It’s no secret that as Australians, we have a passionate love affair with SE Asia. From the millions of travelers who descend upon Bali, to those who temple hop through Thailand, it’s become almost a rite of passage to visit the region.

And it’s no wonder we’re so addicted; Southeast Asia is a melting pot of vibrant modern cities, and small traditional villages; a crazy juxtaposition of chaos and tranquility, tradition and modernity, religion and commercialism.

You have the chance to taste exotic street food, fail at chopsticks, and ride long-tailed boats to secluded islands so pristine, we couldn’t imagine such beauty in our wildest dreams.

Let’s be honest – the attraction also lies in the fact that it’s often a dirt cheap holiday, and as such, I don’t see our love affair with Southeast Asia dying out anytime soon.

But, whether your ideal holiday consists of relaxing on tropical beaches, visiting temples, or tracking tigers through the jungle, the most important website for organizing your trip is Traveloka.

Here’s why you should bookmark it!

7 Reasons Every Australian Traveller Should Know About Traveloka

Which Countries are in SE Asia?

South East Asia is a region made up of the 11 countries that straddle the Indian and Pacific Ocean. It’s the region that’s south of China, east of India, west of Papua New Guinea, and north of Australia.

With 620 million people, SE Asia is considered to be one of the most populated regions of the world. These are the countries:

Traveling to one of these 11 countries? Here are 7 reasons Traveloka is the only website to use!

#1 It’s What the Locals Use

Booking a holiday to Southeast Asia is something that most Australians are already quite pro at; we head to Bali for birthdays, Thailand for weddings, and everywhere else just because we want to!

But, even if you’ve booked a million SE Asia holidays, you’ll likely find that using Traveloka will save you both time and money when you go to book your next.

The leading online travel agency that specializes solely in travel to SE Asia, discovering Traveloka is one of those ‘I can’t believe I didn’t know that everyone was using this!’ moments!

It’s already a household name for SE Asia travel for the 620 million people who live in the region, though Australians have recently started to catch on that we should be using it too.

This is a booking platform where you can organize everything at once, at the cheapest rates: flights, hotels, trains, flight + hotel packages, attractions and activities, connectivity products, airport transports, buses, you name it!

Whether it’s some-one from Thailand flying to Singapore, or someone from Bali holidaying in Laos, Traveloka is the booking platform that SE Asia locals use.

#2 The Most Complete Range of Flights in SE Asia

One of the reasons Traveloka is the booking platform locals use, is because its inventory of flights is one of the most complete that you’ll find of any other booking / comparison website online.

Being that Traveloka specializes in this region, they provide a wide selection of airlines, including the small budget and lesser known airlines that usually don’t get listed on worldwide, mainstream travel sites.

Ever heard of Lion Air (it’s a budget / low cost carrier in Indonesia)? What about Vietjet? XiamenAir? Eva Air? Sriwijaya Air?

Traveloka has partnerships with more than 100 domestic and international airlines, serving more than 200,000 routes worldwide. This means you have more options on things like cost, timing, connections etc, and can better book a holiday to suit your individual preferences.

It also means you have the option to choose cheaper, local flights, and more competition on airlines means finding the most competitive price (they don’t charge a booking fee either).

#3 Huge Range of Accommodation

Just as Traveloka has one of the most complete inventories of flights throughout SE Asia, the same can be said about their inventory of hotels (more than 100,000 of them).

Having such a niche focus on SE Asia means Traveloka is able to form partnerships with not only chain hotels, but also apartments, guest houses, and homestays. You’ll the usual hotel partners like Hilton, Marriott, Accor, but also have the benefit of being able to search for more local alternatives.

Alternative accommodation like villas, or staying with a local family in their home are a lot more immersive, and a great option to have being that they often don’t appear on similar world-wide booking platforms.

You’ll find accommodation from 1-5 star hotels to vacation rentals, and once again, the huge range of options means you can find something easily within your price point.

Being that Traveloka is an all-in-one travel platform, they also offer competitive hotel rates and insider deals for customers who have purchased flights. So if you book a flight + hotel package, your accommodation becomes even cheaper still.

Hotel Comparison

Orchard Hotel Singapore – $395 via Traveloka

Orchard Hotel Singapore – $445 via Booking.com

#4 All-in-One Booking Platform

The point of Traveloka is that you can book your whole vacation through one website, and be confident in the knowledge that you’re getting the cheapest price. Beyond flights and hotels, you can also book your airport transfers, and even experiences.

When you’re traveling throughout Southeast Asia one of the biggest concerns is taxi scams. I experienced it first hand in Ho Chi Minh City; it’s quite intimidating finding the official taxi rank when you land, holding onto your bag with a tiger grip so that a hustler doesn’t grab your bags.

Booking your airport transfer in advance, knowing that it’s sorted, and being able to add it onto your final bill with your accommodation and flights, is so convenient, and takes all of the risk and anxiety out of ending up with a dishonest taxi driver.

Similarly, you can book your activities and attractions through Traveloka too. Their Xperience page allows you to search attractions and activities by country, and you can book everything from concerts, to films, to spa treatments, theme parks, tours, and cultural experiences.

Once you book an experience they send you an instant confirmation, and this is a great way to skip the queues of the attractions you know you’re visiting; no need to line up when you already have a printed ticket!

#5 There’s a Convenient App

Like every decent booking platform, Traveloka has an easy to use, convenient app. You can make your bookings on the go, keep reservation confirmations accessible on your phone, and access 24 / 7 assistance from local customer service who speak your language.

Being that this is the platform SE Asia locals use for their own travel, the Traveloka app is one of the most popular in the region. It’s been downloaded more than 30 million times, and has more than 350,000 reviews.

Similar to other airline apps, a really convenient feature is their Price Alert. This allows you to get push notifications when the flight prices you want become available. It’s a great way to monitor cheap flights, or drops in pricing, without having to watch it 24/7.

Click here to download from the apple store, or here to download for android.

#6 Pay However You Want To

The biggest thing about using Traveloka is that you can pay however you want to. They partner with the most reliable payment service providers to make sure that every transaction is smooth and worry-free, and there are more than 40 different payment options.

Can you even list 40 different payment options off the top of your head?!

Because they’re so specialized, yes, you can pay with VISA, Mastercard, PayPal – all the usuals. But they also allow payments via local providers in  Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines.

This is great for expats in these countries who may have set up their banking and finances using localized apps and payment methods, and it’s great because you’re not limited in your choice of how you want to pay.

You can pay via cash installment plans (this really sets them apart from other travel agents in the industry), or make transfers via internet banking – they have various payment partners for funds transfers including Maybank, CIMB, Public Bank, AmBank, Bank Islam, and a huge range of others.

#7 They’re Trustworthy

But what about trust? They nail this too!

In terms of your money, every payment you make it processed securely; Traveloka’s system is secured by RapidSSL authorized technology, and you get sent an instant notification to your email for every transaction or confirmation being made.

Though they also value honesty and transparency throughout the booking process; prices on Traveloka are very much ‘what you see is what you will get’ – there are no hidden booking fees, no extra charges after you’ve made the booking; it’s quite refreshing to come across an honest OTA (online travel agency).

They give you access to real customer reviews that provide clear information on the airlines you would want to consider, and make the whole process, from researching, to booking, to actually traveling, as convenient and straightforward as possible.

So, where are you going in Southeast Asia? Head to traveloka.com/en-au to make your next booking.

THESE BOOKS WILL INSPIRE YOU TO TRAVEL! ↓

Journeys of a Lifetime

100 Countries, 5,000 Ideas

World’s Best Travel Experiences

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.