Travel has become much more challenging now than it has ever been years ago. Due to COVID-19, over the past two years, borders kept opening and closing making it quite unpredictable for travellers. However, after a challenging fight against the pandemic, countries are now re-opening borders, loosening travel restrictions, and welcoming travellers from across the world.

After two tough years of quarantining, constant health precautions, and working from home, 2022 has become the year to let loose, rejuvenate and finally go on that vacation you have been looking forward to during the entire pandemic.

This is why we at Holidayscapes decided to support your travel ideas by putting together a list of travel destinations that one must not miss out on during your vacation in 2022. So pack your bags, and buckle up for a spectacular walk through some exciting bucket list travel destinations in Asia.

Palawan-Philippines

The Philippines overall is a stunning country to explore with its tropical islands, amazing cities, and delicious cuisine. However, Palawan Island particularly catches the interest of many due to various reasons. Not only is it a budget-friendly, backpacker location, but it's also an ecotourism destination. Well known as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Palawan Island is truly a slice of heaven and a breathtaking beauty teeming with exotic wildlife, quaint fishing villages, sugar white sand beaches, rocky coves, and clear emerald water that glistens against the sun.

With over 1200 miles of breathtaking coastline, and more than 1750 islands and islets, there are so many things that you can do and places you can visit on your vacation in Palawan. The Tubbataha Reef national park is surely at the top of the list. Nothing less than a treasure, the Tubbataha reef national park consists of some of the most beautiful and exotic coral reefs you will ever come across. Rising from the volcanic depths of the ocean, these beautiful atolls teems with bewildering and stupefying diversity of marine life and is also the first national marine park to be declared a UNESCO world heritage site in the Philippines.

Furthermore, if you’re looking for an adventure, the Tabon cave in Palawan is the perfect destination. Located in South Palawan, the Tabon caves are an important archaeological site and a great destination for history lovers where they can enjoy exploring the cave formations and learn more about the archaeology diggings.

And not forgetting, the restaurants in Palawan are considered some of the best in the entire Philippines as they present a variety of mouth-watering international and local cuisines in a rustic and simple ambiance. These restaurants ranging from spicy street food to Filipino delicacies will surely add charm to your vacation and promise a unique Palawan experience.

Starting from various breathtaking islands, safari parks, national parks, lagoons, lakes, waterfalls, caves, and cliffs to hidden beaches, there are so many things you can do here which will definitely make your trip to Palawan memorable.

Hang Son Doong Cave- Vietnam

Located in Phong Nha, the Hang Son Doong cave is known as the world’s largest cave as it consists of its own ecosystem and weather patterns due to its massive size. In order to get to this magnificent cave, you should hike through the rainforest where you will be crossing various rivers, and camping under the stars. The hike itself is an exciting experience as you will come across various fauna and flora that you rarely get to see in any part of the world. However, after you reach the entrance, the adventure steps up to another level as you will have to climb, abseil, crawl and swim.

The main cavern of Son Dong is so large that it could fit an entire New York City block inside and this is only just the main cavern, the whole system is way larger and is a jungle home to a variety of wildlife, underground river, a localized weather system that forms its own clouds, agarwood which is widely used for incense, insects that date back to the early times as well as the largest stalagmite known to man that hangs at 262 feet tall.

Consisting of rock formations of 70 meters, the cave is an otherworldly wonder with multiple dolines. These are parts of collapsed limestone ceilings that create openings in the cave where sunbeams can creep through dense foliage. Along with the soft gurgle of the river that flows inside the cave, the sounds of birds chirping and the sounds of macaque monkeys echo off the limestone, making your trip to the Hang Son Doong cave nothing short of a magical experience.

Chiang Mai- Thailand

Known as the largest city in mountainous northern Thailand, Chiang Mai was founded in 1296 and was the capital of the Lanna Kingdom till 1558. This city portrays the rich culture of Thailand and hosts some of the best temples, museums, tribal villages, national parks, stunning mountainous landscapes, and other amazing sites.

Furthermore, the canals, moats, and ancient Lanna temples and ruins give this destination a romantic and timeless vibe. Chiang Mai will not disappoint anyone that is looking to be close to nature. With its numerous activities to partake in and countless sights, this destination is well worth your time and money.

However, what attracts travellers to this destination most is its unique set of temples. Chiang Mai consists of over 300 temples in town and many propose thematic stays and massage or meditation classes. Most of the temples in this destination include winding paths with hundreds of steps to climb and various architectural designs that date centuries back. They also have spectacular views of the countryside which indeed feels quite calming and relaxing. Most of these temples and immense stupas immerse in nature, between trees and streams that are inhabited by large carps and catfishes. And rock galleries consist of hundreds of icons and statues of various sizes.

Apart from the temples, Chiang Mai also has other exciting sites such as zoos, farms, and greenhouses. You can also trek, hike, and visit factories of various kinds such as silk manufacturers. And no matter what you do, tasting Thailand’s famous cuisine at Chiang Mai is something you should not miss out on as it will definitely be the cherry on top of your vacation.

Sigiriya- Sri Lanka

Situated between the towns Dambulla and Habarana, the massive Sigiriya rock is an ancient rock fortress and palace built by King Kashyapa during the reign of 473 – 495. This rock stands at a height of 660 feet and is serenely panoramic in the midst of the Emerald Isles’s Central Province.

Declared as a UNESCO world heritage site, the Sigiriya rock fortress has set an important milestone in the history of Sri Lanka especially as one of the most mathematically and statistically built ancient cities. Being among one of the most famous architectural heritage sites in Sri Lanka, this destination attracts thousands of visitors every year. Sigiriya is famous for its palace that’s built at the top of the rock, colourful frescos, and enormous lion statues at the entrance as well as its mirror wall. The lion rock is also surrounded by vast spaces of centuries-old landscape gardens. The gardens are separated accordingly and divided into terraced gardens, water gardens, and boulder and cave gardens.

The hike to the top of the rock is a challenging yet inspiring journey that is definitely worth the time. The view at the top is truly breathtaking and is definitely a one-of-a-kind experience. This destination is also surrounded by many historical religious places in Sri Lanka that are worth the visit as well, such as the Dambulla cave temple which will surely be a great way to make your vacation to Sri Lanka a memorable one.

Overall, the above destinations are definitely worth adding to your bucket list. If you’re looking forward to vacationing in 2022, hurry up and book a holiday with Holidayscapes and get ready for a one-of-a-kind trip that will surely leave you amazed.