lonely planet south east asia

7/24/2019 Lonely Planet South East Asia

1/15

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

Myanmar(Burma)p483

Indonesiap147

Thailandp644

Cambodiap62

Laosp311

Vietnamp807

Philippinesp551

Timor-Lestep787

BruneiDarussalam

p48

Singaporep614

Malaysiap379

YOUR COMPLETE DESTINATION GUIDE

In-depth reviews, detailed listings

and insider tips

SURVIVAL

GUIDE

Directory AZ ................. 926

Transport ........................ 932

Border Crossings ........... 935

Health ............................. 940

Language ........................ 947

Index ................................ 959

Map Legend .................... 973

VITAL PRACTICAL INFORMATION TO

HELP YOU HAVE A SMOOTH TRIP

ON THE

ROAD

s c ap er nc u es g eneran o rma o n a o u o u e as

Asia.Speci c n orma on or

each country is listed in theindividual country directories.

Accommodat onhe accommodation listed

his guidebook occupiesend of the price and

s scale. Rooms typi-r walls, a bed

keep-

it for cleanliness, comfortan qu e . on ee o ga -e o a e a room us e-cause the place is mentionedin Lonely Planet. Sometimesthe quality of a guesthouseplummets after gaining amention in Lonely Planet, butthis can be corrected by dili-gent travellers who exercisetheir own judgement.

Other accommodati

tips for savvy travel If the price iifth

Otriact

ortouryou

r brfrom

er

i

S

irectoryAZ

PAGE

46

PAGE

925

Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd


2/15

PLANYOUR TRIP

Welcome to

Southeast Asia .............. 2

20 Top Experiences ........ 6

Need to Know .................. 16

If You Like... ...................... 18

Month by Month .............. 20

Itineraries ......................... 25

Big Adventures,Small Budget.................. 30

Responsible Travel .......... 37

Countries at a Glance ..... 42

YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT

Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions

to help you put together your perfect trip

UNDERSTANDSOUTHEAST ASIA

Southeast Asia Today ..... 910

History .............................. 913

Religion ............................ 917

Trouble Spots ................. 921

39 would be Muslim

36 would be Buddhist

18 would be other

7 would be Christian

if South East Asiawere 100 people

2004

An Indian Oceanearthquake with

its epicentre near

Sumatra (Indone-sia) triggers a giant

tsunami that destroyslives and communi-

ties in four SoutheastAsian countries.

2011

Southeast Asiaweathers the globaleconomic downturn

with positive growth.Massive and historic

ooding in Thailandinjuresitsmanufactur-

ingsectorand Myan-mar moves toward

democraticreform.

JOHNBORTHW

ICK/LONELYPLANETIMAGES

Tsunamidamage, 2004

Elemental ForcesThelife-givingforceof waterhassculpted

many Southeast Asianlandscapes. The

jungle-topped islands of the Malay pen-

insulaarecradledbycoralreefsthattame

theoceaninto azurepools.The languorous

Vietnamese coastline greets the South

Ch inaSeafromtipto tail ,wh ile in land

there arekarst mountains evidenceof

long-vanished oceans. And the muddy

Mekong River lopes through tightly

knitmountains to at ricebaskets. The

traditional h ighways o f Borneo are

tannin-stainedriversthat slicethroughthe

wilderness.Andthe volcanoesofIndonesia

andthe Philippinesprovidea glimpseinto

theearthsblacksmithingcore.

Spiritual SpacesSoutheastAsia bathesin spirituality.With

thedawn,potsofrice cometoa boiland

religioussupplicationswaftfromearthto

sky.Barefootmonkssilently movethrough

dull-lit streets collectingfoodalms from

thefaithful;prayersbellowfrom needle-

tippedmosques calling thedevoteesto

bendto earthin submission;familyaltars

aretendedlike thirsty houseplants.And

theregions greatmonumentshavebeen

built for the divine, from Angkorshea-

venincarnate to Bagansin nity-bending

templeexpanse.Thisis a regionin close

communicationwith thedivine.Visitors

canjoinin ontheconversationon medit-

ationretreatsor byhikinginto themist

Welcome toSoutheast

Asia

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

PAGE

2

PAGE

909

GET MORE FROM YOUR TRIP

Learn about the big picture, so you

can make sense of what you see

zHue Festival(Biennial)

Vietnamsbiggestcultural

event(www.huefestival.

com)isheldeverytwo

years,including 2014.Art,theatre, music,circus

anddance performances,

includedomestic andinter-

nationalacts, areheld

insideHuesCitadel.

zGawai DayakTheendoftherice

harvestseasonis celebrated

the rsttwodaysofJunein

theMalaysianBorneo state

ofSarawak. City-dwelling

Dayaksreturntotheirlong-

housestosocialise, eatand

downshotsof tuak (rice

wine).

JulyMainland SoutheastAsiaprepares forBuddhist

Lent,a period ofreflection and meditationthatcoincides with therainy season (southwestmonsoon).Despitethedrizzle,this is an idealtime forrural sightseeing

as rice plantingbeginsand the formerly parchedlandscape becomes

verdant.The SamuiArchipelagooftenstaysdry duringthe southwestmonsoon.

zAsanha BuchaThefullmoonofthe

eighthlunar monthcom-

memoratesBuddhas rst

sermon.

zKhao PhansaaEarlyinthemon-

soonrains,B uddhistmonks

retreatinto monasteries.

Thisisthetraditionaltime

foryoungmentoenterthe

monkhood.Worshippers

MICHAELCOYNE/LON

ELYPLANETIMAGES

KYLIEMCLAUGHLIN/LONELYPLANETIMAGES

(Above)WorshippersatSingapores SriMariammanTemple(p619)duringDeepavalifestival(Below) Girlsin hill-tribecostumefor BuddhistNewYear(Songkran) festivities in Chiang Mai(p684),Thailand

2

Internet ResourcesResponsibleTravel(www.responsible-travel.org)Generaltipsonhowto bea

bettertouristregarding environmental

issues,beggingandbargaining,aswellas

hicalholidays. ngResponsibleTourism(www.

responsibletourism.org)Online

otingcommunity-based and

sibletourismintheMekong. , cu lt ura la tt ra ct io ns an d

atured.

. .o rg ) Re ad

In Southeast Asia, tourism brings bless-

ings and curses. Small-scale tourism foster

family-owned businesses that can propcommunities into the middle class. Child

of guesthouse owners often attend co

and become professionals, accomplish

that would have been di cult towhen subsistence agriculture o

was the primary industry. To

preserve cultural and enviro

From Cambodias Angkorforests, tourists doll -

able to protect

them. T - -

Responsible Travel

I S B N 9 7 8 - 1 - 7 4 1 7 9 - 8 5 4 - 8

9 7 8 1 7 4 1 7 9 8 5 4 8

99625

(above)Woman working thefields

outsideherhomein Vietnams

farnorth

(left)Worshipperpraying atWatPhra

ThatDoi Suthep Buddhisttemple

(p685)in Chiang Mai,Thailand

PLANYOURTRIPITIN

ERARIES


3/15

Look out for these icons:

Our authors toprecommendation

Every listing is recommended by our authors, and theirfavourite places are listed first

A green orsustainable option

No paymentrequired

BRUNEIDARUSSALAM . . . . . .48

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN . . 51

Temburong District . . . . . . .56

CAMBODIA . . . . . . . . .62

PHNOM PENH. . . . . . . . . . . . 66

SIEM REAP & THETEMPLES OF ANGKOR . . . . 80

NORTHWESTERN

CAMBODIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99Battambang . . . . . . . . . . . . .99

Preah Vihear Province . . . .104

SOUTH COAST . . . . . . . . . . 108

Krong Koh Kong . . . . . . . . .108

Sihanoukville . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Kampot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

NORTHEASTERNCAMBODIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Kompong Cham . . . . . . . . . 122

Kratie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Ratanakiri Province . . . . . . 127

Mondulkiri Province . . . . . .130

INDONESIA . . . . . . . . 147

JAVA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149

Jakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150

Bogor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162Pangandaran . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

Yogyakarta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

Borobudur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178

Solo (Surakarta) . . . . . . . . . 179

Malang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

Gunung Bromo . . . . . . . . . .186

BALI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244Padang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .247

Bukittinggi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251

Danau Toba . . . . . . . . . . . . .255

Berastagi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .259

Medan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .261

Banda Aceh . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

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

SULAWESI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274Makassar (Ujung Padang) . .276

Tana Toraja . . . . . . . . . . . . .278

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

PAPUA (IRIAN JAYA) . . . . . 288

LAOS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311

VIENTIANE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313

NORTHERN LAOS . . . . . . . 325Vang Vieng . . . . . . . . . . . . . .325

Luang Prabang . . . . . . . . . .329

Nong Khiaw . . . . . . . . . . . . .337

Phonsavan . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340

Luang Nam Tha . . . . . . . . 346

CENTRAL & SOUTHERNLAOS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351

Savannakhet . . . . . . . . . . . .355

Pakse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .358

Si Phan Don (FourThousand Islands) . . . . . . 364

MALAYSIA . . . . . . . . .379

KUALA LUMPUR . . . . . . . . . 382

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA WEST COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . 395

Melaka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .395

Cameron Highlands . . . . . .401

Penang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 405

Pulau Langkawi . . . . . . . . . 413

PENINSULAR MALAYSIA EAST COAST . . . . . . . . . . . . 415

Pulau Tioman . . . . . . . . . . . 418

Kuala Terengganu. . . . . . . .422

Pulau Perhentian . . . . . . . .424

Kota Bharu . . . . . . . . . . . . 426

PENINSULAR INTERIOR . . 428Jerantut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428

Taman Negara . . . . . . . . . . 430

MALAYSIAN BORNEO SABAH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433

Kota Kinabalu . . . . . . . . . . 433

Mt Kinabalu & KinabaluNational Park . . . . . . . . . . 440

Sandakan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443

Sepilok . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

MALAYSIAN BORNEO SARAWAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

Kuching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450

Batang Rejang . . . . . . . . . .461

Gunung MuluNational Park . . . . . . . . . . 465

Limbang Division . . . . . . . 469


4/15

On the Road

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

MYANMAR(BURMA) . . . . . . . . . 483

YANGON (RANGOON) . . . 486

THE DELTA, WEST COASTBEACHES & NORTHOF YANGON . . . . . . . . . . . . 496

SOUTHEASTERNMYANMAR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 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

MINDANAO . . . . . . . . . . . . . 595

PALAWAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 598

SINGAPORE . . . . . . .614

THAILAND . . . . . . . . 644

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

CENTRAL THAILAND . . . . . 672

Ayuthaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .673

Lopburi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 677

Sukhothai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 680

NORTHERN THAILAND . . . 684

Chiang Mai . . . . . . . . . . . . 684

Chiang Rai . . . . . . . . . . . . . 696

Golden Triangle. . . . . . . . . 699

Pai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .702

Mae Hong Son . . . . . . . . . .705

WESTERN THAILAND . . . . 706

Kanchanaburi . . . . . . . . . . .707NORTHEASTERNTHAILAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 712

Nakhon Ratchasima(Khorat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 713

Surin & Around . . . . . . . . . . 717

Ubon Ratchathani . . . . . . .720

Nong Khai . . . . . . . . . . . . . .722

EASTERN GULF COAST . . . 726

Ko Samet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .726Ko Chang . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .728

SOUTHERN GULF COAST . . 731

Hua Hin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 731

Ko Samui . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .734

Ko Pha-Ngan . . . . . . . . . . . .738

Ko Tao . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 744

THE ANDAMAN COAST . . 751

Phuket . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .756Krabi Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . .762

Ko Phi-Phi . . . . . . . . . . . . . .764

Ko Lanta. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .767

Ko Lipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .770

TIMOR-LESTE . . . . . . 787

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

ATAURO ISLAND . . . . . . . . 794

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

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

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

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

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


5/15

Bali Sea

BayHalong

Tonkin

Gulf ofThailand

Gulf of

Bayof

S E A

Bengal

A N D A M A N

S E A

JAVA SEA

StraitofMelaka

Sunda

Strait

I N D I A NO C E A N

S O U T H C H I N A

Sabah

Sarawak

Kalimantan

BEGAWAN

HANOI

Hoi An

Ho ChiMinh City

VIENTIANE

BANGKOK

ChiangMai

PHNOMPENH

PrabangLuang

Bagan

YANGON

Kuching

LUMPURKUALA

JAKARTA

BANDAR SERI

Borobudur

MtKinabalu

GunungBromo

(4095m)

Fansipan(3143m)

20N

10N

110E100E

0

10S

InleLake

TonlSap

DanauToba

ParacelIslands

Madura

Bali

Ko Tao

Ko Chang

Ko SamuiKo Pha-Ngan Phu

Quoc

Hainan

Pulau

Mergui (Myeik)Archipelago

Islands

Pulau

Riau

Anambas

NatunaIslands

PulauBangka

SingkepIslands

PulauBelitung

Islands

Pulau Penang

Sumatra

PulauSiberut

MentawaiIslands

Tioman

Java

Christmas Island

PulauSimeulue

PulauNias

Pulau LangkawiWeh

Lombok

Equator

TamanNegara

Barito

Mekong

Mekong

Kapuas

Hari

Musi

CHINA

MALAYSIA

LAOS

CHINA

CAMBODIA

VIETNAM

THAILAND

BANGLADESH

INDIA

INDIA

MYANMAR(BURMA)

MALAYSIA

INDONESIA

SINGAPORE

AUSTRALIA

INDONESIA

BRUNEIDARUSSALAM

Templesof Angkor

National ParkTanjung Puting

Chiang Mai (Thailand)

Ko Tao (Thailand)

Bangkok (Thailand)

Bagan (Myanmar)

Inle Lake (Myanmar)

Bali (Indonesia)

Tanjung Puting National Park(Indonesia)

Penang (Malaysia)

Temples of Angkor (Cambodia)

Luang Prabang (Laos)

Halong Bay (Vietnam)

Hoi An (Vietnam)

Hanoi (Vietnam)

Study Thai cuisine in thiscultured city (p684)

Learn how to swimwith the fishes (p744)

(p505)

(p648)Mega-watt city of excesses

Ancient temples from hereto eternity (p523)

Placid lake living

Remote research camp fororang-utans (p271)

culinary cultures (p405)Graze through three

Awesome monuments

colourful culture (p190)

riverside city (p329)

Limestone towers anchoring

Blissful beaches and

a jewel-coloured bay (p828)

Antique city for sightseeingand sophistication (p853)

Get lost in an

Reverential

to the gods (p80)

old world (p809)

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia


6/15

S E AP H I L I P P I N E

S E AE A S T C H I N A

Luzon Strait

Sea

SeaVisayan

BoholS

ea

SULU SEA

Sibuyan

O C E A N

TelukCenderawasih

SEAHALMAHERA

BANDA SEA

SERAM SEA

ARAFURA SEA

TIMOR SEA

CELEBES SEA

Bone

Teluk

TominiTeluk

SAWU SEA

FLORES SEA

SEAMALUKU

P A C I F I C

Papua

MANILA

Banaue

DILI

(5030m)Puncak Jaya

20N

10N

0

140E

10S

120E

Samar

DinagatSiargao

BatanesIslands

Islands

IslandsPolillo

Luzon

Cebu

Bohol

Group

Palawan Negros

Panay

Mindoro

Calamian

Babuyan

Mindanao

Letye

Catanduanes

Biak

Aru

Yapen

Pulau

Talaud

IslandsSangir

Halmahera

Morotai

Misool

Banda

ObiBacanPulau

Buru

Islands

Ambon

Seram

Waigeo

IslandsKai

SudarsoYos

IslandsBabar

LetiWetar

WestTimor

Islands IslandsTanimbar

Islands

ArchipelagoSulu

SempornaArchipelago

Tawi-Tawi

Jolo

Banggai

Togean Islands

IslandsSulawesi

IslandsAlor

RoteSawu

IslandsSolor

Sumba

Selayar

Komodo

Flores

Sumbawa IslandAtauro

Butung (Buton)

Sula Islands

Basilan

Equator

TropicofCancer

TorajaTana

GUINEA

NEWPAPUA

PALAU

TAIWAN

PHILIPPINES

AUSTRALIA

TIMOR-LESTE

INDONESIA

Ifugao Rice Terraces(Philippines)

Kuching (Malaysia)

vertical peaks (p570)Emerald staircases mounting

jungles (p450)Gateway to Borneo's

Top Experiences

500 km300 miles

00

Top Experiences


7/15

Iain StewartVietnamIain Stewart first visited, and was captivated by Vietnam as a travellerin 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 thistrip he biked the Ho Chi Minh Highway, sailed to the Chams, drank in Danang andexplored the heart of Phong Nha.

Ryan Ver BerkmoesIndonesia Chapter Coordinator, Bali, Maluku, SulawesiRyan Ver Berkmoes

first visited Indonesia in 1993. On his visits since he has criss-crossed thearchipelago, trying to make a dent in those 17,000 islands. Recent thrills includedfinally reaching the amazing Banda Islands after 18 years of trying, findingthe perfect flat on Bali and being given the seat of honour at a Torajan funeralceremony (it wasnt his, fortunately). Off-island, Ryan lives in Portland, Oregon

and writes about Indonesia, travel and more at ryanverberkmoes.com.

Richard WatersLaos, Kalimantan A visit to Laos in 1999 as the country was still warming tothe west, began a close association with the country that sees Richard return-ing regularly. His first travels were around Europe as a teenager, then CentralAmerica and US by camper van. Writing the Kalimantan chapter was like ajourney back in time and a privilege. These days he writes and shoots for TheSunday Times, Independentand Observer. To read more of his work and articles

about Laos, visit www.richardwaters.co.uk. He lives with his family in the Cotswolds.


8/15

Jayne DArcyTimor-LesteWriting 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 frequentlydreams of boarding an Air North plane and returning (and sometimes shedoes). Partly its to catch up with former colleagues, but mostly its to see howthe country is changing and adapting to its freedom. Jayne is a Melbourne-based author who has a particular fondness for writing about countries that are

recovering after turbulent times.

Shawn LowSingaporeShawn grew up in hot, humid, food-crazy Singapore but later madehis 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. Devouringchilli 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 PresserSouthern ThailandGrowing up in a land where bear hugs are taken literally,this wanderlust-y Canadian always craved swaying palms and golden sand. Atrek 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 uphis pen and rucksack and became a fulltime freelance travel writer. Hes since

co-authored over 40 guidebooks, from Icelandto Thailandand many lands in between.

Nick RayCambodiaA Londoner of sorts, Nick comes from Watford, the sort of town thatmakes you want to travel. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife Kulikar and hisyoung children Julian and Belle. He has written for countless guidebooks on theMekong region, including Lonely Planets Cambodia, Vietnam and Laosbooks.When not writing, he is often out exploring the remote parts of Cambodia as alocation scout and manager for the world of television and film, including movies

Tomb Raiderand Two Brothers. Motorbikes are a part-time passion (riding them a passion, main-taining them part-time) and he has travelled through most of Indochina on two wheels.

Simon RichmondMyanmarA freelance author and photographer, Simon first visited Myanmar in2001; he found a country brimming with beautiful sights and gentle people whowere delighted to have the chance to interact with those from beyond their bor-

ders. A decade later he returned to coordinate Lonely Planets Myanmarguide.The many guides for Lonely Planet Simon has worked on since 1999 includeseveral in Southeast Asia.

Daniel RobinsonMalaysian Borneo, BruneiDaniel has been writing about Southeast Asia since1989, when he researched the award-winning first editions of Lonely Planetsguides to Vietnam and Cambodia. He takes a special interest in tropical rainfor-est habitats and the role that sustainable tourism can play in their conservation.In Borneo, Daniel is especially fond of tramping through Gunung Gading NationalPark in search of giant Rafflesiaflowers and watching orang-utans cavort in

Semenggohs jungle canopy.

Adam SkolnickNusa Tenggara, PapuaAdam Skolnick writes about travel, culture, health, sports,and the environment for Lonely Planet,Mens Health, Outside, and Travel &Leisureamong others. He has authored and co-authored 12 previous LonelyPlanet guidebooks, and has travelled and reported extensively throughout Indo-nesia 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.


9/15

OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense ofadventure. In 1972 thats all Tony and Maureen Wheeler neededfor the trip of a lifetime across Europe and Asia overland toAustralia. It took several months, and at the end broke butinspired they sat at their kitchen table writing and staplingtogether their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap.Within a week theyd sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.

Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London andOakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tonys belief that a great guidebookshould do three things: inform, educate and amuse.

China WilliamsCoordinating author, ThailandChina first came to Thailand to teach English inSurin way back in 1997, a few months prior to the currency crisis. She then back-packed through Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, just like youre doing now. And itwas 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 nineyears. This is her third trip with her son, who is a four-year-old backpacker-in-

training. China lives in Catonsville, Maryland (USA), with her husband, Matt, and son, Felix.

Greg BloomPhilippinesGreg lived in Manila for five years before moving to Cambodia in2009. Travelling the Philippines for Lonely Planet, Greg has fallen offa tricycle,flown out of a jeepney, and survived a bus crash on the back roads of Bicol. Butmostly its been good. When not writing about Southeast Asia, Greg might befound snouting around the former Soviet Union (he once called Kyiv home) orrunning around Asias ultimate frisbee fields.

Celeste BrashMalaysiaCeleste first visited Malaysia while studying at Chiang Mai University,Thailand in 1993 and shes grazed through the hawker capital of the worldseveral times since on cross-Asia trips and for a handful of Lonely Planet titles.When not de-sensitising her taste buds withsambalCeleste lives in street foodladen Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children. Shes contributed toabout 30 Lonely Planet guidebooks. You can follow her travels via her blog

http://coconutradio.blogspot.com.

Stuart ButlerJava, Sumatra Stuart Butler first hit the shores of Indonesia many years agoat the end of a long trans-Asia surf trip. Not surprisingly it was the highlightof his trip. Today Stuart lives with his wife and son on the beautiful beaches ofsouthwest France. His travels for Lonely Planet and a variety of internationalsurf magazines have taken him across Indonesia and beyond, from the desertbeaches of Yemen to the coastal jungles of Colombia.

Read more about Greg at:lonelyplanet.com/members/gbloom4

OUR WRITERS

Although the authors and Lonely Planet have taken all reason-

able care in preparing this book, we make no warranty aboutthe accuracy or completeness of its content and, to the maxi-

mum extent permitted, disclaim all liability arising from its use.

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 983

16th edition July 2012

ISBN 978 1 74179 854 8

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 thewritten permission of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trademarks of Lonely Planet and are registered in the US Patentand Trademark Office and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, suchas 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.

OVERPAGE MOREWRITERS


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Itiner-aries

Whether youve got six weeks

or six months, these itineraries

provide a starting point for the

trip of a lifetime. Want moreinspiration? Head online to

lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to

chat with other travellers.

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Bali

Gunung

Bromo

KoTao

Penang

Krabi

Yogyakarta

ChiangMai

Hoi AnSiemReap

HoChiMinh City(Saigon)

Phuket

KUALALUMPUR

JAKARTA

HANOI

SINGAPORE

PHNOMPENH

BANGKOK

LuangPrabang

PHILIPPINES

BRUNEI

MYANMAR(BURMA)

LAOS

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

MALAYSIA

THAILAND

INDONESIA

SOUTH

CHINA SEA

Eight WeeksThe Best of Southeast Asia

If you want a sampler plate of Southeast Asia, then plan on jetting between coun-

tries to hit the highlights. Most international airlines fly to Bangkok, a chaotic butfantastic city. Fly to Siem Reapto see Angkors magnificent temples. Bus to PhnomPenhand on to Vietnams bustling Ho Chi Minh City. Work your way north with

a stop in adorable Hoi Anand on to Hanoi. Air-lift out of Vietnam to laid-back LuangPrabang, Laos world heritage city, and then fly to chic Chiang Mai.

Return to Bangkok by overnight train and work your way south to Ko Taoto learn how todive before hitting the beachy hot spots on Thailands Andaman coast: Phuket, Ko Phi-Phiand Krabi.

Fly from polished Phuket to Penang and overland to Malaysias multiethnic capitalKuala Lumpur. Catch a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Jakartaand soak up the culture inYogyakartaand then bus to Gunung Bromo, an active volcano. Leapfrog to blessed Balifor sun, fun and culture. Then catch a cheap flight to sophisticated Singapore, which hasair connections to everywhere else.

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Mainland Explorer

Beaches, Beaches

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KoLanta

SiemReap

PulauTioman

Langkawi Pulau Perhentian

Khao Lak

KoTaoKoPha-Ngan&

KoSamui

Khao YaiNationalPark

Mersing

Penang

VangVieng

InleLake

Sapa

Bagan

Krabi

ChiangRai

Pai

Hoi An

Hue

ChiangMai

KotaBharu

HalongBay

Ayuthaya

NakhonRatchasima

Mandalay

LuangPrabang

Yangon

Ho ChiMinh City(Saigon)

PHNOMPENH

VIENTIANE

KUALALUMPUR

HANOI

BANGKOK

Bavet

NhaTrang

Poipet

LuangNamTha

HuayXai

Mui Ne

Sukhothai

Mae HongSon

ANDAMANSEA

SOUTHCHINA SEA

CAMBODIA

MALAYSIA

THAILAND

MYANMAR(BURMA) LAOS

VIETNAM

Four to Eight WeeksMainland Explorer

From Bangkok head to NakhonRatchasima, gateway to Khmertemples. Get muddy in Khao YaiNational Park, then hightail it to

the border at Poipet, aiming for Siem Reapand 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 MuiNeor Nha Trang, theantique city of Hoi An and imperial Hue.Rest in Hanoi, a mature, manicured capital.Cruise karst-filled Halong Bayand detourto Sapaand its highland communities. Re-turn to Hanoi.

Fly to the Lao capital, Vientiane, bus toathletic Vang Viengand on to Luang Pra-bang, a reverential riverside city. Continueto the trekking centre of Luang Nam Tha.

Ride the Mekong River to the LaosThailandborder at Huay Xai.

Slide into Chiang Rai for hill-tribe treks,or Chiang Mai. Escape to the mountains ofPaior Mae Hong Son. Pay homage to an-cient capitals at Sukhothai andAyuthaya.

Return to Bangkok. Fly to MyanmarsYangon and continue to the island mon-asteries of Inle Lake, the ancient capital ofMandalayand the ruins of Bagan.

Three to Four Weeks

Beaches, Beaches

From Bangkok, make a beeline forthe beach-bum islands in the Gulf

of Thailand: dive-crazy Ko Tao, hip-pie Ko Pha-Ngan and resorty Ko

Samui. Get certified on Tao, then follow theherd across to the Andaman coast. KhaoLakis the base for live-aboard dive trips tothe world-class Surin and Similan islands.

Skip down to adrenalin-charged Krabi,

home to rock-climbing and cave exploringand then chill-out on laid-back Ko Lanta.Island-hop across the border at PulauLangkawito Penangto balance beachingwith hawker-centre bingeing.

From Penang, bus to Kota Bharu, thejumping-off point for the fabulous jungle

islands of Pulau Perhentian. Chase thecoastline south to Mersing, the mainlandport for sleepy Pulau Tioman, before re-

turning to civilisation in Kuala Lumpur.There are even more beaches to explore

on even bigger islands. See our Indonesia to

Timor-Leste itinerary.

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(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

DANIELBOAG/LONELYPLANETIMAGES

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Togean Islands

Komodo

Gili Trawangan

Pulau Bunaken

PulauWeh

Langkawi Pulau Perhentian SepilokMt Kinabalu

TanaToraja

Taman

Negara

GunungBromo

Borobudur

Penang

Manado

Medan

Banda

Aceh

Flores

BukitLawang

Berastagi

Yogyakarta

KotaBharu

Semporna

Denpasar

Kuching

KotaKinabalu

DILI

JAKARTA

BANDARSERIBEGAWAN

KUALALUMPURMelaka

SINGAPORE

Makassar

PHILIPPINES

BRUNEI

MALAYSIA

INDONESIA

THAILAND

INDONESIA

TIMOR-LESTE

SOUTHCHINA

SEA

Indonesia to Timor-Leste

Tramp Malaysia & Beyond

Four to Eight Weeks

Indonesia to Timor-Leste

Start at Indonesias tip in Medanon the island of Sumatra, trundle

to the orang-utan outpost of BukitLawang and go volcano hiking in

Berastagi. Return to Medan and fly to love-ly Banda Acehand dive-tastic Pulau Weh.

Buzz to Java, touching down in Jakarta.Cruise Yogyakartas culture trail. Daytrip to the giant stupa of Borobudur or

huff-and-puffup Gunung Bromo.Leapfrog to Denpasar, in Bali, to nuzzle

the sandy beaches of the Bukit Peninsula or

get cultured in Ubud. Party in Gili Trawan-gan, spot dragons on Komodoand go rus-tic on the beaches of Flores. Check your visaand apply for an extension before flying to

Makassar on the island of Sulawesi. Busto Tana Toraja, where funeral rituals areancient and bloody. (Stay tuned for a Tana

Toraja airport in 2013.) Travel to the TogeanIslands and the northern diving boardof Pulau Bunaken. Fly from Manado toKuala Lumpur.

Alternatively, from Denpasar hop over

to Timor-Lestes capital of Dili to tour oldcolonial towns and uncrowded reefs.

Four WeeksTramp Malaysia & Beyond

Touchdown in Kuala Lumpur, aneasy city for international arrivals.

Bus to the tranquil Cameron High-

lands and its glossy green tea plan-

tations. Follow the northern migration to

Penangfor street eats and Malaysian fusionculture. Detour to the beaches of Langkawi.Return to Georgetown and bus to KotaBharu, the jump-offpoint for car-free, care-

free ambience on Pulau Perhentian. Pickup the Jungle Railway to Taman Negara,an ancient, accessible wilderness.

Return to Kuala Lumpur for a well-planned, 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-utansanctuary. Swing over to Semporna, thegateway to dive sites. Culture vultures should

detour to the oil-rich oddity of Brunei and itsunassuming capital, Bandar Seri Begawan(BSB), surrounded by pristine rainforestsand water villages. Or fly from Kota Kina-

balu to Kuchingin Sarawak state, formerlyknown as the land of the headhunters.

If youre a city slicker, skip Borneo and

cruise through Melaka, a colonial portof call, and then into Singapore for animmersion in modern Asia.

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North Luzon

KoChang

Ko Pha-Ngan#

PulauPerhentian

CameronHighlands

Bali

FloresKomodo

Tanjung PutingNational Park

TamanNegara

Penang

Tebedu

PangkalanBun

Krabi

VangVieng

Pakse

KampotSihanoukville

Pontianak

Banjarmasin

Yangon

SiemReap

Luang Prabang

Kuching

HoChiMinh City(Saigon)

KUALALUMPUR

DILI

HANOI

BANGKOK

PHNOMPENH

MANILA

VIENTIANE

JAKARTA

Yogyakarta

Cebu

Na Meo

PHILIPPINES

MYANMAR(BURMA)

LAOS

MALAYSIA

INDONESIA

THAILAND

TIMOR-LESTE

VIETNAM

CAMBODIA

INDONESIA

Six MonthsThe Whole Shebang

Start offin Bangkok and follow the eastern seaboard to forested Ko Chang, crossthe Hat LekCham Yeam border bound for Sihanoukvillescollection of scruffy andsublime beaches. Stop in Franco-influenced Kampotand its nearby hill station. Turninland to Phnom Penh to pay your respects at its genocide museums then bus to

Siem Reapand the monumental splendour of Angkor.Board a flight to Pakse, gateway to the easy river living of Si Phan Don. Bus toVientiane

and on to Vang Vieng then Luang Prabang. Trundle to Nong Khiaw for tribal trek-king. Follow the rugged, revolutionaries trail through the Na Meoborder, a remote andadventurous crossing toHanoi.

Work your way through Vietnam, sampling history, culture and beaches. Fly from Ho ChiMinh Cityto Bangkokand slide down the Malay Peninsula, swimming and diving aroundKo Pha-Nganin the Gulf of Thailand and around Krabiin the Andaman Sea.

Slip into Malaysia for the street eats of Penang. Cross the peninsula for the peaceful beach re-treat of Pulau Perhentian. Pick up the Jungle Railway to Taman Negara, a wilderness preserve.Detour to the mist-shrouded hills of Cameron Highlandsand then alight in Kuala Lumpur.

Fly to Jakarta (Java) and immerse yourself in the cultural city of Yogyakarta andthe Unesco treasure of Borobudur. Bask on the beach in Bali, escape the beach crowds inFlores, and go dragon-spotting on Komodo. Return to Bali and catch a flight to DiliinTimor-Leste, a fledgling tourist nation.

Alternatively, from Jakarta fly to Banjarmasin (Kalimantan) for a jungle excursioninto Borneo. Catch another flight to Pangkalan Bunwith connections to the orang-utanresearch camps of Tanjung Puting National Park.

Fly from Banjarmasin to Pontianakand then bus to the EntikongTebedu border toMalaysias Kuching, a gateway to more Borneo nature reserves and former headhuntingcultures. After a cheap flight back to Kuala Lumpur, catch a connection toYangon(Myan-mar) and its Buddhist temples and isolated people, or to Manila (Philippines) and itsCatholic population and volcanic setting. Bus to the mountains of North Luzon, then flyto Cebu, gateway to the Visayas beaches. If you opt for the Philippines route, you can thenhop into East Asia (China or Japan) without having to backtrack.

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