Southeast Asia’s 14 Most Spectacular Unique Natural Attractions
Spanning eleven countries, Southeast Asia is one of the most beautiful regions in the world. It boasts dense vegetation, lush greenery, mind-blowing sceneries, and a mix of cultures that makes everyone fall in love. Here are some of the most beautiful and unique natural wonders strewn across Southeast Asia:
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, notable for towering limestone formations that emerge from its pristine emerald green waves. These limestone cliffs are topped with rainforests, making Ha Long Bay one of the world’s most unique places. The bay’s mountainous terrain adds a thrilling touch for hikers, who can explore its rugged terrain through many gorgeous trails. The bay even houses caves, some of which dip into the water.
Komodo National Park, Indonesia
As evident from its name, the Komodo National Park houses hundreds of Komodo dragons, all slithering behind trees and emerging menacingly from the shadows. But the park isn’t only limited to the venomous reptiles; it is a safe sanctuary for a variety of rare animals, including Timor deer, orange-footed scrub fowl, and even an endemic species of rats. Despite teeming with wildlife, the national park is open for tourists, although you might want to get a tour guide to assist you.
Inle Lake, Myanmar
The second largest lake in Myanmar, Inle Lake, is famous for the hundreds of traditional leg-rowing fishermen who quickly pass by. This isn’t the only peculiar sight at Inle Lake; it is marked by stilt houses and even floating gardens. In a way, Inle Lake has a community built entirely on water. Inle Lake’s southwestern edge even houses Phaung Daw Oo Paya, a multi-tiered pagoda (temple) that looks unrealistically magical at night.
Chocolate Hills, the Philippines
Don’t be tempted to bite because the Chocolate Hills in the Philippines aren’t made of cocoa. However, their remarkable similarity to the brown shades of chocolate earned them their name since these hills are covered with dried brown grass. Towering over Bohol, Chocolate Hills eventually pick up their lost green shade when Spring arrives, so if you plan your visit right, you might be able to catch it changing colors.
Similan Islands, Thailand
Similan Islands’ charm becomes even more irresistible for tourists as electric blue waters collide with a bright white shore. Similan Islands is a gorgeous archipelago in Thailand, known for its pristine beaches and beautiful dive spots. While all 11 clusters of islands are worth a look, Similan Islands get their fame from intricate underwater rock formations, which meet up with vibrantly colored coral reefs to create the most stunning work of art.
Tonle Sap, Cambodia
Although you might not think a lake is significant enough to make the list, Tonle Sap deserves the spot. This is Cambodia’s largest freshwater lake that takes on dramatic changes as the seasons fluctuate. It is best known for fishing villages, but they aren’t settled on the bank; instead, the villages are built on floating bases, so they move wherever the lake’s calm waves take them. The lake teems with fish, generating more than 75% of annual inland catches and earning it a name with the biggest fisheries in the world.
Kong Lor Cave, Laos
Legend has it that this cave system was only discovered after villagers in the 16th century noticed a peculiar duck swimming in the local river. Kong Lor Cave takes a deep dive through emerald green waters, eventually opening up to reveal dramatic karst limestone formations that create a 7.5 km-long tunnel. Most tourists can book a canoe ride through this gorgeous tunnel, but a simple spelunking tour will also reveal the stunning allure of Kong Lor Cave.
Ulu Temburong National Park, Brunei
Stretching 50,000 acres, Ulu Temburong National Park possesses a luscious rainforest with some of the most diverse wildlife. Its intense beauty gives it the Jewel of Brunei, as Ulu Temburong’s dwindling pathways laced with vines, flowers, and towering trees make it heaven on earth for every nature explorer. Ulu Temburong’s rainforest also boasts hanging canopies inviting native birds, creating a sense of delirium you won’t find elsewhere.
Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia
Mount Kinabalu, the highest mountain in Malaysia and Borneo, is 4095 meters tall, making it the tallest peak between New Guinea and the Himalayas. Mount Kinabulu’s tall stature isn’t the only thing that makes it unique; its distinct granite summit is visible from miles away and adds a touch of mysticism to the area. Mount Kinabalu takes 600 flights of steps to climb, so it’s not for the inexperienced and faint-hearted, but the sights are worth every sweat.
Pulau Ubin, Singapore
Situated northeast of the mainland, Pulau Ubin is a serene island marked by dense mangroves, stunning lagoons, and traditional kampongs (villages). While this destination is already a delight for naturalists, what truly takes the cakes are hundreds of granite quarries that tower part of the island. Pulau Ubin’s granite stones date a couple of decades, with some even going back two centuries.
Kawah Ijen, Indonesia
If you think lava is red, think again; Kawah Ijen in Indonesia is one of the rarest waterfalls in the world because of its bright blue eruptions. It’s also the world’s biggest blue flame area. The volcano gets its color from fumaroles and sulfur, which produce blue flames after combusting under immense pressure. The volcanic crater collects steamy electric blue water, creating a picture you’d only expect from heaven.
Kuang Si Falls, Laos
The ethereal city of Luang Prabang becomes even more beautiful because of Kuang Si Falls, where electric blue waves cascade dramatically over an isolated part of the forest. Kuang Si Falls isn’t just a regular waterfall; it pools into multiple terraced rocky stretches at the bottom and, with the steam combined, looks exactly like a bunch of clouds slowly reaching the ground. If you visit in Spring, you’ll also see bright pink flowers surrounding the falls.
Bengoh Range, Malaysia
Stretching across Malaysia, the Bengoh Range encompasses mighty mountains and a dense rainforest that has earned the nickname Malaysia’s Jurassic World. Bengoh Valley’s dense vegetation leads trekkers to a gorgeous waterfall, the first of many. Crossing winding branches and swinging vines, the range continues until it reaches Susung Waterfall in Siburan. That’s not the only beauty here; the region eventually leads to a gorgeous viewpoint overlooking Bengoh Dam.
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Not many tourists know this Southeast Asian gem hides multiple natural wonders, which makes Thailand a great place for naturalists. The Khao Sok National Park in Surat Thani, Thailand, spans thousands of acres, lined with limestone karst formations, dense jungles, towering trees, and a gorgeous man-made lake, the Cheow Lan. Khao Sok’s rainforest makes it one of the most biodiverse regions in the world, so it is home to unique flora and fauna species, as well as some rare plants like the Rafflesia.
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Emese Maczko is a travel blogger behind Eco Lodges Anywhere. Having explored several destinations around Europe, the US, Indonesia, and Australia, and resided in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Luxembourg, Emese possesses a keen understanding of diverse cultures and an appreciation for the beauty of each destination she visits. She advocates for sustainable travel and ecotourism.