Home to almost 60% of the worlds population, Asia is as diverse as it is vast. It’s landscapes range from the towering peaks of the Himalayas, to the vast plains of Mongolia and beyond. It’s weather ranges from the ice cold of Siberia to the searing heat of Saudi Arabia. The people of Asia also reflect this incredible diversity with distinctive local traditions, cuisine and architecture. Whether you come to Asia to sample the beaches, culture, cuisine, landscape, history or outstanding sights, you’ll want to come back for more.
Asia’s vast size and diversity mean it’s very difficult to talk about the continent in any collective sense. On a geographical basis, the continent is divided into 5 separate areas:
West Asia – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan,
East Asia – China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan.
South Asia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives. Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran, Sri Lanka,
South East Asia – Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam
Asia’s size and scale means the continent is home to a wide range of climates and temperatures. Such is the diversity and variable nature of the weather in Asia, a number of countries have dry seasons in one area, while another area is in the wet season.
To try and keep things simple and to make this guide as useful as possible, we’ve split out the best time to visit using the 5 geographical areas.
West Asia – The searing summer heat of West Asia is the dominant factor when considering when the best time to visit the area is. The period outside of summer, running from October to April is typically the best time to visit. The days are warm and dry, while the evenings are mild to cool. Rainfall is negligible throughout the year.
Central Asia – While the geography of Central Asia is a little more varied than West Asia, it’s still largely dominated by deserts and some mountainous areas. Therefore it’s best to avoid the winter and summer periods where temperatures are at their most extreme. Summer temperatures regularly surpass 100°F, while the winters can be freezing and see negative temperatures. The best months to visit are during April and May in spring time and during September and October in the autumn.
East Asia – There’s no particularly bad time to visit East Asia. While the summer is categorised by warmer weather, it’s offset by higher rainfall during the regions wet season. The spring and autumn are good times to visit with lots of colour, especially in Japan. Temperatures are warm and the evenings are mild. Temperatures drop a lot in winter, however it’s much cheaper to visit during this time.
South Asia – The best time to visit South Asia is outside of the hot season and the wet season. The hot season runs from March to May and humidity can become intolerable. It’s followed by the wet season from June to September where heavy rainfall can be expected most days. This means the best time to visit is during October to February, where the days are warm and dry. If you’re visiting the Himalayas, it’s best to avoid November, December and January when trails can become impassable from the snow.
South East Asia – Of all the regions, South East Asia has the most diverse climate. Generally speaking, the best time to visit is during the Northern Hemisphere winter period from November to February. Most countries in the area are outside of their wet seasons at this time, although there are a few exceptions such as the Philippines. Even if you do visit during the wet season, rainfall tends to come in short heavy bursts, meaning there’s still plenty of the day to enjoy.
As you’d expect for a continent of it’s size, there’s an incredible amount to see in Asia. From cutting edge busting cities to some of the finest historical sites in the world, Asia is truly where old meets new. To give you a flavour of this vast continent, we’ve set out 4 different categories for the best things to see in Asia. We believe these are some of the very best things to see, but we’ve barely even scratched the surface. You’ll need to delve into the specific country guides to find more details, sights and to unearth some of Asia’s many hidden gems.
Asia’s rich culture and heritage means there’s no shortage of historical sites and attractions. The list is almost endless and trying to choose just a few is nearly impossible. The following historical sites in Asia are 5 of the very best, but there are many, many more:
The best beaches in Asia are concentrated in South East Asia and areas of South Asia. Many of these beaches rival anything in the Caribbean or the Pacific Ocean. While we’ve not listed a specific beach from the Maldives, this area must get a special mention on account of the incredible quantity and quality of it’s beaches.
Our top 5 beaches in Asia are:
Asia is home to some of the greatest landscapes and natural wonders in the world. From the snow capped mountains of Central Asia to the volatile volcano’s of South East Asia, there’s no shortage of natural wonders.
Our top 5 natural wonders in Asia are:
Asia is home to many of the worlds great cities. Almost 2 billion Asians now live in these urban areas, which means you’ll discover all manner of cities – old, new, remote and sprawling. While many Asian cities can be crowded and polluted, Asia also leads the way for development of modern, sustainable cities.
Our top 5 cities in Asia are:
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