🌏 Asia

Asia is too big to plan as a whole. You usually arrive here with a country already chosen and a set of open questions: which month to go, which area to stay in, how to get from the airport to the city. Some travelers head to the sea and stay in one hotel, others put together a route through several cities, and their needs are different. These are the questions we answer.

The core of this section is guides to cities and islands. They include Singapore for a first visit, routes around Dubai and the emirates, the museums of Tokyo, the temples of Bali, Penang island with the journey from Kuala Lumpur, Bodrum and the area around Kemer. Separate pieces cover less obvious destinations: a road trip through Oman, Sulawesi, the national parks of Vietnam, Hong Kong on your own. There are also texts on culture, for example on Uzbek traditions for a first trip and on surprising facts about Vietnam.

The second large group is accommodation. We look at the areas of Abu Dhabi for different kinds of trips, bases for an overnight stay in Hakone, hotels in Phuket by Kata Beach, hotels on Koh Samui for a trip with children. There are many roundups on Turkey: beachfront hotels, Belek, heated pools for winter, kids' entertainment. For the Maldives there are pieces on overwater bungalows, transfers and fees.

The third group covers the practical side. That means seasons and weather (when to go to Sri Lanka and Antalya, where to swim in Thailand in spring, which months divers should pick in the Maldives), the trip from the airports of Chiang Mai and Yerevan, visas, money and transportation in Sri Lanka. Alongside them are texts on food and shopping: street food in Istanbul, street food in Phuket Town, Japanese cuisine, Chatuchak Market in Bangkok, souvenirs from Israel.

Every piece opens with a short conclusion: the main point is made in the first paragraphs. Practical blocks follow: how to get there, how much time to allow, what to buy in advance. For prices and schedules we give the source and the date it was checked. We write about the downsides plainly: smog, rain, crowds, a long transfer, extra fees. If a hotel selection does not suit everyone, we explain who it will not work for.

This section suits people who put their trip together themselves and want to understand what they are paying for. It is also useful for families choosing a hotel by its beach and its activities for a child. If you need a ready-made escorted tour, we do not have that. We provide information, and the decision and the purchase remain yours. We do not retell visa and medical rules as advice: we show what to check and point you to official sources.

Start with the country subsection. Read the piece on seasons first, because weather in Asia varies a lot even within a single country. Then choose an area and a place to stay, and after that look at the route from the airport and local transportation. Sights, food and shopping are best read last, once your dates and base are clear.

This section is part of "Destinations". Inside it these countries are open: "Armenia", "Azerbaijan", "Maldives", "Thailand", "Turkey", "United Arab Emirates", "Vietnam", "India", "Indonesia", "Sri Lanka", "Singapore", "Israel", "China", "Japan" and "Malaysia". Pieces on countries without their own subsection sit at the continent level. If your route goes beyond Asia, see the neighboring sections: "Europe", "Africa", "Oceania", "North America", "South America" and "Antarctica".

We come back to published texts and check them against the official websites of carriers, airports, museums and government services. Prices, schedules and visa terms change fastest, so look at the check date in each piece. New texts appear unevenly: there are currently more on Turkey, Thailand and the Maldives, and fewer on other countries. Before you travel, recheck the key details with the original source. It takes little time and saves you trouble on the spot.