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Continent guide · 7 countries · 8 city & region guides

Asia Holidays: Japan, Thailand, Bali, India, Sri Lanka & Maldives

Temples, street food, tropical islands and neon cities, from first-timer friendly Thailand to once-in-a-lifetime Maldives.

Snow-capped Mount Fuji behind Lake Kawaguchi with cherry blossom in the foreground
Photo: Midori, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

Countries in Asia

The pink sandstone façade of the Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds, in Jaipur under a blue sky2 guides

India

Palaces, forts, tiger reserves and palm-fringed beaches, with direct flights from London in around nine hours.

Goa · Rajasthan

Mount Bromo and the volcanoes of the Tengger caldera rising above morning mist in East Java, with Mount Semeru smoking behind1 guide

Indonesia

Volcanoes, temples, rice terraces and thousands of islands, with Bali as the easy way in.

Bali

The red five-storey Chureito Pagoda on a wooded hillside with snow-capped Mount Fuji behind it2 guides

Japan

Neon cities, ancient temples and some of the best food on earth, with direct flights from London and a rail network…

Kyoto · Tokyo

Overwater villas on stilts and a white-sand beach fringed by a turquoise lagoon at a Maldives resortCountry guide

Maldives

Overwater villas, white-sand islands and some of the world's best snorkelling, ten to twelve hours from the UK.
A blue train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge near Ella, surrounded by forested hills and tea plantationsCountry guide

Sri Lanka

Ancient rock fortresses, tea-covered hills, leopards and beaches on a compact island you can tour in two weeks.
Sunbathers on the sandy beach of Railay in Krabi, Thailand, beneath towering limestone cliffs2 guides

Thailand

Temples, street food and tropical islands, with direct flights from London and great value at every budget.

Bangkok · Phuket

Lanterns strung across a street of yellow-walled shophouses in the Ancient Town of Hoi An, Vietnam1 guide

Vietnam

Limestone bays, lantern-lit old towns and some of Asia's best street food, at prices that stretch a long way.

Hanoi

TL;DR
  • Thailand and Bali for first-timers, Japan for culture and food, Vietnam for value, the Maldives for luxury beaches
  • November-March is the best window for most of Southeast and South Asia
  • Direct flights from London reach Tokyo, Bangkok, Delhi, Colombo and Malé, others need one stop
  • Monsoons differ coast to coast, so check the side of the island you visit

Asia is where many UK travellers take their first long-haul adventure, and where many go back again and again. It suits every budget, from backpacker beach huts in Thailand to overwater villas in the Maldives.

Where to go in Asia

East Asia

Japan blends Tokyo's neon with the temples of Kyoto, Fushimi Inari and views of Mount Fuji.

Southeast Asia

Thailand is the classic first stop: Bangkok and the Grand Palace, then islands like Phuket. Vietnam runs from Hanoi and Ha Long Bay to the Mekong. Indonesia means Bali and the temple of Borobudur. Our first trip to Southeast Asia guide puts it together.

South Asia and the Indian Ocean

India offers Rajasthan's forts, the Taj Mahal and the beaches of Goa. Sri Lanka packs tea hills, safaris and Sigiriya into a small island, and the Maldives is the ultimate beach escape.

Best time to visit

DestinationBest months
Thailand, Vietnam (north and south), India, MaldivesNovember-March/April
BaliApril-October (dry season)
JapanMarch-May (blossom) and October-November (autumn colour)
Sri LankaDecember-March for the south and west; May-September for the east coast

Getting there from the UK

Direct flights from London take about 11h to Bangkok, 14h to Tokyo, 9h to Delhi, 11h to Colombo and 10h to Malé. Gulf carriers via Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, see our Dubai stopover guide, are often cheaper.

Landmarks & things to do in Asia

Latticed bell-shaped stone stupas on the upper terrace of Borobudur, with misty jungle and hills beyondHistoric site

Borobudur

The world's largest Buddhist monument, a 9th-century stone mandala rising above the jungle and volcanoes of central…
A stone path through a tunnel of inscribed vermilion torii gates, with a hanging lantern, at Fushimi Inari ShrineHistoric site

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing a wooded mountain in Kyoto, free to visit day and night.
A monk in saffron robes walking past the white walls and golden spires of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, reflected in a puddleLandmark

Grand Palace

Bangkok's dazzling former royal palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand's most sacred site.
Sheer limestone islets rising from calm water in Ha Long Bay, with a small fishing boat in the distanceNature

Ha Long Bay

Nearly 2,000 limestone islands rising from emerald water, best explored on an overnight cruise from Hanoi.
Snow-capped Mount Fuji rising above Lake Kawaguchi, with cherry blossom in the foregroundNature

Mount Fuji

Japan's highest and most famous mountain, best seen from the Fuji Five Lakes or climbed in the short summer season.
One of the giant carved stone lion paws at the Lion Gate halfway up Sigiriya rockHistoric site

Sigiriya

A 5th-century palace on top of a sheer 180m rock, and the star of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle.
The white marble Taj Mahal and its four minarets, reflected in the long water channel of the Mughal gardensLandmark

Taj Mahal

Shah Jahan's white marble mausoleum in Agra is India's most famous sight and best seen at sunrise.

Asia on the map

Frequently asked questions

Which Asian country is best for a first long-haul trip?

Thailand: good-value flights, easy transport, a huge choice of hotels and a well-trodden route from Bangkok to the islands.

Do I need a visa for Asia?

It varies. Japan and Thailand currently allow visa-free tourist stays for British passport holders, while India needs an e-Visa and Sri Lanka an ETA. Always check GOV.UK before booking.

When is monsoon season in Asia?

Broadly May to October in mainland Southeast Asia and India, but coasts differ: Thailand's Gulf islands and Sri Lanka's east coast have opposite seasons to the west.

Written by

Emma City breaks & deals editor

Emma plans city breaks the way other people plan the weekly shop: on a budget, with a spreadsheet and a backup plan. She covers city guides and deal-hunting.

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