Asia

Pretty as a picture

Ancient ways of life effortlessly entwine with a culture way ahead of the curve in the land of the rising sun. Cruising in these parts may come with a focus on foodie favourites – from carefully crafted sushi to authentic Kobe beef – but it’s the natural landscapes that really set this archipelagic nation apart. Of course, even the autumn hues of rich ambers and golds, spring's cherry-blossom pinks, and the leafy greens of Hiroshima’s Memorial Park are no match for the sheer majesty of Mount Fuji. Yet still, beauty is clear across these lands of legend, ornamented by the skyscrapers of Tokyo and Temples of Shimizu.

Storied pasts and bright futures

Vietnam may have once been overlooked in favour of its neighbour across the Gulf of Thailand, but with its mesh of bustling cities and beautiful coastlines, this resilient country is turning the tables. Though much of this land enjoys a languid mood, life in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is wonderfully disordered. The streets buzz with people as they buy, sell and barter, rivalling the busy Binh Tay Market at every corner. Often atop scooters, everything here moves quickly, but few visitors sail away without first listening to the tales of a veteran at the Cu Chi Tunnels (or even taking a sub-terranean turn themselves).  

A tapestry of temples

Cambodia exudes a mysticism that’s hard to emulate, the not-so-secret ingredients of which come in the form of its extraordinary jungle ruins, Khmer villages, buttery beaches and cities of old-meets-new. A lot goes into this secret recipe for the beguiling; there’s a dash of city life moving through the raucous riverside bazaars of Siem Reap, and the modern art scenes that thrive alongside remnants of one of the world’s oldest civilisations. Its wealth of temples is more than worth the journey inland to the likes of the awe-inspiring Angkor Wat, and the vines coiling around the slumbering ruins of Ta Prohm.