Experts Name 4 Surprising Cities As Asia’s Top Summer Destinations

Asia is challenging to sum up in a few words, especially given its vastness and diversity.

Sometimes it may feel impossible to tackle or even narrow down where to go.

The easy route is to follow the crowd to Tokyo, Phuket, and Bali, but as we all know, some of the best travel memories made derive from forging your own path into the lesser-known.

Experts at Lonely Planet have revealed a month-by-month guide for summer, featuring a few destinations that ring a bell.

As such, Travel Off Path‘s team was fascinated by Asia's biggest summer surprises, ranging from South Korea to India, but not where you expect.

Without further ado, here are 4 surprising cities you should scope out as your next summer adventure:

PLUS: We've created an interactive quiz for you at the end of this article to find out which one is your perfect match!

Busan: Asia's Top Spot To Kickstart Summer

South Korea may have Seoul, but they're not a Seoul-dier.

I tried…

Capsule train on coast of Busan, South Korea

Busan is where the country's K-Pop craze meets vibrant beaches, all without sacrificing Seoul's Korean barbecue sizzle and mesmerizing neon streetscape.

Any globetrotter knows that city beaches are 50/50 at best in terms of quality and matching up with the postcards we've all seen.

Busan is on the good side of the 50/50, where scenic coastline stretches past golden beaches, rocky bluffs, and glassy high-rises — and you can get an even better view on one of the city's quirky train carts, known as the Sky Capsule.

People walking down neon-lit street in Busan, South Korea

Haeundae is renowned as Busan's must-see beach, while Gamcheon Culture Village is a popular photo op for its pastel maze of hillside homes, eye-popping murals, and sea-view alleyways.

No matter how you end up planning your trip, June feels absolutely splendid with average temperatures of 72°F.

Travelers are currently scoring South Korea's safety levels with 85/100 on our Safety Index tool:

Be sure to double-check Travel Alerts & Entry Requirements before your trip.

Shimla: India's Best-Kept Secret

Is there any country more wondrous than India?

City built into mountains — Shimla, India

Sometimes wonderfully chaotic, sometimes wonderfully delicious, and sometimes wonderfully off-putting — at least according to my street food algorithm.

But wondrous nonetheless, with no better time to visit than July with 81–88°F weather.

You know New Delhi, Mumbai, and perhaps Udaipur if you're travel nerds like us, but one place that's more reminiscent of Valparaíso or Guanajuato at first glance is little-known Shimla, boasting a kaleidoscopic cityscape spilling down the Himalayan foothills.

This once British-colonized town still reflects its history, especially for travelers ready to be wowed.

Take the Hogwarts-esque Viceregal Lodge and the Rothney Castle, for example — truly breathtaking to see.

Shimla is full of surprises across the board, and mostly good at that. Being well-kempt, it's a great place to indulge in Indian cuisine without worrying about travelers' arch nemesis “Delhi belly”, but do watch out for pesky local thieves, rhesus monkeys.

Travelers are currently scoring India's safety levels with 70/100 on our Safety Index tool:

Sendai: The Best Of Japan Wrapped Into One Underrated City

Think you have to visit Tokyo and/or Osaka?

That's because you don't know about Sendai.

Slope Car Passing Sakura Tunnel, Sendai, Japan

Lonely Planet touts this virtually unknown city as the “best alternative to well-known cities”, with “everything you came to Japan for – fresh sushi, wacky karaoke, ancient temples”.

I'm sold already.

Japan is captivating end to end. That's why more airlines are launching new flights to the country's far-flung cities because they're worth your while.

Sendai is only an hour and a half from Tokyo via bullet train, a bucket-list item for sure.

Few places make you feel more like a local than Sendai, a city that has yet to be swallowed up by mainstream tourism.

August is said to be a perfect time to visit weather-wise, with highs of just 80°F due to its cooler mountainous climate, earning the moniker “City of Trees”.

Travelers are currently scoring Japan's safety levels with 89/100 on our Safety Index tool:

Chengdu: China's Panda-monium Powerhouse

China is such a global powerhouse, in more ways than one, it's hard to keep up with its massive metropolises.

Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong are the obvious headliners, but Chengdu may be the one that piques Americans’ interest most.

After all, travelers flock to my hometown of San Diego to see pandas napping and gnawing on bamboo like puppies with a new toy.

In Chengdu, though, you can see the real deal in China’s beloved “panda capital”, where visitors can see babies at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.

There are no direct flights from the U.S., but easy connections from other Chinese cities.

While the weather is in August with an average of only 77°F, the real heat comes from the region's notoriously spicy Sichuan cuisine.

Don't say we didn't warn ya!

Travelers are currently scoring China's safety levels with 91/100 on our Safety Index tool:

Now take this quiz to find your perfect match!

🌏

Asia Matcher

Find Your Surprising Summer City Question 1 of 4

What are you craving?

🥩 Sizzling BBQ & beaches 🍣 Fresh sushi & sake 🌶️ Spicy Sichuan dishes Question 2 of 4

Pick a landscape:

🏔️ Himalayan foothills 🏙️ Coastal high-rises 🌳 The “City of Trees” Question 3 of 4

Your ideal sightseeing?

🐼 Giant panda bases 🏰 Hogwarts-style castles ⛩️ Ancient temples Final Question

Choose a city vibe:

🎤 K-Pop & pastel villages ✨ Wondrous & mildly chaotic 🏢 Massive metropolis energy 🇰🇷

Busan, South Korea

The Neon Coastal Escape

Why: You want vibrant beaches, sizzling Korean BBQ, K-Pop, and pastel hillside alleys without the mainstream crowds of Seoul.

Safety Check: South Korea holds an incredibly high 85/100 on the Safety Index. Grab a ride on the Sky Capsule and enjoy the perfect 72°F June weather! Restart Quiz 🇮🇳

Shimla, India

The Himalayan Hideaway

Why: You love historic architecture, wondrous vibes, and exploring colorful, kaleidoscopic cityscapes spilling down mountain foothills.

Safety Check: India scores a solid 70/100 on the Safety Index. Watch out for the pesky rhesus monkeys as you explore the breathtaking Viceregal Lodge! Restart Quiz 🇯🇵

Sendai, Japan

The Underrated ‘City of Trees'

Why: You want everything you came to Japan for—fresh sushi, ancient temples, and karaoke—without the elbow-to-elbow crowds of Tokyo or Osaka.

Safety Check: Japan holds an amazing 89/100 on the Safety Index. Hop on a bullet train to enjoy its cooler mountainous climate and authentic local feel. Restart Quiz 🇨🇳

Chengdu, China

The Panda-monium Powerhouse

Why: You want the excitement of a massive metropolis combined with incredibly spicy local cuisine and the chance to see adorable wildlife up close.

Safety Check: China holds a top-tier 91/100 on the Safety Index. Head to the Giant Panda Breeding Base and dive into world-famous authentic Sichuan food! Restart Quiz CHECK ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Traveler Dashboard

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Sam Sears

Sam, our Senior Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 44 countries and written over 1500 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.