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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.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
Plaques that form part of the Benin Bronzes, which were taken from Africa by British troops in 1897, on display at The British Museum in London. Photo: Getty Images

Should museums return antiquities to their countries of origin? Some say no

New fronts have opened up in the war of cultural restitution, raising complex ethical and legal questions as some argue against museums returning foreign artefacts.

Reading Time:11 minutes
Participants compete at the Hyrox Open Asian Championships at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, in November 2024. Photo: Edmond So

3 top wellness trends to make 2025 a better year

Reading Time:5 minutes
Avatihalli is one of four stations on the Bengaluru-Kolar line restored in collaboration with South Western Railway and with the help of local communities and businesses. Photo: Anita Rao Kashi

A Bengaluru train ride back in time

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Jay Chou performs at Nanjing Olympic Sports Center in November 2019. Photo: Getty Images

16 new spiders have just been named after Jay Chou’s songs

Reading Time:2 minutes
Home in Bath, UK, of Kate Sbuttoni, founder of The Ginger Jar Lamp Co. Photo: Jake Eastham

Why this British couple went for a ‘midimalist’ home in Bath

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MORE IN POSTMAG
Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
A handout photo from the Royal Thai Police shows Chinese actor Wang Xing being escorted by officers after returning from Myanmar, at the police airport in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Chinese tourists

Chinese cancel Thai holidays as actor Wang Xing’s kidnapping fuels safety fears

Thailand is expected to take a tourism and economic hit from Lunar New Year trip cancellations.

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Travel Destinations

5 of Fukuoka’s must-visit food stalls for ramen, yakitori and great vibes

India

A Bengaluru train ride back in time

Toyota

New 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser can still take the rough with the smooth

The world’s bestselling off-road vehicle has been updated, and the 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser’s all-wheel drive is as tough as ever.

The 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser. Photo: Toyota
Thailand

Missing Chinese actor found in Myanmar

Wang Xing, also known as Xing Xing, became unreachable after he was reportedly seen at the Thai-Myanmar border following his arrival in Bangkok early on Friday

Indonesia

Bali to curb HMPV cases, steps up checks on visitors from China and Malaysia

The Indonesian government says HMPV is not a deadly virus and advises locals to maintain good hygiene.

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Travel Destinations

Getting into hot water on scenic onsen road trip across Kyushu, Japan

Driving along the Yamanami Highway from Kumamoto to Beppu and back brings beautiful views and chances to relax in hot-spring baths.

An onsen in Beppu, Kyushu, Japan. Photo: Sam Evans
Veganism and vegetarianism

Phuket’s Vegetarian Festival, where extreme body piercings bring blessings

Every autumn in Phuket, those chosen by the gods are impaled with spikes, swords and more in one of Thailand’s most unusual religious events.

China travel

Shanghai draws S Koreans in droves as China’s visa-free entry entices travellers

Even some less-visited places around Shanghai are gaining popularity, but the language barrier, pollution and internet censorship may still deter some visits.

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Food and Drinks

4 restaurants you’ll want to visit in Suzhou, Jiangsu province

Enjoy a transparent pomegranate, squirrel fish in sweet and sour sauce or Fujian surf and turf chicken at these Suzhou restaurants.

Drunken Thai mantis shrimp seasoned with zaolu, a sauce extracted from aged distilled grains and seasoned with spices, at Ping Jiang Song in Suzhou, China. Photo: Evelyn Chen
Nepal

Planning a helicopter tour of Everest? Nepal has some bad news for you

Officials say locals angry at the environmental impact of helicopter flights and loss of income from trekkers have threatened landing sites.

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A helicopter flies around the Everest region in Nepal last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
Thailand

Boosted by Chinese visitors, Thai tourism nears pre-Covid levels

Thailand’s tourism surges with 26 per cent more visitors, driven by eased visa rules for Chinese tourists, boosting the economy.

Tourism

Festivals are ‘not a show’, priest says in Japan tourism vs tradition row

Special seats giving premium views of festivals in places such as Kyoto, aimed at foreigners, stoke debate about tourism’s impact on culture.

History

Italy’s bee buzzes off to India after failing EU emissions standards

Piaggio Apé 3-wheeler is slow but carries a big load. A feature of Italian life for 75 years, it will now be built in India.

A Piaggio Apé three-wheeler van in Rome, Italy. Photo: Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Travel Destinations

Recap | Travel India, from Mysore’s yoga scene, to Mumbai’s glamour and a new wave of eco-friendly boutique hotels

India’s diverse travel experiences offer sustainable boutique hotels, yoga retreats, heritage crafts, glamour, history, scenic waterways and more.

A tiger drinks from a lake at Pench National Park, near Jamtara Wilderness Camp in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Photo: Jamtara Wilderness Camp
Japan

Will Japan’s hot spring culture be added to Unesco list in 2028?

A group of governors is lobbying to get the centuries-old Japanese onsen practice included on Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list.

Malaysia

Malaysian air travel bounces back but still shy of goal for Chinese tourists

International arrivals surged by 20.7 per cent from 2023, with Chinese and Indian tourists leading the return, official data showed.

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Smoking and vaping

Vietnam bans vapes, to impose fines for users and jail producers

Country joins others including Singapore, Thailand, India and Australia in banning travellers from bringing in e-cigarettes.

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Vietnam has announced a ban on the sale and use of vapes. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong can boost tourism by repositioning itself as gateway to Asia

The government should focus less on mega-events and more on working with other Asian cities to offer exotic holiday bundles to Western tourists.

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The Philippines

8 Asian surfing spots to ride the waves, from Phuket to Sri Lanka

Surfing is banned in Hong Kong, but the rest of Asia offers great alternatives for everyone – from Phuket’s beginner waves to Indonesia’s challenging barrels.

Ukraine war

Some Chinese flights avoiding southern Russia after Azerbaijan Airlines crash

Flights to Georgia and Hungary seem to avoid Russia’s Dagestan region after plane carrying 67 allegedly shot down by Russian air defence.

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China is among the few countries still using Russian airspace for civilian flights since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Photo: Xinhua
Singapore

Singapore wants to host more mega-events in 2025, boosting regional growth

Singapore’s rise as a concert hub, highlighted by Taylor Swift’s shows, has sparked envy from neighbours. But, experts argue, it could encourage tourism growth.

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Taylor Swift performs at tSingapore’s National Stadium on March 02, 2024. Photo: Getty Images
Education

Tourists pay US$220 for lessons in being a Japanese high school student

An abandoned school in Japan has become an edutainment venue for foreign tourists, who can live a day in the life of a Japanese student.

Tourism

16 new hotels and resorts across the world to visit in 2025

With new properties from brands including Regent, Intercontinental, Six Senses and Mandarin Oriental, get ready to rev up your wanderlust.

China travel

3 must-see spots in Guangzhou, including China’s first 5-star hotel

With visa-free access to China being offered to nearly 60 countries, here are some interesting things to do in Guangzhou on a visit.

The Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou blends traditional Chinese architecture with Islamic motifs and is a must-see on a visit to the Chinese city. Photo: Erika Na
Aviation

Mantle of longest Boeing 747 passenger flight to pass from Asia to Europe

Korean Air will replace the ‘Queen of the Skies’ with the smaller Boeing 777-300ER for its 7,153-mile flight from Seoul to Atlanta in 2025.

The final Boeing 747 lands at Paine Field following a test flight on January 10 in Everett, Washington. Photo: AP
Year in Review

Travel stories you read most in 2024, about a horror gang rape and more

We look back at some of the top stories in travel for 2024, from a shocking gang rape in India to the revamp of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown.

Thailand

Hotel fire in Bangkok tourist area kills 3 foreigners ahead of New Year’s Eve

A fire erupted on the 5th floor of the six-storey Ember Hotel, and the cause is under investigation.

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