Amongst of the newest frontiers for adventurous divers in Indonesia are the many islands of the Laut Maluku - the Maluku Sea - that lies between Sulawesi's northern peninsular and the now famous dive sites of Raja Ampat on West Papua's Birdshead Peninsular.

A visit to a longhouse is often the highlight of a trip to Sarawak, offering a glimpse into the lifestyle of the various tribes who have for generations lived in the remote interior of Borneo. While there are many areas in Sarawak where longhouses can be visited, Ulu Ai is one of the best.

Northern Laos especially presents many great trekking opportunities. Not only is the terrain very mountainous and largely swathed in forest, it is also home to a dazzling array of highly colourful minority tribal people who still pursue the traditional slash and burn (swidden) farming methods, unchanged for a thousand years.

Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat is only one of many ancient temples scattered around this captivating country. The best possible way to explore them, and the rural countryside, villages, rice fields and forests is to ride a mountain bike, following back roads, tracks and trails where few tourists venture.