7 Most Scenic Spots
in Southeast Asia

Nathan Lane

Asia-Pacific | Cambodia, Laos

Ta Prohm tree From Cambodia’s sprawling Khmer empire and its remnants to the natural wonders of Laos and Vietnam, there are so many reasons to make your way to some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful places. From the most obvious draws to some lesser-known spots, these are the best places to capture the perfect moment, take in the scenery, and marvel at the masterpieces of civilizations past.

Angkor Wat, Cambodia

The largest religious monument in the world, it goes without saying that Angkor Wat is one of the greatest achievements of humankind. This massive Hindu temple complex was originally built in the 12th c. and spans 126 hectares, an area significantly greater than modern-day Paris. Among its magnificent features, the ‘Churning of the Sea of Milk’ gallery is a carved bas-relief of incredible length and detail.

Angkor Wat

Tat Kuang Si Waterfalls, Laos

One of the most photogenic sites in Laos, these waterfalls tumble from limestone-lipped pools of increasingly larger size. The turquoise waters cascade 60 metres (200 feet) down to a larger swimming area, perfect for an afternoon cool down.

Laos waterfall

Hai Van Pass, Vietnam

Translated to English, the ‘ocean cloud pass’, so named for the rising mists that form from the nearby sea, is a 21-kilometre (13-mile) stretch that is, incidentally, one of my favourite bike routes in the country. This twisting, deserted and scenic mountain pass has been strategically important over the ages, separating neighbouring Vietnamese kingdoms, and proving a difficult pass for armies attempting to march between central and northern Vietnam.

Hai Van Pass, Vietnam

Like Nothing Else on Earth

From the famed limestone islands of Ha Long Bay to the UNESCO-protected, colonial architecture of Luang Prabang, explore Southeast Asia’s most spectacular gems on our Vietnam & Laos Biking trip.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos

A symbol of Lao nationalism and the most important national monument in the country, this golden Buddhist stupa is surrounded by legend: that Indian missionaries created the structure to house a piece of the Buddha’s breastbone in the 3rd c. It has been reconstructed several times, most recently after the Second World War. There is also a large statue of King Jayavarman VII from the Khmer empire here.

Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos

Wat Xieng Thong, Laos

An intricately constructed Buddhist temple initially built in the 1550s, this ‘golden temple’ is revered throughout the country for its importance in Laotian history. The site of many festivities and of the coronation of all the Lao kings, this gateway to Luang Prabang spectacularly borders the Mekong River. With about twenty structures on site, you will find a massive 12-metre funerary carriage, golden-covered walls, rare buddhas, and mythical naga serpents guarding nearly every corner, augmented by beautiful ornamental gardens. Here, this intertwining of religion and spirituality, artistry and royal history makes it one of my favourite places to visit time and time again.

Wat Xieng Thong, Laos

Bayon Temple, Cambodia

Built at the end of the 12th c. by the most powerful Khmer monarch of all, King Jayavarman VII, who converted the entire Khmer empire to Buddhism, this spectacular site is renowned for its stone-carved ‘face towers’ which are meant to represent Lokesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, but the faces also resemble the king himself! oversee the landscape, as well as bas-relief galleries depicting Cambodian life and history.

Bayon Temple, Cambodia

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Truly one of Vietnam’s hidden jewels, the jaw-dropping rural beauty of Ninh Binh is truly some of the finest in Southeast Asia. If you’re into supernatural scenery, this northern coastal region has it all. Marvel at soaring limestone mountains, lush green hills amidst a wild profusion of nature: underground cave systems, emerald rivers snaking through valleys, steep stone steps winding through mountain paths, and temples carved out of mountainsides. Your camera won’t do it justice.

Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Nathan Lane

After guiding more than 100 trips for B&R in his own inimitable way, Nathan Lane transitioned into an award-winning Trip Designer – he was named Vietnam's Top Travel Expert by Condé Nast Traveler. And yes, he knows he shares his name with someone famous (we tease him about it all the time).

PHOTO CREDITS

Monks on Mount Phousi by Paul Arps via Flickr
Vat Phou by Ken Marshall via Flickr
Pha That Luang temple by Samnang Danou via Flickr
Ta Prohm by Staffan Schwarz via Flickr