OUR ASIA TRAVEL GUIDE
Asia comprises 48 countries, so it’s hard to narrow down where to begin your visit. It contains the two most populated countries in the world, China and India.
While it would take years to truly explore every corner of this continent, most travelers begin in Southeast Asia (like me!). Backpacking is the most popular way to travel through the countries of Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. While these countries attract a large backpacking crowd, there are luxury gems at every corner too.
Bigger cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and Hong Kong attract travelers from all over the world. And of course, I can’t forget THE FOOD! With so much variety in cuisine, you will have lasting memories of the food, I promise.
Central Asia is made up of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan. While it’s not as popular as other destinations in the region, more and more travelers have started to explore these countries in recent years. Some of it’s most popular attractions are the gas crater known as the “Gate of Hell” and the cities of Uzbekistan’s ancient Silk Road.
East Asia is one of the most traveled regions for international visitors. It’s made up of China, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and Macau. It’s home to more than 22% of the global population as well as some of the top city break destinations in the world. It also boasts some of the region’s most impressive natural and human-made wonders like Mount Fuji, Huangshan Mountain and The Great Wall of China.
South Asia is the most densely populated area in the world. It’s where you’ll find destinations like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, and the Maldives. It’s most well-known for its impressive cultural heritage like the Taj Mahal and the Sigiriya Fortress..
Southeast Asia is a popular destination for budget travelers. It’s divided into 15 countries with the most popular countries for budget travelers being: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
OUR SUGGESTED ITINERARY FOR ASIA
If you would like to see more than one Asian country on your next family holiday, then we would suggest you combine a trip to Japan with a layover in Singapore. This is exactly what we did on our honeymoon. Here is how we spent 2 weeks in Asia.
- DAY 1 to 4 – Singapore (3 nights)
- DAY 5 to 7 – Main Island of Okinawa
- DAY 8 to 10 – Island hopping in Okinawa
- DAY 11 to 14 – Tokyo
We have written a very detailed post about the suggested two-week itinerary for Asia with lots of information and travel tips.
WHERE TO GO IN ASIA
Are you travelling to Asia for the first time or returning for more? We hope to simplify your Asian trip and help you chose where to go, how long to stay there and what to do once you have arrived. We research every destination we visit in-depth and have been to Asia multiple times. We traveled to various countries in Asia and have created travel guides for all the places we visited.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT ASIA
There’s never a bad time to visit Asia. The region boasts some of the world’s best beaches, lush jungles, beautiful temples, and bustling markets. No matter what the weather is like, there’s always something to see and do!
The only thing you need to keep in mind when planning a trip to Asia is the monsoon season. It varies from country-to-country, so it’s easy to pick a destination where the rain has yet to hit.
That being said, if you’re on a budget, you’ll probably want to follow the monsoon. With most travelers preferring the dry season, you’ll have better luck finding cheap flights and hotel rooms.
FAMILY TRAVEL IN ASIA
Japanese food is definitely not for the faint-hearted as some of it comes across odd but if you don’t dive in head first, you are missing a big part of their culture.
Offering one of the most vibrant food scenes in the whole world, Japan is known for its out their seafood, top-quality ingredients, and for their chefs who are masters of technique and skill. It is not uncommon to find restaurants who only specialize in one thing because they train for years and years!
It’s really hard not to eat well in Japan (seriously, we never had a bad meal!) so grab those chopsticks and try one or all of these delicacies listed in our post about things to eat in Japan.
WHAT TO PACK FOR YOUR TRIP TO ASIA
What you need to pack obviously depends on when you are traveling to Japan. In the Winter, you will need long sleeve tops, jeans or long pants, woolen socks and boots – it gets pretty cold out there. We went right before cherry blossom season which meant we had a lot of cold and rainy days.
For Winter travel, consider investing in warm heat tech base layers and a high-quality down jacket and gloves. While in the Summer, you’ll need t-shirts, shorts/skirts, sunscreen, a hat, flip flops, and an umbrella – yep, it’s rainy season in the Summer too! It gets sweltering in the Summer in Japan, so it’s not uncommon for people to carry a towel around with them to pat down the sweat. Sounds gross but you’ll thank us.
Whatever you do, just make sure you check the weather and pack accordingly. Naturally, you can also just opt to bring a few pieces which will give you a reason to shop and splurge a little bit while you’re in the country.
Although traveling around Japan is easy, a good internet connection is a must! Looking for where to go, which trains to catch, and even where to eat needed wifi which is why one of the first things we got when we landed was a Pocket WIFI. We rented one from TEP Wifi ahead of time and picked it up from the airport as soon as we landed.
Our Latest Articles About Asia
How To Spend 5 Days In Bangkok – A Detailed Itinerary
A practical day-by-day guide to Bangkok’s temples, markets, neighbourhoods and unmissable sights.
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Our Epic 5-Day Tokyo Itinerary – What To Do & See As A First Timer
Plan your first Tokyo trip with a detailed itinerary covering the city’s highlights without the fear of missing out.
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The 5 Best Cities To Visit In South Korea
Discover five fascinating South Korean cities and what makes each one worth adding to your itinerary.
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11 Experiences You Must Have In Bandung Indonesia
From volcanic landscapes to tea plantations, these are the experiences that made Bandung memorable for us.
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The Ultimate Thailand Itinerary
A culture-packed Thailand itinerary combining vibrant cities, historic temples, beautiful scenery and time to unwind.
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How To Spend Two Weeks In Japan – The Ultimate Rail Itinerary
Use Japan’s rail network to explore the country’s major cities and cultural highlights over an unforgettable two weeks.
Read moreBest Guide Books for Asia
Planning a trip to Asia can feel overwhelming. It is a vast and varied continent, and even choosing which countries or cities to include can take a surprising amount of research.
Our destination guides share what we learned from travelling through Asia ourselves, including practical itineraries, transport advice and the places that genuinely stood out to us.
A good guidebook is still useful alongside travel blogs. It gives you maps, background information and practical details in one place, including when you do not have reliable internet access.
Below are several guidebook options covering some of the Asian destinations featured on this blog.