The impressive Shenyang Imperial Palace, also called Mukden Palace, dates back to the Jin and Qing Dynasties in the 17th and 18th centuries when it was the center of Manchurian power before it moved to Beijing. The palace has 114 buildings, all fine examples of traditional Chinese palatial architecture that are well worth a visit.
Built to celebrate the quarter-century reign of Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the Jame'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque features Brunei’s signature lavish architecture. The mosque has 29 gleaming gold domes and four towering minarets and is a recognizable symbol of Bandar Seri Begawan’s opulent skyline.
Standing 1,745 feet (532 meters) above Otaru, Mt. Tengu (Tenguyama) is the symbol of the Hokkaido city. From the summit visitors can take in sweeping views of Otaru and the Sea of Japan.
Perched on a hilltop just outside George Town, the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple is one of the largest Lord Murugan temples outside India: Its main gate stands as high as a 7-storey building. During the Thaipusam festival, the grounds can accommodate as many as 800,000 celebrants.
If there’s one spot in Can Tho that’s a truly tranquil escape, it’s Truc Lam Phuong Nam Zen Monastery. This free-entry monastery is surrounded by serene courtyards, peaceful ponds, walking paths, and traditional Buddhist statues watching over it all. Inside, visitors can explore the meditation hall and soak in the calming atmosphere, breaking from the city's sleepless buzz.
Located in Kyrgyzstan’s Ala-Too mountains, Issyk-Ata Gorge is known for its stunning scenery, thermal baths, and hiking trails. Along with its alpine meadows and natural hot springs, the area is also home to an ancient carving of Buddha etched onto a boulder—a remnant of Buddhism’s popularity in Kyrgyzstan before the arrival of Islam.
Ambling along the shore of Tai Hu Lake, one of China’s largest freshwater lakes, the Yuantouzhu Scenic Area offers classically beautiful landscapes that epitomize China’s Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze) style. Come cherry-blossom season, the scent of the flowers fills the air and petals dress bridges in carpets of pale pink. It’s one of China’s most impressive displays.
Taiwan’s leading contemporary art museum, the Taipei Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA is housed in a colonial, red-brick building—and former elementary school and city hall—dating to the 1920s. Inside, the airy exhibition spaces showcase groundbreaking Taiwanese and international artists in a series of temporary exhibitions.
Fuji Oishi Hana Terrace, on the northern shore of Lake Kawaguchi, beside Oishi Park, is a small shopping, dining, and landscaped garden complex. The herb and flower gardens are a pleasant place to sit with a drink or snack and admire views of Mt. Fuji, when the weather’s clear. It’s also an ideal place to shop for high-quality Japanese souvenirs.
The building is the star attraction at the Gorkha Museum: The old-school collection of Nepali historical and cultural artifacts is housed in the early-19th-century Tallo Durbar, a beautiful red-bricked, tile-roofed Newari building (the Newars being a Nepali ethnic group). History buffs may be interested in the displays about Gorkha’s favorite son, King Prithvi Narayan Shah, and the unification of Nepal.
Opened in 1998, Happy Valley Shenzhen is an 86-acre (35-hectare) theme park in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen. Highlights among the park’s more than 100 rides and attractions are Shooting the Chute, one of the highest free falls in the world; Xueshan Fei Long, China’s first suspended roller coaster; and the Space Shuttle screaming tower.
The Jagir Waterfall is actually two falls—one a short walk from the parking area, and the other close by, a little way upstream. Flowing down cliffs surrounded by lush forest, Jagir Waterfall is a nice place to cool off from the tropical heat and makes a refreshing change from the volcanic attractions of East Java.
Pretend you’re traveling back in time along the ancient Silk Road while you hike up and down the sweeping golden sand dunes of Mingsha Shan. When enough sand blows off the top of the dunes in an avalanche, it sounds as if they are singing, or groaning, which is how they got the name of Singing Sand Dunes.
Dating back to the 10th century, the Mukteswara Temple draws in visitors for both its historical and spiritual significance. It's dedicated to the Lord Shiva, and many devotees come to seek his blessings, while others visit to admire the Kalinga architecture for which the temple is known.
While you may assume that the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery features works related to the musical genre, it gets its name from the cultural complex in which it’s located: Tokyo Opera City. The gallery features an array of modern art from Japanese and international artists, spanning a range of themes and genres, from painting and sculpture to photography and fashion.
Japan has a long history and visitors may get accustomed to seeing temples and palaces dating back a few hundred years. But Aomori’s Sannai-Maruyama Site is truly ancient: the archaeological site is a well-preserved village from the Jomon period, 13,000 to 300 BC. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and fascinating for anyone interested in ancient civilizations.
Full of art, music, street performances, and food stalls, Broadway Alley is a lively pedestrian street in the heart of Tashkent. The lane connects two of the city’s main squares, Amir Temur Square and Mustakillik (Independence) Square, which are both top historic attractions. Come during the day, or at night, when little white lights twinkle above the street.
So-called because of the drawings of ships found on its walls, Viking Cave is nestled inside a limestone cliff on Koh Phi Phi Leh in Thailand. Hundreds of swiftlets make their nests here from saliva—these are then harvested for the outrageously expensive bird’s nest soup, an Asian delicacy.
Lake Kawaguchi’s Maple Corridor (Momoji-kairo) is a row of beautiful maple trees framing either side of a canal. When the weather’s clear, line up the views properly and you can enjoy the sight of Mt. Fuji in the background and picturesque red leaves in the foreground. An annual leaf-viewing festival is held here in October and November.
Situated inside the hilltop Dungeshwari Caves (also known as the Pragbodhi Caves), this temple marks the spot where the Buddha is believed to have spent many years performing austerities. The main temple features a statue of an emaciated Buddha, representing the Buddha in a state of near starvation. There are a few other Buddhist and Hindu shrines in the caves, including one dedicated to the goddess Dungeshwari.
To learn more about the people and culture of the Mekong Delta, head to the Can Tho Museum. The displays are a little old school, but there’s some English-language signage to help visitors interpret the artifacts. Enjoy finding out more about local clothing and furniture, the rice grown in the Mekong Delta, the Vietnam War, and more.
After the decline of the mines, fishing became Lei Yu Mun’s main industry and stilt villages sprung up to house the stock. As trade took off, restaurants appeared, and the Lei Yu Mun Seafood Bazaar became a popular attraction, allowing diners to select their dinner fresh from the stalls, then take it to a local restaurant for an alfresco dining experience.
This peaceful park in Fukuoka is centered on a large lake with islands through the middle. Joggers can be seen running around the paths, while other visitors sit to watch the birds gliding on the water. The Ukimi Pavilion adds color to the lake’s shores with its distinctive red railing, while the Ohori Park Japanese Garden is secluded on the park’s southern edge.
Spread along Kobe’s sparkling waterfront, Kobe Harborland encompasses shopping, dining, entertainment, and more. The bustling, attraction-packed area is one of the Japanese city’s most-popular destinations for locals and visitors alike.
On the outskirts of the Rajasthani city of Mount Abu, the Dilwara Jain Temples are a group of five beautiful temples made of expertly carved white marble. Most date back to the 11th–13th centuries. The temples are a Jain site of worship to this day, but they're also open to non-Jain visitors who come to admire the artistry.
A gorgeous strip of creamy sand and lazy coconut palms backed by the same jungle-clad cliffs that tower over El Nido town, Seven Commandos Beach is one of the prettiest beaches around El Nido. Although it’s on mainland Palawan, you can only reach it from the water, and so it often features on Bacuit Archipelago island-hopping tours.
An unspoiled isle in the Mekong, opposite Kratie, Koh Trong Island offers a taste of Cambodia that time forgot. Amid rice paddies, orchards, and sandbanks, there are a handful of homestays, a couple of resorts, some simple cafés, several temples, and a small floating village, plus a 6-mile (9-kilometer) trail around the island.
Hailed as Bandung’s most scenic street, Braga Street features charming colonial architecture and several historic buildings, contributing to Bandung’s nickname of the Paris of Java. While nothing on it rivals the Eiffel Tower, the street is charming to wander and delve deeper into the city’s rich history.
Japan has plenty of fine gardens but Ritsurin Garden (Ritsurin Koen) is considered one of its most beautiful. Created in the Edo period for local feudal lords, the garden features ponds and landscaped hills set against the backdrop of Mt. Shiun. It was designed to be strolled through, so each step reveals a new perspective.
A sprawling seaside park on the coast of north Okinawa’s Motobu Peninsula, the Ocean Expo Park is a legacy site from the Expo ’75 World’s Fair. In keeping with the ocean theme of the fair, the park is best known for its marine attractions such as the Churaumi Aquarium, which for many is the star sight.
