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Bangkok, Thailand
The classic SE Asia starting point. Explore the Grand Palace, eat pad kra pao on Khao San Road, and wander the hidden alleys of Chinatown at night.
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Kanchanaburi, Thailand
A lesser-visited gem west of Bangkok known for the Bridge on the River Kwai and WWII history. Rent a bike to explore waterfalls and jungle temples most tourists never see.
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
Northern Thailand's cultural capital with ancient temples and a legendary Sunday Walking Street. Head to the hills to visit ethical elephant sanctuaries and hill tribe villages.
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Pai, Thailand
A tiny hippie mountain town beloved by backpackers with waterfalls, hot springs, and a chilled-out night market. Rent a scooter and explore the surrounding rice fields and canyon.
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Chiang Rai, Thailand
Northern Thailand's most underrated city with the surreal White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) and the eerie Blue Temple nearby. A great base for trekking in the Golden Triangle border region with Myanmar and Laos.
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Phong Nha, Vietnam
Home to the world's largest cave system including Son Doong and the spectacular Paradise Cave. A backpacker favourite that still feels wonderfully remote and unspoiled.
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Hoi An, Vietnam
Vietnam's most photogenic town with its lantern-lit Ancient Town, tailor shops, and incredible food scene. Get a cheap custom outfit made and eat cao lau noodles at the local market.
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Da Lat, Vietnam
A cool highland city known as the City of Eternal Spring, with pine forests, French villas, and Vietnam's best coffee farms. Join the infamous Easy Rider motorbike tour through the countryside.
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Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam's buzzing southern metropolis with the sobering War Remnants Museum and the remarkable Cu Chi Tunnels nearby. The street food scene on Bui Vien and in the alleys of District 3 is world-class.
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Kampot, Cambodia
A sleepy riverside town famous for its pepper farms, French colonial streetscapes, and epic sunsets from a hammock. Take a day trip to the hilltop ruins of Bokor National Park.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia
The gateway to Angkor Wat, one of the most awe-inspiring temple complexes on earth — wake up before dawn to see it at sunrise. Beyond the temples, explore the floating villages on Tonle Sap Lake.
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Koh Rong Sanloem, Cambodia
The quieter, more beautiful sister island to party-heavy Koh Rong, with white sand beaches and bioluminescent plankton at night. Virtually no motorised vehicles — just jungle, beach bars, and hammocks.
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Koh Lipe, Thailand
A tiny Thai island near the Malaysian border with crystal-clear water rivalling the Maldives. It's becoming more popular but still retains a barefoot backpacker vibe with great snorkelling reefs.
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George Town, Malaysia
Penang's UNESCO-listed capital is arguably the best street food city in all of Southeast Asia — try char kway teow and asam laksa. The neighbourhood street art and Peranakan heritage shophouses are stunning.
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Cameron Highlands, Malaysia
A cool, misty tea-growing plateau that feels completely different from tropical Malaysia. Hike through jungle trails, visit working tea plantations, and eat fresh strawberries with cream.
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Taman Negara, Malaysia
One of the world's oldest rainforests at over 130 million years old, with jungle trekking, canopy walks, and night safaris. Very few backpackers make it here — those who do are rarely disappointed.
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Singapore, Singapore
A mind-blowing city-state that blends Chinese, Malay, Indian, and colonial British cultures seamlessly. Splurge on the hawker centres at Maxwell Road or Lau Pa Sat — Michelin-starred food for a few dollars.
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Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Java's cultural heart and the base for visiting Borobudur and Prambanan, two of the world's greatest ancient temples. Watch batik artists at work in the Kraton palace district and eat gudeg at dawn.
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Mount Bromo, Indonesia
An otherworldly active volcano rising from a vast sea of ash on Java — most visitors wake at 3am to catch the sunrise from the viewpoint. One of the most dramatic landscapes in all of Asia.
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Ubud, Indonesia
Bali's spiritual and artistic centre with rice terrace walks, traditional dance performances, and excellent vegetarian food. Visit the Tegallalang rice terraces at dawn before the crowds and Instagram props arrive.
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Gili Trawangan, Indonesia
A car-free island off Lombok with world-class snorkelling with sea turtles right off the beach. It's popular but still manageable — take the ferry over to quieter Gili Meno for a day of total solitude.
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Flores, Indonesia
An under-the-radar island east of Lombok with the tri-coloured crater lakes of Kelimutu and the gateway to Komodo National Park. Very few mass tourists make it out here — it rewards the adventurous.
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Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand