One month in Southeast Asia
This article is an itinerary.
This page gives an iterinary for a month-long whirlwind tour of the highlights of Southeast Asia.
Prepare
Travel to One month in Southeast Asia & Visa Requirements
Most major international airlines fly into Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, while a significant number also fly into Manila but there are dozens of daily connections to surrounding countries.
Go
Spend a week and half in Malaysia or Thailand.
Fly to Kuala Lumpur. Spend a night in KL. You may wish to eat this unique food and shop for electronic equipment.
Another popular destination for food is Penang (North of Malaysia, about 4-6 hours by bus).or to Hat Yai southern of Thailand near Penung.
Fly to Sabah. Air Asia offers a good price and the ride is about 2.5 hours to Kota Kinabalu and 3 hours to Tawau.
Climb Kinabalu Mountain (the highest mountain in South East Asia). (2 days)
Experience the tropical rainforest in Sukau, Sandakan. (2 days)
Dive at one of the world's best diving sites in Sipadan and Mabul Island in Semporna. (2 days)
- Spend 5-7 days in Bangkok and around Ayutthaya which is a historical city, world heritage site and the old capital of Thailand.Pattaya is another main tourist destination to visit or fly to Sukhothai - Thailand's first capital.
- Fly (45 mins) south to the island of Ko Phi Phi, Ko Lanta or to Surat Thani which is the main land of Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan, Ko Tao islands Khao Sok National Park and Sivijaya empire for one week.
- Fly to Phuket in southern Thailand which is the original Thai paradise island or go north to Chiang Mai orChiang Rai in the heart of the Lanna culture.(4-5 day)
- Fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam (2 hours). Spend 1 week visiting the surrounding area.
- From Ho Chi Minh City travel through the Mekong Delta to Cambodia. Spend 3-4 days in Phnom Penh and 3-4 days in Siem Reap visiting Angkor Wat.
- OR From Hanoi in the north or Da Nang in central Vietnam cross the border into Laos by bus (8-12 hours). Spend a week visiting ruins and the Mekong river area.
OR
- Spend a week in Bali, known as The Island of God
- Do not forget Kuta Beach, Jimbaran, Nusa Dua, Uluwatu and Nusa Penida Archipelago.
- Go to Lombok Island by ship and spend your time in Nusa Lembongan and the volcanoes.
- Then go to Yogyakarta, a traditional city with an exotic culture. See Borobudur, the biggest temple in the world.
- Spend your time in West Java, the greatest province in Indonesia, with the beautiful mountain, beach and an exotic city.
- Bandung is a must. It is called Paris Van Java and is famous for its 5 F's: Food, Fashion, Female, Flowers and Fame.
One Month in The Philippines
From Europe, fly direct via KLM to Manila; from the US, fly direct via Philippine Airlines; from Australia, fly direct via QANTAS.
- Go club hopping to top clubs such as The Embassy at the Fort, Ascend, Warehouse 135, Alchemy and M Cafe.
- Check out the world's third largest mall, Mall of Asia, with its sprawling Manila Bay sunset view of top-class restaurants. You will also see Southeast Asia's only Olympic size skating rink.
- Stroll the old, walled city of Manila called Intramuros and Fort Santiago and be thrown back to the time of the Spaniards.
- Visit Manila Ocean Park, one of Asia's largest aquariums and have a foot spa treatment with the famed doctor fish.
- Check out Greenhills for bargain South Sea and Philippine pearls. Hop to Greenbelt for gastronomic delights of international and fusion restaurants.
Head north to Subic Bay.
- Dive at the wreckage of World War II ships and go on a Tiger Safari at the Zoobic Zoo. Watch dolphins at play at Ocean Adventure.
- Plunge into the sulfuric waters of the crater of Mount Pinatubo, whose eruption in 1991 was deemed as the world's biggest volcanic eruption in a century.
Head east to Clark Airfield (during February)
- Watch and ride hot air balloons during Southeast Asia's biggest and grandest International Hot Air Balloon Festival. Lessons are available in flying light aircraft as well as the occasional skydiving. During December head to one of the nearby towns for the annual Giant Lantern Festival.
Fly to Caticlan going to Boracay
- Named as one of the world's best beaches, it is famed for its sugary white sand and crystal clear waters unequaled by any other beaches in the region. Activities abound: clubbing, kiteboarding, sailing, parasailing, skimboarding, diving, horseback riding and snorkeling are just a few. Most come here to stay for 3 days and end up staying for months and years.
Jump off to Kalibo (during January)
- Experience the most riotous Philippine style Mardi-Gras with 3 days of alcohol-fueled, hedonistic dancing every 3rd weekend of January. Filipinos know how to party and this festival is one of the primary examples. Don't forget to get your piña cloth souvenir to take home to Mommy.
- Over a thousand similar looking hills dubbed as Chocolate Hills, Bohol is an island of wonder. Have a lunch and cruise down the Loboc River, visit churches like the Baclayon Church and laze for more sun at Panglao Beach. Catch the dolphins at Pamalican Island!
- Have a close encounter with whale sharks locally known as butanding. Swim with them and take a side trip to Southeast Asia's largest wakeboarding center near Pili.
Other sites to consider:
- Palawan - The Philippines' last frontier. Famed for highly exclusive beaches and top-class diving destinations. (Check out El Nido, Coron and for the high-end travelers head to Amanpulo Resort, the secret hideaway of the world's rich and famous!)
- Baguio - The Philippines' summer capital and former American retreat.
- La Union - The Philippines' surfing capital. Don't miss Siargao, a surfing destination that also faces the Pacific Ocean where the famous Cloud 9 surf is considered the best in the planet.
- Tagaytay and Taal Volcano - One of the smallest active volcanoes in the world! (1-2 Hours drive south of Manila.) Go horseback riding and visit a really exquisite bed and breakfast called The Boutique Hotel.
- Batanes - windswept hills and craggy cliffs lend character to the northernmost province of the Philippines. On a clear day, you can even see island of Taiwan. (Take Asian Spirit flight from Manila to Basco.)
For budget travelers, Air Asia, Tiger Airways and Cebu Pacific fly to the Philippines daily from other leading Asian cities.
Stay safe
Never Leave
This page was last edited at 20:09, on 11 November 2008 by Hotels Combined. Based on work by Padraic Ryan and Paul, Wikitravel user(s) Texugo, Pashley and Hypatia, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
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