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Asia

Datai Bay is celebrated as one of the world’s top 10 beaches by National Geographic.

Tourists have ruined many of Asia’s best islands, but not this one

It is not so easy to find an island where the culture hasn’t been compromised to chase the tourist dollar.

  • Lee Tulloch
Dim sum steamer baskets fly off the food carts.

In just 48 hours, I ate my way through the highlights of a stopover favourite

We pull up a seat at the city’s most legendary dining tables, charting a course through luxury and local legends in just two days.

  • Ben Groundwater
Rung Rueang Pork Noodles.

Forget the hotel buffet, for breakfast you can’t go past this $3 dish

There’s normally no reason to be on Bangkok’s streets before 8am, but the best way to start your day in this city is a visit to this noodle shop.

  • Ben Groundwater
UNESCO-listed Zhangjiajie is among the most astonishing landscapes in China, and inspired the movie Avatar.

Australians are flocking to ‘the world’s most important country’ in record numbers

Many parts of this nation have sights to rival anything France or Japan has to offer, but few Australians have ever heard of them. It’s time to change that.

  • Brian Johnston
The airport’s ’60s-ish look is dated.

This dreary, dated airport has one major saving grace

It might not look very cool, but this airport is a winner when it comes to picking up souvenirs and gifts.

  • Belinda Jackson
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Brooding Mount Bromo is an active volcano in East Java.

It may depart from Bali, but this holiday takes in some of Asia’s wildest wonders

Climbing a volcano, swimming with whale sharks and trekking with Komodo dragons – all while enjoying luxurious comfort.

  • Jane Richards
Mirissa Beach, a gorgeous sweep of sand without a single person on it.

We quit our jobs and moved here for six months. I’ve never been more content

A baby in tow, we found a place for $100 a week. For that, we got five bedrooms, cold showers, basic furnishings and a claustrophobic kitchen. It was perfect.

  • Mark Daffey
On the beach at Issyk-Kul.

More than 1600 metres above sea level, this beach is 2000km from a coast

The shores of the world’s second-largest alpine lake seem like any other beach, until you notice the snow-capped mountains surrounding it.

  • Andrew Bain
A different view … rice terraces in Tabanan.

I’ve always said ‘I hate Bali’. It’s time for a rethink

I’ve fallen into the trap of viewing the island negatively because my past couple of times there were less than wonderful. Perhaps I’m just not doing it right.

  • Lee Tulloch
Tien Shan mountains.

Don’t want to rough it? You can now do this intriguing part of Asia in style

With more and more travellers interested in this Central Asian region, better facilities and upgraded infrastructure are a godsend.

  • Rob McFarland