I’ve always fantasised about rocking up to the airport and catching the first flight out. Flying out on the cheapest flight would be even better, and here are three cheap international flights from Perth to Asia.

Wondering how I found these bargains? I’ve recently discovered the ‘Find Flights for Everywhere’ when using Skyscanner…spontaneity and cheap flights, you’re welcome! You don’t even need to select specific dates, although mid-week flights tend to be cheaper, just select the entire month and opt for the dates highlighted in green for the cheapest flights.

You might need to search several times as flight prices and times can change by the day. These cheap international flights from Perth to Asia offer incredible value, considering Perth is the most remote capital city in the world.

VietJet launches in Perth

Cheap international flights from Perth to Vietnam

Excitingly, in November 2023, VietJet launched direct flights from Perth to Ho Chi Minh City, flying five days a week. In just six-and-a-half hours, you can be in the midst of it and benefit from huge savings, especially when joining the SkyJoy loyalty program, plus passengers will also benefit from free Sky Care insurance. As the first airline carrier to fly directly between Perth and HCMC, VietJet also flies from four other Australian cities, including Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, with 58 weekly flights. Between you and me, this could be an absolute game changer for travellers seeking an exotic adventure beyond many other Southeast Asia destinations given the low-cost direct flights (meaning no annoying layovers) and the affordability of travelling within Vietnam. You might like to check out my review of VietJet when I flew in the Skyboss class from Ho Chi Minh City to Perth.

Cheap international flights from Perth to Malaysia

Flights to Kuala Lumpur from Perth are plentiful, and once you’re in Malaysia’s capital flights are very affordable to Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Penang or Langkawi with Malaysian Airlines, AirAsia, Batik Air or Scoot. Here’s another hot tip for you, did you know that using Kuala Lumpur as a base presents a multitude of destinations you can reach cheaply such as Sri Lanka, where you can enjoy more savings on bespoke Sri Lanka tours or guided tours to Europe, the US and other parts of Asia.

Flights within Malaysia are very affordable and since you saved all that money on the flights, splurge at the Shangri-La Tanjung Aru in Borneo’s Kota Kinabalu with one of their sea view suites overlooking the South China Sea. Pop the kids in the kids club then head to Chi, The Spa followed by a cocktail at the Sunset Bar. After a few days of utter relaxation, take a 10-minute ferry ride from Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal to Gaya Island for even more relaxation at the Bunga Raya Island Resort, Gayana Marine Resort or the divine Gaya Island Resort.

Part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, Gaya Island is covered in ancient tropical forest with over 600 species of wildlife and birds and the Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre. Here’s 10 Reasons to Desert Yourself on Gaya Island.

The journey continues in Sandakan in North Sabah and you can’t miss the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, Agnes Keith House and Sandakan Memorial Park. For more things to do in Sabah, please check out Sabah: The Land Below the Wind.

The boutique Cove 55 hotel overlooking the South China Sea

If you like the sound of Kuching, I highly recommend basing yourself at Cove 55, at the foot of Mount Santubong overlooking the South China Sea. About 45 minutes from Kuching, this exclusive boutique is the perfect spot to base yourself for nature-based and wildlife adventures, visiting orangutans at Semonggoh Nature Reserve, the Sarawak Cultural Village and attending the Rainforest World Music Festival.

Safi Theatre at the Rainforest World Music Festival

Singapore’s Merlion

Cheap international flights from Perth to Singapore

Go all out and take your honey to Singapore with Singapore Airlines, Scoot Airlines, Qantas, Batik Air or Air Asia. While in Singapore, there will be food galore ranging from fancy restaurants to Hainanese Chicken Rice in the Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown to a seafood at East Coast Seafood. Singapore Zoo, Gardens by the Bay and a shopping spree on Orchard Road should always be on the agenda. Unless, you’re escaping to tropical Sentosa Island full of resorts, beaches, panoramic views, day spas, the famous musical fountain and an interactive light show on Siloso Beach. Check our A Singapore Schwing: Fun Date Ideas in Singapore for some inspiration.

Black chilli crab at East Coast Seafood

Chinatown’s colourful and historic shop fronts

Cheap international flights from Perth to Bali

You could be looking out over those verdant rice paddies for a bargain with Jetstar, Air Asia or Batik Air. Okay, we all know Jetstar isn’t the most reliable of airlines, but as long as you remain in that spontaneous frame of mind with a plan in mind in case of a flight delay, it can be worth the inconvenience for the cost savings. Ubud is one of my favourite spots in Bali, so if it was me, I’d head straight for the hills and to Naughty Nari’s for a fix of ribs and martinis. Then I’d retreat to one of these unique places to stay in Ubud and then you can Eat, Lay, Bend and Write.

It’s just a short flight to Lombok for around $100, where you must visit the Sendagn Gila Waterfalls, Sembalun Village, Kuta Beach and the Gili Islands. Here’s a few reasons why I recommend Lombok is your next destination.

Disclaimer: these flights were available at the time of posting and are subject to taxes, fees and each of the airline’s and Skyscanner’s terms and conditions. Flight prices are one-way and for one person only.

If you enjoyed this article about saving money on your flights, you might also enjoy reading about these free side trips and new flight routes with Malaysia Airlines and my review of Sky Boss class (aka premium economy) with VietJet Air.

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Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre

While tropical adventures are aplenty in Malaysia’s Borneo, the state of Sabah oozes a tumultuous cultural past. The phrase “land below the wind” was coined a century ago by sailors to describe the Malaysian state of Sabah on the northern coast of Borneo because of its location south of the typhoon belt. Please read on for some of the best things to do in Sabah.

Sunset over Sandakan

From Kota Kinabalu’s Signal Hill Observatory, the sun gently slid into the turquoise bay of the South China Sea. In the middle of Mother Nature’s spectacular show, we had stumbled into the filming of a documentary about a group of Australian women who were about to start working with the orang-utans at Sepilok, in the north of the Malaysian state of Sabah. Despite the disruption, they graciously explained their plight and inspiration.

The centre was established in 1963 after the wife of the curator of the Sarawak Museum, Barbara Harrisson began rescuing and training young orang-utans in 1961. Thanks to her dedication and backing from the World Wildlife Fund, the orang-utans became a protected animal in Sabah under the Fauna Conservation Ordinance, which prohibits trading, hunting or keeping them as pets.

And it wasn’t too long until I too got up close and personal with the cheeky primates.

Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre

Things to do in North Sabah

A short plane ride north from the capital Kota Kinabalu to Sabah’s second largest town Sandakan is the Sepilok Orang-utan Rehabilitation Centre, which was established in 1963, a year after Sabah became an independent state. Housing between 60 to 80 orang-utans, the centre protects orphans whose mothers were illegally hunted and teaches them how to live in the wild again. As one delicately selects a banana, I have no doubt we share 96% of our genes, and after hearing about the orang-utan who distracts his victims by pulling down their pants and running off with their cameras, we also share a wicked sense of humour.

Agnes Keith House, Sandakan

The term “land below the wind” was coined by sailors a century ago because of Sabah’s proximity to the typhoon belt. American author and expat Agnes Keith gave notoriety to the phrase in her book of the same name, plus the two more books about her life in Sandakan titled Three Came Home and White Man Returns. Living high on a hill in a colonial mansion overlooking the town with her husband, a prominent Conservator of Forests and Director for Agriculture, and being a six-foot-tall flamboyantly dressed western woman, Agnes was an unforgettable sight in the 1930s. The restored Agnes Keith House is open to the public and pays homage to the remarkable woman who writes about her exotic home with great warmth considering the harsh conditions, particularly during the Japanese occupation when she was incarcerated during the Second World War. Linger for a civilised cup of tea and dainty afternoon tea at the onsite restaurant where you can also buy her books.

Fancy afternoon tea at Agnes Keith House

The beautiful Sandakan Memorial Park belies the atrocities of the Sandakan Death Marches, which spanned 260km through the jungle and out of 2,400 prisoners, only six survived. The original town centre Buli Sim Sim Water Village, is open to visitors, and despite its rickety appearance, it’s a traditional suburb with plumbing and electricity, and many of the occupants are Muslim fishermen who sell their catch from their doorsteps.

Sandakan Memorial Park

Things to do in South Sabah

Many travellers arrive in Sabah’s capital Kota Kinabalu and get no further than wandering the windy streets in search of food and bargains. The intrepid might conquer Mt Kinabalu or chug through the jungle on the Northern Borneo Railway for a gentler pace. Some will delve into the deep blue, board a boat, and explore the surrounding islands.

Interestingly, this foodie gem wasn’t readily advertised and like much of Borneo nothing is in your face but it’s worth the effort to seek out its treasures. That may explain why Sabah, “the land beneath the wind”, has been the destination below the tourist radar. However, gathering from the amount of construction in progress, the laid-back pace will be revitalised into a traveller’s haven. Naturally, there are mixed emotions about this. But no one will argue that raising the standard of living will be beneficial to the locals. Headway is in the making as many of the shanty-towns stand vacant alongside new apartment blocks. Just as the balconies are decorated with brightly-coloured washing; the future of Sabah looks luminous.

While in Kota Kinabalu, I highly recommend The Shangri-La Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa, especially for families. We once spent our daughter’s birthday here and they made a huge fuss with a birthday cake and a performance by the staff at the resort’s signature restaurant. And after returning to our suite, one last surprise lay in-store. Set out was another cake, and in a champagne bucket was a bottle of milk on ice. As I tucked my little wild one into bed, she was still giggling at, “the funny milk.” The evening’s turndown scent included lime, rose, ginger, lavender and Ylang Ylang and was named Moments, aptly for joy and contentment.

Northern Borneo Railway

If you’re lucky, you might even arrange to be stranded on Gaya Island, located within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park. On approach by speed boat, it’s almost impossible to tell that Gaya Island Resort’s villas are nuzzled into the hillside of an ancient rainforest. Built with local materials blending seamlessly into the natural escarpment, each luxurious villa has a unique outlook of the South China Sea, lush rainforest or the mangroves.

Meet some of the island’s inhabitants, such as the proboscis and macaque monkeys, red giant flying squirrels, bearded pigs, lizards or any of the 622 bird species recorded on the island. Or escape to a deserted beach with your beloved and little more than a snorkel and a picnic basket, or learn how to cook your favourite local delicacies. There are no vehicles on the hilly island, so even if you missed an early morning power walk, yoga or the gym, the mini trek to the day spa should iron out any indulgences by the time you’ve been tenderised and wrapped in an assortment of essential oils.

Insightful reading material by the pool at Gaya Island Resort

Local marine biologists invite guests into Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park to explore a wonder world of coral, colourful sea sponges, giant clams, sea anemones, clown fish, turtles and lobsters. So clear is the water, it’s a popular spot for underwater photography, and specialty photography courses are offered. Or postpone the inevitable return to reality by jumping aboard the resort’s 64-foot yacht and sailing off into the sunset.

Fly to Sabah

You can fly direct to Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan with Malaysia Airlines via Kuala Lumpur and please check out my post for more perks about flying with Malaysia Airlines.

More of the best things to do in Sabah

For more adventures in Sabah, please check out 10 REASONS TO DESERT YOURSELF ON GAYA ISLAND.

Carmen Jenner was a guest of Gaya Island Resort (www.gayaislandresort.com), Four Points Sheraton (which sadly closed in 2020 due to the pandemic) and Sabah Tourism www.sabahtourism.com.

Craving more travels? Please stay in touch by subscribing to Fluffy Towel today. Thank you and happy travels.

Mt Kinabalu from Gaya Island

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Photo credit: Gaya Island Resort

As the speedboat zoomed towards Gaya Island Resort, I was already devising ways to never return to reality. A few minutes off the coast of Kota Kinabalu on the Malaysian state of Sabah lies a refuge away from life as most of us know it. Occupying 15km and located on the island of Pulau Gaya within the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, Malohom Bay sweeps majestically and here are 10 reasons why you will want to desert yourself on Gaya Island.

1. Gaya Island Resort

On the approach by ferry to Gaya Island, it’s impossible to tell that 120 villas nuzzle into the hillside of an ancient rainforest. Built with local materials blending seamlessly into the natural escarpment, each contemporary villa at Gaya Island Resort has a unique outlook of either the South China Sea, lush rainforest, the mangroves or the beach. With oversized baths, flat-screen TVs, and outdoor living rooms with day beds, you’ll be in rapture to call this home, if only temporarily.

Photo credit: Gaya Island Resort

2. Glorious food

The menu offers some of the best cuisine in Sabah with a mix of local dishes, western favourites and seafood plucked straight from the sea. Most guests flock to the casual Feast Village for its diverse dishes while others step it up a notch at the fine-dining Fisherman’s Cove perched on a rooftop and making the most of those views of the sea and Mt Kinabalu hovering in the distance. Or get all primal and tear some seafood apart at a Bajau Laut Beach Barbeque.

3. Be led astray through an ancient rainforest

There aren’t many resorts that come with their own botanist personally guiding guests on nature walks through an ancient rainforest. Here you could meet some of the island’s inhabitants including the proboscis and macaque monkeys, hornbills, mouse deers, bearded pigs, lizards or any of the 622 bird species recorded on the island. If paradise is just too much to handle there are off-island excursions like a tour to Kinabalu Park, a visit to local villages, or cycling through the countryside.

Photo credit: Gaya Island Resort

4. Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park comprises of several islands off Kota Kinabalu and local marine biologists invite guests to a wonder-world of coral, colourful sea sponges, giant clams, sea anemones, clown fish and lobsters. The conditions are usually so clear it’s a popular spot for underwater photography and specialty photography courses are offered. The more experienced may take a night dive or novices can take a PADI course and learn from the experts where all the best viewing spots are.

5.  Sea adventures

Motorised and non-motorised water sports equipment like kayaks and stand-up paddle surfs are available for hire. Holiday snaps will impress, especially if you’re holding up a giant tuna caught on a day out at sea on a chartered fishing trip.

Photo credit: Gaya Island Resort

6.  Get deserted on your own private beach

If sharing your island with other guests becomes tiresome then escape to a deserted beach with your beloved with little more than a snorkel and a picnic basket. A favourite past-time for loved-up honeymooners and the only way on or off the beach is by boat.

7.  Feeling good on Gaya Island

Don’t feel guilty if you missed the group of early morning power walkers or one of the yoga classes (although it’s highly recommended even if you’re just slightly flexible) or didn’t hit the fully-equipped gym, because there are no vehicles on the hilly island. It’s probably best to forgo the high heels because chances are you’re going to be walking off all that lovely food. The mini trek to the day spa needn’t overwhelm because by the time you’ve been tenderised and cocooned in an assortment of essential oils, you’ll float back to your villa.

8.  Cultural delights

By now you’ve probably sampled the flavoursome cuisine of Borneo and may be keen to recreate a slice of island life back home. The resort’s chefs will invite you into their kitchen so you’re whipping up curries in no time. Also on offer are wildlife encounters, dance classes, and personalised tours

9.  Family friendly

Parents will rejoice because Gaya Island Resort not only accepts children, but they also cater well for them too with family-friendly accommodation, kids’ facilities and a babysitting service so you can enjoy all of the above as adults.

P.S. That’s apple juice in the glass – no kids were harmed in the making of this photo

10.  Sail off into the sunset

At some point thoughts of your real home may have crept into your head. Postpone the inevitable by orchestrating a romantically fitting finale to your escape from reality by jumping aboard a 64-foot yacht while sipping champagne and sailing off into the sunset.

Where is Gaya Island?

Gaya Island is just a 10-minute ferry journey off Kota Kinabalu, in Sabah, and is the largest island in the Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park. This stunning island is covered in ancient tropical forest with three resorts including Bungaraya Island Resort, Gayana Marine Resort and Gaya Island Resort.

How do I get to Gaya Island?

You can fly directly to the airport at Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, with Malaysia Airlines.

Once you’re in Kota Kinabalu, check in for the resort is conducted at Gaya Lounge at the Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal before you are escorted to the jetty for a 10-minute speedboat transfer to Gaya Island Resort.

Photo credit: Gaya Island Resort

Carmen Jenner was a guest of Gaya Island Resort (www.gayaislandresort.com) and Sabah Tourism www.sabahtourism.com

For more adventures in Sabah, please check out SABAH: THE LAND BELOW THE WIND

Craving more travels? Please stay in touch by subscribing to Fluffy Towel today. Thank you and happy travels.

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