Asia attractions

Nagwon Instrument Arcade offers some of the best retail therapy opportunities for music lovers in the South Korean capital. This collection of some 300 tiny shops spread across two floors of the building sells a dazzling array of musical instruments and equipment, while the fourth floor houses a cinema for independent and specialty films.

Create hilarious selfies at Melaka’s Magic Art Museum. Spanning more than 7,000 square feet (650 square meters), with more than 70 artworks covering eight different themes, it’s one of Malaysia’s largest 3D trick art galleries. Insert yourself into scenes from underwater, old Malacca, ancient Egypt, or even a muay Thai kickboxing match.

Located on the site of the Shanghai Expo 2010 in Puxi, the World Expo Museum is the only official museum in the world entirely dedicated to World Expos. Eight permanent exhibition halls showcase around 3,000 objects related to the expos, including their history, impact, and future.

An organic tea estate in the hills outside Chiang Mai, Araksa Tea Garden produces award-winning teas on the site of one of Thailand’s first tea farms. The range spans the gamut from white and black brews to floral and herbal varieties. The garden hosts an on-site tea house with a shop, and offers tours and tea workshops.

One of the oldest surviving examples of traditional Malay architecture, Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is a beautifully preserved dark-wood stilt home set in a garden with around 50 species of native plants.

Naval vessels of all shapes and sizes are moored up at the Kitasui Pier in Maizuru on the Sea of Japan coast. An important base for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the area is a great place to see and photograph the different warships and supply ships, and observe all the work that goes into maintaining them.

On April 9, 1942, after over three months of bloody conflict, the Battle of Bataan came to an end when General Edward P. King surrendered 76,000 American and Filipino soldiers to Japanese forces. The Philippines commemorates this World War II trauma with a national holiday and the Surrender Site Marker, a sculpture strangely set on school grounds.

One of the star attractions at Waterbom, a water park in the heart of Bali’s Kuta district, the FlowRider combines surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding. Ride the constantly flowing water jet known as a “sheet wave” in one of two ways: lying down on a bodyboard or standing up on a board around the size of a skateboard.

The Ionah Show—which, you might notice, is “Hanoi” backward—is Vietnam’s take on Cirque du Soleil, combining the spectacle of circus with hip hop, theatre, pyrotechnics, modern dance, light, vivid costumes, 3D sets, and more. Audiences familiar with Hanoi will notice quite a few city references, some hidden, some not, as the technicolor show also tells the wild story of Vietnam’s capital.

The Osing people of East Java have their own traditions that set them apart from the Javanese, Balinese, and people of other ethnic groups from nearby. Travelers can learn more about the community at Banyuwangi’s Osing Kemiren Village (also called the Osing Tourism Village), which offers cultural displays and performances, Osing food, and homestay-style accommodations.

The aptly named Magic Eye 3D Museum in Hat Yai isn’t your ordinary museum. The halls of this whimsical attraction are painted floor to ceiling with more than 100 scenes and murals that create a 3D illusion, especially when captured through the lens of a camera; visitors are meant to step inside and become part of the paintings.

Situated on the outskirts of Udaipur, Marvel Water Park is an expansive outdoor water park that’s popular with local families. Here you'll find all sorts of water attractions for visitors of all ages, from shallow splash areas and wave pools to a smattering of exhilarating slides—there's even a special toddler zone for little visitors.

At the northwest corner of West Lake and at the foot of Jade Spring Hill, Hangzhou Botanical Garden’s 568 acres (230 hectares) offer a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of Hangzhou. In addition to its extensive collection of flowers, plants, and trees, visitors can also enjoy a number of ponds, pavilions, and promenades.

Go back in time about 6,000 years, and along the banks of the Han River where Seoul now sits, you’d find a small nomadic settlement where the earliest residents lived. Amsa-dong Prehistoric Settlement Site, the largest Neolithic settlement in Korea, gives visitors a glimpse into what life was like on the Peninsula up to about 1,000 BC.

Home to more than 2,000 exhibits, the Kuching Cat Museum details the historical role cats have played in music, theater, advertising, mythology, and ancient societies around the globe. You won’t find a museum quite like the Kuching Cat Museum anywhere else in the world—an appropriate reality seeing as kucing is actually the Malay word for cat.

Imagica is an international standard theme park with 21 rides and attractions spread across various themed zones. Adrenaline junkies have three coasters to choose from, including India’s biggest roller coaster as well as a space-themed dark coaster. The park also has a vertical drop ride and a giant rotating pendulum.

Around two hours’ drive from Yogyakarta, Sadranan Beach is one of the stars of Gunung Kidul’s coastline. Here you can swim, catch some rays, canoe, snorkel, or enjoy a stand-up paddleboarding session amid golden sands, clear waters, simple restaurants, and some of the best coral in this part of Java. You can also camp overnight.

Established by cookbook author and Ubud Food Festival founder, Janet DeNeefe, Casa Luna Cooking School teaches the art of authentic Balinese cuisine. These Ubud cooking classes often begin with an introduction to Balinese ingredients and end with a feast of homemade local fare. They’re held on the grounds of her Ubud hotel.

This theater inside the Marina Bay Sands, one of Singapore’s most iconic and luxurious hotels, can seat 2,155 people on three separate levels, all with excellent views of the stage. The rotating schedule of events at the Sands Theatre includes some of the world’s most popular productions and musicals.

With a history that stretches back to the colonial era, Little India is a buzzing neighborhood in Yangon that’s known for great street food, open-air fruit sellers, and the magnificent Sri Kaali Amman Hindu Temple. Set out on foot to find Indian-style teahouses, restaurants, and shops—they’re a glimpse of Yangon’s impressive cultural diversity.

When Shanghai’s Lupu Bridge was completed in 2003, it was the world’s longest spanning steel arch bridge. The bridge with a total length of 12,795 feet (3,900 meters) and a main span of 1,805 feet (550 meters) takes its name from the two districts that it connects, Luwan and Pudong, and it extends across the Huangpu River.

Created by a Korean messaging app, the LINE FRIENDS cartoon characters are the focus of LINE Village Bangkok. Divided into 23 zones with features such as interactive games and selfie kiosks, the large indoor digital theme park attracts kids and anime enthusiasts and makes a good rainy-day activity.

Few capitals can boast having a national park within the city limits. Bukhansan National Park, home to Mt. Bukhan (Bukhansan), can be reached in half an hour’s journey from Seoul. At a manageable height of 2,742 feet (836 meters), the peak attracts fit hikers with its scenic walking trails and bird-watching opportunities.

The extinct Tai Mo Shan volcano is the highest peak in Hong Kong, rising 3,140 feet (957 meters) above sea level. The surrounding 3,558 acres (1,440 hectares) of highland are home to the scenic Ng Tung Chai waterfalls, several panoramic lookouts, and a range of flora and fauna, including snakes, insects, and more than 100 species of bird.

Measuring 112 feet (34 meters) tall, the Adiyogi Shiva Statue on the outskirts of Coimbatore is, according to Guinness World Records, the largest bust sculpture in the world. It was designed and commissioned by Sadhguru, a famous spiritual leader who heads up the Isha Foundation.

Run by a nonprofit organization, the Hilltribe Museum contains a wealth of information on Thailand’s hill tribes and the issues that threaten their preservation. All of the major hill tribe cultures, including Karen, Akha, and Hmong, are represented by information panels and artifacts.

Dotted with lush green islets and blooming with lotus flowers, Tinh Tam Lake—located just north of the walled Imperial City—provides welcome respite from the bustle of Hué’s city center. This manmade lake was laid out in the 19th century and was once part of the royal grounds, where the emperors would come to walk, relax, and drink tea.

Flowing from high in the Himalayas, across the state of Himachal Pradesh, and down into the Sutlej River in Punjab, the Beas River provides a source of water to numerous towns and cities across northern India. It's a central feature of the popular tourist town of Manali and is a great place for river rafting.

A modern, open-air mall in the heart of bustling Bandung, Cihampelas Walk (Ciwalk) is a one-stop shopping, dining, and entertainment destination. Stores here sell everything from Indonesian fashion and batik-inspired textiles to underwear, jewelry, electronics, and housewares. Plus, the food court is a draw in itself, serving up a delicious mix of Indonesian, Asian, and international dishes.

Looping through residential areas, vivid markets, and dozens of stations, the Yangon Circular Train is daily transit for many locals, but it’s also a fascinating way to see the city. With plenty of chances to stop and explore, you can step off the train to shop for souvenirs, taste Yangon cuisine, or photograph bustling neighborhoods.