10 Travel Tips for A Cheap Getaway in Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is one of the emerging tourist destinations in the world. It has become a part of most travelers' itinerary in their journey around the world.. From pristine beaches, pagodas, mountains, UNESCO Heritage sites and delicious cuisines, the region has got it all for you.

Traveling across Southeast Asia does not need to be expensive. With careful planning, you can travel around the region cheaply and conveniently. Here are some tips and guidelines for a Cheap Getaway in Southeast Asia.

Plan ahead of time

It is important to plan your vacation at least three to six months before your actual travel. Airline ticket prices are lower when it's far from the travel dates. The closer the date when you book a flight, the more expensive the fare is. The same situation for some accommodations. Some hotels and hostels offer promo rates when you book in advance like GoHotels in the Philippines and Tune Hotels and Red Planet Hotels across Southeast Asia.

Set A Budget

You must set a budget like an estimated amount you can spend for the duration of your trip. I suggest you travel within your means. Meaning, don't go beyond what you can afford. Make sure you include at least 20% buffer in your budget to cover unforeseen expenses.

Draft an itinerary

You have to make a rough itinerary and polish it later on. You have to know when and where you want to go and how many days you will be staying in one place. It's good if you start your travel in a regional hub so you have lots of options to fly across the region. Start your journey in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, or Bangkok. I suggest you use an excel sheet or a google sheet so you can update it anytime. 

Check for Flights at third party websites

If you are not certain where to go next or if you are looking for cheap fares, you can try Skypicker or Adioso. These booking sites let you search for flights for a specific destination or search by radius. This way, you can see which destination has a cheaper fare from where you'll be flying out. I once book my Yangon-Bangkok flight with Skypicker and saved around $10 compared to the airline website's booking system. So, before you book always try the next tip. It's also worth trying Skyscanner, Wego and Expedia. 

Compare prices of flights from third party sites and airline websites

Once you checked the fares at third party websites, go to the airline's website and check their rates. Most of the times, booking directly through the airline's website is much cheaper. Of course, as I mentioned above, sometimes you get lucky too, booking at third party websites. 

Consider flying with the Region's low-cost Carriers (LCC)

There are a number of Low Cost Carriers operating in Southeast Asia and beyond. You have AirAsia in Malaysia; Thai AirAsia and Nok Air in Thailand; Jetstar Asia, Scoot and Tiger Air in Singapore; Indonesia AirAsia and Lion Air in Indonesia; JetStar Asia and VietJetAir in Vietnam; and Philippines Air Asia and Cebu Pacific in the Philippines. These budget airlines often have promo fares so watch out for it regularly. Subscribe to their newsletter or follow their Facebook pages for updates.

Consider traveling by train or bus

If flights are expensive, consider traveling by bus or train. Actually it could save your accommodation cost of you travel an overnight bus or train to your next destination. It can also be fun traveling overland. I once tried traveling by train from Penang to Bangkok for almost 24 hours and I had so much fun. Also tried an overnight bus from Yangon to Bagan in Myanmar and the experience was delightful. Tourist buses are very comfortable.

Checkout Regional Passes

Airasia has ASEAN Pass and Bangkok Airways and Lao Airlines offer Discovery Airpass to explore the region. Check them out and study if you can save on flight costs. These passes do not cover taxes and other fees so you have to be careful. I know some folks who were able to save a lot by using these passes. 

Check for Accommodation

Once you booked your flights or you polished your itinerary, consider booking your accommodation. Booking sites such as Expedia, Wego, Agoda and HostelBookers are great websites to begin your search. Do not book right away, compare prices. Most of the time, Agoda has cheaper rates but from time to time Expedia offers promotions exclusive to its members. I once saved around $20 after booking from Expedia. As mentioned above, try GoHotels, Red Planet Hotels and Tune Hotels as they offer really cheap rates when you book in advance.

Get A Travel Insurance

There are a lot of companies offering travel insurance. You don't know what's going to happen so make sure you spend a portion of your budget to purchase a travel insurance. I suggest you get an insurance from World Nomads. It's easy and it's affordable.

Arnoma Grand Bangkok: Your Tourist Haven in the Heart of Bangkok

A visit to the capital and most populous city in Thailand is always an interesting experience. Bangkok is a bustling metropolis known for its ornate temples and lively street life, and this is all within easy distance from one of the best tourist hotels in the central business district, Arnoma Grand Bangkok.

Location

Just across from Central World, Asia's largest mall and a 10-minute walk from the Platinum Market and Platinum Mall in the Siam/Pratunam district, it is nestled among the best offices, shops, and restaurants in the city. It is within a stone’s throw from the Big C Supermarket if you need any essentials, and a 7-11 if you get the munchies in the middle of the night. You can easily stroll around the street market to get a bit of local flavor and some souvenirs, but leave most of your money and passport in the hotel safe as the streets can get very crowded. The hotel is also walking distance from the BTS Sky Train Chit Lom station, which is the best way to travel around Bangkok.  If you are in Bangkok for business or leisure, it is a convenient choice for home base.

Amenities

The hotel was recently renovated, and the lobby is splendid. It has 369 well-appointed rooms and suites with excellent beds, and each one was bright and cheery, complete with welcome drink and basket of fruits. Ask and you can get a room with a great view of the metropolis.  All rooms have free Wi-Fi, large screen cable television, and excellent air conditioning, which is an important feature in humid Bangkok. The hotel has meeting rooms, a fully equipped gym, and both indoor and outdoor covered swimming pools with sundecks. You have everything you need for work and play.

Dining

You can enjoy a splendid Asian-Western buffet at Mango 99 with an extensive choice of cuisines, including authentic Thai. Complimentary buffet breakfast is served at Mango 99.

If you fancy a snack or a drink, head over to the open air Arnoma Terrace or the Camelot Wine Pub. You can also choose to stay in your room and order room service, or you can check out one of the excellent restaurants in the area. 

An upcoming restaurant, Ah Yat Abalone Forum Seafood Restaurant, Bangkok's iconic Chinese restaurant will be opening soon at Arnoma.

Services

The best thing about Arnoma aside from the excellent location is the hotel staff. Everyone from the hotel manager to the cleaning crew is very friendly and helpful, willing to bend over backward to satisfy client needs, and all with a smile.  They all speak English, so communication is not a problem for most visitors. The massage service is a must-try. If you need private transportation, want to book a tour, or require an airport shuttle, all you need is to ask and they will accommodate you. 

The Arnoma Grand Bangkok is one of the best tourist hotels in Bangkok. It combines a central location, friendly staff, comfortable accommodations, and reasonable rates to make it a prime favorite for many visitors to the city. If you want to do a lot of shopping in Bangkok, Arnoma Grand Bangkok is your best bet hands down. 

Arnoma Grand Bangkok

99 Ratchadamri Road, Pathumwan, 10330 Bangkok, Thailand 

Phone +66 (0) 2655 5555 Fax: +66 (0) 2655 7555 

E-mail : arnoma@arnoma.com

http://www.arnoma.com/

Thai Garden Resort Pattaya: Tranquility in the Busy and Vibrant City

Known for its many pristine waters, beautiful shorelines, and its ancient treasures, Thailand is among the most popular destinations in South East Asia. It might be a small parcel of land, but it’s blessed with lush sceneries and rich culture.

If you are planning to stay in Thailand in the next few months and you want to stay somewhere in Pattaya Bay, then it is worth knowing which resorts you should go to. Among the best places that you should check out is the Thai Garden Resort Pattaya.

They are quite popular for their free buffet breakfast, and the excellent dinner buffet that they serve. They mostly serve European dishes for breakfast but also serve Asian cuisine for those who prefer to try local foods. As for dinner, they have different theme each night so you'll surely enjoy it when you stay at the resort. Pizza and Pasta Buffet on Monday, BBQ Buffet on Tuesday, Multi-cuisine Buffet on Wednesday, German Buffet with Roasted Pig on Thursday, Thai Buffet on Friday, International Buffet on Saturday, and Steaks & Skewers Buffet on Sunday. Aside from the good food, you'll also be entertained by their trio band from the Philippines. The buffet starts at 18:00 and ends at 21:00. The rates are Bht399 for adults and Bht199 for children.

Thai Garden Pattaya is a four-star category accommodation that offers over 200 rooms. You can select from the standard room, Superior Room with a garden view, holiday bungalow, and their different selection of deluxe rooms and apartments that can either have the view of a pool or that of the garden. The resort also provide accessible rooms for handicapped travelers. Two rooms are designed especially designed for the resort's disabled visitors.

All of their rooms are inclusive of the basic hotel necessities such as an IDD telephone, refrigerator, working desk, TV, Coffee facility, electronic safe and hairdryer.

Travelers get to enjoy the benefit of the peaceful ambiance of the resorts and their variety of rooms. A great number of guests love the earthy motifs of the rooms and the bungalow. The overall design is very subtle and they used small and fine details for each room to stand out.

The Thai Garden Pattaya is a perfect place to retire in after a long day of walking around the beach or nearby tourist destination. 

I personally love the accessibility of the area, you can readily visit the nearby market to fill your gastronomic desires and walk around to explore the vibrant city. Pattaya Bay is only about 900 meters away from the resort.

You can also get to enjoy using their top notch facilities like their very large and clean pools, their beach benches and umbrellas and even their spa.

Expect a good number of Thai inspired motifs like group of three concrete sculptures by the pool and a number of Buddha sculpture scattered around the resort. There are also a number of Thai designed potteries that adorn some parts of the general area and the garden.

Apart from the high end features of the Thai Garden Pattaya Resort, they also take pride of their very skilled and highly trained employees. They are friendly and approachable, and they do try their best to live up to the label of the Thailand as the Land of Smiles.

All of the rooms are well maintained, and if you need assistance, the resort’s crew members are always on standby to help. They also provide free Wi-Fi connection so you don’t need to worry much about getting connected 24/7 while you are staying in the resort.

The resort is safely tucked in a quiet corner by the Pattaya Bay. It is not far from the city centre, and it is very accessible to all the travelers and visitors. From time to time, you can drop by the malls nearby if you want to find other recreational activities other than walking around the beach front. 

Thai Garden Pattaya Resort

179/168 Moo 5 North Pattaya Road,

Naklua, Banglamung Pattaya, Thailand
http://www.thaigarden.com/

reservation@thaigarden.com

+66 38 370 614-8

+66 38 413 571-4

+66 38 424 356

+66 38 426 009

A Little Bit of Singapore

I have visited Singapore a few times already but I always keep coming back. You'll never run out of food to try in the city as it's a melting pot of different cultures in Asia. When I learned about Cebu Pacific's direct flight from Davao to Singapore, I got really excited. Unfortunately, I was not able to avail of their promo last year so I thought I won't be able to see the place again anytime soon. One day, I browsed Cebu Pacific's website and found a really cheap fare at only Php2,700 for a one-way ticket. I immediately booked a one-way seat and waited for a few days to book for the return ticket hoping that the fare would go down. It didn't and it even started to go up, so I booked my Singapore - Davao ticket for almost double the price which still isn't bad. After about three weeks I found myself eating my favorite chicken rice in Singapore.

Departure

It's my first time to depart from Davao International Airport for an international flight so I was quite naive of the process. It was in 2011 when I last departed for an international flight and it was in Manila. I was also skeptical of the Immigration process since I have a new passport and I lost my old passport with the stamps of the countries I visited years ago.

After checking in, I had to pay the travel tax of Php1,720 and went back to the check in counter to get my boarding pass. I learned that you can also pay your travel tax by showing your ticket before checking in so you won't have to go back and forth.

I then paid the Php750 terminal fee. So in short, before a Filipino can leave the country, one has to pay over Php2,000.

Singapore Circa 2011

At the immigration counter,  I was a little nervous. I don't want to get offloaded since I already booked my onward flights and hotel accommodation. It would be a disaster if I won't be able to fly. The immigration officer asked me a number of questions and I told her I am a travel blogger and that I write travel stories. She asked about my itinerary and my blog url. I gave her my card and she allowed me to leave. That was a relief! Hahaha

Arriving in Singapore

The plane departed on time so in a little over 3 hours, I finally arrived in Singapore after almost five years. We arrived in Terminal 2 and after clearing the immigration, I immediately looked for an ATM to withdraw some Singapore Dollar (SGD). I used my UnionBank EON card and took some cash without any hassle. I checked my account later on and the bank charge was only Php142.00. The conversion rate wasn't bad either. We took the Airport train from Terminal 2 to our hotel for less than SGD3.

Hotel Booking

We already booked a hotel ahead of time through Expedia. We stayed at The Noble Hotel which is in Little India. We did not research on how to get there so we got lost. We were already starving so when we see a food stall we immediately sat and order some Indian food. We continued walking hoping that we'll find our hotel and then we gave up and ended up taking a cab. Good thing, the driver knew where the hotel is. We checked in, freshen a bit and went out to eat again. This time we tried Singapore's famous chicken rice at a nearby hawker near our hotel. After satisfying our cravings, we went back to the hotel, work a bit and hit the sack.

Exploring A Little Bit of the City

We decided to work in the morning so we only went out for an hour to have some brunch at a nearby hawker. This time we ate pork ribs and pork rice. We continued working and decided to go out at 3PM to explore a little bit of the city.

We decided to have a little walking tour around Little India and saw a number of Hindu Temples. They're very interesting and they're just a walking distance from the hotel.

We took the MRT and was supposed to go to the National University of Singapore but unfortunately it started raining so we had to cancel. Instead we head to Marina Bay Sands (MBS) to visit the Gardens By The Bay. To our dismay, it was also closed because of heavy rains. What a bummer!

NUS Circa 2009

We've decided to  go back to MBS Shopping Center to explore a little bit and eat. After all, this recent trip is more about eating rather than exploring. Hahaha

The rain has finally subside, so, we went to the MBS viewing area to witness the light show at the Gardens By The Bay, it was good but since I did not bring a DSLR with me, I was not able to capture great photos. Good thing though, I was able to enjoy the show.

After MBS, we head to Singapore's Chinatown. It's still vibrant and it used to be my favorite hangout place when I stayed in the city for a month. I loved it, I still do. Cheap bargains and sumptuous food will never fail you.

We know that there are a lot more to see and experience in Singapore but our main purpose really was to eat and explore a little bit. Goal, achieved!

My short trip to the Lion city has resulted in me wanting to live in one of the Singapore condos. But I'm not sure that it's the right time for me to move, maybe in the future.

Here's a short video of our short visit to Singapore. Next stop, Melaka, Malaysia!

Amazing Bagan Resort: A Classy and Traditional Burmese Accommodation

Myanmar is an exquisite destination in South East Asia. The well preserved temples are a must see in this country known as the "land of thousand pagodas". The culture is also equally fascinating, as it tells the tale of a colorful and bold history.  It will never be enough to stay here for a short period of time as there are simply too many things for you to check out. But, of course for people who have limited time like myself, a squeezed itinerary is also doable. 

Most, if not all visitors of Myanmar go to Bagan - an ancient city located in the Mandalay region. There are lots of accommodations both in the old and new Bagan. I recommend you stay at the Amazing Bagan Resort for a comfortable and relaxing holiday.

The Amazing Bagan Resort remains as Myanmar’s most recognized name. It is a nice place that you can stay in while exploring the city. It is located in Old Bagan where you can have a great view of the main temples, and the lush golf course of the resort. Contrary to the other hotels, the Amazing Bagan Resort is safely tucked away from the busy streets of the city center.

Upon arrival you will notice the classic Burmese architecture all over the place, from the intricately crafted arches, to the finely sculpted furniture. Their decors which are primarily composed of traditional Burmese art works and craft go well with the timeless feel of the resort. 

If you're worry about going to the city center or to the pagodas, you can rent out their e-bikes for only 8,000 Kyat ($7.00). You may also use their bicycles for free. You can travel to the city to grab an interesting meal, or to visit different places as you wish. You also have the option to rent one of the cars that they are renting out for their guests.

If you want a hassle-free tour of the city, you may avail of the resort's packages for leisure activities. The tour usually lasts for an hour up to five hours depending on the kind of activity. The price ranges from Ks10,00 ($8) to Ks50,000 ($40). 

Apart from these savvy traveling options, they are also popular for their simply delicious servings of breakfasts and dinners. Get to enjoy well prepared Burmese dishes that are meticulously prepared by their kitchen staff. I personally enjoyed their buffet breakfast with a lot of options to choose from. From continental dishes, to Asian and local cuisine, you'll surely have a satisfying gastronomic experience.

You can also get to enjoy other facilities like their swimming pool and spa center. If you don’t feel like going out and you just want to enjoy a relaxing day in the resort, then you can ask for their spa services or dip in the pool. Nothing beats lying down on a bed, smelling essences and being pampered by trained therapists after a long day.

You can stay connected with your social media network and your email with the Free WiFi provided by the hotel available in all rooms. This is Myanmar so do not expect ultra fast internet speed but I guarantee you, their internet speed is more than enough to open websites and send emails. In case you do not have a laptop and you need to browse the web or send an email, you can go to their business center and use their computers.

The resort is equipped with three kinds of accommodations namely the Suite Bungalow, the Suite and the Deluxe rooms. Among the three, the Suite Bungalow is the most preferred kind of accommodation.

The Suite Bungalow features a very spacious room, colored with an earthy palette and accentuate by touches of gold and green. Their bed in the Suite Bungalow is large and it has just the right feel, it’s not too soft and not too hard.

Right now, they have 20 Suite Bungalows. Each are equipped with the basic room amenities such as TV, Coffee Maker, Air Conditioner, Mini Bar, Shower and Bath Tub. The luxurious look of the suite is coupled with its affordable and reasonable rate.

Amazing Bagan Resort

Bagan, Myanmar, Mandalay Division

Tel :95 9 402630885, 2042094

Email: amazingrm.abr@amazing-hotel.com

Website : www.amazing-hotel.com

ASEAN Tourism Forum Discussed Development Plans for Growing Tourism

With an increase of 11.67% from the year prior’s record of 4.8 million tourist visits, the Philippines’ tourist record rose to 5.26 million in 2015.

(L-R) DOT ASec. Arturo Boncato; Governor Edgar Chatto, Province of Bohol; Congressman Josef Franz Alvarez, Province of Palawan

In the same year, the country’s tourism income which was posted to be at $4.84 billion on 2014 has grown to become $5 billion the year after.

As per record, the Philippines’ top sources of visits came from the North-Eastern region of Asia, namely Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau which cumulatively comprised the almost 50% of the overall population of tourists (49.8%).

Quoting Arturo P. Boncato, Assistant Secretary of the Tourism Department during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), “Korea remains the top market with 24.99% share in total inbound traffic.”

Confident in the coming growth of tourism in the country, this year’s target number of tourists visiting the Philippines is expected to rise to as much as 6 million unique individuals.

Mr. Boncato added, “Our competitiveness ranking (in the 2015 Global Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report by the World Economic Forum) improved because they’ve seen the Philippines to be very open: working on obstacles to people mobility and visa requirements have been relaxed.”

On the other hand, quoting the Philippine President, Benigno S.C. Aquino III while speaking at the recently held forum at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay, “[While] Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam lead the pack (in tourism), the rest -- the Philippines, included -- are catching up.”

With the purpose of bolstering tourism in the Philippines, the country’s focus last year was aimed at constructing and upgrading of airport in Puerto Princesa which was expected to expand on its former 350,000 carrying capacity to up to 2 million. It is slated to be finished sometime in 2018.

In other places like Bohol, it’s Panglao International Airport is said to be completed by 2017 which could cover to as much as 1.7 million people when finished.

Other airports which are currently going through a makeover, upgrade, or rebuilt includes the Davao Airport, Iloilo Airport, and Bacolod-Silay Airport, and plenty others more not mentioned.

Not just solely focused on airports and expanding on its capacity, other means to improve on tourism were also taken steps to such as the improvement on roads which leads to travel destinations and the application of the so-called “pocket open skies policy” which tries to liberalize the country’s airports but with the sole exception of the heavily congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.

Tourism : A Growing Industry in the ASEAN Region

Tourism officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-countries updated the members of the press on how tourism in their respective countries performed in 2015 and the forecasts to meet in 2016 during the recently concluded ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) in Manila, Philippines.

The Philippines

The Philippines has recorded an 11.67% increase in international tourist arrivals from 4.8 million in 2014 to 5.36 million in 2015. Revenue receipts from the tourism industry also grew from $2.43 billion in 2008 to $5 billion in 2015. The Philippine government is expecting to see greater number this year. The target is pegged at 6 million foreign arrivals.

Arturo Boncato, DOT Assistant Secretary

Department of Tourism (DOT) Assistant Secretary Arturo Boncato revealed that the Philippines’ top source market is Northeast Asia (Japan, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau) which accounted for 49.8% of total arrivals. 

“Korea remains the top market with 24.99% share in total inbound traffic,” Boncato added during the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) media briefing. South Korea is followed by USA, Japan, China, Australia, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Germany.

Cambodia

An estimated 4.8 million tourists visited Cambodia in 2015, up by 6 percent from the 4.5 million visitors in 2014, Ministry of Tourism Undersecretary of State So Visothy said during the Cambodia NTO media briefing.

So Visothy, Cambodia's Ministry of Tourism Undersecretary of State

Cambodia's top inbound markets are: Vietnam, China, Lao PDR, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, USA, Malaysia, France and Australia.

Cambodia's forecast for 2016 is between 7.8-8 million visitors.

Brunei Darussalam

While most of the ASEAN member-countries gained an increase in tourist arrivals, Brunei Darussalam experienced a significant decrease in figures in 2015 compared to the previous year. Total air arrivals in 2015 is at 105,789 compared to 200,989 in 2014 (land arrivals not counted). Top inbound markets are: Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

Ak Zulkhairi Pg Abdul Razak, Tourism Officer - Marketing and Promotion Centre, Brunei

The country is expected to boost the numbers in the current year. The country has now established the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism from Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources

Lao PDR

Sounh Manivong of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism shared that Lao People's Democratic Republic attracted 3.4 million foreign visitors in first three quarters of 2015. He said, it's on track to beat 2014's 4.1 million tourists.

Sounh Manivong, Director General of the Tourism Development Department

Manivong also announced that Laos has recently opened 24 international checkpoints, mostly on the Thai border, which will provide visas upon arrival. Thailand remains the top inbound market of Laos. 

During the media briefing, Manivong also clarified that the Laos-Myanmar friendship bridge is already completed but border crossing is still not possible as of the moment.

Singapore

Singapore has recorded an increase in international tourist arrivals by 0.4% as of the January-November period. Oliver Chong, Executive Director of Communications & Marketing Capability of the Singapore Tourism Board shared that the country has attracted 13.8 million visitors.

Oliver Chong, Executive Director, Communications & Marketing Capability

Singapore's top inbound markets are: Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Australia, India, Japan, Philippines, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, USA, UK, Vietnam, Taiwan and Germany.

Malaysia

Malaysia has experienced a decline in tourist arrivals in 2015 by about 7% compared to the previous year, amid political instability. The country's Ministry of Tourism remains hopeful that the figures will go up this year as they are positioning Kuala Lumpur as an "affordable luxury destination". 

YBhg. Dato' Abdul Khani Daud, Deputy Director General - Advertising & Digital

Malaysia targets 36 million tourists in 2020 from 24 million in 2009. It also hopes to increase its tourists receipts to RM168 billion from RM53 billion in 2009. 

Indonesia

Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia revealed that the government's target of tourist arrivals in 2015 was achieved with over 10 million arrivals. The tourism industry contributed about USD11.2 billion in foreign exchange in the same year.

Rizki Handayani, Director of Promotions for Southeast Asia and Arief Yahya, Minister of Tourism

Yahya gladly announced that their "Wonderful Indonesia" branding is at 47th position based on 2015 country brand strategy rating. With a more aggressive marketing campaign and promotion, the country expects to move up its ranking in the coming year.

Vietnam

Vietnam has seen strong growth of international tourists from 2006 to 2015. From 3.4 million in 2006, it reaches 7.94 million in 2015. It recorded an annual growth average of 9.25%.

Le Tuan Anh, Deputy Director General of Tourism Marketing Department

For the first time, South Korea reached over 1 million inbound tourists although China is still the top inbound market of Vietnam followed by south Korea, Japan, US, Taiwan, Malaysia, Russia, Australia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, UK and France.

Vietnam targets 8.5 million tourist arrivals this year. It will focus its efforts and campaign on promoting Phu Quoc Island and the Mekong Delta, both in the south of the country.

Myanmar

Myanmar's tourism is gaining momentum with 4.68 million arrivals in 2015 from 3.08 million a year earlier, up by a whooping 52%. The country is expecting five to six million in arrivals this year.

Aye Kyi Kyi, Tourism Consultant - Myanmar

By the year 2020, the tourism ministry is expecting 7 million arrivals, focusing on sustainable tourism.

Thailand

Based on the figures presented during the NTO media briefing by the ASEAN member-countries, Thailand is the region's top tourist destination in 2015.

Dr. Uthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand

"In 2015, the Thai tourism industry hit the highest record in our history both in terms of revenue and number of tourist arrivals. According to the preliminary figures of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand received tourism revenue of 1.4 trillion Baht or around 42 billion US Dollars with the growth of 23 percent, and a total number of international visitor arrivals of 29.8 million, which was an increase of 20 percent over 2014" said Dr. Uthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).

"For this year, we will be focusing less on the number of visitor arrivals and more on attracting quality tourists. Therefore, we are targeting 2.4 trillion Baht or around 66.5 billion US dollars in revenue this year. Of that total, 1.5 trillion Baht or 43 billion US dollars will come from international markets and 850 billion Baht or 23.5 billion US dollars from domestic travel" Dr. Supasorn added.