is rife with romance. But we’re a long way from helicopters on the embassy roof, thank God; the country has recovered the remains of its historical glory and boasts turquoise bays, white beaches and jungle valleys that are the pride of Indochina.
Highlights: Islands of Ha Long Bay; bustle of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh; waterfalls and forests around the highland city of Dalat; royal tombs of Hue; Hai Van Cloud Pass; northern hill-tribes; tours of VC bunkers and battlegrounds.
Getting around: Hop-on-hop-off buses from Saigon to Hanoi are the cheapest/fastest way to go. Many backpackers have found that a group tour can be excellent value and less hassle than going solo. In the far north a motorbike can be the best way to get to ‘where the action is.’
Getting there: Accessible overland – with determination – from both Laos and Cambodia but flights from Bangkok to either Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi are usually preferred.

LAOS

Intro: It’s been said that Vietnamese plant rice; Cambodians watch it grow; but Laotians listen to it grow. Although no longer quite the lost-world that ‘Land of a Million Elephants’ once was, Laos still offers an irresistible insight into the genuine South East Asia of yesterday.
Highlights: Decaying colonial romance of old Vientiane; beautiful Luang Prabang; Hmong-Mien hill-tribes; Mekong riverboat trips; Plain of Jars; idyllic village life at Si Phan Don (4,000 Islands) on the Mekong.
Getting around: Fast boats are thrilling, especially on the Nam Ou River, but the slow boats make for a more relaxing (more Laotian) experience. Overland travel can be really hard work, but very rewarding. 
Getting there: Crossing from Thailand via Chang Mai or over the ‘Friendship Bridge’ offers the cheapest access. From Laos you can venture onward into Vietnam (a somewhat bumpy ride!).

INDONESIA

Intro: The 13,000 islands of the Indonesian archipelago, stretching from Sumatra to New Guinea Island, could almost represent a continent in their own right. Speckled with such evocative islands as Java, Sumbawa, Sulawesi, Flores, Komodo, Borneo and Bali, the only limiting factor to a lifetime of fulfilling Indonesian island-hopping is the ridiculous restriction of a 2-month tourist visa.
Highlights: Cruise the mighty Kapuas river in Kalimantan or trek Irian Jaya’s Balim Valley; track orang utans in Sumatra or watch ‘dragons’ in Komodo; catch sunrise from Bali’s sacred Mount Agung or sunset over Java’s notorious Krakatoa; dive in Sulawesi and Sumbawa; the great temple at Borobudur; over 3,000 miles of volcanoes, jungles and beaches…
Getting around: Beware that too ambitions an itinerary could turn a relaxing holiday into a frantic race. Buses or trains can be slow and crowded and many travellers opt to hire a car/moped (from as little as £4/£2 a day on Bali). Off the beaten track, especially in remote islands, travelling can unpredictable…and occasionally downright impossible!
Getting there: Flights to Jakarta or Bali are the usual choice.

Costs: Singapore represents the highest cost of living and rural Laos one of the lowest, but on average a careful traveller could get by on around ₤10/day. Of course this may increase substantially if you intend to travel first-class, take air-con accommodation or intend to party intensively!

The End