Asia Itineraries

Asia travel guide · By Frank Adam Burns · Updated 5 September 2026

An itinerary is a set of decisions about where to sleep and in what order, and in Asia the order matters more than anywhere. These are the routes we build most — a week, ten days, two weeks, three — written as night-counts so they can be lifted straight into a booking.

An itinerary is a set of decisions about where to sleep and in what order, and in Asia those decisions carry more weight than anywhere: the wrong order costs a day at every move, the wrong month costs a coast, and the wrong number of places turns a holiday into a timetable. These are the routes we build most, tested across many departures, written as night-counts and sequences so they can be lifted straight into a booking. They are grouped by length — a week, ten to twelve days, two weeks, three weeks — and each states its season, who it suits, and where it can flex. Every one is a starting point; the trip we build for you will differ in the details and keep the bones.

The rules the routes follow

• Fewer places, longer stays. Three bases in ten days, four in fourteen, six in twenty-one. Two nights is the minimum anywhere; three is the norm.
• Open-jaw flights. In one city, out another. Never backtrack to the arrival airport.
• Culture first, beach last. The trip winds down, not up, and flies home from the coast.
• The month chooses the coast. Andaman or Gulf, north or south Vietnam, is decided by the calendar, not the brochure.
• One loose day in three. For the festival you did not know about and the street you followed.
• Each border costs a day. Two countries in a fortnight; three in three weeks; never three in two.

One week

Tokyo and Kyoto

The essential Japan · Apr–May, Oct–Nov; Jan–Feb for value · First-timers, couples, short leave

1. Days 1–3 Tokyo: Shinjuku, Asakusa and the Skytree, Meiji Shrine and Harajuku, Shibuya at dusk, teamLab
2. Day 4 Shinkansen to Kyoto; Gion evening
3. Days 5–6 Kyoto: Fushimi Inari at dawn, the eastern temples, Arashiyama, a Nara afternoon
4. Day 7 Kansai Airport

Seven days is enough for the two cities and nothing else; add Hakone only if you can stretch to eight. The first-time Japan guide has the long version.

Bali

Ubud and one coast · May–Sep · Families, couples, first-timers

1. Days 1–3 Ubud: rice terraces, Tirta Empul, the Monkey Forest, a cooking class
2. Days 4–7 Sanur, Nusa Dua or the Bukit: reef beach, a Nusa Penida boat day, Uluwatu at sunset
3. Day 7 Denpasar

A driver throughout; a villa for the second half. Six hours from the east coast makes a week worthwhile.

Bangkok and a beach

The Thai week · Nov–Apr for Krabi; Jun–Sep for Samui · Anyone

1. Days 1–3 Bangkok: the Grand Palace at 8.30, Wat Pho and Wat Arun, Chinatown at night, a khlong boat, Chatuchak if a weekend
2. Days 4–7 Krabi or Khao Lak (dry season) / Koh Samui (winter): the boat day, the beach, the resort
3. Day 7 fly home from Phuket or Samui via Bangkok

The coast is decided by the month; see things to do in Thailand.

Singapore and Kuala Lumpur or Penang

The stopover week · Any; Dec–Feb for Penang · Families, first-timers, food

1. Days 1–3 Singapore: Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa or the zoo, the hawker centres, Kampong Glam
2. Days 4–7 Penang: George Town on foot, the street food, Penang Hill, Kek Lok Si
3. Day 7 fly home from Penang via KL or Singapore

The gentlest week in Asia and the best-fed.

Ten to twelve days

The Japan Golden Route

Tokyo, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka · Apr–May, Oct–Nov; late May and early Oct for value · Everyone; the first trip most people should take

1. Days 1–4 Tokyo, with a Nikko or Kamakura day
2. Day 5 Hakone: the loop, a ryokan with a private bath
3. Days 6–9 Kyoto: the eastern hills at opening, Arashiyama, the north-west temples, a Nara day
4. Days 10–11 Osaka: the castle park, Kuromon, Dotonbori, Universal if wanted
5. Day 11 or 12 Kansai Airport

In via Haneda, out via Kansai. Luggage forwarded twice. Twelve days adds Hiroshima and Miyajima between Kyoto and Osaka.

Thailand: city, north, coast

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and the beach of your season · Nov–Feb (Andaman); Jun–Sep (Gulf) · First-timers, families, food

1. Days 1–3 Bangkok
2. Days 4–6 Chiang Mai: Doi Suthep at dawn, an ethical elephant sanctuary, a cooking class, the Sunday market
3. Days 7–10 Krabi, Khao Lak or Koh Lanta (dry season) / Koh Samui (winter)
4. Day 11 fly home from the coast via Bangkok

Fly Bangkok–Chiang Mai–coast; the sleeper train north is an option for the young.

South Korea: Seoul, Gyeongju, Busan

The Korean classic · Apr–May, Sep–Nov · Food, culture, teenagers, second trips to East Asia

1. Days 1–5 Seoul: the palaces in hanbok, Bukchon, Gwangjang, Namsan, Hongdae, the DMZ
2. Day 6 KTX to Gyeongju: the tumuli, Bulguksa, Anapji at night
3. Days 7–9 Busan: Gamcheon, Jagalchi, Haeundae, Haedong Yonggungsa
4. Day 10 KTX to Seoul and fly, or Busan–Jeju for three more nights

The South Korea guide has the twelve-day version with Jeju.

Taiwan: the island loop

Taipei, Taroko, Sun Moon Lake, Tainan · Oct–Dec, Mar–Apr · Value, safety, food, unhurried travellers

1. Days 1–4 Taipei: night markets, the Palace Museum, Jiufen and Yehliu, Beitou springs
2. Days 5–6 Hualien and Taroko Gorge
3. Days 7–8 Sun Moon Lake by HSR and car
4. Days 9–10 Tainan: temples, Anping, the street food
5. Day 10 HSR to Taipei (90 minutes) and fly

See things to do in Taiwan and the Taiwan tours page.

Bali and beyond

Ubud, the coast, and Java or the Gilis · May–Sep · Second trips to Bali, families with older children

1. Days 1–3 Ubud
2. Days 4–6 the Bukit or Seminyak
3. Days 7–9 Yogyakarta (Borobudur at sunrise, Prambanan, the palace) by a 90-minute flight / or the Gili Islands by fast boat
4. Days 10–11 back to Bali for a last night and fly

The Indonesia guide covers Java, Lombok and Komodo as extensions.

Vietnam: the centre and one city

Hoi An, Hue and Hanoi or Saigon · Feb–Aug for the centre · First trips to Vietnam, families, ten days

1. Days 1–3 Hanoi with a Halong overnight (or Saigon with the Mekong)
2. Day 4 fly to Da Nang
3. Days 4–8 Hoi An: the old town, An Bang beach, a cooking class, My Son, a basket-boat ride
4. Days 9–10 Hue by car over the Hai Van Pass: the citadel, the tombs
5. Day 10 fly home from Da Nang via a hub

The Vietnam most people should do first: one city, the centre, the beach, no long transfers.

Cambodia and Laos

Angkor, Phnom Penh, Luang Prabang · Nov–Feb · Second trips to the region, slow travellers

1. Days 1–3 Siem Reap: Angkor over three days
2. Day 4 fly or drive to Phnom Penh; Days 4–5 the palace, Tuol Sleng, the riverside
3. Day 6 fly to Luang Prabang; Days 6–9 the alms round, Kuang Si, the Pak Ou caves, the Mekong at sunset
4. Day 10 fly home via Bangkok or Hanoi

The two quietest countries in the region in one gentle ten days.

Two weeks

Vietnam top to bottom

Hanoi to Saigon with Halong, Hue and Hoi An · Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov; Feb–Aug for the centre · Food, history, value, couples

1. Days 1–3 Hanoi: the old quarter, a street-food walk, water puppets, Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum
2. Day 4 Halong or Lan Ha Bay overnight on a junk
3. Days 5–6 Hue by air or the scenic train: the citadel, the tombs by boat
4. Days 7–10 Hoi An: the old town at 7 am and 9 pm, An Bang beach, a cooking class, a tailor, My Son
5. Days 11–13 Saigon: the War Remnants Museum, Cu Chi, the Mekong Delta day, the rooftop bars
6. Day 14 Tan Son Nhat

In via Hanoi, out via Saigon. Fly Hanoi–Hue or Da Nang and Da Nang–Saigon; the Reunification Express is for those with time. The Vietnam guide has the 21-day version.

Japan: the Alps route

Tokyo, Kanazawa, Takayama, Kyoto, Hiroshima · Mid-Apr for blossom in the Alps; Oct for colour; Jan–Feb for Shirakawa-go under snow · Second trips, photographers, unhurried travellers

1. Days 1–3 Tokyo
2. Days 4–5 Kanazawa by Hokuriku Shinkansen: Kenroku-en, Higashi Chaya, Omicho market
3. Days 6–7 Shirakawa-go and Takayama by bus: the farmhouses, the morning markets, Hida beef
4. Days 8–11 Kyoto via Nagoya or the Thunderbird express
5. Days 12–13 Hiroshima and a night on Miyajima
6. Day 14 fly from Hiroshima via a hub, or Shinkansen to Kansai

The Golden Route with the crowds removed. A JR West or Hokuriku Arch pass pays here.

Thailand and Cambodia

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Angkor, and a beach · Nov–Feb · First-timers who want a great monument

1. Days 1–3 Bangkok
2. Days 4–6 Chiang Mai
3. Days 7–9 Siem Reap by air: Angkor over three days with a guide
4. Days 10–13 Krabi or Khao Lak via Bangkok
5. Day 14 fly home from Phuket

Cambodia’s e-visa in advance. The Cambodia guide covers Angkor.

Japan and Korea

Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, Busan · Apr–May, Oct–Nov · Two countries, no visa, two hours apart

1. Days 1–3 Tokyo
2. Days 4–7 Kyoto with a Nara day
3. Day 8 fly Osaka–Seoul (or Shinkansen to Fukuoka and the ferry to Busan, reversing the Korean leg)
4. Days 8–11 Seoul with the DMZ
5. Days 12–13 Busan
6. Day 14 fly home from Seoul, or from Busan via a hub

The most popular two-country trip we build. Our Japan vs South Korea article sets out the order.

Sri Lanka loop

The Cultural Triangle, the hills, the wildlife, the coast · Dec–Apr · Families with older children, couples, unhurried travellers

1. Days 1–2 Negombo or Colombo
2. Days 3–4 Sigiriya and the Cultural Triangle: the rock at opening, Polonnaruwa by bicycle, Minneriya elephants
3. Days 5–6 Kandy: the Temple of the Tooth, the botanic gardens
4. Days 7–8 the train to Ella: Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, a tea estate
5. Day 9 Yala: an afternoon and dawn safari
6. Days 10–13 Galle and the south coast: the fort, Mirissa whales, Hiriketiya
7. Day 14 Colombo

A driver throughout; the train is the one leg he does not do. See the South Asia guide.

Malaysia and Borneo

KL, Penang, Sabah’s wildlife · Mar–Oct for Borneo; Dec–Feb for Penang · Wildlife, families, value

1. Days 1–2 Kuala Lumpur
2. Days 3–5 Penang
3. Day 6 fly to Kota Kinabalu
4. Days 7–9 Sepilok and a Kinabatangan river lodge: orangutans, proboscis monkeys, the night walk
5. Days 10–11 Danum Valley or the Kota Kinabalu islands
6. Days 12–13 Kota Kinabalu
7. Day 14 fly home via KL

Malaria advice for the Kinabatangan. The Borneo guide has the lodges.

Three weeks

The Indochina loop

Bangkok, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia · Nov–Feb · The classic long trip; second and third visits to South-East Asia

1. Days 1–2 Bangkok
2. Day 3 fly to Luang Prabang; Days 3–5 the alms round, Kuang Si, the Mekong
3. Day 6 the Laos–China railway to Vientiane
4. Day 7 fly to Hanoi; Days 7–9 Hanoi and a Halong overnight
5. Days 10–13 Hoi An via Da Nang
6. Days 14–16 Saigon and the Mekong
7. Day 17 fly to Siem Reap; Days 17–19 Angkor
8. Day 20 fly to Bangkok; Day 21 home

Four countries in three weeks is the one exception to the border rule, because the flights are an hour and the region is a single culture zone. The Laos guide covers the railway.

Japan in depth

The Golden Route, the Alps, Hiroshima, and Hokkaido or Kyushu · Oct–Nov; May; Jan–Feb with Hokkaido · Second trips, three-week leave

1. Days 1–4 Tokyo
2. Day 5 Hakone
3. Days 6–9 Kyoto and Nara
4. Days 10–11 Kanazawa
5. Days 12–13 Takayama and Shirakawa-go
6. Days 14–15 Hiroshima and Miyajima
7. Day 16 fly Hiroshima or Osaka to Sapporo (winter) or Fukuoka (any season)
8. Days 16–20 Hokkaido (Niseko, Furano, Otaru) or Kyushu (Beppu, Yufuin, Kumamoto)
9. Day 21 fly home via Tokyo or direct from Sapporo/Fukuoka through a hub

Japan rewards length more than any country in Asia; the transitions cost nothing.

India: the north in depth

The Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, Varanasi · Oct–Mar · Experienced travellers, history, photographers

1. Days 1–2 Delhi
2. Days 3–4 Agra
3. Day 5 Fatehpur Sikri to Jaipur; Days 5–7 Jaipur
4. Days 8–9 Ranthambore tigers
5. Day 10 Pushkar; Days 11–12 Jodhpur
6. Days 13–14 Jaisalmer and a desert night
7. Days 15–17 Udaipur
8. Day 18 fly to Varanasi; Days 18–19 the ghats
9. Day 20 fly to Delhi; Day 21 home

A driver from Delhi to Udaipur, a flight to Varanasi. At least two palace nights. The India guide has the south as an alternative.

The four capitals of East Asia

Kyoto, Gyeongju, Beijing, Xi’an, with Tokyo and Seoul · Apr–May, Sep–Nov · History, second and third trips

1. Days 1–3 Tokyo
2. Days 4–7 Kyoto and Nara
3. Day 8 fly Osaka–Seoul; Days 8–10 Seoul
4. Day 11 KTX to Gyeongju; Days 11–12 Gyeongju
5. Day 13 fly Busan–Beijing; Days 13–16 Beijing and the Wall
6. Day 17 high-speed rail to Xi’an; Days 17–19 the Terracotta Army and the walls
7. Day 20 fly Xi’an–Shanghai; Day 21 home from Shanghai

A Chinese visa in advance and a guide in China. 2,500 years in the order they happened. The East Asia guide compares the four.

Vietnam, Cambodia and a beach

Top to bottom, Angkor, the coast of your season · Dec–Mar · Couples, honeymoons, the long South-East Asian trip

1. Days 1–12 Vietnam as the two-week route, compressed
2. Day 13 fly Saigon–Siem Reap; Days 13–15 Angkor
3. Day 16 fly to Bangkok and on to Krabi, or Saigon–Phu Quoc; Days 16–20 the beach
4. Day 21 home

The order runs culture to beach and the flights home leave from the coast.

By theme

The food route, three weeks

Tokyo and Osaka (5), Seoul (3), Taipei (3), Penang via KL (3), Bangkok (3), Hanoi (3). Six of the world’s great eating cultures, two hours apart at each step. The Asia food guide has what to eat in each.

The temple route, three weeks

The Indochina loop with two extra days at Angkor and a Sukhothai stop, or the four-capitals route above. The temples and heritage guide ranks the sites.

The beach route, two weeks, dry season

Phuket (3), Khao Lak and a Similans day (4), Krabi and Railay (4), Koh Lanta (3) — or, in the Australian winter, Bali (7) and the Gilis (5). The beaches and islands guide has the coasts.

The family routes

Bali ten days in June–July; Japan twelve days in September; Thailand twelve days at Christmas. Written out in the family holidays guide.

The honeymoon route, two weeks

Kyoto (4) and a Hakone ryokan (2), then fly Osaka–Bali for Ubud (3) and a Bukit villa (4). Or Hoi An (4), Angkor (3) and Koh Kood or the Gilis (6). Or, for the budget that allows it, Sri Lanka’s loop (9) and the Maldives (5). Culture first, water last, and one night somewhere that costs too much, booked by us so nobody argues about it on the day.

The wildlife route, two weeks

Chiang Mai’s elephants (3), Borneo’s orangutans at Sepilok and the Kinabatangan (5), Komodo from Labuan Bajo (4), and a Bali night either end. Or Sri Lanka’s leopards and elephants (7) with Ranthambore’s tigers (4) across the strait. March to October for Borneo and Komodo; December to April for Sri Lanka and India.

The unhurried route, two weeks

Tokyo (4), Hakone (2), Kyoto (5), Osaka (2), Green Car rail, luggage forwarded, one move every third day. Or Singapore (3), Hoi An (5), Da Nang beach (4), with a driver and a flight. Or Sri Lanka’s loop at three nights a stop.

The same route, in the other season

Every itinerary above can be inverted for the calendar. The Thailand routes swap Krabi for Samui from June to September. The Vietnam routes run south to north in the northern winter, putting Saigon and Phu Quoc first. The Japan routes swap Hakone for Nikko in November and Kyoto for Hokkaido in January. Bali becomes Sri Lanka or the Philippines from December to March. Korea in July is Hokkaido. The rule is the one on the best time to visit Asia page: start with the month, and let it choose the coast, the hemisphere and the country.

What the routes cost

Per person, mid-range, including a shoulder-season airfare from the east coast: the one-week routes AUD 2,200–3,800; the ten-to-twelve-day routes AUD 3,000–6,000 (Japan at the top, Bali and Thailand at the bottom); the two-week routes AUD 4,500–8,000; the three-week routes AUD 6,500–11,000, with India in depth and Japan in depth at the upper end. Peak seasons add 25–40 per cent. Villas and apartment hotels bring the family cost down; a private driver split four ways costs almost nothing per head. The country guides break each down line by line.

Where the routes flex

Each has a hinge. In the Golden Route it is Hakone: skip it for a fourth Kyoto night if the ryokan does not appeal, or double it for two. In Thailand it is Chiang Mai: three nights becomes five with Chiang Rai and the White Temple, or zero for a longer beach. In Vietnam it is Hue: a night for the tombs or a day trip from Hoi An over the pass. In Korea it is Gyeongju versus Jeju: history or the island. In the Indochina loop it is Laos: Luang Prabang alone, or the railway to Vientiane, or the slow boat from Thailand instead of the flight. In Sri Lanka it is Yala: one night for the leopards or straight to the coast. In India it is Varanasi: the most intense two days on the subcontinent, or a third palace night in Udaipur instead. We ask about the hinge before we quote, because it is where the trip becomes yours.

Routes we do not build

Tokyo, Kyoto, Seoul, Bangkok and Bali in two weeks. Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo in ten days. India and Japan in one trip, because they share nothing and each deserves the whole leave. Any route that puts an Andaman island and Bali in the same fortnight outside April and October. Any route through Myanmar at the time of writing. And any itinerary with a hotel a night for more than three nights running — not because it cannot be done, but because nobody who has done it has asked for it again.

How we turn a route into a booking

We take the sequence above, check the month against the coast, reserve the open-jaw flights, book every train and boat, choose the hotels by district and confirm the rooms sleep the party, place the guides where they change the day (Angkor, Kyoto’s first morning, the Taj, the Terracotta Army), book the things that sell out, arrange luggage forwarding in Japan and a driver everywhere else, and send one itinerary in Australian dollars with a person in Brisbane at the end of the phone. The Asia tours page shows the shapes; the things to do in Asia page fills them.

Frequently asked questions