Nayantara Singh

There's no way to travel all of Asia in one lifetime, but you can damn well bet that we're going to try. From bustling city destinations to wild island paradises, there's so much on the regional travel menu that we'd gladly spend our annual leave on in 2026 – and if you're having a hard time choosing, then you're in the right place. We talked to our Time Out editors and travel contributors in Asia to suss out what's on their radar for the coming year. These destinations are emerging hotspots: long overlooked or previously hard to reach, but now on the map for travellers seeking alternatives to well-trodden destinations like Bali, Tokyo, and Bangkok. Many on the list have become better-connected, too – all the more reason to buy that plane ticket in 2026. And it goes without saying: they all have spectacular natural attractions, rich culture, and fantastic dining scenes to satisfy the pickiest of travellers. Here's Time Out's list of the best places to visit in Asia in 2026.  Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Asia newsletter for the best travel inspiration straight to your inbox. READ MORE: The most spectacular places to visit in Asia and The most gorgeous islands in Asia 

My first thought upon entering Barbet & Pals is how many drinks it's going to take for me to be able to laugh at the same pitch as the other folks guffawing inside. That, and the mean-ish rumination on how many people know that a barbet's a kind of bird – though the decor, has, of course, made it glaringly obvious, from the birds flying off the servers' lapels to the little winged stirrers clattering about inside highball glasses. Barbet is, mercifully, not a speakeasy. By that, I mean it isn't faux-hidden behind a pair of nondescript doors that can only be reached via a great big shady lift. No, Barbet's right there, flatly proud, placed in the inner lip of Greater Kailash II's M Block Market, which is currently in the throes of an intense, competitive popularity. The unselfconscious location's a relief, really, and a bit of a surprise – given that inside, Barbet feels much more like a speakeasy than any of the other bars that have mushroomed with greasy ease across south Delhi. It's small, but not too small (38 seats). Dimly lit, but not in the infuriating way that makes you want to pull out your phone torch to squint at the menu. The speaker spouts 80s oldies, but not all of them are bangers. It's good to know there's yet some appreciation for deep cuts in this city. When they launched, publications went wild waxing lyrical about the pahadi inspiration behind the menu. I read it all, and I'd come here to sample it, but to tell you god's honest truth, the drink that's caugh