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Asia travel
Survival guides, insider secrets, top things to do, eco-tours, independent hotel reviews, family-friendly itineraries: fire your imagination with the South China Morning Post’s travel guides and must-see lists for holiday destinations across China and the rest of Asia.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
The summit of Norman Foster’s HSBC Main Building in relief against The Peak, 1986. Photo: Ian Lambot

The building that rewrote architecture – 40 years ago

The architect whose creation defied convention and the photographer who shot it share their thoughts on an inside-out marvel.

Reading Time:7 minutes
Bryn Terfel, the bass-baritone. Photo: Rolex/Elisa Haberer

A legendary opera singer on playing the ‘bad boy’ on stage

Reading Time:3 minutes
The Chung Hom Kok, Hong Kong, home designed by Studio Quinn. Photo: courtesy Studio Quinn and Common Studio

How art transformed a Hong Kong home

Reading Time:4 minutes
Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak

Too shiny, straight, serious, samey: when architecture stops feeling human

Reading Time:9 minutes
Christie’s auctioneer Rahul Kadakia and his billion-dollar gavel. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

‘We didn’t play with toys, we played with jewels’: meet the man born for the rostrum

Reading Time:3 minutes
Cathay Pacific 747 with Lion Rock and Kowloon Walled City (1989), by Greg Girard. Photo: courtesy Greg Girard and WKM Gallery

Greg Girard’s photo exhibition shows five decades of Hong Kong and Tokyo

Reading Time:3 minutes
MORE IN POSTMAG
Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
People use boats on Chidorigafuchi, one of the moats around the Imperial Palace, to look at the cherry blossoms in full bloom in Tokyo on April 2. Photo: AFP
Japan

‘Making a racket in Chinese’: Japan’s cherry blossom season stirs cultural rift

A report claims residents of Dazaifu in Fukuoka prefecture complained about groups ‘making a racket in Chinese’ at a popular hanami spot.

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Food and Drinks

Hainanese chicken rice origins and its versions in Singapore, Malaysia and more

Thailand

Chinese youths swap the rat race for fun and freedom at Thailand’s hippie Shambhala festival

Food and Drinks

How sake breweries near Japan’s Mount Fuji are taking the drink to new heights

From elevated premium spirits to sparkling sake and even a rosé-inspired red sake, two Yamanashi sake makers are elevating the drink.

The wide selection of sakes available from Shichiken, a brewery in Daigahara, Hokuto city, in Japan’s Yamanashi prefecture, includes sparkling sake collaborations with French chef Alain Ducasse (pictured on the left and right). Photo: Shichiken
Luxury Hotels

Review | Regent Bali Canggu brings coastal luxury to the island’s trendiest beach

Bali’s hottest spot now boasts a beachfront resort with stunning views, top-notch service and seclusion for those seeking peace and quiet.

China travel

South Korea opens door wider to Chinese travellers – but will they come?

Higher airfares and fierce regional competition may blunt impact of new policy, analysts say.

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Indonesia

Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?

The cases allegedly involving foreign suspects have spurred concerns that gang disputes have moved from other countries to the island.

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Igor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder in Bali in February. Photo: YouTube
Japan

Litterbugs in Shibuya to be fined on the spot as visitor numbers surge

The initiative, which will see offenders fined US$12.50, reflects a broader rethink of the ward’s earlier decision to remove public rubbish bins.

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Indonesia

‘Disturbing’: are Indonesia’s borders prone to systemic immigration corruption?

Some Singaporean tourists to Batam say they have paid nearly US$200 to clear entry checks that should have been free for Southeast Asian visitors.

China travel

Amid soaring airfares, Chinese bookings up 20% ahead of Ching Ming holiday

Global instability fails to deter Chinese holidaymakers with airlines selling 2.04 million tickets in the lead-up to Ching Ming Festival.

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A China Eastern Airlines flight takes off from an airport in Shanghai. Demand for flights over the upcoming Ching Ming Festival holiday remains robust in China despite soaring airfares. Photo: Xinhua
North Korea

Video | Air China resumes direct flights to Pyongyang

The route resumption is seen as a sign of warming economic ties between China and North Korea.

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Luxury Hotels

Review | Explore a new side of the city from the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan

The new Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, with its futuristic facade, is situated in one of the city’s most stylish areas – and is Hilton’s 888th property in China.

Japan

Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away

More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.

Tourism

Profile | How a third-culture COO navigates culture clashes in frosty Niseko

The Luxe Nomad executive Patrick Ohtani talks about overcoming the issues that arise as cultures mix in the popular Japanese ski resort.

Niseko, with its ski slopes and onsen resorts that attract both local Japanese and visitors from around the world, is a place where cultures intersect – and not always harmoniously. Photo: The Luxe Nomad
Tourism

Visiting South Korea? 10 BTS pilgrimage spots every Army should visit

Explore iconic landmarks throughout the K-pop band’s history, from the current Hybe headquarters to their trainee-era haunts.

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Members of K-pop boy band BTS at Maengbang Beach in Samcheok, Gangwon province, South Korea. The coastal backdrop was used in imagery tied to the group’s global hit single “Butter”. Photo: courtesy of BigHit Music
China trade

Chinese island province wants more than beachgoers as it chases economic growth

After three speculative booms – and busts – the island province is seeking sustainable growth based on new status as a free-trade port.

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Malaysia

Malaysia wanted 43 million tourists this year. Then the Iran war happened

Malaysia’s reliance on Gulf hubs is exposed as long-haul fares soar, but 21 million annual arrivals from Singapore offer a buffer.

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Japan

Video | Tokyo’s cherry blossom season kicks off early

This year’s sakura season is 5 days earlier than usual.

A foreign tourist tries to touch the early-flowering cherry blossoms at Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan, March 17, 2026. REUTERS/Issei Kato
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Japan

MORE: An SCMP travel series

Today’s travellers want more out of their trips. More purpose. More authenticity. More connection. They’re wary of the dangers posed by over-tourism. They’re less likely to follow algorithms, and more likely to champion sustainability. And in a world over-reliant on smartphones, the modern traveller wants to be in the moment. They want more — and the travel industry is adapting to meet that demand, as this series explores.

Malaysia

Some tourists in Malaysia make most of ‘extended’ holiday amid flight mess

Stranded European visitors in Malaysia navigate visa extensions and rebooking woes as the conflict shows no sign of easing.

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Food and Drinks

Best things to do in Harbin, China’s ice festival mecca with a Russian accent

Visiting Harbin during its Ice and Snow Festival adds a range of winter fun on top of delicious food, Russian architecture and bathhouses.

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Tourists admire ice sculptures during the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in 2023. As well as hosting the world’s largest ice festival, the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeastern China is home to delicious local delicacies and Russian influences, which make it great for a weekend getaway. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Locals' Guide

Insider’s guide to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Derelict houses reborn as hip cafes and a showcase for local fashion talent are some of the draws in Johor’s capital, actress Debbie Goh reveals.

Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Photo: Shutterstock
Tourism

Shizuoka, in Japan, needs more tourists. How does it attract them?

For tourists tired of cities like Tokyo or Osaka, Shizuoka offers a quieter experience of Japanese culture. But how can it market itself?

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Tourism

How the KPop Demon Hunters travel trend is shaking up ‘Korean wave’ tourism

While previous ‘hallyu’-driven tourist waves focused on K-pop culture, KPop Demon Hunters fans are embracing Korean culture on another level.

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MORE TRAVEL

Video | Can a new kind of hotel save Japan’s dying towns?

One concept hotel in Shizuoka gives tourists a sense of living history by turning sites of closed businesses into guest lodging.

If you’re tired of being told what to see in Japan, try this no-frills tourism
07:53
China travel

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

China has continually expanded its visa-free policies in recent years. Here is a breakdown of the latest rules.

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A police officer helps an American tourist fill out an entry registration card at Beijing Capital International Airport. Photo: Xinhua
Indonesia

‘Quite severe’: coastal erosion threatens future of Bali’s famed Kuta Beach

Experts warn extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island have worsened the situation.

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Art

Why modern art museum Dib Bangkok is a must-visit destination in Thailand

Explore Dib Bangkok, a new contemporary art museum in a converted warehouse – its inaugural exhibition is showcasing works by 40 artists until August 3.

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