Best scenic drive destinations in Asia
Best scenic drive destinations in Asia
High-altitude mountain loops and scenic valley roadway routes across Asia
Road trips are a less obvious tradition in parts of Asia, where trains often do the heavy lifting, but a handful of routes have become classics in their own right.
Vietnam's Ha Giang Loop has become one of the region's most talked about drives, winding through striking limestone mountains in the country's far north. India's high altitude roads to cross some of the highest motorable passes in the world, drawing travelers willing to handle thin air and rough roads for the scenery. Japan's Hokkaido offers a very different experience, with wide open countryside roads better suited to a car than the country's famously efficient trains. Weather and road conditions can shift fast in mountain regions, so timing a trip around the right season matters.
The destinations on our list for Asia reflect that same range, from high mountain passes to wide open countryside drives.
Lists by region
Country
India
Palaces, temples, backwaters and Himalayan peaks
The Leh to Manali Highway runs 266 miles and crosses Baralacha La at 15,910 feet. Tanglang La tops out at about 17,480 feet. The Atal Tunnel has bypassed Rohtang Pass since October 2020. Snow usually closes the route outside a season of roughly May to October.
State/Prefecture in Japan
Hokkaido
Volcanoes, powder snow and fresh seafood
Japan's lowest population density leaves Hokkaido roads wonderfully open. Daisetsuzan National Park covers 875 square miles and rises to Asahidake at 7,510 feet. Shiretoko earned UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005 and has Japan's largest brown bear population. Volcanic interiors and wetlands reward unhurried driving.
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