South East Asia

One country is a holiday. Two is a trip.

Nowhere else makes multi-centre travel this cheap or this easy.

Hanoi to Siem Reap is an hour. Singapore to Bali, under three. Bangkok to Chiang Mai, seventy minutes. These flights cost less than a UK train fare, which means adding a second or third country to a South East Asian trip barely moves the total — and the countries genuinely differ. Thailand is Buddhist and set up for visitors; Vietnam is long, thin and best worked north to south; Bali is Hindu and ceremonial; Malaysia is the easiest of all for British travellers.

Planning South East Asia

• The seasons don't line up. Bali is dry April to October. Thailand's Andaman coast is dry November to April. Vietnam has three climates at once. We check each leg against your dates.
• Internal flights are absurdly cheap. Often under £50 for an hour. Adding a second country costs far less than most people assume — it's the best value decision in the region.
• Fly open-jaw where the geography suits. Vietnam and Cambodia especially: in at Hanoi, home from Siem Reap. Usually the same fare, and it saves two days.
• Break the flight in the Gulf. Twelve to sixteen hours out. Three nights in Dubai or Doha turns it into two manageable legs and often costs no more.
• It's the cheapest region once you land. Meals for a few pounds, good hotels for a fraction of European prices. Over a fortnight the total frequently undercuts the Mediterranean.