South East Asia has to be the premier world traveling region. A big call? For sure, but consider what genuinely world class offerings it can provide:
- World class beaches and coastal areas – think of THAT beach in Ko Phi Phi and HaLong Bay, one of the Natural Wonders of the World
- World class food – think Thai, Vietnamese, Malay and the genuine fusion into the mix with the large established Indian and Chinese communities
- World class ancient sites and history – think of the temples of the “8th Wonder of the World” of Angkor Wat, and the breathtaking site of the pagodas stretching across the plain in Bagan
- World class cities and party locations – think of Singapore as the city of the future and the Full Moon Parties on Ko Pha-Ngan
And all this in a place that is super safe, outrageously friendly, easy and cheap to travel in. A must for any keen traveler and the below itinerary will give you the highlights – enjoy!
KL is ok if passing through as you can head up to the KL Tower for views of the city and the world’s former tallest buildings the Petronas Towers. But it’s a bit of an unpleasant hodgepodge of super modern malls and skyscrapers with still quite underdeveloped and at times poverty spots right in the city
If looking for a South East Asia big city break, put Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Yangon, Ho Chi Minh, Singapore and Hanoi (for its old town) ahead of KL
Penang is definitely worth a visit as it has one of the best combinations of Chinese, Indian and Western legacies in the world. If you throw in the cute UNESCO World Heritage listed Old Town of George Town and the beautiful beaches along the north of the island, you’ve got a great mini break and worth the inclusion on a South East Asian travel itinerary (see here for the full-blown 8 week itinerary – 7/8 week itinerary for the highlights of South East Asia)
On a personal level, I wish I’d given Penang’s National Park more time to explore their jungle walks as they looked cool
