Top 10 Most Romantic Cities in Asia

Top 10 Most Romantic Cities in Asia

Going on a honeymoon is a very happy time for some lucky couples. A honeymoon comes just after two people choose to tie the knot and make the decision to spend the rest of their lives together. It's a time for the couple to get away for a little while and enjoy their new life together as newlyweds.

Asia is always a great choice. The popularity of Asian destinations is on the rise not only because of its diversity but also thanks of the friendliness of the people. Whatever your budget or travel style is, in Asia, there is always a place that will make you regret not staying there for a longer time.

List of Top 10 Most Romantic Cities in Asia

(According to TheTravel and Your Top Destination websites)

10. Nuwara Eliya

9. Chiang Mai, Thailand

8. Bali, Indonesia

7. Nikko, Japan

6. Singapore

5. Hakone, Japan

4. Luang Prabang, Laos

3. Koh Rong Island, Cambodia

2. Hanoi, Vietnam

1. El Nido, The Philippines

***

What are the top 10 most romantic cities in Asia?

10. Nuwara Eliya

Photo: Audley Travel

Nuwara Eliya is a city in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. Its name means "city on the plain (table land)" or "city of light". The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate – the coolest area in Sri Lanka.

Often referred to as ‘Little England’, this genteel highland community does have a rose-tinted, vaguely British-country-village feel to it, with its colonial-era bungalows, Tudor-style hotels, well-tended hedgerows and pretty gardens. Indeed, Nuwara Eliya was once was the favored cool-climate escape for the hard-working and hard-drinking English and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry.

A recent construction boom has blighted the scene to a degree, and the dusty and bustling centre is a thoroughly Sri Lankan urban tangle, but Nuwara Eliya still makes a fine base for a few days' relaxation. The verdant surrounding countryside of tea plantations, carefully tended vegetable plots and craggy hills is highly scenic. Treat yourself to a night in one of Nuwara Eliya’s colonial hotels, play a round of golf or a few frames of billiards, and soak up the town’s unique bygone heritage.

9. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Photo: iStock

Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand and the capital of Chiang Mai Province. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok in a mountainous region.

Chiang Mai (meaning "New City" in Thai) was founded in 1296 as the new capital of Lan Na, succeeding the former capital, Chiang Rai. The city's location on the Ping River and its proximity to major trading routes contributed to its historic importance.

The former seat of the Lanna kingdom is a blissfully calm and laid-back place to relax and recharge your batteries. Participate in a vast array of activities, or just stroll around the backstreets, and discover a city that is still firmly Thai in its atmosphere and attitude.

A sprawling, modern city has grown up around ancient Chiang Mai (เชียงใหม่), ringed by a tangle of superhighways. Despite this, the historic center of Chiang Mai still feels overwhelmingly residential, more like a sleepy country town than a bustling capital. If you drive in a straight line in any direction, you'll soon find yourself in the lush green countryside and pristine rainforests dotted with churning waterfalls, serene wát and peaceful country villages – as well as a host of markets and elephant sanctuaries.

8. Bali, Indonesia

Photo: Hotels.com Australia

Bali is the most popular island holiday destination in the Indonesian archipelago. It’s home to an ancient culture that's known for its warm hospitality as well as exotic temples and palaces set against stunning natural backdrops. Dining in Bali presents endless choices of exotic, local cuisine. After sunset, famous nightspots come to life offering exciting clubbing and packed dance floors.

Inland, towering volcanoes and pristine jungles offer plenty to see and do, but you won't want to stay away from the coastline for long. Popular beach resorts include Kuta, Seminyak and Jimbaran where many of the finest hotels and villas look over world-class surf spots. For tranquil seascapes and sunrises, Sanur, Nusa Dua and remote Candidasa are your best bets. Bali’s lesser travelled eastern and northern regions also offer wonderful diving spots in calm bays, with coral gardens teeming with colourful marine biodiversity.

When it comes to things to do in Bali, your holiday can be filled with culture, nature, art, and the spiritual. The spectacular beaches of Kuta, Nusa Dua and Seminyak offer hours of swimming, surfing and sunbathing, while the cultural area of Ubud is known for its picturesque rice terraces. Get away from the crowds by visiting the northern and eastern coasts, where hidden waterfalls wait to be discovered.

Bali's west coast has tapering ranges of mountains covered in lush forests, rice fields, and bountiful vegetation. The island also has hundreds of historical sites that have stood the tests of time. From royal palaces to holy temples, you get to see a different glimpse of Bali at these exotic spots.

7. Nikko, Japan

Photo: Live Japan

Nikko (日光, Nikkō) is a town at the entrance to Nikko National Park, most famous for Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine and the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Nikko had been a center of Shinto and Buddhist mountain worship for many centuries before Toshogu was built in the 1600s, and Nikko National Park continues to offer scenic, mountainous landscapes, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, wild monkeys and hiking trails.

Nikko and the Okunikko area around Lake Chuzenji, in particular, are well known for their beautiful autumn colors (koyo). In the average year the colors start descending from the higher elevations of Yumoto Onsen in early October, are best around Lake Chuzenji and the Irohazaka road in mid to late October and reach the town of Nikko in the first half of November.

Nikko is located along Japan's Romantic Road.

All this, combined with the fact that Nikkō is only a couple of hours from Tokyo, means that in high season (summer and autumn) and at weekends, the magic of Nikkō can be somewhat lost amid the crowds. Spending the night here allows for an early start; a couple of nights and you can venture into the gorgeous mountain scenery, rivers, lakes and waterfalls of the surrounding area, much of it national park.

6. Singapore

Photo: Traveloka

Capitalising on its melting pot of cultures, Singapore is finally getting some spark, and is fast becoming one of Asia’s hit-list destinations.

Whizzing around Singapore can take a matter of minutes, thanks to one of the world’s most efficient and widespread public transport systems. Hankering for breakfast in Little India, but want to visit the temples in Chinatown before lunch? No problem, you’ll be there in a jiffy using the sparkling MRT system – and why not stop at Marina Bay for a spot of shopping on your way? Plus, with new metro lines opening practically every two years, this tiny island just keeps on becoming easier to explore.

Food in Singapore is taken very seriously. From cheap hawker fare to Michelin-starred fine dining, food-enamoured Singaporeans will line up for it, Instagram the hell out of it and passionately debate whether it is ‘die, die, must try’ – Singlish slang for ‘to die for’. Don’t fret about finding a place to chow down, as each neighbourhood is home to local hawker centres and coffeeshops dishing up some of the island’s best meals for just a couple of bucks. Simply follow your nose or join the longest queue – whatever morsels lie at the end, they are almost guaranteed to be scrumptious.

5. Hakone, Japan

Photo: Getty Images

Hakone (箱根) is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than one hundred kilometers from Tokyo.

Famous for hot springs, natural beauty and the view across Lake Ashinoko of nearby Mount Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.

Hakone is made up of seven hot spring towns, one of which is Miyanoshita. The Fujiya Hotel opened in 1878 to attract foreign visitors, thus increasing the popularity of the area. Many well-known celebrities, including John Lennon, have stayed at this hotel over the years. Like Hakone's other hot spring towns, the retro atmosphere of the town works in its favor.

Another popular destination in Hakone is Hakone Kowakien Yunessun , a kind of hot spring theme park. Here, you can bathe in a host of hot spring baths-some somewhat unusual such as the coffee, red wine and green tea tubs. There are both swimsuit-friendly and non-clothed areas, making it great if you aren't quite ready to bare everything.

The most iconic view in the area is arguably that of Mt Fuji from the southeastern shore of Lake Ashinoko . For views from the water and to explore more of the lake, take one of the sightseeing boat tours. The pirate ship-shaped boats operated by Hakone Sightseeing Boats add a little extra fun to the experience.

Alternatively, ride the Hakone Tozan Railway through the area. Trains pass through dense forests and across bridges high up over picturesque gorges.

While Lake Ashinoko tends to get much of the attention, spare some time to visit Owakidani, a volcanic valley with active hot springs and sulfur vents. The scenery is surreal with volcanic gas and steam billowing up from all around.

4. Luang Prabang, Laos

Photo: Trails of Indochina

Luang Phabang, commonly transliterated into Western languages from the pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r) as Luang Prabang, literally meaning "Royal Buddha Image", is a city in north central Laos, consisting of 58 adjacent villages, of which 33 comprise the UNESCO Town Of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site.

As the former royal capital of Laos, Luang Prabang today is the country’s spiritual centre with the highest concentration of temples located in the Old Quarter.

Nestled in a valley at the confluence of the Mekong and Khan rivers, Luang Prabang is endowed with picturesque landscapes of palm-lined riverbanks, ornate golden temples, and ancient monuments. The town’s fusion of well-preserved traditional Lao buildings alongside French colonial architecture has earned Luang Prabang the status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

3. Koh Rong Island, Cambodia

Photo: Agoda

Koh Rong (Koh Touch) Island is a Cambodian Island in the Gulf of Thailand, at about 40km off the coast of Sihanoukville. Actually, the island is deserted, undeveloped and untouched. It's a secret island. But it will be soon one of the famous touristic destination of Cambodia. The island is certainly the most beautiful island of the Kompong Som Region. A snowdrift bay, covered by a crystal clear and turquoise water, stretches on several kilometers. At the center, a jungle with thousands of coconut palms and waterfalls invade the island. Paradise found on Koh Rong

Koh Rong has two ferry options. The slow boat leaves 2-3 times daily and takes 2 1/2 hours. ($5/10$ round trip with open return as of February 2014). The fast boat takes 40 minutes-1 hour and leaves about twice daily. ($20 R/T with open return). Three of the fast boat companies have websites, these are Speedferrycambodia, Sea Cambodia and Buva Sea, the websites have up to date information on destinations and timetables.

The ferries are fairly basic and not very comfortable. The new high speed ferries are pretty comfortable, but often times more tickets than seats are sold, so make sure to show up early if you don't want to stand for the hour long journey. Make sure you carry a hat and sunglasses for the ride, and use sunscreen if required. As of Feb 2014, water is not sold on the ferry and neither are snacks or other drinks. It may be a good idea to carry some with you, especially if you are travelling with children. There is a small toilet on board the ferry which seems to be clean and in decent working condition.

To board and disembark from the ferry you will need to walk on an average sized plank of wood connecting the pier to the ferry. The process is not very efficient and can be a little scary the first time you try it, so bear this in mind if you have any foot injuries, have special needs etc.

2. Hanoi, Vietnam

Photo: TripAdvisor

Vietnam's capital races to make up for time lost to the ravages of war and a government that as recently as the 1990s kept the outside world at bay. Its streets surge with scooters vying for right of way amid the din of constantly blaring horns, and all around layers of history reveal periods of French and Chinese occupation – offering a glimpse into the resilience of ambitious, proud Hanoians.

Negotiate a passage past the ubiquitous knock-off merchants and you’ll find the original streets of the Old Quarter. Defiant real-deal farmers hawk their wares, while city folk breakfast on noodles, practise t’ai chi at dawn or play chess with goateed grandfathers.

Dine on the wild and wonderful at every corner, sample market wares, uncover an evolving arts scene, then sleep soundly in luxury for very little cost. Meet the people, delve into the past and witness the awakening of a Hanoi on the move.

1. El Nido, The Philippines

Photo: Wikipedia

El Nido, officially the Municipality of El Nido (Cuyonon: Banwa i'ang El Nido, Tagalog: Bayan ng El Nido), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Palawan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 50,494 people.

It is about 420 kilometres (260 mi) south-west of Manila, and about 238 kilometres (148 mi) north-east of Puerto Princesa, Palawan's capital. A managed resource protected area, it is known for its white-sand beaches, coral reefs, limestone cliffs and as the gateway to the Bacuit archipelago.

El Nido is currently ranked #4 in Condé Nast Traveler's list of "20 Most Beautiful Beaches in the World."[8] CNNgo has called it the Best Beach and Island destination in the Philippines for its "extraordinary natural splendor and ecosystem."

El Nido is the primary base for exploring Palawan’s star attraction, the stunning Bacuit Archipelago. Tiny swiftlets build edible nests out of saliva in the immense limestone cliffs that surround the town proper – hence the name, El Nido (nest in Spanish). The town proper has an ordinary beach, but is home to an emerging restaurant and bar scene. Brooding Cadlao Island looms just offshore.

Many visitors prefer to stay in communities outside the town proper. Nearby options include Corong Corong, a long, narrow beach to the south that faces Bacuit Bay; or Caalan, a rocky strip of quiet resorts immediately to the north. Further afield, more and more resorts are sprouting along El Nido's beautiful north coastline, in places like Nacpan Beach and the east coast villages of San Fernando and Sibaltan.

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