TOPIC

Asia travel

Related Topics:

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

Joe Wong poses for a portrait after his Joe Wong: The Twin Tariff Show in Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak

Joe Wong, Ronny Chieng and the rise of Asian voices in comedy

Asian comedians were once forced to resort to stereotypes to find a platform – but a wave of pioneering stars is changing that.

Reading Time:8 minutes

Lam Lau with his son Aidan at Lau Kee Boat Noodles in Hong Kong, which has been in business since 1981. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

How a vanishing Hong Kong boat culture has kept its cuisine afloat

Reading Time:7 minutes

A sliding wall shrinks or expands the living area and guest room at this flat in West Kowloon designed by Norman Ung, co-founder of design studios Form and Design Eight Five Two (Deft). Photo: Eugene Chan

Rooms in this flat flex and contract to suit different needs

Reading Time:3 minutes

The study of a lawyer’s dream flat in Repulse Bay, Hong Kong, with interior design by Win Key Workshop. Photo: Eugene Chan; Styling: Flavia Markovits

Dream flat in Hong Kong’s Repulse Bay a fortuitous find

Reading Time:4 minutes

Christmas lights on Chater Road, Central, Hong Kong, in 1981. Photo: SCMP Archives

How a washing machine inspired Hong Kong’s most magical Christmas lights

Reading Time:4 minutes

A picture of a young Teresa Teng in Bangkok from The Story of Teresa Teng by Billy. A former employee of the Chiang Mai hotel where she lived and died reveals what happened on the day she died in 1995. Photo: The Story of Teresa Teng by Billy

The day Teresa Teng died in Thailand – what the butler saw

Reading Time:12 minutes

MORE IN POSTMAG

Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications

Illustration: Huy Truong

Rivals, rain and rising costs: Thailand’s tourism crown slips

As a border war with Cambodia flares and Malaysian tourism surges ahead, Thailand battles to save its holiday image.

20 Dec 2025 - 8:00AM

‘Limits’ to hospitality: 10 times Asia overtourism became a problem in 2025

19 Dec 2025 - 3:00PM

Review | A luxurious stay in Phuket at Trisara, away from the hustle and bustle

19 Dec 2025 - 2:00PM

China-Japan relations

Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan lose momentum amid tensions: official data

Mainland visitor numbers rose just 3% in November after flight cuts and travel warnings took effect as diplomatic strains escalated.

18 Dec 2025 - 9:14AMvideocam

Mainland Chinese tourists visit Sensoji temple in the Asakusa district of Tokyo on Thursday Photo: AP

Food and Drinks

‘Crazy cocktail menu’ at Macau bar honours bartender’s travels in Asia

At Wynn Palace’s Wing Lei Bar, Scottish cocktail maestro Mark Lloyd pours his spirit into tipples inspired by places from Seoul to Singapore.

17 Dec 2025 - 5:22PM

Why South Korea is becoming China’s new bargain travel hotspot amid Japan spat

A slump in the won is making South Korea increasingly affordable for mainland tourists just as China warns against travel to Japan.

16 Dec 2025 - 9:00PMvideocam

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Asian cinema: Japanese films

Review | Two Seasons, Two Strangers: a hypnotic ode to writing and travel

Starring Shim Eun-kyung and Yuumi Kawai, Japanese drama Two Seasons, Two Strangers is both fascinating and beautiful.

15 Dec 2025 - 8:15PMvideocam

Yuumi Kawai in a still from Two Seasons, Two Strangers

China-led Asia-Pacific lifts global aviation outlook as profits set to soar

Passenger demand from China and India, eased visa rules and freight resilience drive growth as IATA forecasts record airline profits in 2026.

15 Dec 2025 - 8:05PM

Trip Inspiration

What the festive season looks like across Asia’s most vibrant cities

Christmas markets, fireworks and giant lanterns are all in store if you’re seeing in the season elsewhere in Asia.

14 Dec 2025 - 11:00AM

China consumption

‘A violation’? China’s airlines in the hot seat over hidden extra fees

Seat selection fees are becoming more common in China as airlines grapple with squeezed profit margins, but consumers are pushing back.

13 Dec 2025 - 6:00PMvideocam

Passengers board an Air China flight at an airport in Beijing. China’s major airlines are facing criticism for charging extra seat selection fees. Photo: Getty Images

US plans to order foreign tourists to disclose social media histories

The move requires tourists from 42 nations to share five-year social media history, igniting privacy debates and free speech worries.

10 Dec 2025 - 9:54PM

View of a giant American flag inside Terminal 1 at JFK airport in New York. Photo: Shutterstock

North Korea promotes new beach resort to Chinese tourists in 2026 plan

The Wonsan beach resort and the Pyongyang Marathon highlight plans for Chinese visitors in a post-pandemic tourism push.

10 Dec 2025 - 8:01PMvideocam

World of performing arts

New arts venues in Shenzhen and Guangzhou, including the ‘Airpod building’

The Shenzhen Bay Culture Square and Aranya Art Centre Guangzhou show the Greater Bay Area’s ongoing efforts to become a cultural destination.

10 Dec 2025 - 4:15PM

Is Hoiana Resort & Golf Vietnam’s ultimate seaside escape?

The luxury resort along the central Vietnam coast boasts over 20 F&B establishments, golf, a casino and endless activities for both grown-ups and children.

10 Dec 2025 - 2:00PM

One of Hoiana Resort & Golf’s several pools. Photo: Handout

IndiGo flight chaos exposes risks of India’s aviation duopoly

India’s largest airline grounded nearly 3,000 flights last week, showing how easily a staffing crunch at one carrier can paralyse the sector.

10 Dec 2025 - 3:22PMvideocam

IndiGo employees tag stranded bags belonging to the airline’s passengers at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Monday following large-scale flight disruptions. Photo: Reuters

This Japanese farm homestay lets you get involved in producing organic food

Part of the global Wwoof programme, the Sho Farm near Tokyo lets visitors get their hands dirty and learn all about organic farming.

8 Dec 2025 - 4:15PMvideocam

India regulator faults airline CEO amid severe disruption

IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been ordered to explain the cancellations that affected almost half of its flights.

7 Dec 2025 - 7:28PM

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

India caps airfares as IndiGo crisis hits 5th day, stranding hundreds

IndiGo’s spate of cancellations has prompted fare increases on flights operated by other airlines on popular routes.

6 Dec 2025 - 6:25PM

Travellers look at updates on flights, as they stand next to a screen displaying details of cancelled IndiGo airlines flights, at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru, India, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Bali mulls Airbnb ban to put a lid on revenue leak, overtourism

Airbnbs have emerged as a cheaper alternative to the sprawling resorts that dot the island, eroding tax revenue from hotels.

5 Dec 2025 - 3:41PMvideocam

‘Complete mayhem’: chaos after India’s largest airline cancels 1,200 flights

IndiGo blamed the disruption on ‘unforeseen operational challenges’ including technical glitches, adverse weather and new rules for workers.

4 Dec 2025 - 7:24PM

Chinese tourists pivot to South Korea, Thailand amid Japan travel ban

Spat began when Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi suggested potential military intervention in Taiwan Strait, leading Beijing to issue a travel warning.

4 Dec 2025 - 5:06PM

An alley crowded with tourists in central Seoul’s Bukchon Hanok Village. Photo: Korea Times

Penang set to scoop up Chinese tourists skipping Japan, Thailand’s Hat Yai

Penang anticipates a surge in year-end visitors, with events and food-driven itineraries boosting hotel bookings.

4 Dec 2025 - 4:02PMvideocam

Tourists visit George Town in Malaysia’s Penang state. Photo: Shutterstock

Air India probed for flying plane without valid safety certificate

India’s aviation regulator said it was investigating the carrier after it operated eight flights without a valid airworthiness certificate.

2 Dec 2025 - 9:58PMvideocam

‘Malaysian promoting Singapore’: viral video sparks debate over talent use

Social media users question why Malaysian tourism authorities have not engaged local talent effectively to promote the country.

2 Dec 2025 - 4:31PM

1,900 China-Japan flights cancelled in December as political row continues

Airlines have now scrapped over 40 per cent of their China-Japan flights scheduled for this month amid a diplomatic spat over Taiwan.

2 Dec 2025 - 5:33PMvideocam

Chinese airlines have cancelled large numbers of flights to Japan amid a political dispute over Taiwan. Photo: Shutterstock

From immigration to investments: China’s middle class is unwinding bets on Japan

Popular destination for capital feels the chill, with cruise lines cancelling trips, investors selling property and parents questioning if it is safe to send students.

2 Dec 2025 - 10:17AMvideocam

People walk between buildings in Tokyo on November 17. A diplomatic feud between China and Japan is having economic implications. Photo: AFP

Travel news and advice

Top 10 travel trends for Hongkongers in 2026, from road trips to ‘romantasy’

Booking.com’s ‘Travel Predictions 2026’ survey also finds Hongkongers are seeking nature, thinking of their skin and open to robot help.

1 Dec 2025 - 12:44PM

Last frontier: Nepal slashes pricey permit, but will it boost tourism, economy?

Upper Mustang residents worry that they will not be able to reap the benefits from the cheaper permit and instead be like ‘animals in a zoo’.

30 Nov 2025 - 4:25PM

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement