Asia attractions

South Mumbai is full of beautiful Gothic-revival architecture, and the Bombay High Court is one of the city's best examples. Dating to the 1870s, the courthouse features two octagonal towers. Visitors are allowed inside and may even sit in on court cases, but most just come to view the architecture from the outside.

If you only see one temple during your time in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra Singh Woramahawihan should be it. Set in the heart of the old city, the temple was founded in 1345 and is home to Chiang Mai’s most sacred relic—the Phra Singh, an image of the Lion Buddha housed within a golden shrine.

Regarded as the birthplace of Taoism, and one of its most sacred mountains, Mt. Qingcheng (Qingcheng Shan) has a history dating back 2,000 years. Surrounded by peaks and lush forests, Mt. Qingcheng offers a peaceful escape from the big city of Chengdu, and there are plenty of temples, historical sites, and cultural relics for visitors to enjoy.

The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall is one of the most prominent landmarks and popular attractions in Taipei, and sees thousands of visitors daily. Learn about the life of Chiang Kai-Shek and the history of Taiwan inside this impressive building set within a 62-acre (25-hectare) memorial park with gardens, pools, and walkways.

Spread out over 90 acres (36 hectares), Lodhi Gardens is a gorgeous and lush park full of meandering pathways, beautiful greenery, and four Lodhi-dynasty tombs. Many locals and visitors alike find refuge here from the dust and noise of Delhi, and you’re likely to come across picnickers, joggers, and elderly Delhiites on morning walks.

Uncrowded and off the beaten path, the Huanghuacheng Great Wall rewards hikers who want to experience part of the wall that is wilder and more private than the longer stretches. This is the only waterside portion that’s open to visitors, offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and reservoir.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Jade Emperor Pagoda is considered to be one of the city’s finest temples. It’s dedicated to the Taoist Jade Emperor Chua Ngoc Hoang, but Buddhist elements can also be seen. Its nickname is the Tortoise Pagoda, because of the many tortoises that live in the grounds. It’s a must-see attraction in HCMC.

Lining the Singapore River, the renovated riverside warehouses and “godown” shophouses of historic Clarke Quay comprise one of Singapore’s major wining and dining precincts. Now pedestrianized and home to shops, restaurants, nightclubs, river cruise bumboats, and floating cafés, Clarke Quay is a good place to look for varied cuisines—from Italian to brewhouse to fine French—and relaxed outdoor bars with riverfront views. It’s also where you’ll find Singapore’s wild Reverse Bungy adventure ride.

The narrow alleys, paper lanterns, and traditional tea houses of Hozenji Yokocho are a far cry from the neon lights and pulsing atmosphere of Dotonbori. The historic alley’s most famous attraction is the 17th-century Hozenji Temple, where devotees come to splash water over a moss-covered statue of the Buddha.

Touted as the world’s most expensive casino complex—costing a cool $8 billion—Marina Bay Sands is Singapore’s most lavish resort, boasting a stunning waterfront location. Alongside the casino, there’s a 2,561-room hotel, luxury shopping mall, a giant rooftop infinity pool, and some of Singapore’s most exclusive bars, restaurants, and nightclubs.

Step into the tropical forests of Phang Nga to visit one of southern Thailand’s most important temples, Cave Temple (Wat Suwan Kuha). Commonly known as the Cave Temple, it sits inside a large cave complex and features many religious statues—the most prominent being the 50-foot (15-meter) golden reclining Buddha in the Tam Yai cave.

Known for its picturesque scenery, formations including Turtle Rock, and plentiful outdoor activities, Gorkhi-Terelj National Park is one of the most popular attractions in Mongolia. Not far from Ulaanbaatar, it’s also one of the most accessible national parks in the country. A small portion of the park offers amenities such as tourist ger (yurt) camps, restaurants, and souvenir shops.

Part of Tokyo Disneyland®, the first Disneyland® to open outside the United States, Tokyo DisneySea® boasts a unique claim to fame—as the world’s only nautical-themed Disney park. Set along the waterfront overlooking Tokyo Bay, it has seven ports of call packed with water rides, boat cruises, and other attractions, alongside the usual parades, shows, and character meet-and-greets you’d expect.

Located on the grounds of a temple, this small museum showcases the plight of the Allied POWs who labored on the Thailand-Burma Railway (Death Railway). An acronym for the countries involved (Japan, England, America, Australia, Thailand and Holland), the museum features three galleries, including a replica bamboo hut where prisoners lived.

One of the most popular attractions in Yangshuo, Moon Hill (Yueliang Shan) is easily recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch, the remnants of what was once a limestone cave (Moon Palace). Rising 750 feet (230 meters), Moon Hill offers stunning panoramic views of the countryside, which is dotted with unique karst formations.

Jakarta’s old port, Sunda Kelapa is a popular stop on any tour of historic Jakarta (or Batavia, as it once was). Wooden 2-masted pinisi sailing ships still moor here, while porters move goods to and fro as they have since the 13th century. Converted warehouses hold the Maritime Museum, and a watchtower and lighthouses stand guard over the bustling harbor.

Big, brash, and bold, Patong is a high-energy resort on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand. Patong Beach, a deep stretch of white sand on a crescent bay, holds natural charms. But many head here for the restaurants, cabarets, dance shows, Thai boxing matches, and the loud and lively nightlife that draws travelers young and old alike.

Waterbom Bali provides water-themed activities for the whole family, with slides, saltwater pools, adrenaline-pumping rides, and kiddie pools—plus dining, shopping, and shaded gazebos. The park is set in a tropical garden and provides habitat for endangered species, with more than 50 percent of its area maintained as natural green space.

Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, also known as the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, houses the embalmed body of the revolutionary and dictator who was the founding father of the People’s Republic of China. The Soviet-style structure and the sculptures in front of it are one of the dominant features of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.

The Kerala backwaters refers to a large region spanning some 558 miles (900 kilometers) consisting of an interconnected network of brackish lagoons, lakes, and canals. The best way to truly experience this beautiful area is aboard a traditional houseboat; journeys last anywhere from a few hours up to a few nights.

In stark contrast to its famed northerly neighbor, tiny and sleepy Koh Tan tempts visitors with empty beaches and vehicle-less roads just three miles and a 15-minute boat ride south of Koh Samui’s southern tip. Koh Tan (also spelled Koh Taen, Ko Taen, and Ko Tan) is sometimes also called Coral Island for its diversity of colorful hard and soft corals, and it often serves as a popular day-long escape for snorkel or kayak excursions through its clear inshore waters. Though the island doesn’t have quite the aquatic diversity of other more remote locations, it still affords excellent snorkeling, relatively empty beaches and navigable mangrove swamps all very close to a major tourist hub. Longboats make the crossing daily and usually stop at several unique coral spots around the island. On land, Koh Tan spans only three square miles, and its population barely tops 30 people; their rustic lifestyle with limited electricity affords a glimpse of what much of Thai Island-living was like decades ago. Koh Tan also has a thriving population of monitor lizards, a boardwalk through a mangrove forest, a quaint local temple, a handful of local restaurants and a cluster of bungalow-style accommodations.

The architecture, infrastructure, and way of life in Wuzhen, one of the six famous ancient water towns south of the Yangtze River, hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Traditional houses, shops, and markets built along canals crossed by ancient bridges make the atmospheric town feel like a living history museum.

Backed by the volcanic slabs of Mount Batur and Mount Abang, Lake Batur (Danau Batur) is a striking crater lake considered sacred by the Balinese. Besides sunrise trekking, Mount Batur offers hot springs, canoe trips, and tours of Trunyan village, where the local Bali Aga people expose their dead to rot in the open air.

Officially called Galtaji but usually referred to as Temple of the Sun God or simply the Monkey Temple, this temple complex of many names was built in the 18th century. Multiple storied water tanks, known as kunds, lead up to the main temple, with rounded roofs and pavilions typical to Rajasthan’s architectural traditions.

The Phahurat Market is also known as Bangkok’s Little India, and is the focal point of Indian life in the area. The locals are mainly Sikhs who settled here at the turn of the 20th century to trade textiles. Now, it’s a fun place to shop for Indian food, fabric, clothing, and accessories.

Sri Chamarajendra Park (Cubbon Park is a 300-acre (121-hectare oasis located in the heart of Bangalore, just off the city’s main thoroughfare, MG Road. With close to a hundred different species of plants and trees, it's a favorite haunt of nature lovers and birdwatchers.

Part of the Forbidden City during the Qing Dynasty, this 10th-century park is one of China’s oldest, largest, and most important ancient imperial gardens. Situated in the center of Beijing, the 171-acre (69-hectare) garden features a temple, bell and drum towers, a white pagoda, pavilions, lakes, and the intricate Nine-Dragon Wall.

Topped with a vast white Buddha seated on a lotus leaf, Long Son Pagoda (Chùa Long Sơn is one of Nha Trang’s signature sights. Stairs lead up the leafy hill past temples, a prayer hall, a Chinese-influenced mosaic dragon screen, and a reclining Buddha. It’s not unusual to hear monks and nuns chanting.

The Varanasi Ghats are sets of stairs that descend from the city down the banks and into the waters of the holy Ganges River. There are just under 100 individual ghats lining the river’s edge in this region, their steep steps making access to the river possible during both the wet and dry seasons.

Housed in the former Tao Nan School, the Peranakan Museum contains one of the world’s finest collections of Peranakan artifacts. Spanning three stories, its 800-plus items across nine galleries showcase different aspects of the unique Peranakan culture found in the former Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca, and Penang.