Five Less Known Places in Asia You Should See

There are endless blogs and travel articles about places like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok etc. Recommending them is a bit like saying "Have you heard of London?" While all are worth a visit (I assume Tokyo is, I have never been) there are a few out of the way places that many people have never heard of (at least outside of the country they are in) that are well worth a look. In no particular order:


Ifugao, Philippines:

Everyone talks beaches in the Philippines but the Cordillera Mountain Range tops any beach. Cities of Banaue and Batad give access to one of the most amazing sights man has ever created. Rice terraces carved in to the side of mountains. Jungles with rivers and hot springs. The friendliest people I have ever met.

Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

It's the Grand canyon, with a jungle. This gorge, carved much like the one in Arizona, is among the most beautiful places on earth. It is on the east coast of Taiwan and easily accessible from Taipei. It CAN be done as a day trip but overnight is better. Hiking in the jingle with monkeys, birds and stations serving Taiwan Lager every few kilometers. 

Ayutthaya, Thailand

I guess it is not a beach party resort where you can fly halfway around the world to drink and party with people from back home like Phuket or full of hookers and drinks like Bangkok so it gets passed over by the majority of western tourism. Good for the smarter folks out there. It is the ancient capital of most of Thailand. It was sacked by the Burmese in the 18th century and the capital moved to Bangkok. What is left is a living museum. It's an amazing place to spend a few days and it is only 45 minutes from Bangkok.

Jejudo, Korea

Well I better put something Korea in here before I get in trouble. To be fair though, Jejudo is actually a very cool island that is more closely related to Okinawa than mainland Korea. It is firmly subtropical and despite Koreans best effort to make it as unappealing to western tourism as possible (Teddy Bear Museum anyone?) it remains an amazing island well worth a weekend trip. 

Chiang Mai, Thailand

Another Thai city but again, well worth the trip. The old northern capital was an independent country for much of Thai history and still has a unique culture and history. Plus it's a great place to grab a beer and listen to live music. The mountains around it are full of temples and elephants as well, making for fun day trips.