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With the tourist industry thriving in Asia, there are fewer and fewer places to travel that aren’t littered with tourist groups and too many fellow backpackers. Here is the Times Student’s top 10 places that offer something unique for the young traveller - get there quick before the hordes arrive.
1. Japan: Hot springs and ‘hells’ of Beppu
With the majority of travellers sticking to tried and tested cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima, often the view of Japan is skewed. Although buzzing metropolises are numerous, there is another side to Japan.
Beppu is a town on the island of Kyushu and is best known for its natural hot springs which supply numerous baths around the city. They include ordinary hot water baths, mud baths, sand baths and steam baths.
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You can also visit the ‘hells’ which are boiling ponds created by volcanic activity. Seven of the nine hells are clustered close together in the Kannawa area.
2. Indonesia: dive in the Gili islands of the coast of Lombok
Gili Trawangan is one of a trio of tiny coral-fringed islands just off the North West coast of Lombok. Gili Air and Gili Meno are the others which are just a few minutes away by boat.
All three islands are free from cars and motorbikes and have some incredible diving with the full range of PADI courses.
Trawangan is also known as the ‘party island,’ particularly over peak times from July-August and December-January.
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For a more sedate and laid back time, Gili Meno is the smallest of the islands and has fewer tourists but still has some great coral reefs to explore.
3. China: Caves, climbing and kayaking in Yangshuo
This small town is located in South China in Guilin, Guangxi Province. The town has the Li river on one side, and is on a small plain between a number of karst peaks.
The active traveller can never be bored here due to the huge range outdoor activities. First and foremost it is the major rocking climbing area in China with over 300 bolted sites. But, it is also possible to go kayaking or bamboo rafting on the surrounding rivers, mountain biking up ‘Moon hill’ as well as exploring the cave systems nearby. The sleepy town is fast becoming an adventure sports capital.
4. Laos: Apsara restaurant in Luang Prabang
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Increasingly popular, particularly now it has an airport; Luang Prabang still maintains the small town feel and is surrounded by some incredible architecture and Buddhist temples. The town which overlooks the Mekong River retains its French colonial influence and the people are absolutely delightful.
Overlooking the Nam Khan river, the Apsara is arguably the best restaurant in Laos. Not only does it have a great variety of local dishes it is immaculate in both cleanliness and service. It only costs around £6 for three sublime courses and the water buffalo steak, rainbow fish and ice cream with Laos Poppadom are highly recommended.
5. Cambodia: Temple time in Angkhor Wat
You cannot go to Cambodia without visiting these 12th century Khmer temples. Bayon and Ta Prohm are the most popular in an area that was thought to be the size of New York in its pomp. You can get anything from a one to five day pass but with a savvy guide you can cover the major temples in a couple of days.
It is also worth visiting the Killing fields in Phnom Penh, an area dedicated to the millions who died in Pol Pot’s genocide.
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For a slightly different experience head 50 miles north of Siem Riep to Beng Melea, a 12th-century temple built to the same design as Angkor Wat. Be prepared to lose all sensation in your bum after galloping over numerous pot holes on your moped.
6. India: Tea time in Darjeeling
Darjeeling is a region cut off from the rest of India by the foothills of the Himalayas. It is located in North Bengal and surrounded by incredible scenery, including one a view of Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world.
Many of the local population travel here for their summer holidays when it gets too hot in Calcutta. A unique way to get there is via the Darjeeling toy train, a small gauge train, introduced by the British, which heads up a mountain face from 100m to 2,200m.
The tea from this region is world famous and, as well as doing some hill walking, it is worth joining the Darjeeling tea tasting club for a small fee.
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7. Vietnam: Beaches and party time
Still synonymous with war and the Viet Cong, it is worth visiting the Chu Chi tunnels to the North West of Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) to experience what it was really like for Vietnamese soldiers.
Vietnam also has some stunning beaches which are often combined with some basic but homely beach houses. These areas provide the perfect places to relax after the heat, humidity and claustrophobia of Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi.
One of the better places is Na Trang which has a reputation of a party town and has some excellent bars and restaurant. Just beware of the rice vodka and bamboo straws.
8. China: Mount Emei
Situated in the Sichaun province, ‘Emei Shan’ is the western most, and tallest of the four sacred mountains of China.
Buddhists regard the mountains as being the ‘Gateway to the Gods’, and because of this, temples line the track all the way up to the summit.
It takes around three days to hike up and down, possibly the longest staircase in the world.
Most people stay overnight on the first evening in on of the monasteries and spend the second at the Golden Temple in order to see the sunrise.
The summit is incredible - a pocket of land that seems to rest on a carpet of clouds at 9,800 feet.
9. Laos: Chillax in Si Phan Don
Right on the border with Cambodia in the Mekong Delta, Si Phan Don, can be translated as four-thousand islands because of the plethora of islets that jut out in dry season.
Don Khon is probably one of the best to stay on if it is tourists you are looking to escape. There is often a day trip from Pakse, but the visitors only tend to stay on the island for an hour or so.
By getting an early morning boat trip you can catch a glimpse of the rare Irrawaddy dolphins or explore the old French colonial buildings which remain.
Take in the Li Phi waterfalls or just stroll leisurely through the villages. Once away from the accommodation centre of the island you can really get a taste for the true Laos.
10. Indonesia: Surfing in Bali and Java.
This area is one of the world’s most renowned surfing destinations. The Bukit peninsula (Bali) includes some of Bali’s best waves and breaks including Dreamland, the Impossibles, and Padang Padang. It also has white-sand and some glorious undeveloped beaches.
For the less experienced surfers, head to the fishing village of Pelabuhan Ratu (Java). It has a great village atmosphere and friendly locals, with options to suit all levels.
If you are not sure about where to find the best waves, there are now travel companies operating in the area, including The Surf Travel Company and Access Trips.