(From top): A temple in Bali, monks at Angkor Wat and a pagoda in Hanoi

How many times have you been to Singapore and Bangkok? Once, twice, five times? You know all the shopkeepers on Orchard Road and you’re a familiar face for the Bangkok hawkers. And, yet you are going there again ? they are nearby and the travel agents are offering fabulous deals.

So, how do you fight the boredom factor and the BTDT (been there, done that) feeling? Why not use the two cities as hubs for quick onward trips to other exotic locales nearby. And remember the advent of new low-cost airlines like Air Asia and Dragonair have cut air travel prices to rock-bottom levels.

“Tourists have found that a trip to either Singapore or Bangkok can be made more interesting with some interesting destinations thrown in as add-ons,” says Nikhil Kumar of Abercrombie & Kent. From Bangkok, travellers are now scooting to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos while Singapore has become the perfect gateway to Indonesia and Malaysia.

Travellers couldn’t have it better as south-east Asian airlines are convenient, affordable and great to get around in the region. Silk Air (a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines), AirAsia (Malaysia’s successful low-cost airline), Dragonair (of Hong Kong), Lao Airlines (of Laos) and Bangkok Airways (with a number of flights in Thailand and Cambodia) are offering bargain fares between Singapore and Bangkok to these destinations. The fares are often as little as Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 for the return journey. The news gets better. Accommodation comes for as low as $8 for a budget hotel and at the upper end, $200 in a plush resort hotel.

Bangkok and more

• Koh Samui in Thailand: Before exiting Bangkok, travellers are making their way to Koh Samui, Thailand’s third largest island. Coconut plantations, a peek into rural life, the Big Buddha statue on the Bophut Beach, waterfalls and spas make the visit worthwhile. It’s easy getting to Koh Samui on Bangkok Airways that offers several flights daily (it’s a mere one hour and 10 minutes flight).

• Cambodia: The highpoints of a trip to Cambodia are the ruins of Angkor Wat, just off Siem Reap where the planes land. Built over 400 years beginning the 9th century, this temple complex is unique in that it covers hundreds of kilometers and gives an eyeful of thousands of temples. Silk Air has regular flights to Siem Reap.

• Vietnam: Most travellers to Vietnam arrive via Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei or Tokyo. Hanoi ? the capital ? Hu?, Danang and Ho Chi Minh City are the current tourist attractions. While Vietnam Airlines and Singapore Airlines are the preferred carriers on the Bangkok-Hanoi route, Thai Airways flies to both Hue and Danang. The cities are also linked by train connections. Hanoi, on the banks of the Red River, offers a laid-back vacation while Hue is a place to view the country’s imperial architecture. Ho Chi Minh City (once called Saigon) is the commercial hub of southern Vietnam and is named after the country’s veteran Communist leader. Another stop is Danang, the city by the Han River, once famous as a American military base.

• Laos: Hemmed in by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China, Laos is a new hotspot. Visitors are beating a path to Vientiane and Luang Prabang ex-Bangkok on Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and Lao Aviation. Vientiane, the capital of Laos, lies on the Mekong River which gives it a romantic setting, while tourists hang out in Nam Phu, the heart of the city. A visit to the largest stupa or That Luang is a must and so is a stop at Vat Sisaket, the city’s oldest temple. Patuxai, Vientiane’s version of Paris’ Arc de Triomphe, was erected in memory of those who died in the civil war.

For those who want to visit a UNESCO world heritage site, Luang Prabang is where one should head. Some 230km from Vientiane, this ancient capital of Laos is the home to over 80 Buddhist temples. A hemispherical stupa, a riverside museum that was once a palace and panoramic views: that’s Luang Prabang in a nutshell.

From Singapore

• Bali, Indonesia: When in Singapore ? go Bali. Often described as the abode of the gods, the island is crowded with water babies. It’s a two-and-a-half hour flight from Singapore. Travellers can also get to Bali from Bangkok on Garuda Indonesia.

Tourists can expect to capture some panoramic views. Terrace rice fields add to the green landscape and the island is also dotted with volcanoes (some active). Indians are usually delighted to witness classical dances of Bali based on the Hindu epics ? the Ramayana and the Mahabharata (with a dose of local folklore). The good news is that the Balinese speak more English than is spoken in the rest of the country and the watersports activities include surfing, windsurfing, sailing, scuba diving and white water rafting.

• Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia: Changi Airport is the gateway to Kota Kinabalu on Malaysia’s budget carrier, Air Asia. The sophistication of the city is juxtaposed with its massive tracts of uncharted jungles while the major attraction is the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. Less than a half-hour boat ride from the city, the five tropical islands that make up the park are covered with jungles and coral reefs. The park is the natural crowd-puller.

My favourite holiday

Rupa Ganguly,
actress

I went to Naples in Italy a long time ago but it remains one of my all-time favourite places. It was way back in 1992 and I’d been invited to the Cannes Film Festival as part of the film Padma Nadir Majhi. After the festival, a few of us from the film’s crew decided to take off and spend a couple of days in Naples.

With its crowded streets and heavy traffic, parts of Naples reminded me of Calcutta’s old roads. Prochida, a nearby island was also on our list of places to hit. We took a short cruise to reach the island and the waters of the Mediterranean were crystal clear. Prochida was simply beautiful! I remember the unusual lemon trees we came across. They were more like large shrubs, being about shoulder-height and the size of the lemons put the ones you get here in Calcutta to shame.

Route map

If Turkey is looking to cement ties with India, wooing tourists from the country is part of the gameplan. Thus, Turkish Airlines has beefed up connectivity to India with an additional two flights from Delhi. So from three weekly flights ex-Delhi, it upped operations to five. Those looking for a holiday in Istanbul can hop on to a Turkish Airlines flight on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday or Sunday. The return flights operate on the Istanbul-Delhi route on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. InterGlobe Air Transport is the GSA for Turkish Airlines in India.

If swaying coconut palms, velvety white sands and magnificent underwater flora and fauna all sound like ingredients for the perfect romantic holiday, the Maldives may be just the destination for you. And for travellers interested in making the most of the Maldives magic, The Taj Group is offering an exciting package at its Taj Coral Reef Resort, Maldives on the picturesque island of Hembadhu. A 3-night stay at a beach villa double room costs $1,020 while the same at a lagoon villa will set you back by $1,320. The price includes airport transfers, buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner at the restaurant Rukkuri, 10 per cent discount on non-motorised watersports and at the spa. Couples will be glad to note that a candlelit dinner with a bottle of wine at the hotel’s speciality restaurant is also on the house. Taxes are extra and the package is valid till March 31, though the rates are not applicable during the peak period December 22-January 8.