Tessa Kaur

If you’re lucky enough to hold a passport from Singapore, Japan, or South Korea, it’s time to stop dreaming and start booking. The 2026 Henley Passport Index is officially out, and Asia is once again dominating the global leaderboard. Singapore continues to reign as the world's undisputed mobility king, with citizens enjoying visa-free access to a whopping 192 destinations. Japan and South Korea are not far behind, sharing second-place with 188 destinations each. In other words, Europe is playing catch-up to Asia's travel might.  It's not just the usual suspects making noise, either. Malaysia has officially broken into the top ten for the first time in a decade, while Hong Kong has staged a comeback to the top 15. China is making its mark too – not by strengthening its own passport, but by becoming ever more open to the world. The country has opened its borders to over 44 countries in two years, now ranking 62nd on the Henley Openness Index in 2026.  It's never been easier for Asian travellers to explore the world. If you're itching for an impromptu getaway, here are some spectacular destinations you won't regret booking a flight to this year.  Here are the top 10 most powerful passports in Asia for 2026: Singapore – 192 visa-free destinations Japan – 188 visa-free destinations South Korea – 188 visa-free destinations Malaysia – 180 visa-free destinations Hong Kong – 171 visa-free destinations Brunei – 162 visa-free destinations Macao – 141 visa-free destinations Taiwan – 13

Planning a K-drama marathon on your next flight to Seoul? You might want to make sure your phone is at 100 percent before boarding. Following a string of lithium-ion battery scares, South Korea’s biggest carriers have pulled the plug on the use of portable power banks on flights. The ban covers all Hanjin Group airlines, including heavyweights Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, plus budget carriers Jin Air, Air Busan, and Air Seoul. South Korea’s Jeju Air has also followed suit as of January 22. The new safety rules are strict. You can still carry your power bank in the cabin, but it must stay unplugged. To be specific, you cannot charge your phone or laptop using a portable charger, you cannot plug the battery itself into the plane's USB ports, and you must keep your batteries in your seat pocket or under the seat – stashing them in the overhead bin is now a no-go. This isn't just Korea being cautious. These carriers are joining the likes of Scoot, Thai Airways, and China Airlines, who all implemented similar "no-charge" policies in 2025. The crackdown follows some serious close calls, including an Air Busan fire last January that resulted in a plane being written off at Gimhae International Airport. Bottom line? Pack a wall charger for the airport lounge, because once you’re in the air, that power bank is essentially a paperweight. Have you heard? Here are the cheapest destinations to travel to in 2026, according to Skyscanner Plus: The world's first 'IQIYI Land' immersive

You know Skyscanner from every single time you’ve looked up flight tickets on impulse because you saw a TikTok of a travel influencer enjoying herself in Japan or a photo dump of an acquaintance riding horses in Mongolia on Instagram. The website is a mainstay in any traveller’s toolbox, helping frequent flyers sniff out the best prices any airline has to offer. This year, Skyscanner has done users one better: it’s crunched the numbers to figure out the top 10 cheapest places to travel to in 2026, and broken the prices down into the cheapest destinations every month, as well as figured out the cheapest day to fly (spoiler: it’s usually Sunday). The cheapest destination on average this year is Phuket, which will average you SGD 236 for a return trip. The island is known for its beautiful beaches, dive spots, and exciting nightlife, and you should make sure to eat some excellent Thai food while you’re at it. In second place is Manila at an average of SGD 240, the beautiful, historic capital of the Philippines. Its bustling markets, vibrant food and nightlife scene, and famously warm Filipino hospitality make it a hugely underrated spot for Asian tourism. Might as well tick it off your travel bucket list, with airfares this affordable. In third place, and one of the most popular tourist spots in Asia, is Bali at SGD 247. Whether you’re looking to get in touch with your spiritual side, visit its UNESCO World Heritage rice terraces, or just catch some rays and do some surfing on o

If you’re a big fan of South Korean culture, you’ve undoubtedly already been to Seoul to soak in its culture and eat to your heart’s content. What you may not realise is that if you venture a little bit out of Seoul, you can visit a nearby UNESCO Heritage Site, a part of Korea’s rich history. If you’re looking for something new to do, and you’re a fan of history and a little bit of hiking, consider making an excursion to Namhansanseong in Gwanju, Gyeonggi Province. What makes Namhansanseong special? This UNESCO Heritage Site has a lot of historical value. It was created as an emergency capital for the Joseon dynasty in the 17th century as a substitute for Seoul’s palaces in wartime, and has been rebuilt several times, incorporating fortress architecture from Korea, Japan, and China. It’s also a symbol of Buddhism’s role in the protection of the state – it was built and defended by Buddhist monk-soldiers! If that isn’t enough, it’s also located within a gorgeous natural landscape. Where is it, and how do I get there? Namhansanseong is about 25 kilometers outside of Seoul, and fairly easy to get to. Take Seoul Subway Line 8 to Sanseong Station, and take exit 2. Walk 100 meters to the bus stop and take bus 9 or bus 9-1/52 (these are quicker but arrive less frequently). Get off at Namhansanseong bus stop. There will be plenty of signs directing you to the fortress. When is the best time to visit? Namhansanseong Fortress is open all year round, from 10am to 6pm from April to Octob

If you live in Asia and prefer to get the best deals on flight prices possible, you’re likely already very familiar with AirAsia. The Malaysian budget airline is the largest in Malaysia, and has a network of affiliate airlines serving the Southeast Asia region, even connecting to Australia, Africa, and the Middle East. Its network spans over 130 destinations globally, and the airline intends to expand into the Middle East and Central Asia. It’s also widely considered to be the world’s best budget airline. At the World Travel Awards Grand Final 2025 in Bahrain, it won the award for World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline at the World Travel Awards for the thirteenth year in a row, while its cabin crew has just been named the World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline Cabin Crew for the ninth year in a row. Meanwhile, AirAsia X has won World’s Leading Long-Haul Low-Cost Airline for the third consecutive year.  The World Travel Awards have been running since 1993, celebrating achievements in global travel and tourism: this is where excellence in innovation, network growth, and service quality are highlighted. AirAsia’s excellent performance at the WTA 2025 came after it secured multiple regional titles at the WTA Asia & Oceania Awards in October. Graham E. Cooke, founder of the WTA, said: “These three awards reflect its unwavering commitment to delivering seamless, world-class travel experiences. The dedication and professionalism of the AirAsia team continue to set new benchmarks across the glo

What makes a landscape award-winning? Is it natural beauty? Biodiversity? In the eyes of the World Architecture Festival, at least this year, it’s revitalisation. The 2025 Landscape of the Year award went to the Embracing Flood: Xinjiang River Ecological Corridor, in Shangrao City, China. Designed by Turenscape, the Xinjiang River Corridor is a 102-hectare floodplain that was once degraded by invasive species and informal agriculture. Seasonal floods left the area largely inaccessible, while catastrophic floods would wipe out its ecosystem roughly every two decades. By the early 1970s, its banks had been stripped bare of trees due to climate change and human activity. Turenscape stepped in to transform the land, redeveloping it to protect its ecological value while restoring native habitats, boosting flood resilience, and opening it up to the public year-round. Impressively, it did this all sustainably and cost-effectively. The design features modular concrete walkways on pole structures, alongside durable, natural materials that blend into the environment. Among design strategies that help to naturally manage floods and minimise environmental disruption, the floodplain has also been thoughtfully designed for public use. An elevated skywalk offers panoramic views safely above flood levels, while three boardwalk layers respond dynamically to changing water levels. There’s an educational element, too, with waterfront platforms and observation decks that combine recreation with

Going out past sunset in the city often means restaurants, bars, and clubs to the seasoned urbanite, but there’s a sore lack of spots to just sit and unwind in a peaceful, quiet place, no partying involved. Cafes close early, libraries aren’t open all night, and most other places are loud. What’s a night owl to do? The Library by BookXcess offers a solution. The 38,000 square foot space is a bookstore that’s open 24/7 – the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia – with open reading corners, desks to work at, and tall shelves full of books to browse. Located in Kuala Lumpur’s Sunway Square Mall, it’s modern library meets gathering space, designed for night owls, late-night muggers, and wanderers to find peace and quiet in the busy city. Expect cushioned benches, rocking chairs, and study nooks complete with power sockets. The sprawling store is warmly lit and full of art, spread across two floors and nearly a kilometer of walkways to meander down. You should, of course, take your time to explore its literary offerings, but do make sure to stop and notice its many sculptures, paintings, and installations.  As if that’s not enough, it’s got snacks to fuel your 3am reading sessions. Inside, you’ll find Good Mojo Smoothies and the much beloved Kenny Hills Bakers for pastries, ice cream, and drinks while you browse or work. The Library was originally designed as a library for students at the nearby Sunway University to work due to a lack of dedicated study spots on campus, and it ev

It's official: Deepavali is now a certified world-class treasure. At its 20th session – held appropriately enough at Delhi's iconic Red Fort – the UNESCO committee officially added India's Festival of Lights to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Anyone who's ever celebrated Deepavali already knows its a big deal, but this nod puts the festival on the same global pedestal as practices like yoga and Paraguayan poncho-weaving. It's all about the spotlight on the traditions that make us human, whether they're massive global parties or niche village crafts. For those new to the festivities, Deepavali (or Diwali) celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. The celebration involves the iconic clay lamps that Indians light outside their homes, but celebrants also gather for prayers, feasts, and firework displays. It's a Hindu tradition at heart, but celebrated by just about everyone across the Indian diaspora. Deepavali is now the 16th Indian tradition on the list, joining the likes of the Chhau Dance and the Garba of Gujarat. The committee was busy this year, also handing out honours to Arabic kohl, Iceland's legendary swimming pool culture, Swiss yodelling, and the delicate art of Japanese washi paper.  It wasn't all just celebrations, though. UNESCO also flagged several traditions that need "urgent safeguarding" to keep them from disappearing. These include the Filipino craft of making asin tibuok (artisanal se

We're calling it: the Greater Bay Area Sports Centre is Guangzhou's most beautiful building. In the works since 2023, this behemoth by Zaha Hadid Architects made its grand opening on December 5. The 70-hectare plot includes a 60,000 seat stadium, 20,000-seat arena, and 4,000-seat aquatics facility within a sprawling, lush public park, complete with outdoor training pitches and tracks as well as accommodation for athletes.   Photograph: Selaojiong Located on the gorgeous and historic Pearl River in the southern part of Guangzhou's Nansha District, the design draws from the region's maritime history. Its sweeping curves emulate the hulls of traditional Song Dynasty ships, while vertical louvres cool and shade the building in Guangzhou's subtropical climate.  It also takes inspiration from local Lingnan architecture, with sheltered areas to passively cool and ventilate buildings in the summer. The wetlands surrounding the venue are designed to aid in flood prevention and manage excess water caused by sea-level changes, helping future-proof it against climate change. Photograph: Selaojiong For those in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay area, this sports centre is set to become the top destination for national and international sporting events as well as cultural performances. Four sold-out concerts are set to take place at the venue and there's more sure to come – with major cultural events such as the Guangzhou Strawberry Music Festival, the Head in the Clouds music

Unless you can afford to shell out for the more comfortable business class options or better on a flight, most of us don’t want to be maximising our time spent sitting in an airplane seat. However, long-haul direct flights are often still the most convenient way to get from one place to another – there’s no need to run across terminals, and there’s a lower chance of your luggage getting lost between airports. Until this December, the absolute longest flight you could take was the Singapore Airlines route between Singapore and New York, which covers 9,500 miles. But now, China Eastern Airlines has launched a flight between Shanghai and Buenos Aires, covering 12,500 miles, almost half the circumference of the planet.  China Eastern Airlines, one of China’s three biggest commercial airlines, says this is the first commercial route connecting antipodal cities, which are cities on opposite sides of the planet. Technically, this isn’t the world’s longest non-stop flight route, though – that honour still goes to Singapore Airlines’ New York route. The Shanghai to Buenos Aires flight includes a two-hour stop in Auckland, New Zealand. It doesn’t require passengers to change planes but does involve a brief layover. This flight operates twice a week between Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Buenos Aires’ Ministro Pistarini Airport. While the flight is 29 hours long departing from Argentina, it’s four hours less departing from Shanghai, taking just 25 hours. Before the launch of

For LaListe’s tenth anniversary, it analysed over a thousand international sources to narrow down the absolute best of the best in the culinary scene to produce the 2026 global ranking of restaurants. And for the first time, ten restaurants from eight countries share the top spot, all with a 99.5 score, proving that gastronomy is more exciting, diverse, and competitive than ever before. Notably, Asia is seeing a distinct rise as a global gastronomic center. No longer are these cuisines best known for low-cost street food – the investment from luxury hotel groups into high-end dining and diversification of cuisines in the West are bringing Asian flavours to the forefront. We’re also seeing Southeast Asia rise in the ranks, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Take, for example, Lung King Heen in Hong Kong, one of the restaurants tied for first place. The Michelin two-star fine dining restaurant focuses on Cantonese cuisine, and was established by Four Seasons by chef Chan Yan-tak, the first Chinese chef to earn three Michelin stars. On the menu, you’ll find traditional dishes like abalone in oyster sauce and double-boiled sea cucumber soup, and specialties like bird’s nest, braised duck liver, and frog legs. There's more to eat through in Hong Kong – take this list as your starter guide.  From Southeast Asia, the Michelin three-star Sorn in Bangkok has earned an impressive 98.5 rating, with its focus on Southern Thai cuisine and exquisite blend of tradition a

AirAsia has just launched a route that connects Bangkok and Hanoi via Luang Prabang in Laos, giving travellers between these two tourism destinations a budget way to get between them. The airline will begin operating this route on December 1, just in time for the year-end peak season. Santisuk Klongchaiya, Chief Executive Officer of Thai AirAsia, said, ‘We are excited to introduce this new route under Fifth Freedom rights, with Luang Prabang designated as our first-ever stopover city. This allows us to expand into new markets, particularly by offering daily direct flights between Luang Prabang and Hanoi. We believe the route will be well-received by international travelers seeking seamless connections between leading tourism destinations. Both Hanoi and Luang Prabang are growing highlights in the region.’ This is AirAsia’s fifth route that includes stopovers, but the previous four all connected to Japan with stopovers in Taiwan or Hong Kong. This is the first of the budget airline’s routes to have a stopover within Southeast Asia. This will come as a relief to travellers on a tight budget, as there currently aren’t any other budget airlines offering direct flights between these locations.  Before this flight route became an option, if you weren’t willing to spring for a premium-priced flight on Vietnam Airlines or Lao Airlines, you would have to take a bus between the two locations. The bus is notoriously unpredictable. Bad weather has left travellers stranded on the street,