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Asia travel

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Asia travel
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.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
The summit of Norman Foster’s HSBC Main Building in relief against The Peak, 1986. Photo: Ian Lambot

The building that rewrote architecture – 40 years ago

The architect whose creation defied convention and the photographer who shot it share their thoughts on an inside-out marvel.

Reading Time:7 minutes
The Chung Hom Kok, Hong Kong, home designed by Studio Quinn. Photo: courtesy Studio Quinn and Common Studio

How art transformed a Hong Kong home

Reading Time:4 minutes
Signature dishes from The Blind Pig, in Sai Wan Ho. Photo: Handout

How Hong Kong helped a Finnish chef love his homeland

Reading Time:4 minutes
Multimedia artist Lap-see Lam draws inspiration from her multicultural background. Photo: Mattias Lindbäck

Fried bananas and family lore: a Swedish-Chinese art story

Reading Time:7 minutes
Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak

Too shiny, straight, serious, samey: when architecture stops feeling human

Reading Time:9 minutes
Christie’s auctioneer Rahul Kadakia and his billion-dollar gavel. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

‘We didn’t play with toys, we played with jewels’: meet the man born for the rostrum

Reading Time:3 minutes
MORE IN POSTMAG
Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
Igor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian, was kidnapped and later found dead in a suspected murder in Bali in February. Photo: YouTube
Indonesia

Bali rocked by spate of murder cases – is Indonesian island more dangerous now?

The cases allegedly involving foreign suspects have spurred concerns that gang disputes have moved from other countries to the island.

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Japan

Litterbugs in Shibuya to be fined on the spot as visitor numbers surge

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Indonesia

‘Disturbing’: are Indonesia’s borders prone to systemic immigration corruption?

China travel

Amid soaring airfares, Chinese bookings up 20% ahead of Ching Ming holiday

Global instability fails to deter Chinese holidaymakers with airlines selling 2.04 million tickets in the lead-up to Ching Ming Festival.

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A China Eastern Airlines flight takes off from an airport in Shanghai. Demand for flights over the upcoming Ching Ming Festival holiday remains robust in China despite soaring airfares. Photo: Xinhua
North Korea

Video | Air China resumes direct flights to Pyongyang

The route resumption is seen as a sign of warming economic ties between China and North Korea.

Luxury Hotels

Review | Explore a new side of the city from the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan

The new Waldorf Astoria Shanghai Qiantan, with its futuristic facade, is situated in one of the city’s most stylish areas – and is Hilton’s 888th property in China.

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Japan

Sacred deer have been a fixture of Japan’s Nara. Now they’re wandering away

More green spaces in nearby cities and the deer’s adaptable nature have led to them straying as far as 40km away from their habitat.

The deer at Nara Park in Japan are popular with tourists and locals. Photo: AFP
Tourism

Profile | How a third-culture COO navigates culture clashes in frosty Niseko

The Luxe Nomad executive Patrick Ohtani talks about overcoming the issues that arise as cultures mix in the popular Japanese ski resort.

Tourism

Visiting South Korea? 10 BTS pilgrimage spots every Army should visit

Explore iconic landmarks throughout the K-pop band’s history, from the current Hybe headquarters to their trainee-era haunts.

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China trade

Chinese island province wants more than beachgoers as it chases economic growth

After three speculative booms – and busts – the island province is seeking sustainable growth based on new status as a free-trade port.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
Malaysia

Malaysia wanted 43 million tourists this year. Then the Iran war happened

Malaysia’s reliance on Gulf hubs is exposed as long-haul fares soar, but 21 million annual arrivals from Singapore offer a buffer.

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Members of the Iranian women’s football team seen at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Monday after staying in a hotel in the Malaysian capital while awaiting the next leg of their journey home. Photo: AFP
Japan

Video | Tokyo’s cherry blossom season kicks off early

This year’s sakura season is 5 days earlier than usual.

Japan

MORE: An SCMP travel series

Today’s travellers want more out of their trips. More purpose. More authenticity. More connection. They’re wary of the dangers posed by over-tourism. They’re less likely to follow algorithms, and more likely to champion sustainability. And in a world over-reliant on smartphones, the modern traveller wants to be in the moment. They want more — and the travel industry is adapting to meet that demand, as this series explores.

Malaysia

Some tourists in Malaysia make most of ‘extended’ holiday amid flight mess

Stranded European visitors in Malaysia navigate visa extensions and rebooking woes as the conflict shows no sign of easing.

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An Instagrammable spot in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Facebook/malaysia.travel.my
Food and Drinks

Best things to do in Harbin, China’s ice festival mecca with a Russian accent

Visiting Harbin during its Ice and Snow Festival adds a range of winter fun on top of delicious food, Russian architecture and bathhouses.

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Tourists admire ice sculptures during the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in 2023. As well as hosting the world’s largest ice festival, the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeastern China is home to delicious local delicacies and Russian influences, which make it great for a weekend getaway. Photo: China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Locals' Guide

Insider’s guide to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Derelict houses reborn as hip cafes and a showcase for local fashion talent are some of the draws in Johor’s capital, actress Debbie Goh reveals.

Tourism

Shizuoka, in Japan, needs more tourists. How does it attract them?

For tourists tired of cities like Tokyo or Osaka, Shizuoka offers a quieter experience of Japanese culture. But how can it market itself?

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Tourism

How the KPop Demon Hunters travel trend is shaking up ‘Korean wave’ tourism

While previous ‘hallyu’-driven tourist waves focused on K-pop culture, KPop Demon Hunters fans are embracing Korean culture on another level.

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Promotional material for instant noodles and snacks themed after the Netflix movie KPop Demon Hunters is displayed outside a shop in the tourist district of Myeongdong in Seoul. The South Korean capital has benefitted from a tourism wave linked to the movie’s popularity. Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images
MORE TRAVEL

Video | Can a new kind of hotel save Japan’s dying towns?

One concept hotel in Shizuoka gives tourists a sense of living history by turning sites of closed businesses into guest lodging.

China travel

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

China has continually expanded its visa-free policies in recent years. Here is a breakdown of the latest rules.

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Indonesia

‘Quite severe’: coastal erosion threatens future of Bali’s famed Kuta Beach

Experts warn extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island have worsened the situation.

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Tourists relax on Kuta Beach in Bali, Indonesia, in December 2025. Officials say the erosion on Kuta Beach is “quite severe”. Photo: EPA
Art

Why modern art museum Dib Bangkok is a must-visit destination in Thailand

Explore Dib Bangkok, a new contemporary art museum in a converted warehouse – its inaugural exhibition is showcasing works by 40 artists until August 3.

The courtyard of Thailand’s world-class museum of contemporary art, DIB Bangkok, which is housed in a converted warehouse redesigned by Why Architecture and Architects 49 (A49). Photo: Handout
Japan

The quiet Japanese islands where Christians once hid their religion

Those searching for solitude in these tranquil Japanese isles follow in the footsteps of persecuted Christians forced to practise their faith in secret.

Cambodia

Beyond Angkor Wat’s allure: discovering Cambodia’s hidden gems

From authentic Khmer dining and luxe temple living at Anantara Angkor Resort, to Phnom Penh’s vibrant streets, riverside strolls and artisanal souvenirs.

Tourism

5 top Instagram spots by Huizhou’s Highway 218 blending nature and architecture

From picturesque Xiangang Reservoir to Xialang Village’s architectural Grand Canopy, Huizhou’s scenic northwest has much for photographers.

Children play in the river as adults relax on the shore at The Grand Canopy in Xialang Village, in China’s Huizhou region. Designed by Chinese architect Zhao Rongzhi and artist Zhu Xiongyi, The Grand Canopy is one of many Instagram hotspots around Huizhou’s 218 Highway. Photo: Zhu Yumeng
Crime

Video | Australian hitmen guilty in Bali murder

The killers flew from Australia to Indonesia to intimidate a man over a debt, but mistakenly targeted his brother-in-law.

Australian suspect Paea-I-Middlemore Tupou (R) and Australian suspect Mevlut Coskun (L) attend a hearing as part of a trial at a courtroom in Denpasar on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on December 1, 2025. The trial of three Australians accused of plotting the murder of a compatriot at a villa in Bali continues, with all facing the death penalty. (Photo by SONNY TUMBELAKA / AFP)
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Tourism

K-tourism 2.0: Gen Z tourists prefer singing, dancing immersive holidays

K-pop and K-culture are driving a rise in tourism in South Korea, and many Gen Z visitors are opting for immersive experiences.

Editor's Letter

This week in PostMag: a focus on women in film, sport, science and life

For International Women’s Day, we look at women as wives and mistresses, as marine researchers, as athletes, and as battlers against perimenopause.

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