4 Week South East Asia Itineraries

South East Asia is a beautiful part of the world with so much to explore. If you’re lucky enough to have a month to explore the region, here are some of the best 4 week South East Asia itineraries filled with where to go, best things to do in each area and how to travel between each location. If you are travelling for 2 or 3 months, you could stretch out the routes by staying longer in each place or try combining a few.

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4 Week Mainland South East Itinerary

This route is very similar to the start of our 4 month trip around south east and oceania. I’ve altered the length of stay in some places to condense the trip and because we found we maybe didn’t need that long there. After Chiang Mai, we flew down to Phuket then on to Australia from there. Hanoi is a great place to start as there are lots of international lights flying into Hanoi. If you are travelling back home after Chiang Mai, you may need  to transit via Bangkok. You can either fly and get a connecting flight or take the night train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

This route includes:

Week 1

During your stay in Hanoi, I recommend visiting the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison Museum and seeing a water puppet show. Take a day trip from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay to take a boat tour off the bay. Click here to see the tour we took. We had plenty of time at each stop and the food on board was great.

Take the train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, a rural town with fantastic scenery. The two big things to do in Ninh Binh are a hike up Mua Hang viewpoint and a boat ride in Trang An. Click here for more things to do in Ninh Binh. After your stay there, take the train back to Hanoi to fly south to Ho Chi Minh City.

Week 2

HCMC, also known as Saigon, has some fantastic museums. Visit the War Remnants museum to learn more about the Vietnam War. Squeeze in a day trip here too. The Cu Chi tunnels is a popular attraction but if you are a little claustrophobic, take a tour of the mekong delta instead.

From Ho Chi Minh city, take a 6 hours bus to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. In the city, explore Buddhist temples and the Royal Palace. Learn more about the Khmer Rouge Regime at the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum and the Cheoung Ek Killing fields.

Following Phnom Penh, hop on another 6 hour bus across Cambodia to Siem Reap. This is the nearest town to the Angkor Wat temple complex. There are lots of temples here, not just Angkor Wat! Start early to catch the sunrise and consider hiring a bike or tuk tuk to get from temple to temple. Prioritse which ones you want to see as you likely won’t get to them all in one day. Ta Prohm temple is a must see!

End the week with an 8 hour bus trip to Bangkok (last one!). 

Week 3

In Bangkok, be sure to explore the temples and Grand Palace. Click here for a self-guided temple tour route.

On your last day in Bangkok. Take a night train to Nong Khai near the border of Thailand and Laos. From here you’ll cross the border and take a local bus into Vientiane. Click here for full details on this journey.

In Vientiane, one of my personal highlights was the COPE visitor centre. They do some amazing work to support rural Lao people who are still facing the impacts of the Vietnam war. Click here for more things to do in Vientiane.

From Vientiane, take a short train to Vang Vieng. While there, visit Tham Nam Water Cave, the Blue Lagoon and Nam Xay viewpoint. After Vang Vieng, it’s another train to Luang Prabang. 

Week 4

This is a beautiful rural town along the Mekong river. In fact, the whole town is a UNESCO world heritage site. My highlights of Luang Prabang are Kuang Si waterfall, Nahm Dong park and hiking up Mount Phousi. Click here for more things to do here.

You will be flying to your last destination, Chiang Mai. If you have more time, you can take a slow boat along the river and a bus to Chiang Mai. This takes around 2 days.

In Chiang Mai, I recommend taking a cooking class – we did ours at Asia Scenic Cooking school and hiking the monk’s trail. If you feel up to hiring a moped and exploring further afield, take day trips to Doi Inthanon national park and Doi Pui.

4 Week South Mainland South East Asia Itinerary

This 4 week itinerary takes you around the southern part of mainland South East Asia, from Ho chi min city in Vietnam to Singapore – technically just off the mainland.

This route is great if you want to explore two or three countries a little more rather than hopping around to multiple countries. Vietnam and Thailand aren’t small countries though so there is still a lot of travel involved here. Cambodia is nestled in between the two so why not squeeze in a visit to the world famous Angkor Wat while passing through?

Week 1 

Whilst in Hanoi, visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison Museum, Hoan Kiem Lake and see a water puppet show. You can take a one or two day trip from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. Click here to see the tour we took. We had plenty of time at each stop and the food on board was great.

Take the train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, a rural town with fantastic scenery. Hike up Mua Hang viewpoint and a boat ride in either Trang An or Tam Coc. Click here for more things to do in Ninh Binh. After Ninh Binh, take a night train to Hue.

Week 2

Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam. Soak in the history at Hue Imperial city and historic citadel. Be sure to also visit Dong Ba market. Following Hue, take a short 2 hour train to Hoi An, another ancient Vietnamese town. Hoi An was an important trading port and is still well known for its markets and tailors. 

From Hoi An, you can either hop on a 1 hour flight or take a 19 hour train (ideally overnight) to Ho Chi Minh City. Once in HCMC, visit the War Remnants museum and Tao Dan Park. You won’t have long in the city long but if you want to fit in a day trip, try either a tour of the Mekong Delta or the Cu Chi tunnels.

Week 3

From Ho Chi Minh city, take a 6 hours bus to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. In the city, explore Buddhist temples and the Royal Palace. Learn more about the Khmer Rouge Regime at the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum and the Cheoung Ek Killing fields.

Following Phnom Penh, hop on another 6 hour bus across Cambodia to Siem Reap. This is the nearest town to the Angkor Wat temple complex. There are lots of temples here, not just Angkor Wat – Ta Prohm was my favourite. Start early if you can as the sunrise over Angkor Wat is a fantastic sight. Consider hiring a bike or tuk tuk to get from temple to temple. Prioritise which ones you want to see as you likely won’t get to them all in one day. For more tips on making the most of your visit to Angkor Wat click here.

Next up is Bangkok (after an 8 hour bus journey). Bangkok has lots of decadent temples to explore and buddha statues to see. The Emerald Buddha and Reclining Buddha are two of the most visited. Click here for a self guide tour that will show you all the best temples in one day.

On your last day in Bangkok, you’ll take a night train up to Chiang Mai.

Week 4

Chiang Mai is my favourite place in Thailand. The city itself is fantastic, especially if you visit on a Sunday for the extensive market. But the real gems lie just outside the city. Hire moped or take a tour to visit Doi Pui, Doi Suthep and Doi Inthanon National Park

If you want to end your trip with some relaxing days by the beach, fly south to Phuket or Krabi. From either you can also take a day trip to the Phi phi islands.

4 Weeks in Northern Mainland South East Asia

This route keeps you to the northern part of South East Asia, exploring Northern Vietnam, Laos and Chiang Mai, Thailand. This route is great for those who love hiking, exploring nature and learning about different cultures. Aside from the starting and end point, this route mostly avoids major cities. Hanoi and Bangkok are big transport hubs so easy places to start and end your journey.

Week 1

This journey starts in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. At the start of this itinerary you’ll be in and out of Hanoi whilst exploring Northern Vietname Whilst there, visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison Museum, Hoan Kiem Lake and see a water puppet show. You can take a one or two day trip from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. Click here to see the tour we took. We had plenty of time at each stop and the food on board was great.

Take the train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, a rural town with fantastic scenery. Hike up Mua Hang viewpoint and a boat ride in either Trang An or Tam Coc. Click here for more things to do in Ninh Binh. After Ninh Binh, take the train back up to Hanoi for a night before getting 6 hour bus up to Sapa. You could do this journey all in one day if you want to without the night in Hanoi.

Week 2

Sapa is a rural town in the north of Vietnam, surrounded by valleys of rice terraces. There are plenty of hikes around the area. You can also take a cable car up Mount Fansipan to see the monastery and big buddha statue. Spend time exploring the town and markets too.

After your time in Sapa, take the bus back to Hanoi to catch a flight to Vientiane, Laos. Again you maybe able to time your bus and flight so you don’t need another night in Hanoi but it might be safer not to risk it as buses may be delayed.

In Vientiane, spend a day exploring the city. Visit the COPE visitor centre, Buddha Park and Patuxay Monument. Click here for more thing to do in Vientiane. From Vientiane, take a short train to Vang Vieng. While there, visit Tham Nam Water Cave, the Blue Lagoon and Nam Xay viewpoint. After Vang Vieng, it’s another train to Luang Prabang. 

In Chiang Mai, I recommend taking a cooking class – we did ours at Asia Scenic Cooking school and hiking the monk’s trail. If you feel up to hiring a moped and exploring further afield, take day trips to Doi Inthanon national park and Doi Pui.

From Vientiane, take a short train to VangVieng. While there, visit Tham Nam Water Cave, the Blue Lagoon and Nam Xay viewpoint. After Vang Vieng, it’s another train to Luang Prabang. 

Week 3

Luang Prabang is a beautiful rural town along the Mekong river. In fact, the whole town is a UNESCO world heritage site. My highlights of Luang Prabang are Kuang Si waterfall, Nahm Dong park and hiking up Mount Phousi. Click here for more things to do here.

To reach your penultimate destination, Chiang Mai, you can either hop on a 1 hour flight or take a slow boat along the Mekong river followed by a bus. This route takes 2 days, with a night in Houay Xay. You could also add a stop in Chiang Rai.

Week 4

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, I recommend taking a cooking class – we did ours at Asia Scenic Cooking school. Another must is hiking the Monk’s Trail. If you feel up to hiring a moped and exploring further afield, take day trips to Doi Inthanon national park and Doi Pui.

If you are heading home after this itinerary, you will likely need to fly via Bangkok. You can just get a connecting flight from Chiang Mai but if you want to spend a couple of days exploring Thailand’s capital too, then try taking the night train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok.

Once in Bangkok, explore the temples and the Grand Palace. Click here for a one day Bangkok itinerary.

4 Week Islands & Beaches South East Asia Route

If you are all about island life and finding paradise on a beach, this itinerary is for you. Whilst many of these islands do have palm trees and golden beaches, this 1 month South East Asia itinerary will also take you to one of the world’s best cities – Singapore.

Week 1

Start of your island hopping adventure in Phuket. I recommend staying near the beach (Kata Beach is a popular and fairly central area) but still visit the old town for half a day or so. Hiring a moped is a great way to get around the island. Take a day trip to the famous Phi Phi islands while you’re there.

From Phuket, fly south to Singapore – a very different kind of island! My must-sees in Singapore are the Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown, and of course grab some food at a Hawker Centre.

Week 2

After Singapore, you’ll catch another flight to Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores in Indonesia. You might not have heard of this place before but it’s a great starting point to get to Komodo National Park to see Komodo Dragons! If you are happy with hostels, I recommend staying at La Boheme Bajo Hostel, it’s a super chill hostel in a great location and you can also book your Komodo trip with them. If staying elsewhere, take a look at these tour options for one and multi day trips.

Once you have ticked ‘see komodo dragons’ off your bucket list, head over to Bali. I recommend spending at least some of your nights here in Ubud. While you’re there, visit the Ubud monkey forest and Tegallalang rice terraces.

Week 3 

From Bali, take a 3 hour ferry to the Gili Islands. There are three islands to chose from here, all great for sandy beaches and snorkelling. Pick one or explore them each in turn. A short boat ride from the Gili Islands, is the larger islands of Lombok. Lombok is similar to Bali in some ways but it is much quieter and less touristic. Senggigi is a great place to stay in Lombok. From there you can explore beaches, waterfalls and go hiking.

To reach your next destination, Bohol in the Phillipines, there are quite a few steps to the journey. Check for your dates if there are reasonable flights from Lombok to Panglao airport or Cebu, likely with a change in Singapore. If this option doesn’t seem viable you may have to get a ferry back to Bali and fly from there. You still might not be able to fly direct but you’ll have more flight options.

From Bali, you’ll fly to Cebu, a major city in the Philippines. In terms of tourist attractions, there isn’t much to see in Cebu, for this itinerary it’s basically a stepping stone to take you to Bohol which is a 2 hour ferry ride away.

Week 4

In Bohol, the top attractions are the Chocolate Hills and a tarsier conservation. Tarsiers are teeny tiny, super cute monkeys – so small they hide under leaves! I recommend staying at Food and Fables – we only stopped for lunch there but it has such a nice vibe. If you’re in search of beaches, head over the bridge to the adjacent Panglao island.

After half the week in Bohol, fly to El Nido on the island of Palawan. It’s ideal if you can fly in and out of the fairly new and tiny El Nido airport. The other option is flying to Puerto Princesa Airport and taking a cramped 5 hour minibus ride on very bumpy roads. Speaking from experience, if you’re prone to travel sickness try to steer clear of this option. If you do find yourself at this end of the island though, it’s worth visiting the Puerto Princesa subterranean river.

Once you’re in El Nido, there are several island hopping tours to try out plus lots of nice restaurants and bars. A very chill end to this four week itinerary.

4 Weeks exploring UNESCO Sites in South East Asia

This 1 month south east asia itinerary centers around UNESCO world heritage sites. The route takes you to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat and Borobudur as well as exploring natural phenomena like Ha Long Bay and Komodo dragons.

Week 1

Hanoi is a great starting point for this itinerary as there are lots of international flights in and out of Hanoi, it’s easy to get to. It’s also close to two UNESCO sites but there’s also plenty to see in the city itself. Whilst in Hanoi, visit the Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hoa Lo Prison Museum, Hoan Kiem Lake and see a water puppet show. 

You will take two day trips here. One to Ha Long Bay, to take a boat tour around the many tiny islands dotted around the bay. Click here to see the details of the tour we did, I highly recommend it. Your next day trip is to rural Ninh Binh for a trip along the Trang An river. If you have more time to spare, maybe spend a few days there as there is so much to see and do.

After Hanoi, take a night train to Hue. Hue is the ancient capital of Vietnam. Soak in the history at Hue Imperial city and historic citadel. Be sure to also visit Dong Ba market. Following Hue, take a short 2 hour train to Hoi An, another ancient Vietnamese town. Hoi An was an important trading port and is still well known for its markets and tailors. Both Hue and Hoi An are UNESCO World heritage sites.

Week 2

From Hoi An, fly to Siem Reap, the closest town to Angkor Wat. There are lots of temples to see around Angkor Wat so I suggest starting early, maybe for sunrise and planning your transport the day before – either hire bikes or a tuk tuk. Click here for more tips on visiting Angkor Wat.

After you’ve ticked off the temples, take an 8 hour bus across the border to Bangkok. In Bangkok there are several temples, buddhas and a Grand Palace to visit. Here is my one day temple tour itinerary. During your stay in Bangkok, take a day trip to the ancient city of Ayutthaya – another UNESCO site.

From Bangkok, fly south to Penang, Malaysia. George Town, Penang has earned its UNESCO status due to its multicultural influences from Europe and Asia. While you’re there, explore the clan jetties, street art and the famous Blue Mansion that has been featured in several films.

Week 3

From Penang, it’s a short flight to Singapore. There is plenty to see here, including the cloud forest, Gardens by the Bay, Chinatown and Clarke Quay. But it is the huge Botanic Gardens that have brought us here for this itinerary.

Following Singapore, the rest of this trip will be in Indonesia, starting in Yogyakarta. Either hire a moped or book a tour to get out to see the temple complexes of Borobudur and Prambanan. Whilst in the city, I also recommend joining a batik painting workshop, it’s a lot of fun and a great way to create an extra special souvenir. We did ours at Batik Seno.

Week 4

After Yogyakarta, fly to Labuan Bajo on the island of Flores. You might not have heard of this place before but it’s a great starting point to get to Komodo National Park to see Komodo Dragons! If you are happy with hostels, I recommend staying at La Boheme Bajo, it’s a super chill hostel in a great location and you can also book your Komodo trip with them. If staying elsewhere, take a look at these tour options for one and multi day trips.

End your trip relaxing in Bali. Either chill on the beach or visit Ubud to see the Ubud Monkey Forest and Tegallalang rice terraces (or do both!). If you really want more adventure, hike up Mount Batur for sunrise.

If you have more time and want to see more UNESCO world heritage sites, after Bali, head up to the Philippines. Specifically, Palawan to explore the Puerto Princesa subterranean river. While there head up to El Nido for some island hopping. You could also visit the town of Luang Prabang in Laos. You could squeeze this in between Hoi An and Siem Reap.