The paths and vistas of Asian cities that travelers overlook

Asia’s cities are sometimes maligned and characterized as heaving concrete jungles, besieged by chaotic or crawling traffic and the non-stop whirring of tens of thousands of motorcycles.

India’s cities have long had a bad reputation for smog and pollution, while Jakarta, Indonesia’s huge capital, is infamous for the ‘macet’: two- to three-hour commutes that normally last no more than 10 to 15 minutes in free-flowing traffic.

But despite all that, some Asian cities have worthwhile walks and hikes. The staff at travel booking provider Agoda have listed five of their favorites, which provide an “unparalleled perspective on some of Asia’s most dynamic cities” and offer “the perfect blend of city life and nature.”

The least physically demanding – despite the sometimes sweltering heat, humidity and rain showers of the monsoon season – is the Bukit Nanas Forest Reserve in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s largest city and home to the Petronas Twin Towers for a time in the 1990s. the tallest building in the world.

The route offers the “unique experience of trekking through a tropical rainforest right in the city center” and is “relatively easy”, according to the agoda team.

Visitors to Taipei were urged to attempt the “short but rewarding climb” of Elephant Hill, where they can get great views of the Taiwanese city’s famous skyline.

Just down the road from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore – carefully planned and self-consciously modern – has gardens and green spaces in abundance, including Pulau Ubin, a small island with cycle and walking paths past mangroves and where kampong or village life is frozen in time . these are the slogans, just like in the sixties.

However, the Agoda team recommends the Southern Ridges Trail, a “moderate 6-mile walk through a series of interconnected parks and gardens.”

For a more demanding hike, head to Seoul and trek up Namsan to the monumental N Seoul Tower for breathtaking views of the city below and, for lovebirds, the chance to hang a padlock with the couple’s name on it – similar to the Pont des Arts in Paris.

The toughest trek on Agoda’s list is the Dragon’s Back, which takes the hiker up and down and up again to get spectacular views of Hong Kong and the South China Sea.

It goes without saying that there are other valuable city walks in the region in addition to the walks listed on www.agoda.nl.

In better days – before the military regained control in 2021 and the country fell back into civil war, Myanmar or Burma’s largest city, Yangon (or Rangoon), meant for travelers the chance to stroll around Lake Inya, the flower waterfront a world away from the city. incessant traffic, missing footpaths and sideways slimes of betel plants.

And across the border between Myanmar and Thailand lies Chiang Mai and a gentle, tree-lined path up to Doi Suthep, a 1,600-metre-high hill that is home to a striking 14th-century Buddhist temple of the same name and the final part of the trek is a 306 hill with steps. stairs.

Far to the south, Dili, the low-rise capital of Timor-Leste, lies beneath hills that an adventurous traveler can try to hike. Easier is a 5 to 6 kilometer coastal walk from the edge of town to Cristo Rei (Christ the King) beach, the route past palm-lined beaches and the sizzle of freshly caught fish feeling the heat of smoking charcoal.

From there, another climb and more steps: 570 steps up to a mini replica of Rio de Janeiro’s famous statue, Christ the Redeemer, and spectacular views along East Timor’s north coast.