Got a bucket list of Asian travel experiences? Tick them off in batches on your next holiday with eight of Skyscanner’s best multi-city itineraries
Let us take you skydiving over the desert in Dubai, sleeping in gers in Mongolia and stargazing at the foot of the world’s highest mountain in Tibet without breaking the bank. Book great value tickets using Skyscanner’s multi-city search function and start ticking off all your Asian bucket list experiences now!
Multi-City Itineraries at a Glance
1. Boxing and balloon rides: Singapore – Phuket – Bangkok – Mandalay – Singapore from S$628
2. Taiwan and Japan odyssey: Singapore – Taipei – Tokyo – Sapporo – Singapore from S$829
3. Indian subcontinent highlights: Singapore – Kathmandu – Delhi – Kochi – Singapore from S$742
4. Nomads and the Silk Road: Singapore – Ulan Bataar – Beijing – Xian – Singapore from S$1224
5. Island life and city thrills: Singapore – Male – Dubai – Singapore from S$1048
6. Nature’s bounty: Singapore – Medan – Denpasar – Labuan Bajo – Singapore from S$872
7. Temples and seascapes: Singapore – Siem Reap – Hanoi – Hong Kong – Singapore from S$894
8. Pandas and stars: Singapore – Chengdu – Lhasa – Singapore from S$942
1. Boxing and balloon rides: Singapore – Phuket – Bangkok – Mandalay – Singapore from S$628
Best for fitness freaks, street food treats and hot air balloon adventures
Build up a sweat on this itinerary with a stay in a jungle muay thai camp on beautiful Phuket, where you’ll be coached in the Thai martial art and get your body beach perfect! If boxing isn’t your thing, tick off another great Asian bucket list experience by hiring a kayak and paddling over the stunning crystal clear sea to James Bond Island and find your own slice of empty beach paradise. After all the exercise, you can afford a little bit of indulgence in Bangkok with a cheap massage, street food treats, and a once in a lifetime night of cocktail-fueled hedonism on Khao San Road, backpacker ground zero for Southeast Asia.
Next stop is Mandalay, jumping off point for trips to the plain of Bagan, home to over 2000 ancient temples and pagodas and blessed with spectacular sunrises and sunsets. For the ultimate Bagan experience, sign up for a dawn hot air balloon ride over the temples for an awe-inspiring ride that you’ll never forget.
2. Taiwan and Japan odyssey: Singapore – Taipei – Tokyo – Sapporo – Singapore from S$829
Best for night market adventures, hanami and icy art.
Taipei night markets are a bucket list adventure of their own; chomp your way through scrumptious beef noodles, blood cake and deep fried milk before getting your fortune told at Longshan Temple and being blown away by the views from the top of Taipei 101.
Enormous Tokyo is bewildering, but a good start for unique experiences is to catch a sumo training session and watch one of the three tournaments that take place in the city each year. In spring, be sure to enjoy a hanami picnic and catch sakura blooming in Ueno Park before wrapping up your Tokyo experience with a hike to the summit of Mount Fuji for a glimpse of the world atop one of the planet’s most iconic mountains.
Hokkaido is blessed with beautiful natural scenery from the flower fields of Furano to the incredible blue pond at Biei. However, the real bucket list experience here is to witness the annual snow festival each winter, where you can marvel at extraordinary ice sculptures and make some new friends over a glass of fresh Sapporo beer and a sizzling plate of Genghis Khan at the Sapporo Beer Garden
3. Indian subcontinent highlights: Singapore – Kathmandu – Delhi – Kochi – Singapore from S$742
Best for Himalayan treks, exploring the world’s greatest monument to love and chilling on a houseboat.
Hold on tight for the nail biting landing into Kathmandu, capital of mountainous Nepal. Explore the old part of the city to find a living goddess and commune with Hindu holy men at Pashupatinath before setting off for your bucket list hiking trip to the roof of the world. Take your pick from treks to Everest Base Camp or the Anapurna Circuit to enjoy memorable mountain views and lungfuls of the freshest Himalayan air.
Hop on a flight down to Delhi, a short train ride (an experience in itself) from the stunning Taj Mahal. Arrive here at dawn to see this gorgeous monument at its best. Round off your trip with a relaxing visit to Kochi, where you can rent a houseboat and spend days floating around the Kerala Backwaters, exploring the heritage architecture and spice houses of Fort Cochin or relaxing in a stunning hill station, such as Wayanad, where you can spend days looking for elephants and tigers, swimming in emerald rivers or simply blissing out with a cup of tea on your verandah.
4. Nomads and the Silk Road: Singapore – Ulan Bataar – Beijing – Xian – Singapore from S$1224
Best for a taste of nomad life and Silk Road flavours
Fulfil your nomad dreams with a trip to Mongolia! Head off into the steppe to channel your Genghis Khan dreams with a horse riding tour, a spot of wrestling and a night in a ger in the Khustai National Park, where you’ll be able to enjoy awesome night views of the starry Mongolian sky. A short flight from UB will bring you to booming Beijing, a city packed with bucket list possibilities from walking a quiet section of the stunning Great Wall, exploring the Forbidden City or cycling the alleyways of the fast disappearing hutong.
At the eastern end of the Silk Road, vibrant Xian is packed with spicy culinary delights, so spend an evening gorging on hand pulled noodles and kebabs in the Muslim Quarter, before walking the ancient city walls and marveling at the Terracotta Warriors, one of the world’s greatest archaeological sites and a genuine global bucket list experience!
5. Island life and city thrills: Singapore – Male – Dubai – Singapore from S$1048
Best for beach side romance and desert thrills
This itinerary will see you lounging on some of the planet’s most stunning beaches, leaping from an aeroplane over the desert and shooting up the world’s tallest building. First port of call is the Maldives where you’ll be able to swim with turtles, join a dolphin safari, snorkel a shipwreck and treat your loved one to the ultimate romantic sunset meal on a pristine stretch of sand.
Next stop is Dubai, where you can tick off a plethora of bucket list experiences from skydiving over the desert, wadi bashing in an inland sea of sand dunes, zip lining across Dubai Marina and soaking up the breathtaking views from the top of the planet’s tallest building, the Burj Al Khalifa.
6. Nature’s bounty: Singapore – Medan – Denpasar – Labuan Bajo – Singapore from S$872
Best for chilling with orangutans in pristine rainforest, wreck diving and exploring remote islands in search of world famous lizards
Medan might not seem like an obvious jumping off point for a bucket list experience, but a few bumpy hours’ drive away is the Gunung Leuser National Park, one of Indonesia’s best protected national parks. On a jungle trek starting out from the riverside village of Bukit Lawang, nestled on the edge of the park, you’ll have opportunities to spot orangutans swinging happily in the forest canopy and you’ll get a chance for a dip in a cool, clean jungle river and, if you are super lucky, you may even spot a tiger or rhino too.
Bali is next, though dodge the beaches around Kuta and head to the rugged northeast coast around Amed. Slap on your scuba gear for a once in a lifetime chance to dive a WW2 wreck, the USS Liberty, sunk by a Japanese torpedo in 1942 and now home to over 400 species of reef fish guaranteeing you a superlative dive experience. Wrap up your adventure with a trip to remote Flores, where you’ll be a short boat ride away from rugged Pulau Komodo, home of the unique and ferocious Komodo dragon and a great place for hikes and some of the region’s best diving and snorkeling.
7. Temples and seascapes: Singapore – Siem Reap – Hanoi – Hong Kong – Singapore from S$894
Best for ancient temples and pristine seascapes.
Kick off this bucket list itinerary with a magnificent dawn at Angkor Wat, one of Southeast Asia’s archaeological marvels. To beat the crowds, aim to get there around 5am and find your ideal spot near the reflecting pool for envy inducing photos. Be sure to catch a circus performance at Phare Cambodian Circus before hopping on the flight to Hanoi, where you’ll be a short bus trip from Cat Ba, starting point for amazing cruises around stunning Halong Bay. Here you’ll cruise the emerald waters, be awed by the spectacular limestone karst jutting out of the sea and chomp down on some of the world’s best seafood.
Suitably relaxed, you’ll be ready to take on buzzing Hong Kong where you can channel your inner Ip Man with some Wing Chun lessons in along the Nathan Road. Don’t forget to catch the free nightly Symphony of Lights show in Victoria Harbour, the world’s largest permanent sound and light show and a worthy addition to any Asian bucket list.
8. Pandas and stars: Singapore – Chengdu – Lhasa – Singapore from S$942
Best for hugging pandas and seeing Everest
Ever dreamed of hugging a panda? Who hasn’t? Fly into Chengdu and head over to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre to see these adorable cuties up close. For a more rugged panda viewing experience, grab a cab to the Bifengxia Panda Base, a two-hour drive from the city with great hiking options and stunning waterfalls. Don’t forget to grab a pot of steaming hotpot packed with Sichuan pepper and chill out in one of the city’s famous tea houses before flying to Lhasa, the high altitude capital of Tibet.
Kick off your Tibet adventure with a tour of the world famous Potala Palace, chow down a yak burger and soak up the city’s spiritual side at the Barkhor before heading out of the city for the rugged trip to Everest Base Camp to see the world’s highest mountain and be sure to spend a night out here to see the clear sky filled with infinite stars.
Tick off your Asian bucket list experiences with a multi-city itinerary! flight deals or download our free mobile app for Android or mobile app for iOS for easy browsing and booking on the go.
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Published in October 2018. Any prices are the lowest estimated prices at the time of writing and are subject to change and/or availability.
