Famous attractions across the globe are aplenty. Plus, we’ve got no lack of travel blogs and publications (ahem, like Coconuts Travel) helping you plan your holiday itineraries by scouting out undiscovered gems, unveiling cool new hotel openings, and offering tips on how to navigate your way through tourist season.
But in case you’re looking for more pitstops to add to your must-see bucket list, TIME just released its inaugural list of the World’s Greatest Places.
To compile the line-up of “new and newly relevant destinations”, the magazine put out a call for nominations across categories such as museums, parks, bars, restaurants, and hotels from its editors, correspondents, and industry experts around the world. Each spot was then assessed based on factors like quality, originality, innovation, sustainability, and influence.
And whaddya know, the end product features 100 places from 48 countries, divided into “Stay”, “Eat & Drink”, and “Visit” columns. But since our scope of coverage is (mostly) all about Asia, we’ll be focusing on those spotlighted in the region.
If you’re looking for a unique hotel to rest your head for the night, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is a sweet spot boasting the first underwater restaurant since 2005, followed by a two-story villa submerged 16 feet below the surface of the Indian Ocean opening in November this year.
Or perhaps you’d prefer to spend a night at Alila Fort Bishangarh, a hilltop fortress featuring dungeons and secret walkways in Rajasthan, India, that’s been turned into a luxury hotel.
In Singapore, one of the world’s most expensive places to live in, the Coo Boutique Hostel & Sociatel is a welcome relief on your wallet. On the other end of the spectrum, Hong Kong’s The Murray, which just opened in January, is housed in a 1960s former government office building and offers panoramic rooftop views of the city skyline.
As far as sightseeing spots go, the Golden Bridge in Ba Na Hills, Vietnam, is quite the showstopper, with its gleaming walkway held up by two wizened concrete hands emerging from the mountains. Just as awe-inspiring is the Oriental Science Fiction Valley in Guangzhou, China, the country’s first virtual reality theme park that opened in April with plenty of augmented reality attractions.
If you’re in the mood for art, Museum Macan in Jakarta, Indonesia, is one of the modern art spaces in the city worth visiting, with works by local and international artists featured within its walls.
Alternatively, China’s Tianjin Binhai Library has dominated social media feeds with its stunning design since its opening in October last year, while Hong Kong’s largest restoration project, Tai Kwun, has just been reawakened as a space for the city’s arts and culture scene.
For those who can’t go on vacation without mapping out an extensive plan to hit up every single famous hangout in town, the Art Deco-style Atlas Bar in Singapore is one of those ultra sleek, glamorous experiences that you won’t regret — be it over afternoon tea, dinner, or late night drinks.
Of course, there’s also the world’s first Michelin-starred ramen, Tsuta, in Tokyo, Japan, as well as chef Paul Pairet’s three-starred “multi-sensory immersive dining” restaurant Ultraviolet in Shanghai, China.
Sure, the list is by no means exhaustive or the greatest authority on travel, but it’s pretty helpful if you’re looking for recommendations on where to stay, what to do, and how to eat/drink your way around the world.
