Which countries does this overview count as Southeast Asia?

Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei — all nine ASEAN member states except Myanmar and Timor-Leste, which TalkTravel does not list on this page.

Which country is best suited for a first visit to Southeast Asia?

Thailand is usually considered the easiest entry point, thanks to its dense travel network, broad tourist infrastructure and Bangkok's role as a hub. Anyone seeking fewer tourists combines Thailand from the start with Laos or Cambodia.

Can several countries of Southeast Asia be combined in one trip?

Yes, on the mainland Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam can be combined well with buses, night trains and a few short-haul flights. Between the island world — such as Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines — practically every combination needs at least one flight.

Which country in the region is most expensive, which is cheapest?

Singapore and Brunei are by far the most expensive destinations in the region, Laos and Cambodia the cheapest. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines fall in between in price.

Is there a malaria risk in Southeast Asia?

Malaria prophylaxis is generally not necessary in the tourist centres of the nine countries; a risk exists, however, in forested and border regions away from the cities. Travel-medicine advice is worthwhile before trips into rural areas.

When is the rainy season in Southeast Asia?

On the mainland – Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia – the southwest monsoon's rainy season runs roughly from June to October, peaking in September. In the Philippines, the typhoon season, peaking in August/September, adds to this from June to November.

Is it dry season everywhere in Southeast Asia in November?

Not everywhere: on the mainland and in western Indonesia, the drier, cooler season usually begins in November, while East Malaysia on Borneo and parts of Indonesia get their strongest northeast-monsoon rain precisely from October to February.

What's the fastest way from Singapore to Indonesia?

Ferries connect Singapore with the Indonesian Riau islands of Batam and Bintan in under two hours. For more distant destinations such as Bali or Java, a flight is needed, usually with a connection in Jakarta or Singapore itself.

Why does Brunei have no UNESCO World Heritage site?

The small sultanate, barely developed for tourism so far, has simply not successfully brought a nomination through the World Heritage Committee; this makes it the only one of the nine countries without a single entry on the UNESCO list.

Do you really always need a visa for Cambodia?

Yes, Cambodia is the region's only clear special case: all nationalities need an e-visa for USD 30, valid for a single stay of 30 days.

Can you travel by train from Thailand to Singapore?

Yes, a rail connection runs from Bangkok across peninsular Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur, and from there by bus, train or short-haul flight to the causeway into Singapore — a north–south axis entirely without flying.

In which countries of the region does English get you furthest?

In Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, English as a second or lingua franca language is most widespread. In Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, English is common in tourist centres but noticeably rarer away from them.

How many UNESCO World Heritage sites does Southeast Asia have in total?

According to Wikipedia, around 50 sites are spread across nine countries in the region, with Indonesia and Vietnam at the top. Brunei and Timor-Leste, not covered here, have no World Heritage site of their own so far.

Do you need the MDAC in advance for Malaysia if you enter visa-free?

Yes, since 2024 the electronic Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) has been mandatory even for visa-free visitors and should be filled out online before departure. Entry itself remains visa-free for 90 days for most Western nationals.

How long can the visa on arrival in Laos be extended?

The visa on arrival is initially valid for 30 days and can be extended, for a fee, at the provincial immigration office in Laos to a total of up to 180 days.

Southeast Asia: 9 Countries Compared – Best Time to Visit, Entry, Routes

Q: Do you still need a visa for Thailand?

Not for holiday stays up to 30 days: from 15 September 2026, around 60 nationalities, including Switzerland, Germany and Austria, get visa-free entry for 30 days. Land border crossings are limited to twice per calendar year for most nationalities.

What connects Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei?

In short

Southeast Asia spans the Buddhist mainland of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, the Catholic-influenced island nation of the Philippines, and majority-Muslim Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, along with the city-state of Singapore. All nine countries lie in the tropical monsoon belt, have travel budgets well below Western European levels, and are conveniently linked through a small number of major flight hubs.

Geographically, the region splits into two halves: the mainland (Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and peninsular Malaysia) and the island world (Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei and East Malaysia on Borneo). This split shapes how you travel: on the mainland, buses, night trains and increasingly high-speed rail connect the countries, while in the island part, short-haul flights and ferries are usually unavoidable.

Economically and politically, the nine destinations are worlds apart: Singapore ranks among the richest countries in the world, Laos among the poorer ones; Vietnam and Cambodia are one-party states, the Philippines and Indonesia are vibrant democracies, and the Sultanate of Brunei is an absolute monarchy with sharia criminal law alongside civil law. Anyone travelling the region therefore rarely combines all nine countries in one trip, but instead picks two to four that fit together.

All nine countries are members of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), which eases entry for most Western nationals: with few exceptions, German-speaking travellers get by without a classic embassy visa, usually with a stamp on arrival, an electronic pre-registration, or a simple e-visa.

How do the nine countries of Southeast Asia differ at a glance?

In short

Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia are the largest travel countries with the broadest range of options, Singapore and Brunei the most expensive and calmest, Laos and Cambodia the cheapest and slowest. Entry requirements range from Malaysia's 90 days visa-free to Cambodia's paid e-visa, and religion ranges from Buddhist-shaped countries to majority-Muslim Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei.

The nine countries of Southeast Asia compared (as of September 2026)
Country	Character	Religion (majority)	Entry CH/DE/AT	Price level
Thailand	temples, beaches, the big city of Bangkok	Buddhism	visa-free 30 days (from 15.9.2026)	budget to mid-range
Vietnam	north–south axis, coast, mountain rice terraces	Buddhism/folk religion	visa-free 45 days (CH/DE) or e-visa 90 days	budget
Indonesia	18,000+ islands, volcanoes, diving	Islam	e-VOA 30 days, extendable to 60	budget to mid-range
Malaysia	rainforest, colonial towns, Borneo	Islam	visa-free 90 days (Social Visit Pass, MDAC)	mid-range
Philippines	7,600+ islands, diving, volcanoes	Catholicism	visa-free 30 days	mid-range
Singapore	city-state, high tech, street food	mixed (Buddhist/Muslim/Christian)	visa-free 90 days	high
Cambodia	Angkor, Mekong, coast	Buddhism	e-visa, 30 days, USD 30	budget
Laos	Mekong, mountain villages, low tourism	Buddhism	visa on arrival, 30 days	budget
Brunei	rainforest, mosques, oil state	Islam	visa-free 90 days	high

On entry, Cambodia is the only clear special case with a fee: the e-visa costs USD 30 and is valid for a single stay of 30 days. The other eight countries require at most a free or inexpensive electronic pre-registration for short holiday stays.

Summary of entry rules for holidays; the current information from the embassy or immigration authority of the respective country is always decisive.

Sources: Thai Visa Centre · MyVietnamVisa · Directorate General of Immigration, Indonesia (official e-visa portal) · Wikipedia · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · VisaGo

When is the best time to visit Southeast Asia?

In short

The dry northeast monsoon blows over most of Southeast Asia's destinations from October/November to February and is widely considered the best time to visit, while the wetter southwest monsoon brings the rainy season, with short, heavy showers, from June to October. Because the mainland and the island world lie differently, it is practically always dry season somewhere in the region.

On the mainland – Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia – November to February is cooler and drier, March to May hot and humid, and June to October the rainy season, peaking in September. Vietnam, because of its north–south extent of over 1,650 km, is a special case: the north around Hanoi has cool winters, while the south around Ho Chi Minh City stays tropically warm year-round.

Bangkok, Hanoi, Siem Reap and Vientiane through the year

Bangkok	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	33	34	35	36	36	35	34	34	33	33	34	33
Low °C	24	25	27	28	27	27	26	26	26	25	25	24
Rainfall mm	16	14	47	75	164	165	169	181	278	203	39	10

Hanoi	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	21	22	25	28	33	35	34	33	32	30	27	22
Low °C	15	16	20	22	25	27	27	26	25	23	20	15
Rainfall mm	32	22	49	78	179	201	300	322	223	124	52	25

Siem Reap	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	31	33	35	35	35	34	33	32	31	31	31	31
Low °C	21	23	25	26	26	26	25	25	25	25	24	22
Rainfall mm	12	16	46	75	140	168	197	195	231	138	37	7

Vientiane	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	29	32	34	36	35	34	33	32	33	32	32	30
Low °C	17	19	22	24	25	25	25	25	24	23	21	17
Rainfall mm	8	13	35	61	168	170	203	246	204	85	16	6

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station BANGKOK METROPOLIS (8 km, 4 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station HA DONG (9 km, 8 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SIEM REAP (7 km, 18 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station WATTAY INTL (7 km, 172 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

In the island world, the pattern is partly reversed: Indonesia's Java and Bali are, like the mainland, drier from May to September, while the eastern Moluccas and parts of Sulawesi have an opposite rainy season. Malaysia and Singapore lie close to the equator and get rain year-round, with East Malaysia on Borneo receiving the strongest northeast-monsoon rain from October to February.

Denpasar (Bali), Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Manila through the year

Denpasar/Kuta	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	31	31	31	31	30	30	29	29	30	31	31	31
Low °C	26	25	26	26	26	25	25	25	25	25	26	26
Rainfall mm	317	252	201	123	82	53	40	24	38	57	134	272

Kuala Lumpur	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	33	34	34	34	34	34	33	33	33	33	32	32
Low °C	24	24	25	25	25	25	25	25	24	24	24	24
Rainfall mm	206	157	194	250	172	155	169	184	195	263	314	263

Singapur	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	31	32	33	33	33	32	32	32	32	32	32	32
Low °C	25	25	26	26	27	27	27	26	26	26	26	26
Rainfall mm	235	102	168	193	199	164	174	173	167	210	283	300

Manila	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °C	31	32	33	35	35	33	32	32	32	32	32	31
Low °C	24	23	25	26	27	26	25	25	25	25	25	24
Rainfall mm	148	148	119	102	171	248	312	289	301	341	345	393

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station BALI INTL / I GUSTI NGURAH RAI (10 km, 4 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SULTAN ABDUL AZIZ SHAH INTL (16 km, 27 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station PAYA LEBAR (12 km, 20 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station NINOY AQUINO INTL (11 km, 23 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

The Philippines additionally lie in the western Pacific typhoon belt: the typhoon season runs roughly from June to November, peaking in August/September, and can cause ferries and domestic flights to be cancelled at short notice. Brunei on Borneo climatically resembles neighbouring East Malaysia, with year-round humidity and a rainfall peak toward the end of the year.

Sources: Backpackinghacks · ab-in-den-urlaub.de

What distinguishes each of the nine countries of Southeast Asia?

In short

Thailand is the established gateway country with the densest travel network, Vietnam stretches 1,650 km from north to south, Indonesia is spread across around 17,000 islands, and Malaysia across the peninsula and Borneo. The Philippines and Singapore form special cases with a Catholic majority and as a high-tech city-state respectively, while Cambodia, Laos and small Brunei are less developed for tourism.

Thailand: the established gateway country

Thailand, with Bangkok as a hub, a well-developed rail and bus network, and broad tourist infrastructure, is usually the country where first-timers start their Southeast Asia journey. From 15 September 2026, around 60 nationalities — including Switzerland, Germany and Austria — get visa-free entry for 30 days; land border crossings are limited to twice per calendar year for most nationalities, though this limit does not apply for neighbouring countries such as Malaysia.

Vietnam: 1,650 km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam stretches as a narrow coastal strip over more than 1,650 km from north to south, which directly affects climate and route planning. Since August 2025 for Swiss nationals, and since March 2025 for Germans, visa-free entry has been 45 days; for longer stays there is an e-visa for up to 90 days with single or multiple entry, for USD 25 or 50 respectively.

Indonesia: over 17,000 islands, one visa

Indonesia, with around 17,000 islands, is the region's largest archipelago state by area; most travellers concentrate on Java, Bali, Lombok and the Komodo islands. The visa on arrival or e-VOA costs the equivalent of around USD 30 to 35, is valid for 30 days, and can be extended once by a further 30 days to a maximum of 60 days; since June 2025, this requires an in-person appointment with the local immigration authority.

Malaysia: peninsula and Borneo as two worlds

Malaysia consists of two separate parts: the peninsula with Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Malacca, and East Malaysia on Borneo with Sabah and Sarawak, rainforest and orangutans. Entry is visa-free for 90 days for most Western nationals, but since 2024 requires the electronic Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) in advance.

Philippines: over 7,600 islands in the typhoon belt

The Philippines count over 7,600 islands and are the only one of the nine countries with a Catholic majority — the result of around 300 years of Spanish colonial rule. According to the FDFA, Swiss, German and Austrian nationals enter visa-free for holiday stays of up to 30 days; because of the island geography, domestic flights or ferries between tourist centres are usually unavoidable.

Singapore: a compact city-state as a hub

Singapore, at around 730 km², is the smallest and, at the same time, most densely developed stop in the region: the subway connects the airport, downtown and suburbs within minutes. Swiss, German and Austrian visitors get 90 days visa-free entry; Changi Airport is also by far the largest flight hub in the entire region.

Cambodia: Angkor and Tonle Sap Lake

Cambodia is strongly geared toward tourism around the Angkor temple complex near Siem Reap, but also offers a coast on the Gulf of Thailand and the large Tonle Sap Lake. All nationalities need an e-visa for USD 30, valid for a single stay of 30 days; in everyday life, US dollars and the Cambodian riel circulate side by side.

Laos: the least-visited mainland destination

Laos is the region's only landlocked country and considerably less developed for tourism than its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam — one reason many travellers want to go precisely here. The visa on arrival costs USD 30 to 40 depending on nationality, is valid for 30 days, and can be extended at the provincial immigration office to a total of up to 180 days.

Brunei: the small, oil-rich special case

Brunei on Borneo, at around 5,770 km², is one of the smallest countries in the region but, thanks to oil and gas production, has one of the highest per-capita incomes in Asia. Barely developed for tourism so far, it is the only country in Southeast Asia without a single UNESCO World Heritage site; Swiss and German nationals enter visa-free for 90 days.

Which routes link several countries of Southeast Asia?

In short

On the mainland, the classic Thailand–Laos–Cambodia–Vietnam route can be covered by bus, night train and short-haul flight without major detours. In the island world, every country combination — such as Malaysia–Singapore–Indonesia or the Philippines–Borneo — requires at least one flight or a multi-hour ferry crossing.

Mainland: Thailand–Laos–Cambodia–Vietnam

This four-country route largely follows the Mekong and can be managed with local buses, night trains and a few short-haul flights. From Bangkok, night trains or buses lead to northeast Thailand, from where a bus or slow boat on the Mekong continues into Laos; from Vientiane or Luang Prabang, a flight or overland bus continues into Cambodia, and finally a bus or short-haul flight leads into southern Vietnam.

Peninsula: Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore

A rail connection runs from Bangkok across peninsular Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur, and from there by bus, train or flight to the causeway into Singapore. This north–south axis can be covered without a single flight and suits travellers who prefer trains to planes.

Island world: Indonesia, the Philippines and Borneo

Within Indonesia and the Philippines, dense domestic flight networks link the tourist centres; between the two countries, however, there is no direct ferry and practically no direct flights, so a connection via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur is needed. Anyone wanting to combine Malaysia's Borneo part with Brunei usually flies from Kuala Lumpur or Kota Kinabalu to Bandar Seri Begawan, or travels by bus across the land border.

Short combinations from Singapore

Singapore's location makes the city-state a practical starting point for short side trips: ferries reach the Indonesian Riau islands of Batam and Bintan in under two hours, and Kuala Lumpur is reachable within a few hours by bus, train or short-haul flight.

Travel times and routes change with schedules and construction work; before booking it is worth checking the current connections of the respective rail, bus or airline operator.

Sources: Seasia Stats

How do you fly to Southeast Asia and between the nine countries?

In short

Singapore's Changi Airport, with nearly 70 million passengers in 2025, is the region's largest hub, followed by Kuala Lumpur with around 63.3 million passengers. From there, short-haul flights reach practically every one of the nine countries within a few hours.

Major international airports of Southeast Asia (selection, as of September 2026)
Country	Main airport	IATA code	Note
Thailand	Bangkok Suvarnabhumi	BKK	largest hub on the mainland
Vietnam	Ho Chi Minh City Tan Son Nhat / Hanoi Noi Bai	SGN / HAN	two gateways, north and south
Indonesia	Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta / Denpasar Bali	CGK / DPS	Bali has its own gateway for island travellers
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur International	KUL	region's second-largest hub, 63.3 million passengers in 2025
Philippines	Manila Ninoy Aquino	MNL	dense domestic network from here
Singapore	Singapore Changi	SIN	largest hub, nearly 70 million passengers in 2025
Cambodia	Phnom Penh / Siem Reap Angkor	PNH / SAI	Siem Reap has had a new airport since 2023
Laos	Vientiane Wattay	VTE	few direct international connections
Brunei	Bandar Seri Begawan	BWN	usually a connection via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur

From Europe there are nonstop connections mainly to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Denpasar/Bali and Ho Chi Minh City; the other destinations are usually reached with a connection via one of these hubs or via the Middle East. Within the region, budget airlines such as AirAsia, Scoot or VietJet handle a large share of the short-haul routes between the nine countries.

Sources: Changi Airport Group · Seasia Stats

What applies for entry and health in Southeast Asia?

In short

For Swiss, German and Austrian visitors, entry into eight of the nine countries is possible without a classic embassy visa; only Cambodia requires a paid e-visa. Health-wise, dengue fever and, in rural, forested areas, malaria are the region's main risks.

Entry for holidays, CH/DE/AT (as of September 2026)
Country	Rule	Duration
Thailand	visa-free (from 15.9.2026)	30 days
Vietnam	visa-free CH/DE, otherwise e-visa	45 days, or up to 90 days e-visa
Indonesia	e-VOA/visa on arrival	30 days, extendable to 60
Malaysia	visa-free, MDAC mandatory	90 days
Philippines	visa-free	30 days
Singapore	visa-free	90 days
Cambodia	e-visa, USD 30	30 days
Laos	visa on arrival	30 days, extendable to 180
Brunei	visa-free	90 days

Other nationalities have their own rules; the embassy or immigration authority of the respective country is decisive.

Health-wise, dengue fever and, in forested and border regions, malaria are the main concerns, along with Japanese encephalitis for longer rural stays depending on the region. Malaria prophylaxis is generally not necessary for the tourist centres of the nine countries; for trips off the beaten path, travel-medicine advice before departure is worthwhile.

What does a trip through Southeast Asia cost?

In short

Singapore and Brunei are the region's most expensive destinations, Laos and Cambodia the cheapest; Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines lie in between. Eight of the nine countries have their own freely floating currency, while Brunei has kept its dollar fixed 1:1 interchangeable with the Singapore dollar since 1967.

Currencies of Southeast Asia (as of September 2026)
Country	Currency	Note
Thailand	Thai baht (THB)	cards common in cities
Vietnam	Vietnamese dong (VND)	high nominal values, many zeros
Indonesia	Indonesian rupiah (IDR)	high nominal values, many zeros
Malaysia	Malaysian ringgit (MYR)	cards common
Philippines	Philippine peso (PHP)	US dollars often accepted at resorts
Singapore	Singapore dollar (SGD)	region's highest price level
Cambodia	riel (KHR) and US dollar	US dollars common for larger amounts
Laos	kip (LAK)	US dollars/Thai baht often accepted
Brunei	Brunei dollar (BND)	1:1 interchangeable with the Singapore dollar since 1967

In Cambodia, according to tour operators, larger amounts such as hotels, tours and the entry fee are paid practically throughout in US dollars, while the riel remains in circulation for small amounts under around USD 10 to 20. The Brunei dollar, in turn, is accepted at face value without a fee by both the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, but remains invalid outside the two countries.

Sources: Adventures Cambodia · Wikipedia

Which religions and cultures shape Southeast Asia?

In short

Theravada Buddhism shapes Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, Islam is the majority religion in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, while the Philippines is the only country with a Catholic majority. Singapore and Vietnam are the most religiously mixed, with Buddhist, Taoist, Christian and Muslim communities existing side by side.

Thailand, Laos and Cambodia share the Theravada Buddhist tradition, with monasteries, monks and temple festivals visibly shaping everyday life; Cambodia's Angkor temple complex near Siem Reap is the largest religious building complex in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Vietnam's religious landscape mixes Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor worship with a Catholic minority from the French colonial era.

Indonesia is by a wide margin the world's most populous majority-Muslim country, with Bali, a predominantly Hindu island, forming a striking exception. Malaysia and Brunei are also majority Muslim, with Chinese- and Indian-descended minorities bringing Buddhist, Taoist, Hindu and Christian traditions; Brunei's legal system has, since 2019, combined Islamic criminal law (sharia) with existing civil law.

The Philippines, a result of around 300 years of Spanish colonial rule, are today majority Catholic — the largest Christian population in Asia — with a Muslim minority mainly in the south on Mindanao. Singapore, as a multi-ethnic state, unites Chinese, Malay and Indian communities with Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Christian and Hindu traditions in a very small space.

Linguistically, English as a second or lingua franca language is most widespread in Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, while Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian/Bahasa, Khmer and Lao remain the respective national languages. With around 50 UNESCO World Heritage sites across nine countries, the region ranks among the culturally densest in the world — from Angkor to temple cities near Bagan to the rice terraces of Banaue in the Philippines.

Sources: Wikipedia

Southeast Asia

What connects Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei?

How do the nine countries of Southeast Asia differ at a glance?

When is the best time to visit Southeast Asia?

What distinguishes each of the nine countries of Southeast Asia?

Thailand: the established gateway country

Vietnam: 1,650 km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City

Indonesia: over 17,000 islands, one visa

Malaysia: peninsula and Borneo as two worlds

Philippines: over 7,600 islands in the typhoon belt

Singapore: a compact city-state as a hub

Cambodia: Angkor and Tonle Sap Lake

Laos: the least-visited mainland destination

Brunei: the small, oil-rich special case

Which routes link several countries of Southeast Asia?

Mainland: Thailand–Laos–Cambodia–Vietnam

Peninsula: Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore

Island world: Indonesia, the Philippines and Borneo

Short combinations from Singapore

How do you fly to Southeast Asia and between the nine countries?

What applies for entry and health in Southeast Asia?

What does a trip through Southeast Asia cost?

Which religions and cultures shape Southeast Asia?

Worth combining

Destinations in this part of the world

Frequently asked questions

Where this information comes from

Plan Southeast Asia with AVA