Semmes’ Asia Travel Bucket List

Asia Bucket List My bucket list is a never-ending work in progress. I am continuously adding, altering, changing, and updating it. I love discovering new things, learning about new destinations, being inspired to try something new, etc. So, my bucket list serves as a reminder to me of the massive, exciting, ever-changing world. Do I think I will accomplish everything on my bucket list? I sure hope so! Anything is possible!

Make sure you check out all my other Bucket Lists! Here is my ultimate Asia Travel Bucket List. I break my Bucket List down into countries. Keep in mind that I will be constantly adding and editing items on this list. And, let me know if I should add anything else!

* The numbers refer to the items from Lonely Planet’s Ultimate Travel book.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Khmer
BEST TIME TO VISIT – November to January (the dry season)
CAPITAL – Phnom Penh
- #402. Tuol Sleng & the Killing Fields
- Phnom Penh Night Markets
- Visit the Royal Palace
- Take a motorcycle taxi
#1. Temples of Angkor (UNESCO)
Siem Reap
- Watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat
- Explore the ancient temples of Siem Reap
- Have a pint on Pub Street
- Bayon Temple
- Ta Som Temple
Temple of Preah Vihear (UNESCO)
Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk (UNESCO)
Battambang
Ride the Mekong ferry between Siem Reap and Battambang
Virachey National Park
See the elephants and other indigenous wildlife at the Mondulkiri Project
Kong Rong Island
- See the planktons glow at night
- Relax on Long Beach
Visit a floating village
Visit Ta Prohm Temple
Relax on Song Saa Island
Take a ride on the bamboo train
Enjoy the beaches on Sihanoukville
Wat Banan
See the Irrawaddy dolphins splashing in the Mekong at Kratie

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Mandarin
BEST TIME TO VISIT – March to May and September to November
CAPITAL – Beijing
- See below
Cruise Along the Yangtze River
Take a boat up the Li River
See the Danxia landform (UNESCO)
See the Grand Canal (UNESCO)
Ride in a tuk-tuk
Eat Din Sum
Eat Peking Duck
Take a calligraphy class and learn how to write a few Chinese characters

Anhui Province
- Hike the Yellow Mountains in the Huangshan Mountain Range (UNESCO)
- The Bridge of Immortals
Beijing
- #88. Visit the Forbidden City in Beijing
- #217. Visit the Summer Palace (UNESCO)
- #120. Visit the Confucius Temple (UNESCO)
- #339. 798 Art District
- Visit the Ming Tombs
- Tiananmen Square
- Beihai Park
- See the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian (UNESCO)
- Temple of Heaven (UNESCO)
- #4. Stand on the Great Wall of China (UNESCO)
  - Mutianya Great Wall
Chongqing
- See the Dazu Rock Carvings (UNESCO)
Fujian Province
- Mount Wuyi (UNESCO)
- See the Fujian Tulou Buildings (UNESCO)
Guangdong Province
- Experience Cantonese Culture
- Guangzhou
Guangxi Zhuang Atonomous Region and Guizhou Province
- #266. Longsheng Rice Terraces
- Reed Flute Cave
- Yangshuo
- Visit the town of Guilin
- Find the iconic rock of Fanjingshan (UNESCO)
Henan Province, Hubei Province, and Shandong Provice
- Longmen Grottoes (UNESCO)
- Three Gorges
- Have a Tsingtao beer in Qingdao
Hainan Province
- Relax on the beaches in Sanya, “China’s Hawaii”
Heilongjiang Province and Jilin Province
- Go to Harbin’s Ice and Snow Festival
Hunan Province
- Take the Walk of Faith in Tianmen (Skywalk) Mountain, the Heaven’s Gate Mountain
- See the the avatar world at Zhangjiajie National Forest Park (also known at the “Hallelujah Mountains”)
- Yin Xu (UNESCO)
Jiangsu Province
- See the “Venice of China” in Suzhou
- Tour the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum
- Enjoy the Classical Gardens of Suzhou (UNESCO)
- Zhouzhuang
- Walk over Haohan Qiao, “Brave Men’s Bridge”
Jiangxi Province
- Lushan National Park (UNESCO)
- Explore Mount Sanqingshan National Park (UNESCO)

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Gansu Province
- Shangdu (UNESCO)
- Ride a camel in the Gobi Desert
- #198. Mogao Caves (UNESCO)
Sichuan Province
- See the pandas in the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (UNESCO)
- #148. Grand Buddha in Leshan (UNESCO)
- Enjoy the unspoiled lands of Jiuzhaigou Valley National Park (UNESCO)
- See the Huanglong Travertine Pools (UNESCO)
- Chengdu
Shanghai
- #232. Bund
- Jade Buddha Temple
- Yuyuan Gardens
- Jing’An Temple
- Visit The Pearl
- Nanjing Lu Shopping Street
- Shanghai World Financial Center
Shaanxi Province
- #160. See the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an (UNESCO)
- Xi’an
  - Eat and shop at the Muslim Quarter
  - The Great Mosque
  - Xi’an City Walls
  - Drum & Bell Tower
  - The Big Goose Pagoda
- Brave the Huashan Plank Walk AKA The Most Dangerous Hike in the World (yeah, not for me, but I will put it on the list)
Shanxi Province
- Explore the ancient city of Ping Yao (UNESCO)
- Mount Wutai (UNESCO)
- See the Yungang Grottoes (UNESCO)
Xinjiang Uyghur Atonomous Region and Qinghai Province
- Take a Boat on Qinghai Lake
- #410. Kashgar’s Grand Bazaar
Yunnan Province
- Kunming
- Explore the old town of Lijiang (UNESCO)
- The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
- Blue Moon Valley Lake
- See the Minority Culture Show
- #54. Go to the Tiger Leaping Gorge
- Explore the Dali Old Town
- Three Pagodas
- Honghe Hani Rice Terraces (UNESCO)
Zhejang Province
- Dive to the underwater city of Shi Cheng
- Hangzhou
  - See the majestic West Lake
  - See the famous watertown of Wenzhou

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Bahasa Indonesia
BEST TIME TO VISIT – May to September
CAPITAL – Jakarta
Java
- Mount Bromo
- Explore the ancient temples of Yogyakarta
- Snorkel at Karimunjawa
- Jakarta (capital)
- Borobudur Temple Compounds (UNESCO)
- #242. Borobudur
- Watch the sunrise at Borobudur
- Sangiran Early Man Site (UNESCO)
- Ujung Kulon National Park (UNESCO)
- Prambanan Temple Compounds (UNESCO)
- See the blue flames of Mount Ijen
Bali
- Enjoy the beautiful beaches
- Ubud
- Stay in a gorgeous pool villa
- Stay in a treehouse
- Explore Kanto Lampo Waterfall
- Sekumpul Waterfall
- Karang Beach
- Explore the Tulamben Wreck Dive, WWII shipwreck
- Ubud Hanging Gardens
- Visit Ulun Danu Beratan, the iconic lake temple of Bali
- Jatiluwih Rice Terrace (UNESCO)
West Nusa Tenggara (and surrounding islands)
- Take boat trip from Lombok to Flores Island
- Explore the many waterfalls
- Relax on the Gili Islands
- Penida Island
- See the T-Rex Bay

East Nusa Tenggara
- #384. Komodo National Park (UNESCO)
- See a Komodo Dragon
- Komodo’s Pink Beach
- Padar Island
- Take a boat trip to the Flores Islands
Sumatra
- Mentawai Islands
- #227. Gunung Leuser National Park
- The Banyak Islands
- Spot orangutans at the Tanjung Puting National Park
- Visit Lake Toba
- Explore the “Spice Island” of Maluku
- Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (UNESCO)

Sulawesi
- Climb the Hill of Love
- Visit Palu
- Snorkel Bunaken Island
- See Amirul Mukminin Mosque, a floating mosque that can house 500 people
West Papua (and surrounding islands)
- Lorentz National Park (UNESCO)
- Raja Ampat Islands
Bormeo (Kalimantan)
- The Derawan Islands
- Swim with stingless jellyfish in Lake Kakaban
Spot a Sumatra Tiger

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Japanese
BEST TIME TO VISIT – March to May
CAPITAL – Tokyo
- #141. Tsukiji Market
- People watch at #157. Shibuya Crossing
- Meiji Jingu Shrine
- Imperial Palace
- Take in the view from Tokyo Skytree
- Admire the Tokyo Tower
- Visit The Robot Restaurant
- Drive in a real-life Mario Kart
- Sensoji Temple
- Ueno Park
- Shop on Omotesando Avenue
- Explore the area of Shinjuku
- Hamarikyu Gardens
- Spend time in Ginza district
- Shop in Harajuku
Partake in a Japanese Tea Ceremony
See the Cherry Blossoms
Eat sushi
Eat authentic ramen
Drink Sake
Watch a Sumo Wrestling Match
Take a photo of a Geisha
Ride the Shinkansen Bullet Train
Dress in a kimono
Attend a tea ceremony
Visit a cat cafe
Kyoto
- #175. Kinkaku-ju (Golden Pavillion) (UNESCO)
- Ginkakuji (Silver Pavillion)
- Roam around the Nishiki Market
- #75. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
- Visit the Monkey Park Iwatayama
- Path of Philosophy
- See the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple
- Daigo-ji temple and gardens
- Shimbashi Street
- Fushimi-Inari-Shrine
- #147. Gion District

Hiroshima
- A-Bomb Dome (UNESCO)
- #50. Visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
- Explore the Hondori
- Be amazed by the thousands of colorful paper cranes at the Children’s Peace Monument
Osaka
- Osaka Castle
- Dotonbori District
- Umeda Sky Building
- Eat lots of authentic food in the “Foodie Capital of Japan”
Nara
- 132. Great Buddha of Nara
- Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (there are 8!) (UNESCO)
- Feed the deer in Nara Deer Park
#258. Itsukushima-Jinja Gate (UNESCO)
#352. Himeji Castle
Nikko
Spent a night in the Buddhist retreat on Mount Koya
See the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park
Go skiing in the “Japanese Alps”
#152. Koya-san
#248. Naoshima Island
#275. Yakushima Island (UNESCO)
#374. Tosho-gu Shrine
Visit the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (UNESCO)
#459. Mt. Fuji (UNESCO)
Visit Tashirojima, the Cat Island
Visit Okunoshima, the Rabbit Island
Get soaked in an onsen
Visit Himeji-jo (UNESCO)
Go through the Wisteria Tunnel in Kitakyushu

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Bahasa Malaysia
BEST TIME TO VISIT – March to September
CAPITAL – Kuala Lumpur
- #312. See the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur
- Kuala Lumpur Bird Park
Explore the Batu Caves
Travel to the Cameron Highlands
Genting Highlands
Perhentian Islands
Sabah
- #167. Mount Kinabalu National Park (UNESCO)
- Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre
- Sipadan National Park
- Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary
#293. Pulau Sipadan
Visit Penang
Gunung Mulu National Park (UNESCO)
Tioman Island
Langkawi Island
- Langkawi Sky Bridge
- Langkawi Cable Car
Penang Island
Redang Island

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Filipino
BEST TIME TO VISIT – October to May
CAPITAL – Manila
Palawan
- #209. Bacuit Archipelago
- Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (UNESCO), the longest navigable underground river in the world
- Go island hopping in El Nido
- Port Barton
Coron Island
- Twins Lagoon
- Relax at Banol Beach
- Scuba dive the famous WWII Japanese ship wrecks
- Kayangan Lake View Point
Luzon Island Group
- Manila
- Go to the Caramoan Islands
- #437. Ifugao (Banaue) Rice Terraces (UNESCO)
- Historic city of Vigan (UNESCO)
- Hundred Islands National Park
- See the Taal Volcano
- Visit the white sand beaches of Pagudpud
- Go strawberry picking in Benguet
- Wath the whale sharks on their annual migration
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (UNESCO)
Baroque Churches (UNESCO)
Ati-Atihan Festival

Visayas Islands
- Cebu
  - Kawasan Falls
  - White beaches of Bantayan
  - See the whale sharks in Oslob
  - Visit Cebu City
- Bohol
  - See the Chocolate Hills
  - Visit the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary
- Visit Panglao Island
- Swim with turtles on Apo Island
- Sunbathe at the beaches of Boracay
- Explore the mysterious island of Siquijor
- Alona Beach on Panglao
- Island of Mactan
- Leyete, island where Magellan sailed through
Mindanao Island Group
- Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (UNESCO)
- Siargao

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Thai
BEST TIME TO VISIT – November to April
CAPITAL – Bangkok
- Experience the monks’ morning chanting ritual
- #325. See Wat Pho, the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (oldest temple in Bangkok)
- Go to the Pak Klong Talend Flower Market
- Floating Markets
- #499. See the Budha at the Grand Palace (Wat Phra Kaew)
- Take a long-tailed boat ride along the “klongs” (canals) of Thonburi
- #300. Chatuchak Weekend Market
- Wat Arun
- Jim’s Thompson House
Central Thailand
- #114. Ayuthaya (UNESCO)
- Khao Yai National Park (UNESCO)
- Discover the historic town of Sukhothai (UNESCO)
- See the Red Lotus Sea
- See the Sanctuary of Truth in Pattaya
Northern Thailand
- Chiang Mai
  - Visit an Elephant Sanctuary
  - Elephant Nature Park
  - Night Bazaar
  - Doi Suthep Temple
- Visit Chiang Rai
  - White Temple
  - Baan Dam
- Pai
- See the Floating Pagodas
- Set foot in the Golden Triangle, where Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos meet
#413. Khao Sok National Park

The Gulf of Thailand Islands
- Koh Samui
- #68. Ko Tao
  - Go diving (one of the best dive sites in the world)
  - Visit Koh Nang Yuan Island
- Koh Phangan
- Mu Koh Angthong National Marine Park
The Andaman Sea Islands
- Phuket
  - James Bond Island
  - Wat Chalong Temple
  - Patong
- Phi Phi Islands
  - #279. Koh Phi Phi
  - Maya Bay (setting of The Beach)
  - Hang out with the monkeys at Monkey Beach
- Mu Koh Similan
- Koh Yao Noi
Krabi Area
- Go island hopping around Krabi
- Relax at Ao Nang Beach
- #358. Explore Phang Nga Bay Marine National Park
- Princess Cave
- Tiger Cave Temple
Attend a full moon party
Get a Thai Massage
Take a Thai cooking class
Let go of a Floating Lantern
Ride in a tuk-tuk
Celebrate Songkran Water Festival
Watch a Muay Thai fight

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Vietnamese
BEST TIME TO VISIT – March to April and September to November
CAPITAL – Hanoi
- #31. Visit the Hanoi Old Quarter
- See a water puppet show
- Walk down Train Street
- Hoa Lo Prison
- Hoan Kiem Lake
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
#65. See Halong Bay (UNESCO)
- Boat Tour
- Cat Ba Island
- Monkey Beach
- Kayak on Lan Ha Bay
Hue
- Citadel of the Ho Dynasty (UNESCO)
Da Nang
- Explore the Marble Moutains
- The Golden Hands Bridge in Ba Na Hills
Hai Van Pass

Hoi An
- #83. Hoi An Old Town (UNESCO)
- Japanese Covered Bridge
- Get some custom clothes made
- My Son Sanctuary (UNESCO)
Visit Ho Chi Minh City
- #306. Cu Chi Tunnels
- War Remnants Museum
- Mariamman Hindu Temple
#168. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (UNESCO)
Shop at the Floating Market
Taste the original Vietnamese Pho
#418. Phu Quoc Island
The Mekong Delta
Explore Con Dao Island
Explore Hang Son Doong, the world’s largest cave system
Ride a motorbike in the streets of Vietnam
See the rice fields of Sapa

Brunei

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Malay
BEST TIME TO VISIT – March to April
CAPITAL – Bandar Seri Begawan
See the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque
Visit Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s largest palace (and private home to the Sultan, open only 5 days a year)
See the treasures at the Royal Regalia Museum

Hong Kong (China)

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Cantonese and English
BEST TIME TO VISIT – October to December
CAPITAL – Hong Kong
#117. See the Peak
#331. Tian Tan Buddha
Ngong Ping Cable Car
Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery
See the Symphony of Lights
Victoria Harbor
Temple Street
Have a drink at Ozone Bar, the highest bar in the world
Ride on a Junk Boat
Explore Lantau Island

Laos

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Lao
BEST TIME TO VISIT – November to February
CAPITAL – Vientiane
Explore the town of Luang Prabang (UNESCO)
- Kuang Si Waterfalls
Vientiane
- Buddha Park
- See the golden spires at the Pha That Luang stupa
Vang Vieng
- Go tubing in Vang Vieng
- Blue Lagoon
#199. Wat Phou
Float down Mekong River
Explore the Tam Ting Caves
#449. Si Phan Don (the 4000 islands)
The Gibson Experience

Macau (China)

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Cantonese and Portuguese
BEST TIME TO VISIT – October to December
CAPITAL – Macau
Visit the Historic Centre of Macau (UNESCO)
Gamble at the Venetian Macao Casino
Admire the views from the top of the Macau Tower

Myanmar (Burma)

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Burmese
BEST TIME TO VISIT – November to February (the cool season)
CAPITAL – Nay yi Taw
Yangon
- #91. Shwedagon Paya
- Chauk-htat-gyi Buddha Temple, the large reclining Buddha
#166. Inle Lake
#24. Visit Bagan (UNESCO)
Mandalay
- Walk over the U Bein Bridge, the oldest teak bridge in the world
- See the world’s largest book at Kuthodaw Pagoda
Pyu Ancient Cities (UNESCO)
Cruise along the Ayeyarwady
Unwind at Ngapali Beach

North Korea

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Korean
BEST TIME TO VISIT – April for national day celebrations and September to October for weather
CAPITAL – Pyongyang
#414. Mansudae Grand Monument

Singapore

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil
BEST TIME TO VISIT – Year-round
CAPITAL – Singapore
#187. Go to Gardens by the Bay
#236. Go to the Singapore Zoo
National Gallery of Singapore
Go to the Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO)
Stay at Marina Bay Sands, the iconic ship hotel
Shop on Orchard Road
Singapore Flyer
Go on a Night Safari
Sentosa Island

South Korea

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Korean
BEST TIME TO VISIT – September to November
CAPITAL – Seoul
- #194. Visit Changdeokgung Palace (UNESCO)
- Gyeongbokgung Palace
- #342. N Seoul Tower
- Seoul Grand Park
- Visit the War Memorial of Korea
- Have fun in Lotte World
- Myeongdong Street
- See the lanterns on the Cheonggyecheon Stream
#195. Korea’s DMZ
See the Cherry Blossoms
Busan
Damyang Bamboo Forest
Boryeong Mud Festival
Celebrate the Jinju Lantern Festival
Eat authentic Korean Barbecue
Seoraksan National Park
Go to a Jimjilbang, a Korean Bath House
Boseong Tea Fields
Nami Island
Gi skiing at Alpensia or Yongpyong Ski Resorts
Hike around the coast of Jeju Island (UNESCO)
Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty (UNESCO)
See the tombs, temples, and ruins in Gyeongju (UNESCO)

Taiwan (China)

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Mandarin
BEST TIME TO VISIT – September to November for the beautiful Fall colors and January to February for the annual lantern festival
CAPITAL – Taipei
- #397. National Palace Museum
- #448. Taipei 101
Jiufen Old Street
Relax on Sun Moon Lake
Visit Lukang
Visit the ancient capital of Tainan
See the marble canyons in Taroko Gorge
Love on the cats at Houtong Cat Village

Tibet (China)

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Tibetan and Mandarin
BEST TIME TO VISIT – Mid-May to September
CAPITAL – Lhasa
The Potala Palace (UNESCO)
Hang Prayer flags over Yamdrok Tso
#283. Kailash
Take in the sights of Mt. Everest
Take the world’s highest train ride across the Tibetan plateau
Drive on the Friendship Highway
Watch monks debate at the Sera Monastery
Visit a monastery

Timor-Leste

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE – Portuguese and Tetun
BEST TIME TO VISIT – May to November
CAPITAL – Dili
Unwind on Jaco Island
Atauro Island
See the traditional architecture, including the iconic stilted Fataluku houses

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Travel around the world with Semmes!

xx,
Semmes

2 Comments

oprolevorter on June 9, 2019 at 4:01 pm

This is a very good tips… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read article.
Reply
Whit on December 18, 2021 at 4:06 pm

Thanks for taking time for sharing this article, it was fantastic and very informative.
Reply