Asia's 100 hottest things to do, see and eat right now

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Odd, isn't it, how many people think of Australia as being a long way from anywhere, when in fact we have arguably the best backyard in the world. Asia lies at our doorstep, a continent filled with beauty, adventure, and history. From the snow-capped Himalayan peaks to verdant tropical jungles, from supercharged cities to tranquil villages surrounded by rice paddies, Asia has so many enticing attractions that it's hard to know where to start.

When we asked Traveller's writers to come up with a list of the 100 essential Asian experiences, the one thing we expected was diversity, and we weren't disappointed. Our list includes everything from thrilling wildlife encounters and colourful festivals to ancient temples that were already old when Europe's grand cathedrals were being built.

Some of the inclusions will cover familiar territory: how could we leave out a hike along the Great Wall of China, or feasting on pho on a sidewalk in Ho Chi Minh City? Others, however, are insider secrets. From exploring the rugged landscapes of the Golden Mountains in Russia's far east, to waking up in a high-altitude lakeside retreat in Myanmar – or even touring a Kolkata slum after dark, to discover how solar lighting is changing the lives of the locals – Asia has so many amazing adventures to uncover. Try some of these on for size.

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THE FOOD

By Ben Groundwater

KYOTO FINE-DINING

Can food become art? In the case of Kyoto's kaiseki cuisine, you'll never have cause to doubt it. This is fine-dining finessed to its most delicate degree, the food of emperors tempered for modern palettes. A Kyoto kaiseki meal is a multi-course extravaganza of meticulously prepared and beautifully presented cuisine.

Eat it: Ishibekoji Kamikura, Kyoto

BANGKOK STREET FOOD

Every Asian city has its street food specialties – from spiced potato cakes in Mumbai to fried octopus balls in Osaka – but the hub with the widest range of roadside delights is Bangkok. Yaowarat Road in the Chinatown district offers a range of cuisine so mouth-watering, you'll never visit a proper restaurant again.

Eat it: Yaowarat Road, Bangkok

SOUTH INDIAN SMORGASBORD

One of Asia's truly great meals is served not on a plate, but a banana leaf. In southern India, a thali – a traditional meal of various curries, rice, bread and sweets – is often served on nature's plate, a vegetarian feast of local specialties that's expected to be eaten by hand.

Eat it: Ananda, Hyderabad

PHO, GLORIOUS PHO

There are few things better than a bowl of steaming, fragrant pho, and there are few better places to eat it than Ho Chi Minh City, perched on a plastic chair, slurping hot broth and noodles, taking in the sweaty, honking bustle of one of south-east Asia's most vibrant cities.

Eat it: Pho Bo Vien Thap Cam, Ho Chi Minh City

DINNER AND A SHOW

Some restaurants, you go for the food. Others, it's the atmosphere. In the case of a small Tokyo eatery called Kagaya, you're there for the pure insanity that unfolds over a few hours of drinking and dining. This is part restaurant, part performance art, and you will probably finish the night dressed as a giant green frog.

Eat it: Kagaya, Tokyo

DIM SUM RIOT

You want dumplings at Lin Heung? Then go and get them. Diners at this no-frills Hong Kong dim sum joint stalk the kitchen staff, chasing down food carts and waiving stamp cards in the air to ensure they get the best dishes. It makes for a riotous and delicious dining affair.

Eat it: Lin Heung, Hong Kong

KOREA'S 'LIVE' OCTOPUS

Sannakji is a traditional Korean dish of raw octopus tentacles that are so fresh, they're still moving. That's right: diners are presented with a plate of writhing, wriggling legs that have to be chewed quickly lest they attach themselves to the inside of your mouth. It's … challenging.

Eat it: Norjangin Fish Market, Seoul

SINGAPOREAN FEAST

There are plenty of amazing high-end restaurants in Singapore, but still, the best food is at the hawker centres. Each of these food court-style eateries plays host to old-school vendors dishing up Malay, Chinese, Indian and Singaporean cuisine that has been perfected over generations.

Eat it: Tiong Bahru Food Centre, Singapore

HOT UNDER THE COLLAR

There's competition in both Thailand and India, but Asia's spiciest food is probably Chongqing hot pot, a beloved staple for residents of this Chinese metropolis, and a serious challenge for everyone else. These bubbling vats of soup are loaded with Sichuan peppers and chillis, resulting in tongue-singeing deliciousness.

Eat it: Cygnet Hot-Pot Palace, Chongqing

ON THE NOSE

Most people have a love-hate relationship with durian: love the taste, hate the smell. These spiky, football-sized fruits give off a seriously rank pong – to the point where commuters are banned from eating them on public transport – that is still worth powering through to taste its sweet flesh.

Eat it: Durian King, Kuala Lumpur; durianking.com.my

THE URBAN ATTRACTIONS

By Ute Junker

GEORGETOWN, PENANG

You can see it in the streets, you can taste it in the food: the cultural collisions that shaped Penang's unique culture. Who can resist a town where mosques jostle up against Chinese shophouses, and Indian spice aromas meld with the charcoal tang of hawker stalls?

JAISALMER, INDIA

For old-school romance, nothing beats your first sight of the desert fortress of Jaisalmer, rising from the sandy plains like a golden mirage: unless it is discovering the magnificently decorated merchants houses carved from honey-coloured sandstone that line its streets.

TOKYO STATIONS

Japan's bullet trains are all well and good, but let's talk about those super-sized railway stations, particularly those in the nation's capital. You could spend an entire day in Tokyo Station alone, wandering the multi-storey labyrinth with its endless array of stores and restaurants and sake bars.

ANURADHAPURA, SRI LANKA

Over 100 kilometres of walls once surrounded the mighty city of Anuradhapura, a city which maintained its status as a power centre for an extraordinary 1300 years. Largely forgotten today, the ruins of its stupas and temples, palaces and reservoirs, are fascinating to explore.

BANGKOK, THAILAND

The streets may be raucous and crowded, but in Bangkok your escape is just an elevator ride away. The city's many rooftop bars are the perfect place to while away a tropical evening, whether you opt for the Gotham-esque Sky Bar or Red Sky, famous for its passionfruit martinis.

CHINA

In a country that is relentless about embracing the future, China's picturesque water towns – all canals, stone bridges and winged roofs – offer a rare glimpse into the past. Among the loveliest are Zhouzhuang near Shanghau, Fenghuang in Hunan and the tiny Huangyao Ancient Town in Guangxi province.

TAIWAN

It would take days to check out every exhibit in Taiwan's National Palace Museum, home to the world's biggest collection of Chinese treasures. And that's just the start: Taiwan's other impressive include the Fine Arts Museum and the Shunyi Aboriginal Museum, dedicated to the island's indigenous people.

BUSAN, KOREA

Never heard of Busan? You're not alone. Yet with a spectacular setting sheltered by mountains and fringed by beaches, a thriving contemporary art scene, a sprawling seafood market and serene seaside temples, South Korea's second city may be Asia's most underrated destination.

CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh is India done differently, a grid of wide boulevards lined with trees and modernist buildings. Architecture fans who flock here to admire modern India's first planned city, overseen by modernist master, Le Corbusier, discover a very different Indian destination.

HOI AN, VIETNAM

When Hoi An's river silted up more than 100 years ago, the bustling port declined overnight – which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to it. The town's historic Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and disused warehouses make Hoi An one of Vietnam's most inviting destinations.

THE NATURE

By Michael Gebicki

HA LONG BAY, VIETNAM

The name means "the place where the dragon fell to earth", and you barely have to squint to transform this seascape into a dragon's spiked back. East of the port city of Haiphong, the sea is scattered with jagged limestone islands that erupt from the sea like grey icebergs.

KINABALU PARK, SABAH, MALAYSIA

A botanical treasure chest thick with orchids, pitcher plants and the Rafflesia plant, the world's largest flower. The vegetation ranges from rainforest giants to sub-alpine forest, scrub and lichens near the 4095 metre summit of Mount Kinabalu.

ROCK ISLANDS, PALAU

The crowning glory of this island nation, the Rock Islands are 200-plus jungly limestone knobs crowded into 20 kilometres of coral sea with some of the best diving on the planet, and heaven on earth for adventurous sea kayakers.

RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA

Lavishly greened with rainforest and karst palms and garnished with orchids, this archipelago of 2500 islands and reefs off West Papua Province has blown all previous counts of marine life out of the water.

KAMCHATKA, RUSSIA

In Russia's far east, this Germany-sized wilderness of wild rivers, mountains and sub-arctic Siberian forest is home to wolverine, lynx, the Kamchatkan bear and the endangered Siberian tiger. Subtitled "the Land of Fire and Ice", Kamchatka is also one of the most spectacularly violent thermal zones on the planet.

GOLDEN MOUNTAINS, ALTAI, RUSSIA

Part of the border where China, Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan rub shoulders, the Golden Mountains includes cloud-piercing mountains, 7000 lakes, and an incredible diversity of terrain, habitats and wildlife.

TIEN SHAN MOUNTAINS, CHINA

Stretching for 2800 kilometres and forming the border between China and Kyrgyzstan, this range of glacier-capped peaks also incorporates pristine forests, luxuriant meadows, rivers and lakes, a violent contrast to the Taklamakan Desert, the "sea of death", immediately to the south.

JIGME DORJI NATIONAL PARK, BHUTAN

In north-western Bhutan, this region covers elevations from 1400 to over 7000 metres, representing all three of Bhutan's climate zones and the only place where the Royal Bengal tiger and snow leopard habitats overlap. It is also one of the few areas of the Himalayas where forests remain intact.

LAKE BAIKAL, RUSSIA

The world's deepest freshwater lake, Baikal lies in a rift valley where the earth's crust is splitting apart, a region of outstanding natural beauty as well as scientific curiosity, richly invested with flora and fauna found nowhere else.

SUNDARBANS, BANGLADESH

This vast wetland formed by the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers is a critical habitat for many wildlife species including the largest Royal Bengal tiger population.

THE RESORTS

By Sheriden Rhodes

TUGU HOTEL, BALI

Tucked away amid funky beach clubs and hip bars in the Balinese village of Canggu, Tugu Hotel is filled with an impressive collection of Indonesian antiques. This charming resort, with individually styled thatched suites, is reminiscent of the Bali of old. See tuguhotels.com.

SONEVA KIRI, THAILAND

The sublime Soneva Kiri, on the remote Thai island of Koh Kood, offers a decadent spa, treetop dining pod, outdoor cinema, 24-hour butlers and a "no news, no shoes" policy. The star of the island resort however is the bamboo-built Den, an extraordinary kids club floating in the jungle treetops with drawbridge entrance, whimsical slide exit and rooms dedicated to art, music and fashion. See soneva.com/soneva-kiri.

COMO UMU PARA, BHUTAN

Bhutan's dramatic landscapes and plunging valleys are within easy reach of the intimate 29-room Como Umu Para. Perched on a mountainside within striking distance of many of the country's cultural landmarks, the chic resort offers trekking, yoga with mountain views, cycling and new guided helicopter tours of the Himalayan Kingdom. See comohotels.com/umaparo.

INLE PRINCESS RESORT, MYANMAR

The serene Inle Princess Resort is located on Inle Lake, 900 metres above sea level, beneath the Blue Mountains of Burma's Shan state. Guests arrive by boat powered by an oarsman, stay in one of 36 individual chalets and take boat trips, bird watch from private terraces and dine on the mesmerising lake at sunset. See secret-retreats.com/ipr.

TEMPLE TREE RESORT, MALAYSIA

The eclectic Temple Tree Resort in Malaysia's Langkawi offers accommodation in traditional Malay houses, some of the best food on the island and a drool-worth infinity pool, while also supporting an onsite animal rescue centre. Rescue dogs are housed in a shelter, however felines (who think they own the place) roam at will. See templetree.com.my.

SANAK RETREAT, BALI

Old Indonesia meets contemporary eco comfort at the charming Sanak Retreat surrounded by emerald green rice fields. Stay in handcrafted teak villas, dine on farm to plate cuisine and immerse yourself in the island's bucolic life with bespoke guided tours, cooking classes and artisan workshops. See sanakbali.com.

NIHIWATU, INDONESIA

Voted the world's best hotel this year by Conde Nast Traveler, Nihiwatu is a culturally immersive enclave of active adventure and serious extravagance. Located in Indonesia's Lesser Sundra Islands, think sprawling villas, personal butler service, bespoke guided tours, spa safaris, exceptional dining and surfing on what many consider to be the world's best left-hand break. See nihiwatu.com.

KEEMALA, THAILAND

The whimsical Keemala located on a wooded hillside on the west side of the Thai island of Phuket accommodates guests in 38 avant-garde villas designed in four different styles – clay and straw cottages, tent villas, whimsical tree houses and bird's nest villas. See keemala.com.

ANANTARA, THAILAND

Experience mahout life at the enchanting Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort overlooking Thailand, Myanmar and the Laos borders. Join sunrise mahout training, bath time at the river, elephant trekking through native forests and rice paddies and elephant yoga (it's a thing). See goldentriangle.anantara.com.

JAPAMALA RESORT, MALAYSIA

Japamala Resort on the tiny Tioman Island off Malaysia's east coast, offers the definitive back-to-nature escape. Joined by a series of walkways that skim the rainforest canopy, rustic chic tree houses and cliff-hugging chalets offer unobstructed views of the South China Sea. The resort is only accessible by boat. See japamalaresorts.com.

Sheriden Rhodes was a guest of Nihiwatu and Temple Tree Resort.

THE WILDLIFE

By Brian Johnston

PANDA SPOTTING, CHINA

Zoo pandas are cute, but encountering these rare and elusive creatures in the wild is a major thrill. The only place the public can track wild pandas is in Foping National Nature Reserve in central China's Qinling Mountains. See ecotours.com.

PARA-HAWKING, NEPAL

Combine the adrenaline of paragliding and up-close encounters with Egyptian vultures (they aren't hawks, despite the sport's name) in the Pokhara Valley, where the birds of prey are lured to your arm with buffalo meat, and mark your way to rising thermals. See parahawking.com.

DIVING WITH WHALE SHARKS, MYANMAR

The uninhabited Mergui Archipelago is way beyond usual scuba-diving haunts and teems with reef sharks, barracuda, dogtooth tuna and many more large fish species. But when whale sharks come within arm's reach, you know you're somewhere special. See divetheworldburma.com.

TIGER SAFARI, INDIA

Of several places to spy tigers in India, Bandhavgarh National Park has a particularly high density of the striped predators. A 4WD safari – or more unnervingly, guided walk – through grassland and woods provides close encounters with the big cats. See abercrombiekent.com.au.

BIRD SPOTTING, SINGAPORE

The world's biggest walk-in aviary at Jurong Bird Park houses 365 species, full-size trees and a waterfall, and gets you closer to our feathered friends than you'd ever be in the wild. Mandarin ducks, macaws, penguins, flamingos and ostriches are among the attractions. See birdpark.com.sg.

ORANG-UTAN ENCOUNTERS, MALAYSIA

It's a magic moment when an orang-utan approaches through the tree canopy and you're face to face with this endearing – and endangered – creature. Semenggoh Orang-utan Centre is just one of several Borneo reserves for semi-wild orang-utans and their babies. See sarawaktourism.com.

SNOW MONKEYS, JAPAN

The Japan Alps near Nagano ski resort is home to Japanese macaques. The world's most northerly non-human primates spend much of the winter wallowing in hot springs. With their red faces and spiky hair, the cute factor is off the charts. See hakubatourism.com.

KOMODO DRAGONS, INDONESIA

Just the opposite of cute yet strangely compelling, the world's largest lizard inhabits just a small group of islands, including Komodo. The fierce predator has poisonous saliva and can kill a water buffalo. Very impressive, and a bit revolting. See komodonationalpark.org.

SCUBA DIVING, MALDIVES

Who says animal encounters mean sacrificing luxury? In the Maldives you can combine resort living with fantastic scuba-diving and snorkelling, and easily spot manta rays, giant trevally and abundant coral and tropical fish in waters with 40-metre visibility at times. See visitmaldives.com.

SNOW LEOPARD TRACKING, INDIA

The attempt to see one of the world's most elusive animals high in the Himalayas of India's remote Ladakh region isn't always successful, but the chase is a thrill – and the combination of alpine scenery and Buddhist temples is stunning. See intrepidtravel.com.

THE ARCHITECTURE

By Belinda Jackson

SHANGHAI TOWER

Faster, higher, longer and older: there's no doubt Asia plays the one-upmanship game when it comes to architectural statements. It's hard to believe that in 1999, Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers broke the US' hold on skyscraper glory. Those towers have long been surpassed by Dubai's Burj Khalifa, but the newest, pointiest addition to the Asian architecture scene is Shanghai Tower. Opened in September, the world's second highest building measures 632 metres.

GARDENS BY THE BAY, SINGAPORE

Another hotbed of modern architecture, Singapore gleams with man-made marvels, with the fantastical Gardens by the Bay rivalling the voraciously Instagrammed SkyPark infinity pool – the largest of its kind in the world – atop the three-legged Marina Bay Sands skyscraper.

BOROBODUR, INDONESIA

Wreathed in mysticism, Asia's ancient spires of faith are hidden in jungles, or secreted away high in high mountains. The world's largest Buddhist monument, Borobodur, was built in the 9th century in central Java, Indonesia. Like its peer in Cambodia, the Angkor complex, it was gouged from voracious vines centuries after its significance had faded for the local population.

TIGER'S NEST MONASTERY , BHUTAN

Fading into obscurity was never an option for Taktsang Lhakhang. Bhutan's favourite pin-up, the Tiger's Nest monastery can be reached only by a steep trek up the side of the Himalayas, but the birthplace of Bhutanese Buddhism hasn't been out of the country's consciousness since its heroic construction in 1692.

SKYGARDENS, SEOUL

South Korea's capital, Seoul, is again in the 2017 must-visit lists, and has proven a pro at balancing old and new, with Namdaemun, the country's first National Treasure and the 14th-century South gate in the Fortress Wall of Seoul neatly balanced by Dame Zaha Hadid's curved aluminium Dongdaemun Design Plaza on the east wall of the city centre. Not content to sit on its laurels, Seoul's 17-metre high Skygarden overpass, dubbed the High Line of Asia, opens April 2017.

PALACE OF THE WINDS, INDIA

Turrets, fluted columns, curlicues and ramparts, the Rajasthani desert city of Jaipur has an overload of architectural beauty, but Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, wins for its outrageously elaborate facade. Built in 1799, over a thousand windows allowed the women of the royal household to observe life, unobserved.

UZBEKISTAN

Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Uzbekistan

In Central Asia, Uzbekistan's stupendous Bibi-Khanym Mosque was built in 1404 by Tamerlane. A statement of power (that needed elephants to help construct it), it was the largest mosque in his world, thought time didn't save it. Today's replica recreates its turquoise domes and elaborate mosaic-clad columns.

SHOPHOUSES

Wedged modestly between the ancient world and skyscrapers, Asia's shophouses are enjoying a revival in fortunes, with a slick of bright paint from Singapore to Vietnam's Hoi An, Penang in Malaysia, Phuket Old Town and Bangkok's Old City. Downstairs for trade, upstairs for family, a covered corridor at the front for cool perambulations free from the lashing rain and burning sun of the tropics.

THE ADVENTURES

by Andrew Bain

TREKKING TO EVEREST BASE CAMP, NEPAL

The world's highest mountain is also one of its loftiest trekking goals. After a nail-biting flight into Lukla, the trek ascends through the Khumbu region to Everest Base Camp, sprawled among glacial rubble 5300 metres above sea level. It's typically about a two-week trek into mountain magnificence. See worldexpeditions.com.

SNOWMAN TREK, BHUTAN

If Everest is the highest, the Snowman Trek is arguably the toughest. This 25-day epic across the Himalayan heights of Bhutan, crossing 11 passes above 4500 metres, has regularly been called the toughest trek in the world. It begins in Paro, the location of Bhutan's international airport, and provides a remote look at the Himalayas far from the Base Camp crowds. See tourism.gov.bt/trek/snowman-trek-ii.

CYCLING IN GUANGXI, CHINA

The area around Yangshuo in the Chinese province of Guangxi might easily by the quintessential Asian landscape – karst peaks rising from luminous green rice terraces. It's best appreciated on a bike (the classic Asian vehicle, after all), pedalling across from neighbouring Guizhou province. See spiceroads.com.

KAYAK ON HALONG BAY, VIETNAM

In Asia, Halong Bay rises both from the sea and the collective imagination. Each day, tourist boats fan out into the bay, some carrying kayaks. Paddle even for an hour or two from your boat and you'll get Halong Bay's most intimate experience, drifting through sea arches and into caves punched into the limestone islands. See worldexpeditions.com.

KAYAK RAJA AMPAT, INDONESIA

Barely noted on the tourist map, the 1500 islands of the Raja Ampat archipelago, off the north-west tip of West Papua, are the tropical dream personified: teeming reefs, empty palm-fringed white beaches. Kayaking here is in its infancy, but there are few more spectacular places to paddle. See southernseaventures.com.

ROCK CLIMB AT RAILAY, THAILAND

Step from the warm Andaman Sea onto a gorgeous beach before scaling a limestone cliff – such is life at Railay. Learn the climbing basics on 123 Wall, or dangle from a cliff above the sunbathers on Tonsai Beach. Experienced local operator King Climbers offers courses and guides. See railay.com.

CYCLE MANALI TO LEH, INDIA

This 500-kilometre ride along one of India's most challenging highways crosses five Himalayan passes, climbing up to 5300 metres above sea level. Sublime and challenging mountain scenery, and simply the most memorable Asian adventure I've done. See exodustravels.com.

NEPAL'S TREKKING PEAKS

Occupying a middle ground between trekking and high-altitude mountaineering are Nepal's ''trekking peaks'' – more than two dozen mountains above 5800 metres that can be climbed (with permits) without the rigours of full-scale mountaineering. Mera Peak and Island Peak are among the most popular. See nepalmountaineering.org.

MOTORCYCLING THE HO CHI MINH HIGHWAY, VIETNAM

Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh Highway roughly mirrors the path of the wartime Ho Chi Minh Trail, providing a gorgeous mountain-lined journey along much of the length of the country. It's a classic motorcycle trip, popularised by its appearance in a memorable 2008 Top Gear episode. See offroadvietnam.com.

DIVING SIPADAN ISLAND MALAYSIA

Jacques Cousteau once described Sipadan as an "untouched piece of art", and it's rightly considered among the world's great dives sites. Located off the Sabah coast, it has steep drop-offs that provide both rich coral reefs and impressive pelagics. The premier site is Barracuda Point, promising reef sharks, turtles and swirling vortexes of the namesake barracudas. See sipadan.com.

THE HOTELS

By Ute Junker

HERITANCE KANDALAMA, SRI LANKA

On first glimpsing the Heritance Kandalama at Dambulla, many visitors have asked, "We're staying in that?". Built into the surrounding rock and draped in vines, the hotel looks like an overgrown ruin; all part of the plan of renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa, who created this atmospheric hotel. See heritancehotels.com/Kandalama.

ASABA, JAPAN

Japan's ryokan – traditional inns – are among its national treasures and Asaba, on the Izu Peninsula south of Tokyo, is one of the best. Set by a lake fringed with elegant gardens and bamboo forest, this family-run inn also offers private and communal onsen (hot springs) bathing. See asaba-ryokan.com/en/.

THE OPPOSITE HOUSE, BEIJING

In perpetually bustling Beijing, the Opposite House has gained a cult-like following for providing two very simple things: light and space. This pared-back boutique hotel may be in the heart of the action of Sanlitun, but it's an elegant oasis full of clever design – love those rectangular wood bathtubs. See theoppositehouse.com.

PHUM BAITANG, SIEM REAP

Two million visitors a year flock to Siem Reap to visit Angkor Wat; to escape the crowds, check in to Phum Baitang. Set amid verdant fields just outside town, the hotel cleverly marries traditional Khmer architecture – including a 100-year-old farmhouse – with plenty of creature comforts. See phumbaitang.com.

AMANJIWO, JAVA

Aman has plenty of sumptuous hotels throughout Asia, but its spectacular Javanese property – surrounded by rice paddies and soaring volcanoes, just 10 minutes from Borobodur – is one of its best. Bonus points for the many cultural activities on offer, from guided walks through the countryside to dinners in a traditional home.

THE SIAM, BANGKOK

Bangkok has no shortage of luxury hotels, but The Siam – with a riverfront perch in the historic Palace district, elegant art deco interiors, and sumptuous pool villas – is something special. Can you name any other hotels that offer private muay thai (Thai boxing) lessons? See thesiamhotel.com.

THE TAJ LAKE PALACE, UDAIPUR

India is positively awash with opulent palace hotels but for sheer romance, the Lake Palace wins every time. Originally built as a royal pleasure palace, this lovely hotel floats on the waters of Lake Pichola, with 360 degree views in all directions. See taj.tajhotels.com/en-in/taj-lake-palace-udaipur.

THREE CAMEL LODGE, MONGOLIA

Stretching the definition of the word "hotel", Three Camel Lodge is Mongolia's most remarkable accommodation: a set of 40 traditional gers, or tents, decked out most untraditionally with comfy beds, wood stoves and en suite bathrooms, located in the Gobi Desert. See threecamellodge.com.

DWARIKA'S HOTEL, KATHMANDU

Feeling less like a hotel and more like a village, this striking heritage property consists of traditional Newari buildings clustered around courtyards. The interiors are a mix of museum-quality artefacts and sleek design: ask for one of the rooms with a black slate bathroom. See dwarikas.com.

BENESSE HOUSE, JAPAN

The art island of Naoshima is one of Japan's most remarkable sites: an open-air art gallery that is also home to world-class museums, all funded by one benefactor. Max out the experience by staying at Benesse House, a combined hotel and museum designed by Tadao Ando. See benesse-artsite.jp/en/stay/benessehouse.

THE CULTURE

By Katrina Lobley

MUSEUM OF THE TERRACOTTA ARMY, CHINA

In 1974, farmers unearthed the first fragment of what would become one of the 20th century's most extraordinary finds: an entire army of terracotta warriors and steeds entombed with First Emperor Qin for more than 2000 years. See the life-like army at the museum built around the excavation site near Xian in central China. See bmy.com.cn.

MORNING ALMS, LUANG PRABANG, LAOS

World Heritage-listed Luang Prabang, fronting the Mekong River in Laos, is one of Asia's most serene towns. Rise at dawn to see hundreds of saffron-swathed monks filing through the streets receiving alms from the faithful. See tourismlaos.org.

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL, JAPAN

In 1950, Sapporo high school students made six snow sculptures – and more than 50,000 people flocked to admire them. Today, the annual snow festival (February 1-12, 2017), with its large-scale, illuminated snow and ice sculptures, attracts millions to the city in northerly Hokkaido. See snowfes.com/english.

ART BASEL, HONG HONG

Tune in to what's hot in the world of Asian art at the international art fair (Art Basel's annual shows take place in Hong Kong, Basel and Miami). At this year's edition in Hong Kong, half the participating galleries had exhibitions spaces in the Asia Pacific region. Exhibitors are already lining up for 2017's extravaganza (March 23-25). See artbasel.com/hong-kong.

CHINGAY PARADE, SINGAPORE

In 1972 when Singapore banned firecrackers – a Chinese New Year custom to repel evil spirits - a parade was suggested as an alternative. Today the Chingay Parade, with its dancing dragons, stilt-walkers and razzle-dazzle floats, is Asia's largest street performance and float parade (February 10-11, 2017). See chingay.org.sg.

WORLD'S LARGEST BOOK, MYANMAR

The world's largest book, in Mandalay in central Myanmar, comprises 729 upright stone tablets painstakingly chiselled with Buddhist scriptures. Each "page" is housed within its own glittering white shrine at Kuthodaw pagoda. See unesco.org.

NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM'S SOUTHERN BRANCH, TAIWAN

After 15 years in the making, a branch of Taipei's renowned National Palace Museum has opened near Chiayi, 260 kilometres south-west of the capital. The Southern Branch features calligraphy-inspired architecture and a pan-Asian focus. See south.npm.gov.tw.

RAINFOREST WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL, SARAWAK, MALAYSIAN BORNEO

Modelled on Canadian folk music festivals, the annual Rainforest World Music Festival celebrates indigenous music. Three days (July 14-16, 2017) of workshops and concerts take place in and around traditional longhouses in a cultural village near Kuching. See rwmf.net.

SONGKRAN FESTIVAL, THAILAND

Dress appropriately – and bring a sense of humour – for what's billed as the world's largest water fight. Songkran (April 13-15) celebrates the Thai New Year; expect to get soaked with buckets of water or caught in the crossfire of water-pistol wars. See tourismthailand.org.

MOCA YINCHUAN, CHINA

The nearby Yellow River's shifting layers of sedimentation inspired the futuristic facade of the Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan in north-western China. Since its 2015 opening the museum has made headlines, uninviting outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei from its biennale (running until December 18). See moca-yinchuan.com.

THE ECO EXPERIENCES

By Louise Southerden

SOLAR SLUM TOUR, KOLKATA

Wander one of the City of Joy's urban slums after dark, visiting families whose lives have been changed by solar lights provided by Bangalore-based social enterprise Pollinate Energy. The lights also reduce carbon emissions from kerosene lamps. See urbanadventures.com.

"SEA CAMPING", KOH LAOLIANG

Koh Laoliang is that rare thing in Thailand: an island national park (in Trang province, south of Krabi) in a marine park with a pristine beach and no resorts, daytrippers or noisy longtails. Instead, guests stay in spacious tents right on the beach. See laoliangisland.com.

HIKE THE GREAT WALL, CHINA

Escape the hustle of China's capital with Beijing Hikers, a family-owned operator that started as a walking club for locals and expats and runs day treks on seldom-visited parts of the Great Wall, and clean-up hikes every year. See beijinghikers.com.

GREEN SCHOOL, BALI

Inspiring a love of nature is what this revolutionary international school in Ubud is all about. Take a tour of the all-bamboo Green School or neighbouring Green Village; there are also workshops on building with bamboo, permaculture and other sustainable arts. See greenschool.org greenvillagebali.com.

WANGDUE ECO LODGE, BHUTAN

This family-owned eco lodge in central Bhutan, which opened in 2015 as part of a Low Carbon Tourism Project, is the epitome of sustainable tourism. Its four cottages are built to resemble traditional farmhouses, the food is all organic and grown onsite, and activities include Bhutanese cooking classes and cultural hikes. See bhutanecolodge.com.

KAYAKING KARST ISLANDS, PALAWAN

Sea kayaking is one of the most sustainable ways to travel and Palawan, the third largest island in the Philippines, is one of the best places to do it thanks to its spectacular karst islands, pristine coral reefs and remote beaches to camp on. See southernseaventures.com.

SONG SAA PRIVATE ISLAND, CAMBODIA

Luxury eco-resorts aren't uniquely Asian, but Song Saa was Cambodia's first and is sublimely special. Built on twin islands a world away from seedy Sihanoukville, its 27 eco-chic villas, restaurant and spa overlook Cambodia's first marine reserve, established by the Australian owners. See songsaa.com.

LEOPARD SAFARIS, SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka takes the safari experience to another level by offering not just wildlife such as leopards (Yala National Park has the highest density of leopards in the world), but also Buddhist temples and tea plantations, beaches and blue whales. See leopardsafaris.com.

MOUNTAIN BIKING MUSTANG, NEPAL

One of the last bastions of Tibetan Buddhist culture, Upper Mustang in northern Nepal is best explored by mountain bike, particularly now there's a (rough) road to Lo Manthang, once a five-day hike from the nearest airstrip, and a new 17-day trip there led by Australian adventurer Huw Kingston. See worldexpeditions.com.

SAVING SEA TURTLES, THE MALDIVES

Extend your next stay in the dreamy Maldives by doing conservation work with turtles and manta rays for Seamarc, a consultancy of Maldivian and international marine biologists, in their research centre or on a liveaboard dive boat. See seamarc.com/volunteers.