Asia is a large continent with an endless amount of different cultures and traditions throughout. From stunning national parks, beautiful temples, hidden caves, and hidden islands, there is so much to explore. Since it is such a large place, there are also so many spots off the beaten path that not a lot of tourists know about. The places you can discover on this continent are endless if you take the time to look for less touristy, mainstream locations.
Along with Asia’s vast beauty and culture, comes some pretty mysterious and mystical places that may or may not give you the 'heebie jeebies'. Some of these places are well known to tourists while some of them can't even be found on a map. There are many places in Asia that not even the locals know the whereabouts of, as well as a great deal of mystery and curiosity surrounding some of the landmarks that still stand today.
You may have heard of this place before, as it’s a more well-known spot in Thailand. However, it’s definitely not overcrowded as its hidden inside a hard to reach cave through rain forest and rocky terrain. The Phraya Nakhon Cave, located in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park national park, is home to a 125-year old Thai Pavilion. It’s essentially a stunning gold pavilion nestled inside of a cave, surrounded by lush vegetation, with the opening of the cave shining light down on it through the circular opening (making it look even more majestic than it already is). This place is probably one of the most mysterious landmarks in Thailand, and the trek up to see it will be well worth it in the end.
This place is a favorite for visitors to Thailand, as it’s a lot different than a lot of the temples you will come across throughout the country. This is simply because it is completely white, with no vibrant colors or decorations throughout. It’s probably one of the most bizarre temples you will come across, with popular Hollywood and musical icons painted in murals and creepy bone and skull sculptures throughout the temple. A visit to this place is enough to give you the creepy crawlies, but ‘The White Temple’ is also a pretty epic place that should not be missed while in Thailand.
This is a very popular tourist attraction in Bohol, but it’s not the secret location of this place that makes it mysterious. The unusually shaped hills are a very unique landscape addition to the island, and while the scientific reason of how they were formed has to do with erosion over millions of years, there are many myths that explain how these hills were formed. One famous story, told by a local, claims they were formed by a giant’s tears that dried up over time, forming the hills we see today. While this is quite an adventurous theory, the spectacular hills attract visitors from all over the world.
Being one of the world’s greatest archaeological mysteries, the Mustang Caves lie in one of the most remote and isolated regions in the Himalayas. The landscape is unlike anything else found in Nepal, with strangely sculptured rock formations comprised of nearly 10,000 den openings perched more than 150 feet above the ground.
It is unknown who dug them, since whoever did would have had to scale a near vertical rock to do so, a task almost impossible to accomplish by even experienced climbers. No one knows what their purpose was either, with theories ranging from living quarters to burial chambers. A visit to this mysterious spot will definitely leave you amazed, and equally confused.
Kyaiktiyo Pagoda is a well-known Buddhist site in Burma, where Myanmar’s Golden Rock is perched on the edge of a cliff, almost defying the laws of gravity. It’s unknown how this structure sits so eloquently on the edge without budging, and the sheer curiosity of this is what attracts tourists to witness it for themselves.
Legend has it that the boulder balances on a single strand of Buddha’s hair, which was gifted to the King with instructions to place it beneath the rock shaped like his head. Whether this myth is true or not, you can’t deny that it’s extremely puzzling that this rock has yet to fall off the edge of the cliff.
Those who have visited Vietnam have likely taken a visit to the sand dunes in Mui Ne. The trek to the dunes begins with a stroll through the unique wonder known as the fairy streams. The stream consists of a thin layer of water that gives the appearance of walking on water, surrounded by unique rock formations that make it seem like you are walking atop Mars. Soon after, the rocky backdrop turns into an endless sea of fiery-colored sand. It seems bizarre that this place exists in a place such as Vietnam, adding to the magic of this unexpected phenomenon.
This Atlantis-like ancient city, located in the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, is a mysterious underwater pyramid structure nestled in the depths of the ocean. While this underwater city was once thought to be a natural creation, further research found that it’s actually the remnants of a long-forgotten civilization. The crazy part is, it was only discovered in 1995, meaning it was unknown to the world before this time. So, how did this place just disappear without a question? Since its discovery, it has attracted a ton of fascination by divers who are eager to explore the remains of this secretive world.
Do you believe in ghosts? Located in the province of Chongqing, the ancient “City of Ghosts” is known to be the gateway to the afterlife. This myth traces back nearly 2000 years, where two imperial officials retreated to the mountains and became immortal in the process. The two men were named Yin and Wang, which when combined to Yingwang, means ‘King of Hell’, hence why the place is full of shrines and temples dedicated to the afterlife (and the underworld). Whether you believe in the stories or not, this place will definitely give you a feeling of eeriness throughout your time here… it’s not for the faint at heart!
The Plain of Jars is a hilly area in central Laos that is home to over 2000 mysterious stone jars throughout the fields, with no one really knowing how they got there. Some believe they were part of an ancient burial site, while others think they were used to brew rice wine. To this day, the jars’ origins and purposes are still puzzling. The site of the jars was actually heavily bombed during WWII, so it is another mystery how so many of these sculptures are still intact. While we may not know much about them, it is still a highly deserving place to visit to experience the mystical rock formations for yourself.
Ever wanted to live in the clouds? Well at this destination, that dream will become a reality. Get ready for an experience that will take you 3080 meters above sea level, quite literally above the clouds. The golden temple and structures surrounding it as magical on their own, but become even more spectacular with the cloud mist surrounding them. This summit is quite popular among tourists, so it’s best to head up in the early morning to avoid the crowds. It’s also the best time of the day because you’ll experience the sun rising in the distance, with the golden temple shining by the sun’s first beam of the day.
This mystical mountain, located in Tianmen Mountain National Park, is home to a massive cavern opening that is believed to be the Gateway to Heaven. While you have to get through 1000 steps to reach the top of the mountain (or take the newly built cable car), what is waiting for you at the top is a beautifully constructed temple once you reach the ‘sky door’, as they call it. This park is also home to one of the most dangerous, winding roads in the world, with never-ending curvy switchbacks along the edge of the mountains. The road has 99 curves, symbolizing the 9 different palaces in heaven. While this is just a local story, it’s quite an experience visiting this heavenly mountain.
