The Gobi
The bend in the river here marks the remains of two ruined monasteries which are today considered one vast complex known as Ongiin Khiid. Bari Lam Khiid鈥
Must-see attractions in Asia
Lhasa
The magnificent Potala Palace, once the seat of the Tibetan government and the winter residence of the Dalai Lamas, is Lhasa's cardinal landmark. Your鈥
Nepal
The first stupa at Boudhanath was built sometime after AD 600, when the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, converted to Buddhism. In terms of grace and purity鈥
Singapore
The line between zoo and botanic oasis blurs at this pulse-slowing sweep of spacious, naturalistic enclosures and interactive attractions. Get up close to鈥
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
Singapore's 21st-century botanical garden is a S$1 billion, 101-hectare fantasy land of space-age biodomes, high-tech Supertrees and whimsical sculptures鈥
Ikh Nartiin Chuluu Nature Reserve
The Gobi
This 670-sq-km nature reserve, only a four-hour drive from Ulaanbaatar, at an elevation of 2200m, is home to hundreds of ibexes (mountain goats), argali 鈥
Nara
Nara's star attraction is its Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues in the world. It was unveiled in 752, upon the completion of the鈥
Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh
If your only reason for visiting a tiger reserve in India is to see a tiger, look no further. A couple of days at Bandhavgarh should net you a tiger鈥
The Gobi
Khongoryn Els are some of the largest and most spectacular sand dunes in Mongolia. Also known as the Duut Mankhan (Singing Dunes 鈥 from the sound they鈥
Samarkand
Samarkand鈥檚 most moving and beloved site is this stunning avenue of mausoleums, which contains some of the richest tilework in the Muslim world. The name,鈥
Hong Kong
One of Hong Kong鈥檚 oldest temples and a declared monument, atmospheric Man Mo Temple is dedicated to the gods of literature (鈥楳an鈥), holding a writing鈥
Harajuku & Aoyama
Tokyo鈥檚 grandest Shint艒 shrine is dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and Empress Sh艒ken, whose reign (1868鈥1912) coincided with Japan's transformation from鈥
Maharashtra
One of India鈥檚 greatest monuments, this astonishing temple, carved from solid rock, was built by King Krishna I in AD 760 to represent Mt Kailasa (Kailash鈥
Shanghai Old City
With its shaded alcoves, glittering pools churning with fish, plus pavilions, pines sprouting wistfully from rockeries, and roving packs of Japanese鈥
Delhi
Humayun鈥檚 tomb is sublimely well proportioned, seeming to float above its symmetrical gardens. It's thought to have inspired the Taj Mahal, which it鈥
Colonial District, the Quays & Marina Bay
Connected by a striking aluminium and glass canopy, Singapore's historic City Hall and Old Supreme Court buildings now form the city's breathtaking鈥
Varanasi
Manikarnika Ghat, the main burning ghat, is the most auspicious place for a Hindu to be cremated. Dead bodies are handled by outcasts known as doms, and鈥
Jeonju
This maeul (village) has more than 800 hanok (traditional wooden homes), making it one of the largest such concentrations in the country. Virtually all of鈥
George Town
The most photographed building in George Town, this magnificent 38-room, 220-window mansion was built in the 1880s and rescued from ruin in the 1990s鈥
Kolkata (Calcutta)
The incredible Victoria Memorial is a vast, beautifully proportioned festival of white marble: think US Capitol meets Taj Mahal. Had it been built for a鈥
Khajuraho
The large Lakshmana Temple took 20 years to build and was completed in about AD 954 during the reign of Dhanga, according to an inscription in its mandapa鈥
Anuradhapura
Dating back to the 1st century BC, this colossal dagoba was the ceremonial focus of the 5000-strong Abhayagiri Monastery. Originally over 100m high, it鈥
Delhi
Visiting the marble shrine of Muslim Sufi saint Nizam-ud-din Auliya is Delhi's most mystical, magical experience. The dargah is hidden away in a tangle of鈥
Kolkata (Calcutta)
Despite being an awkward journey by public transport, Kolkata鈥檚 lovely 109-hectare Botanical Gardens makes for a great place to escape from the city鈥檚鈥
The Gobi
A pleasant 2km path leads from the parking area to this gorge filled with blue ice, one of the park's can't-miss sights. You can hike, bike or hire a鈥
![[UNVERIFIED CONTENT] One of the highlights of Chandigarh is the Rock Garden designed by local artist Nek Chand.](https://lp-cms-production.imgix.net/2019-06/GettyImages-181001607_master.jpg?fit=crop&ar=1%3A1&w=1200&auto=format&q=75)
Chandigarh
Chandigarh's Rock Garden is unique: it's the surreal fantasy of the much-missed Nek Chand (1924鈥2015), a local transport official who, starting in 1957,鈥
Sukhothai
The Sukhothai Historical Park ruins are one of Thailand鈥檚 most impressive World Heritage sites. The park includes the remains of 21 historical sites and鈥
Jaipur
Jaipur鈥檚 most-distinctive landmark, the Hawa Mahal is an extraordinary pink-painted, delicately honeycombed hive that rises a dizzying five storeys. It鈥
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Zhangjiajie
Among China鈥檚 crop of surreal landscapes, Zhangjiajie has got to be a contender for one of the most impressive. A forest of spectacularly weathered spires鈥
Delhi
If you only have time to visit one of Delhi's ancient ruins, make it this. The first monuments here were erected by the sultans of Mehrauli, and鈥
Thimphu
This traditional Bhutanese temple perched like a fortress on a ridge above central Thimphu hums with pilgrim activity. It was established in the 12th鈥
Bangladesh
Built in 1459 (the same year Khan Jahan Ali died), the famous Shait Gumbad Mosque is the largest and most magnificent traditional mosque in the country鈥
Maharashtra
Ajanta鈥檚 caves line a steep face of a horseshoe-shaped gorge bordering the Waghore River. Five of the caves are chaityas (assembly or prayer halls) while鈥
Jaipur
Adjacent to the City Palace is Jantar Mantar, an observatory begun by Jai Singh II in 1728 that resembles a collection of bizarre giant sculptures. Built鈥
Itaewon & Yongsan-gu
Amid the celebrity-owned apartments on the leafy southern slope of Namsan is Korea's premier art gallery. Beautifully designed and laid-out, it balances鈥
Mumbai (Bombay)
Mumbai鈥檚 most famous landmark, this stunning hotel is a fairy-tale blend of Islamic and Renaissance styles, and India鈥檚 second-most-photographed monument鈥
El Nido
For an easy day trip out of El Nido, head north by tricycle or motorbike to this incredible, golden-hued, 3km-long beach. Development has arrived in鈥
Delhi
Shh, whisper it quietly: this place is better than the Red Fort. Delhi's 'Old Fort' isn't as magnificent in size and grandeur, but it's far more pleasant鈥
Lhasa
The 1300-year-old Jokhang Temple is the spiritual heart of Tibet: the continuous waves of awestruck pilgrims prostrating themselves outside are a鈥
Kyrgyzstan
Remote even by Kyrgyzstan standards, magnificent 碍枚濒-厂耻耻 lake stretches over 10km through a sheer mountain gorge that reaches nearly to the Chinese border鈥
