January 15, 2020 Comments Off on Best Ways to Spend 30 Days Visiting Asia Views: 438 Urban Trekker

As the world’s largest and most populous continent, Asia has so much diversity, it’s difficult to even comprehend. With 48 countries in the continent of Asia, the number of culturally rich things to do and see can seem overwhelming.

A lot of your Asia travel plans will depend on your budget, the time of year you’re visiting, and which region of Asia you’re visiting. Not a small consideration is how you plan to travel throughout Asia. For example, if you’re backpacking, your trip will look significantly different than that of someone who will have access to transportation.

The best plan is to choose a handful of experiences and stick to that list. With that said, let’s dive in and explore some of the best ways how to spend 30 days in Asia.

Visit Thailand’s Kayan Women Villages

Kayan women start wearing rings from the age of four or five, adding new rings each year.

Conscientious individuals cringe at the idea of touring Thailand’s hill tribe villages with the hopes of glimpsing exotic women wearing rings around their necks. However, we encourage you to visit the Kayan women. Here’s why: these women are stateless, and their non-resident status keeps them from employment opportunities. Ethical tourism helps them provide for their families.

Please do some research though and make sure you use a responsible tour company that will use the fees you pay to benefit their village directly. Avoid third-party booking companies. You can even volunteer or stay overnight to learn about their culture.

Tour a UNESCO World Heritage Site in a Vintage Car

The French colonial town of Luang Prabang in Laos is tranquil and picturesque. With its charming blend of Asian and European influences, Luang Prabang has beautiful ancient cobbled streets that lead to gilded temples. Rent a vintage car to tour the city and the surrounding countryside, but be sure to make time to watch the monks receive alms at sunrise.

Dine at Tree Alliance Restaurants

You’ll find Tree Alliance Restaurants in Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Money paid to these eateries goes to programs that assist low-income adolescents and children. Also, these establishments train disadvantaged young people to become chefs and waiters.

Hop Aboard a Hot Air Balloon in Bagan

Hot air balloons overwhelming the skies above Bagan.

Bagan, Myanmar is a mystical land of thousands of temples. The best way to see them? On a sunrise or sunset hot air balloon ride. As you rise above the mists, you’ll be able to see the more than 2,000 Hindu and Buddhist temples below, hundreds of palm trees, and peanut and cotton farms.

Watch a Batik Demonstration

The House of Danar Hadi in Surakarta, Indonesia, houses a collection of more than 11,000 antique and royal batik. A selection of the treasures is on display throughout 11 rooms of a beautiful old colonial building. To see it all, pay for a tour, and you’ll also be able to watch a demonstration. This is priceless: no photography is allowed, making this a genuinely unique experience that you’ll only be able to describe with words.

Meet a Holy Monkey

Monkeys make for a regular sight at Nepal’s sacred Swayambhunath Stupa.

On a little hillock northwest of Kathmandu Valley in Nepal, you’ll find Swayambhunath Stupa, or “Monkey Temple,” a fifth-century Buddhist temple complex. One of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal, you can wish good fortune for someone by lighting five candles. While there, be sure to check in on the Sleeping Buddha and visit the Dewa Dharma Monastery to see the bronze icon of Buddha.

Pay to Visit Bhutan

The country of Bhutan made the decision to skip the hordes of low-rent tourists and welcome high-paying ones. To visit Bhutan, you’ll have to pay a tariff of between $200 and $250 per day. Your reward? One of the most pristine countrysides in Asia. By limiting visitors, the country is able to preserve its rich cultural identity.

Discover a Lost City

Now a part of Angkor Archaeological Park, Angkor Thom was the last capital of the Khmer empire and was built in the late 12th century. To visit the Bayon temple, go during the noon hours.

Explore Singapore’s Last Remaining Stretch of Rainforest

At the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, you’ll find squirrels, macaques, various species of birds, and flying lemurs. If you opt to hike or bike the trails, you’ll even get to see these amazing creatures up close. A definite gem on your list of how to spend 30 days in Asia.

Sleep in a Traditional Japanese Inn Overlooking Mount Fuji

A ryokan is for travelers who wish to experience some of the authenticity of Japanese culture.

Traditional Japanese ryokan (inns) have been in business since the eighth century A.D. They typically feature communal baths and tatami-matted rooms. Yoshimatsu overlooks Mount Fuji, and staying there will give you a real taste of traditional old-world Japanese luxury.

Plan Your Next Trip

While 30 days seems like a long time for a vacation, when you’re visiting a place as diverse as Asia, your time there will fly by. Even on the flight back home, you’ll probably be mentally planning your next trip to the continent of Asia. The beautiful thing about traveling is that there’s always something new to see the next time through.

What did we miss? Let us know how you’d spend 30 days visiting Asia. Namaste.

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Katie Tejada is a writer, editor, and former HR professional. She enjoys writing about events, travel, decorating trends, and innovations for the home, but also covers developments in HR, business communication, recruiting, real estate, finance, law, and investing.

Katie Tejada

Tags: Asia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, traveling