Southeast Asia

All your Indiana Jones fantasies will come alive at Angkor, where the walls of ancient temples are torn apart by the roots of towering jungle trees, and delicate bas-reliefs of demons and angels peek out between the vines. From the geometric perfection of Angkor Wat, to the more-jungle-than-temple ruins of Ta Prohm and the gigantic stone faces of Avalokiteshvara that grace the Bayon, Angkor feels even greater than the sum of its parts. Kick back in the local traveller hub of Siem Reap and enjoy days of glorious exploring.

Little bigger than a cooking pot itself, the city-state of Singapore is one of Asia's great culinary melting pots – a great coming together of the best cooking know-how from China, India and the Malay peninsula. There's no shortage of things to do and see in this metropolis, from the futuristic Gardens by the Bay to the eccentric recreation of Taoist heaven and hell at Haw Par Villa, but somehow it's the meals that'll stay with you, whether you feast at the city's banquet restaurants or chow down in the abundant hawker courts.

Thailand's northern capital is the perfect antidote to the bustling modernity of Bangkok. Bound by a moat and crumbling city walls, the calm streets of Chiang Mai's Old City are chock-a-block with teak temples in the distinctive northern Thai style. It's a place to wander aimlessly, drifting from ancient wat to ancient wat, pausing for fresh fruit juices and some of Asia's finest street food. Many make a week of it, day-tripping to waterfalls and hill-tribe villages, indulging in traditional Thai massages and learning to cook Thai curries in Chiang Mai's famous cooking schools.

The other Malaysia, the states of Sabah and Sarawak share the island of Borneo with Brunei and Indonesia's Kalimantan. Here, on cruises along rainforest-cloaked rivers, you can encounter some of Southeast Asia's wildest inhabitants: chattering gibbons, ponderous orangutans and the myriad indigenous cultures who share their jungle home. But it's not all rivers and rainforest. Around the fringes of this waterlogged wonderland are the cosmopolitan cities of Kuching (Sarawak) and Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), and dive boats buzz the coastline, exploring some of Southeast Asia's best stocked coral reefs.

Vietnam’s most graceful outpost, beautiful Hoi An was once a busy port, and the streets of the old town are bejewelled with traditional houses and family chapels, built by its seafaring citizens. Today, these glorious structures have found new life as restaurants, bars, cafes, boutiques, tailors' shops and cooking schools. When you're done with history, rent a bicycle or motorcycle and drift along the coast to gorgeous beaches, or take a boat trip offshore to the idyllic Cham Islands. Consider it a sampling platter of Southeast Asia, in one handy location.

This superstar city has it all, and in super-sized proportions: fabulous food and shopping, simple spirituality, hedonistic nightlife, and, at the base of it all, a profound sense of fun and irreverence. Bangkok may be a pressure cooker for new arrivals, but for travellers coming back from remote dusty corners of Southeast Asia, this is a comforting dose of civilisation. The city has monuments and monasteries to spare, but amid the sightseeing, build in time for regular snacking, swapping traveller tales over beers and calming boat rides down the Chao Phraya river.

Myanmar's proud retort to the temples of Angkor, the plains of Bagan are dotted with the remains of some 4000 Buddhist temples, many lovingly restored, but others still in ruins from the ravages of Kublai Khan's Mongol hordes. Explore the temples at your leisure on foot or by bicycle or horse-cart, avoiding the tour-bus crowds. The definitive view of Bagan is at dawn or sunset from Pyathada Paya or one of the other terraced pagodas, but consider looking down from above on a hot-air-balloon trip across the plain.

Once a backwater, Palawan has sky-rocketed in popularity as it gets added to travel-magazine lists of the world's best island escapes. The crown jewel is the Bacuit Archipelago near El Nido, a surreal seascape of brooding limestone outcrops, dotted with hidden beaches and coral reefs offering some of the Philippines' most exciting diving. More sublime sand awaits further south at Port Barton and Sabang. The real treasure for divers lies to the north at Coron Bay, where the wrecks of dozens of Japanese warships lie dramatically in the murky gloom.

Hemmed in by the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, the former royal capital of Luang Prabang is one of Southeast Asia's great temple cities, where the streets are crowded not with traffic but with Buddhist monks on the daily call to alms. Despite its growing popularity, Luang Prabang hasn't strayed far from its backpacker roots, so kick back for days or weeks, exploring temples, learning Lao cookery, pedalling around backstreets visiting ancient temples and unwinding even further with a massage at one of the city's affordable spas.

A delightfully faded vision of the colonial Far East, executed in a palette of colours washed out to pastels by centuries of monsoon rains: Yangon, formerly Rangoon, is changing rapidly as the outside world rushes in after decades of isolation, but in other ways it has hardly changed at all. The gilded spire of the Shwedagon Paya still rises above the city like a beacon, surrounded by an ever-swirling tide of Buddhist pilgrims, and monks flood the streets at dawn to gather alms as they have since time immemorial.

What's this? A pirate cove in the South China Sea? Nope, it's just Halong Bay, where some 3000 limestone outcrops thrust out of the shimmering Gulf of Tonkin waters. Protected as a Unesco World Heritage Site, this atmospheric stretch of coastline is one of Vietnam's top drawcards, so take your pick from overnight tours by junk or guided kayak trips to wave-carved grottoes and hidden lagoons. If after all this you’re still hungry for more karst action, move on to less touristy Lan Ha Bay, tumbling off the shore of Cat Ba island.

One of Indonesia’s great pleasures is hopping on a fast boat from busy Bali and arriving at the calm, irresistible Gili Islands. This is the Indonesia people dream of – sugar-white sand, turquoise waters, swishing palm fronds and relaxing beach hang-outs entreating you to extend your stay. Spend your days snorkelling and diving with sharks, rays and turtles on the fringing reefs, then after dark savour the dining and nightlife on Gili Trawangan, or just swing in a hammock and enjoy the sea breezes on Gili Air and Gili Meno.

The mists of time swirl around George Town on the island of Penang, like the incense smoke wafting around its Taoist temples and clanhouses. This seafaring city was forged by British colonists and Chinese and Indian migrant workers, and the melting pot still stirs today, with Chinese, Malay and Indian culture all playing their part in the island's attitude and cuisine. Added to the Unesco World Heritage list in 2008, Penang has taken impressive steps to preserve its historic architecture, and today its atmospheric shophouses hide museums, boutique hotels and chic cafes.

Although this Hindu island in the heart of the Indonesian archipelago is firmly on the traveller radar, its unique culture and epic surf breaks make it an essential stop on the Asia circuit. There's more to Bali than Kuta Beach, but most visitors swing by Kuta for at least a day or two to catch a wave and party before retreating to more peaceful parts of the island. With Kuta out of your system, you can enjoy Ubud's rich cultural heritage, sleepy Pemuteran's laid-back vibe and Jimbaran's seafood feasts.

The Mekong River sheds its characteristic muddy hue for a more tropical turquoise blue as it swirls around Laos' enigmatic 'Four Thousand Islands', collectively known as Si Phan Don. This is Laos at its most laid-back, where the busiest way to spend a day is cycling from islet to islet, riding down the river on an inner tube, or kayaking in search of rare Irrawaddy dolphins. A sleepy traveller vibe prevails, so kick off your shoes, drop into a hammock and let the swoosh of the river lull you into a peaceful slumber.

Hand-hewn by generations of Ifugao tribal people in the rugged Cordillera mountains, the Ifugao rice terraces are celebrated as one of the wonders of the Asian world. The plunging valleys were first cut into terraces some 2000 years ago, and trekking these emerald staircases – and sleeping among them in idyllic Batad – feels like skipping back centuries to the days before the Philippines caught the attention of colonial powers. Nearby, you can detour to the trekking hub of Bontoc, or cross the hills to Sagada, where hanging coffins spill eerily down the cliffsides.

The Cambodian capital is chaotic but charming, physically carrying the scars of the past, but looking towards a brighter future. The Tonlé Sap and Mekong River swirl together in the middle of Phnom Penh, hinting at onward travel by river boat to Angkor Wat, but before you go, wander the backstreets, with their old-fashioned shophouses and colonial villas, some taken over as hip hostels and boisterous bars. Also make time for the sobering experience of the Choeung Ek killing fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – an essential step towards understanding modern Cambodia.

Here there be dragons – literally, in the case of Komodo, one of the last refuges of the prehistoric-looking Komodo dragon. Encountering these primordial predators in their natural habitat is just part of the appeal of this chilled-out corner of the Indonesian archipelago. Add in lazy days on deserted island beaches, trips to some of Indonesia’s best dive sites, and the upbeat traveller buzz in Labuanbajo on neighbouring Flores, and it's easy to see the attraction. But word is getting out, so see Komodo and Flores now before runaway development alters their laid-back charm.

Often (unfairly) excluded on a typical Southeast Asian itinerary, Timor-Leste may be a young nation, but it offers old-school adventure for those bold enough to venture here. The story of the nation's struggle for independence is powerfully told in the capital, Dili, but most are drawn here by the untouched coral reefs off the north coast, and to hidden villages and misty mountains in the densely forested interior. Cap off your trip with a night on sleepy Ataúro Island to get a feel for what Southeast Asia was like in the 1960s.

With jagged hills draped in a shroud of rainforest and mountain rivers charging through plunging ravines, Phong Nha-Ke Bang is one of Vietnam’s most spectacular national parks, even just counting the area above ground. Things get even more dramatic when you crawl underground to the reserve's twisting and turning cave systems. The cathedral-like chambers of Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave, are only open to expensive caving tours, but more accessible are the ziplining and kayaking thrills of Hang Toi (Dark Cave), and the ethereal beauty of aptly named Paradise Cave.