Top Cities to Visit in South East Asia

South East Asia remains the most fascinating place to visit on the planet. This superb location for a holiday offers tropical heat and exotic cultures. Some of the most interesting places in this part of the world are the urban areas. Here are our choices for the top cities to visit in South East Asia:

Bangkok, Thailand

If you watched the hit movie Hangover 2 you will get a taste of the wonderful craziness of Bangkok. There is not city like this anywhere else in the world. It is the perfect mix of old and new. Bangkok is probably the only city in the world where you can go on a pub crawl on the back of an elephant. There are over 12 million people living in the Green Mango, and they all seem to be interesting characters. A visit to Bangkok is something that visitors are likely to remember for the rest of their life.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

The capital city of Cambodia used to be famous for its lawlessness, and it still managed to hold onto a bit of a Wild West feel. There has been a good deal of development here in recent years, but the city has managed to keep hold of those good things that make it special. The nightlife on offer here is second-to-none, and westerners will usually be delighted to find how cheap a night out can be.

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai is another Thai location that deserves to be considered among the best cities in South East Asia. Visitors who come here after Bangkok are usually surprised at how different it is. Chiang Mai is a bit more laid back than the capital city, and it has the feel of a university town – there are bookshops everywhere. This is also a favourite city for backpackers because it is usually possible to find plenty of cheap accommodation.

Singapore

Singapore is a city and a country. This is one of the more expensive places to visit in South East Asia, but it is well worth it. Singapore is without doubt one of the most vibrant and modern cities in the world. It is also the best option for people who wish to enjoy high class dining, world class shopping, and five star accommodations. Some people claim that it is difficult to see Singapore on a budget, but this does not have to be the case. Of course, if people do have a bit more cash to spare they can look forward to an even better time.

Vientiane, Laos

Vientiane could possibly win an award for the most relaxing capital city in the world. It is like the whole population is on a permanent siesta. There are some good nightlife options here once it gets dark.

Hanoi, Vietnam

Hanoi is such a wonderful city. It is a bit less crazy than Ho Chi Minh City, and there is a real European feel to the place because of the many French style buildings. The other nice thing about Hanoi is that it is fairly easy to navigate on foot so long as you keep an eye out for the crazy road users.