Asia attractions

Between 1975 and 1979, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge government killed and/or starved around 1.7 million of their citizens, roughly 20% of the population. Phnom Penh’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a former high school that served as a torture and detention center, documents their atrocities through films, photos, and artifacts.

Kuala Lumpur may be the capital of Malaysia, but Putrajaya, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) away, is the nation’s seat of government. A planned city laid out in the mid-1990s, its grandiose buildings, manicured gardens, and space-age architecture spread out around an artificial lake.

The prominence of Phuket’s beaches and out islands mean that Phuket Old Town is often overlooked. Yet, it offers a wealth of 19th-century architectural delights and fantastic photo ops. Beside the latticed windows of Malay-style shop-front buildings on Soi Rommanee, Old Phuket Town boasts temples, museums, and restaurants.

In the 1930s, Drepung Monastery ranked among the largest in the world with around 7,000 monks living on its grounds at its peak. While the number of monks has dropped to approximately 600 monks, Drepung Monastery’s four colleges continue to teach lineage, religion, and geography.

As the most significant of Phuket’s 29 Buddhist temples, Wat Chalong attracts hundreds of visitors daily. A mountain backdrop emphasizes a golden spire, while wall paintings inside each temple depict vibrant Buddhist images. The main stupa, known as the Grand Pagoda, is said to harbor a splinter of the Buddha’s bone.

The Yulong River, also known as the Little Li River, is the largest tributary of the Li River, and it runs 26 miles (43 kilometers) across Yangshuo county. The river flows past limestone karsts, bamboo forests, rice paddies, ancient villages, and stone bridges. Floating down the river, or hiking or biking next to it, provides up-close views.

Built by the French in 1896 to hold Vietnamese political prisoners and known originally as Maison Centrale, Hoa Lo Prison was taken over by the Vietnamese in 1954. During the American War (Vietnam War), it housed American POWs, who referred to it as the “Hanoi Hilton.” Today, parts of the original prison have been turned into a museum.

Learn about Vietnam’s 54 different ethnic groups at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (VME), one of Hanoi’s most interesting museums. Featuring a range of exhibits, from replicas of homes and everyday objects to priceless antiques and multimedia displays, the museum offers valuable insight into the culture and heritage of the country’s many groups.

At the heart of the Royal Enclosure—the remains of the royal palace complex in the city of Angkor Thom—Phimeanakas was the king’s private temple. Carved mainly from rust-colored laterite rock, with sandstone elements, it ascends in three stepped tiers that represent the Hindu sacred mountain, Mt. Meru. It once had a golden spire.

The Japanese royal family lived in Kyoto Imperial Palace(Kyoto Gosho) until 1868, when the capital moved to Tokyo. It’s located within the Kyoto Imperial Park, which also houses other palaces and shrines. This must-visit attraction allows visitors to gain a greater understanding of Japan’s rich history and culture while enjoying landscaped gardens.

Rising 8,415 feet (2,565 meters) above sea level, Mt. Doi Inthanon—set within Doi Inthanon National Park—is Thailand’s tallest mountain. The views from the summit are a major draw, particularly on clear days, but the journey to the top is just as rewarding. Visitors can enjoy well-marked hiking trails that showcase dramatic waterfalls, mountain forests, and dome-shaped Buddhist shrines along the way.

Mt. Everest is probably the most famous mountain on Earth—and it’s certainly the highest, at 29,029 feet (8,848 meters). The peak sits on the border between Nepal and Tibet; it’s called Sagarmatha in Nepali and Chomolangma in the Sherpa language, and it holds spiritual and cultural significance for local people. Seeing the mountain on foot, by helicopter, or on a scenic fly-by from Kathmandu is a highlight for many visitors to Nepal.

Also known as the Royal Bath, Srah Srang is an artificial lake in the heart of the Angkor Archaeological Complex. Especially picturesque at sunrise and sunset, the 10th-century reservoir is also a popular lunch spot—the ornately-carved terrace and lush trees provide respite from a busy day of temple-hopping.

Central Vietnam’s My Khe Beach, near the city of Da Nang, is often considered one of Vietnam’s most beautiful beaches. With a wide sweep of white sand, calm and clear waters, coconut palms, and warm weather throughout much of the year, My Khe Beach is an ideal place to take a break from urban Vietnam.

Not far from Jaipur, Pushkar is one Rajasthan’s most popular towns. This lakefront holy town is among the most picturesque in an already photo-worthy state, with a peaceful lake surrounded by 52 ghats and beautiful hills and temples in the distance.

Housed in a beautiful Minangkabau-style building in Kuala Lumpur, the National Museum (Muzium Negara) details Malaysia’s rich history and diverse cultural heritage. Spanning the prehistoric age to present day, four distinctive galleries exhibit fascinating artifacts such as Palaeolithic-era tools thought to be more than 200,000 years old.

After Borobudur, the 9th-century Prambanan temple complex is Yogyakarta’s most prized site. Like Borobudur, it’s been recognized with UNESCO World Heritage status. The Prambanan Archaeological Park is home to over 500 temples. Some 240 make up the Prambanan group; others fall into other groups, including Sewu Temple and Lumbung Temple.

Jonker Street (Jalan Hang Jebat)runs through the heart of Chinatown in Melaka’s city center and was once known primarily for its antique dealers. Those on the hunt for Malaysian artifacts and relics—authentic and otherwise—will still find these rare items, but the area has evolved to include clothing boutiques, craft shops, and restaurants as well.

Built between 1928 and 1943, the sprawling Umaid Bhawan Palace can be seen for miles around. Part of the grand palace is a luxury hotel run by the Taj Group, and the royal family occupy a wing of the structure to this day. It’s also home to the Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, full of palace-related exhibits and artifacts.

An East Java highlight, the Ijen Crater (Kawah Ijen) towers above the Ijen Plateau. A highly acidic crater lake yields sulfur for local miners, while burning gases emit an eerie blue glow at night. Views of Java’s most perfect volcanoes, including Mount Merapi and Mount Raung, make the summit worth bagging.

Gwangjang Market, Seoul’s first and oldest covered market, was originally the place to buy traditional Korean clothing items, such as hanbok. Though the market still specializes in textiles, it’s become one of Seoul’s biggest street food hot spots, where foodies can sample nearly any type of Korean cuisine under the same roof.

The Elephanta Caves are among the most beautiful, historically significant attractions in Mumbai. Situated on an island off the coast, this UNESCO World Heritage Site features multiple rock-hewn cave temples and statues dating back to around the 7th century AD, including a celebrated statue of Shiva in his three-faced form.

The Attari-Wagah border is a crossing between India and Pakistan that’s known for its Beating Retreat flag-lowering ceremony, which is held each evening as the border closes. Visit at the end of the day to see the guards from both sides march in elaborate military costumes and face off across the border in front of packed crowds. The atmosphere can feel especially charged at times of geopolitical tension between India and Pakistan.

Perched on the side of Son Tra Mountain (Monkey Mountain, the 220-foot (67-meter Lady Buddha statue is visible from anywhere in the city of Da Nang. Inside the statue—which sits beside the Linh Ung Pagoda—a flight of stairs leads up to 17 floors, each of which represent a different aspect of the Buddha.

Sitting to the west of Tiananmen Square in Beijing, the Great Hall of the People is where the National People’s Congress is held, along with other administrative, social, and ceremonial events. The Stalinist structure was built in just 10 months and completed in September 1959. It’s worth stepping inside to see the 10,000-seat auditorium.

Built by Emperor Akbar in the 1570s, the UNESCO-listed Fatehpur Sikri—which means “City of Victory”—was the capital of the Mughal Empire for about 10 years. Today, a well-preserved collection of monuments, palaces, temples, and mosques remains, in a uniform red sandstone architectural style.

The Terracotta Warriors and Horses Museum might be Xian’s most famous archaeological site, but it’s not the only one. Confucian Emperor Jing Di’s burial place comprises burial pits where visitors can walk above ongoing excavations, as well as a museum with some 40,000 excavated miniature clay figures of animals, warriors, and officials.

Built on the site of a feudal lord’s private mansion, Shinjuku Park (Shinjuku Gyoen) is one of the largest and most popular parks in Tokyo. The beautifully landscaped park spans 144 acres, offering a peaceful natural respite from the urban jungle, right in the heart of it. Features include gardens in three formal styles—Japanese, French, and English—along with pavilions, ponds, lawns, and more than 10,000 trees.

Boasting a hilltop location overlooking the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, the Buddhist temple of Wat Phnom is one of Cambodia’s most-visited temples. Originally built in 1373, the sanctuary was reconstructed in 1998 and now provides a place for locals to celebrate Khmer festivals and make sacred offerings.

Nanshi is the collection of narrow streets and alleys once enclosed within the walls of old Shanghai. During the city’s period of foreign concessions, it was the main Chinese district, rarely entered by foreigners. Today, the neighborhood captures the essence of old China, complete with several temples, food vendors, and a crowded bazaar.