No longer seen merely as an exotic counterpart to the Occident, South-East Asia has developed an identity all its own over the past few years. You will find very little homogeneity in ASEAN, with every country priding itself on a distant identity concerning culture, religion, cuisine, and traditions.
This vast region is an overwhelming mix of landscapes, from verdant, rolling hills, and isolated islands with white-sand beaches to thick forests and intriguing caves. You can enjoy a range of diverse experiences, and no matter what type of traveler you are, you will find that one special place that will have you returning repeatedly. There are beaches to bum about on, temples, and architectural marvels to visit, hills aplenty to hike, tea estates to unwind at and a whole lot of truly incredible foods to experiment with.
Because we know that you could spend your entire life trying to uncover all of South-East Asia’s treats and not make much headway, we have brought together a collection of the best, unique experiences on offer in the ASEAN countries.
Get off the highway and wander down little, hidden by-lanes where you will discover everything from forgotten tribes, to a mosque built of pure gold, and a swimming pool on top of the world.
- Official Tourism Website: http://www.aseantourism.travel/
- Wikitravel Travel Guide: http://wikitravel.org/en/Southeast_Asia
Capital: 
A Shot of Culture: 
Surf’s Up: If your beach bum-turn-surfer self is calling out to you, head to 
A Whole New World: The 
Fall Off the Grid: 
An Active Getaway: Climb to the top of the overwhelming 
Retail Therapy: Indulge yourself in 
Hop About: Head to the pristine islands off the coast at gorgeous 
Be Bucolic: Get a taste of the Filipino countryside and spend some time amid 
Get High: You could be forgiven for thinking you are in Scotland when you visit 
Life’s a Feast: You will have a great time going on an eating binge in the Philippines, especially if you love meat. Pork, in particular, plays a big role in the cuisine here, and a 
Capital: 
Architecture 101: Former capitals are full of old glory and great architecture, and 
Hunt for Bargains: The 
It’s All Rice: Rice, in all its forms, is a staple in the distinctive cuisine of Myanmar. 
Get a Bird’s Eye View: Climb up 
Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Surrounded by greenery and marshes, cool morning mists, villages of houses on stilts and floating gardens, the 
Art Lessons: 
Wander through Ruins: 
Pagoda Sunsets: Make your way up to the 
Find Your Spiritual Side: Go forth and find your holy spirit at 
I am with Stupa: Sagaing lies along the 
Capital: 
Get Your Cocoa On: ‘Monggo’ is Javanese for ‘please, go ahead’ and when you taste these 
Dive into the Deep: Far away and remote, the sparkling clear emerald green waters of the 
Truly In-spired: Huge temples in rice fields seem to be South East Asia’s thing, and, just like 
Tail Tales: Watch out for forked, snake-like tongues on 
Shop Your Way through Seminyak: Glitzy 
Misty Mountaintops: Climb up the 
Art it Up: As you saw in 
Eat Your Heart Out: If you will come back missing something, all bets are on the food. 
Go Local: Just east of Bali, the islands of 
Of Coffee and Rhinos: Java has a fair bit going for it. Surrounded by the 
Capital: 
Time Travel: A trip to 
Easy Riders: Go back to a simpler time with a visit to 
Market Days: Get a taste of modern-day Vietnamese life with a cruise down the River Mekong to the 
A Flash of Color: Once the home of Vietnamese prisoners, the pristine beauty of the 
Tunnel Vision: No matter how much you may have read about it, nothing prepares you for the maze of tunnels that run under 
Hue Calling: Once the capital of the 
Lessons Learned: For an introduction to Vietnam’s history, a visit to the 
Water Ways: While you are in Hanoi, go for a 
Meat Feast: 
Dune Deal: Look out across the desert-like horizon and you will wonder if you are in the Sahara. The 
Capital: 
Luxury in Langkawi: If you are looking for a lazy, luxuriant vacation with lots of sun, sea and sand, head to 
Hippie Hideaway: Lying off the northeast coast of peninsular Malaysia, 
Picture-perfect Tioman: Used as a backdrop in the 
Place to Indulge: A little indulgence is in order on every holiday and you cannot get better than 
Underwater Art: Rising 600 meters from the seabed and formed by living corals growing on an extinct volcano over thousands of years, 
Food & Fusion in Penang: A unique mixture of east and west and deliciously flavorful cuisine makes 
White Sands: Forming a marine park of nine islands off the eastern peninsular Malaysian state of 
Island Getaway: If you are looking for a few days away from the cities, 
No Kidding About: Give your little ones (and yourself) a special treat and pencil in some time for the very cool Legoland that is opened in Johor. Your day will go by before you know it! The resort opened on 15-Sep-2012 with over 40 interactive rides, shows and attractions.
Going Sour: A sour fish soup, 
Capital: 
Heavenly Beauty: With a dome made of pure gold, imported marble from Italy and a man-made lagoon, the 
Dive Right In: Some of the best diving sites in the world are located off 
Midnight Feast: You are on holiday; you should be able to eat anytime you feel like it. Indulge those annoying nighttime hunger pangs at the 
Eat What?: 
Get Bucolic: Go back in time and discover the roots of Brunei, its time-honored traditions and rituals showcased through a homestay in a Bruneian village. The residents of 
Early Bird: Get yourself out of bed early for a sunrise safari through the 
Life on the Water at Kampong Ayer: The pulse of Brunei’s capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, 
Wealth of Art: The 
Meet the Royals: The end of Ramadan heralds the festival of 
Live among the Stars: The 
Capital: 
Boxing Days: Grueling training sessions, a rudimentary diet and sparse facilities—these are the staples of training for 
Biker Fun: Thailand is great for two-wheeled exploration, as long as you can deal with crazy traffic. Check out the Big Bike Company in Patong. They rent out Honda CB 400 cc motorbikes that are fun and fast. Your inner petrol head will certainly be happy, especially when you hit the long, winding roads.
Cook up a Storm: If you love 
Leave the Road Behind: Go off the beaten track and indulge in some soft adventure sports in 
Get Wet: Thailand turns into a free-for-all water park once a year. The 
Join the (Yacht) Club: If your sailor self has been feeling neglected for a while, and you are feeling especially indulgent, Thailand has many great yachting options. A sailing holiday in Thailand is an especially beautiful experience with the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea and 
Kick Back: Take a break from all that activity at 
Festival of Lights: Come November, Thailand transforms into a veritable fairyland of lights, 
Soup It Up: Thailand is known for its spicy, flavorful food and 
Get Inked: Experience tattooing like no place else at 
Capital: 
Take a Walk: A blend of traditional architecture and urban structures, 
Do a Temple Run: Visit one of the oldest temples in 
A Different Treat: Jump straight into the native experience and try a serving of 
Buddha Says: The 
Explore Hidden Caves: The capital of the 
Take a Cooking Class: If you have fallen in love with 
Heritage up Top: Overlooking the 
Fun in the Water: Drive, trek, or hitchhike your way past forests, villages, and rice fields to the cascading waters of the 
Mountain Shrines: Bang in the heart of Luang Prabang’s old town, 
Night Owls: While Luang Prabang has no dearth of charms through the day, its night market is worth exploring, too. With what is possibly the largest collection of 
Capital: 
Down the River: If you always wondered what lies beneath the waters of the Mississippi, you need look no further than in Asia’s first river-themed wildlife park. At 
Animal Magic: Known as one of the most spectacular zoos in the world, spread out over 26 hectares of intimate viewing platforms and sensitively constructed habitats, the 
Something Fishy: Singapore has some of the most superb seafood in the world, none more iconic than its chili crabs. Recognized as an unofficial national dish, this delightful dish involves crab slathered in a sweet-spicy sauce and served with fried mantou (buns) with which to mop up all of that extra sauce. No less well known are the 
Love’s in the Air: What better way to proclaim or re-affirm your love than at 165m above the ground in the world’s largest observation wheel, the 
Green Thumbs: If you are craving some open green space, this 101-hectare horticultural attraction with over 250,000 plants will give you just the breather you have been looking for. A mere five-minute walk from the city, the 
Filmi Business: All you movie lovers, who are always dying to be part of the action, get to 
Flying High: Experience the heart-thumping rush of skydiving without the risks at 
Something for Everyone: There is not much that 
Go Peranakan: Descendants of 17th century Chinese traders who migrated to the 
Dining with the Stars: