Lenggong Archaeological Gallery
Perak
The Lenggong Valley, 50km north of Ipoh, is the site of one of Malaysia's most exciting archaeological finds. The 11,000-year-old 'Perak Man', a rare…
Must-see attractions in Asia
Chinatown
When a Portuguese contingent moved across the river to the present-day Talat Noi area of Chinatown in 1787, they were given this piece of land and built…
Samarkand
The remains of Ulugbek’s 15th-century observatory is one of the great archaeological finds of the 20th century. Ulugbek was probably more famous as an…
Northern Taiwan
The village of Nanzhuang is a low-slung time warp of clapboard houses, shops and tourist stalls that makes for a great couple of hours strolling…
Ladakh
The trio of millennium-old temple chambers at Manggyu share many of the features that you'll see at the world-famous Choskhor temple complex at Alchi but…
Ningxia
The collection of relics at this excellent museum features Neolithic pottery, lacquer coffin paintings from the Northern Wei dynasty, Tangut ceramics and…
Chanthaburi
The popularity of this national park is evidenced by the food stalls lining the road to the entrance. A pleasant short nature trail loops around…
Civil Defence Heritage Gallery
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
This small yet fascinating museum narrates the history of Singapore's civil defence, with a large emphasis on the fire service. The ground floor showcases…
Tsang
This small Gelugpa institution, built in 1269, clings like a limpet to the side of Shegar Mountain. A mural by the entrance depicts the monastery at the…
Kōbe
You'd never guess that such a beautiful natural sanctuary could sit so close to the city. This revered waterfall in four sections (the longest is 43m tall…
Mongolia
Locals frequently come to this sacred tree (10km south of Sükhbaatar) to pray to the spirits that inhabit it; a rite that predates Buddhism. According to…
Ba Be National Park
Rimmed by limestone peaks, Ba Be (meaning Three Bays) is in fact three linked lakes, with a total length of 8km and a width of about 400m. Most boat…
Surabaya
The Mesjid Ampel is the most sacred mosque in Surabaya. While non-Muslims aren't allowed to enter the mosque itself, the souk-style streets surrounding it…
Rajasthan
This fort was built and frequently modified over 200 years, and features a blend of Rajput and Mughal art and architecture. Inside it combines a mix of…
Lamma
This temple has wooden plaques from the Qing dynasty, which means it should be over 100 years old. Its appearance, however, originates from a 1960s…
Mongolia
Set between forested hills, Tsenkher's hot springs are a popular detour from the main road. If you're expecting to soak among pristine, natural surrounds,…
Western Honshū
Within this park, there's not much of the old Hagi-jō to see, apart from the castle's typically imposing outer walls and the surrounding carp-filled moat…
Gujarat & Diu
Unknown even to many locals, this abandoned and half-overgrown cemetery at the edge of the old town contains the tombs of the Babi nawabs of Junagadh and…
Hokkaidō
This 15-hectare forested enclosure in northern Tokachi is home to 12 male higuma (who range in size from 300kg to 400kg!). The clever viewing facilities…
Nam Tok
Walking along the dimly lit 280m trail through Lawa Cave you'll pass several large chambers with imposing stalactites, stalagmites and other odd rock…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
This mighty edifice is the Forbidden City's front door, where all visitors to the Palace Museum pass through. During imperial times, the central channel,…
Tamil Nadu
About 16km northwest of Pudukkottai, this small Jain cave temple conceals magnificent vegetable-oil frescoes, which you’ll probably get to appreciate all…
Guangdong
The charming old town of Chikan, 10km southwest of Kaiping, has streets of shophouses with arcades on the ground floor flanking the Tanjiang River (潭江)…
Kota Bharu
Kota Bharu’s main beach was once known as Pantai Cinta Berahi, or the Beach of Passionate Love. In keeping with Islamic sensibilities, it’s now known as…
Riau
Hidden away in a jungle clearing halfway between Bukittinggi and Pekanbaru are these low-key Buddhist temple ruins, believed to date to the 11th century…
Kōbe
Hakutsuru is a major sake brewer in Kōbe's Nada-gogō district, a major sake-brewing centre. The self-guided tour through the old wooden brewery (the…
Ningxia
This fantastically well-preserved pagoda in the north of town is a beauty. Its cross-shaped (from above), straight-edged and tapering form was exquisitely…
Vientiane
What began as a private museum, established by the family that runs Kanchana Boutique, has subsequently become something of a Lao cultural centre. The…
Nanjing
The most active temple in Nanjing, Jiming Temple was first built in AD 527 during the Three Kingdoms period and has been rebuilt many times since.
Lahaul & Spiti
High above Gemur but accessed on the side lane that winds up via Kolong, Khamsar Khar is an intriguing, unrestored Lahauli palace: 104 dusty, barely lit…
Sarawak
Once you've paid your entrance fee you’re free to explore Annah Rais’ three longhouses (Kupo Saba, Kupo Terekan and, across the river, Kupo Sijo).
Kansai
Considered the first Buddhist temple in Japan (founded 596), Asuka-dera houses Japan's oldest existing Buddhist statue, the Asuka Daibutsu (Great Buddha),…
Tainan
To the right of the Anping Fort entrance (with your back to the fort), you’ll find some of the oldest streets in Taiwan. As you wander about, look for…
Ubud Region
Set amid rice terraces, this 25m-long carved cliff face next to the Sungai Petanu is believed to be the remnants of a 14th-century hermitage. Even if your…
Kuala Lumpur
This glorious wooden stilt house, which was once the family home of a village headman in Kedah, was built in stages between 1910 and the 1930s and later…
Gangnam & Southern Seoul
As well as being home to Seoul's premier concert halls, this art centre also has three art galleries. Seoul Calligraphy Museum is devoted to hand-drawn…
Turpan
Set in a green valley fringed by the Flaming Mountains, this mud-brick village offers a fascinating glimpse of traditional Uyghur life and architecture…
Nanjing
In the south of the city in a smartened-up pedestrian zone full of restaurants, the Confucian temple Fūzǐ Miào has been a centre of Confucian study for…
Ladakh
This stately three-storey edifice was built in 1820 by King Tsepal Namgyal – a good investment, it turned out, since 14 years later his larger main palace…
Gyeongju
The ruins of this simply vast 6th century temple are a sad and desolate spectacle: once the nation's largest Buddhist temple, its standout feature was a…
