Asia attractions

Hakkoda Ropeway is a year-round attraction that transports visitors to ski slopes and mountain hiking trails atop Mt. Hakkoda. The ski season lasts a long time in this northern part of Honshu, while short and longer hiking trails provide lovely mountain views from the top of the ropeway throughout summer. Indoor and outdoor viewing decks provide season-appropriate lookouts.

Spreading out along the western foothills of Mt. Fuji, the Asagiri Plateau is known for its green dairy pastures, with the volcano looming near in the background. It’s a great place to enjoy Fuji views when the weather’s clear, and you can also try paragliding or stop to sample local goods at Asagiri Food Park.

Located within the grounds of Kandy’s Royal Palace, the Maha Vishnu Temple (Maha Vishnu Devalaya) is one of four holy devales (temples) linked to the palace’s Temple of the Tooth. This small complex is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, a Sri Lankan deity who is also considered the guardian of Buddhism, so it draws both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims.

Get an overview of some of Hong Kong’s best sights on a 1-hour sightseeing tour aboard an open-top 1920s-style tram, which includes an onboard guide, prerecorded commentary, and a mini museum. Gain insight into Hong Kong life and history as you pass by bustling streets, modern skyscrapers, historic landmarks, and top attractions.

Situated in the Shibpur suburb of Kolkata, this 269-acre (109-hectare) expanse of greenery dates back to the late 1700s, when it was used to study and develop commercial plants for trade under the British East India Company. Early tea-growing experiments here led to the thriving industries in Darjeeling and Assam that remain to this day.

Perched on the 56th story of the Marina Bay Sands complex, the SkyPark Observation Deck lets non-hotel guests enjoy views from this Singapore landmark. It’s particularly dazzling in the warm night air, when Singapore’s skyline sparkles, Supertree Grove looks glitzy in pink neon, and the Esplanade’s twin durians are in full space-age mode.

Yangshuo Cooking School offers classes to those visitors who want to not only munch their way around China, but also to take home a new skill: the ability to re-create some of their favorite regional dishes. Set in a traditional farmhouse on the Li River, the Yangshuo Cooking School offers a scenic spot to get hands-on.

Situated on a forested hillside in the old part of town, Luis de Camões Garden and Grotto is a welcome oasis of calm in one of the most densely populated places in the world. Dedicated to the Portuguese poet and naval veteran Luis de Camões, this is the largest park in the city of Macau.

The Istana is Singapore’s version of the White House, the official residence of the President and a site of great historical significance. The neo-Palladian structure was built in 1867 as a governor’s mansion, but when Singapore became self-governing in 1959, it was turned over and renamed the Istana, which is Malay for “palace.”

Next to Alwar's City Palace, the Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri is a two-story cenotaph (memorial site) erected in honor of Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh, one of the former rulers of Alwar, and his wife Moosi. It's characterized by a mix of red sandstone and white marble architecture, and features an intricately decorated ceiling covered with scenes from mythology and royal life.

Head to the “Green Lung” of Nanning, Mt. Qingxiu, a popular summer resort for centuries, and explore the Longxiang Pagoda, man-made pools, Three Gods Temple, the botanical garden, and Nanning’s only 18-hole golf course. The mountain range itself has 18 peaks, with a pagoda sitting on top of one of them. This is a lovely spot to spend a few hours.

Touting itself as Asia's largest aquatic theme park, Water Kingdom is an expansive water park spread in the northern outskirts of Mumbai, right by the sea. As the name suggests, attractions here are centered around water, with all sorts of pools and slides—one of which features a 7-story drop and reaches speeds of up to 40 mph (64 kmp).

One of the three ancient temples of Macau, Kun Iam Temple was founded during the 13th century, although the present structures were built in 1627. Dedicated to Kun Iam, the Chinese representation of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Mercy, this Buddhist temple is one of the largest and most important in Macau.

Believed to be the oldest church in Chennai, Luz Church (Shrine of Our Lady of Light) was built in 1516 by Franciscan missionaries from Portugal. The Gothic and baroque structure, besides being one of the oldest European monuments in India, is also a classic example of Portuguese colonial church architecture.

A short walk from central Banyuwangi, Boom Beach (Pantai Boom) is a fun, family-friendly attraction in this port town. While the sand and sea aren’t as enticing as Bali, just across the Bali Strait, the food stalls and funfair rides make this an entertaining place to check out if you have time to kill in Banyuwangi.

The Guangxing Paper Mill, the only manufacturer in Taiwan still producing handmade paper, is a family-friendly attraction that provides a hands-on cultural experience. Located in the heart of Puli, a town close to Sun Moon Lake, the mill offers tours and a chance to create paper souvenirs, such as hand fans and lanterns.

At the Nasu Stained Glass Museum, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had left Japan and entered the English Cotswolds. Designed to look like an English manor, the building is home to antique works of stained glass art, as well as a pipe organ. Art and antiques enthusiasts will enjoy visiting the museum on a day trip from Tokyo.

Opened in 2008, the Korean Furniture Museum is one of Seoul’s best kept secrets. Housed within a series of beautifully maintained Korean traditional houses (hanoks), the museum contains a collection of more than 2,000 pieces of Joseon Dynasty furniture collected by the private museum’s owner, Chyung Mi-sook.

The Auto World Vintage Car Museum, located on the eastern outskirts of Ahmedabad, houses a large collection of classic automobiles, some from the early 20th century. Set in a crenelated building, which resembles a castle on a large private estate, the museums’ collection was once privately owned by local automobile enthusiast Pranlal Bhogilal. Car fans won’t want to miss this niche-interest museum if visiting Ahmedabad.

Don’t let the name deceive you: Hat Yai Municipal Park (Hatyai City Park) is both larger and less urban than the name would suggest. Home to lakes, pavilions, a cable car, a playground, a waterfall, an astronomical observatory, and a range of temples—one featuring a towering golden Buddha—it sprawls around and over lush hills just east of Hat Yai city.

A working Buddhist monastery, the White Elephant Pagoda (Wat Tahm-rai-saw or Wat Damrey Sor) is a downtown Battambang landmark. At the complex, you’re likely to see orange-clad monks, many of them students at the Buddhist university, come and go along the grounds, which are adorned with gilded stupas and colorful statues, including plenty of white elephants.

Visitors to Tokyo are spoiled for choice when it comes to fine art museums, but the Japanese Folk Crafts Museum is the place to come to learn about the ordinary crafts that have been interwoven with Japanese daily life for centuries. The museum holds around 17,000 craft artifacts from all around Japan, as well as the Korean Peninsula, China, and Taiwan.

Dedicated to maritime history and innovations throughout the world, the Evergreen Maritime Museum is a popular destination for those with an interest in all things nautical. Spread across five floors in central Taipei’s Chang Yung-Fa Charity Foundation Building, the museum showcases model ships, paintings, interactive exhibits, and more.

Just east of Tokyo you’ll find Mother Farm, an animal- and flower-focused amusement park. Get to know the animals in the petting zoo, or spend the day sheepshearing and horseback riding while enjoying the slower pace and fresh air of the countryside.

Set in Puncak, high in the cool West Java hills around Bogor, the Gunung Mas Tea Plantation dates back to the Dutch colonial era. Today, the 6,000-acre (2,428-hectare) site is owned by the Indonesian government. Visitors can tour the tea factory and plantation and also opt for hiking, horseback riding, and even paragliding in season.

Woongjin Playdoci, in Bucheon, is home to one of the largest driving ranges in South Korea as well as an indoor skiing center, a water park, a spa and fitness center, and a variety of kid-friendly facilities. The water park boasts a wave pool and multiple slides, while the ski center gives you the chance to ski, sled, and snowboard.

Some of Bollywood’s most famous productions have come out Mumbai’s S.J. Studios, one of the city’s premiere filming locations. Bollywood films are shot here 365 days a year, and with eight full-sized sets open to guests, chances are high that visitors will spot a Bollywood star or catch a glimpse of a filming taking place.

During the Japanese occupation of World War II, British POW Stanley Warren was interred in a prison camp in the village of Changi, where he painted a total of five murals on the walls of St. Luke’s Chapel in Block 151 of the Roberts Barracks. Today, replicas of the poignant Changi Murals are on display in the Changi Museum and Chapel.

Home to migrating birds and vast fields of hot pink lotus blooms in season, Bueng Boraphet is Thailand’s largest freshwater lake, spanning over 80 square miles (210 square kilometers). A tourism complex features an aquarium, a crocodile farm, an indoor food hall, a walking loop trail, and a dedicated waterfowl park for bird watchers.

One of a number of monuments commemorating the World War II Battle of Bataan and the Bataan Death March, the Flaming Sword monument depicts a hand holding high a blazing sword. Simple and unsigned, it celebrates the bravery of the Filipino and American soldiers of the USAFFE whose death marches converged on this point in 1942.