Yellsy Editorial
Expert travel content
Skip Bangkok and Bali. These 7 underrated destinations are seeing price drops of up to 58% — and they're far less crowded.
Why Skip the Obvious?
Bangkok, Bali, Phuket — these are perfectly good destinations that have been marketed to death. They're crowded in high season, aggressively priced, and increasingly expensive for what you actually get on the ground.
Meanwhile, a handful of underrated cities in Southeast Asia offer genuinely exceptional experiences with return flights from Europe regularly under €500. Here are seven our price data highlights as consistently under-valued.
1. Da Nang, Vietnam
Flights from Paris CDG run €420–€530 via Doha or Dubai, typically 14–16 hours total. The best period is February through May, in the dry season before the tourist peak.
Da Nang sits on Vietnam's central coast between Hoi An and Hue — two of the country's most compelling destinations. Most tourists fly into Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and miss it entirely. That's a mistake: Da Nang gives you a 30-minute drive to Hoi An's ancient town and two hours to Hue's imperial citadel, from a base with modern infrastructure, a 30km stretch of beach, and accommodation that costs 40–60% less than comparable quality in Bangkok. Set an alert for DAD at €460 return from your nearest European hub.
2. Penang, Malaysia
From London LHR, return flights run €470–€590, typically via Kuala Lumpur with one short domestic hop. November through February is the cooler, drier season.
Penang's George Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to one of Southeast Asia's best street food scenes. The island combines Chinese shophouses, Indian temples, and Malay kampung architecture in a way that genuinely has no equivalent elsewhere in the region. Most flights to Malaysia land in KL — adding the connection to Penang costs €30–€50 but unlocks a completely different experience. World-class hotels at budget prices are the norm: 5-star properties under €80 a night are common.
3. Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Flights from Amsterdam run €480–€560 via Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Visit between May and September during the dry season.
Yogyakarta — "Jogja" to locals — sits in the shadow of active volcano Merapi and is the closest gateway to Borobudur, the world's largest Buddhist temple. It's also the base for the spectacular 9th-century Hindu complex at Prambanan. Bali absorbs almost all of Indonesia's tourist marketing budget, which means Yogyakarta offers comparable cultural depth with 80% fewer crowds. Domestic flights from KL or Singapore add under €50.
4. Luang Prabang, Laos
Paris CDG to Luang Prabang runs €520–€620 via Bangkok. The best months are November through February.
This is at the top end of our sub-€600 threshold, and it earns its place. Luang Prabang is a UNESCO-listed town on the Mekong with 33 gilded temples, French colonial architecture, and a morning monks' alms-giving ceremony that starts at 5:30am. It's one of the most genuinely atmospheric places in Asia. Laos attracts only a fraction of Thailand's visitors despite being equally accessible — partly because there's no beach, which filters out a large portion of the tourist market. For travellers interested in culture over sun loungers, that's a feature. Monitor alerts carefully here, as prices can sit above €600 for extended periods.
5. Siem Reap, Cambodia
From Frankfurt, return flights are €490–€570 via Bangkok or Singapore. Travel between November and March during the dry season.
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious monument, and the Angkor Archaeological Park surrounding it — 200+ monuments across 400 square kilometres, covered by a $37/day pass. The broader reason Siem Reap makes this list is its hotel market: it's oversupplied relative to visitor numbers, which means 4 and 5-star properties are available at prices that would be laughable in Bangkok or Bali.
6. Chiang Mai, Thailand
From London, flights run €450–€540, usually via Bangkok with a short domestic connection. The best months are November through February.
Thailand's second city is cooler, slower, and noticeably cheaper than Bangkok. The old city moat area has 300 Buddhist temples, a weekly Sunday Walking Street market, and a cooking school scene that's among the best in Asia. The domestic Bangkok–Chiang Mai connection costs €30–€50 and is worth it: accommodation in Chiang Mai runs 35–50% less than Bangkok, the city is actually walkable, and northern Thai cuisine is distinct enough from central Thai that it merits experiencing in its own right.
7. Mandalay, Myanmar
Return flights from Paris run €500–€580 via Bangkok. October through February is the most comfortable period.
We include Mandalay with an important caveat: check your government's current travel advisory before purchasing tickets. For travellers for whom the destination is accessible, Mandalay offers extraordinary Buddhist heritage — U Bein Bridge, Mahamuni Pagoda, and close proximity to Bagan's temple plain, an hour's flight south. It remains one of the least-touristed significant heritage destinations in Asia.
How to Book These Routes
The best fares for Southeast Asia almost always route through Dubai, Doha, Kuala Lumpur, or Singapore as intermediate hubs. Emirates, Qatar Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Singapore Airlines are the most competitive carriers on Europe–SEA routes.
Set price alerts for the destination airports above at the lower end of the ranges quoted. Prices to Southeast Asia drop sharply in October and November as European summer ends — the best moment to book for a January–March trip.
✈ Flights to Bangkok
Ready to find your deal?
Set a price alert and we'll notify you the second prices hit your target.
Set price alert — it's free →