Bucket List 101: the Asian destinations perfect for hiking

Bucket List 101: the Asian destinations perfect for hiking

It’s no secret Asia is the place to go for travelling. Perhaps, that is why we have it on our Adventure Travel Bucket List. It’s a continent full of diversity and beauty, with opportunities to either lay back and relax or explore all it has to offer. For the latter, hiking is perhaps the best way to see the landscape in all its glory – here is just a small selection of some of the best Asian destinations perfect for hiking.

It's no secret that Asia is a perfect place for travelling. But did you know that it there are Asian destinations perfect for hiking? Discover some of the best! #Hiking #Asia Click To Tweet

Kalimpong, India

Kalimpong, India is one of the best Asian destinations for hiking
 Although Kalimpong is populated, unlike a majority of hiking sites across the world, you’ll find its residents live in little hamlets and villages secluded in the rolling hills. As you ascend the peaks of Kalimpong, Audley details how your view of the Himalayas grows clearer and clearer, with India’s highest peak – Kanchenjunga – towering above.

The residents of Kalimpong are extremely welcoming, too. This may be why it’s considered one of the best Asian destinations for hiking. So, you may even be able to stay in a local home for the night should you need to. Elsewhere, activities such as mountain biking and white water rafting are available to take part in across the cragged terrain.

Annapurna Circuit, Nepal

It’s arguably the most popular Asian destinations for hiking if not the world, and for good reason. Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit has widely been considered the “holy grail” for hikers, due to its immense diversity and wealth of sights, nature and wildlife.

The trek begins in the jungle. Thus, you will be surrounded by forestry and wild animals, before giving way to sections of deep canyons. You will also discover isolated Tibetan villages and a towering mountain range that is home to Thurung La, the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit that nears 20,000 feet. It’s a walk full of wonder, that needs to be done in its entirety to realise its immensity.

The Himalayas, Sikkim, India

Hiking Gurudongmar Lake, Sikkim is one of the Best Hikes in Asia
Perhaps one of the most underrated destinations in the northeastern India, Sikkim, is definitely one of the best Asian destinations for hiking. That is because this area offers some of the most beautiful views ever. Perhaps, this is because the area is often untouched with beautiful meadows and forests.

Whether you hike the Goecha la trek to see the exotic flowers or you are wanting to witness the extraordinary mountain views of Mt. kabru, Ratong and Kanchenjunga along the Mt. Kanchendzonga Trek, there is something for everyone. But don’t just take our word for it. Sikkim tourism can help you find the perfect hike for any level of adventurer.

Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia

Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia offers some of the best hiking in Asia
 If you want to experience hiking to the peak of a mountain, look no further than Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu. It doesn’t take long, either – depending on whether you want to challenge yourself or simply take it slow. But in general, the climb will take you a day or two respectively.

And once you reach the peak of Mount Kinabalu, you’ll see why it’s so popular. The view stretches for miles all around, with equally impressive mountains giving way to lush greenery. Hot springs await you upon your descent, too. So don’t be afraid to relax in a natural paradise when you come back down.

Sapa, Vietnam

Home to Vietnam’s highest peak, Sapa is a must-visit for any budding hiker visiting the country. It’s quickly becoming a tourist hotspot. But for now, it remains relatively undiscovered. So, hiking this Asian destination will feel relatively isolated – except for the hill station and town of Sapa itself.

The main thing that distinguishes the site from any other is how green and flourishing it is. Rice terraces give way to rolling hills, the refreshing mountain air adding to the experience. Consider getting a guide to take you through Sapa’s surrounding countryside. That way you can learn all there is to know about hiking this unique Asian destination.

Whether you want to see some of the most beautiful views ever or just need some quiet time, discover some of the best Asian destinations for hiking! #hiking #Asia Click To Tweet

Doi Inthanon, Thailand

Doi Inthanon, Thailand offers is one of the best hiking destinations in all of Asia
Thailand is arguably the number one destination for travelers across the world. And why wouldn’t it be? With such a range of things to do and see, including unparalleled natural beauty, it makes sense for people to flock to the country. Doi Inthanon, however, is one place that many of them are yet to discover.

And it likely won’t take long for the masses to realize how incredible this peak is. Being the highest point in Thailand is impressive enough, but Tieland to Thailand states that the mountain and its surrounding national park is now their favorite place in the country due to its lush nature trails, secluded waterfalls and sweeping panoramic views.

So Grab your Boots & Get Hiking

So as you can see there are some amazing destinations in Asia perfect for hiking. But which of these Asian destinations would you hope to be able to hike? Are there other hiking destinations in Asia on your bucket list? Have you hiked any of them? Tell us all about it or which is your favorite in the comments below.

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Bucket List Board!Pinterest Picture for some of The Best Hiking Destinations in Asia for your Bucket List

BUCKET LIST 101: THE ASIAN DESTINATIONS PERFECT FOR HIKING is a guest post written by Isabel Leong from belaroundtheworld.com

Top Resources for Your Travel Bucket List

Some of the biggest questions people are always asking us is, how we are able to afford to travel so much? So to help, below, you will see some of our Favorite tools to help you tick off any bucket list travel items:

  • Flights: By now it should be pretty obvious that Travel is a major part of The Bucket List Project and is most likely a big part of yours. That is why one of our first stops when looking for flights anywhere is Kiwi. However, if you have time, we also recommend signing up with Dollar Flight Club! Through the daily emails they send us, we have used them to save on average about $350+ on Round trip internationally.
  • Accommodations: Not going to lie, we love renting unique accommodations from local hosts through Airbnb. However, if you are looking for 5 Star hotels, Pensions on the Camino de Santiago, or a hostel in Portugal, Booking.com can take care of you.
  • Activities & Tours: There are tons of tour groups and organizations out there that can facilitate your bucket list adventure. But for us, we tend to start with Viator since they have a Low Price Guarantee! However, if we are just looking for day adventures or something a little smaller, GetYourGuide is a great resource with over 40,000 activities worldwide.
  • Disclosure: This post, “BUCKET LIST 101: THE ASIAN DESTINATIONS PERFECT FOR HIKING” may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy for more information.

    59 thoughts on “Bucket List 101: the Asian destinations perfect for hiking

    1. The hike I would most like to take in Asia is up Mount Fuji. Of course to do that I would need to make it to Asia for the first time, then get to Japan.

    2. Being a lover of ruins of monuments hiking was always the last to figure in my itineraries. I have done moderate one. These 5 suggested hiking trails sounds exciting, hope to keep aside all other travel dreams and do at least one out the list.

    3. I have done some hiking in Asia but only in Hong Kong and some parts of the Great Wall near Beijing. I have been eyeing up the scenic part of India for a very long time and once I am back to full fitness, I want to conquer a lot of mountains. 🙂

      1. Yeah, Danik, the hiking in India, especially in the Northeast is phenomenal especially if you are an avid backpacker! I saw that you hiked parts of the Great Wall too….that is definitely on our bucket list!

    4. You missed Mount Fuji! That is number one on my Asia hiking list. I have not made it to Asia. I was meant to visit Japan and South Korea this year… but you know 2020. I would love to do this hike in the spring.

      1. Haha, well to be fair, I guess from everything I read, Mt. Fuji is a relatively easy climb for avid backpackers. But I will say it does look amazing and I may have to reconsider adding this to our mountain hikes bucket list!

    5. Sikkim is fast coming up as a trekking hub, many of my friends, also recently visited Sikkim for the trekking purpose. But the best was Doi Inthanon, I was unaware of this trekking range. Thailand for me always meant beaches and water sports. This seems like a welcome change.

      1. I agree that Sikkim is becoming a backpacker & hiker’s hot spot for sure. This has to be because of the diversity of the views. As for Thailand, I do agree that it oozes beaches but it is kind of like the California of the Southern Hemisphere. Everyone thinks of the beaches of Phuket like SoCal & Bangkok like Los Angeles but there is so much to do in the outdoors there. Much like there is to do in Yosemite or Mammoth Lakes in Northern California.

    6. This is such a great list of hiking options in India! I would love to do the Mt. Kanchendzonga Trek for those mountain views and the Doi Inthanon looks wonderful! I always love a good hike and getting outdoors with nature when I travel, so these would be the perfect destinations to add to my list.

    7. Great choices of hiking destinations! Kalimpong, Sikkim, Nepal and Malaysia – These are for the hikers who love difficult and challenging hikes. Not for someone like me who likes easy to medium level hikes. Your pictures are stunning! 🙂

    8. Hi Eric, congratulations on a great article. The image of the Himalayas is spectacular, with the snow-capped mountains behind the turquoise blue water. In fact, all your images are beautiful. This article makes my To see/do-list even longer.

    9. There were certainly some amazing hiking destinations on this list of Asia spots. But these are real hiking spots! Stunning scenery. But not for the beginner (and less fit) hiker like me. So it is always great to get a view of some of these amazing spots.

    10. being an Indian i fell proud that you considered the kalimpong as perfect destination for hiking. I have never visited this place but after this article i will surely visit this place. As i wanted to explore such an amazing place i would like to ask you that what would be the best time to visit this place? It would be appreciated if could you suggest me the best season to visit Kalimpong.

      1. So I would think that the spring season from March to May would be best as there is minimal rain in this region. I personally hate hiking in the rain

        1. Hey Eric thank you sop much for your reply. Even i also don’t like hiking in the rainy season. Also march to may is vacation period in India so i also would prefer spring season.

    11. You missed Indonesia. Let see, there are, among other things, Kawah Ijen (a blue lava volcano) Kelimutu (a mountain peak with 3 different colors that change according to the moods of the spirits that dwell in them – according to the local legend), a pink beach and Komodo dragons. Ok, the last 2 were not hiking trails. But, it might persuade you to put Indonesia in your bucket list 😉

    12. These places are all on my list, particularly Thailand! Just another millennial that wants to go ahaha.

    13. My friends are going to love this! Also, there’s a mountain in Taiwan called the Snow Mountain. They said it’s beautiful, too, and perfect for those who love hiking!

    14. So many of these are new to me but they all look amazing. I must admit that hiking is something we haven’t done a lot of overseas but it’s something we perhaps should. I just keep thinking of all the extra gear we’d have to cart from Australia 🙂

    15. My top choice would be Sapa, it just looks stunning there. I spent a few months in SE Asia a while back but there is sooo much more I would love to see!

    16. I adore hiking and I’m always looking for new places! These all sound like great additions to my ever growing list. To be honest, I haven’t visited much of Asia, but I can recommend Sri Lanka for awesome hiking!

      1. I love it…guess you need to add: Annapolis, Annacis Island, Annafest in Germany, Annakut festival, & swim in the Annaquatucket among other things.

    17. We haven’t made it to Asia at all yet, but Thailand is at the top of our list…. and looking at Doi Inthanon, now I think we’re both even more excited to go. Thank you so much for sharing this list!

    18. My husband and I enjoy hiking, just got back from hiking a 500-mile pilgrimage in Spain in fact, so this is a wonderful list for us. I had never really thought of Asia as a place for hiking though for some reason. So thanks for enlightening me!

    19. I have not visited any of these destinations- and honestly, I never thought of Asia when it came to hiking. In hindsight, that was stupid of me- look at all these amazing places!! 🙂

    20. Although I am not really a hike person, but hiking through Nepal and Thailand seems like a nice option. The photographs display the immense beauty of these place. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful post.

    21. These are some lovely hiking spots. I have been to Kalimpong and stayed a couple of days. Though I have not actually hiked there, I can say it is indeed a lovely scenic place for hiking. A great place set amidst the hills and verdant lush vegetation makes for an exhilarating trek.

    22. I’m embarrassed to say we haven’t done any of these yet. The good news is we have this list to work through. I love the addition of a Mount Kinabalu as this is one I hadn’t heard of yet and looks stunning.

    23. This was such an interesting and insightful list! I love hiking so much, so I definitely will refer back to your post when I’m on the lookout for great trails 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
      xx Elena

    24. I can’t believe how beautiful is! Your photos are breathtaking. I would love to visit some day 🙂 Now one of the places on my bucket list!

    25. Asia is high on my list! So many wonderful places in your post. Saving this for later as it is so helpful!

    26. Well, these are definitely going on my Bucket List! Breathtaking!

    27. I was able to go on a day trek in Sapa a couple months ago and loved it! I wan’t to hike Doi Inthanon while I was in Chiang Mai, but didn’t have the time 😦

    28. What a helpful article for hikers who want to get out there and explore! Your pictures are spectacular. I hope you add to this series!

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