ASIA Travel Guide: Temples, Beaches and Beyond

Exotic? Asia has it in spades.

Think Bali’s green rice terraces, Vietnam’s karst-studded bays, Sri Lanka’s golden temples and Thailand’s colorful floating markets – so many wow moments in one region.

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Fun Asia facts and iconic sights

Fast facts

  • About – The world’s largest continent, covering 17,212,000 sq. miles (44,579,000 sq. km)
  • Population – Around 4.8+ billion (roughly one-third of the world’s population)
  • Countries in Asia – 48 countries (depending on how boundaries are defined)
  • Most common languages – Hundreds are spoken, with Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Malay and English among the most widely used
  • Fun fact – Asia is home to both the world’s highest point (Mount Everest) and lowest land point (the Dead Sea)

5 Iconic Asia sights

  • Mount Fuji in Japan
  • Great Wall of China
  • Imperial City of Hue, Vietnam
  • Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia
  • Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand

Our top travel tips and resources

→ General trip planning: TripAdvisor is a helpful starting point, with loads of user reviews on hotels, restaurants and things to do.

→ Hotels: Booking.com is our go-to for scoring a “wow” hotel – or at least a decent one – often at lower rates than the hotel’s own website. (We especially like Booking.com’s flexible cancellation policy!) You can also find excellent discounted rates on Expedia, especially for hotels in the U.S. and Mexico.

→ Vacation homes, condos and rentals: We prefer and use Vrbo (Vacation Rentals by Owner).

→ Flights: For the best flights, we search on Google Flights first. Expedia and Kayak are then perfect for snagging the cheapest tickets. (They’re often non-refundable, though, so for more flexibility, we book directly with the airline, even if it costs more.)

→ Airport lounge access: We love (and have) Priority Pass for comfy lounge seats, free snacks and drinks, complimentary WiFi and sometimes even showers and spa services!

→ Tours: For the best local food, walking and other guided tours, plus skip-the-line tickets to attractions, check out Viator (a TripAdvisor company) and GetYourGuide.

→ Car rental: Renting a car can be a great way to explore off the beaten path. Discover Cars searches car rental companies for the lowest rates.

→ Travel insurance: SafetyWing is designed for frequent travelers, long-term adventurers and digital nomads. It covers medical expenses, lost checked luggage, trip interruption and more. We also have and recommend Medjet for global air medical transportation.

→ Travel gear: See our travel shop to find the best luggage, accessories and other travel gear. (We suggest these comfy travel sandals for city walking, the beach and kicking about.)

→ Need more help planning your trip? Check out our travel tips and resources guide for airline booking tips, ways to save money, how to find cool hotels and other useful trip planning info.

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About the authors

We’re Janice and George Mucalov, award-winning travel journalists who’ve explored all seven continents. We share destination guides, luxury hotel reviews, cultural adventures, cruise insights and insider travel tips here on our luxury travel blog, Sand In My Suitcase. See About.