Road Trips in Asia
From the Karakoram Highway to Himalayan passes and Silk Road routes, the greatest road trips and motorbike drives across Asia.
Asia rewards the self-driver and the private-car traveller with some of the most spectacular and varied road journeys on Earth. You can climb the highest motorable passes in the Himalaya, thread coastal cliffs above the South China Sea, wind through Chinese gorges or drift between Balinese temples, all on roads that are destinations in their own right.
Driving conditions vary enormously across the continent, and in many countries hiring a car with a local driver is the smart, safe and surprisingly affordable choice. It frees you to soak up the scenery, stops become effortless and you sidestep the chaotic traffic, unfamiliar rules and mountain hazards that can make self-driving daunting for visitors.
Whichever route you choose, plan around the seasons, because many of the best drives cross high passes that snow closes for months or coastal roads best avoided in the monsoon. Build in generous time, keep your daily distances modest on winding mountain roads, and let the journey itself, rather than the destination, become the point.
Asia's Greatest Drives#
Leh to Manali Highway, India One of the highest and most dramatic road journeys on Earth, crossing several passes above 5,000 metres between the moonscapes of Ladakh and the green valleys of Himachal. Expect a demanding two-day drive over barren high-altitude desert, glacial streams and hairpin switchbacks, only open for a few short summer months.
Manali to Leh via Spiti, India An even wilder alternative loop through the remote, Buddhist Spiti Valley, where whitewashed monasteries cling to ochre cliffs above a braided river. The rough roads, ancient gompas at Key and Tabo and the sheer scale of the trans-Himalayan landscape make this one of India’s ultimate overland adventures.
Karakoram Highway, Pakistan Often called the eighth wonder of the world, this engineering marvel climbs from the plains of Pakistan over the roof of the world towards China. It threads beneath some of the planet’s highest peaks through the storybook Hunza Valley, past glaciers and apricot orchards to the border at the Khunjerab Pass.
Hai Van Pass, Vietnam Made famous by a certain motoring TV show, this coastal mountain road links the imperial city of Hue with the beaches of Da Nang and Hoi An. Ribboning over a jungle-clad headland high above the sea, it delivers sweeping ocean panoramas that are best enjoyed on a clear morning.
Ha Giang Loop, Vietnam A three or four-day circuit through the far northern mountains, widely rated as the most beautiful road trip in the country. It corkscrews through terraced valleys, past ethnic-minority villages and along the vertiginous Ma Pi Leng Pass above a jade-green river gorge.
Mae Hong Son Loop, Thailand A legendary 600-kilometre circuit from Chiang Mai with more than 1,800 curves winding through the cool, forested mountains of the northwest. It links waterfalls, hot springs, hill-tribe villages and the laid-back town of Pai in a landscape of mist-filled valleys and jungle ridges.
Bali’s Temple and Volcano Roads, Indonesia The perfect island driving loop threads emerald rice terraces, cliff-top sea temples and the caldera of Mount Batur. Quiet back roads through the central highlands around Ubud and up to Kintamani reveal a Bali of waterfalls, coffee plantations and roadside shrines far from the beaches.
Kandy to Ella, Sri Lanka Though famous by train, the drive through Sri Lanka’s hill country is every bit as spectacular, climbing past emerald tea plantations, waterfalls and colonial hill stations. Stops at Nuwara Eliya, tea factories and the viewpoints around Ella make for an unforgettable day behind the wheel.
Yunnan’s Highlands, China A soaring route through southwest China links the old town of Lijiang with the Tibetan-flavoured hills of Shangri-La. It passes the plunging Tiger Leaping Gorge, snow-capped peaks and Naxi and Tibetan villages in one of the country’s most scenic and culturally rich corners.
Bhutan’s Lateral Road The kingdom’s single great highway winds across the entire country over a succession of high, prayer-flag-draped passes. Linking Paro, Thimphu and the fortress-monasteries, or dzongs, of the central valleys, it is a slow, spectacular journey through a Himalayan Buddhist landscape kept deliberately untouched.
Sabah’s Coast and Highlands, Borneo A drive from Kota Kinabalu links the base of Southeast Asia’s highest peak, Mount Kinabalu, with tea plantations, hot springs and rainforest. Winding roads climb through cool highlands before dropping to the coast, offering a compact taste of Borneo’s wild variety.
Rajasthan’s Fort Circuit, India A classic self-drive or chauffeured loop links the fairytale desert cities of Rajasthan across a landscape of dunes, camels and hilltop citadels. The road ties together the golden ramparts of Jaisalmer, the blue lanes of Jodhpur and the lakeside palaces of Udaipur in a journey through princely India.
Southern Laos Loop, Laos A gentle circuit through the Bolaven Plateau links thundering waterfalls, coffee plantations and traditional villages far from the tourist trail. Cool highland air, roadside cascades and the laid-back pace make it a rewarding drive through one of Southeast Asia’s least-developed corners.