This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2026
From soaring skyscrapers to cobblestone alleyways, starry chef-led dining to hilltop homestay banquets, Asia contains a multitude of contrasts – and our best places to go in Asia in 2026, compiled by our writers’ network from across the continent, reflects this extraordinary variety.
You may be looking for new reasons to reacquaint yourself with big-hitters, such as Udaipur in India’s Rajasthan region, where a series of hotel openings – aesthetically poles apart – is driving an exciting sense of renewal. Or perhaps 2026 is the year for seeking out the unknown? The capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil, known for its 6,000-year-old Citadel, is safeguarding its rich history while determinedly building a peaceful future.
Culture continues to draw travellers across the continent. Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District promises to add to its breathtaking tally of museums with the opening of the Natural History Museum and completion of Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. A slew of arts-based projects are in the pipeline in Tashkent as the Silk Road city seeks to make its mark and opens the long-awaited Centre for Contemporary Art, a catalyst for new creative spaces across the city. And two great glittering Asian cities, Seoul and Hong Kong, are about to cut the ribbon on significant arts venues, too. Whatever motivates your travel plans, head east on an Asian adventure in 2026. Clare Dight
Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan
Go for: Bragging rights and a real sense of adventure
A calm spot in a volatile region, Erbil is the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a place rich in cultural heritage and natural beauty, with an ethnically diverse population proud of its Kurdish identity. There’s a strong desire to overturn past headlines, and the 2025 establishment of Visit Kurdistan, a private sector initiative with government backing, is a major first step in welcoming visitors, with the goal of attracting 20 million tourists to the region by 2030.
Today, cranes dot the skyline as Erbil modernises, with new developments such as Erbil Avenue, a residential project home to international brands such as Gordon Ramsay’s Street Burger, EL&N London, CZN Burak and Entrecote Cafe de Paris. The United States is preparing to open its largest consulate in the world in an Erbil suburb, and a Real Madrid youth football academy is reportedly on the way.
There’s also a renewed focus on the city’s ancient heritage. Parts of the Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site inhabited for more than 6,000 years, have reopened following extensive ongoing restoration works (with a hotel and restaurant due to follow). The Kurdish Textile Museum and the Cihan Cultural House, a welcoming place for Kurdish food, conversation, craft classes and a selection of locally made souvenirs, are also found within its walls. The 37-metre-high Choli Minaret, a symbol of the city and the tallest structure on the skyline for centuries, is set for its own restoration works, too.
Erbil is a city to savour slowly, to sip sweet tea beneath the ancient ramparts alongside men dressed in baggy sharwal pants, and to join friendly young Kurds for drinks and live music in Ankawa neighbourhood bars. It feels like a privilege to be welcomed with such warm hospitality by people who are genuinely curious as to why you’re visiting, where you’re from – and when you’ll be coming back.
How to plan it: There are direct flights to Erbil from more than 30 cities, including Dubai, Frankfurt and Istanbul, and visas for entry to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (excluding Baghdad and Federal Iraq) are available on arrival to citizens of more than 50 countries. The best time to visit is in the spring and autumn to avoid temperature extremes. Nicola Chilton
Hong Kong, China
Go for: Enhanced green spaces and panoramic views
Forever forward-facing, Hong Kong is further enhancing its tourism credentials in 2026. Both on and off the island, the cultural scene is flourishing. At the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, within the Foster + Partners’-designed West Kowloon Cultural District, the WestK Performing Arts Centre will open three world-class dance and theatre stages in 2026, with seating for some 2,300 people. And, in the heart of Central, French chef Daniel Boulud will debut Terrace Boulud, on the 25th floor of Landmark Prince’s, which connects to the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong via a walkway. The opening is part of the flagship hotel’s sweeping renovation, which is costing more than $100 million, includes the addition of longer-stay apartments and is anticipated to wrap by late 2026.
With ambitions to handle up to 120 million air passengers by 2027, Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) will unveil further improvements under its $18 billion, three-runway expansion programme. Upgrades to Terminal 2 are key, with a newly opened coach hall and self-service check-in facilities due by the summer of 2026.
If you plan to head outdoors to appreciate Hong Kong’s green spaces, you’ll find improved hiking trail facilities, such as waymarks and visitor information panels, at four of Hong Kong's peaks: The Peak, Lantau Peak, Tai Mo Shan and Sai Kung Hoi. And for the best view of all? Head to the sky100 Observation Deck for panoramic vistas of the city’s skyscraper skyline and undulating hills when it reopens with new visitor experiences mid-year.
How to plan it: Go between September and November for sunny, breezy days. It’s best to avoid the typhoon season, which typically begins in May. Fly into HKIA and pick up an Octopus smartcard for contactless payments on public transport, and at retail, dining and entertainment outlets. Caroline Marques
Labuan Bajo, Indonesia
Go for: The wilds of nature and homespun hospitality
A small fishing town on the western tip of Flores, Labuan Bajo is the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Komodo National Park, a smattering of volcanic islands inscribed for their unique landscape and rare evolutionary prize, the komodo dragon. Until now, Labuan Bajo has remained in the shadow of its more famous island neighbour Bali, but a recent upgrade to its airport to receive international flights is set to raise its profile. Traditionally a jumping off point from where travellers catch a boat to see the giant lizards or photograph Komodo Island’s delicate shell-pink beach, the town is keen to tempt travellers to linger – and hotels are moving in. Swiss-Belhotel is opening a pool-villa resort, Maua Labuan Bajo, set over 12 hectares in the hills, joining Marriott’s Ta’akatana, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, complete with stilted overwater villas, which opened in 2024.
While the government is limiting tourist numbers on neighbouring Padar Island to aid conservation efforts, Labuan Bajo is leaning into sustainable tourism – from locally run coffee shop, Elevate Espresso, brewing beans from Flores’ hillsides; to homegrown start-up Dapur Tara, a community restaurant and sister homestay, Sten Lodge, up in the hills. Here, locals serve heritage dishes such as smoked chicken, crispy papaya leaf and bamboo rice, cooked over a wood fire using ingredients from their food forest. With five stilted, palm-fringed bamboo huts, diners-cum-guests can go to sleep after a Manggarai feast, waking to bird song and glorious mountain views.
How to plan it: The best time to visit is during the dry season from April to October. Fly direct to Labuan Bajo’s Komodo International Airport from Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia, or from Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia. Low-cost carrier and subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, Scoot, launched direct flights to the island from Singapore in October. Claire Turrell
Naoshima, Japan
Go for: The chance to visit before the crowds
Tucked into Setouchi, off Japan’s southwest coast, Naoshima has evolved from a few traditional fishing villages into an island-wide art gallery, where contemporary works spill from museums into repurposed bathhouses and abandoned schools, and line hillside trails. The Naoshima New Museum of Art, a minimalist, partially underground structure designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, opened in May 2025, with a mandate to collect art from Asia as well as Japan. The museum, the first in a residential suburb in Naoshima town, features works by Takashi Murakami and Cai Guo-Qiang, exploring themes of Asian futurism and Japanese cosmology. It’s Ando’s 10th major project for Benesse Art Site Naoshima, the revolutionary art project conceived to drive rural regeneration on Naoshima and its neighbours, which grabbed world attention when a Kusama Pumpkin sculpture was swept out to sea in a typhoon in 2021.
As Naoshima and its neighbouring islands attract greater numbers of culture seekers, travel companies are taking note. Luxury tour operator Tauck is expanding its small-ship cruises in Japan with a new Seoul to Tokyo itinerary for 2026, which includes an exploration of the Seto Inland Sea, and a guided excursion to explore Naoshima’s contemporary arts legacy. The luxury hotel group, Mandarin Oriental, is set to open three boutique properties in Setouchi from 2027 to 2030, including a ryokan-style hotel in Naoshima – so go now, before the crowds arrive.
How to plan it: The best time to visit is March to May or September to November, avoiding the heat and rains of summer. Naoshima plays a starring role in the Setouchi International Art Triennale, a contemporary art festival with a reputation for community involvement, which runs sessions in spring, summer and autumn on different islands over the course of its programming. Take a domestic flight to Takamatsu or Okayama cities from the international flight hubs of Tokyo or Osaka, then it’s a short ferry ride to Naoshima. Stay at the beautifully curated, museum-cum-hotel Benesse House Museum, another early Ando project. Paris Wilson
Patan, Nepal
Go for: Creative energy and trendy drinking spots
There’s a sense of optimism in Kathmandu, following anti-corruption protests and demonstrations that unfolded in the Nepali capital in September 2025, leading to the establishment of a new interim government. In Patan – once a city-state kingdom of the Kathmandu Valley, now part of the modern-day capital – change was already afoot. In the Old City within a city, cobblestone lanes burst with artisans, and spaces like Gallery Mcube and Space A will host artist residencies in 2026. While the streets currently thrum with copper workers fashioning tortoise shell-shaped lamps, sold at boutiques like Image Ark, the rattle of towering wooden chariots will take over during Patan’s weeks-long Rato Machindranath Jatra festival, beginning in April or May, dependent on the lunar calendar. Eager new creatives are moving in – a process that will be made easier with Nepal’s plans to unveil a five-year digital nomad visa in 2026.
The boys behind BARC – the first Nepali bar on Asia’s 50 Best list and 2025 recipient of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award – are about to open a 12-seater cocktail bar, Swotha, in a tucked-away alley in Patan, dedicated to the local, rice-derived spirit aylā. Michelin-starred Old Nepal Tokyo, known for modern menus inspired by 20 years of culinary field work across Nepal, is shutting shop in Japan and moving to Patan. Expect popups in the summer of 2026 as it searches for new digs, and make sure to also visit Jun Chiya Ghar, to sip on organic small-batch teas sourced by a variety of Michelin-starred establishments.
Travellers, however, should also sample staple dishes in classic Patan locations: black dal pancakes (bara) topped with buffalo meat at Honacha, a hole-in-the-wall, family-run eatery, metres from UNESCO Heritage Site Patan Durbar Square; or bowls of chilled laphing noodles, rolled up with chilli oil and covered with crushed Wai Wai at Binu’s, a narrow five-storey restaurant with views of a centuries-old rainwater pond, stupa and temple.
How to plan it: Both spring and autumn are high seasons, offering comfortable weather and clear views of the valley mountains. However, the monsoon off-season is also special, when summer showers on muggy days cleanse relatively empty temples and monuments. Stay at heritage guesthouses like Newa Chen, a 300-year-old home turned Unesco conservation project, complete with narrow wooden staircases and a cobblestone courtyard. Traffic varies but Patan is an approximately 40-minute, government-certified, pre-paid taxi ride from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport. Julian Manning
Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi
Go for: World-class cultural institutions
Abu Dhabi might not always get the same share of global attention as its glitzier neighbour, Dubai, but the UAE capital has just as much, if not more, to shout about right now – much of which is taking place on Saadiyat Island, where a cultural renaissance is underway. Saadiyat Cultural District has been home to Louvre Abu Dhabi since 2018, and, come 22 November, it will be joined by Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, before the long-awaited Zayed National Museum opens its doors a week later. Named after the UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, the museum will take visitors through the history of the UAE, while looking to the country's future. Designed by renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, the building has taken dramatic shape on the capital’s skyline in recent years, featuring striking narrow glass atriums inspired by a falcon’s wingtips.
Then, in 2026, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due to be completed, shaping this 2.5-kilometre-square patch of island, surrounded by the calm waters of the Arabian Gulf, into a museum district to rival that of London or New York. Add to this line-up the new teamLab Phenomena and existing Abrahamic Family House – an interfaith complex and one of the world’s most unique representations of tolerance – plus the string of luxury resorts that line Saadiyat Beach, the UAE’s most beautiful stretch of coast, next door, and you’ve got more than enough reasons to add Saadiyat Island to your 2026 travel wishlist.
How to plan it: It’s a 30-minute taxi journey from Zayed International Airport to Saadiyat Island’s museum quarter. You can book a two-night stopover in the UAE capital, with a complimentary city hotel stay, via Etihad Airways. The Experience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus is a hop-on-and-off complimentary service, linking hotels and tourist attractions across the city centre and beyond, including Saadiyat Island. Sophie Prideaux
Seoul, South Korea
Go for: Up-and-coming creative neighbourhoods
From innovative skincare to K-pop and K-dramas, Seoul’s exports are world-renowned. But experiencing South Korea’s capital first hand is even more rewarding, with museums and gated royal palaces at the foot of glass skyscrapers, shopping in districts like upmarket Gangnam, and mandu dumplings and sweet pancakes to taste-test at street food markets when your feet tire.
Expanding airline networks mean it’s never been easier to fly into Seoul. And once you land, upgrades to Seoul’s transit lines are making the metropolitan area increasingly accessible: the Seohae Line extension (scheduled for completion in March 2026) will make it easier to head outside the city centre to explore smaller local museums and local beauty spots. The Dongbuk Line (beginning service in 2027) will open up northeast Seoul neighbourhoods like nostalgic Jegi-dong with its traditional herbal medicine museum and spa, as well as Gongneung-dong, known for great coffee and indie music.
Meanwhile, inspired by New York’s Edge and Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands, the city will open 12 observatories by the end of 2026, showcasing Seoul's skyline from surrounding mountain ridges. There are plenty of new museums to visit at ground level, too. Frieze House Seoul has opened a permanent exhibition space connecting global and local art scenes with year-round gallery residencies and events in Yaksu-dong, a neighbourhood emerging as a centre for creativity. Photo SeMA in Chang-dong and the Seo-Seoul Museum of Art in Geumcheon are recently opened outposts of the Seoul Museum of Art focusing on photography and digital media, respectively; while Park Seo-bo Museum Seoul is dedicated to one of South Korea’s seminal contemporary artists.
How to plan it: Spring and autumn are the best times to visit South Korea’s capital for dry, sunny weather and pleasant temperatures. There are several new direct flights to Seoul, including from Salt Lake City with Delta and from Seattle on Alaska Airlines. Virgin Atlantic's first ever daily direct flight from London launches in March 2026. Amber Gibson
Shenzhen, China
Go for: Art, design and classical music festivals
Once a fishing village at the mouth of the Pearl River, Shenzhen has transformed into China’s most dynamic Special Economic Zone over the past 40 years. Today, the city of around 18 million people anchors the Greater Bay Area, its futuristic skyline rising straight from the water’s edge. The 599-metre Ping An International Finance Centre towers overhead, while Nanshan’s Qianhai district and the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base are reshaping Shenzhen’s profile.
High above the bay, with beautiful skyline views, St Regis unveiled a second Shenzhen property in the Bao’an commercial district in 2025, paying homage to a century-old classic and following the Shangri-La, which has opened a new flagship in Nanshan. There are luxury brand debuts on the horizon too: Rosewood will open on busy thoroughfare Shennan Boulevard in 2026, and Mirage by MGM promises to bring a splash of resort glamour to Xiaomeisha’s coastline by the end of the year.
Shenzhen’s cultural calendar is equally forward-looking. In 2026, Shenzhen Design Week and Art Shenzhen will return with audience-friendly explorations of design, consumer tech and contemporary art. For classical music lovers, the Verbier Festival makes its first-ever appearance beyond Switzerland’s borders, bringing a roster of global musical talent to the city for the 10-day event from 30 January to 8 February. Many of the inaugural festival’s headline performances will be staged at a new and futuristic-looking landmark, the Shenzhen Longgang International Art Centre, which opens at the end of 2025.
How to plan it: Just across the river from Hong Kong, Shenzhen is easy to reach by high-speed rail or direct international flights into Bao’an International Airport. The best time to visit is October through December, when mild weather makes it ideal to stroll along Shenzhen Bay Park, hike up Wutong Mountain for panoramic views, or head east to OCT East, where nature and entertainment converge. Jing Yang
Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Go for: An emerging contemporary arts scene
Tashkent, Central Asia’s largest city and beating heart, has reinvented itself time and again – shaped first by Silk Road merchants, then by Arab dynasties and later Russian conquest. Those layers remain in the city’s sweeping Soviet Modernist silhouettes and Silk Road-era blue-tiled domes. At the end of 2025, city officials cut the ribbon on the Centre for Islamic Civilisation, a palatial complex housing a museum, and exhibition and education spaces dedicated to telling the story of Islamic culture and learning. It’s also symbolic of the country’s determination to step onto the global cultural stage.
March 2026 will mark the public opening and inaugural contemporary art exhibition of the long-awaited Centre for Contemporary Art. Housed in the city’s first diesel station, built in 1912 and renovated by studio KO – the Parisian practice behind Marrakech’s Yves Saint Laurent Museum – the space will serve as a crucible for Uzbekistan’s modernist legacy and an anchor for the capital’s ambitious new arts era. That momentum is spilling into Tashkent’s historic mahallas (neighbourhoods), where restored courtyard houses in Namuna and Khast Imom have been transformed into artist residencies. Here, writers, curators and makers from around the world are fostering dialogues between heritage craft and contemporary innovation, shifting Tashkent from a logistical Silk Road gateway into a cultural destination in its own right.
How to plan it: Fly into Tashkent’s international airport during spring (April to June) and autumn (September to October) for the clearest skies and liveliest festivals. Newly launched flight routes from Europe, and south and southeast Asia are bringing the city closer than ever. In 2026, getting around Uzbekistan will also become faster and more stylish, thanks to the new “slow-tourism” luxury Samarkand Express and the high-speed Afrosiyob train, which will slash travel time to Khiva in half. Avantika Chaturvedi
Udaipur, India
Go for: New luxury hotels and a sense of urban renewal
In a valley within the ancient Aravalli mountains, Rajasthan’s 16th-century “lake city” has always drawn glamorous travellers to its Rajput palaces and stately havelis. Now, a flurry of luxury hotel openings is bringing a welcome sense of renewal. Alongside icons of Indian hospitality like the Taj, Oberoi and Leela groups, major international players have entered the fray. Tucked into the forest surrounding the 19th-century Monsoon Palace – the former hunting retreat of Maharana Sajjan Singh – Fairmont Udaipur Palace is a palatial 327-key hotel filled with Pichwai art, intricate chattris and nods to Rajput-era design.
If you’re inspired by its sumptuous design details, visit The House of Things, Udaipur’s new address for Indian design, where more than 200 homegrown brands, including Jaipur Rugs and Aadyam Handwoven, come together under one roof in a collection curated by locals Astha and Manan Khetan. The 226-key Marriott has also debuted on the northern edge of Fateh Sagar, encircled by hills, and filled with sweeping marble terraces and stone-carved jharokas. Meanwhile, in the heart of Udaipur, on the fringes of Lake Pichola, longtime favourite The Leela Palace Udaipur is channelling its signature modern Indian aesthetic into its new private villa offering, Arq at Pichola, with private butler service, mixologists on call and waterfront daybeds at three exclusive villas.
Boutique Indian brand Minimalist Hotels is due to bring its signature design-forward style to the banks of Lake Pichola in the coming months, with an intimate 20-key property, while the Hilton is set to arrive in early 2026. From 20 to 22 February 2026, vintage automobiles will rumble through the grounds of The Oberoi Udaivilas as the Oberoi Concourse d’Elegance returns for its second edition. Sir Jackie Stewart, Jacky Ickx and Giacomo Agostini are among the expert panel that will judge the showcase of European and American classics, heritage Indian cars and automobiles of erstwhile maharajas.
How to plan it: The best time to visit Udaipur is in the cooler months from September to March. Fly into Udaipur Airport from major Indian cities such as Delhi (1 hour and 15 minutes), Mumbai (1 hr 30 mins), Bengaluru (2 hr 10 mins) and Jaipur (1hr). Jaipur, a 6.5-hour drive away, is the closest international airport. Malavika Bhattacharya