South East Asia

South East Asia at a Glance

Countries in South East Asia

  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Cambodia
  • Malaysia
  • Indonesia
  • Laos
  • Singapore
  • The Philippines
  • Brunei
  • Myanmar
  • Timor-Leste

An Important Note

South East Asia is a region made up of diverse countries with different religions, currencies, languages, customs, cuisines, tourist visa processes and ways of living. While there are some similarities between countries, it is important to remember that each country is different so always do your research into specific countries before travelling.

Weather

Different countries in South East Asia have wildly different climates. The majority of South East Asia countries are tropical, meaning they do not have four seasons and instead have a wet and dry season. Dry season tends to be hotter with less chance of rainfall (usually this is also high season for tourism). Wet season can still be quite warm, but it’s much more humid and more likely to experience rainfall including typhoons and extreme wet weather.

Even though most countries in South East Asia have a wet and dry season, the dates of these seasons differ from country to country. Always make sure you research the climate in every different country when planning a trip!

In the more northern parts of South East Asia (northern Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar), they experience four seasons and can even get snow in winter.

Travel Routes

South East Asia is a very popular region for backpacking and there are many different popular travel routes.

Most travellers avoid travel to Myanmar, Brunei and Timor-Leste due to safety concerns and how difficult they are to backpack. All other countries are considered fairly safe to backpack and are also pretty accessible to travel around on a budget.

You can travel overland to a lot of countries in South East Asia. For example, you could start in Singapore, then head to Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam without needing to fly. The Philippines and Indonesia are island nations so not accessible overland, but flights are short and relatively inexpensive from other South East Asian countries.

When planning your route, the most important thing to consider is the different wet and dry seasons, so you can enjoy the best weather for outdoor activities.

South East Asian Country Guides

Looking for tips and advice for backpacking South East Asia?