9 Favorite Places To Travel In Asia And Things To Do
Asia as the widest continent surely has dozens of countries and covers several parts like the Middle East, East Asia, South Asia, South-east Asia, and others.
Each part has its own natural landscape criteria. Besides, culture and history also vary. It is no wonder that Asia has countless tourist destinations to visit.
Those destinations attract tourists because of many reasons like the historical value, scenic view, unique culture, biodiversity, rare species, and more.
To make it concise, these are the ten chosen favorite places to travel in Asia. Some suggested activities are also provided in case you are preparing for a trip.
Arashiyama - Favorite places to travel in Kyoto, Japan
If you’re looking for a peaceful place to stay, Arashiyama in Kyoto is the best answer.
The traditional houses in the hilly area added by the green vegetation and calm water in the river and ponds are just the perfect match in this district. Strolling around the neighborhood is a must thing to do besides visiting some tourism spots.
Among the famous spots, bamboo groves are on the top list.
Yes, if you ever saw the iconic picture of a bamboo path, there is a big chance it was taken in Arashiyama.
Cross the groves by walking or cycling. The path could lead to Adashino Nenbutsuji temple. In fact, there are more temples, a park, a bridge, and a museum to visit in this district.
Apart from wandering around, having a boat trip and fishing are the suggested activities during your visit to Arashiyama. Fall and cherry blossom seasons make the trees’ leaves turn into enchanting colors, so those are the best time to go there.
Nevşehir - Favorite places to travel in Cappadocia, Turkey
Once in your lifetime, you might see a wallpaper of hot air balloons flying over the limestone area. Pictures with that scenery can turn into reality when you visit Nevşehir in Cappadocia, Turkey.
Apart from the tourism spot like the Gallery, this province is blessed by its natural and wonderful hoodoo. Its beauty can be seen even from the villages that you stay in.
Moreover, there are historical sites also like Gőreme churches, monasteries, and caravanserais.
They have a unique architecture since they are mostly built of rocks. To get closer to rocks, there are even some rock hotels or stone houses to stay.
During the day, the visitors can ride a hot balloon to fly across the fairy chimneys. Late afternoon is the most recommended time because you can see orange rays reflected by the towering stone hills below resembling new and warm colors and also the sweet sunset.
Yet, if you are afraid of height, watching those floating balloons up in one of the favorite places to travel in Asia is also mesmerizing.
Komodo Island National Park
Being the endangered and last giant lizard species, the Komodo dragon can only be found in the East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. This animal could grow three meters long and weigh up more than 70 kilograms.
This predator could eat up its preys which are bigger like buffalos. Its saliva is also lethal, so a close encounter is prohibited during the visit.
After witnessing the wildlife, other activities that visitor must do is snorkeling and hiking. As there are several islands close to the Komodo/Rinca island such as Labuhan Bajo island, Kanawa island, Mesa island, Padar island, they are other islands that should not be missed. The underwater view is so breathtaking, and the sand beach is white to pink.
The water is so clear and visible to see. Even if the visitors are only cruising, they can see the majestic coral reef and cute sea creatures.
Going up the highest peak in Padar island, there is an iconic spot for hikers to take a picture with. The peak is more enchanting when you visit near the sunset or sunrise.
Kuramathi
One of several mesmerizing islands in the Maldives is Kuramathi. The Maldives itself ranks top in the list of favorite places to travel to in Asia. The iconic white sand beaches and crystal clear water are the landmarks of this country. Dozens of pictures already depict its true natural beauty.
Unlike other beaches packed with plastic trash, Beaches in Kuramathi are clean. Moreover, in a certain season, there are only a few tourists making it as if the beach is private. The lines of coconut trees along the seashore complete the tropical view.
To stay, lots of hotels are available. The ones above the sea are the most recommended because the visitors could have a greater view of the sea. Besides swimming, fishing and scuba diving cannot be missed. Tourists could dive and swim along with gigantic flying fish and other types of fish.
Gunung Mulu National Park
If you are an adventurer, this National park in Malaysia is worth to visit. The park covers preserved vegetation, limestone pinnacles, caves, and waterfalls. There are dozens of indigenous floras and faunas that can only be found in the South-east Asia tropical forest. Biologists and researchers also explore this area.
From a certain peak, tourists could see the majestic limestone pinnacles towering between the old trees. To reach some peaks, there are several treks. While exploring the cave, traditional boats are always ready to carry the visitors.
Things to do include hiking, exploring cave, climbing, and camping. Those are the best ways to feel the wild natural sensation of staying in the forest as there are several campsites and posts for tourists.
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
For the height junkies, this national forest park might be their favorite.
If you ever watch the serial cartoon ‘Avatar the legend of Aang’, the scenery of the air benders region is quite similar to this park.
Lines of towering and gigantic rocky pinnacles covered with some green plants occupy this park. The view is more scenic as clouds and smoke might linger around between the pinnacles.
To make it more enjoyable, the government has set up several tourist attractions and accommodations. To reach each attraction, there is some public transportation available like a cable car, mini train, cableway, and even a mountain elevator the Bailong elevator.
If the visitor wants to be healthier, the average time to reach from one attraction to another is 3 hours of walk.
The yellow stone village, Xhaniajie glass bridge, Jingbian brook, Wulingyuan, Baofeng lake are just some frequently-visited places in the park.
Hiking is certainly the best and undeniable activity, and during your walk, you might get meet some local inhabitants a.k.a Macaque monkey. Feeding them might be another enjoyable thing to do.
Amer Fort
It is no surprise that India is always nominated as one of the favorite places to travel in Asia. Besides the Taj Mahal, another wonder that must be visited during the trip to India is Amer Fort.
Been stood for centuries, it is actually a complex that covers several parts like the palace, courtyards, pools, and more.
The main attraction of the constructions lies in the artistic design and enormous size. Situated at the top of the hill, once you reach the fort you can gaze not only at its grandeur architecture but also at the surrounding nature and village below.
Besides admiring the view, people could also hunt for some artsy crafts at the stalls and shops nearby. Then, try an elephant ride to go around the fort. Finally, watch the light show that is usually held in the evening.
Tiger’s Nest (Paro Taktsang)
Located in a peaceful country Bhutan, visiting the site will also give you a peaceful trip. With no modern transportation, visitors must rely on their feet to reach the monastery or the Tiger’s nest.
There is one main track to hike up the hill. Luckily, there is still one way to skip the long walk that is by riding a horse. You can rent one to bring you only halfway up.
At the top, you can see Himalayan hills around and make a wish by spinning the prayer wheels. Monks and local people believe that just by reaching the monastery one will receive a blessing from God. Along the way, some freshwater is flowing on some parts of the hill.
Colorful clothes hang across the hill also give a certain spirit to the hikers. In a small cave or under big rocks, hikers might meet some tiny reliquaries which locally called Tsa-Tsa.
Those carry the ash of the dead that the visitors are not allowed to touch. Indeed, hiking is ultimately a must thing to do in Paro Taktsang.
Gyeongbokgung Palace
Every Korean drama lovers must have seen this place at least once in a lifetime. Yup, this is Gyoengbokgung palace that has been used as a shooting locating for many famous serial dramas and movies. This place is also considered one of the favorite places to travel in Asia.
In the palace, visitors could stroll around the main palace or the pavilions. The walled ground and some ponds give the Joseon dynasty vibe, especially if the visitors rent a Hanbok (Korean traditional costume).
People could learn about Korean traditional architecture and some etiquette from the past. Sometimes, there are some festivals or traditional performances held on the ground of the palace.
