A South East Asia holiday will take you to a tropical paradise with beautiful beaches, idyllic islands, spectacular volcanic scenery and exciting bustling cities.

Countries such as Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, the islands of Indonesia and the Philippines all have a charming diversity and warm people, so you will certainly want to visit time and again.

Because it is such a vast area whose waters are scattered with idyllic islands, a South East Asia cruise holiday enables a good immersion in the changing landscapes throughout the region.

Thailand's capital Bangkok is an eclectic mix of stunning palaces and temples, huge markets selling everything and anything you can imagine, and swish river fronted hotels. The north of Thailand has a slower pace of life and the green hills surrounding Chiang Mai are perfect for excursions out into the rural areas.

To the south, the beautiful islands of Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Phi Phi (to name just three of thousands) boast white sandy beaches and clear waters. Malaysia, Thailand's southern neighbor, has the rice terraces and jungles of the Cameron Highlands, the rainforest of Taman Negara, great beaches and the exciting city of Kuala Lumpur.

The Philippines features wide range of landscapes. Volcanoes litter the island and the north has the UNESCO heritage Banaue rice terraces. The 17,508 islands of Indonesia share a similar landscape.

The South East Asian countries of Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines have become more easily accessible by water in recent years. Noble Caledonia's MS Island Sky has some in depth itineraries, and other small ships give unrivalled access.