South East Asia
Southeast Asia is a hugely popular tourist region due, for the most part, to its wide range of attractions and very affordable prices. It is also viewed as a very safe part of the world for travelers There are countless popular beach and island destinations such as Phuket, Koh Samui, and Boracay, stunning coastal scenery such as in Krabi, Phi Phi Islands, El Nino, and Halong Bay, nature and wildlife havens such as Borneo and Sumatra. The region has world famous cultural and religious attractions like at Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Bagan, and Bali, and large metropolitan areas such as Jakarta, Manila, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore.
For active travelers, there is a whole host of adventure sports such as trekking, surfing, white water rafting, and of course scuba diving. Being located in the Coral Triangle, SE Asia can lay claim to be among the best, if not the best place to scuba dive in the entire world. Raja Ampat, Komodo, Sipadan, Tubbataha rank at the top of many experienced diver’s bucket list destinations. All of this just scratches the surface of what’s on offer for visitors to South East Asia…
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Recent South East Asia Articles
The Komodo National Park: a Hidden World Beyond the Dragon
Scenic view of the Komodo National Park. Photo courtesy: Teman Sandwiched between the larger islands of Flores and Sumbawa, the hilly and desolate Komodo National Park offers you the chance to dive some of the most awe-inspiring reefs in the world and catch a glimpse...
Reef Alert – Coral Reefs Under Threat
Coral reefs around the world are under siege - FACT. Threats from over-fishing, urban coastal encroachment and rising sea temperatures are destroying sensitive corals and devastating the marine life they support. Bleached coral on the Great Barrier Reef. Photo...
Bunaken National Marine Park – Sulawesi’s Legendary Wall Dives
Snorkelling on the incredible walls of Bunaken The park was formally established at Bunaken in 1991 and was among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park measures in at just under 80,000 hectares of land (3%) and sea (97%), located in Manado...
Bali’s Marine Protected Areas – Where Community and Conservation Create Sanctuary
Indonesia's most popular tourist island has 2 official marine protected areas: The Bali Barat National Park The Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area Bali Barat Bali Barat National Park The Bali Barat National Park, or West Bali National Park, covers 190 km² of which...
From Water Fights to Sky Lanterns: a Guide to Thai Festivals
From the chaotic, water-soaked streets of Songkran to the serene, candlelit glow of Yi Peng, Thai festivals are a breathtaking display of culture, faith, and pure joy. This guide will take you through the most spectacular celebrations in the Land of Smiles, revealing...
A Brief History of Pulau Sipadan – From Obscure Island to World’s Top Dive Site
Rising majestically from the deep blue heart of the Celebes Sea, Sipadan Island is often hailed as the crown jewel of diving. But long before it was consistently ranked among the top dive sites on Earth, this oceanic volcano had a rich and tumultuous history. Its...
Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area – So Good!
Officially established in 2001, the Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area (SIMCA) is situated in the South Sulu Sea, 80 km off the coast of Borneo, and 40 km from Turtle Island Park, covering 467 km² of open sea including 3 main atoll islands: Lankayan, Tegaipil...
Muck Diving in Mabul: A Macro Photographer’s Paradise
Blue-ringed octopus. Photo courtesy of Seaventures Dive Rig. Personally I had never been much of a fan of the smaller stuff that scuba divers look for underwater. Give me schools of chevron barracuda, manta rays, hammerhead sharks and throw in the occasional whale...
Tun Sakaran Marine Park – The Soul of Semporna
Gavin Macaulay talks to Helen Brunt about the establishment of a marine park in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo... Q: What is happening in Semporna and what has been your involvement? 30 years ago this area was identified as an area of outstanding marine biodiversity by Dr...