If you’ve decided to spend your gap year in Asia, well done. If you haven’t yet, listen up.

Don’t write it off as one big full moon party. I mean, there are full moon parties, of course, but that’s just one grain of sand in a number of beaches. And the beaches there are good, really good.

It’s a mistake to think of Asia only as Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. Again, a grain of sand. Asia is the world’s biggest and most populated continent and that is merely one little pocket of it.

The variance of culture, language, landscape and experience is as vast as the continent. Whilst of course everyone’s opinion of what makes a good destination differs, we’re pretty sure our list of big hitters will please wise prospective travellers such as yourselves.

Japan

Known as the land of the rising sun, Japan is a mesmerizing country of ancient tradition, history and culture, high technology and modernity. East meets west, from shrines and temples in awe-inspiring landscapes of mountains and forests blooming with the famous cherry blossom, to the futuristically modern cities. The locals’ fascination with Western culture means you will always be welcomed as a tourist.

India

You could spend your entire year in this subcontinent alone. From the deserts of Rajasthan, to the Taj Mahal, the beaches of Goa to the mountains of the Himalayas, you’ll see a huge amount and hardly scratch the surface. Witness the colour of the country, and the culture that ranges from temples and palaces to old colonial forts and monuments. It’s easy to negotiate, the infrastructure is there and everyone speaks English.

Cambodia

Whilst the awful regime of the Khmer Rouge is gone, the country is still recovering and developing as a tourist destination. It is a country full of discovery, whether it’s the recent history you never knew about or the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, one of the wonders of the world. It is an exotic, newly opened culture, so adventure travel has that little extra spark of feeling like you’re in unchartered territory.

Indonesia

More than 17,000 islands make up this archipelago, ranging from dense jungle to beach paradise. There’s high-luxury resorts, party towns, beach-bum havens, and if you’re particularly unlucky you might bump into a remote tribe of head-hunters. Boasting Bali, Java and Komodo amongst them, these islands are one of the most exotic places you could spend your gap year.

Malaysia

You’re getting two-for-one if you choose to visit Malaysia. The peninsula is rich with Chinese and Indian influence and is split between the busy modern west coast and the easy going good life of the east, with dense jungle separating them. Venture across the South China Sea to the wilderness of Borneo’s rainforests where orang-utans and remote tribes live as they have for thousands of years.

Book your gap year now