5 Incredible Experiences To Tick Off Your Asia Travel Bucket List
If you can’t hit them all in one go, don’t stress. You’ll be back.
130 places to go, millions of possibilities.
If there’s one thing our generation is absolutely great at, it’s blowing our time, energy, and money on elaborate trips abroad. We value experiences over “things” and we’re damn proud of it.
One look at Instagram during an Aussie winter (or any time of the year, to be honest) is a solid reminder of just how much we love to travel and show off our adventures to our mates. Almost as if it were a rite of passage, we set off to explore our neighbouring continent in what is known as the infamous “Asia Trip”.
Now, unless you have a serious amount of time on your hands (like, years) and access to a luxurious cash-flow, you’ll inevitably end up splitting Asia into multiple visits to try to fit it all in. Fair warning — there’s a whole lot to see.
To help make your life easier and settle any arguments in the team trip-planning session, we’ve narrowed it down to the top five things you have to tick off your Asia bucket list, no excuses.
If you can’t hit them all in one go, don’t stress. You’ll be back.
#1 Travel From Port Colombo To Kandy By Train
The train from Colombo to Kandy in Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the world. The train trip is usually crowded (welcome to South-East Asia) and dangling your head and limbs out the windows and doors is all part of the experience. You’ve just gotta lean into the Sri Lankan train scene and enjoy the view.
The train track borders the coast, so prepare to see a whole lot of the Indian Ocean out your window. Plus, on one end, you can get around the hustle bustle of Colombo and, on the other, enjoy the charm of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Kandy.
This train journey is the best way to see Sri Lanka, so consider it obligatory.
#2 Check Out The Night Bazaar In Chiang Mai
Thailand’s Chiang Mai is renowned for its “millennial transformation”, so it’s become a go-to for young travellers. They city has absolutely nailed the café culture (coffee-lovers rejoice — Chiang Mai is delivering the goods) for a fraction of the price you pay in Australia. And the city is full of rooftop bars and a buzzing art scene. It’s like Melbourne, but better.
Chiang Mai has a lot of awesome markets to visit but, trust us, the night bazaar will be one of the best things you’ll do on your Asia trip. Between the hand-crafted bits and pieces, the food, the crowds, and the live music, it’s a winner.
#3 Watch The Sunrise Over The Borobudur Temple
One of the most amazing views you’ll ever take in is from the Borobudur Temple at sunrise, so put this one in bold on your list. Borobudur is a huge Buddhist temple towering over Indonesia’s artisan city, Yogyakarta, and it’s impossible to take a bad picture from its epic terraces.
Plus, Yogya (or Jogja) is booming with students, culture, art and music — a place to rent a bike, see the sights, and indulge your inner hipster. The sweet street art that decorates the city gives it a bit of a grunge vibe, and the local music scene has a buzzing energy, with plenty of live shows to check out.
If you’re into the visual arts, Yogya has you covered, with exhibitions showcasing the local talent on the reg.
Add the fact that there’s a wicked coffee and cafe scene, we award Yogya and its iconic Borobudur temple an all-round 10 out of 10.
#4 Get Colourful At Holi Festival In Jaipur
You’ve probably seen pictures of Holi festival, but nothing can prepare you for how spectacular it is in the thick of it. Also known as the Festival of Colours, Holi is the Hindu celebration of the arrival of spring. Basically, everyone takes to the streets wearing white and proceeds to cover friends, strangers, and themselves in intensely-hued coloured powders.
Imagine a rainbow of blue, green, yellow, orange and magenta filling the air and covering everything around you — it’s an incredible celebration full of dancing, folk music, bonfires and all-round good vibes. It will honestly be the most Instagrammable scene you’ll ever encounter.
Holi is rooted in stories from Indian mythology and it’s held on the last full-moon day of the Hindu luna-solar calendar month, usually in early March. The colourful fun has spread to other parts of Asia and the world, but Jaipur has to be the best place to celebrate with locals.
#5 Hang Out With Orangutans In Malaysian Borneo
To complete your ultimate Asia bucket list, diving into lush jungles and getting up-close-and-personal with some native wildlife is a must. Malaysian Borneo is the #1 place for your adventure into the jungle, and it’s the #1 spot to hang out with orangutans.
You can head to Borneo via Kota Kinabalu to check out the incredible wildlife sanctuaries where many orphaned or formerly captive orangutans are being reintroduced into the wild. Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre on Sabah is probably the most popular spot to chill amongst the cheeky primates while they snack on a banana or two.
It’s absolutely the kind of adventure you can only have in Asia.
—
(Lead image: Sander Wehkamp)
—
Only AirAsia flies to 130 stunning places across Asia. And with so many amazing places to explore, the possibilities for adventure are endless. Start your adventure and book your flights at airasia.com today!
Tick off this bucket list with AirAsia and fly to Colombo, Chiang Mai, Yogyakarta, Jaipur and Kota Kinabalu.
AirAsia. 130 places to go. Millions of possibilities.