Seminyak
A lounger and an ice-cold Bintang on the beach at sunset is simply magical. A good stretch can be found near Pura Petitenget, and it tends to be less…
Must-see attractions in Southeast Asia
Cameron Highlands
If there's time for only one tea-themed experience in the highlands, make it this spectacularly situated plantation, with its own tea interpretation…
Mekong Delta
Also known as Phuoc Dien Tu, this temple is halfway up the western (far) side of Sam Mountain, with amazing views of the surrounding countryside. The…
Sangiran Museum of Ancient Man
Solo
With the largest collection of Homo erectus fossils in the world (the bones of 70 individuals), Sangiran is an important archaeological excavation site…
Yogyakarta
This once-splendid pleasure park of palaces, pools and waterways, built between 1758 and 1765, functioned as the playground of the sultan and his…
Myanmar (Burma)
One of Monywa's biggest attractions, this rural complex of 492 buddha chambers was carved into a limestone hillside between the 14th and 18th centuries…
Vientiane
Built between 1819 and 1824 by Chao Anou, the last monarch of the Kingdom of Vientiane, Wat Si Saket is believed to be the city's oldest surviving wat…
Borobudur
This exquisite temple, around 3.5km east of Borobudur, may look insignificant compared with its mighty neighbour, but it houses the most outstanding…
Quy Nhon
The long sweep of Quy Nhon’s beachfront extends from the port in the northeast to distant wooded hills in the south. It’s a beautiful stretch of sand and…
Chiang Mai
A hidden jungle temple tucked into the mountain along the way to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Old stone structures, intricate carvings, naga-flanked…
Vientiane
Opened in 1995 to celebrate the late president's 75th birthday, the Kaysone Phomvihane Museum serves as a tribute to Indochina's most pragmatic communist…
Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand Rescue Centre & Elephant Refuge
Hua Hin
This centre, 45km northwest of Hua Hin, cares for over 700 animals, including bears, tigers, gibbons, macaques, loris and birds. There's also an…
Phuket
High atop the Nakkerd Hills, northwest of Chalong Circle, and visible from half the island, the 45m-high, Burmese-alabaster Big Buddha sits grandly on…
Mindanao
At the southeastern end of town near the waterfront is this solid and squat building, partially restored to maintain its historic character. Inside is a…
Leyte
Tranquil Limasawa Island, a place of historical and religious significance, is well worth a visit. The island has around 6000 inhabitants and five tiny…
Tana Toraja
The four stately tongkonan and many granaries that make up Ke'te Kesu' were moved to this picturesque site in 1927 when the savvy family head noticed the…
Manila
This famous organ, designated a national culture treasure, was built between 1816 and 1824 in the St Joseph Parish Church of Las Piñas on the southern…
Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre
Cat Tien National Park
Set on an island in the Dong Nai River, this rehabilitation centre with a stellar reputation hosts golden-cheeked gibbons, pygmy lorises (both endemic to…
Chiang Rai Province
Wat Rong Khun’s construction began in 1997 by noted Thai painter turned architect Chalermchai Kositpipat. It's a striking structure that, from a distance,…
Malaysia
State history, from traditional weapons to blow-by-blow accounts of European invasions, is well presented at this museum 2.5km southwest of central…
Jakarta
Kota’s central cobblestone square, surrounded by imposing Dutch colonial buildings, is Jakarta's most attractive location and a popular gathering spot for…
Northern Laos
Decades after America's Secret War on Laos, unexploded bombs and mines remain a devastating problem throughout this region. Visit the thought-provoking…
Malaysia
A world away from the resorts is 80-hectare Cape Rachado Forest Reserve. A paved road (pedestrians only) leads through towering jungle to brilliant-white…
Kanchanaburi
In the countryside around Kanchanaburi, cave temples are almost as common as convenience stores are inside the city, but this is one of the most…
George Town
Lovingly restored, this ostentatious, mint-green structure was one of the most stunning private residences in George Town. Every door, wall and archway is…
Hoi An
Built for worshipping family ancestors of the Tran (陳) clan, this chapel (more accurately an ancestral hall) dates back to 1802. It was commissioned by…
History & Ethnography Museums Complex
Melaka City
The ground floor of the Stadthuys houses Melaka's most interesting museum, which focuses on the city's fascinating history and ethnography. Exhibits…
Kanchanaburi
This excellent museum balances statistics and historical context with personal accounts of the conditions endured by POWs and other imprisoned labourers…
Sentosa Island
Dating from the 1880s, when Sentosa was called Pulau Blakang Mati (Malay for 'the island behind which lies death'), this British coastal fort was famously…
Northern Laos
The 2224-sq-km Nam Ha NPA is one of Laos' most accessible natural preserves and home to clouded leopards and possibly a few remaining tigers. Both around…
Chiang Rai Province
The bizarre brainchild of Thai National Artist Thawan Duchanee, and a rather sinister counterpoint to Wat Rong Khun, Baandam unites several structures,…
North Luzon
The most accessible part of the area's immense 25km limestone cave complex is the seven-chambered Callao Cave. The cave is reached by 184 slippery steps…
Chau Doc
This immense 800,000-hectare forest is home to an astounding number of wading birds. Much of the wetland is off-limits to visitors so that the birds'…
Ayuthaya
The prang (Khmer-style spire) in this large temple complex is one of the best extant versions in the city. There are giant stucco-sculpted Garuda on the…
Chinatown & the CBD
Spanning 44m, this mural, painted by Singaporean artist Yip Yew Chong (accountant by weekday, artist by weekend), tells the story of Singapore's early…
Sumatra
Set on a hill overlooking the Indian Ocean, the star-shaped Benteng Marlborough, a former British fort, became the seat of British power in Bengkulu after…
Little India & Kampong Glam
Delve into the origins and heritage of Singapore's Indian community at this S$12 million state-of-the-art museum. Divided into five themes, its hundreds…
Malumpati Spring & Bugang River
Panay
One of the most striking natural features in western Visayas, the astonishing Malumpati Spring and Bugang River emerges from nowhere in the midst of the…
Baguio
This superb museum dedicated to the life, times and work of artist Benedicto Reyes Cabrera (BenCab) is as fascinating as the man himself. The gallery is a…
Myanmar (Burma)
This colourful, modern temple is famed for its staggering number of buddha images as well as its carnivalesque exterior, with a unique roof layered with…
