A recent Traveller magazine article reported on approaching 52 of Australia’s most high-ranking holiday experts and five of their regular and leading Traveller writers to nominate their “dream destination for 2020”.
Among the responses were five of the dozen+ country destinations represented by Asia Pacific Superyachts owner-agents. APS is delighted to report that when these experts were asked the question, “If you could only pick one place in the world to visit in 2020, where on Earth would it be?”, the following inspiring South East Asia destinations described by the experts below were among those selected.
Sulawesi, Indonesia
“For those seeking unrivalled adventure, my pick is this rich seafaring kingdom. The lesser-known small islands of Indonesia are an explorer’s dream with thriving coral reefs, stunning landscapes of volcanic peaks and jungle-fringed waterfalls. Planning our inaugural voyage by small ship we unearthed fascinating centuries-old trading culture and history.”
Mark Fifield, Coral Expeditions
See coralexpeditions.com; indonesia.travel
Sri Lanka
“I recently visited and was captivated. For a country smaller than Tasmania, its diversity is amazing and I’m also very keen to support local tourism. A 10-day trip would be ideal, starting with the cultural triangle from Colombo before heading to the highlands and tea plantations, then wild leopard and elephant-watching at a safari hotel before finishing with a luxury beach resort.”
Michael Lavilles, The Beyond Travel Group
See beyondtravel.com.au; srilanka.travel
Myanmar
“The one place to visit in 2020 is the spectacular Inle Lake with its stunning mountain backdrop and colourful ethnic villages. The UNESCO-listed biosphere is one of the most spectacular places in the world and the Burmese people are incredibly warm and welcoming – not to mention great food with ingredients plucked fresh from floating vegetable gardens.”
Gaynor Reid, Accor Asia Pacific
See accorhotels.com; tourism.gov.mm
Sabah, Malaysia
“Kota Kinabalu, capital of the state of Sabah is the gateway to some of the best dives in the world: Sipidan, Layang-Layang and Mabul Island, which have been on my bucket list for years, along with the world-famous orangutan rehabilitation centre and some of the richest biodiversity on Earth.”
Jared Simcox, Scoot
See flyscoot.com; sabahtourism.com
Sarawak, Malaysia
“This Malaysian state on the island of Borneo offers fascinating colonial and war history, great natural beauty, unique wildlife and vibrant colourful cultures and it is so accessible from Australia. Also, there are some of the most eccentric and quirky train trips to be found anywhere.”
Scott Mcgregor, Railway Adventures
See railwayadventures.com; sarawaktourism.com