Asia Photography Map

Göreme National Park

Fairy chimneys and cave wonders

8.0

Warm light turns pink and cream rock walls gold at sunrise. The park covers wide valleys full of rock towers called fairy chimneys. Paşabağ, also called Monks Valley, has fairy chimneys with mushroom shaped caps. Uçhisar castle is a tall rock lookout over the valleys.

Highlights:

🥾 Hike through the otherworldly landscapes of Love Valley
🕍 Explore the cave churches and frescoes of the Göreme Open-Air Museum
🎈 Take a sunrise hot air balloon ride over fairy chimneys

Ayutthaya

Ancient Ruins and Timeless Temples

7.1

Warm brick ruins glow orange as the sun drops behind the old temples. At Wat Mahathat, a stone Buddha head sits wrapped in tree roots. Hire a bicycle and ride between the sites. Wat Chaiwatthanaram sits beside the river and glows at sunset. Tuk tuks also take visitors around the main sites.

Highlights:

🚤 Cruise along the Chao Phraya River to view the city’s temple skyline
🏯 Visit Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Ayutthaya’s grand royal temple complex
🪷 Explore the ancient ruins of Wat Mahathat and its iconic Buddha head in tree roots

Ko Phi Phi

Tropical Paradise Awaits You

7.7

Maya Bay became famous after a 2000 film, then closed to visitors in 2018 to let the coral recover. It reopened in 2022 with limits on boats and visitors. A short climb on Phi Phi Don leads to a viewpoint over twin bays. Go at sunrise for soft light.

Highlights:

🤿 Swim and snorkel around Bamboo and Mosquito Islands
🚤 Take a boat tour to Maya Bay and Pi Leh Lagoon
🌄 Hike to the stunning Phi Phi Viewpoint for panoramic views

Agra

Home of the Majestic Taj Mahal

6.9

Mehtab Bagh, a garden across the Yamuna river, gives a calm view of the Taj Mahal at sunset. Agra Fort, built of red sandstone from 1565, has marble halls and long views along the river. Visit from October to March for mild weather. Dawn fog can hide the Taj, so plan two mornings.

Highlights:

🌳 Stroll through Mehtab Bagh for picturesque Taj views
🏰 Explore Agra Fort and its impressive Mughal architecture
🌅 Visit the iconic Taj Mahal at sunrise for stunning views

Ha Long Bay

Vietnam’s Otherworldly Seascape

Come in autumn or spring when skies are clearer. Overnight boats let you shoot at sunrise when the water is calm and few boats move. Limestone islands rise from green water by the hundreds. UNESCO listed the bay in 1994. Bring a zoom lens for distant islands.

Highlights:

🛶 Kayak through quiet lagoons and hidden beaches
🕳️ Explore spectacular caves like Sung Sot and Thien Cung
🚤 Cruise among Ha Long Bay’s iconic limestone karsts

Ha Long

Mystical limestone islands and emerald seas

7.5

On the Gulf of Tonkin in northeast Vietnam, the city of Ha Long is the gateway to the bay. Climb Bai Tho Mountain for a wide view over the harbour and the islands. Fishing boats leave the port at dawn. Visit Cua Van, a floating fishing village, on a short boat trip.

Highlights:

🌅 Watch sunrise from the deck of an overnight cruise
🛶 Kayak into hidden lagoons and explore sea caves
⛵ Cruise through Ha Long Bay’s limestone karsts and emerald waters

Guilin

Karst Mountains and Serene Rivers

7.2

Along the Li River in southern China, limestone peaks rise like green cones from flat farmland. Boat trips run from Guilin to Yangshuo. The view near Xingping once appeared on the 20 yuan banknote. Mist in the morning softens the peaks. Rain is common, so protect your camera.

Highlights:

🌅 Climb Xianggong Mountain for sunrise views
🦩 Explore the colorful Reed Flute Cave’s limestone formations
🛶 Cruise the scenic Li River through karst peaks

Bohol

Beaches, Chocolate Hills and Tarsiers

7.4

Locals and visitors share lunch on floating restaurant boats along the Loboc River. The Chocolate Hills are more than 1,200 grassy mounds that turn brown in the dry season. Shoot from the viewing deck in Carmen at sunrise. Tarsiers, tiny big eyed primates, live in a nearby sanctuary.

Highlights:

🌿 Cruise the scenic Loboc River with floating restaurants
🐒 Spot tiny Philippine tarsiers in the conservation sanctuary
⛰️ Marvel at the unique Chocolate Hills geological formations

Fujikawaguchiko

Lake town with Mount Fuji views and onsen

8.1

Locals warm up with hōtō, a hearty stew of flat noodles and vegetables. Lake Kawaguchi gives calm water for reflections of Mount Fuji, especially at dawn. Oishi Park on the north shore has lavender in early summer and red kochia bushes in autumn. Hire a bike to ride the lakeshore path.

Highlights:

🚠 Ride the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway for stunning views
🏘️ Explore traditional thatched houses at Iyashi-no-Sato
🏞️ Admire Mount Fuji from scenic Lake Kawaguchiko

Göreme

Fairy Chimneys and Cave Dwellings

7.8

Warm bread and strong tea scent the stone lanes. Cave houses and old stone churches are carved into soft rock. Climb to a rooftop terrace at dawn to see balloons rise over the village. The Göreme Open Air Museum has painted rock churches, but photos inside are not allowed.

Highlights:

🥾 Hike through the colorful Red and Rose Valleys
🏛️ Explore the UNESCO-listed Göreme Open-Air Museum
🎈 Take an early morning hot air balloon ride over Göreme

Petra

Ancient city carved into rose-red stone

Bedouin families who have lived around the site for generations sell tea and crafts along the trails. The walk starts through the Siq, a narrow canyon about 1.2 kilometres long. It ends with a view of the Treasury. This carved rock front stands about 40 metres tall and glows pink in morning light.

Highlights:

🏺 Explore the ancient Royal Tombs carved into cliffs
🏛️ Climb 800 steps to the impressive Monastery (Al-Deir)
🛤️ Walk through the narrow Siq gorge to the Treasury

Fujiyoshida

Fuji's sacred trailhead with the pagoda view

8.1

Come in early April when cherry blossoms frame the five story Chureito Pagoda with Mount Fuji behind it. The pagoda stands in Arakurayama Sengen Park above the town. Climb about 400 steps for the view. Arrive at sunrise to avoid crowds. Autumn maples turn the park red in November.

Highlights:

♨️ Relax in an onsen while admiring views of Mount Fuji
🎢 Visit Fuji-Q Highland and ride its record-breaking roller coasters
🗻 Photograph Mount Fuji framed by the red Chureito Pagoda

Huangshan

Mystical Peaks and Ancient Villages

7.6

Think of a Chinese ink painting come to life, with twisted pines on granite peaks and clouds in the valleys. UNESCO listed the mountain in 1990. Stay overnight on the summit to catch sunrise above the sea of clouds. Pack warm layers and a rain cover.

Highlights:

🪨 Admire the oddly shaped granite rocks and ancient pines
🌲 Walk the steep stone paths through pine-covered peaks
🌄 Climb to the summit for sunrise above the sea of clouds

Cappadocia

A surreal land of fairy chimneys

8.0

The valleys look like another planet, with rock cones, cave houses and pink stone. Hundreds of hot air balloons rise at dawn when the wind is calm. Watch them from a hotel terrace or a hill above Göreme. Come in spring or autumn for clear light.

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

Zhangjiajie

Avatar's Floating Mountains Come Alive

7.3

China set up a national forest park here in 1982 and UNESCO listed the area in 1992. More than 3,000 sandstone pillars rise from the forest. Mist often hides their bases, so they look like floating islands. Come just after rain for the thickest mist.

Highlights:

🚡 Ride the Bailong Elevator to cliff-top views
🌉 Walk the thrilling Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge
🏞️ Explore the Avatar-inspired Hallelujah Mountain

Dunhuang

Desert Wonders and Ancient Art

7.1

Crescent Lake is a small pond in a hollow of the Mingsha sand dunes. Climb the dunes at sunrise to catch long shadows on the ridges. Nearby, the Mogao Caves hold Buddhist wall paintings made over about a thousand years. Photos inside the caves are not allowed.

Highlights:

🏞️ Visit the serene Crescent Moon Lake oasis
🐪 Ride camels and hike the dunes at Mingsha Mountain
🕌 Explore the ancient Buddhist art in Mogao Caves

Furano

Lavender fields and powder snow in Hokkaido

8.1

Farm Tomita has grown lavender here since the late 1950s. Purple rows bloom from mid July to early August. Use a long lens to stack stripes of flowers against the mountains. Neighbouring Biei has rolling hills called the Patchwork Road, where crop fields make colourful stripes.

Highlights:

🎿 Ski on Furano’s world-class powder snow slopes
🏡 Stroll through charming Ningle Terrace craft village
💜 Visit vibrant lavender fields at Farm Tomita

Mount Fuji

Japan's highest peak and sacred volcano

Come between November and February when clear air gives sharp views of the snowy cone. Mornings give better odds of seeing it before clouds build. The official climbing season runs from July to early September. Shoot reflections from a calm lake shore at dawn. Tripods help in the low light.

Highlights:

🚣‍♀️ Explore Lake Kawaguchi with stunning views of Mount Fuji
🚠 Take a scenic ride on the Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway
🌄 Climb to the summit for sunrise views and achievement

Huanglong National Park

China's Colorful Terraced Wonderland

7.0

Pilgrims have long climbed to the small Taoist temple at the top of this valley. Along the way a boardwalk passes terraced pools in yellow, blue and green. The park sits above 3,000 metres, so walk slowly. Shoot in morning light when the water colours look strongest.

Highlights:

🏯 Admire Huanglong Temple set amid alpine landscapes
🥾 Walk the scenic boardwalk to Wucai Pond viewpoint
🏞️ Marvel at the colorful travertine pools terrace formations

Gardens by the Bay

Futuristic Garden Oasis in Singapore

Warm air smells of wet leaves and flowers. The Supertrees are metal tree shaped towers up to 50 metres tall and covered in plants. They glow in colour after dark. Walk the skyway between them for a high view. Come at dusk to catch both daylight and the lights.

Highlights:

🌸 Wander the Flower Dome’s vibrant themed floral displays
🌳 Stroll among colossal Supertrees and catch Garden Rhapsody
🌿 Explore the Cloud Forest’s indoor waterfall and trails

Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve

Colorful lakes in Tibetan mountains

7.8

Five Flower Lake has water in shades of blue and green with fallen trees visible below the surface. Nuorilang Waterfall is a wide curtain of water over a cliff. Boardwalks and shuttle buses link the lakes. Come in autumn for gold and red leaves. Go early to beat the tour groups.

Highlights:

📸 Capture perfect reflections at Mirror Lake early morning
💧 Walk the boardwalk above Pearl Shoal Waterfall
🌈 Admire the vibrant hues at Five Flower Lake

Wadi Rum

Valley of the moon's timeless magic

8.1

The Burdah Rock Bridge is a natural stone arch high above the desert floor. Red sand and tall sandstone cliffs glow orange at sunrise and sunset. Bedouin guides drive visitors by jeep to the viewpoints. Nights are dark, so bring a tripod for the stars.

Highlights:

🏕️ Spend a night in a traditional Bedouin desert camp
🏂 Sandboard down giant red sand dunes for adrenaline rush
🚙 Take a thrilling 4x4 jeep tour through vast desert landscapes

Ashikaga Flower Park

Giant wisteria trellis and winter light show

Sweet wisteria perfume hangs in the air under purple flower tunnels. The park's Great Wisteria is more than 150 years old and its branches spread over a huge frame. Late April to mid May is peak bloom. Stay for the night lights when the flowers glow.

Highlights:

🌟 Enjoy evening illuminations highlighting blossoms
📸 Photograph vibrant seasonal flowers across the park
🌸 Walk beneath the stunning wisteria tunnel in bloom

Zhangye Danxia National Geopark

Vibrant rock layers paint a surreal landscape

8.6

Come at sunrise or after light rain, when the striped red and gold hills look their richest. The stripes are layers of sandstone and minerals laid down over millions of years. Wooden platforms give viewpoints over the ridges. Pack layers, since mornings are cold. Arrive early to find a spot at the rail.

Highlights:

🪨 Explore the Red Stone Garden rock formations
🏞️ Stroll the scenic Liwan Gorge trail, capture vivid strata
🌄 Climb Zhangye Danxia's rainbow cliffs for sunrise

Taj Mahal

Radiant marble echoing timeless love

On the bank of the Yamuna river, a white marble tomb stands at the end of long reflecting pools. Shah Jahan built it for his wife Mumtaz Mahal in the 1600s. Enter at sunrise when the marble turns soft pink. The tomb is closed to visitors on Fridays.

Highlights:

🛍️ Shop local marble souvenirs near the monument
🌆 Explore Mehtab Bagh for twilight Taj views
🕌 Admire Taj Mahal's sunrise reflection from Agra Fort

Basilica Cistern

Mystical Underground Byzantine Wonder

It feels like an underground cathedral, with 336 stone columns rising from shallow water. Emperor Justinian built it in the 500s. Two column bases carry carved Medusa heads. Light is dim, so use a fast lens and steady hands. Visit early, before tour groups fill the walkways.

Highlights:

❄️ Enjoy the cistern’s peaceful, cool atmosphere underground
🧟‍♀️ See the mysterious Medusa head sculptures
🏛️ Walk among 336 illuminated ancient columns

Shirakawa-go

Thatched gassho farmhouses in the Hida mountains

7.6

Steep thatched roofs look like hands pressed together in prayer, which gives the style its name, gasshō zukuri. UNESCO listed the village in 1995. Climb to the Shiroyama viewpoint above Ogimachi for the wide shot. On a few winter evenings the houses are lit up in the snow.

Highlights:

🏺 Visit the open-air museum to explore preserved houses
📸 Capture winter scenery with snow-covered village rooftops
🏡 Admire the traditional gassho-zukuri thatched farmhouses

Miyajima

Torii in the sea, deer and Mount Misen

8.6

At high tide the shrine and its great red torii gate seem to float on the water. At low tide you can walk out to the gate over wet sand. Check tide times before you go. Deer wander the island. Sunset behind the gate draws a crowd.

Highlights:

🍁 Stroll through Momijidani Park’s maple trees in autumn
🏔️ Climb Mount Misen for panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea
⛩️ Admire the floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine at high tide

Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

Kyoto's famous bamboo lane in Arashiyama

Tenryū-ji temple, founded in 1339, stands beside the bamboo path. The grove path is about 500 metres long. Go at sunrise when light filters through tall stalks and few people are around. Walk to the Togetsukyo bridge afterwards for river and hill views. Rickshaw pullers wait near the grove entrance.

Highlights:

🚣‍♂️ Drift along the Katsura River with Arashiyama's hills as backdrop, avoiding the crowds
🐒 Meet wild monkeys at Iwatayama Monkey Park above Arashiyama
🎋 Stroll through the magical Arashiyama bamboo forest early in the morning

Mount Everest

World's highest peak, ultimate challenge

On the border of Nepal and Tibet, the summit rises 8,849 metres above sea level. Hikers on the Base Camp trek climb Kala Patthar for the classic view at sunrise. This rocky peak stands at about 5,500 metres. Pack extra batteries, since cold drains them fast.

Highlights:

🚁 Fly over Mount Everest on a scenic helicopter tour
🥾 Trek through the Khumbu Valley and visit Namche Bazaar
🏔️ Reach Everest Base Camp and gaze at the towering peak

Angkor Wat

Timeless stone guardians echo ancient devotion

Visitors gather before dawn at the lotus pond to watch the sun rise behind the five towers. The temple was built in the 1100s. Come back in late afternoon when light warms the stone carvings along the outer gallery. Ta Prohm, nearby, has huge tree roots wrapped around stone walls.

Highlights:

🍜 Sample street food in Siem Reap night market
🏞️ Hike through Ta Prohm ruins, embrace mossy architecture
🌅 Explore sunrise at Angkor Wat's main temple

Blue Mosque

Ottoman Masterpiece in Istanbul

Visitors remove their shoes and women cover their hair before entering, a custom shared by all mosques. The Blue Mosque closes to visitors at prayer times, so plan around them. Inside, thousands of blue tiles and 260 windows fill the dome with soft light. Stand in the Sultanahmet park at dusk for an outside shot.

Highlights:

🌸 Enter the serene courtyard with its intricate fountains and Ottoman architecture
🕌 Stand beneath the towering six minarets and marvel at the skyline
🎨 Admire the stunning interior filled with over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles

Grand Palace

Majestic Heart of Thai Royalty

The Temple of the Emerald Buddha sits inside the Grand Palace walls. Gold spires, mirror tiles and bright murals catch the sun. Arrive when the gates open in the early morning for softer light and fewer people. Cover your shoulders and knees, since a dress code applies.

Highlights:

🎨 Stroll through the Royal Grounds and capture the ornate murals
🙏 Visit Wat Phra Kaew to see the Emerald Buddha statue
🏯 Admire the golden spires of the Grand Palace complex

Forbidden City

Ancient Imperial Majesty Center

Book tickets ahead and arrive at opening, when soft light warms the red walls. The palace has hundreds of buildings with golden roofs. Climb Jingshan Park hill, just to the north, for a view over the roofs at sunrise. The palace is closed on Mondays.

Highlights:

🏯 Climb the Gate of Divine Might for sweeping palace views
🐉 Explore the ornate halls and admire the intricate dragon motifs
🚪 Walk through the grand Meridian Gate into imperial history

Fushimi Inari-taisha

Thousands of torii gates up a Kyoto mountain

Senbon Torii is a path of close set red gates that winds up the hill behind the shrine. Businesses and families donate the gates. Each one carries a name and date. Go before 7 am or after dark for few people. Paths fan out into the forest towards the mountain top.

Highlights:

🥾 Hike to mountain summit for serene shrine views
🦊 Visit fox statues, messengers of the Inari deity
⛩️ Walk through the iconic vermillion Senbon Torii gates tunnel

Annapurna

Legendary Trekking in Himalayan Diversity

8.0

The Annapurna Circuit opened to foreign trekkers in 1977. Today many hikers take shorter routes. Climb Poon Hill before dawn to watch Annapurna and Dhaulagiri turn pink at sunrise. Rhododendron forests bloom red and pink in spring. Spring and autumn bring the clearest air for mountain views.

Highlights:

♨️ Relax in natural hot springs at Tatopani
🌅 Watch sunrise from Poon Hill’s panoramic viewpoint
🥾 Trek the iconic Annapurna Circuit with varied landscapes

Bagan

Ancient Temples and Timeless Sunsets

7.6

On a dry plain beside the Irrawaddy river in central Myanmar, more than 2,000 old brick temples dot the land. Climbing temples is no longer allowed, so shoot from a viewing tower or from the ground. Dawn mist and low sun make the spires glow. Check current travel advice before you plan a trip.

Highlights:

🎈 Take a hot air balloon ride for aerial views
🕌 Explore the stunning Ananda Temple’s architecture
🌅 Watch sunrise over thousands of ancient pagodas

Marina Bay Sands

Iconic Luxury Resort & SkyPark

The hotel opened in 2010 with three towers topped by a boat shaped sky park. Stand at the waterfront at Merlion Park at blue hour, when the sky turns deep blue. Walk the Helix Bridge for a view of the towers with the city skyline behind them.

Highlights:

🍽️ Dine at iconic rooftop restaurants like CE LA VI
🌆 Visit the SkyPark Observation Deck for panoramic views
🏊‍♂️ Swim in the world’s largest rooftop infinity pool

Great Wall of China

Ancient Marvel Spanning Centuries

North of Beijing, the wall climbs steep green ridges. Mutianyu is restored and easy to reach. Jinshanling is rougher with long views and fewer people. Go at sunrise or late afternoon for warm light. Bring a light tripod and wear shoes with good grip. Fog can drift in, so be patient.

Highlights:

🌄 Enjoy panoramic mountain views from elevated Wall paths
🏯 Explore ancient watchtowers and fortresses along the Wall
🥾 Hike the scenic, less crowded Mutianyu section

Bhutan

Himalayan monasteries, dzongs and trekking trails

8.5

Come in spring or autumn for clear skies and tsechus, festivals with masked dances in monastery courtyards. Tiger's Nest, a monastery clinging to a cliff above Paro, is the classic shot. Prayer flags and white dzongs, which are fortress monasteries, fill the valleys. Photos inside temples are often not allowed, so ask first.

Highlights:

🌄 Admire Himalayan panoramas from Dochula Pass’ 108 chortens
🎉 Join a colorful Buddhist festival at Punakha Dzong
🏔️ Hike to the cliffside Tiger’s Nest Monastery in Paro

Lake Baikal

World's deepest lake, Siberia's jewel

7.9

In winter the ice booms and cracks as it settles. The lake is the deepest in the world. The ice can be so clear that you see bubbles and cracks below your feet. Shoot at Olkhon Island near Shaman Rock in February or March. Bring warm gloves for your camera hand.

Highlights:

❄️ Swim in the icy, crystal-clear waters of Baikal
🚂 Ride the Circum-Baikal Railway for breathtaking views
🥾 Take a winter trek across the frozen lake surface

Best photography destinations in Asia