Travel in Thailand, Malaysia and Viet Nam

Seattle Times travel writer Carol Pucci traveled to Bangkok, Penang and Hanoi and looked for the unusual.

River cruises. Fresh beer. Strong coffee. French baguettes. Bike rides along shaded canals. Cooking classes in secluded villas. Five-star hotels with sky bars and rooftop pools. Paris, Venice, London?

Try Hanoi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

If it's your first time or your tenth, surprises await in modern Southeast Asia. More accessible and easier to travel around than ever, it's a place where English is widely spoken and the dollar still packs power. Beginning Monday, join in online as travel writer Carol Pucci reports from Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Follow her dispatches, see her photos and offer your own comments and tips.