I have been based in Chiang Mai, Thailand for several years now. Before that I moved around a lot — Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines, Bali, Cambodia, Laos, quick stops in Singapore and Malaysia. Asia is not one thing. It is a loose collection of countries that happen to share a continent and almost nothing else. The food is different, the infrastructure is different, the culture is different, the cost is different. What feels true about Thailand is not necessarily true about Cambodia, and what people say about Bali is often completely wrong about the rest of Indonesia.
This guide covers the best countries to visit in Asia in 2026, ranked roughly from safest and most straightforward to most adventurous and independent. It is not a list of everywhere I have been — it is a list of the countries I would actually send someone to, with honest notes on each one.
If you are planning to do multiple countries in one trip, the 3-month Southeast Asia travel route covers how to string the Southeast Asian portion together into an actual itinerary.
Countries covered in this guide:
Japan is consistently ranked one of the safest countries in the world, not just in Asia. The crime rate is exceptionally low, the public transport system is the best I have used anywhere, and a first-time visitor can navigate Tokyo or Kyoto with very little preparation and almost no anxiety about personal safety.
It is also one of the most interesting countries on earth. The temples in Kyoto, the organised chaos of Tokyo, the food everywhere (the convenience store food alone would be worth a trip), the cherry blossoms in spring, the autumn leaves in November. Japan rewards both the first-time visitor who wants to hit the highlights and the repeat traveler who wants to go deep into one region.
The honest downside: it is not cheap. Japan is significantly more expensive than the rest of Asia, particularly accommodation in Tokyo and Kyoto during peak seasons. Budget carefully.
March to May for cherry blossom season — book accommodation months in advance, it is extremely popular. September to November for autumn foliage, cooler temperatures, and thinner crowds than spring. Avoid August (extreme heat and humidity) and the Golden Week holiday period in late April to early May (domestic travel peaks sharply).
Before you pack: The Japan packing list covers the specific things that catch first-time visitors off guard — Japan has some quirks around what to bring that are genuinely worth knowing before you arrive.
Singapore is a city-state, not really a country you spend weeks in, but it earns its place on this list as one of the safest and most accessible entry points into Asia. The infrastructure is world-class. English is widely spoken. Getting around is easy. It is a good first stop if you are new to Asia and want to land somewhere that feels familiar before things get more interesting.
It is also expensive, comparable to major European cities. Most people use Singapore as a transit hub rather than a primary destination — it connects well to the rest of Southeast Asia via budget airlines. Spend two or three days, eat at the hawker centres (this is genuinely important, the food culture here is exceptional), walk around Chinatown and Little India, and move on.
Singapore is hot and humid year-round. February to April is marginally drier and slightly less oppressive. There is no bad time to visit in terms of weather — just bring light clothes and accept that you will sweat.
Thailand is where most Southeast Asia trips start, and for good reason. The tourist infrastructure is well-developed, the food is incredible, the country is accessible, and there is enough variety — mountains in the north, islands in the south, chaotic and brilliant Bangkok in the middle — that you could spend months here and not run out of things to see.
I am biased because I live here, but I think Thailand is one of the best countries in Asia for a first visit. It is forgiving for travelers who are new to the region. The locals are genuinely warm. The transport links are good. And it connects directly to the rest of Southeast Asia for when you are ready to keep moving.
The safety situation is straightforward. Thailand has petty crime in tourist areas as anywhere does, but serious crime against tourists is rare. The main things to be aware of: tuk-tuk and taxi scams in Bangkok (use Grab, the local equivalent of Uber), gem scams (a very specific and well-documented Bangkok con — if anyone tells you a temple is closed and suggests an alternative activity, walk away), and the usual bag-snatch awareness in crowded areas. None of this should put you off — they are manageable with basic awareness.
November to April is the dry season and the best time to visit across most of the country. The islands in the south are best from December through April. The north (Chiang Mai) is particularly lovely from November to February when the temperatures are cooler. Avoid March to May in the north — burning season, where agricultural burning creates significant air quality issues. May to October is monsoon season: cheaper, fewer tourists, but expect rain most afternoons.
Before you go: The Thailand packing list for female travelers covers what to actually bring, including the temple outfit situation and what works for both the city and the islands.
Vietnam is one of the most interesting countries in Southeast Asia, and arguably the most geographically varied. From the mountains and street food chaos of Hanoi in the north to the lanterns and tailors of Hoi An in the centre to the relentless energy of Ho Chi Minh City in the south, it does not feel like one country — it feels like three or four stitched together.
It is generally safe. The main awareness points are: motorbike theft (keep bags close in cities, particularly HCMC), some aggressive street vendor behaviour in tourist areas, and a few well-documented tourist pricing practices. None of these are serious risks — just things to be aware of. Violent crime against tourists is very rare.
The country is also one of the more affordable in the region, and the food is genuinely spectacular at every price point. The bánh mì for a dollar on a street corner in Hoi An is as good as anything you will eat in a sit-down restaurant.
Vietnam is long and thin and weather varies significantly by region. February to April is generally the best window for the whole country. The north has a cool, dry winter from October to April. Central Vietnam (Hoi An, Da Nang) is best from February to May. The south is driest from December to April. The monsoon season hits different parts of the country at different times, so check by specific region when planning.
Packing for Vietnam: The Vietnam packing list has the specifics, including what to wear in temples and what most people forget to bring.
Malaysia is significantly underrated as a travel destination and is one of the most diverse countries in Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur is a genuinely great city — easy to navigate, excellent food, and the Petronas Towers are one of those things that actually impresses in person. The islands on the east coast of peninsular Malaysia (Perhentian Islands, Tioman) have some of the best diving and snorkeling in the region. And Penang is one of the best food cities on the continent.
Safety in Malaysia is generally good. Kuala Lumpur has some petty crime in busy tourist areas but nothing unusual for a major city. The country is majority Muslim and dress codes should be respected, particularly outside of major cities. Overall it is a comfortable and accessible country to travel through.
Kuala Lumpur is also a major aviation hub with cheap connecting flights to most of Southeast Asia, which makes it a practical stop even if you are not spending a long time there.
The west coast (Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Langkawi) is best from December to April. The east coast islands are best from March to October — they close down almost completely from November to February due to the monsoon. If you want to visit Borneo, May to September is the driest window.
Technically Indonesia is a country and Bali is one of its 17,000 islands, but for most travelers Bali is the entry point and primary destination. It is a genuinely beautiful island — rice terraces, Hindu temples, surf, and a food and wellness scene that has grown substantially in the last decade. Ubud in the centre is the cultural base. Seminyak and Canggu in the south are the beach and nightlife areas. Uluwatu in the south has world-class surf breaks and dramatic cliff temples.
Bali is safe for tourists. The things to be aware of: traffic (it is notoriously bad, rent a scooter only if you are comfortable riding one, it is genuinely not for everyone), tourist pricing, and the occasional aggressive vendor around major temples. It is also heavily visited — Canggu in particular has changed dramatically over the last five years and can feel more like a digital nomad suburb than an Indonesian village. Manage expectations and explore beyond the main tourist corridors.
April to October is the dry season and the best time to visit. July and August are peak season with higher prices and more visitors. May, June, and September are the sweet spots — dry weather without the full-peak crowds. November to March is wet season: expect daily rain, cheaper prices, and a greener landscape.
The Philippines does not get slotted into the standard Southeast Asia backpacker route as naturally as Thailand or Vietnam, partly because it requires flying to get there and does not connect as easily overland. That makes it slightly more effort, but it also means the islands are less overrun than comparable destinations in Thailand or Indonesia. Palawan, Siargao, Coron, and the Visayas islands are all genuinely spectacular.
It is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, so the experience varies widely by where you go. Manila is chaotic and not most people’s favourite part of the trip, but it is the main entry point and worth a day or two. The islands are where the Philippines earns its reputation.
Safety is generally good in tourist areas. The country does have regions in Mindanao and parts of the south with travel advisories — check your government’s current travel advice before visiting and stick to the well-traveled tourist areas, which cover the vast majority of what you would want to see. English is widely spoken throughout the country, which makes it one of the more accessible countries in Asia for solo travelers.
December to May is the dry season for most of the country. The peak sweet spot is January to March — warm, dry, and before the Easter holiday rush. June to November is typhoon season with the highest risk from August to October. The east coast (Siargao) has its best surf from August to November despite the typhoon risk, which is something serious surfers navigate knowingly.
What to pack: The Philippines packing list covers what you actually need for island-hopping, including what not to bring.
Cambodia sits lower on this safety ranking not because it is dangerous — for tourists in the main areas it is not — but because it requires a bit more awareness and preparation than the countries above it. Phnom Penh has visible poverty, petty theft happens, and some areas outside the tourist corridors feel different from the well-developed infrastructure of Thailand or Vietnam. The gap between tourist Cambodia and everyday Cambodia is more visible than in some neighbouring countries.
That said, Cambodia is one of the most worthwhile stops in Southeast Asia. Angkor Wat is not just a tourist box to tick — it is a genuinely enormous and remarkable place that rewards time and attention. Two to three days in Siem Reap to do the temples properly is not too much. Phnom Penh has the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng, which are difficult to visit and should be visited. The country’s history is heavy in a way that makes the experience of being there more significant than a lot of travel destinations.
November to April is the cooler, drier season and the best time to visit. December and January are the most comfortable months. May to October is wet season — roads outside major cities can flood and some areas become less accessible. It is not impossible to visit in wet season and prices drop, but the dry season is significantly more pleasant.
Laos is last on this list not because it is unsafe — it is actually one of the more peaceful countries in Southeast Asia — but because it is the least developed for tourism and the furthest from the infrastructure most travelers are used to. It is landlocked, less connected, and moves at a slower pace than its neighbours. That is exactly what makes it worth going to.
Luang Prabang is the UNESCO-listed town on the Mekong River that most people leave having wished they had stayed longer. The morning almsgiving procession at dawn, the riverfront restaurants, the night market, the overall quiet of a town that wraps up early and asks you to slow down with it. Vang Vieng is the party counterpoint: river tubing, open-air bars, a much younger and louder crowd.
Laos is genuinely safe. It has one of the lowest crime rates in Southeast Asia. The concerns are more practical than safety-related: roads outside cities can be rough, some medical facilities are very limited, and transport connections take longer than you expect. Travel insurance is more important here than almost anywhere else on this list.
November to February is the cool, dry season and the best time to visit. Temperatures are comfortable and the landscape is green from the tail end of the rains. March to May heats up significantly. June to October is monsoon season with heavy rain, though Luang Prabang remains relatively accessible.
If you are planning a longer trip through Asia and want to cover several of these countries in one go, the most logical starting points are Bangkok (for Southeast Asia), Tokyo (for East Asia), or Singapore (if you want to orient yourself before diving into the region).
The classic Southeast Asia route moves through Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia — known as the banana pancake trail. It is called that because the backpacker infrastructure along the route is so developed that you can order banana pancakes in virtually every guesthouse in every country. The 3-month Southeast Asia travel route covers this in detail with country-by-country breakdowns, visa information, and a budget guide.
If you are deciding between doing Southeast Asia broadly or going deeper into one country, the honest answer is: deeper almost always wins. Two weeks in Thailand is a better trip than two weeks across five countries. But if you have three months, the multi-country route is one of the best travel experiences available to anyone, anywhere.
For the packing side of a multi-country Southeast Asia trip, the women’s packing list for backpacking Southeast Asia covers what you actually need when moving between countries with very different climates and dress codes.
If you have never been to Asia and want a genuinely soft landing: Japan or Singapore. The infrastructure is excellent, English is widely spoken, and the culture shock is manageable while still being real.
If you want Southeast Asia specifically and this is your first time in the region: Thailand. Bangkok first, then north or south depending on what you want from the trip. Thailand is forgiving for first-timers without being boring for experienced travelers.
If you have done Thailand before and want to go deeper into the region: Vietnam. It is a longer, more varied country than most people expect and it consistently surprises repeat visitors to Southeast Asia.
If you want somewhere genuinely off the tourist trail that is still accessible: Laos. Luang Prabang in particular is one of the best places in Southeast Asia that the majority of people coming to the region never quite get to.
Asia is a lot. Start somewhere specific, go slow, and come back for the rest.
Hey there, I'm Angelique!
I'm a Filipina-American, Chicago native living abroad and running my online design agency from Chiang Mai, Thailand. Over a decade of traveling in, and yes, I still pinch myself. With family split between the US, UK, and SE Asia, travel has always been part of my story. This blog is where I share the honest side of living and traveling abroad, the places I explore, and the little hacks that make this life actually work. Glad you're here, friend!
Ang Around The Globe is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.