National Parks in East Asia

East Asia protects some of the planet’s most theatrical landscapes, from sandstone spires wreathed in mist to turquoise mountain lakes and volcanic wilderness roamed by bears and deer. China’s UNESCO-listed scenic reserves, Japan’s ancient forests and steaming peaks, Korea’s granite ridgelines, and Taiwan’s marble gorges each reward hikers who venture beyond the trailhead.

Access is generally excellent. Sealed roads, cable cars, boardwalks, and shuttle-bus systems carry millions of visitors through fragile terrain, so an early start and shoulder-season timing pay off. Autumn brings fiery foliage across the region, while winter transforms the northern parks into snow-hushed retreats.

Whether you want a single iconic day hike or a multi-day traverse, the parks below span the full spectrum of scenery, from subtropical islands to alpine tundra, and remain among the most rewarding reasons to travel through the region.

Top national parks#

Zhangjiajie

The quartz-sandstone pillars here inspired the floating peaks of a famous film, and glass walkways, a soaring elevator, and a forested plateau let you experience the spires from every dizzying angle.

Jiuzhaigou

A valley of impossibly blue lakes, tiered waterfalls, and calcified terraces set against snow-dusted Tibetan peaks, best explored on the boardwalk-and-shuttle circuit when autumn colour flares.

Huangshan

Granite peaks, wind-sculpted pines, and seas of cloud have drawn poets and painters for centuries, with a network of stone stairways and cable cars linking sunrise viewpoints along the ridge.

Daisetsuzan National Park

Japan’s largest park is a vast volcanic wilderness of alpine tundra, hot springs, and brown bears, offering the country’s earliest autumn colours and demanding multi-day traverses.

Seoraksan National Park

Korea’s most celebrated ranges combine jagged granite spires, temple-dotted valleys, and cable-car access, exploding into crimson and gold each October along well-signed hiking routes.

Shiretoko National Park

A roadless Hokkaido peninsula of drift ice, waterfalls, and dense forest where brown bears, deer, and sea eagles thrive, reachable mainly by boat, guided walk, or the coastal road.

Hallasan National Park

The trails up this shield volcano, the highest point in South Korea, climb through subtropical forest to a summit crater lake, with azaleas and snow marking the seasons.

Kushiro-shitsugen National Park

Japan’s largest wetland shelters the rare red-crowned crane amid reed marshes and meandering rivers, viewed from observation decks, canoes, and a scenic railway.

Yushan Guojia Gongyuan

Home to Northeast Asia’s highest peak, this Taiwanese park spans cloud forest to alpine summit, its permit-controlled trails rewarding trekkers with sunrise panoramas above the clouds.

Wuyishan National Park

Sheer red-rock cliffs, bamboo-raft drifts along a winding river, and terraced tea gardens make this Fujian reserve a UNESCO-listed blend of scenery and living culture.

Lushan National Park

Mist-shrouded peaks, waterfalls, and colonial-era villas have made this Jiangxi mountain a summer retreat and inspiration for classical Chinese landscape art.

Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park

Mongolia’s largest park sweeps from the Flaming Cliffs and singing sand dunes to ice-filled canyons, a stark desert realm of camels, ibex, and dinosaur fossils.

Deogyusan National Park

Ridgeline trails climb to panoramic summits above forested Korean valleys, drawing hikers for royal azaleas in spring and one of the country’s top ski areas in winter.

Kinabalu National Park

Though on Borneo’s edge of the region, this park crowns Southeast Asia’s highest peak, its slopes cloaked in orchids, pitcher plants, and cloud forest.