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Best destinations to visit in May in Asia

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Seoul
Where Tradition Meets High-Tech Marvels
8.6
Smaller than Tokyo but just as busy, the South Korean capital has about 9 million people. May is spring with mild days near 21 degrees Celsius. Gyeongbokgung Palace was built in 1395. Bukchon has traditional houses called hanok. Lanterns light the streets near Jogyesa Temple for the Lotus Lantern Festival.
Highlights:
  • 🌇 Admire Seoul’s skyline from N Seoul Tower at sunset
  • 🛍️ Shop and eat street food in bustling Myeongdong
  • 🏯 Explore Gyeongbokgung Palace and watch the royal guard ceremony
Bali
Tropical beaches, vibrant culture and adventure
8.2
Hindu priests and nobles from Java settled on this Indonesian island in the 1400s and 1500s. Their faith still shapes daily life. Offerings of flowers sit on every doorstep. May is the start of the dry season with sunny days near 31 degrees Celsius. Rice terraces at Tegallalang are green.
Highlights:
  • ⛪ Visit Uluwatu Temple perched high on a seaside cliff
  • 💦 Swim beneath the cascading Tegenungan Waterfall
  • 🌋 Watch the sunrise over Mount Batur volcano
Chengdu
Pandas, Hotpot and Laid-back Vibes
8.2
In May days are mild at about 25 degrees Celsius in this Sichuan city. Giant pandas eat bamboo at the Panda Breeding Research Base. Tea houses in People's Park serve jasmine tea. Hot pot restaurants use numbing Sichuan pepper. The Leshan Giant Buddha stands 71 metres tall nearby.
Highlights:
  • 🍜 Stroll through Kuanzhai Alley for culture and food
  • 🏯 Explore historic Wuhou Shrine and Zhuge Liang’s legacy
  • 🐼 Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas
Tashkent
Silk Road crossroads with modern flair
6.6
In the east of Uzbekistan near the Kazakh border, this capital sits on the Chirchiq River. Chorsu Bazaar has a huge blue dome and stalls of spices, bread and dried fruit. Metro stations are decorated like palaces with chandeliers. In May days are warm at about 27 degrees Celsius. Parks fill with picnickers.
Highlights:
  • 📜 Visit the Khast-Imam Complex and see the oldest Koran
  • 🛍️ Shop and sample food at bustling Chorsu Bazaar
  • 🚇 Explore the stunning Tashkent Metro stations
Hoi An
Charming Lanterns and Timeless Streets
8.0
Smaller and more walkable than nearby Da Nang, this old trading port in central Vietnam is a World Heritage Site. Silk lanterns glow along the river each night. Tailors sew clothes in a day or two. In May days are hot at about 33 degrees Celsius. Cyclists ride past rice paddies to An Bang beach.
Highlights:
  • 🏖️ Relax on scenic An Bang Beach nearby
  • 🏮 Witness vibrant lanterns glowing at night
  • 🏘️ Stroll through UNESCO-listed Hoi An Ancient Town
Da Nang
Beaches, Mountains and City Vibes
6.8
On weekend nights locals gather beside the Han River to watch the Dragon Bridge breathe fire and water. This central Vietnamese city has a long clean beach at My Khe. May is dry with sea temperatures near 27 degrees Celsius. The Marble Mountains hold caves and temples.
Highlights:
  • 🚠 Take a cable car to Sun World Ba Na Hills
  • 🪨 Explore the Marble Mountains with caves and temples
  • 🌉 Visit the iconic Dragon Bridge lit at night
Xi'an
Where history whispers through time
8.2
This city was the capital of several Chinese dynasties and the starting point of the Silk Road. Farmers found the Terracotta Army nearby in 1974. Thousands of clay soldiers stand in battle lines. The city wall is 14 kilometres long and is good for cycling. In May days are warm at about 25 degrees Celsius.
Highlights:
  • 🍜 Stroll through the Muslim Quarter and taste hand-pulled noodles
  • 🗿 Marvel at the Terracotta Warriors in the Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum
  • 🏯 Walk atop the ancient Xi’an City Wall and take in historic views
Lombok
Untamed Beaches and Majestic Mountains
7.4
In May the dry season begins with sunny days near 31 degrees Celsius on this quiet island east of Bali. The trekking season on Mount Rinjani is open. The volcano rises 3,726 metres and has a crater lake. Beaches near Kuta Lombok have turquoise water. Weavers in Sasak villages sell cloth.
Highlights:
  • 🐠 Snorkel among colorful coral reefs around the Gili Islands
  • 🏖️ Relax on the white sands of Kuta Beach, Lombok
  • 🏔️ Climb Mount Rinjani and watch sunrise over the crater lake
Samarkand
The Silk Road’s Shimmering Gem
7.2
Visitors here are served green tea and round bread stamped with patterns and baked in clay ovens. This Silk Road city in Uzbekistan has blue tiled domes. The Registan square is framed by three religious schools called madrasas. In May days are warm at about 26 degrees Celsius.
Highlights:
  • 🏺 Wander through Shah-i-Zinda necropolis adorned with colorful tiles
  • 🏯 Visit Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Tamerlane’s majestic tomb
  • 🕌 Explore the breathtaking Registan Square with its three madrasahs
Hue
Imperial Vietnam on the Perfume River
7.2
The Nguyen emperors ruled Vietnam from this city between 1802 and 1945. Their Imperial Citadel is a World Heritage Site. Visitors tour royal tombs along the Perfume River. Thien Mu Pagoda dates to 1601. May is hot at about 34 degrees Celsius so many visitors go in the morning.
Highlights:
  • 🏰 Tour the ornate Tomb of Emperor Khai Dinh
  • 🛕 Visit the serene Thien Mu Pagoda by Perfume River
  • 🏯 Explore the vast Imperial Citadel of Hue
Bukhara
Ancient Silk Road Splendor
7.3
Old, calm and golden, this Silk Road city in Uzbekistan has a centre of domed bazaars and brick mosques. The Kalyan Minaret was built in 1127 and rises 47 metres. Locals sit under mulberry trees beside the Lyab i Hauz pond. In May days are warm at about 28 degrees Celsius.
Highlights:
  • 🏛️ Explore the unique architecture of Chor Minor Madrasah
  • ☕ Relax by the historic Lyab-i-Hauz poolside cafes
  • 🗼 Climb the Great Minaret of the Kalon for views
Hokkaido
Volcanoes, powder snow and fresh seafood
9.3
Japan's northernmost main island has wide plains, volcanoes and a cool climate. Cherry trees bloom late in Hakodate and Sapporo, often in late April or early May. Pink moss phlox carpets the hillside at Takinoue Park from mid May. Days are fresh at about 15 degrees Celsius. Hiking trails begin to open.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Explore historic Otaru Canal and its shops
  • 🏂 Ski or snowboard in world-famous Niseko resorts
  • 💧 Visit the spectacular Shirogane Blue Pond
Komodo National Park
Dragons, Pristine Reefs and Wild Beauty
7.3
This park in eastern Indonesia covers several islands and protects more than 3,000 Komodo dragons. Rangers guide walks on Komodo and Rinca. Pink Beach has pale pink sand. Divers see manta rays at Manta Point. May is early dry season with calm seas and days near 31 degrees Celsius.
Highlights:
  • 🤿 Snorkel with graceful manta rays at Manta Point
  • ⛰️ Hike to Padar Island’s summit for breathtaking views
  • 🦎 See Komodo dragons in their natural habitat on Komodo Island
Cappadocia
A surreal land of fairy chimneys
8.0
This volcanic plateau in central Turkey covers a wide area of valleys, cliffs and rock spires called fairy chimneys. Dozens of hot air balloons rise over Goreme at dawn. In May the valleys are green and days are mild at about 22 degrees Celsius. Hikers walk Rose Valley. Derinkuyu has an underground city.
Highlights:
  • 🏰 Climb Uçhisar Castle for panoramic Cappadocia views
  • ⛪ Explore the rock-cut churches at Göreme Open-Air Museum
  • 🎈 Take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over fairy chimneys
Ashikaga Flower Park
Giant wisteria trellis and winter light show
Soft, fragrant and purple, this garden north of Tokyo is known for wisteria. A great wisteria tree more than 150 years old covers a trellis larger than a tennis court. Blooms usually peak between late April and mid May. White wisteria hangs in an 80 metre tunnel. Evening lights make the flowers glow.
Highlights:
  • 🌟 Enjoy evening illuminations highlighting blossoms
  • 📸 Photograph vibrant seasonal flowers across the park
  • 🌸 Walk beneath the stunning wisteria tunnel in bloom
Great Wall of China
Ancient Marvel Spanning Centuries
North of Beijing, the wall climbs steep ridges of the Yan Mountains and drops into green valleys. The brick sections date mostly from the Ming dynasty. Mutianyu has a cable car and a toboggan ride down. In May the hills are green and days are about 25 degrees Celsius.
Highlights:
  • 🌄 Enjoy panoramic mountain views from elevated Wall paths
  • 🏯 Explore ancient watchtowers and fortresses along the Wall
  • 🥾 Hike the scenic, less crowded Mutianyu section
Jordan
Ancient wonders meet desert landscapes
8.0
Dry, ancient and welcoming, this Middle Eastern country has famous sights. Petra is a rose coloured city carved into cliffs by the Nabataeans. Wadi Rum has red desert canyons. May days are warm at about 28 degrees Celsius. The Dead Sea is salty enough for swimmers to float.
Highlights:
  • 🐪 Ride a camel across the desert dunes of Wadi Rum
  • 💧 Float weightlessly on the salty waters of the Dead Sea
  • 🏛️ Marvel at the rose-red rock city of Petra
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