Asia attractions

Jagged pinnacles and top-heavy flowers of dark karst surround white sand Payong-Payong Beach, making it one of the most beautiful beaches in El Nido’s Bacuit Archipelago. What it lacks in size it makes up for in atmosphere, with picturesque rock formations, brilliant turquoise water, and views across the small bay.

Bezeklik Thousand Buddha Caves are in the Flaming Mountains near Turpan in Xinjiang, China. The journey to the caves goes through a dramatic landscape, which is part of the experience. Culture and history are part of a visit here, too—as the area was once a hot spot on the Silk Road, traders and pilgrims slept in the caves, often leaving gorgeous works of art.

Not far from the coral-encrusted Lusong Gunboat Wreck, the bright hard and soft corals of Lusong Coral Garden glisten in the warm water. Butterflyfish, damselfish, shy clownfish, and more flicker amid sponges, anemones, and staghorn coral, with excellent visibility even as you descend the steep drop-off on the ocean side.

Dedicated to Our Lady of Good Health, Velankanni Church is a Roman Catholic church located on the coast south of Tamil Nadu, in the town of Velankanni. The structure as it stands today was consecrated in 1962 and granted the status of a minor basilica by Pope John XXIII.

Dafo Temple of Zhangye in Gansu is home to one of the longest reclining Buddhas, measuring around 125 yards (115 meters) and painted in bright colors and gold. Besides the Buddha, you find wooden engravings and other Buddhist sculptures in the 2-story Giant Buddha Hall. Plus, there are pagodas, frescoes, and layers of Buddhist history.

The red sandstone Junagarh Fort seems to rise organically from the Thar Desert around Bikaner. The 16th-century fort is a must-visit attraction in the northern Rajasthani city and is as well-maintained on the inside as it is outside, with beautiful interior details and museum displays. You could spend a long time wandering between the courtyards, palaces, and temples of the large complex.

A waterfront strip of tourist sites, shops, bars, and restaurants, Sisowath Quay is among the top areas in Phnom Penh for visitors. The street runs 1.9 miles (3 kilometers along the Tonle Sap River, passing the ferry terminal, markets, Riverside Park, Royal Palace, and more. For many travelers, it’s a good starting point for exploring the city.

Known as the "flower temple," Mimuroto Temple in Uji City near Kyoto showcases a vast array of seasonal flowers. Early spring sees cherry blossoms, while azaleas and hydrangeas start to flower later in the spring. Lotus plants complement the bright summer months, and autumn foliage colors arrive in late October or November.

Spanning 11.8 million square feet (1.1 million square meters), the Galaxy Macau is a massive resort on the Cotai Strip. Featuring six luxury hotels, over 120 restaurants and bars, more than 200 shops, and options ranging from gaming machines and tables to laser shows to wave pools and waterparks, there’s plenty to keep you entertained.

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.

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.

Weaving through the jungle-clad island of Iriomote, the Urauchi River stretches for around 12 miles (19 kilometers), plunging over waterfalls and providing life for the island’s subtropical flora and fauna. As much of Iriomote’s interior is inaccessible, the river provides the only easy way to explore it, showcasing must-see natural sites such as the mangrove forests and the Maryudo Falls.

Banul Beach is an idyllic strip of pale gold sand backed by soaring, jagged limestone cliffs. Shady palm-thatched huts provide a spot to eat lunch and a shack sells cool drinks. It’s a great jump-off point for a kayak adventure, with caves, coves, and a mangrove forest to explore.

A low mountain peak with ancient roots, Mihintale is a popular Buddhist pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle; Sri Lankans consider it the birthplace of Theravada Buddhism. Along with stunning jungle views from the Mihintale meditation rock, you’ll find ancient stupas and a stark-white Buddha statue. Expect an off-the-beaten-track vibe as, unlike surrounding sights, Mihintale is mercilessly free of crowds.

The centrally located Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo feels like a step away from the hustle and bustle of city life, primarily because of its traditional Japanese garden. Striking in every season, the garden reveals cherry blossoms in the spring, hydrangeas and fireflies in the summer, migrating birds and colorful foliage in the fall, and camellias in the winter. You need to be staying, dining, or otherwise using the facilities at the hotel to visit the garden.

A space-age structure with a sloping grass roof that echoes Mongolia’s rolling steppes, Hohhot’s Inner Mongolia Museum boasts more than 100,000 exhibits spanning eras from dinosaurs to space launches, plus cultural treasures. However, it’s paleontology that draws most travelers here, particularly the 85-foot (26-meter) nurosaurus skeleton and the wooly rhinoceros.

While it’s often overlooked in favor of Korea’s most famous parks, Odaesan National Park is well worth a visit. Like its mountainous siblings, the park offers diverse wildlife, Buddhist temples, and vibrant foliage, but with the bonus of fewer crowds. Whether you visit independently or with a group, you’re in for an adventure.

Travel in the Mekong Delta was simplified with the construction of the Can Tho Bridge in 2010, which stretches over the Hau River, connecting Can Tho and Vinh Long provinces. Prior to the major engineering project, much of Southern Vietnam’s Mekong Delta—a watery network of rivers and islands—relied heavily on ferries for connection.

Sendai’s Zuihoden Mausoleum is an architectural highlight of the northern Japanese city, and one of its most popular attractions. It’s the resting place of Masamune Date (1567–1636), a local feudal lord and Sendai’s founder. Although the mausoleum, along with much of Sendai, was destroyed during World War II, it was rebuilt in the form of the original in the 1970s.

Siam Niramit, or the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam, is a music and dance performance held in a 2,000-seat theater and entertainment complex in Bangkok. The show features acrobatics, traditional costumes, pyrotechnics, and more, and offers an immersive journey into Thailand’s history and culture.

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.

In addition to white-sand beaches and tropical jungle, the island of Phu Quoc—off the coast of Cambodia—is home to the Coi Nguon Museum (Bảo Tàng Cội Nguồn), a natural history museum that exhibits more than 5,000 artifacts. If you find yourself in one of Phu Quoc’s unpredictable downpours, the natural history museum provides a great place to explore until the skies have cleared.

Science City Kolkata is a huge science park, consisting of a museum, outdoor gardens, auditoriums, and a convention center, which is packed with fun interactive exhibits. It’s extremely family friendly, and explores everything from space to ecosystems, dinosaurs, evolution, and much more. You won’t struggle to fill a full day here, which makes the trip from central Kolkata truly worthwhile.

Perched atop a hill in the coastal city of Gangneung, Haslla Art World combines a sprawling sculpture garden with a contemporary gallery holding more than 200 artworks. The pieces are colorful and quirky, and on a clear day, you can take in panoramic views of the East Sea from the museum’s elevated site.

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.

Situated in the historic city of Hampi, the magnificent Vittala Temple is an exquisite example of the historic Dravidian architecture that earned Hampi UNESCO World Heritage status. Take a journey through history as you explore the ancient halls and shrines in this 15th-century masterpiece, one of the city’s star attractions.

The beating heart of historic Harbin, Harbin Central Street (Zhongyang Pedestrian Street), extends for almost 1 mile (1.5 kilometers) through a bewildering mishmash of European architectural styles—a legacy of the city’s Russian influences. It’s particularly special after dark in ice festival season, with the gateway and ice sculptures lit up for the night.

Many people visit Delhi’s Hauz Khas Village for the nightlife, but beside the popular urban enclave is Deer Park, a more tranquil natural spot. Next to Hauz Khas Fort, the sprawling park extends far beyond the atmospheric ruins and is a significant patch of greenery within the city.

This is one well-preserved city wall. Built around 1370 during the Ming Dynasty, it was incredibly important for the defense of Pingyao, which was once the main banking center in China. The wall has six gates, resembling a turtle from above, so Pingyao has been nicknamed the “Tortoise City,” a city of immortality.

Also known as Beach No. 7, Radhanagar is among the prettiest and most popular beaches on Havelock Island (officially known as Swaraj Dweep) in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its white sand and generally calm waters make it a great place for swimming and sunbathing, but it does attract large crowds.