Prepare to be overwhelmed by a kaleidoscope of color, culture and geography on journeys through Southeast Asia. Home to some of the world's favorite travel destinations, the region boasts a host of opportunities for the discerning traveler. The countries in this region to which we have developed programs in the past include: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, and Brunei.
The highlights of Southeast Asia are far too numerous to list, and some aspects of the region, like the incredibly open and generous nature of most of the people defy description, but listed here are some of the more interesting highlights of travel through Southeast Asia.
Historical Sights: ancient temple complexes abound, including many UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some of our favorites include Angkor Wat, Cambodia; Borobudor and Prambanan in Java; Sukhothai and Ayudhaya in Thailand, and Bagan in Myanmar.
Colonial Legacy: there is still a great deal of colonial architecture lingering in the region. The British left their mark in Singapore and Malaysia (including parts of Borneo), the French in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and the Dutch in Indonesia.
Wildlife & Natural History: the region boasts a broad array of both flora and fauna, which along with a number of incredible natural sights make worthwhile inclusions to many itineraries. Some of these highlights include exploring the caves and marvelous rainforests of Borneo, hiking and riding elephants in the jungles of Thailand, experiencing the orangutans of Sumatra and Sarawak and visiting the Komodo 'dragons' of Indonesia.
River and Ocean Cruises: as the travel infrastructure in the region has continued to develop, a number of fascinating opportunities for cruising the waterways of the region have emerged, many with options for travel by luxurious boats and junks where one can be pampered at the same time as exploring fabulous natural environments and experiencing the warm and welcoming local cultures. Some of our favourite cruises in the region include sailing through the 3,000 islands of Halong Bay in northern Vietnam; travelling the Mekong through the hills of northern Laos, journeying along the Irrawady in Myanmar, and cruising through the Mekong Delta and Tonle Sap from Saigon to Siem Reap, Cambodia.
Tribal Adventures: there are a number of opportunities for hiking and tribal adventures in Southeast Asia, most of which allow for tribal home-stays to be arranged. These include hiking with the hill-tribes of northern Thailand, hiking and traveling by longboat with the Iban in Borneo, or visiting the Dani tribe of Papua New Guinea.
Given such a wealth of interesting travel opportunities in the region, and taking advantage of the relatively short distances between many of these attractions and the excellent network of internal Southeast Asian airline routings, private itineraries can easily be arranged that allow you to visit multiple countries on one trip, or you may choose to concentrate your time in just one area. As always, your own personal interests and desires are paramount, and we would be happy to discuss the options with you.