Queen Sirikit Sericulture Centre Surin
Northeastern Thailand
You can see the entire silk-making process, from larva to loom, at this research centre 4km west of town. The displays (with very limited English) can be…
Must-see attractions in Southeast Asia
Busuanga & the Calamian Islands
This 7m waterfall is a pleasant place for a swim if you're passing near the airport on a bike tour of the island. The turnoff to the falls in barangay…
Ayuthaya
Think you can tell a spice boat from a sam pan? This interesting little private museum is full of wooden boats, both real and artistic miniatures, many of…
Ubon Ratchathani
Locals flock to this island beach in Mae Nam Mun during the hot, dry months from February to May when the sand rises out of the receding river. A cool…
Bangkok
This is one of Bangkok's oldest mosques, located in the quaint riverside neighbourhood of Haroon Village, a Muslim enclave full of sleeping cats, playing…
Sarawak
The casuarina-lined beach at Similajau park HQ, strewn with driftwood but clean, is a great place to chill out. Unfortunately, the presence of crocodiles…
Dili
The grand, white Palácio do Governo dominates the town centre. The grounds here occasionally play host to events, but they're usually just a fancy car…
Myanmar (Burma)
A small museum (in a big building) displaying some of the glittering rocks Myanmar is famed for (jade in particular). Information displays are limited and…
Myanmar (Burma)
If you can’t get enough of buddha statues, check out these four buddha figures standing back to back. An adjacent open hallway has a small reclining…
Phuket
Perched on the highest point of Ko Sireh, 5km east of Phuket Town and accessed by a driveway adjacent to a school, this sun-faded temple surrounded by…
Johor
Tucked away behind the four-storey Kwong Siu Building on Jln Ali (between Jln Sisi and Jln Sayang) are some blue-painted buildings, one of which is…
Luang Prabang
An easy 3km walk or bicycle ride northeast of town is Wat Pa Phon Phao, a forest meditation wat famous for the teachings of the late abbot Ajahn Saisamut…
Southern Laos
The Exhibition Hall near the ticket office showcases dozens of lintels, naga (mythical water serpents), Buddhas and other stonework from Wat Phu and its…
Little India & Kampong Glam
The polychromatic Hindu Sri Krishnan Temple has a magnificent silver-and-gold shrine.
Siem Reap
South of the city centre, Wat Athvea is an attractive pagoda on the site of an ancient temple. The old temple is still in very good condition and sees far…
Bangkok
The country’s largest repository of books has few foreign-language resources, but its strength is in its astrological books and star charts. The…
Northern Thailand
This regional museum is set in a series of Thai-style wooden structures on stilts set among nicely landscaped grounds. There are three main buildings…
Jalan Jaksa Area
A post-independence and appealingly bombastic statue depicting a farmer who became a soldier in the fight for independence from the Dutch. It shows the…
Cao Bang
There's not a whole load to do in Cao Bang town itself, but there are great 360-degree views from the town's hilltop war memorial. Head up the second lane…
Northeastern Thailand
This temple stands out for having an enormous Buddha inside a glass-walled wí·hăhn, and not one but two small chedi modelled on Phra That Phanom, one with…
Battambang
This factory is near the Sangker River bridge, about 7.5km north of Battambang. Visitors can see the bustling local industry behind Cambodian prahoc …
Vientiane
It's not possible to go inside the Presidential Palace, as unsurprisingly it is reserved for the president and government officials. It is, however, a…
Luang Prabang
One of the most visited sacred sites in Luang Prabang is located at the top of Phu Si. Built in 1804, by night the the 24m gilded stupa gleams like a…
George Town
Dedicated to Mar Chor Poh, the patron saint of seafarers, this temple was founded in 1870 but not completed until 1895. A thorough remodelling for its…
Museum of Malay World Ethnology
Lake Gardens, Brickfields & Bangsar
Contains displays on Malay musical instruments, games, textiles and metalwork, including an impressive gallery of beautifully engraved weapons.
Manila
Beat the heat and entertain the kiddies in this enlightening science museum filled with fun facts, educational video games and dozens of interactive…
Northern Myanmar
The George Orwell–era St Paul’s Anglican Church collapsed in 2007 and has been replaced by a new church part-sponsored by troops from the Princess of…
Cambodia
This tiny museum located in Tani commune showcases a collection of Angkorian pottery from the days of the Khmer empire. Only pottery enthusiasts are…
Semarang
Built in 1753, this elegant church is graced with a huge cupola and marks the centre of the old colonial quarter of Semarang. The interior sports a…
Mandalay
If you can stomach the smell, this atmospheric scene of fish mongering close to the Ayeyarwady River is worth an afternoon look (it gets most active from…
Singapore
This 5-hectare park was once home to a rubber tree estate. It's history has not been lost as rubber, nutmeg, cacao and cinnamon trees dot the park, as do…
Nakhon Phanom Province
This busy market running along the river takes place every Monday and Thursday. It's mostly the same fresh food and household goods found in other Thai…
Northern Myanmar
This eye-catching ornate pagoda lies in a rural mainland field, directly across the river from Shwe Baw Kyune and around 2 miles south of central Shwegu…
Sumba
It’s only a short stroll from most hotels to Prai Klembung, a nearby village with hefty concrete-slab tombs in an overgrown but atmospheric setting…
Chiang Rai Province
The ruins of the Buddhist Wat Chedi Luang feature an 18m octagonal chedi (stupa) in the classic Chiang Saen or Lanna style. Archaeologists argue about its…
Pulau Ambon
Undramatic Benteng Victoria (out of bounds due to army use) is a Dutch-era fortress. The site of Indonesian national hero Pattimura's hanging, it’s…
Ko Samui
This simple temple is worth an exploration as a diversion from Lamai beach life. There's a folklore museum containing a display of Buddhist artefacts and…
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
This south gate is the most intact and noteworthy of Phimai's three surviving 13th-century city gates (the east gate is in ruins), built by King…
Sentosa Island
The most kid-friendly of Sentosa's three beaches, perfect for a family day out with calm ocean waters, playgrounds and a suspension bridge to an off-shore…
West Java
The Garut region is famed for its dodol – a confectionery of coconut milk, palm sugar and sticky rice. The Picnic brand (from 30,000Rp) is the best…
