Southeast Asia has truly become one of the most remarkable regions in the world for resort vacations. To some extent, this has been true for a long time. The gorgeous beaches and remote getaways in this part of the world have always made for excellent retreats, and have long been considered hot spots for honeymoons, destination weddings, and other intimate getaways. More recently however we’ve also seen the rise of high-end urban hotels, casino resorts, and generally more commercial establishments, which have added some variety to the region’s accommodations.
Frankly by this point it’s difficult to keep all of the highly rated options straight, let alone to narrow them down to a few choices. But we’re going to try to do that here, as well as provide a sense of the variety of resort offerings in the region.
Marina Bay Sands
If there’s one urban resort you’ve definitely seen or heard of from this part of the world, it’s probably the Marina Bay Sands in Singpaore. This is the one that consists of three separate towers, supporting a sort of roof (complete with one of the world’s most incredible infinity pools) across all three. Known as a destination for those who appreciate luxury, it’s a larger than life venue, complete with excellent restaurants, an on-site casino, numerous surrounding attractions, and the aforementioned pool. Surrounding the pool is a whole area known as the Sands “SkyPark,” which includes incredible views and a bar.
El Nido Pangulasian Island
Here weren’t getting away from massive urban complexes and more into island getaways. The El Nido Pangalusian Island is located on the Philippines’ Pangalusian Island, and is known as one of the best retreats in the entire region. The island is fairly small, relatively speaking, and with its front facing a white sand beach and the sea beyond, and its back right up against the tropical forest, El Nido can feel as if it is its own, isolated paradise. The amenities are comfortable and the service has a strong reputation, though this is also an eco-resort, which means that in some ways it can feel a little bit simpler than some other island getaways of this caliber.
The Sands Macau
The Sands Macau is part of what’s effectively become Asia’s Las Vegas Strip. While Singapore has a claim to this sort of atmosphere as well, Macau has made an effort to set up resorts that are strongly reminiscent of Vegas, and the Sands Macau is probably the best of them. It’s a huge complex complete with everything you’d expect in a world class casino resort, including nearly 300 rooms, a huge gaming area, spaces for weddings and parties, and state-of-the-art facilities and exquisite cuisine. If you’re interested in a vacation on which your every whim is catered to, and you’re also interested in exploring a fascinating cultural destination (which Macau most certainly is), look no further.
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort
Travel & Leisure, about as respected a travel publication as there is in the world, did a write-up of the best resort hotels in Southeast Asia that essentially amounted to being an advertisement for the Four Seasons. That’s not to say anything on the list was incorrect or out of place – the Four Seasons has incredible resorts all over the world – but there wasn’t a ton of variety to the list. The InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort was one of the few exceptions. Located in Vietnam on the slope of a lush green hill facing the sea, it’s a stunning place to stay, and has enough on-site comforts and activities to keep visitors from wanting to go anywhere else during their stay.
Anantara Uluwatu Bali Resort
It’s difficult to pick just one place in Bali to make the list, but Bali certainly deserves inclusion. This portion of Indonesia is renowned as an otherworldly retreat, popular for honeymooners, people celebrating weddings and anniversaries, etc. The resort is a little bit different in that it has a clifftop infinity pool and it’s only a short distance from some world famous surf spots, so it’s definitely a place for activity. However, it’s the very picture of luxury. Each individual suite has an ocean view, and even looking at the rooms online will make you feel like royalty.
