Asia attractions

Once one of Taiwan’s most important port cities, Lukang is now regarded as a well-preserved window into the past. Its brick-lined Old Street is popular with shoppers, and the city is renowned for its hundreds of temples. Visitors also come to try its breadth of street-food staples and visit landmarks like the Lukang Folk Arts Museum.

The black rock-topped Mt. Kailash (Kang Rinpoche), in the Himalaya of western Tibet, is sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of the old Bon religion. Every year, thousands of pilgrims visit to walk around the mountain. Mt. Kailash can also be visited by trekkers as part of a broader tour of Tibet or on a dedicated trip.

The first whisky distillery in Taiwan, Kavalan Whisky Distillery has earned a number of international awards for its single malts. Founded in 2005 and open to visitors since 2008, the distillery is located in Yilan, southeast of Taipei, and now produces dozens of world-class single malts, as well as its own gin.

One of the largest zoos in Asia, Taipei Zoo—also known as Muzha Zoo—features a wide variety of animals from around the world and those that are native to Taiwan. A popular attraction for locals and visitors alike, Taipei Zoo is also a leader in wildlife and ecological research, education, and conservation.

Whether you’re a fan of Korean historical dramas or are interested in learning more about them in a period setting, Dae Jang Geum Park (previously MBC Dramia) is a fun destination. Operated by the South Korean television network MBC, the park is used as a set for dramas, music videos, commercials, and documentaries.

The 16th-century Nishi Hongan-ji Temple offers insight into ancient Japanese Buddhist history. This temple, along with its sibling-temple, Higashi Hongan-ji, represent two factions of the Jodo Shinshu sect.

In the heart of downtown Ulaanbaatar, the National Museum of Mongolia is an informative museum with a focus on the nation’s history and culture. The 60,000-piece collection covers Mongolia’s past, from the Stone Age to the 1990 democratic revolution. Highlights include ancient treasure, shamanic costumes, and armor, though many artifacts have moved to the new Chinggis Khaan National Museum.

The landscaped hillside grounds at Butterfly Hill in Koh Samui are home to hundreds of colorful butterflies, as well as insects, moths, and bees. Tropical flowers add to the Garden of Eden–like setting, and picturesque views from its hilltop position showcase the island and the sea. Plus, you can take a walk to a nearby waterfall to cool off.

Standing on the banks of the Thu Bon River is Phung HungAncient House, a historic Hoi An landmark that has housed more than eight generations of Vietnamese families. Among the most famous architecture in the city, the 18th-century house combines Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese influences and once functioned as a spice-and-handicraft shop.

Within easy reach of Kota Kinabalu city center, Sabah Museum (Sabah State Museum) explores the heritage, art, culture, and daily life of Sabah and its people. Along with the main building, the museum comprises a Heritage Village, Ethnobotanical Garden, and Science and Technology Center.

A popular attraction for visitors to Labuan Bajo, Batu Cermin (Mirror Rock) takes its name from the light that shines through a small gap in the rock at certain times of day and bounces off the silica walls. Though it also offers stalactites, stalagmites, bats, and some interesting marine fossils, including sea turtles, it’s the light effects that make this small cave system special.

Housed in a futuristic glass structure in Pudong, the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum (SSTM) comprises four theaters and more than a dozen exhibition halls focusing on robotics, space travel, natural history, and more. With hands-on and immersive displays, this museum offers a fun and educational day out for the whole family.

Set just 14 miles (22 kilometers) outside the Sarawak state capital of Kuching, the sandstone mountains of Kubah National Park offer some of the best day trekking and plant-spotting opportunities in the region. Swim in natural pools below waterfalls or hike along nature trails frequented by bearded pigs and pheasants.

During a 1773 renovation of a northeastern section of the Forbidden City, a Nine Dragon Screen—common in palaces and gardens throughout China—was added to provide privacy and protection from evil spirits for Emperor Qianlong’s retirement villa. The screen depicts nine Chinese dragons, each playing with a pearl amid ocean waves.

Jakarta’s best-known street market, Jalan Surabaya Flea Market (Pasar Jalan Surabaya) offers a cornucopia of choice, from factory-made junk and (generally) fake antiques to vintage finds. Head here for everything from textiles to jewelry, furniture, old coins, ship salvage, rare vinyls, old typewriters, and ancient cameras.

The Da Nang city outpost of the popular Vietnamese theme-park group, Sun World Danang Wonders sprawls along the Han River. The theme park features rides such as roller coasters, carousels, drop towers, and a giant fairground wheel, while the cultural park highlights Asian architecture through scale models of famous buildings.

Belur Math is the headquarters of the Ramakrishna Mission, founded in 1898 by Swami Vivekananda. It features architectural elements borrowed from Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism, a nod to the mission’s beliefs in interfaith unity. Depending on your vantage point, Belur Math can resemble a church, mosque, or temple.

Founded in 1908, the Red House is an iconic cultural landmarks in Taipei. Originally built to serve as Taipei’s first public market, the 2-story, red brick building is now a multifunctional cultural center, complete with creative studios and boutiques, event and performance spaces, and a teahouse.

Occupying one of Osaka’s few western-style buildings, the Japan Mint (Osaka Mint Bureau is the head office of the governmental agency responsible for the supply of coins and medals and metal analysis, testing, and certification. The onsite museum tells the history of Japanese money-printing, or minting, through interactive exhibits and 4,000 artifacts.

One of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, Okayama Korakuen Garden was built over more than 13 years in the late 17th century. Today, the garden is a protected public park. It retains its original appearance with traditional plum and cherry orchards, wooden footbridges, and rare red-crowned crane habitats despite extensive restorations after World War II.

Situated on a busy road at the border of Central and South Delhi, this temple is dedicated not to a deity but to Shirdi Sai Baba, a 19th-century saint who was renowned for teaching compassion, charity, and pluralism. He's one of the most revered saints in Hinduism today, and his temple is one of the busiest in this part of town.

Though only a 10-minute boat ride from the bustle of Patong, Freedom Beach feels like a remote island. Known as Hidden Beach, the white sands of Freedom Beach offer a far quieter alternative to Phuket’s other beaches. Forested hills, palm trees, and translucent waters provide a scenic backdrop to the sands.

Splash Jungle Water Park's exhilarating rides–including Boomerango and the Superbowl–and the six-level wave pool attract hundreds of visitors to this coastal Phuket destination every day. Themed rides give a nod to the ancient Mayans, lush landscapes of Turkey, old-world architecture of Northern Europe, and the culture and colors of Africa.

Considered one of Kolkata’s most important Jain temples, the Pareshnath Temple is also one of the city’s most extravagant. Composed of four temples located in ornamental gardens, the complex is dedicated to Pareshnath, a Jain tirthankar (spiritual teacher), and attracts thousands of Jain followers and non-Jain visitors each year.

The historic buildings that make up Setia Darma House of Mask and Puppets are home to a world-class collection. Inside are more than 7,000 masks and puppets from all over Indonesia and the globe. Everything from Papuan grass costumes to Javanese wayang puppets are on display, alongside masks from Japan, Africa, Venice, and beyond.

Said to date back to the Iron Age more than 2,000 years ago, the enigmatic Plain of Jars in northeast Laos has fascinated historians and archaeologists—the jars are said to have been used to store either rice wine or human remains. Scattered across the landscapes surrounding the town of Phonsavan, the mysterious stone urns cover a vast expanse of terrain.

The sleepy coastal town of Sekinchan, north of Kuala Selangor, is Malaysia’s rice bowl, with spectacularly flat, fertile fields that yield more rice per acre than anywhere in the country. The Sekinchan Paddy Fields (Sawah Padi Sekinchan), vast rice fields that roll away toward the endless horizon, are Sekinchan’s star attraction.

One of Langkawi’s top natural attractions, Seven Wells Waterfall (Telaga Tujuh Waterfall) is a scenic series of rock pools set atop a towering waterfall in the middle of the jungle. The waterfall itself drops around 295 feet (90 meters) through the forest, while monkeys add local color even when water is short. Sweeping views stretch across the island.

Pose beside the likes of Beyonce, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and Bruce Lee at Madame Tussauds Singapore—a waxwork museum with a theme park soul. As well rubbing shoulders with celebrities, you can experience Marvel in 4D at a virtual reality cinema and capture the Spirit of Singapore on a boat ride that reveals different faces of the city.

In 1953, the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute (HMI was founded in Darjeeling to celebrate Tenzing Norgay’s trip to the summit of Mount Everest alongside Edmund Hillary. Today, the institute has become somewhat of a pilgrimage site for climbers, who come from around the globe to train here.