Three most exciting cities to visit in Asia
By Anne Sewell
Asia is a fascinating and vast area of the world featuring many different cultures. Each Asian city is a melting pot of different tribal cultures, displaying its ancient history and colonial conquests with a background of an often ultra-modern environment.
With modern aviation and travel, it is now easy to visit these fascinating destinations and learn more about their varying cultures and cuisines. The following are the top three city destinations to visit in Asia.
1. The island city-state of Singapore
Image by Jason Goh from Pixabay
Singapore is a law unto itself and is an island city-state, located off the coast of southern Malaysia. The city is a global financial center with a multicultural population. The skyline is filled with often outlandish and towering architecture and there are vast, modern shopping malls to explore. Eerily beautiful, the Garden by the Bay is a public park, built on reclaimed land and consisting of three waterfront gardens with beautiful, treelike structures viewable from walking decks. The park boasts of “sustainable architecture” mixed with the “wonders of horticulture.”
However, there are also grand, historic buildings in the colonial center of Singapore on the Padang, including the iconic City Hall with its magnificent Corinthian columns. Chinatown in the city dates back to the 1800s, where visitors can see the beautiful Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, which is believed to house one of Buddha’s teeth. Generally, Singapore is a great city to enjoy varied cuisines and explore art and culture in a unique environment.
2. Bangkok, capital of Thailand
While Bangkok was originally founded in the 1700s, the city has been recently brought right up to date in the 21st century, making it one of the most visited cities in Asia. Bangkok has a cityscape of towering, modern skyscrapers, while mixed in with traditional shops, temples and pagodas. Retail therapy is readily accessible at the many shopping malls and markets in the city, while dining offers everything from traditional Thai street food to European fine dining and everything in between.
A must to see is Bangkok’s beautiful Grand Palace, former home to royalty and now a fascinating museum. Temples include the sacred Wat Phra Kaew Temple and the Wat Pho Temple with a huge reclining Buddha close by. On the shore opposite, visit the Wat Arun Temple with its beautiful spire.
3. Shop until you drop in Hong Kong
For those who seriously love retail therapy and the pure joy of shopping, the city of Hong Kong, former British colony located in south-eastern China, is the place to be. This world financial capital features a skyline is studded with towering, glitzy skyscrapers and its urban center is densely populated. The shops in the central business district include many modern malls, as well as the famous bespoke tailors – dressing you from the ground up – and the enjoyable Temple Street Night Market with its many tempting offers.
As for dining, you are spoiled for choice by thousands of excellent restaurants serving every conceivable type of cuisine. The lively nightlife allows you to party all night, and then take in the beautiful view from the top of Victoria Peak at sunrise.
Choose Asia this year for the adventure of a lifetime. Every destination is unique, tempting you to return over and over again.
