The ULTIMATE City Guides · Asia & Indian Ocean
Independent guides to the great cities and islands of Asia and the Indian Ocean
Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Mumbai, with Sri Lanka and the Maldives: every ULTIMATE guide in Asia and the Indian Ocean, each devoted to a single destination and checked against official sources.
Curated
Every place is chosen by our editors, on merit.
Checked
Each is checked against official sources, maps and its own website.
Current
Our lists are reviewed regularly, and corrections are always welcome.
In depth · History & heritage
How each destination became what it is today
A sourced long read in every guide across Asia & Indian Ocean: the population from the national statistics office, the peoples and ancestry, the empires and cultures that shaped each place, and its arts, architecture and institutions. Companions to our railway, bridge and film stories.
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Asia & Indian Ocean
Bangkok
Thailand
The Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.
Visit the Bangkok guide
Hong Kong
The harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.
Visit the Hong Kong guide
Maldives
Undersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.
Visit the Maldives guide
Mumbai
India
The Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.
Visit the Mumbai guide
Shanghai
China
The grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.
Visit the Shanghai guide
Singapore
Marina Bay and Raffles, three restaurants with three MICHELIN Stars, the hawker centres, and the Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visit the Singapore guide
Sri Lanka
Colombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.
Visit the Sri Lanka guide
Thai Islands
Winter sun on two seas: Phuket, Krabi and Railay, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta on the Andaman, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf.
Visit the Thai Islands guide