Asia attractions

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.

A former fort, Hakodate’s Goryokaku Park is notable for its distinctive star shape and role in Japanese history. The fort was constructed by the Tokugawa Shogunate in 1855 and was the site of the last battle of the Japanese Civil War that ended the feudal system.

Museum Geologi is one of the oldest museums in Indonesia, which traces the country’s fascinating geological investigations through 250,000 rocks and minerals, and 60,000 fossils. Spread across two stories, multimedia exhibits explore everything from active volcanoes and the development of human settlements to fossils of ancient human skulls discovered in the Indonesian archipelago.

At the heart of the Calamian Islands, Coron Bay lies between Busuanga Island, Culion Island, and Coron Island. Travelers know it for island-hopping adventures, but scuba divers come from around the world to explore the Sunken Japanese Wrecks, the remains of a supply fleet sunk by US bombers during World War II.

“The Pearl of the Celestial Mountains” is Heavenly Lake, or Tianchi, in Western China’s Tianshan mountains. Its turquoise blue water, surrounded by white-capped mountains, is a beautiful spot to visit for hikes, picnics, and photography, with fresh air that makes a welcome break from crowded Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, and its nearest big city.

As the name suggests, Commercial Street is one of the main shopping areas in Bangalore. It's a great place to visit if you like shopping, and you'll find everything from clothing boutiques to electronics shops on this central drag.

Explore exhibits related to the ocean, marine life, and marine science at the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology in Taiwan. Housed in a former power plant near Keelung, the museum focuses on the importance of oceans and sustainable development via exhibitions, films, and educational programs.

Sun Yat-sen is considered the “Father of Modern China,” and this impressive mausoleum, set in Nanjing’s Purple Mountains, is a memorial to this Chinese revolutionary who overthrew the Qing Dynasty. Visitors can explore the mausoleum and the grounds, where there are several more landmarks, but first, they need to climb almost 400 stairs to reach them.

Once the royal residence of Prince Regent Daewon-gun, Unhyeongung Palace attracts visitors with its ornate halls and impressive gates. Inside the palace are mannequins clad in costumes that reflect South Korea’s colorful past. With luck, you might catch a wedding ceremony, as the palace is a popular place to exchange vows.

Located near an ancient Jomon period archaeological site, the modern Aomori Museum of Art was designed to resemble that site. Although it’s made of stone and concrete, part of the museum is built underground in trenches, like the Sannai-Maruyama Site. The similarities stop when you step inside. The museum exhibits contemporary art, from Marc Chagall paintings to cartoonish pop art.

A fairytale version of Russia featuring replicas of famous and lost buildings, Volga Manor sits on a river just outside Harbin. The tourist resort is particularly magical in winter when snow decks the trees and frames the onion domes and red-brick buildings, and travelers can enjoy activities like sledding, skating, and saunas, as well as Russian-themed shows, art, and eats.

Dating back at least a millennium ago, Gwalior Fort is a gargantuan structure made of golden sandstone and lime. It looks over the city of Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh and is the main draw for most visitors to the city.

The Samsung Innovation Museum, located on Suwon’s Samsung Campus, is filled with exhibits on the history of technology, special technical components, and modern innovations. The educational spaces and theaters across the museum’s three halls showcase how technology has evolved over the years and the role played by corporations such as Samsung, making it an ideal destination for anyone interested in technology.

Escape the concrete jungle of Hong Kong and get in touch with nature at Hong Kong Wetland Park, an ecological park dedicated to conservation and education. The park consists of re-created wetland habitats for the native wildlife of the New Territories, and offers an entertaining and informative outing for the whole family.

With its huge white dome shimmering in Sri Lanka’s sun, the Ruwanwelisaya, also known as the Great Stupa, is an unmistakable sight amid the parklands and ruins of the island’s UNESCO-listed ancient city of Anuradhapura. Dating from 140 BC, this revered temple contains relics associated with the Lord Buddha, making it intensely sacred for Buddhists worldwide.

Believed to be around 500 years old, Hyderabad’s Chilkur Balaji Temple is a Hindu pilgrimage spot dedicated to Sri Venkateswara, a form of Lord Vishnu. It’s often busy with Hindu devotees, who come here to pray for success with visa applications. Travelers interested in Indian spirituality may enjoy visiting, even if their own visa applications have already been successful.

Kobe is an important port city, and the Kobe Maritime Museum records and celebrates its history. The latticed steel architecture of the museum was designed to invoke the impression of sailing ships. It’s a modern museum with plenty of interactive exhibits, model ships to explore, and information in Japanese and English.

Perched atop the 1,079-foot (329-meter) Mt. Kinka, Gifu Castle’s elevated position made it an excellent defensive fortification during Japan’s turbulent Warring States period. First built in the early 13th century, the castle is now a National Historic Site and offers commanding views of the surrounding area, including the Nagara River and the city of Gifu.

On the outskirts of Gurugram in India’s National Capital Region, Sultanpur National Park is a bird-watcher’s paradise. Within a short drive of the city, its wide-open spaces and lake are home to a wealth of migratory and resident bird species, which you’ll spot either from observation towers dotted around the site or as you wander its grounds.

On the banks of the Falgu River in Gaya, the Vishnupad Temple is a historic temple that attracts Hindu pilgrims interested in performing rituals honoring their ancestors. It gets its name because of a footprint that's believed to mark where the Lord Vishnu first set foot on the earth.

Situated atop Jakhu Hill, Shimla’s highest peak, sits the Jakhu Temple, which is dedicated to the half-monkey god Hanuman. While the historic temple is the main draw, many people come here to see the temple’s 108-foot (33-meter) Hanuman Statue, possibly the largest statue of the god in the world.

On the southern end of Lake Toya in Hokkaido's Shikotsu-Tōya National Park, Mt. Usu is an active stratovolcano that last erupted in the year 2000. Its biggest draw is the Usuzan Ropeway, which takes visitors to an observatory offering fabulous views over the surrounding countryside.

Okinawa’s longest river, this mangrove-lined body of water is located in Iriomote Island. It flows for a full 24 miles (39 kilometers) through the heart of the Okinawan island’s subtropical forest—it’s home to more than 400 fish species and multiple waterfalls, including the famous Kanpiuree and Maryudo cascades. This popular inland attraction proves that there’s much more to the Okinawan archipelago than white-sand beaches.

Utagawa Hiroshige’s (1797–1858) art is among the most recognizable of Japan’s ukiyo-e genre, and even travelers who aren’t au fait with Japanese fine art will have seen some of his images on their travels. Learn more about the influential woodblock artist and the world he inhabited at the Shizuoka City Tokaido Hiroshige Museum of Art.

For a bird’s-eye view of Goryokaku—Hakodate's unique star-shaped fort-turned-public park—you can’t get much better than the Goryokaku Tower. The 351-foot (107-meter) observation decks command 360-degree views of Goryokaku Park, Mt. Hakodate, Tsugaru Strait, and the Yokotsu mountain range.

One for the plane spotters, tiny Senaga Island is so close to Naha Airport that its aircraft views have become its biggest draw. Visitors with time to kill before a flight can reach it quickly via a causeway from Naha, and indulge in eating, drinking, shopping, and checking out the planes from Umikaji Terrace—an oceanfront leisure complex with a Mediterranean vibe.

Officially known as the Jagatpita Shri Brahma Mandir, the Pushkar Brahma Temple is one of the city’s main draws for religious pilgrims. Dating back to the 14th century, this temple is dedicated to Brahma, the creator in the Hindu trinity, and is believed to be one of only a few Brahma temples on earth.

Located in Kerala’s Wayanad region, the Edakkal Caves are famed for the archaeologically important petroglyphs found inside. The caves themselves are formed by a boulder that’s wedged between two other large boulders, so it’s not technically a cave, but rather a shelter. Visitors come to see the fascinating carvings of humans and animals, and to admire the views of the Ambukuthi Mala Hills.

The Platonic ideal of a Chinese city park, Green Lake Park Kunming is a timeless highlight of China’s Spring City. Wood and stone bridges amble over four lakes, where lotuses bloom in summer amid reflected pavilions. Musicians play live music; old folk sing, dance, and practice tai chi; and young sophisticats sip iced coffee or stroll hand in hand.