Southeast Asia’s Top 5 Islands

Everyone loves a little taste of paradise. On a round the world trip you may be the most excited about those Fiji flights which will transport you to unspoiled isles, but Southeast Asia has its own gems that aren’t to be missed. Here’s my personal top 5.

1) Koh Rong, Cambodia

This is truly the paradise island of Southeast Asia and it’s only a matter of time before it’s well and truly on the backpacker map. The island is massive – the same size as Hong Kong – but at the moment there are only a handful of rustic guesthouses dotted along the shore. A 45-minute walk through the forest connects two incredible beaches. This is proper Robinson Crusoe territory. Too long here and you’ll be shouting “Wilsonnn!” before you know it.

A photo I took on Koh Rong two weeks ago

2) Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

Leo DiCaprio has a lot to answer for. Since his frolics at Maya Bay in The Beach back in the early 90s, Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding National Park area have taken a battering from tourists looking to capture their own slice of paradise. Although, in fairness to the Thai government, Phi Phi still retains its jaw-dropping appeal and has been well preserved. Even the Tsunami tragedy of 2004 which wiped out the town hasn’t done anything to affect the beauty of this incredible area.

View from Koh Phi Phi main beach

3) Bali, Indonesia

Ahh, Bali. This island is all things to all men: 18-30s party zone, Hindu retreat, surfing mecca, scuba diving hotspot… pretty much everything. The beaches are astonishing in their variety and the marine life is spectacular. It’s the only place I’ve ever been snorkelling 10 metres from shore and swam with turtles. (Just by accident, too.) If you’re looking for an island that has it all, expect totally deserted beaches, then Bali is it.

Padang Padang, Bali

4) Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Does Vietnam really have islands? Yes. Phu Quoc is south of Cambodia, but actually belongs to Vietnam. The island has burst open to tourism in the last decade, with more than 70,000 people now living there. Despite the influx, there is something quite special about Phu Quoc in that it feels so peculiarly Asian (as opposed to the very Westernised islands of Thailand). Staying in a bungalow on Long Beach, with its high arching palm trees and gorgeous bay, makes for a very romantic getaway.

Photo of Phu Quoc from Flickr by ronancrowley

5) Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand

Just like tubing in Laos, there are some things that the Southeast Asian backpacker has to experience, whether they’re into that scene or not. The full moon parties on the island of Koh Pha Ngan are the stuff of legend, attracting up to 30,000 revellers each time. Haad Rin beach is a gorgeous sweep of bay which, although some would say is ruined by the heavy tourism, is still kept impossibly pristine by the locals.

Sunrise after a full moon party

Related posts:

1. Asian Gems

2. Majorca and the Balearic Islands of Spain

3. A backpacking journey through Asia : Video

4. How to Cross a Land Border in Asia

5. Girl to Girl Tips for Travelling in Southeast Asia

Fiona Tulloch has written 19 articles. At the age of 27, Fiona gave up a publishing career in London to travel round the world, spending a year around South America and Asia. She currently resides on the Cambodian coast after deciding that rain and unemployment back home in the UK were not for her. She enjoys eating local food (a lot), learning languages (badly) and living a simple life surrounded by sunshine, smiles and palm trees.