If your version of Southeast Asia skips beach clubs, souvenir stalls and hectic crowds, then we know just the place for you. Think slow-moving rivers, misty hills, homestays, and fishing villages where things still move at their own pace. These are the spots where time stretches and the wi-fi doesn’t always work — and that’s the point.

From forested valleys in Laos to remote islands in Vietnam, these are some of the best off the beaten path Southeast Asia experiences for travellers from Australia.

Koh Kood (also Koh Kut)in Bang Bao Bay is one of the most underrated travel destinations in Southeast Asia. It sits off Thailand’s eastern coast, and is closer to Cambodia than the party beaches of the Gulf, but still reachable from Bangkok. The kind of place where scooters outnumber cars, and the loudest sound might just be a gecko in the rafters.

Head to Ao Tapao for a swim, then follow the coast south to Bang Bao for snorkelling and grilled fish by the pier. Take a longtail to Khlong Chao Waterfall, or drift through the mangroves by kayak. With just a few ferries and not a chain hotel in sight, Koh Kood stays low-key.

Yes, off-the-beaten-track and Bali can go together! A valley village in east Bali, Sidemen is about 90 minutes from Ubud. But it’s a million miles off the tourist trail. Take ridge walks through the rice fields and watch farmers harvest by hand. You can also try your hand at traditional tenun weaving, visit nearby waterfalls like Tukad Cepung, or roll out a mat for yoga with views of Mount Agung.

Local guides run day hikes to sacred temples like Pura Bukit Sangkan Gunung. Meals come from the garden, and evenings often end with a cup of teh jahe — ginger tea — and the sound of frogs. A great pick for travellers searching for authentic Southeast Asia travel ideas beyond Bali’s busy beach towns.

Nong Khiaw is a riverside village in northern Laos, a few hours by minivan from Luang Prabang but a world away in pace. Mornings here mean climbing to the Pha Daeng viewpoint before the mist lifts, afternoons are for boat rides along the Nam Ou or a cycle to the Pha Tok Cave. There’s no big development yet, just homestays, local BBQ, and mountain views in every direction. For Aussies looking for lesser-known places to visit in Southeast Asia, this is an easy detour that delivers something quieter.

Just off the coast of Dumaguete, Siquijor has a long-held reputation for mystical healers and herbal medicine. Rent a scooter and loop the coast in a day, stopping for a swim at Paliton Beach, a walk through the old balete tree (a centuries-old banyan tree), or lunch by the pier in San Juan.

Inland, you’ll find waterfalls like Cambugahay, where kids backflip into the clear blue pools. There are no malls, just sari-sari stores, long afternoons, and that easy rhythm Aussies often hope to find on smaller islands.

Sail off the east coast of Sumatra to reach the island of Belitung. It is best known for its quiet beaches, shallow turquoise waters, and giant granite boulders that rise from the sand like natural sculptures. Set up in its main town of Tanjung Pandan, and sleep in among seafood warungs and a handful of guesthouses.

From here, take a boat to Lengkuas Island for snorkelling and a climb up its 19th-century lighthouse. Back on Belitung, head to Bukit Berahu for views over offshore islets and the Java Sea. If you’re looking for an easygoing coastal spot far from the usual Bali buzz, this is it.

The island chain of Con Dao is hidden away in southern Vietnam. Remote and stunning, Con Dao is best known for its clear bays, a chance to spot nesting sea turtles, and its steep, forested cliffs that drop straight into the sea. Drop by Con Son to snorkel coral reefs at Bai Canh, or trek through Con Dao National Park in search of macaques, and kayak along the jungle-lined Ben Dam Bay.

History’s never far away here — visit the old French colonial prison and the Hang Duong Cemetery, where candles still burn for national heroes. Seafood comes straight from the boats, and the evenings stay quiet. These are some of the best quiet islands in Southeast Asia to visit, especially for those after calm vibes.

Sitting riverside in a province of the same name, welcome to the town of Champasak. You can find it along the Mekong River in southern Laos, about an hour’s drive south of Pakse — a common jumping-off point for the highlands of the Bolaven Plateau. Once the seat of a Lao kingdom and later part of French Indochina, the town still holds traces of its past in old French villas and crumbling halls. Most travellers come for Wat Phou, a pre-Angkorian temple tucked into the base of Phou Kao mountain. Smaller than Angkor Wat but just as atmospheric at sunrise, it’s a UNESCO-listed site still flying under the radar. Base yourself in town for easy rides along the Mekong and dinners of grilled fish and cold Beerlao.

Where to stay near Champasak:

Kratie sits on a quiet bend of the Mekong, about five hours by road from Phnom Penh but far from the capital’s pace. Most travellers come for the chance to spot Irrawaddy dolphins near Kampi — best done by wooden boat at first light.

Back in town, colonial shophouses line the streets, and just across the water, the island of Koh Trong’s red-dust roads make for easy cycling past orchards and ox carts. After the sun sets, settle down for grilled skewers and sugarcane juice.

Where to stay in Kratie:

Deep in the mountains near the Myanmar border, Umphang is one of the best remote places in Southeast Asia for Aussies. The road into town is famously twisty (over 1,219 curves from Mae Sot) and can only be done by car or local songthaew bus in dry season. But the payoff is jungle trails, quiet villages, and the towering Thi Lo Su Waterfall, one of the largest in Southeast Asia. Hike through Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary to spot gibbons and hornbills, raft the Mae Klong River, or stay in a riverside homestay under a sky full of stars.

The valley village of Du Gia is deep in Vietnam’s far north. About six hours by motorbike from Ha Giang City, it’s a key stop on the Ha Giang Loop — a multi-day ride known for hairpin roads, limestone peaks, and views towards the China border. It's in Du Gia that the riding schedule falls away. Swim at Tham Luong Waterfall, with its deep, swimmable pool. Walk through rice paddies or fish for cá bống in the stream with a bamboo pole. Stay in a Tay family homestay, where dinner is river fish and sticky rice, and the night air carries frog song and woodsmoke. A standout stop on one of the best Southeast Asia backpacking off-the-beaten-track routes.

Where to stay in Du Gia and along the Ha Giang Loop: