Asia is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the east, by Australia to the southeast, and by the Indian Ocean to the south. It’s bordered by the Red Sea to the southwest, by Europe and the Urals to the west, and by the Arctic Ocean to the north.
Travel options range widely, from the desert ruins and modern mega-malls of the Middle East to the magnificent ancient monuments in South Asia, and from the beach bungalows and jungle treks of Southeast Asia to the mega-cities and technology capitals of East Asia.
Asia offers very diverse travel options. There are ultra modern, largely democratic countries like Japan and the East Asian Tigers (regions and countries) of Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea which are very prosperous and in which people enjoy very high standards of living. On the other hand, Afghanistan, Laos and East Timor are extremely poor countries where people struggle even to get a few grains of rice each day. Of course, there are also many countries lying somewhere in the middle, such as the emerging powerhouses of China and India which make wonderful travel destinations in themselves due to their long history, size and diversity.
Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia offer a warm tropical climate, diverse culture, and great beaches. On the other extreme, Asia houses Communist North Korea, perhaps the most oppressive regime in the world, which has no travel freedom and constant monitoring by the government.
