Asia attractions

Perched on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Bang Rak is a bustling neighborhood alive with sights, smells, and sounds. Most famous for its street food, sleek shopping malls, high-rise hotels, and Hindu and Buddhist temples, the area encapsulates all of Bangkok’s best bits.

A large, air-conditioned wooden pavilion on the grounds of Siem Reap’s Angkor Village Resort, the Angkor Village Apsara Theatre hosts classical Khmer dance performances with a live orchestra. Shows typically include the graceful apsara (nymph) dance and scenes from the Hindu epic known as the Ramayana, with a Cambodian-themed dinner.

Centered on the city of Legazpi, the Bicol region of the Philippine island of Luzon comprises the Bicol peninsula, home to four provinces, and the island provinces of Catanduanes and Masbate. While most travelers visit for the whale sharks of Donsol or volcanoes such as Mt. Mayon, the area is home to dazzling beaches and quirky festivals.

Floating markets are a popular attraction for travelers to Thailand, and the Tha Kha Floating Market is a less touristy, more local option that’s great for avoiding the crowds. It’s smaller than some others and is an especially good place to buy cooked food as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a fun half-day trip destination from central Bangkok and will give you a taste of the Thai countryside without going too far.

One of Palawan’s most-Instagrammed natural wonders, the Small Lagoon in El Nido is a clear-water cove surrounded by dramatic limestone rock formations. Because of the near-vertical walls, swimming or paddling through the Small Lagoon can make you feel like you’re on the set of a Hollywood action film.

Watching the sunrise over the Alishan National Scenic Area feels like being in a dream—thick white clouds cover the valley below and towering mountaintops look like tiny islands in an endless ocean. It’s worth visiting during the day too, with treetop boardwalks, forests, and temples making for incredible photos.

Formally known as Langkawi SkyCab, the Langkawi Cable Car takes riders high above the Langkawi rain forest on Mt. Mat Cincang (Gunung Mat Cincang) for a panoramic view of the surrounding islands and sea. It boasts Malaysia’s longest free span mono-cable car—at 3,117 feet (950 meters)—and is among the steepest on the planet.

One of the oldest markets in Hyderabad, Laad Bazaar (also called Choodi Bazaar) has long been known for its bangles. Long before the city became a hive of business activity, the bangle industry emerged here, and it still thrives today: Locals and tourists come from far and wide to browse the market’s colorful creations.

Located inside Ranthambore Fort in Ranthambore National Park, Trinetra Ganesh Temple is believed to be the oldest Ganesh temple in Rajasthan, constructed in about 1300. It’s an especially significant temple to devotees, who revere the temple because it contains idols of not only the Hindu elephant-headed god, Ganesh, but his entire family.

These ruins are all that remains of several grand palaces that made up a summer retreat for Chinese emperors from the 15th to mid-19th centuries. Occupying a space the size of Central Park in New York, the Old Summer Palace (Yuanming Yuan) is now a collection of marble chunks, crumbling statues, and broken columns.

Originally built as a bathhouse by the Japanese Colonial Government in 1913, today’s Beitou Hot Spring Museum was the largest bathhouse in East Asia at the time, and the first public bathhouse in Taiwan. Abandoned after World War II, it was renovated and reopened in 1998 as a museum documenting Beitou’s hot spring history and culture.

Immigrant Chinese and Japanese communities throughout Vietnam socialize and pass on traditions in social assembly halls. Founded in 1786, the colorful Cantonese Assembly Hall in Hoi An’s Ancient Town is one of five such community centers in the city. It’s a local tourist attraction with grand entrance gates leading onto an ornamental front courtyard, followed by a main hall and elaborate altar room.

With no cars, a small population, old-fashioned buildings, excellent hikes, hidden beaches, and al fresco seafood restaurants, Lamma Island offers welcome respite from Hong Kong’s bustle. The closest and third-largest island of Hong Kong’s outlying islands, Lamma remains largely undeveloped, with a decidedly bohemian vibe, thanks in part to its youthful expat population.

Dating from 1843, San Chao Pho Suea, or the Tiger God Shrine, is an important part of Bangkok’s rich Chinese heritage. One of the oldest and most famous temples in Bangkok, the shrine was originally constructed on Bamrung Muang Road during the reign of King Rama III but was later relocated to its current spot on Tanao Road by Rama IV.

With its rugged limestone cliffs, trekking trails, panoramic viewpoints, and snorkel spots teeming with marine life, Crystal Cove Island is a one-stop shop for island adventures in Boracay. You can’t stay overnight on this uninhabited island, which allows it to maintain its rugged appeal that you can explore via walking trails. It’s conveniently close to Boracay, too—the boat ride there is only 20 minutes.

Also known as the Dragon Bridge, the 600-year-old Yulong Bridge stands amid hundreds of tall karst peaks, rural mudbrick villages, rice paddies, and grazing water buffalo. The 197-foot-long (60-meter-long) single-arched bridge—the largest of its kind in Guangxi Province—is shaped like a rainbow bending its way over the languid Yulong River.

One of the oldest night markets in Taipei, Raohe Street Night Market offers an authentic glimpse into the city’s street-food scene. Visitors and locals browse 2,000 feet (600 meters) of stalls selling such Taiwanese delicacies as braised pork rice and xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings).

Located in the Minato district of Tokyo, Zojo-ji is a Jōdo-shū (also known as Shin Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism) temple. An impressive complex with a long and rich history, it is a significant cultural and religious center that offers a peaceful escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. The temple stands beneath the red-and-white striped Tokyo Tower, which provides a striking contrast between tradition and modernity.

Dudh Kosi means “milk river” in the Nepali language, so called because of its frothy waters, white with cold. The Dudh Kosi originates on the southern slopes of Mount Everest and rushes down the valley named after it in the Khumbu region, before it joins the Sun Kosi River on its southeastern journey to India.

One of several Talu Islands in Thailand, the Koh Talu Island Resort is a private island off Bang Saphan in the Gulf of Thailand with a dramatic natural stone arch. The white sand beach offers gorgeous sunset views, while activities run from snorkeling and diving to kayaking, sailing, hiking, massage, and cooking classes.

China’s signature river trip, a Three Gorges (Sanxia) cruise is the defining experience of the Yangtze, Asia’s longest river. Famed for their beauty for more than 1,000 years, the Three Gorges have been reshaped by the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam. But the magic of Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge endures.

With their comically long noses and ginger fur, proboscis monkeys are a highlight of any visit to Borneo. And the Klias Peninsula (Klias Wetlands, an expanse of coastal forest a couple of hours south of Kota Kinabalu, is the perfect place to watch them swing through the trees. After nightfall, fireflies flicker and glitter by the river.

Set in a former quarry below Penang Hill, the 71-acre (29-hectare) Penang Botanic Gardens (Taman Botani Pulau Pinang) blend jungle with formal gardens to magical effect. Founded in 1884, and sometimes known as the Waterfall Gardens for the stream that tumbles through them, they’re crisscrossed with walking trails.

During the nineteenth century, the seaside village of Danshui (also known as Tamsui) was Northern Taiwan’s busiest shipping and commerce port. Today, this historic town at the mouth of the Danshui River is known for its European architecture (Spanish, Dutch, and British influences), delicious seafood, and stunning sunsets.

A popular side trip on a Three Gorges cruise, the Shennong Stream (Shennong Xi) meets the Yangtze River between Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge opposite the town of Badong. Trips typically wind through Mianzhu (Bamboo) Gorge, Yingwu (Parrot) Gorge, and Longchang (Thriving Dragon) Gorge, past a number of Tujia minority villages.

Learn all about the history and development of tea in China, tea culture, tea ceremonies, tea wares, and different types of tea at the National Tea Museum (Zhongguo Chaye Bowuguan). Nestled within the hills of idyllic Longjing (Dragon Well) Village, the National Tea Museum is the only national museum in China focused entirely on tea.

Nicknamed the “Golden City of 1,000 Temples,” Kanchipuram was the capital city of the Pallava Dynasty in Tamil Nadu and boasts numerous intricately carved shrines, most dedicated to Vishnu or Shiva. The city’s buildings also offer an excellent chance to admire examples of Dravidian architecture.

Emperor Ashoka, the last major emperor of India's Mauryan dynasty, created the Pillars of Ashoka in the third century BC and scattered them across northern India and Nepal. These tall sandstone pillars celebrate tenets of Buddhism. The lion-topped Sarnath Pillar is the most famous. It is the national emblem of India, and you can see it at Sarnath Museum, near Varanasi.

Lotte World ranks among the largest indoor amusement parks on the planet. Housed largely in glass to permit natural light, the complex offers country-themed districts, complete with full-scale parades, feature films, laser light shows, souvenir shops, rides, and an impressive array of international cuisine.

One of Seoul’s five Joseon Dynasty-era palaces, Gyeonghuigung Palace was built in 1623 by King Gwanghaegun. Portions of the structure were rebuilt after a 19th-century fire, and today, you can visit several reconstructed living and meeting halls. The Seoul Museum of History and SeMA Museum of Art are also located on site.