We love a good city exploration as much as the next person – there are cool urban centres all over the world where the most exciting stuff happens: new restaurants and bars, vibrant festivals and events, and cutting-edge art and culture. But when the bustle gets too much, it's under-the-radar towns and tranquil villages that we turn to.
As it turns out, Asia has its fair share of lovely villages to visit. Forbes magazine just published a list by Unforgettable Travel Company rounding up the 50 most beautiful villages in the world. 11 idyllic towns in Asia earned a spot, topped by a fairytale-like hamlet in Japan's Ōno District, Gifu Prefecture.
Called Shirakawa-go, this UNESCO World Heritage Site hugs the banks of the Shogawa River Valley. It's calling card are the traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, with steep thatched roofs that resemble hands pressed together in prayer. What's fascinating about these houses is that they are constructed entirely without nails – built in a technique developed over generations, the beams slot together perfectly and are strong enough to the withstand heavy snowfall in winter.
If you're keen to visit, we recommend staying at Takayama, which is just a 90-minute bus ride away from Ogimachi, Shirakawa-go's largest village (2,400 yen one way). You can also stay overnight at one of the family-run farmhouses in the village to experience life in these traditional homes. These stays can cost anywhere between 8,000 to 20,000 yen per person and often include meals.
Other Asian villages in the global top 20 include Batad in Ifugao, Philippines known for its 2,000-year-old rice terraces; Mrauk U in Myanmar, the epicentre of Rakhine power between 1430 and 1785 and home to famous cultural attractions like the Shite-thaung Temple and Five Man Pagodas; and Zhouzhuang in China, a peaceful water town with graceful bridges arching over winding canals and waterways.
Asia's most beautiful villages, according to Forbes:
- Shirakawa-go, Japan (#9)
- Batad, Philippines (#10)
- Mrauk U, Myanmar (#12)
- Zhouzhuang, China (#18)
- Ghandruk, Nepal (#19)
- Cam Thanh, Vietnam (#20)
- Ubud, Indonesia (#26)
- Ban Rak Thai, Thailand (#34)
- Arang Kel, Pakistan (#44)
- Hahoe Folk Village, South Korea (#47)
- Tatev, Armenia (#48)
Check out the full list of the 50 most beautiful villages in the world here.
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