9 grand journeys across Asia for your bucket list

From Mt Everest to the Ganges, uncover these bucket-list destinations for your next action-packed trip to Asia.

1. Mt Everest Base Camp

Travelling with: Sarah Reid

Buddhist shrines at Mt Everest Base Camp — Buddhist shrines line the EBC trail. (Image: Sarah Reid)

Reports of overcrowding may turn alpinists off scaling the world’s highest peak, but the trek to the base of Mt Everest remains a magical experience. Avoid the crowds and hike in winter with an operator such as Encounters Travel. The days are crisp and clear, and there’s a wonderful spirit of camaraderie in the handful of tea houses that remain open in the off-season to accommodate hikers. Following this iconic trail through picturesque mountain villages, across turquoise rivers, and past serene Buddhist shrines and yak-studded mountains isn’t just a feat of physical endurance, but also a spiritual experience.

2. Hiking Mongolia

Travelling with: Dilvin Yasa

the exterior of a yurt ger camp in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park — Stay in yurts in Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. (Image: G Adventures)

It’s an alarm clock of sorts, a pre-dawn orchestra of goats demanding to be milked, sheep keen to be shorn and wild horses doing whatever they damn well please. You could bury your face back into your sleeping bag, but you’re on a G Adventures Nomadic Mongolia tour, where a traditional nomad stay – and traditional nomad activities – are part of the experience.

Mongolian locals making traditional crafts — Get a taste of nomadic life in Mongolia. (Image: G Adventures)

Before the sun sets, not only will you have mastered all of the above here in the dramatic Mongolian steppe you’re calling home, you’ll have made homemade goat’s cheese, mustered cows and downed milk vodka under a canopy of stars as you sit in wonder at how you, a committed urbanite, can still surprise yourself after all these years.

3. Hong Kong’s Dukling boat

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

the Dukling boat cruising the Victoria Harbour Hong Kong — Cruise the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong. (Image: Getty/Nithid Photo)

Board the Dukling, the oldest Chinese junk boat in Hong Kong, at sunset to see the Symphony of Lights. The boat celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2025 and the timeline since it was built charts the growth of the city from fishing village to glittering metropolis. Perch on the prow to appreciate the buildings painted in luminous lights and ruminate on a city that continues to reinvent itself with world-class hotels, such as the reimagined Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong.

4. Shanghai’s Art Deco tour

Travelling with: Justine Costigan

the Fairmont Peace Hotel at night — The iconic Fairmont Peace Hotel dates back to 1929.

Shanghai may be a self-assured 21st-century city with a skyline to rival Blade Runner, but its historic centre has an Art Deco soul. More than just a remnant of a bygone era, ziggurats, speed lines and streamlined glamour are a living, breathing part of the city. You’ll find the elegant apartments, theatres, public buildings and luxury hotels that redefine the meaning of modern best discovered in the former French Concession and in and around The Bund. Among these, Fairmont Peace Hotel stands above all others. Opened in 1929 by British tycoon Victor Sassoon, it is a masterpiece of Art Deco style. The hotel’s Jazz Club is also renowned for hosting the Old Jazz Band, an ensemble of seniors.

5. Capella Taipei, Taiwan

Travelling with: Kee Foong

the Capella Taipei lobby lounge — A first look at Capella Taipei.

Capella Taipei, the first major luxury hotel to open in the Taiwanese capital in a decade, acts as a conduit to the local community. Each morning, staff provide free snacks to guests and passersby under the shade of a banyan tree while sharing stories about Songshan district, where the hotel is located. Better yet, guests can explore the tree-lined neighbourhood with a Capella Culturist or solo using an illustrated map highlighting cool cafes, shops and landmarks. You’d be forgiven for wanting to stay put within the 86-room ‘modern mansion’, however, to enjoy its wealth of drinking and dining venues, serene spa, chic outdoor pool, and elegant rooms and suites, a handful of which come with private terraces and plunge pools.

city views from Capella Taipei — Fantastic skyline views from the top-floor suites of Capella Taipei.

6. The Great Wall of China

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

a scenic landscape of the Great Wall of China — The Great Wall of China holds thousands of years of recorded history. (Image: Getty/BJDLZX)

If Confucius were alive, he’d likely encourage visitors at the Great Wall of China to ditch the selfie stick and stay in the moment. The 21,000-odd kilometre-long wall, built to keep out marauding hordes, spans roughly from the Bohai Sea to the Gobi Desert (though it’s not an unbroken structure). Rise early to visit the Juyongguan Pass section of the Great Wall on Wendy Wu’s Wonders of China itinerary, which includes a visit to the Museum of the Terracotta Warriors.

7. India by vintage motorcycle

Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

travelling through Ladakh via motorbikes — Travel by motorbike through Ladakh. (Image: Getty/Eldar Hala)

The super-classic Royal Enfield motorcycle was made popular by Brits in the early 1900s and continues to be a retro symbol of the Great India Road Trip. Test your skills on one of the old thumpers on a 24-day adventure through Ladakh, Spiti and Zanskar with Vintage Rides on the Himalayan Expedition. Or ramble around Southern India on The Spices Route, departing February 2026.

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8. Shikoku Henro, Japan

Travelling with: Sarah Reid

a temple on the Skikoku Henro — Find zen on a pilgrimage route in Japan. (Image: Sarah Reid)

In a country laced with picturesque pilgrimage routes, which one should you choose? Visiting 88 temples connected to the Buddhist monk Kūkai on the lush island of Shikoku, the 1200-kilometre Shikoku Henro (a rare loop route) offers a flexible approach.

offerings at the temple, Shikoku Henro — Offerings at the temple on a spiritual journey through Shikoku Henro. (Image: Sarah Reid)

You can begin where you like, walk in either direction or break up the trail into sections. You don’t even need to walk, with nearly all temples accessible by car. Six-to-eight-day self-guided hikes offered by Kyoto-based Oku Japan include some of the most scenic sections, with shukubo or temple stays.

9. The Ganges, India

Travelling with: Rachael Thompson

Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, India — Humayun’s Tomb is a significant Mughal-era monument in Delhi. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

India transforms travellers with its immersive, sensory-rich tapestry. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ 13-day India’s Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges tour offers an unforgettable journey through the iconic Golden Triangle – Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – before continuing to the country’s spiritual heart, the sacred Ganges.

a Uniworld cruise in India — A Uniworld cruise is a unique way to discover India’s mystique. (Image: Rachael Thompson)

Discover iconic landmarks like the Taj Mahal and Humayun’s Tomb, explore bustling markets, and unwind in the comfort of luxurious Oberoi hotels. Then, board the opulent Ganges Voyager II to watch life on the river unfold and visit lesser-known villages that reveal the true heart of India.

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

In 1986, Nepal changed its clock. It had used India Standard Time since 1920 so, to differentiate, it wound its clock 15 minutes ahead of, not behind, its big-brother neighbour. Boss move. “Nepal is strongly opposed to the idea that our identity is connected to India,” says Community Homestay Network (CHN) guide Bikal Khanal.

Tharu dance is traditionally set to hand drums. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

Today, Nepal is the only independent country with a 45-minute deviation to universal time; an oddity that’s become a symbol of national pride. The quirk is nearly as endearing as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan airport where carved varnished wood and shiny red bricks rule. One sign points to a ‘Travelator’ and another to a ‘Grievance Handling Desk’ while visas are noisily stamped at customs for US dollars, cash only. When am I?

Spot the endemic Nepal gray langur. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The 15 or 45 minute anomaly sees me tap out completely on timezone calculations. Why bend my brain calculating if it’s quarter to or quarter past elsewhere when I’m in the honking here and now of Kathmandu where the air is high-altitude crisp, the prayer flags flutter and the street dogs howl?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

Bardiya National Park is rich with wildlife. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

India is not the only association many Nepalis would like to shake. With eight of the world’s 10 tallest mountains, including Mount Everest and Annapurna, Nepal has long attracted mountaineers and trekkers, and expedition numbers are continuing to rise.

Tourism is one of the country’s biggest sources of foreign currency, so this growth is not negative, per se. But according to Ang Tshering Lama, who co-founded Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, being reduced to a mere trekking destination is limiting.

“Trekking is just one layer of our identity,” says Ang. “When it becomes the dominant narrative, it limits how we’re seen and how we see ourselves.” Nepal’s recent success, however, in diverting trekkers to less-trafficked areas such as Manaslu mofuntain, where visitor numbers rose by 117 per cent last year, offers hope that tourism can diversify even more radically.

Local men in Bhada village. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

The founder of CHN, Shiva Dhakal, wants that change. “The whole idea of the Community Homestay Network is to promote experiences outside of trekking,” he says. “Community tourism changes lives and helps kids stay home instead of coming to the city or migrating to the Middle East.”

Ang grew up seeing people leave, “not because they wanted to but because there weren’t enough opportunities to stay”, he states. Yet from remote villages to living traditions; food, art, music and emerging subcultures, “there’s so much that’s not being seen.”

CHN is opening some of those doors. It doesn’t own, or fund, any homes. Rather, it promotes homestays to travellers on a single, slick platform, while fostering entrepreneurship in places where women, marginalised castes, Indigenous people and the youth stand to benefit the most.

A new generation demanding more

Dalla Town Hall, where volunteers discuss anti-poaching tactics. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The future prospects of next-gen Nepalis can no longer be ignored. On a Kathmandu tour with 33-year-old guide Monica K.C, we pass buildings torched in the September 2025 ‘Gen Z protests’, including the Supreme Court and Parliament House. Seventy-two people died. “They were anti-corruption protests,” says Monica. “Politicians’ children are living a lavish life but the airports are crowded with youngsters leaving to find work.”

We stop in ‘little Tibet’ at the wondrous sixth-century Boudha Stupa. “The wheel of life is Buddhism in a nutshell,” says Monica. “Things such as hate, ignorance and anger keep you rotating around the wheel, so you must follow the principles of Buddhism to detach. If you can’t, there’s no nirvana for you.”

Boudha Stupa's prayer wheels — Boudha Stupa’s prayer wheels are used to recite Buddhist prayers. (Credit: Kate Lewis)

In a sun-drenched twist to the usual temple visit, we ascend the stupa’s sloping plinth and roam its whitewashed dome. Tendrils of diaphanous prayer flags stream from a steeple-like structure where the Buddha’s unblinking eyes stare out. No nirvana for you…

bouda stupa prayer flags — Tibetan-style prayer flags embellish the whitewashed dome of Bouda Stupa, a Buddhist temple. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

The dome is delightfully free of guard rails or chiding from security. There is, however, a stern ‘No TikTok’ sign, perhaps in response to the youth’s newly flexed power. The booted-out Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was replaced in a resounding election victory in March by 35-year-old Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) – a former rapper and mayor of Kathmandu. The RSP’s manifesto indicates tourism is a priority, and that Nepal’s cultural identity in areas such as gastronomy will be strengthened.

Boudha Stupa vendors — Vibrant souvenir shops and cafes around Boudha Stupa. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

A more confronting stop awaits at Pashupatinath Temple. Today is Bala Chaturdashi, a Hindu festival where thousands of devotees gather to honour their dead ancestors. Vendors hauling foam mattresses do a lucrative trade as people set up for a night of vigil. This includes burning the bodies of recently deceased relatives on bamboo pyres in the Bagmati River, which flows into the sacred Ganges.

A woman at annual Hindu festival Bala Chaturdashi, in Kathmandu. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Wrapped in a shroud, the bodies are positioned with their heads facing north to the Himalayas where Lord Shiva resides. They’re covered with flowers and straw and set alight by male family members.

Hours later, the ashes are swept into the river where devotees will take a holy dip the next day. As much as Monica assures us it’s not voyeuristic to watch, I struggle to do so. “Here you see the reality of life because everyone ends up there,” she says, gesturing to the river.

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

tharu woman — Tharu woman and master weaver Parbati Chaudhary in Bhada Village. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

The reality of life needs processing time, which the western Terai region delivers in spades. The Terai is largely separated from India by the Karnali River and Bardiya National Park, where elephants, rhinos and the elusive Bengal tiger roam.

Once a nomadic tribe, the Indigenous Tharu people are now the largest ethnic group here. “They didn’t know their daily life was interesting for international travellers but they’re starting to understand now,” says CHN founder Shiva.

Take a Jeep safari through Bardiya National Park. (Credit: Bheem Thapa)

We fly Buddha Air to Dhangadhi airport and drive five hours to stay in Tharu homes. The journey to Bhada village is a blur of roadside fruit stalls, traffic-stopping sacred cows and fields sown with wheat, rice, mustard, spinach, cauliflower and potatoes. Nepal’s agriculture feeds only Nepal.

Marigolds are an important part of Hindu rituals. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

“The only thing we export is young people,” says our guide Bikal. As the light dims and we plunge evermore rural, mysterious mounds of compacted hay – some house-sized – loom like the creatures from Where The Wild Things Are. Even our trusty driver gets flummoxed by a dirt road that abruptly ends and we find ourselves hurtling across a paddock.

On arrival, some are ferried to mud-walled cottages greened by gourd creepers, with thatched roofs and rustic-chic mosquito nets. Myself and two others are ushered to the home of corner store owner, mechanic and mushroom farmer Man Kumar Chilaruwa and his wife Rajkumari.

community homestay entrance — A warm welcome at a community homestay. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

They escort us to a bunker-esque back building with steel doors and a folding security gate, behind which is gleaming linoleum, dolphin-printed tiles and a shower cavity that must be gingerly stepped through to reach the toilet.

The ceiling lights emit a rainbow of colours (the bathroom light gets stuck in, frankly, a quite frightening red). We’re nevertheless touched that our hosts invested in all this bling when the average salary is around $275 a month.

In the coming days, we participate in Tharu traditions such as making moonshine, dancing, weaving straw handicrafts and gold-panning. We’re fed well with staples of rice, mustard greens, lentil pancakes, daal, curried chicken and tomato chutney served on antibacterial saal leaves.

food at community homestay — Dig in. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Sonara community homestay president Indradevi Tharu tells us river snails are often served, and the boiled and pickled flesh of rats hunted in the rice fields. “Perhaps next time?” we say and all have a laugh.

The power of community homestays

community homestay owners in Nepal — Barda community homestay owners Parbati Chaudhary and Ram Krishni Devi Chaudhary. (Credit: Simon Urwin)

Immersing Western visitors in foreign cultural practices is not new. But with the Tharu, I never get that uneasy sensation that I’m being performed for. Despite being the only tourists, there’s no ‘othering’; just warm, composed and ultra-dignified welcomes. Like we’ve always been here.

“I love to have travellers in my village so I can see the world,” says local woman Parbati Chaudhary. “Why would I travel the world when the world comes to me?”

The graceful acceptance the Tharu offer, as well as the slow pace, works miracles on my frazzled nervous system. One day I even take a nap on a vacant homestay bed.

Sonara community room — An authentic stay in the Sonara community. (Credit: Kate Hennessy)

Roosters strut and goats bray as we sit on the ground in al fresco kitchens, rolling rice flour into cylinders steamed to make dhikri (dumplings). When water is needed, we fetch it using a hand-operated pump as a family of ducks strolls by, side-eying us like curious neighbours.

Animal lovers will delight in Tharu villages. Kind and resourceful inventions are everywhere, such as snacking stations where two posts lean together, with leafy boughs dangling on rope for baby goats to forage from.

CHN’s CEO, Aayusha Prasain, nods knowingly when one in our group says she cried when she left her host, Shayam Chaudhary, in Bhada. Shayam’s 17-year-old son, Prashant, had translated, which deepened the connection.

“Community tourism turns travel into a relationship, not a transaction,” says Aayusha. “It places decision-making power in the hands of local communities, especially women and youth.” Since 2018, CHN has hosted more than 4000 travellers from 52 countries in 408 households, and estimates women’s participation has increased by 381 per cent.

In the Bardiya community, where vexing human-animal conflict has been a balancing act for decades due to elephants raiding crops, long-time homestay operator Salik Ram Chaudhary says young people keep the older ones on their toes.

“We can’t keep homestays stagnant,” he says. “We have to upgrade our service and redefine our product or young people won’t see it as an attractive business. If we can keep evolving with this travelling trend we’re confident the youths will stay and continue it.”

Back in Kathmandu, Monica explains that after the deaths of young protestors in September, a determination had spread to not let their sacrifice be in vain. “We want to keep holding the government accountable,” she says. “We don’t know what situation we’re facing, but we’re ready to face it.”

Interested in Nepal but prefer to experience it in total comfort? Read our guide to luxury travel in Nepal.

9 grand journeys to take across Asia

From Mt Everest to the Ganges, uncover these bucket-list destinations for your next action-packed trip to Asia.

1. Mt Everest Base Camp

2. Hiking Mongolia

3. Hong Kong’s Dukling boat

4. Shanghai’s Art Deco tour

5. Capella Taipei, Taiwan

6. The Great Wall of China

7. India by vintage motorcycle

8. Shikoku Henro, Japan

9. The Ganges, India

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This cruise along Japan’s coast visits volcanoes, temples and atomic bomb sites

How to make the most of 48 hours in Beijing

Indonesia, unfiltered: 3 destinations beyond Bali to put on your travel list

These community homestays are changing how travellers experience Nepal

After youth-led protests in 2025, this year Nepal elected a 35-year-old former rapper as Prime Minister. In a country where tourism is its biggest industry, what’s next for travellers?

How tourism is changing in Nepal

A new generation demanding more

Life unfiltered in the Terai region

The power of community homestays

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

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