How to see Angkor Wat without the crowds

Whether you choose to live like royalty or scrimp on a shoestring in Vietnam, you’re going to have a memorable trip.

Flying in first or business class might seem like it’s a privilege reserved only for ultra-wealthy travelers. But plenty of ordinary people fly in premium airline seats all the time. If you’re savvy about how you pursue an upgrade on a flight, you can score a spot in the front of the plane without paying exorbitantly.

Zika virus, the mosquito-related disease that’s prompted travel advisories across the Caribbean as well as Central and South America, is now in Southeast Asia, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.

Last year when Italy’s Cinque Terre decided to limit the amount of tourists that visit each year, overtourism once again came to the forefront of many people’s travel plans. While other popular landmarks and cities also had tourist caps or were exploring crowd-limiting options, iconic Cinque Terre’s cap has gained a lot of attention, and is part of a rising trend.

If you want to stay at the best hotel in the United States, head to the French Quarter Inn in Charleston, South Carolina. And if you’re looking for the best bargain hotel stay in the world, it’s in a small town in northern Spain. That’s according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards, which just shared the best hotel ratings for multiple categories heading into 2019.

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Kampot, a river town in southwest Cambodia, is where my book took root. It’s around a three-hour drive from Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, and it’s close to a mountain where my 10-year quest for answers ended in 2012. Here, in an abandoned casino at the mountain’s peak, I stumbled upon the voice of Cambodia’s most famous mid-century crooner-pop star. Alone, but for a stereo, a stranger and me, the singer’s mellifluous voice took flight in the Cambodian language, Khmer. Bouncing off the empty walls, his vocals entwined with a Farfisa organ, its keys squeezing out the melody of Procol Harum’s A Whiter Shade of Pale. His voice seemed to permeate every cell in my body. I felt as if I was soaring and immediately wanted to know everything about the mystery singer. I discovered later that his name was Sinn Sisamouth. Some call him ‘the Master’, others call him ‘the Golden Voice Emperor’, and many still call him the ‘Elvis of Cambodia’. Some say he recorded as many as 4,000 songs during his 20-year career.

Modern Bangkok, historical Hanoi and tourism-boom town Siem Reap — home to the world-famous Angkor Wat temples — are some of Southeast Asia's best drawcards, and see thousands of visitors every year.

Southeast Asia is the quintessential backpacker destination – all noodle stands, grungy hostels and full moon parties, right? Not necessarily. There are still plenty of authentic Southeast Asian escapes. You just need to know where to find them. Start here.

Luxury camping, or 'glamping' as its also known, is on the rise. Once the preserve of high-end safari camps, you can now stay under canvas – with all the creature comforts – in destinations worldwide. In Southeast Asia in particular, a number of new luxury camping sites have been springing up over the past few years, offering the chance to get back to nature without roughing it entirely. Some camps even offer the chance to get involved with conservation projects on site, a great way to give back to the local economy and minimise the environmental impact of your stay. We've picked out four luxury camps to try out across Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Few travel moments illicit such a thrill as catching sight of a rare or beautiful bird emerging from its natural habitat. Here are a few of our favourite birdwatching holidays, from pigeons in Mauritius, to birds of paradise in New Guinea.

From narrow hutongs to wide-flowing rivers, China is a land of opposites, superlatives and fascination. There will always be plenty to see and do here, and the likes of the Great Wall, Forbidden City, the Bund, Zhangjiajie and Terracotta Army usually take the limelight. In need of more eclectic inspiration? Look no further – here are eleven other things to see in China.