Monumen Nasional of Central Jakarta
Monumen Nasional
The National Monument is a 132 m tower in the centre of Merdeka Square, Central Jakarta, symbolizing the fight for Indonesia. It is the national monument of the Republic of Indonesia, built to commemorate the struggle for Indonesian independence. Construction began in 1961 under the direction of President Sukarno.
Museum of West Jakarta
Museum Wayang
The Wayang Museum is a museum dedicated to Javan wayang puppetry. The museum is located in Kota Tua, Jakarta, Indonesia. It is one of several museums and galleries facing the Fatahillah Square, which include Jakarta History Museum, Fine Art and Ceramic Museum, and Kota Post Office art gallery.
Pulau Seribu of North Jakarta
Pulau Seribu
The Thousand Islands are a chain of islands to the north of Jakarta's coast. It forms the only regency of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. It consists of a string of 342 islands stretching 45 km north into the Java Sea at West Jakarta Bay and in fact north of Banten Province.
SINGAPORE
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
Temple and Museum in the Heart of Chinatown
Located in the heart of China Town is a Buddhist temple and museum housing the Sacred Buddha Tooth Relic, in a stupa consisting of 320 kilograms of gold donated by devotees. Take a tour through all four floors as you learn about the rich history and culture of Buddhism.
Yueh Hai Ching Temple
Temple of Love
Visit one of the oldest Taoist temples in Singapore, built in the 1820s. It was originally a place where sailors and traders from China used to come and pray for safety from the rough seas. However today lovers come and pray before the black idol, the statue of Yue Lao, the bearded elder matchmaker. Do as the locals would and tie red strings together while praying to the deity of happiness and love to bless your romance.
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Merlion Park
Merlion Park and One Fullerton
When you’re in the vicinity of the Merlion Park and One Fullerton, it’s hard to miss out on the iconic symbol, regarded as the pride of Singapore. The large Merlion statue, standing at a height of 28 feet has a lion’s head and a fish’s body and represents the city’s humble origins as a fishing village. From here, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Marina Bay.
Helix Bridge
Helix Bridge Landmark
Set to become Singapore’s next landmark, this architecturally unique pedestrian bridge is the world’s first double helix bridge. Resembling the structure of a DNA, the bridge has five viewing platforms across the entire length to enjoy great views of the Singapore skyline and events taking place within Marina Bay.
Sri Mariamman Temple
Hindu Temple
Built in the Dravidian style of architecture, Sri Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore dating back to 1827. The temple is one of the most visited in the country thanks to its religious importance, colourful exterior and magnificent architecture. The temple is dedicated to Goddess Mariamman who is believed to have the power to cure epidemic illnesses and diseases. The temple gate or gopuram is adorned with sculptures of gods, goddesses and mythological beasts.
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
Bandar Seri Begawan
Capital of Brunei
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of Brunei, a tiny nation on the island of Borneo. It’s known for the opulent Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, adorned with chandeliers, stained glass and Italian marble, and surrounded by a lagoon. Nearby, the Royal Regalia Building showcases a gold carriage and lavish gifts presented to the sultan. To the northwest is the Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, with 29 golden domes.
Southwest of the center, Istana Nurul Iman palace is the huge, glittering residence of the Sultan of Brunei. East along the Brunei River, traditional brocades and woodcarvings are among the exhibits in the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Centre. Brunei Museum traces the kingdom’s heritage. The Malay Technology Museum focuses on Malay culture, including life in local water villages. On Brunei Bay, Kampong Ayer is a sprawling community of water villages featuring traditional stilt houses and modern-built versions. To the north, Tasek Lama Recreational Park has forest trails and an observation tower with city views.
Kampong Ayer
Village in Brunei
Kampong Ayer is a historical settlement area in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It literally means 'water village'. Kampong Ayer consists of a cluster of traditional stilt villages built on the Brunei River, mainly in the vicinity of the present-day Pusat Bandar or the City Centre. Hence, it has often been dubbed as 'Venice of the East' since the past. Kampong Ayer has been historically the principal settlement of Brunei; it was the de facto capital, in particular social and economic centre, of the Bruneian Empire for a few centuries, but also extending into the early period during British imperialism in Brunei.
Ulu Temburong National Park
National Park in Brunei
Ulu Temburong National Park or fathul park was the first national park to be established in Brunei, protected since 1991. The park is in Temburong District in eastern Brunei, and covers about 40% of the district in the south at 550 square kilometres. It is within the Batu Apoi Forest Reserve. The park contains unspoiled jungle and is known as the "Green Jewel of Brunei", described as "the finest example of the sultanate's successful forest protection policy". The principal rivers are the Temburong and Belalong Rivers. It is an important ecotourism centre in Brunei and hosts the Ulu Ulu Resort. The Peradayan Forest Reserve is also located in the district.
Muara is a town in the north-easternmost part of Brunei-Muara District, Brunei. It is officially known in Malay as Pekan Muara but administered as a village-level subdivision under the mukim or subdistrict of Serasa; Muara has no municipal body. It is home to Muara Port, the main and only deep-water port of the country. The postcode for Muara is BT1128.
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Malay Technology Museum
Museum in Kota Batu
The Malay Technology Museum is a museum located in Kota Batu, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei-Muara District, Brunei. It is situated next to the Brunei Museum. The building was donated by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of companies, in conjunction with the Sultanate's independence in 1984.
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MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur
Capital of Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia. Its modern skyline is dominated by the 451m-tall Petronas Twin Towers, a pair of glass-and-steel-clad skyscrapers with Islamic motifs. The towers also offer a public skybridge and observation deck. The city is also home to British colonial-era landmarks such as the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
Kuala Lumpur is also known for its shopping and dining, with options ranging from large malls and contemporary restaurants to shophouses and food stalls. The Golden Triangle area’s Bukit Bintang district offers designer boutiques, luxury department stores and glitzy retail and entertainment complexes. Small, colorful shops dot Brickfields (Little India) and Chinatown, whose art deco Central Market houses numerous craft sellers. Malaysian arts and history are on view at the National Museum and the Islamic Arts Museum. At the city’s northern edge is Batu Caves, natural limestone caverns housing Hindu temples.
George Town
Town in Penang Island
George Town is the colorful, multicultural capital of the Malaysian island of Penang. Once an important Straits of Malacca trading hub, the city is known for its British colonial buildings, Chinese shophouses and mosques. Beyond the old town, George Town is a modern city with skyscrapers and shopping malls. Verdant Penang Hill, with hiking and a funicular railway, overlooks it all.
Lavish estates like Pinang Peranakan and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, built by wealthy Chinese merchants, offer tours. The “Street of Harmony” is home to varied places of worship, including Kapitan Keling mosque, with Mughal-style domes and landscaped grounds. Nearby is Khoo Kongsi, a Chinese clan temple with elaborate carvings. On George Town’s outskirts, Kek Lok Si is a vast, hillside Buddhist temple complex crowned by a 7-story pagoda. The city is also known for its food, and vendors hawk Malay, Indian and Chinese fare at open-air stalls and Western-style food courts.
Langkawi
Archipelago in Malaysia
Langkawi, officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah, is a district and an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On 15 July 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah consented to the change of name to LangkawiPermata Kedah in conjunction with his golden jubilee celebration. By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Langkawi Island, with a population of some 64,792; the only other inhabited island being nearby Tuba Island. Langkawi is also an administrative district, with the town of Kuah as its largest town. Pentai Cenang is the most popular beach and tourist area in Langkawi, with tens of thousands of visitors each year. Langkawi is a duty-free island.
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Malacca
City in Malaysia
Malacca City (also spelled Melaka) is the capital of the coastal state of Malacca, in southwestern Malaysia. At its center, Jonker Street, Chinatown’s main thoroughfare, is known for antique shops and its night market. Nearby, the 17th-century Chinese Cheng Hoon Teng temple has ornate decorations and multiple prayer halls. A green, 3-tiered roof tops the 18th-century, Javanese-influenced Kampung Kling Mosque.
The Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum chronicles the Straits-born Chinese population of Malaysia. Remnants of the city’s colonial past can be seen across the Malacca River, around Dutch Square (also called Red Square). The Dutch-built Christ Church has a red facade. The History and Ethnography Museum is in the Stadthuys, a Dutch building. It has exhibits on the city’s ethnic cultures, and includes bridal costumes and musical instruments. Nearby, the Malacca Sultanate Palace Museum, a replica of a 15th-century palace, houses a Malay culture museum with displays of photos and weapons. On St. Paul’s Hill is A Famosa, a Portuguese-built fort.
Kota Kinabalu
City in Malaysia
Kota Kinabalu is the capital of Malaysia’s Sabah state in the northern part of the island of Borneo. Often referred to as KK, it’s a coastal city partly surrounded by rainforest. It's known for its bustling markets, modern boardwalk, beaches and waterfront Kota Kinabalu City Mosque. It is also a gateway to Kinabalu National Park, the home of 4,095m-high Mount Kinabalu.
Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, made up of 5 major islands off the coast, is home to beaches, coral reefs, tropical jungle and waterfront houses built on stilts. Near the airport, Tanjung Aru is a beach area with dramatic sunsets, plus dining and nightlife. Sabah Museum displays headhunter artifacts and hosts an ethnobotanical garden and a zoo. Visitors can follow boardwalks through protected mangrove forest and bird habitat at Kota Kinabalu Wetland Centre or observe orangutans at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, which is about 20km south of the city.
PHILIPPINES
Boracay
Island in Malay, Aklan, Philippines
Boracay is a small island in the central Philippines. It's known for its resorts and beaches. Along the west coast, White Beach is backed by palm trees, bars and restaurants. On the east coast, strong winds make Bulabog Beach a hub for water sports. Nearby, the observation deck on Mount Luho offers panoramic views over the island. Offshore, coral reefs and shipwrecks are home to diverse marine life.
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Manila
Capital of the Philippines
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a densely populated bayside city on the island of Luzon, which mixes Spanish colonial architecture with modern skyscrapers. Intramuros, a walled city in colonial times, is the heart of Old Manila. It’s home to the baroque 16th-century San Agustin Church as well as Fort Santiago, a storied citadel and former military prison.
Just north of Intramuros is Binondo, Manila’s Chinatown, established in the 1500s and bustling with shops and restaurants. Rizal Park is Manila’s main public space, a vast mall with fountains, gardens and monuments honoring national heroes. The Museum of the Filipino People focuses on ethnographic and archaeological exhibits, while the Metropolitan Museum of Manila displays contemporary art. The blocky, modernist buildings of the Cultural Center of the Philippines house various performing arts organizations. Roxas Boulevard is a palm-lined waterfront promenade with hotels, restaurants and views of Manila’s famed sunsets.
Cebu City
City in Philippines
Cebu is a province of the Philippines, in the country’s Central Visayas region, comprising Cebu Island and more than 150 smaller surrounding islands and islets. Its prosperous port capital, Cebu City, retains landmarks from its 16th-century Spanish colonial past, including the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño church and triangular Fort San Pedro. Tops, an observation deck on Mt. Busay, has sweeping views over the city.
Cebu City is also a gateway to the region’s renowned dive sites and beach resorts. Throughout the province, divers and snorkelers can see whale sharks, turtles, hammerheads and rays among coral reefs, caves and steep walls. The west-coast town of Moalboal has several dive sites, modern resorts, nightlife in Panagsama and the sandy White Beach. Off the north coast of Cebu, tiny Malapascua Island has laid-back beaches and simple resorts, with renowned diving among thresher sharks offshore. Northwestern Bantayan Island focuses on beach life, centered around the village of Santa Fe.
Bohol
City in the Philippines
Bohol is a province of the Philippines, in the country’s Central Visayas region. It comprises Bohol Island and numerous smaller surrounding islands. Bohol is known for coral reefs and unusual geological formations, notably the Chocolate Hills. On the main island, near the town of Carmen, these 1,200 or so symmetrical mounds turn cocoa-brown in the dry season, contrasting with the surrounding jungle's greenery.
Offshore from the southwestern capital, Tagbilaran, is Panglao Island. The island's has beach resorts and renowned dive sites around south-coast Alona, as well as diving schools and opportunities for dolphin-watching. Inland, the forest of the Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape is popular for bird-watching and trekking. The Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella helps preserve the endangered Philippine tarsier, a tiny, bug-eyed primate. Wooden boats serve traditional buffets as they follow the Loboc River to Busay Falls. Around Antequera are caves and waterfalls.
Palawan
Island in the Philippines
Palawan is the largest island in the Palawan Province, in the western Philippines. The capital, Puerto Princesa, is known for the biodiverse Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, where boats run along an underground river through vast caves. Off the east coast, Honda Bay’s islands are dotted with resorts. Farther out in the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park has reefs teeming with marine life.
On Palawan Island’s northern tip, Taraw Peak overlooks the laid-back town of El Nido, with its horseshoe-shaped cove. The town is the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago’s karst islands, including Cadlao Island, which can be reached by kayak. The area has many dive sites, such as Dilumacad Island’s long tunnel leading to an underwater cavern. Northeast of Palawan Island are the beaches of the Calamian Islands, including Busuanga Island. Here, mangrove forests encircle the saltwater pools of Maquinit Hot Spring. Nearby, the summit of Mount Tapyas offers sweeping views over Coron Bay.
CAMBODIA
Krong Siem Reap
City in Cambodia
Siem Reap, a resort town in northwestern Cambodia, is the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer kingdom from the 9th–15th centuries. Angkor’s vast complex of intricate stone buildings includes preserved Angkor Wat, the main temple, which is pictured on Cambodia’s flag. Giant, mysterious faces are carved into the Bayon Temple at Angkor Thom.
As a low-key but modern gateway to the archaeological site, Siem Reap has boutique hotels, large resorts and numerous galleries and spas. The Angkor National Museum features Khmer artifacts, including a display of 1,000 Buddha statues and images. The Old Market and the Angkor Night Market sell wares like souvenirs, books and spices. The Old French Quarter offers trendy restaurants serving takes on international and Cambodian fare (which focuses on ingredients like rice and fish). And Pub Street is lively after dark.
Pnom Penh
Capital of Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s busy capital, sits at the junction of the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers. It was a hub for both the Khmer Empire and French colonialists. On its walkable riverfront, lined with parks, restaurants and bars, are the ornate Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, displaying artifacts from around the country. At the city’s heart is the massive, art deco Central Market.
Cafes, urbane restaurants and boutiques cluster around Street 240, while the buzzing Russian Market in the south sells goods from clothing to jewelry. The atmospheric French Quarter, to the north, is filled with faded, picturesque buildings like the yellow-hued Cambodia Post Office. The pagoda of Buddhist temple Wat Phnom rises above the city on a hilltop. The haunting Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, housed in a school turned prison, and Killing Fields memorials outside of town serve as sobering reminders of the country’s history under the Khmer Rouge regime.
Tonlé Sap
Lake in Cambodia
Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake is one of the world's richest inland fishing grounds.
Bantreay Srei
Temple in Cambodia
Banteay Srei or Banteay Srey is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Located in the area of Angkor, it lies near the hill of Phnom Dei, 25 km north-east of the main group of temples that once belonged to the medieval capitals of Yasodharapura and Angkor Thom. Banteay Srei is built largely of red sandstone, a medium that lends itself to the elaborate decorative wall carvings which are still observable today. The buildings themselves are miniature in scale, unusually so when measured by the standards of Angkorian construction. These factors have made the temple extremely popular with tourists, and have led to its being widely praised as a "precious gem", or the "jewel of Khmer art.
Koh Rong
Island in Sihanoukville
Koh Rong is an island in the Sihanoukville Province of Cambodia. It’s known for its sandy coves and coral reefs, like those around Koh Rong Pier. Inland, the dense jungle terrain is dotted with coconut palms and waterfalls. In the south are Jewelorchids, a small zoo home to butterflies, snakes, and birds, and lively Police Beach, a party spot. High Point Rope Park has suspension bridges, rope walks and zip lines.
LAOS
Vientiane
Capital of Laos
Vientiane, Laos' national capital, mixes French-colonial architecture with Buddhist temples such as the golden, 16th-century Pha That Luang, which is a national symbol. Along broad boulevards and tree-lined streets are many notable shrines including Wat Si Saket, which features thousands of Buddha images, and Wat Si Muang, built atop a Hindu shrine.
Many of Vientiane's landmarks are within blocks of the Mekong River, flowing along the western edge of the city, such as Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, which is now a museum of historic Lao objects. The riverfront promenade is popular at sunset. Many bakeries, cafes and villas seem straight out of 19th-century Paris.The arched Patuxai Victory Monument is a war memorial with a staircase visitors can climb for a view of the city. Morning and night markets offer souvenirs, produce, handicrafts and electronics.
Luang Prabang
Mount Phousi
Mount Phou Si, also written Mount Phu Si, is a 100 m high hill in the centre of the old town of Luang Prabang in Laos. It lies in the heart of the old town peninsula and is bordered on one side by the Mekong River and on the other side by the Nam Khan River.
Luang Prabang
Wat Xieng Thong
Wat Xieng Thong is a Buddhist temple on the northern tip of the peninsula of Luang Phrabang, Laos. Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art.
Luang Prabang
Royal Palace
The Royal Palace in Luang Prabang, Laos, was built in 1904 during the French colonial era for King Sisavang Vong and his family. The site for the palace was chosen so that official visitors to Luang Prabang could disembark from their river voyages directly below the palace and be received there.
Luang Prabang
Buddhist Temple Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham
Wat Mai Suwannaphumaham often simply Wat Mai or Wat May is a Buddhist temple or wat in Luang Prabang, Laos. It is the largest and most richly decorated of the temples in Luang Prabang. Built in the 18th century, it is near the Royal Palace Museum. An emerald Buddha statue sits inside the red-gold interior.
MYANMAR
Old Bagan
City in Myanmar
Bagan is an ancient city in central Myanmar (formerly Burma), southwest of Mandalay. Standing on the eastern banks of the Ayeyarwady River, it’s known for the Bagan Archaeological Area, where more than 2,000 Buddhist monuments tower over green plains. Holy sites around Old Bagan include ornate Ananda Temple, built in 1091 and topped with a golden stupa. Nearby is the vast 12th-century Dhammayangyi Temple.
Also in Old Bagan lie intricately carved Thatbyinnyu, one of the city’s tallest temples, and the huge Hindi temple Nathlaung Kyaung. The riverside Bagan Archaeological Museum exhibits sacred artifacts. Shwezigon Pagoda, also set along the meandering Ayeyarwady River, is a gilded temple dating back to the 11th century. Between the museum and the pagoda, Htilominlo Temple rises dramatically above the trees, while red-stone Sulamani Temple contains painted Buddha statues. New Bagan and Nyaung-U are modern settlements close to the monuments. Southeast of Bagan, Mt. Popa National Park is home to an extinct volcano.
Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon) is the largest city in Myanmar (formerly Burma). A mix of British colonial architecture, modern high-rises and gilded Buddhist pagodas define its skyline. Its famed Shwedagon Paya, a huge, shimmering pagoda complex, draws thousands of pilgrims annually. The city's other notable religious sites include the Botataung and Sule pagodas, both housing Buddhist relics.
The city's green spaces include People’s Park, with fountains and flower gardens, and Kandawgyi Lake, with a replica of a royal barge, waterside cafes and an adjacent zoo. The National Museum presents exhibits on Burmese art and culture. The covered market of Bogyoke Aung San is packed with stalls selling traditional lacquerware, antiques, wood carvings and textiles (including the saronglike longyi still worn by many Burmese). The Circular Railway, a commuter train departing from the landmark Yangon Central Station, provides views of a variety of urban and rural landscapes.
Mandalay
City in Myanmar
Mandalay is a city and former royal capital in northern Myanmar (formerly Burma) on the Irrawaddy River. In its center is the restored Mandalay Palace from the Konbaung Dynasty, surrounded by a moat. Mandalay Hill provides views of the city from its summit, which is reached by covered stairway. At its foot, the Kuthodaw Pagoda houses hundreds of Buddhist-scripture-inscribed marble slabs.
Shwenandaw Monastery, another Buddhist holy place at the foot of Mandalay Hill, is covered in teak carvings. The Mahamuni temple, to the southwest, is home to a revered gold-leaf Buddha statue. Amarapura, a township on Mandalay's southern outskirts, is best known for the 1850 teakwood U Bein footbridge stretching across Taungthaman Lake. The rural landscape around the small town of Inwa, also to the south, contains ruins and stupas (sphere-like Buddhist structures). Across the Irrawaddy, the Sagaing hills are studded with pagodas and offer views of the surrounding valley.
Inle Lake
Lake in Myanmar
Large lake & cultural destination with quaint floating villages, monasteries & handicrafts.
Pindaya
Town in Myanmar
Pindaya is a town in the Shan State of Burma. It is located in the west of the state in Pindaya Township in Taunggyi District. Mainly famous for its limestone caves called Pindaya Caves where thousands of Buddha images have been consecrated for worship over the centuries, it is also one of the towns that host an itinerant market every fifth day.
VIETNAM
Ha Long Bay
Bay in Vietnam
Multiple tree-covered limestone islands dot this scenic diving, rock climbing & hiking destination.
Ho Chi Minh City
City in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City (commonly known as Saigon) is a city in southern Vietnam famous for the pivotal role it played in the Vietnam War. It's also known for its French colonial landmarks, including Notre-Dame Cathedral, made entirely of materials imported from France, and the 19th-century Central Post Office. Food stalls line the city’s streets, especially around bustling Bến Thành Market.
The story of wartime Saigon is told at the War Remnants Museum, the tunnel network at Củ Chi and Independence Palace, where North Vietnamese tanks famously breached the gates in April 1975. The Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens are home to elephants, tigers and rare orchids. Native plants and animals may also be seen at the Cần Giờ Biosphere Reserve, a mangrove forest at the mouth of the Saigon River. The Jade Emperor Pagoda is filled with incense and carved figurines, and features elaborate statuary and a turtle pond.
Hanoi
Capital of Vietnam
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is known for its centuries-old architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese and French influences. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by trade. There are many little temples, including Bach Ma, honoring a legendary horse, plus Đồng Xuân Market, selling household goods and street food.
Other landmarks include One Pillar Pagoda, a tiny temple atop a stone pillar, and the 11th-century Temple of Literature, once home to a Confucian academy. French colonial buildings dot the city, from the neoclassical Opera House to the Gothic Revival St. Joseph’s Cathedral. The mausoleum of Communist leader Ho Chi Minh and a museum at Hoa Lo Prison (also known as the Hanoi Hilton, which held prisoners of war) recall the Vietnam War. Cultural activities range from tai chi martial arts around Hoàn Kiếm Lake to traditional chamber music and water puppetry.
Hội An
City in Vietnam
Hội An is a city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its well-preserved Ancient Town, cut through with canals. The former port city’s melting-pot history is reflected in its architecture, a mix of eras and styles from wooden Chinese shophouses and temples to colorful French colonial buildings, ornate Vietnamese tube houses and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its pagoda.
Many shops lining the narrow, pedestrianized streets still craft the wood, stone and ceramic goods that have been Hội An specialties for centuries, as documented by the Museum of Trading Ceramics. Nowadays the city is also known for its bespoke tailors. It's also famed for a vibrant culinary scene and busy riverside food market. Just outside town, wide beaches including popular Cửa Đại and An Bang, lined in palm trees and seafood huts, are within biking distance via meandering country roads.
Da Nang
Municipality in Vietnam
Da Nang is a coastal city in central Vietnam known for its sandy beaches and history as a French colonial port. It's a popular base for visiting the inland Bà Nà hills to the west of the city. Here the hillside Hải Vân Pass has views of Da Nang Bay and the Marble Mountains. These 5 limestone outcrops are topped with pagodas and hide caves containing Buddhist shrines.
The Mỹ Khê, Mỹ An and Non Nước beaches – collectively known as “China Beach” by U.S. servicemen – are home to upscale resorts, and Non Nước also has a stone-carvers’ village. Colorfully lit bridges span the Hàn River, and the Dragon Bridge breathes fire and water from its mouth on weekends. The Museum of Cham Sculpture houses 5th–15th-century Hindu carvings. At Han Market, shoppers can buy silk paintings and local street food specialties, including the city's signature mi quang noodle dish. On the forested Sơn Trà peninsula are the Lady Buddha Da Nang statue and Linh Ứng Bai But Pagoda with sweeping views across the sea and city.
THAILAND
Bangkok
Capital of Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, is a large city known for ornate shrines and vibrant street life. The boat-filled Chao Phraya River feeds its network of canals, flowing past the Rattanakosin royal district, home to opulent Grand Palace and its sacred Wat Phra Kaew Temple. Nearby is Wat Pho Temple with an enormous reclining Buddha and, on the opposite shore, Wat Arun Temple with its steep steps and Khmer-style spire.
Traditional teak buildings like the Jim Thompson House and M.R. Kukrit's House, both residences turned museums, contrast with the city’s skyline of modern high-rises. Shopping options range from the upscale mega-malls of the Ratchaprasong district to the thousands of tiny stalls at overflowing Chatuchak Weekend Market. The city’s renowned food scene spans traditional street-cart snacks – spicy, sour, sweet and salty – to upscale international restaurants. Bangkok is also known for its exuberant nightlife, with venues ranging from swanky rooftop lounges to basic backpacker bars and nightclubs of the notorious Patpong district.
Phuket
Patong Beach
Phuket, a rainforested, mountainous island in the Andaman Sea, has some of Thailand’s most popular beaches, mainly situated along the clear waters of the western shore. The island is home to many high-end seaside resorts, spas and restaurants. Phuket City, the capital, has old shophouses and busy markets. Patong, the main resort town, has many nightclubs, bars and discos.
Patong Beach is large and full of activity, with vendors offering rental lounge chairs and umbrellas, and a variety of water sports. Smaller Kata Beach, to the south, is also busy. Karon and Rawai beaches, near the island’s southern tip, and those along the island’s northwestern and eastern coasts, are more tranquil and less developed. Phuket is also known for its scuba diving among coral reefs, its Gibbon Rehabilitation Project and the neighboring islets of Phang Nga Bay, which have dramatic, towering limestone cliffs and caves. Other attractions include the Wat Chalong Buddhist temple complex and the Phuket Big Buddha statue.
Chiang Mai
City in Thailand
Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents.
Outside the central Old City, Nimmanhaemin Road is lined with sophisticated galleries, boutiques, cafes and restaurants cooking the signature local dish, khao soi (egg noodles in curry). Also offered around town are traditional khantoke dinners – served on low tables in teak pavilions – accompanied by classical Thai music and dance shows. Handicrafts such as silk, silverware and lacquerware can be found at open-air markets like the Night Bazaar. Chiang Mai also acts as a base for treks into the nearby mountains for visits to temples, elephant training and rehabilitation camps, or isolated hill-tribe villages.
Phi Phi Island
Island group in Thailand
The Phi Phi Islands are an island group in Thailand, between the large island of Phuket and the Straits of Malacca coast of Thailand. The islands are administratively part of Krabi Province. Ko Phi Phi Don (Thai: เกาะพีพีดอน; RTGS: ko phiphi don) (ko Thai: เกาะ 'island') is the largest and most populated island of the group, although the beaches of the second largest island, Ko Phi Phi Le (Thai: เกาะพีพีเล; RTGS: ko phiphi le) are visited by many people as well. The rest of the islands in the group, including Bida Nok, Bida Nai, and Bamboo Island (Ko Mai Phai), are not much more than large limestone rocks jutting out of the sea. The islands are reachable by speedboats or long-tail boats most often from Krabi town or from piers in Phuket Province. Phi Phi Don was initially populated by Muslim fishermen during the late-1940s, and later became a coconut plantation. The resident Thai population of Phi Phi Don remains more than 80 percent Muslim. The actual population however—if counting transient workers—is more Buddhist than Muslim. The resident population is between 2,000 and 3,000 people (2013).
Ko Samui
Island in Ko Samui
Ko Samui, Thailand’s second largest island, lies in the Gulf of Thailand off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus. It's known for its palm-fringed beaches, coconut groves and dense, mountainous rainforest, plus luxury resorts and posh spas. The landmark 12m-tall golden Big Buddha statue at Wat Phra Yai Temple is located on a tiny island connected to Ko Samui by a causeway.
The popular beaches of Chaweng and Lamai, on the east coast, have lounge chairs and strolling vendors, while the towns around them are the island’s party centers, packed with pubs, go-go bars and nightclubs. On the north side is the more laid-back village of Bo Phut, which features former Chinese shophouses converted to stylish restaurants, cafes and boutique hotels, as well as a night market selling street food, clothing and souvenirs. Nearby lies tranquil Maenam Beach, while the old capital Nathon lies on the west coast. Day trips to the limestone-cliff islets of Ang Thong Marine National Park offer snorkeling and diving.
