Planning a Southeast Asia trip can feel overwhelming because every country offers something completely different. Some are better for beaches, some are better for food, some are easier for first-time travellers, and some completely surprise you once you get there.
In 2025, we finished our time in Europe and began exploring Asia. Over two months, we travelled through Singapore, Malaysia, Borneo, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, experiencing unique cultures, eating incredible food, learning about history and embracing the beautiful chaos of life in Southeast Asia.
This is our honest ranking of the best countries to visit in Southeast Asia based on our own experience. Of course, everyone travels differently, and what we loved might not be what someone else looks for in a trip.
But if you are planning your own Southeast Asia adventure, this should help you decide which countries might suit your travel style best.
Quick Tips: Our Southeast Asia Travel Awards
Overall favourite: Vietnam
Best for food: Vietnam
Best for scenery and beaches: Thailand
Best for budget travellers: Vietnam
Best for wildlife: Malaysia, especially Borneo
Best for first-time visitors: Singapore
Best for learning history: Cambodia
Friendliest locals: Malaysia
Most underrated: Malaysia, especially Borneo
Travel Tip: Don't wait until you arrive to sort out your mobile data. Having an eSIM set up before your flight can save a lot of hassle, especially if you need maps, ride-hailing apps, or accommodation details as soon as you land.
We personally use Airalo when we travel and are happy to recommend it. If you choose to purchase an eSIM through our affiliate link, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping us continue creating free travel guides and content.
Contents
4. Thailand – Best for Beaches, Scenery and Backpackers
3. Cambodia – Best for History and Meaningful Travel
2. Malaysia and Borneo – Best for Wildlife and Underrated Adventures
1. Vietnam – Best Overall Country to Visit in Southeast Asia
5. Singapore – Best for First-Time Visitors and Stopovers
Rating: 7.5/10
When this list starts with Singapore, you know it is going to be good. Singapore is a great soft launch into Southeast Asia. It is by far the most westernised country we visited in the region, but it still has that outdoor lifestyle, warm weather and exciting food scene that make this part of the world so enjoyable.
The food in Singapore is fantastic, even if it was not our favourite in Southeast Asia. Hawker centres are a great place to try traditional Singaporean food, and they can be far more affordable than eating in restaurants.
Singapore was also the place we realised how delicious duck can be. The restaurant scene is excellent too, with high-quality food from almost every cuisine you can think of, but you should expect to pay more for it.
If you are travelling for scenery and adventure, Singapore is probably not the strongest option on this list. Although there are beautiful green spaces, a lot of the greenery in the city feels very polished and man-made, such as Gardens by the Bay.
Singapore was also by far the most expensive country we visited in Southeast Asia. Accommodation, food, taxis and almost everything else will cost you more than in the surrounding countries.
However, the ease of Singapore makes it perfect for first-time visitors. It is often a stopover destination, which means it may be your first experience of Asia anyway. The modern feel of the city, excellent public transport and general convenience make it very easy to travel stress-free.
Singapore is definitely worth visiting, especially if you are looking for a more convenient and comfortable travel destination. Just be prepared to pay for that convenience.
If you are planning a short stopover, you can also read our 24 hours in Singapore itinerary here.
4. Thailand – Best for Beaches, Scenery and Backpackers
Rating: 8/10
Thailand can really be split into two categories: beach and nature Thailand, and city Thailand. If you like to party, Thailand may be higher up your list, with Bangkok and Phuket being two of the biggest party destinations in the world.
The food in Thailand is fantastic. We could happily share pad Thai, pad kra pao and morning glory every night for dinner. Add in the fresh fruit, curries and street food, and you are never going to go hungry.
The beaches and scenery in Thailand are some of the best we have seen anywhere in the world. Koh Tao, Koh Samui and Ao Nang were the best places we visited for beaches and coastal scenery. If you prefer mountains, jungle and a more peaceful side of Thailand, heading north towards Chiang Mai would also be a great option.
Thailand is cheap compared to Europe, although the huge number of tourists means accommodation can quickly bring up your spending, particularly in Bangkok and the islands. If you are a solo traveller or trying to keep costs down, hostels could definitely be worth considering. Everything else in the country is generally very budget-friendly.
Thailand is popular with travellers from all over the world, and it deserves to be. However, it is also important to travel responsibly. Be mindful of animal tourism, child labour and exploitative nightlife experiences. If you would not support something at home, it is worth questioning whether you should support it abroad.
Overall, Thailand gives you great people, incredible food and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It is popular for a reason, and if your dream Southeast Asia trip is beaches, islands and scenery, Thailand is very hard to beat.
3. Cambodia – Best for History and Meaningful Travel
Rating: 8.5/10
Cambodia is a seriously underrated place to visit. It has a very dark history that you need to learn about, but it also has some of the friendliest people and most welcoming environments we experienced in Southeast Asia.
The food in Cambodia is good, but for us, it did not blow us away in the same way as some other parts of Asia. We did have some delicious spring rolls and excellent meat dishes in particular, but food would not be our main reason for recommending Cambodia.
If you want to enjoy some beach time in Cambodia, you need to go to Koh Rong. You can catch a ferry from Preah Sihanouk and head to some incredible beaches that feel similar to Thailand, but often a little less developed.
For us, the real power of Cambodia comes from its people and its history. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with smiles. We have heard of people having different experiences, particularly on nights out, but we personally felt nothing but warmth.
This becomes even more meaningful when you learn about Cambodia’s recent history, especially the reign of the Khmer Rouge, which resulted in the deaths of around a quarter of the Cambodian population. There are no words that can fully describe how learning about this makes you feel, but it is something that should be taught more widely around the world.
Of course, Cambodia is also home to the ancient history of Angkor Wat, one of the most famous temple complexes in the world. A sunrise tour allows you to see it in all its glory while also avoiding some of the intense Cambodian heat in the middle of the day. It is a must-see on any Southeast Asia trip.
We were able to book this tour through our hotel, Central Blanche Residence, which was fantastic all around for our stay.
Cambodia, for us, is a country more people should be visiting. It has so much history to learn from, and it gives you the chance to understand a country that has been through so much while still welcoming visitors with kindness.
If you are interested in seeing more of our Cambodia trip, you can watch our Cambodia vlog here.
2. Malaysia and Borneo – Best for Wildlife and Underrated Adventures
Rating: 9/10
Malaysia really surprised us, and it is a country we would love to see more of. Kuala Lumpur ticks all the boxes for a big Asian city: great food, impressive shopping, modern buildings and a really useful metro system. But Borneo is what made Malaysia stand out for us.
The moment you land in Malaysia, you are surrounded by people who seem to genuinely want to make your time there easier. This was even more noticeable in Borneo, where we were constantly offered help, kindness and food by people we met along the way.
The food in Kuala Lumpur was great, although we did not find it quite as exciting in Borneo. It was still good enough that it was never a problem, especially because we were too busy being amazed by the nature and wildlife.
Malaysia is also a very affordable country when you eat local food, with higher-end options available if you want them. Accommodation in Kuala Lumpur was excellent for the price, and the hostels in Borneo had great double rooms for the two of us.
For our time in Borneo, we stayed in budget-friendly hostels that worked well for what we needed. In Kota Kinabalu, we stayed at this hostel, and before heading to the Kinabatangan River, we stayed at this hostel in Sandakan.
The real reason to go to Borneo is the nature. In Kota Kinabalu, you can spend one day up in the mountains, learning about how locals used to live in the jungle, and the next day you can be on a small island beach, snorkelling in clear water and soaking up the sun.
At the other end of Sabah, if you choose to get picked up from Sandakan and driven to the Kinabatangan River for a few days, you have just made one of the best choices of your life. Spending a few days seeing animals in the wild, including orangutans and pygmy elephants, is something you will never forget. It will be more expensive than a lot of other trips you do in Southeast Asia, but it is 100% worth it.
Our Kinabatangan River tour was through Sukau Greenview Travel, who we highly recommend!
Malaysia and Borneo should be on your bucket list. It is one of the most underrated places we visited, and somewhere we cannot recommend enough.
If wildlife is one of your main reasons for visiting Southeast Asia, you can read our Kinabatangan River experience here, or our guide to visiting Sepilok Orangutan Centre here.
1. Vietnam – Best Overall Country to Visit in Southeast Asia
Rating: 9.5/10
Vietnam is one of our favourite countries in the world, and it is now the place we choose to call home. It is becoming more and more popular with tourists every year, and once you visit, it is easy to understand why.
Vietnam has the widest variety of incredible food out of any country we have been to. Vietnamese food itself is delicious, but if it is not your favourite, you can find almost anything here at a high standard and often for very low prices. From street food to cafés, local restaurants and international food, Vietnam is hard to beat.
The scenery in Vietnam also has so much variety. From the dramatic landscapes of Ha Giang and Ha Long Bay to the beaches of Hoi An, the lanterns of the old town, the mountains in the north and the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, you really can experience so many different types of travel in one country.
The price, the friendliness of the people and the ease of getting around make Vietnam a great option for travellers of any experience level. Whether you are backpacking, travelling as a couple, visiting for a short holiday or staying longer term, Vietnam has something for you.
You should also make sure you take in some of the history while you are here. There are excellent war museums in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the Cu Chi Tunnels are a great day trip with a lot of education to go with it.
Vietnam is becoming popular as a tourist destination for a reason. Figure out the weather for the time of year you are travelling, plan your route properly and make it happen.
If you are planning your own Vietnam trip, we have written more guides that may help. You can also read our guide to making a bigger trip out of your visit here.
Final Thoughts: Which Southeast Asian Country Should You Visit?
Every country we visited in Southeast Asia had something unique to offer. Singapore is easy and convenient, Thailand has some of the best beaches and scenery in the world, Cambodia is powerful and meaningful, Malaysia and Borneo are wildly underrated, and Vietnam is, for us, the best overall country to visit in Southeast Asia.
If we had to recommend one country for a first Southeast Asia trip, we would probably choose Vietnam because of the mix of food, price, scenery, culture and ease of travel. If you want beaches, choose Thailand. If you want wildlife, choose Borneo. If you want history, choose Cambodia. If you want somewhere easy and convenient, choose Singapore.
If you can, try to combine a few of them into one trip. The best country for you will depend on what matters most to your travel style, whether that is food, budget, beaches, history, wildlife or convenience.
No matter where you choose, remember to appreciate the culture, travel responsibly and embrace the chaos. That is where some of the best travel memories are made.
No comments