Laem Chabang (Bangkok) to Hong Kong

Afascinating city devoted to tradition and driven toward modernity, Bangkok has long been a traveler’s paradise with its heavenly weather, welcoming hospitality and mouth-watering cuisine – the vibrant city is world-renowned for its street food and impressive roster of Michelin-starred restaurants. Home to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the ornate Grand Palace and the soaring Wat Arun temple, it’s also an hour away from Ayutthaya, the 14th-century ruins of the Kingdom of Siam.

It is Thailand’s fifth largest island, yet large chunks remain blissfully undeveloped. Enjoy white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. If you can tear yourself away from the island’s exquisite waterline, there are vast swathes of untouched rainforest, gigantic ancient trees and a sprinkling of waterfalls to explore. Ko Kut isn’t exactly undiscovered. But you’re likely to see more monkeys than people on a stroll to the nearest beach.

Ho Chi Minh City, known universally and affectionately by residents as Saigon, offer a glimpse into Vietnam’s eventful past and its hopeful future. The city has a prosperous air of thriving activity, as rice boats float down the waterways and streets bustle with flavorful markets. Explore the sacred temples, French colonial buildings and vestiges of pivotal events.

Ho Chi Minh City, known universally and affectionately by residents as Saigon, offer a glimpse into Vietnam’s eventful past and its hopeful future. The city has a prosperous air of thriving activity, as rice boats float down the waterways and streets bustle with flavorful markets. Explore the sacred temples, French colonial buildings and vestiges of pivotal events.

Kota Kinabalu is a sprawling and busy city situated between the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park and Mount Kinabalu, an ideal place for snorkeling, hiking and simply watching the ebb and flow of nature. For people watching, there is the waterfront, where a variety of restaurants, pubs and cafes vie for the traveler’s time and interest. The Kota Kinabalu Handicraft Market, formerly known as the Filipino Market, and Gaya Street Market hawk everything from ethnic souvenirs to traditional foods.

Lush and green, surrounded by impossibly blue waters ranging from turquoise to a deep azure, this tiny island is big on water play. From moment to moment, Boracay gives you an array of options: swim in the coral protected lagoon, try windsurfing or kiteboarding, snorkel the quiet cove of Baling Hai Beach or go shopping the bustling White Beach.

Set amid the forest-green splendor of Luzon Island is bustling Manila, the second largest city in Southeast Asia, with its towering skyscrapers and remarkable joie de vivre. Yet amid the big-city excitement are oases of calm: lush tropical parks, magnificent cathedrals and dramatic Spanish forts. North of the city, mountains beckon with their spectacular rice terraces, while across Manila Bay stands Mount Mariveles, a dormant volcano studded with scenic hiking trails.

Although Hong Kong has returned to its original Chinese roots, it still remains a cosmopolitan city with influences, languages and accents from around the world. Here East meets West and the result is electric. Soaring skyscrapers rise from the hills and harbor, blending geography and nature with commercial concrete, steel and pulsating neon in a way that brings traditional Chinese culture and Western-style commerce into perfect harmony.