South East Asia – Great Places to Go

South East Asia is a region of Asia south of China, east of India and north of Australia. It covers many different countries, but four great places to go are located in Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. One can visit many of the countries in South East Asia but the best thing to do is to pick one spot and spend a couple of weeks there.

Cambodia – Phnom Penh

The capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh and it is the industrial, cultural, tourist and historical center of Cambodia. Phnom Penh was known once as the “Pearl of Asia” as it had many buildings built as part of the French colony there known as Indochina in the 1920s. The city itself was founded in the middle ages and has many beautiful buildings that date back to this era, as well as influence from European architecture throughout the Renaissance and Classical eras.

The grand boulevards of Phnom Penh are interspersed with buildings from all these different architectural traditions. Phnom Penh is the most modern of the Cambodian cities and has very interesting architecture which is a fusion of old traditions and modern needs.

There is a National Museum and a Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum which used to be a Khmer Rouge prison.

Vietnam – Hanoi

Vietnam’s capital is Hanoi and it is certainly one of the great places to go in South East Asia. Hanoi is an ancient city and was important for Vietnam from 1010 AD onwards. The city is exactly 1000 years old in October 2010 and for this reason it is filled with many historical and cultural activities and festivals which will be a good reason to go there for tourists at this time. Hanoi became a part of French Indochina but gained its independence in 1954.

But Hanoi’s history goes back as far as 3000 BC and you can still see evidence of these settlements in the city’s many archaeological exhibits. The city is full of castles, lakes, picturesque views and is actually one of the most romantic cities in South East Asia.

Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur is only about 150 years old, however, it is one of the most staggeringly beautiful modern cities in South East Asia. The Kuala Lumpur skyline is one of the most unique in all of the world. The Petronas Twin Towers look like glass towers shining at night and make the perfect frame for the skyline which is closed on the other end by the Kuala Lumpur tower.

Kuala Lumpur is also a hub in South East Asia for travel and for this reason has developed many multicultural traditions. Anything is available in Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore – City of Singapore

The Republic of Singapore is a city state in South East Asia which is a travel hub and a confluence of many traditions. The population is mainly ethnic Chinese or native Indonesian, however, they are influenced by both Buddhism and Islamic traditions, as well as Christian ones.

Singapore is one of the most popular travel destinations in South East Asia and also one of the most developed countries in the world.