Asia attractions

The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay is a futuristic grove of man-made, treelike vertical gardens that mimic the function of real trees. A top Singapore sight and architectural wonder that’s home to more than 160,000 plants, the Supertree Grove offers shade during the day, a light-and-sound spectacular at night, and panoramic city and garden views.

The massive People’s Square (Renmin Guangchang) is in the heart of Shanghai. Surrounded by the city’s municipal government headquarters, a park, and several top museums, the major landmark makes for a popular meeting spot, as well as being at the center of politics, culture, transportation, and tourism in Shanghai.

The Registan Square is at the heart of Samarkand and is one of the most famous landmarks you will visit. The three main madrassas are some of the oldest and best preserved in the world. In addition to the majolica and mosaic-covered madrassas, you will also find a beautifully painted mosque and several old dormitories now converted into shops.

The dense Aokigahara Forest lies at the northwestern base of Mt. Fuji, the iconic, near-symmetrical cone-shaped mountain. Often associated with local legends and a macabre reputation—and often used as a setting in horror stories—it's also quite beautiful, filled with quiet trails and lava caves. Travelers can visit parts of the forest to hike, enjoy nature, and experience a quieter side of Fuji's scenery.

First constructed in 1921 to transport coal, the Pingxi Branch Rail Line—often known simply as the “Pingxi Line”—is today an enchanting tourist attraction. Stretching eight miles (13 kilometers) through some of the Taipei area’s loveliest scenery, the single-track railway wends its way through the photogenic Keelung River Valley.

West Lake (Ho Tay), the largest freshwater lake in Hanoi, provides a tranquil escape from the chaos of Vietnam’s capital. Lakeside cafés offer gorgeous views; historic attractions such as the Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple provide insight into Vietnam’s past; and 5-star hotels offer fine dining and luxury accommodation.

Many travelers visit beautiful Nikko for its UNESCO World Heritage–listed cultural sites, but beyond the town lies Nikko National Park, home to numerous lakes, excellent hiking trails, and two stunning waterfalls—all set against dramatic mountain scenery. Particularly popular among hikers, nature lovers, and those who appreciate Japanese architecture, Nikko National Park is easily accessible from Tokyo.

Set against the rugged backdrop of the Aravali Mountains, Royal Gaitor is a beautiful funerary complex that houses the intricately carved cenotaphs of many of Jaipur's former rulers, including Jai Singh II, who founded Jaipur. One of the quieter places in town, Royal Gaitor is a great spot to escape the noise of the Pink City.

Gandhi Smriti is a memorial and museum located where Gandhi spent the last few months of his life, before his assassination in January 1948. The spot where the Mahatma was killed is nearby and is marked by a small memorial, while related artifacts and ephemera are housed inside, including Gandhi's glasses and walking stick.

Wat Benchamabophit—or the Marble Temple—is a Buddhist temple in the Dusit area of Bangkok made from Italian marble. Enter the working temple to take in its ornate features, including typical Thai curved roofs and glittering decorations.

Since the 13th century, the imposing yet peaceful Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Kamakura) has stood inside the Kotoku-in Temple complex in the seaside city of Kamakura. It’s the second-largest Buddha in Japan and a popular tourist attraction. Like Kyoto, Kamakura was not bombed in World War II, so it contains many ancient structures of immense cultural value, including the Daibutsu.

A traditional Balinese village, Blahbatuh is known for three things: the medieval hero Kebo Iwa, the Chinese temple Vihara Amurva Bhumi Blahbatuh, and the Sidha Karya Gong Foundry, which makes traditional gamelan instruments. Kebo Iwa is immortalized as a huge statue on the main Gianyar road and a baby in Pura Puseh Desa Blahbatuh temple.

The Indonesia National Monument (Monas) towers 433 feet (132 meters) above Jakarta’s geographical center, topped with a gilded flame. Designed by Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, it houses a museum of dioramas and an observation platform.

The oldest market in Hue, Vietnam, is Dong Ba Market (Cho Dong Ba), which dates back to 1887. It is the perfect snapshot of life in this ancient city, with thousands heading to the massive two-story structure every day in search of handicrafts, fresh goods, clothes and fabrics, teas and candies, and more.

One of the most famous landmarks in Macau, the Ruins of St. Paul is all that’s left of a church that was built in 1602 and was destroyed by fire in 1835. All that remains are the iconic stone façade and the grand staircase leading up to it. The ruins form part of the Historic Center of Macau, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Situated near the famous Geisha district of Gion, Kennin-ji Temple attracts Buddhist monks on pilgrimage as well as religious locals, tourists, and curious explorers. Dating to 1202, it’s one of the most important Zen temples in Kyoto, with rooftops that curve upwards toward the sky, as if in prayer.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Komodo National Park (Taman Nasional Komodo) pairs volcanic islands with pristine ocean and covers an area about the same size as the US Virgin Islands. Its attractions are threefold: lush reefs, spectacular landscapes, and Komodo dragons. Besides the world’s largest lizard, wildlife includes boars, bats, deer, monkeys, wild horses, and water buffalo on land, plus turtles, whales, dugongs, sharks, and manta rays at sea.

A magnet for architecture fans, Putrajaya sits on an artificial lake crisscrossed by eight bridges. Highlights include the Seri Wawasan Bridge, shaped like a futuristic sail; the Putra Bridge, a three-tier bridge with minaret-style piers; the Seri Saujana Bridge, with an arcing suspension span; and the Moorish-inspired Seri Perdana Bridge.

Stretching for 1,148 feet (350 meters), just east of Wuhou Temple, Jinli Ancient Street is one of the oldest shopping streets in Chengdu, dating back to the Three Kingdoms period. Restored in 2004, this historical lane paved with green flagstone still teems with shops, restaurants, and food stalls in traditional architecture.

The absence of carving shows that Ta Keo, a sandstone mountain temple that stands almost 164 feet (50 meters) tall, was never finished. Started by Jayavarman V during the 10th century, the vast structure, with four corner towers around a central turret, would have been one of Angkor’s most impressive. It still offers sweeping views.

The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, also known as the Don Rak War Cemetery, commemorates victims of the building of the Thailand-Burma Railway during World War II. The cemetery is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and contains the 6,982 graves of Australian, British, and Dutch POWs who were forced into labor by the Japanese.

Established in 1992 as Vietnam’s eighth national park, Ba Be National Park protects nearly 39 square miles (100 square kilometers of rainforest, lakes, limestone peaks, caves, waterfalls, and ethnic minority villages. The park also boasts diverse natural biodiversity—it's home to 550 plant species and 65 different types of mammals.

The 17th century Bang Pa-In Palace, also known as the Summer Palace, consists of many attractive buildings spread throughout large tended grounds. Different architectural styles are represented: Chinese, European, Khmer, and pure Thai. The palace is a worthwhile stop on a day trip to Ayutthaya from Bangkok, although fewer tourists come here, making it a peaceful destination.

Apart from the beaches, Koh Samui’s most distinctive attraction is the golden Big Buddha Temple (Wat Phra Yai) visible above the red-tiled rooftops on the island’s north coast. The 40-foot (12-meter) Buddha statue can be seen from several miles away—even from a plane—and the site is an active place of worship.

Founded in 1887 as a 10-room bungalow on the shores of the Singapore River, the resplendent Raffles Hotel grew to attract famous faces such as the late Charlie Chaplin and Queen Elizabeth II. Known for its colonial architecture and luxury amenities, it’s also the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail and a popular spot for high tea.

Dividing Hong Kong Island from Kowloon, Victoria Harbour has long been the lifeblood of the city. It is from these waters—often teeming with a motley mix of traditional and modern vessels—that the city’s twin skylines are best viewed. The harbor is historically responsible for the city that surrounds it as well; its deep and sheltered waters situated strategically on the South China Sea have directly contributed to Hong Kong’s rise as a major world trading center.

The people of Penglipuran, Bali’s best-known traditional village, belong to the Bali Aga minority and follow ancient religious practices, some unique to their village. Sparkling clean and unspoiled, neat stone, brick, and bamboo architecture stands alongside acres of pristine bamboo forest under an hour from Ubud.

A historic scenic area in the northern part of central Beijing, Shichahai comprises three lakes—Front Lake (Qianhai), Back Lake (Houhai), and West Lake (Xihai)—as well as the hutong alleyways around them. With ice skating in winter and pedal boats in summer, plus snacks and beers on offer year-round, it’s a lively part of Beijing.

Among Kyoto’s collection of UNESCO-listed temples, Ryoan-ji Temple stands out for its mysterious 15th-century zen rock garden. No matter where you stand gazing out over the rock garden, at least one rock is hidden from sight, and the meditative spot is said to represent ‘infinity’ or an ‘endless sea.’

It took nearly three years to build the 50 structures that make up the Tomb of Tu Duc (Lăng Tự Đức), devoted to the fourth emperor of Vietnam’s Nguyen Dynasty. The pavilion—where the emperor once perched to compose poems and admire flowers—leads to the impressive tomb, on which a narrative written by the emperor himself is engraved.