Southeast Asia
Mount Batur - Active Valcano in Indonesia
Scuba Diving in Bali
Tegalalang Rice Terrace Offers Splendid View of Lush Greenery
Pura Tanah Lot - Cultural Icon of Tanah Lot
Ulu Watu - Situated in Bukit Peninsula, Bali
Gardens by the Bay, located Adjacent to the Marina Reservoir
Singapore Flyer - Asia's Largest Giant Observation Wheel
Sentosa Island, Located in the Central Region of Singapore
Merlion - Land Mark and Major Tourist Attraction in Singapore
Skyline View of Singapore
"A paradise for backpackers"
Southeast Asia Tourism
Tucked in the southeast corner of the world, this amalgamation of countries is well-known throughout the world for its amiable weather, splendid beaches, eccentric culture and budget-friendly travel. Often cited as the favourite corner of the world for backpackers and adventure seekers, it offers a surreal blend of exquisite views (ranging from blue waters to abandoned islands to volcanoes and mighty mountains), a tasty and rather, unusual cuisine (from prawns and fishes to octopuses and even tarantulas), dirt cheap prices (but extraordinary experiences in music, art, culture and nature) and some of the best air connections in terms of quick, cheap flights making travel easy and fun.
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Top Places In Southeast Asia
Top Countries In Southeast Asia
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Holidify's Opinion
What's Great?
>Beaches, blue water and an abundance of water activities - scuba-diving, snorkelling, surfing, diving etc. >National parks and sanctuaries mean unique flora and fauna >Hiking and trekking opportunities >Best of Southeast Asian culture - a surreal experience in its own >Excellent, wacky food
What's Not So Great?
>Travelling in summer is nearly impossible due to heat and humidity >Poor hygiene in some parts >Too crowded in certain places/traffic can be nerve-wracking >Pick pocketing and stealing is increasingly becoming common
For Whom?
For budget-travellers/backpackers looking to experience diametrically diverse food, customs and traditions
Details of Southeast Asia
About places in Southeast Asia
Popular countries in Southeast Asia include - Singapore (island country; most economically prestigious), Thailand (most popular tourist destination with crowded city centres and beautiful beaches, mountains and islands), Indonesia (comprises of 18,000 islands spanning 3 time zones; exquisite sights and unique flora and fauna), Malaysia (diverse life with a flux of both cities and jungles), Cambodia (historically and culturally rich especially in terms of architecture), Vietnam (exquisite food; considered best for backpackers), Myanmar (land of beautiful temples and rivers) and Philippines (home to over 7,000 spectacular islands) and Laos.
Stay Option in Southeast Asia
Cheap accommodation is easy to find in Southeast Asia Ð depending on oneÕs budget and expectations. While pre-booking is advised, finding a room on foot isnÕt necessarily difficult either as a number of options are available year round: hotels: range from low-budget to luxurious; bargaining for rooms and hotel organized tours is recommended, home-stays: most popular in the area especially for an authentic cultural and social experience, guesthouses: more popular in the remote regions of the continent; cheap, clean and basic private rooms are usually available, hostels: the most popular accommodation in Southeast Asia involves bunking up in dorms with strangers and cooking your own food; definitely the cheapest and most convenient way to get around, and beach huts: range from standard to luxurious; common on islands and beaches.
Food in Southeast Asia
The main and most famous Southeast Asian staple is rice, closely followed by noodles of all kinds. Rice and noodles, are thus, teamed with almost all the dishes to form majority meals in the region. Fruits are available widely, sold in almost every nook and corner of the continent- popular choices include mangoes and the giant durian Ð mostly revered as a challenging, daredevil fruit infamous for its pungent smell. Street food including snacks like fried fish, prawns and crabs are widely available in these countries and should not be missed.
In beverages, rice-based alcoholic drinks such as Thai whisky, tuak, arak etc are popular, cheap and extremely potent. Beers are not to be missed - San Miguel (Philippines), Singha (Thailand), Bir Bintang, Angker Beer (Indonesia), Tiger Beer (Singapore and Malaysia) and Beer Lao (Laos) are the most popular brands.
Culture, Religion & Language of Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia's culture is majorly influenced by its colonizers as well as the hegemons of the region Ð India and China. Indian and Chinese influence is particularly heavy on Thai, Burmese, Cambodian and Lao cultures in terms of faith, folklore, language and writing. Malaysia and Indonesia have additional influences of Arab culture; Singapore and Philippines are more global and include a large number of American, Japanese and Mexican settlers.
It is a religiously diverse continent - Malaysia and Indonesia are predominantly Muslim; Philippines is Roman Catholic; Countries in northern Southeast Asia practice Buddhism and Hinduism.
All the countries in the region have different languages and hence, they are not mutually usable. English is widely understood however, but picking up some phrases/words from the local languages can be useful and even essential when staying for long periods.
Tips for visiting Southeast Asia
>Some areas in Indonesia, Myanmar, Philippines and Thaliand are considered low-level insurgent and politically unstable. Tourists should therefore remain cautious and avoid travelling at night.
>Some terrorist activities and bombings have been reported in the past decade Ð tourists should avoid risky areas and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.
>Pickpockets and thieves are common in crowded areas so travellers are advised to keep their belongings safe, especially in overnight buses and trains.
>Bargaining while shopping is common, especially in roadside markets.
Shopping in Southeast Asia
Considered a shopping haven, Southeast Asia is home to both high-end, branded goods and cheap, budget-friendly street goods. The most popular cities for shopping include Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore.
Street markets, however, remain a central part of daily life in these countries and are recommended for dirt-cheap/counterfeit items or for local goods, as well as an authentic shopping experience. Towns like Chiang Mai in Thailand and Ubud in Bali, Indonesia for instance are well-known for enormous markets that sell traditional artworks. Customers can buy directly from local artists or have custom-made dresses, jewellery, furniture etc made.
Festivals in Southeast Asia
Major festivals in Southeast Asia:
1. Songkran, Thaliand (Bangkok / Chiang Mai) - Celebrated in April, this marks the Buddhist New Year. Soaking oneself and others in freezing water as a cleansing ritual and adding a handful of talcum powder to the wet mess is just one of the crazy practices during this festival.
2. Chinese New Year, Singapore (January) - Dragon parades, fireworks, drums and huge feasts mark the Chinese New Year and Singapore is perhaps the best place to witness these celebrations.
3. Thaipusam, Malaysia (Jan-Feb) - One of the largest Hindu festivals - people visit the Batu caves as part of an 8 hour pilgrimage beginning at Sri Mahamariamman Temple. People apply body paint, wear colourful garments and even pierce various body parts to pay respect to Hindu Lord Murugan.
4. Aguman Sanduk, The Philippines (January) - A unique cross-dressing affair takes place in Manila based on an old tradition which ends in a joyful parade across the streets.
5. Loi Krathong, Thailand (November) - Celebrated largely in Chiang Mai, thousand of paper lanterns are released into the night of the full moon and tiny lotus-shaped boats (krathongs) made of banana leaves, with a candle and other offerings are also floated on rivers and lakes across the country.