Southeast Asia is a dream destination for many travellers and one of the most-visited parts of the world due to its diverse attractions, whether a traditional festival in Vietnam or a weekend market in Thailand.
The region encompasses South Asia and extends to Australia, making it the largest region in Asia. With its incredible variety of landscapes, climates, and cultures, Southeast Asia is sure to keep any traveller entertained.
One thing that makes this region so attractive is its diversity of scenery and attractions filled with natural wonders, such as beautiful national parks and untouched beaches or historical sites from a bygone era.
Whether hiking through dense jungle, wandering through colonial-era towns and temples, or swimming alongside dolphins, there is always something to enjoy on your travels through the region. You should travel with Asian travel experts like Transindus to enjoy amazing local and offbeat experiences.
A Paradise for Adventure Travellers
If you’re wondering whether Southeast Asia is an adventure travel destination, the answer is a resounding yes. With the varying landscape and terrain, there is something for everyone here.
Southeast Asia has it all, from the towering hills on small islands to active volcanoes to jagged limestone cliffs. Of course, there are also beautiful beaches and underwater life if you’re looking for that as well.
The nature of Southeast Asia’s climate and geography means that there are a variety of hiking trails to be explored.
This world region offers up striking views and intense jungles and landscapes for you to discover both on land and on the water.
So what are you waiting for? Just get off the beaten path while allowing us to be your travel guide for Southeast Asia as an adventure travel destination.
Koh Tao Island- A Haven for Divers
If you are looking for a place to get scuba certified, Thailand’s Koh Tao Island is a great choice. The island is known for its clear water and lush marine life.
The warm turquoise waters provide the perfect conditions for diving, from exploring multi-coloured coral to discovering the abundant treasures underneath the ocean’s surface!
Rice Terrace Treks
In order to prevent the rice terraces of Southeast Asia from disappearing, many villages have joined together in community-led tourism schemes to promote responsible tourist activities.
One such project developed by The Mekong Exploration Center in Sapa, northern Vietnam, has its guesthouses built-in run-down hamlets high up in the mountains.
Climb the Sturdy Rocks
Rock climbing is a thrilling experience. Rising steep rock faces with nothing but your hands and feet is a real strength and willpower test. There’s no doubt that rock climbers are among the fittest people on Earth!
There are plenty of places to rock climb in Southeast Asia, but Krabi in South Thailand is one of our favourites (and it just happens to be close to some lovely beaches). If you’re visiting Malaysia or Singapore, there are some great indoor climbing walls for you to explore.
Halong Bay Trip
Vietnam Backpackers Hostels has partnered with some of the best local tour operators to create an unbeatable range of Halong Bay trips explicitly tailored for backpackers.
The most popular Halong Bay experience is the Castaways Island Tour, where you’ll spend a night on this pristine paradise island surrounded by jungle-clad cliffs.
Here you’ll swim with the sparkling, glowing plankton, and as the sun rises, take a kayak to explore this magical seascape. Our budget-friendly option includes all meals and activities.
While exploring caves such as Sung Sot cave or taking a relaxing cruise along the bay can be enjoyed on our half-day or full-day tours.
Shake Hands with Orangutans
Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, these great apes are so human-like that it’s uncanny! The Semenggoh Wildlife Sanctuary in Malaysian Borneo is the greatest site to see them.
This sanctuary protects their habitat and provides a semi-free roaming environment for them and other wildlife. However, sadly millions of acres of their natural jungle home have been destroyed by logging concessions since 1999.
To conserve and protect these amazing creatures, you should do your bit and visit this sanctuary while they still exist in a semi-wild state.
Mount Kinabalu
It takes several days to trek to Mount Kinabalu, but the actual summit attempt only takes one night. You’ll need experience and sturdy gear for this ascent and you’ll also need a good guide (often shared with another climbing party).
If you can make it to the summit, you’ll be rewarded with breath-taking views stretching out over the South China Sea, Borneo and surrounding islands.
The summit of Mount Kinabalu is famous among mountaineers because it is not as difficult as other mountains with similar elevations, yet still challenging. The normal climbing season lasts from December to April.
Southeast Asia for Surfers
Southeast Asia is a dream destination for surfers. The region is blessed with more than 10,000 islands and beaches ideal for surfing. With such a huge choice, where does one start?
The ideal spot to learn if you’re a novice is in Bali, Southeast Asia’s surf capital. You may either take a one-hour lesson or immerse yourself in the waves for a few days by booking an inexpensive and enjoyable surf and lodging package that includes yoga courses.
If you’re more serious wave-rider, why not take a surfing safari holiday! Head to the famed surf destination of Banda Aceh in Sumatra or the lesser-known surf towns of Batu Karas and Pangandaran in Indonesia to get off the beaten path.
Explore the Largest Religious Temple Angkor Wat
Experience angkor wat on a cycle tour from Siem Reap. This is an excellent, adventurous way to see all the major temples in the complex and going by bicycle means you can explore off-the-beaten track ruins too! Choose an early start, mid-day or sunset tour for a truly spectacular day of sightseeing.
Your student guide will lead you there, showing you the highlights along the way. They are able to point out the magnificent stonework and explain its significance in Khmer culture.
Discover the incredible history of Cambodia and its highlight, the magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat. Discover the lost city of Mahendraparvata and the beautiful Bayon temple on a one-day cycling adventure.
Explore the Caves
The world’s largest cave was recently discovered in Vietnam, and it is the world’s largest cave by far, measuring 2.8 kilometres (1.7 miles) in length. Other spectacular caverns can be found in neighbouring Southeast Asian nations.
When you explore one of Asia’s longest caves, nothing can beat the breath-taking underground scenery. If you are interested in caving in South East Asia, Vietnam should be your first destination, as this country offers some of the most spectacular caves you will ever see!
Trekking and caving in South-East Asia is hot right now with both travellers and tour operators. There are still many beautiful caves that can be explored in the region, and many offer a cost-effective alternative to visiting famous sites elsewhere in the world – especially those based in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Volcano Hiking
Indonesia is a wild, rugged country with 76 active volcanoes that have erupted over a thousand times in recent years. Indonesia is located on the “Ring of Fire.” – an arca of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean.
The holiday island of Bali made headlines as Mount Agung’s eruption caused disruption to flights and was followed by mass evacuations.
However, when they’re not erupting, Indonesia’s volcanoes are popular hiking destinations with breathtaking and surreal landscapes such as the Kawah Ijen with its weird blue flames.
Meet the Dragons
Komodo dragons are a subspecies of the monitor lizard, which are found in six of Indonesia’s 17,000 islands. The most notable is Komodo Island, where these giants can be seen roaming the beaches and forests of this island.
Their name translates into “mata-mata” or “monitor lizard” in English, which is an apt name since they are extremely large and very difficult to spot due to their camouflage allowing them to blend in with the earth, trees and rivers.
Dragons were believed to be extinct until one was discovered by Dr W Raymond who saw a dragon walking on two legs near a waterhole in 1891, giving rise to their popular name as Walking Dragons.
Snorkelling Under the Sea
Snorkelling is an easy activity considering the amount of fun you can have. Unlike diving, you don’t need any special training or experience, though we’d recommend you take a snorkel lesson before your trip. Even though everything looks beautiful under the sea, it’s important to remember that you are swimming in somebody else’s ecosystem so leave nothing but footprints.
The Gili Islands, off the coast of Bali, are some of the best snorkelling spots, with colourful corals, sea turtles, and tropical fish swimming just metres from the shore.
The gorgeous Perhentian Islands in Malaysia are also well-known among snorkelers, as they are home to black-tip sharks, turtles, and a plethora of other tropical fish. The nicest snorkelling we’ve done recently was on Koh Rok, a Thai island off the coast of Koh Lanta.
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