Things to Do in Asia

Chaweng Beach - or Hat Chaweng - is Koh Samui’s most popular, longest and perhaps most lovely beach.

Clear blue-green sea, palm trees, coral reefs and lively nightlife come together to create a laid-back party atmosphere at Chaweng, the second biggest resort hub on the island.

Drinks are sold on the beach by passing vendors and there are water sports for every taste, from windsurfing to water skiing.

Dive operators run tours from Chaweng Beach, and this is where you’ll find most of the island’s nightclubs and bars. At beachfront restaurants you can dine right on the sand as the sun sets over the sea.

Chaukhtatgyi Paya, with its 65-meter-long reclining Buddha, is not only a must-see, its sheer size and rich details make it one of the most memorable stops in all of Yangon. The Buddha’s bright white face hovers some 16 meters above the ground and is decorated with brilliant red lips and bright blue eye shadow. Its golden robes drape down to the statue’s feet, which are covered in 108 intricately designed lakshanas representing each of the noble characteristics of the Buddha. Travelers can witness local monks from nearby monasteries honoring Buddha’s teachings as they wander the grounds, thick with the scent of burning incense and fresh flowers.

Built in 1984 on the site of a former imperial palace, Beijing’s Chaoyang Park is the largest park in the city and a great place to spend a morning or afternoon relaxing or people watching. The 714-acre (289-hectare) space includes 20 designated scenic spots as well as the venue for the 2008 Beijing Olympics beach volleyball competition.

The park is divided into several themed areas. You’ll find a collection of European-style fountains and sculptures in Art Square, aquatic plants and trees in Ecological Valley and wild ducks on Binshui Island on Lotus Lake. The beach volleyball venue was converted into a bathing beach after the Olympics, complete with white sand imported from Hainan.

Besides the usual park activities, you can rent bicycles and a variety of boats for exploring the 168-acre (68-hectare) lake situated within the park. You’ll also find facilities for basketball and a few amusement park rides geared toward kids.

A weekend visit to Chatuchak Market is an absolute must-do. The snack stalls at the market's entrance selling deep fried insects give you a taste (quite literally if you are game!) of the unique Thai treats that await you within.

Only open on the weekend, Chatuchak is Bangkok's largest and most fun weekend market. You'll need a full day here to navigate the entire place, which bursts with stalls selling everything from reptiles, puppies, exotic food and souvenirs, to fake designer clothes and real designer furniture.

Browsing at the market is a fantastic cultural experience but can be hot and exhausting. Start your day early and take advantage of the many bars and cafes within the market that are perfectly set up for people watching over a cold beverage.

Western food is available but it pays to be adventurous and try a bargain local lunch at one of the many food stalls.

Changu Narayan Temple, located within easy reach of the town of Bhaktapur in the Kathmandu Valley, has a history as a sacred site dating all the way back to the third century AD, though the double roofed temple that stands in honor of the god Vishnu today was erected after a fire in 1702. Some of the statuary contained within the temple date back to the fourth through ninth centuries.

The ancient temple honors Vishnu as Narayana, or the First Being. The wooden roof supports that are visible on the temple’s exterior depict several other deities from the Tantric school, and the stone sculptures surrounding the building depict various other avatars of Vishnu as well as of local kings and queens. The traditional Nepali-style architecture includes intricately gilded windows and four gates, each guarded by a pair of stone animals.

The temple doesn’t draw many visitors, making it a peaceful escape from Kathmandu. Only Hindus are allowed inside the main temple when it's open, but there are plenty of sights to enjoy in the courtyards surrounding the main structure. The path to and from the parking lot is lined with shops selling locally crafted masks and Tibetan thangka paintings.

If you’re planning to see a Chinese acrobatics show while in China -- and you should, since the young acrobats here are wildly talented -- Beijing’s Chaoyang Theatre is one of the best places to do so. Young acrobats from across the country perform in the theater, spinning plates, balancing on precarious stacks of chairs, riding motorcycles upside down in a steel cage and performing other seemingly impossible feats of athleticism and strength.

More than 3 million foreign tourists have seen the performance over the course of its two-decade run in the Chaoyang Theatre. Performances last one hour and are typically held twice daily. Since the performances are largely visual, the language barrier isn’t an issue. Plan to take the metro to and from the show, as getting a taxi after a performance can be quite a feat.

Having moved from the prison site to its new location directly across the Changi Gaol in 2001, the Changi Memorial and Chapel is a testament to those prisoners of war who were made to suffer and perish during World War II.

In the memorial, several artifacts from the period show how Singaporeans, particularly those prisoners being held in the Changi prison, had suffered under Japanese occupation during the war. Boasting tons of personal affects including emotional letters, drawings and photographs, the memorial tells the stories of more than 50,000 people who had been there between 1942 and 1945.

Entrance is free or for a nominal fee, visitors can elect to embark on a one hour guided tour of the complex that goes through paintings made years later by several internees who recreated what life as a POW was like inside the prison. Visitors can also purchase an audio tour or stop over to watch one of a few informative videos with footage from the era.

In the corner of the memorial, there is a neat collection of rare books which deal exclusively with what Singapore was like during wartime.

Located on Upper Changi Road North, the memorial and chapel are open daily from 9:30am with last admission at 5pm. They can easily be reached by hopping on the SBS bus #2 from Tanah Merah MRT station (EW4), which stops directly in front of the Changi Chapel and Museum.