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Traveling in Asia is much cheaper than traveling in other regions of the world, making it a great destination for travelers of all budgets.
In Asia you’ll find luxury hotels and experiences at a much better price than what you would traveling in the west. That can mean you have more money to spend on experiences, stay in a nicer hotel than you would normally, or you even might be able to extend your trip.
I asked travel bloggers what their favorite luxury destinations in Asia were and here are their answers. Hopefully you can find one that sounds perfect for your next trip.
For more articles on Asia, head over to my Asia page.
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Muscat, Oman
Muscat, the capital of Oman, is the safest city in the GCC and a perfect luxury holiday destination. With plenty of 5-star resorts and a typical luxurious lifestyle, Muscat has a lot of offer. Muscat offers the best natural beauty among its neighbours. It has brown rugged mountains very near to the main city which offers some perfect hiking trails.
Muscat has some very beautiful, calm beaches and all the resorts in the city have their own private beaches making it a luxurious holiday for the visitors. The Royal Opera House in the city is one of the grandest buildings in the region and is a must-visit spot.
The city has a very lively and lavish waterfront which hosts two luxurious hotels and plenty of restaurants. The most lavish hotel in the city is The Chedi Hotel which is just 10 minutes’ drive from the international airport. The best way to go to this resort is to either call an airport pickup service or take a direct taxi from the airport to the hotel.
Nabiha of Verses by a Voyager
Tokyo, Japan
With the 2020 Olympic Games coming up, Tokyo is one of the hottest luxury destinations for 2020. The Japanese capital ranks among the highest in the world for cleanliness and you will find everything here kept in pristine condition, from the corner vending machine to the immaculate kept gardens of temples.
Tokyo is a city where tradition lives in harmony with modernity, the old and the new standing side-by-side. In the upper-class shopping districts like Omotesando and Ginza, you will find shopping for international luxury brands endless.
Be sure to be on the lookout for the stores of famous Japanese designers like Issey Miyake and cosmetics from Shu Uemura. If you are keen for the latest gadgets and electronics, head to the neighbourhood of Akihabara, here you will also find the anime culture of Japan in its full glory.
If you are not in Tokyo to shop, you can visit one of the many temples or parks in the area, the Imperial Palace, visit a themed restaurant (like the robot restaurant) or eat at one of the 230 Michelin-star restaurants in the city. The options in Tokyo are endless and there is something here for everyone.
How to get to Tokyo: Fly to one of the two international airports, Haneda or Narita, and take the train into Tokyo to your accommodation.
Where to stay: The Gate Hotel, Asakusa (mid-range); Cerulean Tower Tokyu Shibuya (mid-range); Mandarin Oriental Tokyo Central (high-range); Hoshinoya Tokyo central (high-range)
Lia of The Nomadic Panda
Singapore
The sophisticated city of Singapore is one of the best destinations in Asia for luxury travel. Singapore has plenty to offer visitors including a beautiful skyline, unique and interesting attractions, great food, and warm weather all year round.
The Gardens by the Bay with its beautiful indoor and outdoor gardens is one of the best places to see in Singapore. At night you can enjoy a light and sound show at the futuristic and magical tree-shaped vertical gardens known as the Supertree Grove.
Another one of Singapore’s main attractions is Marina Bay Sands, a huge complex that contains a mall with designer shops, a casino, a hotel, a museum, theaters and numerous restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Make sure to head to the observation deck or one of its rooftop bars and restaurants for great views of the city skyline.
Another must do in Singapore is to walk along the waterfront promenade from Marina Bay Sands to the Merlion statue – a mythical creature which spouts water from its mouth with a lion’s head and the body of a fish.
For those that want a bit of nature, head to the large Singapore Botanic Gardens which are Singapore’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. If your budget allows I would recommend staying at the iconic and luxurious Marina Bay Sands hotel which is famous for its large infinity pool.
Matilda, The Travel Sisters
Dubai
If you want the most luxurious vacation in all of Asia, you cannot miss the city of Dubai. UAE, the country where the city of Dubai is located, is the third richest country in the world, just behind Luxembourg and Qatar.
If you are not yet convinced yet, the police forces in Dubai drive Ferrari and other high-end luxurious cars. While in other parts of the world, the police forces don’t even get paid enough. Other than that, there are many telltales sign of wealth in all of Dubai.
The tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, measuring 828 meters sits proudly in the center of Dubai and dominates the landscapes. It is significantly taller than the second tallest building in the world, the Shanghai Tower in Shanghai, measuring at 632 meters.
If you love fancy and extravagant hotels, you must stay at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the only 7-star hotel in the world. The price is no less than 1000 Euros a day but if you want to have one of the most luxurious vacations in your life, you cannot skip this hotel.
Dubai has an indoor rainforest. The thing that is about 40 percent of South America, the Amazon rainforest? Dubai has artificially built an indoor rainforest called Green Planet.
But wait there is more, take an impressive camel ride across the deserts of Dubai for some of the most spectacular views you have ever seen. Experience what it is like to watch the glorious sunset on one of the few red deserts in the world.
If you are not convinced of how luxurious a vacation would be in Dubai, visit the Miracle Garden. It is the world’s largest garden with 50 million flowers and 250 million plants, attracting travelers and scientists alike from all over the world to Dubai.
Sean from Living Out Lau
Kerala, India
Kerala, also known as Gods own country is one of the most beautiful and diverse destinations of India. You can live in a luxury houseboat in Alleppey, stay in a treehouse in Wayanad, feed the elephants or go for jungle safari in Thekkady, enjoy delicious homemade chocolates, visit the tea plantations of Munnar or stay in a farm at Munroe islands.
Additionally, you can camp in the wilds of Kerala, take home some amazing spices, ruin yourself in the nightlife at Varkala, get lost in the view of sunset from the lighthouse at Kovalam and of course bathe in the amazing waterfalls.
The people of Kerala are very warm and friendly. A road trip starting from Trivandrum is the best way to explore the places. You must try the traditional south Indian meal on banana leaves and the fish curry is a must.
To reach Kerala, the nearest flight is Trivandrum or Kochi depending on your route plan. If you are planning to cover Kovalam and the 20,000 years old temple Padmanabha Swamy then Trivandrum is your starting point. If you want to just see the hill stations then Kochi is your go ahead.
The best time to visit Kerala is from October to April.
Recommended stay:
- Treehouses at Vythri Resort, Wayanad
- Vini’s Farm at Munroe Island
- Elixir Hills at Munnar
Shalini, Eager 2 Travel
The Maldives
The tropical island country of Maldives is all about living the luxurious life. There are more than hundreds of island resorts in the Maldives; however, the one nearest to the airport is Lankanfilnolhu Island, also known as Paradise Island. The island homes the beautiful and lavish Paradise Island Resort, which is a five-star resort and offers an all-inclusive stay at the property.
I stayed for four nights at the overwater villa at the Paradise Island Resort, and the experience was nothing short of magical! While living the island life, activities to do can get really restricted.
However, that is not the case while staying at Lankanfilnolhu Island. White a beautiful white sand beach surrounding the island, there are tons of different water activities to do such as parasailing, wakeboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving too!
To get a real glimpse of the Maldivian life, the island also arranges a short day trip to a local island in the North Atoll, where you can see how about the local people of the Maldives live their life. What makes Lankanfilnolhu Island one of the best islands to visit in the Maldives is its close proximity to the airport.
The resort arranges airport transfer in a speed boat throughout the day. The magical gateway of Lankanfilnolhu is just a short 25 minutes boat ride away from the airport.
Rahma of The Sane Adventurer
Bali, Indonesia
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Bali is a place on many travellers bucket lists. An idilic Island in Indonesia, renowned for its laid back vibes, great food and beaches.
Bali has something for everyone. You can enjoy a relaxing holiday lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails and treating yourself to spa treatments. But, if an adventure is more up your street, you can trek up active volcano Mt Batur to watch the sunrise over the island. Or try your hand at surfing at one of the many beaches along the coast.
Bali is also home to many incredible temples such as Tanah Lot that sits on a small island just off the shoreline. As well as Uluwatu temple which is a perfect place to watch the sunset, meet the islands native monkeys and experience the local religious culture.
Seminyak on Bali’s west coast is a perfect place to unwind in the evenings, lined with spectacular beach clubs. Check out the famous Potato Head Beach Club which serves fantastic cocktails and great food in a party atmosphere.
We would recommend staying at the Grand Balisani Suites, located right on the beach front in Seminyak. This hotel is a little slice of heaven. With a gorgeous swimming pool and only a short walk along the beach to Potato Head and Tropicola beach club. The hotel is also only thirty minutes from Ngurah Rai International Airport in a taxi. Alternatively, you could organise an airport shuttle with the hotel for an additional fee.
Transport around the island can be hectic but using either “GoJek” or “Grab” (phone applications) to order taxis is the best way to get around if you are not keen on renting a scooter.
Lorna and Matt, Two Souls One Path
Dana, Jordan
Dana in Jordan is one of the country’s most beautiful and largest nature reserves. Although less famous than Petra or Wadi Rum it certainly offers equally stunning landscapes and is home to a variety of Jordanian wildlife. You are unlikely to see the elusive sandcat, but it is a paradise for birdwatching.
You can sleep in Dana, a historic village with ancient stone houses. However, there is no need to miss out on comfort and there are several up market places to stay. The luxurious Dana eco camp provides everything you need and the rooms look out over the valley. They can help you in choosing one of the hiking trails that range in length and difficulty or you can just relax on their balcony to enjoy the view.
An alternative place to stay is the award winning Feynan eco lodge run by the Jordanian Royal Society for the conservation of nature. Set in a beautiful desert landscape it is praised to be one of the best 25 eco lodges in the world by National Geographic. You can reach it by hiking from Dana village through the nature reserve’s valley. A long, but gentle and pleasant walk. At the end the comforts and hospitality of Feynan is waiting for you.
Dana village is only 2, 5 hours by car from Amman and 2 hours from Petra. It’s location on the Kings highway makes it a perfect stop when traveling from Amman to Petra. Spend at least one night in the ancient Dana village and more if you like to go hiking. It will be a highlight of your trip to Jordan.
Ellis from Backpack Adventures
Koh Tao, Thailand
Koh Tao is about as far away from anyplace as you can get in Thailand. It’s a little island in the Gulf of Thailand famous for diving, beaches, and backpacking, but there’s a luxurious side to Koh Tao that people never hear about.
Everybody reaches the island the same way, by taking a ferry to Mae Haad Pier from Chumphon or Surat Thani. Not everybody experiences the same slice of paradise once they arrive.
The scene at the pier is chaotic, but a discerning traveler would have opted for the first-class seats in the air conditioning. You disembark first, and your driver will be waiting for you with a sign. He’ll take you away from the craziness that is Mae Haad and into a luxury retreat where the jungle meets the sea.
We would recommend the Sai Thong Resort. It’s like Koh Tao was in the 1970s. There is a little restaurant, a private beach and hiking trails off into the jungle. If you want to experience the nightlife or go diving, you can always hire a long tail boat to take you into town. Otherwise, relax and enjoy your paradise.
Jenn and Ed at Coleman Concierge
As you can see there are a vast number of places that would be perfect for a luxury vacation in Asia. There’s something here for every interest, whether its big cities, beaches or beautiful, wild terrain to explore. If you think of anything that just has to be added to this list let me know in the comments.
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