Where is the most fun and worth visiting in Southeast Asia?

Thailand is so expensive that I can’t afford it. I think Vietnam is expected to be the equal, and there is Bali, Indonesia, which can be the equal!

Thailand has a lot of unique culture and beautiful attractions, but if you are looking for a similar travel experience, here are some alternative travel destinations in Southeast Asia:

1. Bali, Indonesia Bali is an Indonesian island located east of Java and is one of the country's most famous tourist destinations. The island has many beautiful beaches, rich culture and historical sites. Here you can visit temples, museums and artist studios, while also enjoying diving, surfing and other water sports activities.

2. Boracay Island, Philippines Boracay Island is a beautiful resort in the Philippines and is known as "one of the most beautiful islands in the world". There are magnificent natural landscapes, white sandy beaches and crystal clear water. In addition to enjoying the beautiful beaches and water activities, you can also visit the island's cultural and historical sites, such as the famous white-sand church.

3. Nha Trang, Vietnam

Nha Trang is a seaside city in Vietnam and is considered to be one of the most beautiful seaside cities in Vietnam. There are beautiful beaches, delicious local cuisine and rich cultural and historical sites. Here you can enjoy diving, snorkeling and other water sports while visiting local museums, temples and monuments.

4. Siem Reap, Cambodia Siem Reap is a city in Cambodia known for its temples and monuments, especially Angkor Wat. This world cultural heritage attracts tourists from all over the world. In addition to Angkor Wat, there are other temples and historical sites worth visiting, such as Bayon Temple and Ta Prohm Temple outside Angkor Wat. Here you can also enjoy local food and shopping.

5. Bagan, Myanmar

Bagan is a city in Myanmar, famous for its temples and monuments, especially the ancient city of Bagan. This World Heritage Site is a unique group of temples and ancient buildings that can teach you about Myanmar’s history and culture. Here you can also taste the local beauty

Three years of epidemic

The simple "Tailande" has become "Niu Hulu·Tai"

After all, it is As a country that has become rich through tourism, Thailand has also suffered a lot during the three years of the epidemic. Before the epidemic, foreign tourists contributed more than 10% to Thailand's GDP every year.

However, in 2020, when the epidemic first began, the number of tourists to Thailand plummeted by 71%, and tourism revenue fell by 70.4% year-on-year. The severe damage to the tourism industry caused more than 6 million Thais to lose their jobs. The media has also reported that because there are no tourists in the Chiang Mai Elephant Park, the elephants not only have to endure hunger, but also face the risk of being sold.

Thailand also lowered its profile for a time and successively launched projects such as "Thais Traveling to Thailand" and "Foreigners Traveling to Thailand" to promote tourism consumption by Thais and foreigners who have lived in Thailand for a long time.

Bangkok Airways’ one-way air ticket package was once as low as more than 3,000 baht (approximately RMB 600 yuan); the high-end Thai spa shop Oasis also launched a Thai massage coupon of 599 baht for one hour (approximately RMB 120 yuan). All sold out quickly.

On the one hand, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has arranged more affordable healing travel packages, and on the other hand, it has also used short video platforms and cooperated with Internet celebrities to shoot many travel promotional videos to attract domestic and foreign tourists.

Chinatown, Bangkok, Thailand

But changes have quietly occurred. In May 2022, India replaced China and became Thailand's main foreign tourist. Many local Thais see the shadow of Chinese tourists in Indian tourists.

In addition to the fact that Indian tourists tend to have very high consumption levels and spend a lot of money, even their travel methods and patterns are very similar to Chinese tourists a few years ago. Tour groups in India can reach 150 people per group. This large-scale group size only appeared in the years when Chinese tour groups first entered Thailand.

In order to please the new God of Wealth, Thailand must also transform. Today's Pattaya tourist area is comparable to Little India. Many new Indian restaurants have been opened that adapt to the eating habits of local Indians. There are food stalls, vegetarian set meals, grilled fish, fried rice rolls, and even Bombay-style breakfast. There is everything from south to north, comparable to the local food districts in India.

Some European tourists come here for vacation and they all say they feel like they are in India.

Pattaya, Thailand

In fact, India’s growing middle class and the increasingly powerful purchasing power of this group of people have long become a non-negligible part of Thailand’s tourism revenue. Even in the entire Asia-Pacific region, India's economic rebound is relatively fast. Some airlines believe that India definitely has the potential to fill the gap created by Chinese tourists, and is even expected to replace Chinese tourists in the next five years.

As early as November 2020, Thailand announced that it would adjust its economic structure to avoid over-reliance on tourism. Last year, the Tourism Authority of Thailand reiterated its intention to increase the market share of leisure travel groups, family groups and millennials, focusing on expanding the share of wedding, honeymoon, luxury travel, health travel and golf travel.

It seems that it is trying to attract richer middle-class groups to spend high-end boutique tours in Thailand, but it is still unknown how long it will take for this transformation of high-end tours to mature.

However, there is a saying. It takes years of hard work to build the reputation and image of the tourism industry, but it may only take one unpleasant trip to destroy it...