To say Asia is beautiful is an understatement. It is beyond wonderful. It is diverse in people, culture, art, and music. And what’s more, the world’s largest continent offers a healthy dose of adventure — from mega metropolises, vast highlands, laid-back islands, pristine lagoons, to primate-filled forests. Yes, Asia has so much to offer to satisfy anyone’s wanderlust.
We’ve narrowed down 10 of the best Asian landmarks that you need to visit before 2019 ends.
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1. Mount Fuji, Japan
A visit to the stunning Mount Fuji of Japan will surely rejuvenate even the most jaded. The nearly perfectly shaped volcano makes for magnificent scenery. Of all things in Japan, Fuji-san is the real deal.
The top of the volcano is like melted vanilla ice cream. The striking deep-blue horizon perfectly contrasts the volcano. Every year, there are almost 300,000 who make the ascent. It really is one wild adventure for vacationers who look for something extraordinary.
In 2013, Mt. Fuji was granted Unesco World Heritage status.
Fun fact: Mount Fuji is 12,389 feet high and is Japan’s highest volcano; 2nd-highest volcano in Asia, and 7th-highest peak of an island in the world.
2. Taj Mahal, India
Tourists looking for a beautiful piece of scenery must visit the massive ivory-white marble mausoleum — Taj Mahal.
The striking building was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan who said the building made the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
Taj Mahal was given a UNESCO World Heritage status in 1983. They believe the marble monument is a jewel of Muslim art and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage.
Thousands of tourists visit Taj Mahal to feast their eyes to its exquisite architectural design. Behind the building is a swamp that would make the surrounding hazy. Aside from the infrastructure itself, you will also be stunned by the stunning and smaller buildings besieging the Taj Mahal.
3. Mount Sanqing, China
Get mesmerized by the exquisite and most picturesque mountain in Jiangxi Province in China. There you will witness a continuous stream of panoramic views from the trail to the mountains in many locations.
The scenes are absolutely enchanting, breathtaking, and amazing. The mountains are dressed in emerald foliage. The cobalt blue sky with cotton-like clouds will rejuvenate your spirit. It’s truly one of the best places to sit and appreciate the wonderfully made tall mountains polished with greenery.
4. Great Wall, Beijing, China
The Great Wall of China is one of the most appealing attractions all around the globe. The grandeur architectural design has been protecting China’s consolidate territories for over 2,700 years.
In 1987, it was listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO. The dragon-like wall crawls up and down across mountains, deserts, grasslands, and plateaus.
According to history, the long wall wasn’t only for defense, but it also marked the country’s border and served as a transportation corridor.
Get your feet up and prepare for a climb that you will never forget.
5. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China
It’s breathtaking. It’s mesmerizing. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park has a unique view you won’t see in other places.
The forest park is loaded with pillar-like formations contoured by foliage. The pillars are formed due to the expanding ice in the winter and the plants that grow in them.
Fun fact: There you will see one pillar that stands tall than others. With the height of 3,540 feet, the locals call it as Southern Sky Column but had been renamed as Avatar Hallelujah Mountain in honor of the movie Avatar in 2010.
It was officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992, and in 2004, it was listed as a UNESCO global geopark.
6. Puerto Princesa Underground River, Philippines
In the beautiful country of the Philippines is one of the famous Asian landmarks known for its unique geological formation known as Underground River in Puerto Princesa.
The national park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. It also became a Ramsar Wetland Site in 2012 and was voted as a New7Wonders of Nature in the same year.
As you glide through the river, you will see spectacular limestone karst landscape. One of the best features of the river is that it emerges directly into the sea.
7. Petronas Twin Tower, Malaysia
When you visit Malaysia, you have to visit the PETRONAS Twin Tower! The identical towers offer a spectacular skyline and a view of the cityscape.
From 1998 to 2004, the twin buildings were referred to as the tallest buildings in the world. By now, they remain as the tallest twin towers in the world.
8. The Grand Palace, Thailand
In the heart of Bangkok, Thailand is the busiest tourist spot — The Grand Palace. The 2.35 million square feet Grand Palace seems not to have enough safe to accommodate its visitors from all around the globe.
The golden pointed temples are vivid under the daylight. Inside the temple is the Emerald Buddha that people consider as the most important image of Buddha in Thailand.
9. Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar
As one of the most famous pagodas and Asian landmark, Shwedagon Pagoda is a place you definitely should not miss. According to history, the pagoda has been in history for 2,600 years. It is also known as the oldest pagoda in the world.
What people really come to see here is the gold-plated dome containing thousands of rubies, sapphires, topaz, and diamonds. There are also emerald to reflect the rays of the sun.
Visitors are required to remove their shoes when entering the Shwedagon. It is said that the pagoda keeps eight hairs of the Buddha, which only adds up to the prestigiousness of it.
10. Zhangye Danxia Landform, China
Forbes described the rainbow mountains within Zhangye Danxia Landform as the Earth’s Paint Palette.
The famous Chinese mountains are painted like a rainbow. How did they form? The mountains are cretaceous sandstones and siltstones that were deposited in China. The silt and sand had traces of minerals and iron that provided the mountains the rainbow colors we see today.
The colorful mountains attract thousands of tourists. In 2009, the Zhangye Danxia National Park was named a UNESCO World Heritage site.
