5 Places In Asia That Leaves You Speechless & Turns You Into A Wanderlust

#Asia #Vacation #Travel #Nature #Culture

By Tejaswi Vijinigiri Last updated Jun 3, 2020 0

Dropping into Asia with your fam or pals, you’ll love to delve deep into the irresistible combination of old-world architectures, contemporary cultures, vibrant scenaries, delicious food, and ornate shrines. With its resplendent paradise-like views, amazing country-side and energy – it’s no wonder that Asia is there on everyone’s head.

Asia can be anything and everything you want it to be. Go for the people, the massive diversity of culture and religion, huge mountains, lush-green jungles, adventure and more – there is literally no ’full-stop’ for what it has got. There is a lot to do and explore in Asia and trying to list everything the continent got would be too difficult to do. So, follow the five best picks listed below. Surely, you’d have a lot of questions piled up like – How to go? Where to stay? What to do? We got it covered in here – the complete guide to starting your tour to Asia.

Mustang Caves, Nepal

Mustang Caves is one of the greatest archaeological mysteries in the world. These ancient man made caves are breathtakingly beautiful. There is a rumor that is popularly heard while you travel to the place that the caves were the places to seek refuge from demons and evil spirits. True or Tale the stories sound pretty interesting and you don’t want to miss them at all. Most interesting part dwells with Upper Mustang. Trek to the Upper Mustang to grab a spectacle of the array of beautiful cave temples and cave monasteries.

Would you believe if I said there is no way you could feel tiredness while you trek? This is because, all along the trek, your journey is completely filled with ventures of sky caves, exquisite murals of Tibetan histories, and an oasis of traditional Mustangi villages. Unbelievably outstanding!

How to reach?

You have to reach to the Kathmandu first. To which you can take a flight. From there you need to go Pokhara either by tourist bus or flight. Budget travelers – take a bus.
From Pokhara, you will get a jeep to go to Jomsom, the starting point of Mustang Trekking
After which you can lead your journey towards Upper Mustang caves by horse riding and trekking.

Stay with locals:

Staying with locals in Mustang – if you can find people interested in taking you in. It is a meaningful way to generate cultural exchange. After you complete your tired day-out you can get back to Kathmandu or Pokhara and relax for the night so that you can take off in the morning. Here are a few picks for you –

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Pai, Thailand

Why would you love this place? Let us count this way – Mhor Phaeng & Pembok Waterfalls, Pai Canyon’s landscape, Tham Lod caves, all together makes this place mystifying and incredible. When you find yourself wanting a relaxing soak in warmth, head to the Tha Pai Hot Springs. Nothing could be as perfect as this if you have to kill a few hours in the cold winter time. “It’s aaaaa-mazing!” Shopaholics can stroll around the streets of Pai town and treat yourself with raw/vegan/gluten-free food found at the local cafes in the town. Trust me! Great energy can be pumped up to continue your shopping for the rest of the day.

How to get to Pai?

Most people travel to Pai from Chiang Mai and often return the same way. There are three options to get to Pai from Chiang Mai.

Options:

Take a flight – costly and quickest
Get on to a shuttle bus – fairly cheap and quick
Ride a scooter – Quite suitable for backpackers who are actively seeking for an adventure

About your stay:

Guesthouses, hotels, private residences are available in a plenty in the ‘downtown’ area. Whether it is a trekking agency or a restaurant or a tourist spot or a night club it is never more than a few steps away. Here is what we got you –

Phong Nha, Vietnam

Phong Nha is an absolutely stunning place with mountains, lakes, caves, and jungles. Sheltering a spectacular string of endemic wildlife, the place is extremely exotic. Key thing to remember – It is slightly expensive place so watch your budget before you plan your vacation to Phong Nha.

Follow these footprints to get the maximum out of your visit – check out Hang Son Doong – the world’s biggest cave, see the beautiful Botanic Gardens & Thac Gio Waterfall, set a camp at Hang En or Tu Lan caves for a night, explore the local markets, and take in fresh air while you take a bike ride to Bong Lai Valley – there you go – your trip is nothing but marvelous.

I’m sold. How do I get there and where do I sleep?

To get there – you need to go to Dong Hoi – the nearest urban area. From which It takes you 90 mins to get to Phong Nha from Dong Hoi by bus.

Stay – 2D1N is quite enough to complete your visit. During the trip, you can camp at Phong Nha. There are a lot of guides available at the site where you would get complete camping material and assistance. So need not worry much! Once you are done with the trip you can get back to these cities such as Nha Trang, or Hoi An. You can find a comfortable accommodation in a plenty. All you need to do is to book your stay early because generally they get sold out very quickly – especially, during the high season. Here are a few picks for you –

Bagan, Myanmar

This rich, historical city popularly known as ‘the temple town’ is the richest archaeological sites in Asia. It is a pilgrimage center and contains ancient Buddhist shrines. Make sure you don’t burn your hair while you visit this place because this is an extremely hot region almost throughout the year. The best time to visit Bagan is between November and February – a slightly moderate temperature allows you to explore better.

What you can’t miss at this place is – Bagan’s gorgeous sunsets reflecting off the Irrawaddy River, Mani Sithu Market in Nyaung-U and Minnanthu Village where you can find locals running their small businesses everywhere – more like a marketplace for some souvenirs.

How to explore the plain?

Hire a bicycle or a bike – Cheapest mode and if you are looking for an excursion with some fun factor added to it then this is really a blessing for you. More fun when you are in a bunch.
Go on a horse and cart guided tour – ensures efficient and fast transportation to and fro the area. This experience is great as you tour the temples of Bagan in the preferred style of the royals and end your journey completes you watching the fantastic sunset. You’ll start your excursion with a pick up right from your hotel and finish it back there itself.
Head to the sky for a hot air balloon trip – Spend time overlooking temples and rich cultural heritage of Myanmar. The hot air balloon offers an amazing chance to view the ancient ruins like never before. The overall setting is perfect for spending a relaxing time with your loved ones while exploring the beauty of the place.

Where to stay in Bagan?

There are 3 main villages, Nyaung-U, Old Bagan and New Bagan. You can stay in any of these three places. Just for your info – the most populated place is the Old Bagan.

Gili Trawangan, Indonesia

Gili Trawangan is around thirty-minute boat ride from the northwest mainland of Lombok. Also you can reach the place by ‘fast boats’ that depart Bali directly to Trawangan Island daily. The place is a complete buzz-stall with bikes, cidomos and mobs, lounge bars, guesthouses, restaurants, convenience stores and dive schools clamors. Yet, maintains its calmness and composure at places. This place could stand out for anyone who is looking to escape the crowds and get back to nature – dive, swim, snorkel, sun-bathe and enjoy the exotic sea views and marine life.

Talking about the stay, you need not worry at all! After a day tour at Trawangan Island come back to Lombok. Most of the tourists enjoy staying at Lombok. Known for its popularity – it’s always preferable for you to stay in Lombok. Massive 200-plus-room hotels luxury villas and boutique bungalows are well spread over the place and make your stay better than you can imagine.

Beware of:

Beware of booking your stay at a higher price. Generally, hotels mark their prices high due to a high demand. So make sure you make an early booking before you go there. Here are a few picks for you –

Decided to take a trip to Asia? Then, what’s top on your bucket-list? Let Us Know!