Asia Holidays

Holiday goals

The travel checklist in this part of the world is an Instagram-lover’s dream. You can go filter free in Thailand, where green-tinted countryside nudges against white scoops of sand and baby blue waters. Sri Lanka’s stilt fishermen, colonial building collection and elephant sanctuaries mean daytripping always has a different theme. In India, you can slalom through Goa’s backwaters or sloth out on a bar-backed beach. Then there’s Phu Quoc – this diddy island’s brill for beaches, and boasts some of the best in Vietnam.

Piece of paradise

Destinations don’t come more desirable than the Maldives. These islands – in the Indian Ocean – look like postcards brought to life, thanks to swaying palms and marshmallow-white waterfronts. They’re a haven for honeymooners, who set their sights on the luxe over-water villas and smashing snorkelling conditions. Schools of snazzy fish wriggle beneath the stilted boardwalks, and you can spy whale sharks and dolphins on boat trips.

Mountains and mangroves

The Middle East makes no bones about its love affair with skyscrapers, with the likes of Dubai and Abu Dhabi competing to stretch the furthest into the clouds. It’s their more reserved neighbour, Ras Al Khaimah, that we’ve got a thing for, though. This Emirate’s loftiest feature is the Hajar Mountain Range, and the heart of the city wears an old school outfit. Shuffle through marketplaces, visit century-old mosques and paddle through wildlife-loaded lagoons.