6 Destinations in Asia That Are Begging to Be Explored
Hanoi, Vietnam
Hanoi is personally my favorite of Asia’s capitals to visit, so I may be a bit biased including it on this list. But how can you beat some of the most delicious cuisine in the world, amazing cultural traditions and modern conveniences all crammed into one city?
There’s not much better in life than sitting by a lake in Hanoi eating a fresh Banh Mi, or slurping Pho noodles from a street stall. However, even if the food is a highlight, there’s so much more to do than eat.
The city has a number of interesting cultural features and also offers easy access to both Halong Bay and Sapa for those who wish to experience even more of the country during their visit. I’d certainly advocate spending at least 10 days in Vietnam if you can, but if you can only spare a few days or only want to visit one destination, Hanoi should certainly be it.
Kyoto, Japan
If you are looking to experience both modern Japan and the cultural remnants of its imperial history, look no further than Kyoto. This former capital of Japan is a city famous for its palaces, Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, traditional houses and beautiful gardens. The city is considered by many to be the spiritual heart of the country.
You can visit the famous Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku-ji) or the massive Higashi Hongan-ji to see this for yourself. Visiting the Nishiki Market for some tasty indulgences is a must-do for the sake of your taste buds. Local artisans pass down their arts and crafts traditions from generation to generation as well and you will find many specialty shops here.
If you’d like to really experience Japanese culture, there’s no better place to do so than Kyoto. However, traditional etiquette is more important here than perhaps in any other place in Japan, so we recommend reading up a bit on cultural traditions so you don’t unknowingly offend someone.
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Mongolia
Riding horses through the steppe and sleeping in a traditional yurt? Yes, please! Mongolia remains a mystery to many Westerners with images of nomads wandering vast, open expanses coming to mind. We’d recommend a few days in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, to learn about the history and culture of the country through museums and historic sites.
From there, we’d suggest setting off to explore the countryside. If you are limited in time, you should first check out the Gobi Desert in the southern part of the country where you can ride camels, explore sand dunes and spend the night in a traditional ger (the Mongolian word for yurt).
