Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd

PAGE

46

Myanmar
(Burma)
p483

ON THE
ROAD

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

Laos
p311

Vietnam

Thailand

p807

p644

Cambodia

Philippines

p62

p551

Brunei
Darussalam
p48

Malaysia
p379
Singapore
p614

Indonesia
p147

SURVIVAL
925 GUIDE
PAGE

Directory AZ .................
Transport ........................
Border Crossings ...........
Health .............................
Language ........................
Index ................................
Map Legend ....................

926
932
935
940
947
959
973

TimorLeste
p787

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

Directory
AZ
This chapter includes general
information about Southeast
Asia. Speci
c information for
each country is listed in the
individual country directories.

Accommodation
The accommodation listed
this guidebook occupies
ow end of the price and
es scale. Rooms typiour walls, a bed
y for keep-

it for cleanliness, comfort

and quiet. Dont feel obligated to take a room just because the place is mentioned
in Lonely Planet. Sometimes
the quality of a guesthouse
plummets after gaining a
mention in Lonely Planet, but
this can be corrected by diligent travellers who exercise
their own judgement.
Other accommodatio
tips for savvy travelle
If the price is t
if they hav

A
Oc
trip
acti
For c
tour
you
er br
from
here

Div
So
a

THIS EDITION WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY

China Williams
Greg Bloom, Celeste Brash, Stuart Butler, Jayne DArcy, Shawn Low,
Brandon Presser, Nick Ray, Simon Richmond, Daniel Robinson,
Adam Skolnick, Iain Stewart, Ryan Ver Berkmoes, Richard Waters

 All youve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!
TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER LONELY PLANET

PAGE

PLAN
YOUR TRIP

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

2
6
16
18
20
25

Welcome to

Southeast
Asia

COUNTRY & CITY

The original
Comprehensive
us
Adventurous
22

30
37
42

Vietnams biggest cultural

event (www.huefestival.
com) is held every two
years, including 2014.
Art, theatre, music, circus
and dance performances,
include domestic and international acts, are held
inside Hues Citadel.

z Gawai Dayak

The end of the rice

harvest season is celebrated
the rst two days of June in
the Malaysian Borneo state
of Sarawak. City-dwelling
Dayaks return to their longhouses to socialise, eat and
down shots of tuak (rice
wine).

Elemental Forces

Spiritual Spaces

The life-giving force of water has sculpted

many Southeast Asian landscapes. The
jungle-topped islands of the Malay peninsula are cradled by coral reefs that tame
the ocean into azure pools. The languorous
Vietnamese coastline greets the South
China Sea from tip to tail, while inland
there are karst mountains evidence of
long-vanished oceans. And the muddy
Mekong River lopes through tightly
knit mountains to at rice baskets. The
traditional highways of Borneo are
tannin-stained rivers that slice through the
wilderness. And the volcanoes of Indonesia
and the Philippines provide a glimpse into
the earths blacksmithing core.

Southeast Asia bathes in spirituality. With

the dawn, pots of rice come to a boil and
religious supplications waft from earth to
sky. Barefoot monks silently move through
dull-lit streets collecting food alms from
the faithful; prayers bellow from needletipped mosques calling the devotees to
bend to earth in submission; family altars
are tended like thirsty houseplants. And
the regions great monuments have been
built for the divine, from Angkors heaven incarnate to Bagans innity-bending
temple expanse. This is a region in close
communication with the divine. Visitors
can join in on the conversation on meditation retreats or by hiking into the mist

July
Mainland Southeast Asia
prepares for Buddhist
Lent, a period of
reflection and meditation
that coincides with the
rainy season (southwest
monsoon). Despite the
drizzle, this is an ideal
time for rural sightseeing
as rice planting begins
and the formerly parched
landscape becomes
verdant. The Samui
Archipelago often stays
dry during the southwest
monsoon.

(Above) Worshippers at Singapores Sri Mariamman Temple (p619) during

Deepavali festival (Below) Girls in hill-tribe costume for Buddhist New Year
(Songkran) festivities in Chiang Mai (p684), Thailand

KYLIE MCLAUGHLIN / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S

z Asanha Bucha

The full moon of the

eighth lunar month commemorates Buddhas rst
sermon.

z Khao Phansaa

Early in the monsoon rains, Buddhist monks

retreat into monasteries.
This is the traditional time
for young men to enter the
monkhood. Worshippers

REGIONAL
IONA
AL
A
L
ltural
Cultural
Day trips & itineraries
In-depth

Responsible Travel
Internet Resources
Responsible Travel (www.responsible
-travel.org) General tips on how to be a
better tourist regarding environmental
issues, begging and bargaining, as well as
ethical holidays.
Mekong Responsible Tourism (www.
mekongresponsibletourism.org) Online
guide promoting community-based and
socially responsible tourism in the Mekong
region. Homestays, cultural attractions and
eco-lodges are often featured.
WWF International (www.panda.org) Read
WWF
i
t l
i
t

In Southeast Asia, tourism brings blessings and curses. Small-scale tourism fosters
family-owned businesses that can propel
communities into the middle class. Children
of guesthouse owners often attend college
and become professionals, accomplishments
that would have been dicult to attain
when subsistence agriculture or shing
was the primary industry. Tourism helps
preserve cultural and environmental assets.
From Cambodias Angkor ruins to Borneos
forests, tourists dollars make it more protable to protect these treasures than to loot
them. Tourism fosters one-on-one cultural

(above) Woman working the fields

outside her home in Vietnams
far north
(left) Worshipper praying at Wat Phra
That Doi Suthep Buddhist temple
(p685) in Chiang Mai, Thailand

UNDERSTAND
909 SOUTHEAST ASIA
PAGE

Southeast Asia Today .....

History ..............................
Religion............................
Trouble Spots .................

DISCOVER
DISCOVER
Best of
Best-of
Photo-packed
Inspirational

PHRASEBOOKS
P
PHRAS
PHRA
SEBO
S
EBO
OOKS
S

Looking for other travel resources?

GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

910
913
917
921

if South East Asia

were 100 people

LONELYPLANET.COM
For travel information,
advice, tips & digital
chapters

2011
Southeast Asia
weathers the global
economic downturn
with positive growth.
Massive and historic
ooding in Thailand
injures its manufacturing sector and Myanmar moves toward
democratic reform.

JOHN BORTHWICK / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

2004
An Indian Ocean
earthquake with
its epicentre near
Sumatra (Indonesia) triggers a giant
tsunami that destroys
lives and communities in four Southeast
Asian countries.

39 would be Muslim
36 would be Buddhist
18 would be other
7 would be Christian

Tsunami damage, 2004

APPS
Location-based
guides for the street
lonelyplanet.com/mobile

EBOOKS
Guidebooks
for your reader
lonelyplanet.com/ebooks

MAGAZINE
For travel stories,
inspiration & ideas
lonelyplanet.com/magazine

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ENCOUNTER
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NC
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OCKE
Pocket-sized
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ghligh
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MICHAEL COYNE / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

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z Hue
(Biennial)

PL AN YOUR TRIP M O N T H B Y M O N T H

Welcome to
Southeast Asia ..............
20 Top Experiences ........
Need to Know ..................
If You Like... ......................
Month by Month ..............
Itineraries .........................
Big Adventures,
Small Budget..................
Responsible Travel ..........
Countries at a Glance .....

Get the right guides for your trip

52699

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against the Forest Stewardship
Council standards. FSC promotes
environmentally responsible, socially
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Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their

favourite places are listed first

Look out for these icons:

Our authors top
recommendation

BRUNEI
DARUSSALAM . . . . . .48
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN . . 51
Temburong District . . . . . . .56

CAMBODIA . . . . . . . . .62
PHNOM PENH. . . . . . . . . . . . 66
SIEM REAP & THE
TEMPLES OF ANGKOR . . . . 80
NORTHWESTERN
CAMBODIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Battambang . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
Preah Vihear Province . . . .104
SOUTH COAST . . . . . . . . . . 108
Krong Koh Kong . . . . . . . . .108
Sihanoukville. . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Kampot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
NORTHEASTERN
CAMBODIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Kompong Cham . . . . . . . . . 122
Kratie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Ratanakiri Province . . . . . . 127
Mondulkiri Province . . . . . .130

INDONESIA . . . . . . . . 147
JAVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Jakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Bogor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Pangandaran . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Yogyakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Borobudur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Solo (Surakarta). . . . . . . . . 179
Malang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Gunung Bromo . . . . . . . . . . 186
BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

A green or
sustainable option

Kuta & Seminyak . . . . . . . . 193

Bukit Peninsula. . . . . . . . . . 199
Denpasar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201
Ubud . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Lovina & the North . . . . . . 213
NUSA TENGGARA. . . . . . . . 216
Lombok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Flores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .233
West Timor . . . . . . . . . . . . .239
Sumba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .242
SUMATRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Padang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247
Bukittinggi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Danau Toba . . . . . . . . . . . . .255
Berastagi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259
Medan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Banda Aceh . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

No payment
required

Savannakhet . . . . . . . . . . . .355
Pakse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358
Si Phan Don (Four
Thousand Islands) . . . . . . 364

MALAYSIA . . . . . . . . .379
KUALA LUMPUR . . . . . . . . . 382
PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
WEST COAST. . . . . . . . . . . . 395
Melaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .395
Cameron Highlands . . . . . .401
Penang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405
Pulau Langkawi . . . . . . . . . 413

KALIMANTAN . . . . . . . . . . . 268

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA
EAST COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
Pulau Tioman . . . . . . . . . . . 418
Kuala Terengganu. . . . . . . .422
Pulau Perhentian . . . . . . . .424
Kota Bharu . . . . . . . . . . . . 426

SULAWESI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Makassar (Ujung Padang) . .276
Tana Toraja . . . . . . . . . . . . .278

PENINSULAR INTERIOR . . 428

Jerantut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
Taman Negara . . . . . . . . . . 430

MALUKU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285

MALAYSIAN BORNEO
SABAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433
Kota Kinabalu . . . . . . . . . . 433
Mt Kinabalu & Kinabalu
National Park . . . . . . . . . . 440
Sandakan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
Sepilok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

PAPUA (IRIAN JAYA) . . . . . 288

LAOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
VIENTIANE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
NORTHERN LAOS . . . . . . . 325
Vang Vieng. . . . . . . . . . . . . .325
Luang Prabang . . . . . . . . . .329
Nong Khiaw . . . . . . . . . . . . .337
Phonsavan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Luang Nam Tha . . . . . . . . 346
CENTRAL & SOUTHERN
LAOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

MALAYSIAN BORNEO
SARAWAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Kuching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Batang Rejang . . . . . . . . . . 461
Gunung Mulu
National Park . . . . . . . . . . 465
Limbang Division . . . . . . . 469

See the Index for a full list of destinations covered in this book.

On the Road
MYANMAR
(BURMA) . . . . . . . . . 483
YANGON (RANGOON) . . . 486
THE DELTA, WEST COAST
BEACHES & NORTH
OF YANGON . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
SOUTHEASTERN
MYANMAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
INLE LAKE
& SHAN STATE . . . . . . . . . . 504
Mandalay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Bagan (Pagan) . . . . . . . . . . 523
UPPER AYEYARWADY . . . . 530
WESTERN MYANMAR . . . . 532

PHILIPPINES. . . . . . . 551
MANILA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
NORTH LUZON . . . . . . . . . 566
The Cordillera . . . . . . . . . . 566
SOUTHEAST LUZON . . . . . 571
MINDORO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 574
THE VISAYAS . . . . . . . . . . . 577
Panay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .578
Negros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .582
Cebu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .585
Bohol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 591
Samar & Leyte . . . . . . . . . .593

Ayuthaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673
Lopburi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .677
Sukhothai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680

EAST OF DILI . . . . . . . . . . . 795

NORTHERN THAILAND . . . 684

Chiang Mai . . . . . . . . . . . . 684
Chiang Rai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696
Golden Triangle. . . . . . . . . 699
Pai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .702
Mae Hong Son . . . . . . . . . .705

OECUSSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 798

WESTERN THAILAND . . . . 706

Kanchanaburi . . . . . . . . . . .707
NORTHEASTERN
THAILAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712
Nakhon Ratchasima
(Khorat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713
Surin & Around . . . . . . . . . . 717
Ubon Ratchathani . . . . . . .720
Nong Khai . . . . . . . . . . . . . .722
EASTERN GULF COAST . . . 726
Ko Samet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .726
Ko Chang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728
SOUTHERN GULF COAST. . 731
Hua Hin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731
Ko Samui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .734
Ko Pha-Ngan . . . . . . . . . . . .738
Ko Tao. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .744

SINGAPORE . . . . . . . 614

THE ANDAMAN COAST . . 751

Phuket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .756
Krabi Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .762
Ko Phi-Phi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .764
Ko Lanta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 767
Ko Lipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .770

MINDANAO . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595
PALAWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598

THAILAND . . . . . . . . 644

TIMOR-LESTE . . . . . . 787

BANGKOK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 648

DILI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 790

CENTRAL THAILAND . . . . . 672

ATAURO ISLAND . . . . . . . . 794

WEST OF DILI . . . . . . . . . . . 797

SOUTH OF DILI . . . . . . . . . 797

VIETNAM . . . . . . . . . .807
HANOI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 809
NORTHERN VIETNAM . . . . 828
Halong Bay . . . . . . . . . . . . 828
Cat Ba Island . . . . . . . . . . 829
Sapa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 838
CENTRAL VIETNAM . . . . . . 842
Hue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 842
Danang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 850
Hoi An . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .853
SOUTH-CENTRAL COAST . .859
Nha Trang . . . . . . . . . . . . . .859
Mui Ne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 865
Con Dao Islands . . . . . . . . .867
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS . . . 868
Dalat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 868
HO CHI MINH CITY
(SAIGON). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 872
MEKONG DELTA . . . . . . . . . 884
Phu Quoc Island . . . . . . . . 889

 Southeast
SoutheastAsia
Asia
BANGLADESH

INDIA
CHINA

Bagan (Myanmar)
Ancient temples from here
to eternity (p523)

Chiang Mai (Thailand)

Study Thai cuisine in this
cultured city (p684)

Luang Prabang (Laos)

Reverential
riverside city (p329)

Fansipan
(3143m)

20N

Inle
Lake

Bagan

LAOS

MYANMAR
(BURMA)

Luang
Prabang
VIENTIANE

Chiang
Mai

Me

Inle Lake (Myanmar)

Placid lake living
(p505)

10N

Gulf of
Tonkin

Hainan
CHINA

Halong Bay (Vietnam)

Limestone towers anchoring
a jewel-coloured bay (p828)

ko

YANGON

INDIA

Halong
Bay

HANOI

Bay
of
Bengal

ng

THAILAND

Hoi An

Ko Chang
Gulf of PHNOM
PENH
Thailand
Ko Tao
Ko Pha-Ngan Phu
Ko Samui
Quoc

VIETNAM

Temples of Angkor (Cambodia)

Danau
Toba

Pulau
Nias

10S

St

ra

it

of

Natuna
Islands

KUALA
LUMPUR

ela

ka

Sarawak
Kuching

SINGAPORE
Riau
Islands

INDONESIA

Kapuas

Singkep
Islands

ri
Ha
Mu
si

Kalimantan
Pulau
Bangka

Mentawai
Islands

Tanjung Puting
National Park

Pulau
Belitung

t JAVA SEA

i
Stra
da
Sun
JAKARTA

Tanjung Puting National Park

(Indonesia)
Remote research camp for
orang-utans (p271)
Christmas Island
AUSTRALIA

100E

Sabah

MALAYSIA

Pulau Anambas
Tioman Islands

Sumatra

BANDAR SERI
BEGAWAN

Penang (Malaysia)
Graze through three
culinary cultures (p405)

S O U T H C H I N A BRUNEI
SEA
DARUSSALAM

MALAYSIA
Taman
Negara

rit
Ba

Pulau
Siberut

INDIAN
OCEAN

Mt
Kinabalu
(4095m)

Pulau Langkawi

Pulau
Simeulue
Equator

Awesome monuments
to the gods (p80)

Ko Tao (Thailand)
Learn how to swim
with the fishes (p744)

Pulau Penang

Ho Chi
Minh City

Pulau
Weh

on

ek

Bangkok (Thailand)
Mega-watt city of excesses
(p648)

Hoi An (Vietnam)
Antique city for sightseeing
and sophistication (p853)

CAMBODIA

Tonl
Sap

Mergui (Myeik)
Archipelago

Paracel
Islands

Temples
of Angkor

BANGKOK

ANDAMAN
SEA

Hanoi (Vietnam)
Get lost in an
old world (p809)

INDONESIA

Java

Madura

Borobudur

Gunung Bali Sea

Bromo

Bali (Indonesia)
Blissful beaches and
colourful culture (p190)
110E

Bali
Lombok

Top Experiences
Experiences
EAST CHINA
SEA

Tropic of
0
0

TAIWAN

Cancer
500 km
300 miles

20N

Batanes
Islands
Luzon Strait
Babuyan
Islands

Ifugao Rice Terraces

(Philippines)
Emerald staircases mounting
vertical peaks (p570)

Banaue

Luzon

PHILIPPINE
SEA

Polillo
Islands

MANILA

Catanduanes
PHILIPPINES
Sibuyan
Samar
Sea
Calamian
Visayan
Group
Panay
Sea
Letye
Cebu
Dinagat
Siargao
Bohol a
e
S
l
Palawan Negros
ho
o
B
Mindoro

SULU

SEA

Jolo

10N

PALAU

Mindanao

PACIFIC
OCEAN

Basilan
Sulu
Archipelago
Talaud

Tawi-Tawi
Semporna
Archipelago

Sangir
Islands

CELEBES

SEA

Kuching (Malaysia)
Gateway to Borneo's
jungles (p450)
Morotai

Equator 0

Halmahera
Waigeo

Teluk Togean Islands

HALMAHERA
MALUKU
Tomini
SEA
Pulau
SEA
Sula Islands Bacan
Obi
Misool
Banggai
Sulawesi
SERAM SEA
Islands
Seram
Tana
INDONESIA Buru
Toraja
Ambon
Teluk
Banda
Bone
Islands
Kai
Butung (Buton)
Islands
BANDA SEA
Selayar

FLORES
Sumbawa

SEA

Komodo

Alor Atauro
Islands Island

Solor
Flores Islands
SAWU SEA
Sumba
120E

Sawu Rote

Wetar

Leti
Islands Babar
Islands
DILI

Pulau
Biak
Yapen
Teluk
Cenderawasih
Puncak Jaya Papua
(5030m)

Aru
Islands

PAPUA
NEW
GUINEA

Yos
Sudarso
Tanimbar
Islands
ARAFURA SEA

10S

TIMOR-LESTE
West
Timor TIMOR SEA
AUSTRALIA

140E

Iain Stewart
Vietnam Iain Stewart first visited, and was captivated by Vietnam as a traveller
in 1991 (armed with a trusty Lonely Planet). Hes now a Brighton-based writer,
specialising in hot countries a long way from his English seaside abode. For this
trip he biked the Ho Chi Minh Highway, sailed to the Chams, drank in Danang and
explored the heart of Phong Nha.
Ryan Ver Berkmoes
Indonesia Chapter Coordinator, Bali, Maluku, Sulawesi Ryan Ver Berkmoes
first visited Indonesia in 1993. On his visits since he has criss-crossed the
archipelago, trying to make a dent in those 17,000 islands. Recent thrills included
finally reaching the amazing Banda Islands after 18 years of trying, finding
the perfect flat on Bali and being given the seat of honour at a Torajan funeral
ceremony (it wasnt his, fortunately). O-island, Ryan lives in Portland, Oregon
and writes about Indonesia, travel and more at ryanverberkmoes.com.
Richard Waters
Laos, Kalimantan A visit to Laos in 1999 as the country was still warming to
the west, began a close association with the country that sees Richard returning regularly. His first travels were around Europe as a teenager, then Central
America and US by camper van. Writing the Kalimantan chapter was like a
journey back in time and a privilege. These days he writes and shoots for The
Sunday Times, Independent and Observer. To read more of his work and articles
about Laos, visit www.richardwaters.co.uk. He lives with his family in the Cotswolds.

Jayne DArcy
Timor-Leste Writing about Timor-Leste always stirs up a bit of passion in Jayne.
After a stint working in community radio there in 2003 and 2004, she frequently
dreams of boarding an Air North plane and returning (and sometimes she
does). Partly its to catch up with former colleagues, but mostly its to see how
the country is changing and adapting to its freedom. Jayne is a Melbournebased author who has a particular fondness for writing about countries that are
recovering after turbulent times.
Shawn Low
Singapore Shawn grew up in hot, humid, food-crazy Singapore but later made
his way further south to less hot, less humid, food-crazy Melbourne (Australia,
not Florida). Hes spent the last five years working for Lonely Planet: as an editor,
commissioning editor, author, TV host, and now, travel editor at large. Devouring
chilli crab, guzzling Tiger beer and more in the name of research is a hard job,
but someones gotta do it. So he did. Who knows, he might actually be led home
by his stomach one day. Hes also on Twitter @shawnlow.
Brandon Presser
Southern Thailand Growing up in a land where bear hugs are taken literally,
this wanderlust-y Canadian always craved swaying palms and golden sand. A
trek across southeast Asia as a teenager was the clincher he was hooked,
returning year after year to scuba dive, suntan, and savour spoonfuls of spicy
sm-am (papaya salad). After leaving his job at the Louvre, Brandon picked up
his pen and rucksack and became a fulltime freelance travel writer. Hes since
co-authored over 40 guidebooks, from Iceland to Thailand and many lands in between.
Nick Ray
Cambodia A Londoner of sorts, Nick comes from Watford, the sort of town that
makes you want to travel. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife Kulikar and his
young children Julian and Belle. He has written for countless guidebooks on the
Mekong region, including Lonely Planets Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos books.
When not writing, he is often out exploring the remote parts of Cambodia as a
location scout and manager for the world of television and film, including movies
Tomb Raider and Two Brothers. Motorbikes are a part-time passion (riding them a passion, maintaining them part-time) and he has travelled through most of Indochina on two wheels.
Simon Richmond
Myanmar A freelance author and photographer, Simon first visited Myanmar in
2001; he found a country brimming with beautiful sights and gentle people who
were delighted to have the chance to interact with those from beyond their borders. A decade later he returned to coordinate Lonely Planets Myanmar guide.
The many guides for Lonely Planet Simon has worked on since 1999 include
several in Southeast Asia.
Daniel Robinson
Malaysian Borneo, Brunei Daniel has been writing about Southeast Asia since
1989, when he researched the award-winning first editions of Lonely Planets
guides to Vietnam and Cambodia. He takes a special interest in tropical rainforest habitats and the role that sustainable tourism can play in their conservation.
In Borneo, Daniel is especially fond of tramping through Gunung Gading National
Park in search of giant Rafflesia flowers and watching orang-utans cavort in
Semenggohs jungle canopy.
Adam Skolnick
Nusa Tenggara, Papua Adam Skolnick writes about travel, culture, health, sports,
and the environment for Lonely Planet, Mens Health, Outside, and Travel &
Leisure among others. He has authored and co-authored 12 previous Lonely
Planet guidebooks, and has travelled and reported extensively throughout Indonesia since 2004. To get around Nusa Tenggara and Papua he took three buses,
11 boats and ferries, 13 planes, and hired or hitched 12 cars and 17 motorbikes.
You can read more of his work at www.adamskolnick.com.

OUR STORY

A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of

adventure. In 1972 thats all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed
for the trip of a lifetime across Europe and Asia overland to
Australia. It took several months, and at the end broke but
inspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling
together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap.
Within a week theyd sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has oces in Melbourne, London and
Oakland, with more than 600 sta and writers. We share Tonys belief that a great guidebook
should do three things: inform, educate and amuse.

OUR WRITERS
China Williams
Coordinating author, Thailand China first came to Thailand to teach English in
Surin way back in 1997, a few months prior to the currency crisis. She then backpacked through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, just like youre doing now. And it
was the highlight of a fun-filled decade. Since then, she has shuttled across the
Pacific to work on various Lonely Planet guidebooks, mainly to Thailand, for nine
years. This is her third trip with her son, who is a four-year-old backpacker-intraining. China lives in Catonsville, Maryland (USA), with her husband, Matt, and son, Felix.
Greg Bloom
Philippines Greg lived in Manila for five years before moving to Cambodia in
2009. Travelling the Philippines for Lonely Planet, Greg has fallen o a tricycle,
flown out of a jeepney, and survived a bus crash on the back roads of Bicol. But
mostly its been good. When not writing about Southeast Asia, Greg might be
found snouting around the former Soviet Union (he once called Kyiv home) or
running around Asias ultimate frisbee fields.
Read more about Greg at:

lonelyplanet.com/members/gbloom4

Celeste Brash
Malaysia Celeste first visited Malaysia while studying at Chiang Mai University,
Thailand in 1993 and shes grazed through the hawker capital of the world
several times since on cross-Asia trips and for a handful of Lonely Planet titles.
When not de-sensitising her taste buds with sambal Celeste lives in street food
laden Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children. Shes contributed to
about 30 Lonely Planet guidebooks. You can follow her travels via her blog
http://coconutradio.blogspot.com.
Stuart Butler
Java, Sumatra Stuart Butler first hit the shores of Indonesia many years ago
at the end of a long trans-Asia surf trip. Not surprisingly it was the highlight
of his trip. Today Stuart lives with his wife and son on the beautiful beaches of
southwest France. His travels for Lonely Planet and a variety of international
surf magazines have taken him across Indonesia and beyond, from the desert
beaches of Yemen to the coastal jungles of Colombia.

OVER MORE
PAGE WRITERS
Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd
ABN 36 005 607 983
Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reasonable care in preparing this book, we make no warranty about
16th edition July 2012
the accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxiISBN 978 1 74179 854 8
mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.
Lonely Planet 2012 Photographs as indicated 2012
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in Singapore
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic,
mechanical, recording or otherwise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, and no part of this publication may be sold or hired, without the
written permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patent
and Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such
as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: lonelyplanet.com/ip.
Bestselling guide to Southeast Asia source: Nielsen BookScan, Australia, UK and USA, March 2011 to February 2012.

25

Itineraries

Luang
Prabang

# HANOI
_

LAOS

Chiang
#
Mai

THAILAND

#
BANGKOK _

#
PHNOM _
PENH

#Ko Tao
#
#
Phuket

PHILIPPINES

# Hoi An
Siem
VIETNAM
Reap

# CAMBODIA

Krabi

MYANMAR
(BURMA)

Whether youve got six weeks

or six months, these itineraries
provide a starting point for the
trip of a lifetime. Want more
inspiration? Head online to
lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to
chat with other travellers.

Ho Chi
Minh City
(Saigon)

SOUTH
CHINA SEA

Penang

KUALA _
#
LUMPUR

BRUNEI

MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

#
_

INDONESIA

#
#
JAKARTA _

Gunung
Bromo

Yogyakarta

# Bali

Eight Weeks

The Best of Southeast Asia

If you want a sampler plate of Southeast Asia, then plan on jetting between countries to hit the highlights. Most international airlines fly to Bangkok, a chaotic but
fantastic city. Fly to Siem Reap to see Angkors magnificent temples. Bus to Phnom
Penh and on to Vietnams bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Work your way north with
a stop in adorable Hoi An and on to Hanoi. Air-lift out of Vietnam to laid-back Luang
Prabang, Laos world heritage city, and then fly to chic Chiang Mai.
Return to Bangkok by overnight train and work your way south to Ko Tao to learn how to
dive before hitting the beachy hot spots on Thailands Andaman coast: Phuket, Ko Phi-Phi
and Krabi.
Fly from polished Phuket to Penang and overland to Malaysias multiethnic capital
Kuala Lumpur. Catch a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta and soak up the culture in
Yogyakarta and then bus to Gunung Bromo, an active volcano. Leapfrog to blessed Bali
for sun, fun and culture. Then catch a cheap flight to sophisticated Singapore, which has
air connections to everywhere else.

26
Luang
#
Sapa
HANOI
Nam
#
_
Tha
# Halong Bay

# Luang
Chiang
Inle

#
Bagan
Prabang
Rai
#
# Vang
#
Lake
# Huay
Pai
#

# Vieng
#
Xai
Mae Hong Son

#
Chiang
#
_
MYANMAR
Mai
(BURMA)
VIENTIANE
LAOS

# Hue
#
Sukhothai
#

# Hoi An
Yangon
Khao Yai
National Nakhon
Park
# Ratchasima
VIETNAM

#
#
Ayuthaya
Poipet
#
#
_
# Siem Reap
Nha

#Trang
BANGKOK
CAMBODIA
ANDAMAN

SEA
#
PHNOM _

# Mui Ne

#
#
PENH Bavet
Ho Chi

# Ko Tao
Minh City
# Ko Pha-Ngan &
THAILAND
(Saigon)
Ko Samui
#
Khao Lak

# Krabi
Kota
#
Ko Lanta
Bharu
SOUTH
# Pulau Perhentian

#
Langkawi
#
CHINA SEA
#
Penang
Mandalay

PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S

Mainland Explorer
Beaches, Beaches

KUALA _
#
LUMPUR

# Pulau Tioman

# Mersing

MALAYSIA

Four to Eight Weeks

Three to Four Weeks

Mainland Explorer

Beaches, Beaches

From Bangkok head to Nakhon

Ratchasima, gateway to Khmer
temples. Get muddy in Khao Yai
National Park, then hightail it to
the border at Poipet, aiming for Siem Reap
and Cambodias Angkor temples. Scoot into
shabby-chic Phnom Penh.
Overland through Bavet, crossing to
full-throttle Ho Chi Minh City. Migrate to
the beaches of Mui Ne or Nha Trang, the
antique city of Hoi An and imperial Hue.
Rest in Hanoi, a mature, manicured capital.
Cruise karst-filled Halong Bay and detour
to Sapa and its highland communities. Return to Hanoi.
Fly to the Lao capital, Vientiane, bus to
athletic Vang Vieng and on to Luang Prabang, a reverential riverside city. Continue
to the trekking centre of Luang Nam Tha.
Ride the Mekong River to the LaosThailand
border at Huay Xai.
Slide into Chiang Rai for hill-tribe treks,
or Chiang Mai. Escape to the mountains of
Pai or Mae Hong Son. Pay homage to ancient capitals at Sukhothai and Ayuthaya.
Return to Bangkok. Fly to Myanmars
Yangon and continue to the island monasteries of Inle Lake, the ancient capital of
Mandalay and the ruins of Bagan.

From Bangkok, make a beeline for

the beach-bum islands in the Gulf
of Thailand: dive-crazy Ko Tao, hippie Ko Pha-Ngan and resorty Ko
Samui. Get certified on Tao, then follow the
herd across to the Andaman coast. Khao
Lak is the base for live-aboard dive trips to
the world-class Surin and Similan islands.
Skip down to adrenalin-charged Krabi,
home to rock-climbing and cave exploring
and then chill-out on laid-back Ko Lanta.
Island-hop across the border at Pulau
Langkawi to Penang to balance beaching
with hawker-centre bingeing.
From Penang, bus to Kota Bharu, the
jumping-o point for the fabulous jungle
islands of Pulau Perhentian. Chase the
coastline south to Mersing, the mainland
port for sleepy Pulau Tioman, before returning to civilisation in Kuala Lumpur.
There are even more beaches to explore
on even bigger islands. See our Indonesia to
Timor-Leste itinerary.

PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S

DANIEL BOAG / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

MICHAEL COYNE / LONELY PLANET IMAGES

(above) Woman working the fields

outside her home in Vietnams
far north
(left) Worshipper praying at Wat Phra
That Doi Suthep Buddhist temple
(p685) in Chiang Mai, Thailand

28

SOUTH
CHINA
SEA

PHILIPPINES
Kota
Kinabalu
Kota

#
# Sepilok
Langkawi Bharu Pulau Perhentian
#
BANDAR SERI

#
Mt Kinabalu
Pulau Weh
#
_

#
BEGAWAN

# Semporna
#
Penang
Taman

# Banda
BRUNEI

#
Negara
Aceh
#
Pulau Bunaken
Bukit
#Medan _
# KUALA
#

MALAYSIA
#
LUMPUR
Lawang

# Melaka
#
Berastagi
Kuching
Manado
#
_
THAILAND

Togean Islands

INDONESIA

INDONESIA

# Tana Toraja

PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S

SINGAPORE

# Makassar

JAKARTA

#
_

#
Borobudur
Yogyakarta

Gunung
Bromo

Gili Trawangan

Denpasar

Indonesia to Timor-Leste
Tramp Malaysia & Beyond

Komodo

DILI

# Flores

#
_

TIMORLESTE

Four to Eight Weeks

Four Weeks

Indonesia to Timor-Leste

Tramp Malaysia & Beyond

Start at Indonesias tip in Medan

on the island of Sumatra, trundle
to the orang-utan outpost of Bukit
Lawang and go volcano hiking in
Berastagi. Return to Medan and fly to lovely Banda Aceh and dive-tastic Pulau Weh.
Buzz to Java, touching down in Jakarta.
Cruise Yogyakartas culture trail. Day
trip to the giant stupa of Borobudur or
hu-and-pu up Gunung Bromo.
Leapfrog to Denpasar, in Bali, to nuzzle
the sandy beaches of the Bukit Peninsula or
get cultured in Ubud. Party in Gili Trawangan, spot dragons on Komodo and go rustic on the beaches of Flores. Check your visa
and apply for an extension before flying to
Makassar on the island of Sulawesi. Bus
to Tana Toraja, where funeral rituals are
ancient and bloody. (Stay tuned for a Tana
Toraja airport in 2013.) Travel to the Togean
Islands and the northern diving board
of Pulau Bunaken. Fly from Manado to
Kuala Lumpur.
Alternatively, from Denpasar hop over
to Timor-Lestes capital of Dili to tour old
colonial towns and uncrowded reefs.

Touchdown in Kuala Lumpur, an

easy city for international arrivals.
Bus to the tranquil Cameron Highlands and its glossy green tea plantations. Follow the northern migration to
Penang for street eats and Malaysian fusion
culture. Detour to the beaches of Langkawi.
Return to Georgetown and bus to Kota
Bharu, the jump-o point for car-free, carefree ambience on Pulau Perhentian. Pick
up the Jungle Railway to Taman Negara,
an ancient, accessible wilderness.
Return to Kuala Lumpur for a wellplanned, well-funded tour of Malaysian
Borneo. Fly to Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah,
ascend Borneos highest peak Mt Kinabalu.
Head east to Sepilok and its orang-utan
sanctuary. Swing over to Semporna, the
gateway to dive sites. Culture vultures should
detour to the oil-rich oddity of Brunei and its
unassuming capital, Bandar Seri Begawan
(BSB), surrounded by pristine rainforests
and water villages. Or fly from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching in Sarawak state, formerly
known as the land of the headhunters.
If youre a city slicker, skip Borneo and
cruise through Melaka, a colonial port
of call, and then into Singapore for an
immersion in modern Asia.

29
MYANMAR
# HANOI
_
(BURMA)

#
Na Meo
#
Luang Prabang
LAOS
#
Vang Vieng

#
VIENTIANE _

# North Luzon

# MANILA
_

#Cebu

PHILIPPINES

#
Pontianak

INDONESIA

# Banjarmasin

Pangkalan
#
Bun
#
Tanjung Puting
National Park

#
INDONESIA

MALAYSIA

# Kuching

# Tebedu

#
KUALA _
LUMPUR

Penang
#
# Taman
#
Cameron Highlands
Negara

Yogyakarta

Bali

#
JAKARTA _

# Flores

Komodo

DILI

#
_

TIMOR-LESTE

Six Months

The Whole Shebang

Start o in Bangkok and follow the eastern seaboard to forested Ko Chang, cross
the Hat LekCham Yeam border bound for Sihanoukvilles collection of scruy and
sublime beaches. Stop in Franco-influenced Kampot and its nearby hill station. Turn
inland to Phnom Penh to pay your respects at its genocide museums then bus to
Siem Reap and the monumental splendour of Angkor.
Board a flight to Pakse, gateway to the easy river living of Si Phan Don. Bus to Vientiane
and on to Vang Vieng then Luang Prabang. Trundle to Nong Khiaw for tribal trekking. Follow the rugged, revolutionaries trail through the Na Meo border, a remote and
adventurous crossing to Hanoi.
Work your way through Vietnam, sampling history, culture and beaches. Fly from Ho Chi
Minh City to Bangkok and slide down the Malay Peninsula, swimming and diving around
Ko Pha-Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand and around Krabi in the Andaman Sea.
Slip into Malaysia for the street eats of Penang. Cross the peninsula for the peaceful beach retreat of Pulau Perhentian. Pick up the Jungle Railway to Taman Negara, a wilderness preserve.
Detour to the mist-shrouded hills of Cameron Highlands and then alight in Kuala Lumpur.
Fly to Jakarta (Java) and immerse yourself in the cultural city of Yogyakarta and
the Unesco treasure of Borobudur. Bask on the beach in Bali, escape the beach crowds in
Flores, and go dragon-spotting on Komodo. Return to Bali and catch a flight to Dili in
Timor-Leste, a fledgling tourist nation.
Alternatively, from Jakarta fly to Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) for a jungle excursion
into Borneo. Catch another flight to Pangkalan Bun with connections to the orang-utan
research camps of Tanjung Puting National Park.
Fly from Banjarmasin to Pontianak and then bus to the EntikongTebedu border to
Malaysias Kuching, a gateway to more Borneo nature reserves and former headhunting
cultures. After a cheap flight back to Kuala Lumpur, catch a connection to Yangon (Myanmar) and its Buddhist temples and isolated people, or to Manila (Philippines) and its
Catholic population and volcanic setting. Bus to the mountains of North Luzon, then fly
to Cebu, gateway to the Visayas beaches. If you opt for the Philippines route, you can then
hop into East Asia (China or Japan) without having to backtrack.

PL AN YOUR TRIP I T I N E R A R I E S

VIETNAM
THAILAND

# Pakse
Siem
BANGKOK Reap
#
_

#
CAMBODIA
#
Ko Chang
# PHNOM PENH
_

# Ho Chi

##
Sihanoukville
Kampot Minh City
#
Ko Pha-Ngan
(Saigon)
Pulau

# Krabi

Perhentian

#
Yangon

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