Asia Travel Guide
Ancient temples, megacities and island paradises, what to see and how to plan a trip across Asia.
Don’t miss
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Kyoto’s temples and Mount Fuji, Japan
- Bali’s beaches and rice terraces, Indonesia
- The Great Wall, China
- Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
- Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay
Recommended hotels
- Aman Tokyo, Japan
- Ozo Bali, Seminyak
- Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
- Rambuttri Village, Bangkok
Getting around
Domestic flights and high-speed rail (notably in Japan and China) make long distances manageable; tuk-tuks and metros cover cities.
Safety tips
Generally safe for travelers; stay alert to traffic in cities with heavy scooter/motorbike use and follow local customs at religious sites.
Best time to visit
NovemberโMarch avoids monsoon season in most of Southeast Asia; spring and autumn suit Japan and China.
Budget advice
Southeast Asia is very budget-friendly; Japan and Singapore run notably higher, plan accordingly if combining both.
Visa requirements
Asia doesn’t have a single visa policy โ requirements range from visa-free entry (Japan, South Korea, for many nationalities) to e-visas (Vietnam, Cambodia) to visa-on-arrival (Indonesia, Thailand, for many nationalities). Check each destination country individually before booking.
Currency & payments
There’s no shared currency across the region โ Japan uses yen, Thailand uses baht, and so on. ATMs are widely available in cities; carry local cash for markets and smaller vendors.