Southeast Asia: Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia & the Philippines

Thailand

Thailand ranges from the gilded temples and canals of Bangkok through the mountain-ringed old city of Chiang Mai to the limestone bays and beaches of the south. Buddhist temples, ornate and gold-spired, appear at every turn, and the country's tropical islands and karst seascapes rank among the most beautiful in Asia.

Bangkok concentrates the country's grandest temples: the Grand Palace and the adjoining Wat Phra Kaew, the spired riverside Wat Arun that glows at sunset, and the reclining Buddha of Wat Pho. The city also offers floating markets, the tangle of canals known as klongs, and night markets. North, Chiang Mai sits ringed by mountains and dotted with hundreds of temples, including the hilltop Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, and serves as the gateway to elephant sanctuaries and hill-tribe country.

The south is made for the coast. The Andaman shore around Krabi, Phang Nga Bay and the Phi Phi islands is defined by sheer limestone karst rising straight from turquoise water, while the Gulf islands such as Koh Samui and Koh Tao offer calmer beaches. The two coasts have opposite weather patterns, so one side is usually in its dry season while the other is wet — a useful fact when planning a beach itinerary.

Where to take photos

• Wat Arun, Bangkok — the porcelain-studded Temple of Dawn rising over the Chao Phraya River, especially arresting lit at dusk from the opposite bank
• Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok — a dense complex of gilded spires, mirrored mosaics and the revered Emerald Buddha
• Phang Nga Bay — sheer limestone karst towers rising from emerald sea, explored by longtail boat and kayak near Krabi and Phuket
• Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai — a gold-spired mountain temple overlooking the city, reached by a long naga-railed stairway
• Phi Phi Islands — cliff-ringed bays and clear water in the Andaman Sea, including the much-visited Maya Bay

Vietnam

From the karst seascape of Ha Long Bay and the terraced rice mountains of the north, through the imperial city of Hue and the lantern-lit town of Hoi An in the center, down to the canals and floating markets of the Mekong Delta in the south, Vietnam covers an enormous amount of ground for one country. The contrast between bustling motorbike-filled cities and quiet rural landscapes is the recurring theme.

The north holds Vietnam's signature scenes. Ha Long Bay and the neighboring Lan Ha Bay are seas of forested limestone islands rising from jade-green water, usually explored from cruise boats or kayaks. Inland, the mountain regions of Sapa and Ha Giang terrace entire hillsides into rice paddies that turn gold before the autumn harvest, worked by ethnic-minority communities. Hanoi, the capital, layers a chaotic Old Quarter, colonial-era architecture and lakeside temples.

Central and southern Vietnam shift the mood again. Hoi An preserves a UNESCO-listed old town of yellow merchant houses strung with silk lanterns, glowing at night and mirrored in the river. Hue holds the moated Imperial City of the Nguyen dynasty. Far south, Ho Chi Minh City pulses with traffic and markets, and the Mekong Delta spreads into a network of canals, floating markets and palm-lined waterways.

Where to take photos

• Ha Long Bay — thousands of forested limestone islands rising from emerald water, best seen by overnight cruise or kayak in the northeast
• Hoi An Old Town — a UNESCO-listed merchant town of yellow walls and silk lanterns that glow over the river at night
• Sapa rice terraces — sculpted hillside paddies in the northern mountains, brilliant green in summer and gold before the autumn harvest
• Hue Imperial City — the moated, walled citadel and palace complex of the Nguyen dynasty in central Vietnam
• Hanoi Old Quarter — a dense maze of narrow streets, street vendors and faded colonial facades in the capital

Indonesia

Indonesia spans thousands of islands of active volcanoes, ancient temples and terraced rice fields. Bali concentrates Hindu temples, green rice terraces and surf beaches, while Java holds the vast Buddhist temple of Borobudur and the dramatic volcanic landscapes of Bromo and Ijen. The archipelago straddles the equator, so it stays warm year-round and splits into wet and dry seasons.

Bali is the most-visited island and the most temple-dense, from the sea temple of Tanah Lot silhouetted at sunset to the lake temple of Ulun Danu Beratan and the layered Hindu shrines of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung. The terraced rice fields at Tegalalang and Jatiluwih, the Tukad Cepung waterfall and the gateway of Lempuyang draw much of Bali's traffic, while Ubud serves as the cultural and inland hub.

Java holds some of Indonesia's most powerful landscapes. Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple, is a vast stone mandala that emerges at sunrise from mist with distant volcanoes behind it, and the nearby Prambanan is a soaring Hindu complex. To the east, the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru region presents a smoking cone in a sea of volcanic sand, viewed from a clifftop at dawn, and the Ijen volcano is known for its blue sulfur flames and a turquoise crater lake.

Where to take photos

• Borobudur, Java — the world's largest Buddhist temple, a stone mandala that rises at sunrise above the mist with volcanoes on the horizon
• Tanah Lot, Bali — a Hindu sea temple on a rock offshore, silhouetted against the sunset at low tide
• Mount Bromo, Java — an active volcanic cone smoking within a vast sand caldera, viewed from a clifftop at dawn
• Tegalalang Rice Terraces, Bali — steeply stepped green paddies on a valley slope near Ubud
• Kawah Ijen, Java — a turquoise crater lake and electric-blue sulfur flames seen on a pre-dawn hike in eastern Java

Philippines

The Philippines comprises more than 7,000 islands and is defined by its seascapes: the limestone lagoons of Palawan, the coral reefs and white sand of the central Visayas, and the ancient mountain rice terraces of northern Luzon. English is widely spoken, and the country sits squarely in the tropics with a pronounced wet season.

Palawan holds the country's most celebrated coastal scenery. El Nido and the surrounding Bacuit Bay are a maze of sheer limestone islands, hidden lagoons and white beaches explored by boat, while the underground river near Puerto Princesa and the remote lagoons of Coron add to the archipelago's pull. The water clarity and karst formations make it one of the great coastal destinations in Asia.

Beyond Palawan, the islands diversify. The central Visayas offer the Chocolate Hills of Bohol — hundreds of rounded mounds that turn brown in the dry season — along with diving and whale-shark encounters around Cebu. In northern Luzon, the Banaue and Batad rice terraces, carved into the mountains by the Ifugao people over centuries, climb in vast amphitheaters that are greenest before the harvest.

Where to take photos

• El Nido & Bacuit Bay, Palawan — sheer limestone islands, hidden lagoons and white-sand beaches explored by island-hopping boat
• Banaue & Batad Rice Terraces, Luzon — centuries-old mountain rice terraces carved by the Ifugao into vast green amphitheaters
• Chocolate Hills, Bohol — hundreds of uniform rounded mounds spread across the landscape, turning brown in the dry season
• Coron, Palawan — clear lagoons, limestone cliffs and wreck-diving sites in the northern Palawan islands
• Kayangan Lake, Coron — a remarkably clear lagoon framed by jagged limestone, reached by a short cliff-top climb

What to eat in Southeast Asia

Khao soi (Northern Thai curry noodles)

A bowl of khao soi, a golden coconut-curry noodle soup topped with crispy fried noodles and served with pickled greens. It is the signature dish of Chiang Mai and northern Thailand.

Tom yum goong (spicy prawn soup)

A creamy bowl of tom yum goong crowned with a whole river prawn, fragrant with lemongrass, chili and herbs. This hot-and-sour soup is one of Thailand's most iconic dishes.

Bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls)

Bánh cuốn are delicate steamed rice-flour crêpes rolled around minced pork and wood-ear mushrooms, topped with fried shallots and served with nuoc cham.

Chicken inasal

Chicken inasal is the Philippines' beloved grilled chicken, marinated in calamansi, lemongrass, and annatto for a smoky, tangy flavor. It comes with garlic rice and a fiery dipping sauce, a staple of Filipino roadside eateries.

Pancit (Filipino rice noodles)

Pancit — stir-fried rice noodles tossed with vegetables, a little meat or shrimp and a squeeze of calamansi — is the everyday Filipino noodle dish.

More guides to explore

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

Ubud Travel Guide: Bali's Rice Terraces, Temples & Royal Palace

Coron, Philippines

Coron Travel Guide: Karst Islands, WWII Wrecks & a Hidden Lake

Hoi An, Vietnam

Hoi An Travel Guide: Lantern-Lit Streets & the Ancient Town