A guide to Cambodia's top places, plus our lesser-known favourites

Stay in an eco-lodge on the banks of Sabah’s longest river, where elephants, macaques and gibbons forage in the dense riverside foliage, and frogmouths, nightjars and hornbills wheel overhead.

Picture Japan as it was hundreds of years ago: small villages of wooden buildings surrounded by mountains cloaked forest and shrouded in mist; streets filled with little more than foot traffic and the voices of shopkeepers selling their wares. Welcome to the Kiso Valley.

It’s the third largest island in Thailand, which means there’s plenty of beach to go around, but also miles of jungle to explore – perfect for half a day’s hike, with a waterfall (or eight) to cool off in.

It’s one of the bigger islands, but it is also one of the quietest – that little bit further from the mainland meaning fewer make the journey. But, for that extra slice of serene life, it’s well worth taking the speedboat from mainland port Laem Sok.

Sandwiched between party-happy Ko Phi-Phi and laid-back Krabi, Ko Lanta is a tiny little drop of beach-fringed greenery in the middle of Thailand’s famous turquoise seas. If you’re looking for a low-key island retreat, this is it.

Ko Lipe is a favourite among backpackers and Thai locals, with many repeat visitors, and it’s clear to see why. As part of the Mu Ko Tarutao National Marine Park, its land is fiercely protected, and naturally beautiful.

If you’re looking to get more for your money, Ko Mak is somewhere you can afford to treat yourself – the hotels are generally pleasant three-star quality, but, for the price of a budget room in a chain hotel on Phuket.

With its trifecta of swoon-worthy tropical scenery, cutting-edge spas, and unbeatable, ocean-fresh dining, could Ko Samui be the most indulgent island getaway in the world?

Known for its low-key tourist scene, ultra-luxurious resorts, and peace-loving Muslim culture, Ko Yao Noi is an island idyll hidden among the famous party islands and backpacker beach towns of the Andaman Sea.

Ko Yao Yai, or "Big Long Island" in Thai, is only 30km from tip to tip despite its ideas of grandeur, and sits in the middle of Phang Nga Bay roughly halfway between Phuket and Krabi.

India’s coolest and most progressive state capital, Kochi feels like a European city transplanted to the palm-fringed Keralan coast.

Cambodia’s southwestern province is a fast-developing ecotourism hub sandwiched between the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the rolling, jungle-covered mountains of the Cardamom range.