South-East Asia, on our doorstep

As the temperature in Perth settles into autumn coolness, and the odd hard showers come through, warm-blooded West Australians look north, to our near-neighbours in South-East Asia.

It is a tasting plate of cultures and experiences.

We revisit places that many readers will know well, and bring fresh suggestions. From Bali to Singapore, Vietnam to Cambodia.

South-East Asia, with its 11 countries, and more than 670 million people, is just a flight or one connection away.

Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Philippines.

Timor-Leste (East Timor), Myanmar and Brunei.

A medley of diverse cultures, tastes and experiences on our doorstep.

GETTING THERE

We’re under four hours’ flight to Bali. Singapore is about five hours and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia is under six. To fly direct to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam about six and a half hours with Vietnam Airlines or Vietjet. Manila direct is a bit over seven hours from Perth with Philippine Airlines. And from the air hubs of South-East Asia, huge networks open up for one-hop holidays.

The diversity of South-East Asia is a delicious mix of food and culture — a tasting plate to repeatedly dip into. Fancy restaurants, hawker stalls, rooftop and swim-up bars. Jungles and curated gardens.

Where to start?

Singapore is comfortable, engaging, safe and interesting, as Leyanne Baillie shows in her story in this Travel Guide. Malaysia’s mainland spreads out from the capital, Kuala Lumpur, while its islands, like Langkawi, has forest, beach and high-quality resorts. In Thailand, beyond Bangkok, there are countless islands. In Vietnam, I’d head to to Hanoi, in the north, and Halong Bay (even though it is busier now). In the south, you will find me on a river cruise in the Mekong Delta, through Vietnam and Cambodia. In Cambodia, the star is still the temples of Angkor Wat, in Siem Reap. I am still drawn to the charm of Vientiane in Laos.

And there you have it. . . as soon as I start writing about South-East Asia, a medley of stories just start telling themselves. And that is the miscellany and mixture, power and potential of our near neighbours.

Our Travel Guide

We traditionally look to South East Asia when Perth’s winter is in the not-too-distant future.

And, with the current instability of the world, shorter flights and lower costs have our eye.

In this Travel Guide, we simmer up some of the flavour of South East Asia, with suggestions for Singapore and Bali, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.