The Most Scenic Flight Routes in Asia

The most scenic flight routes in Asia – seven wonderful possibilities to make traveling more enjoyable. Sometimes the best holiday sightseeing begins before the wheels touch down on the runway. To experience the most scenic flight you just need to find the best route for your journey. So, check the list of the most spectacular flights in Asia:

Hong Kong to Malé, Maldives

The Most Scenic Flight Routes in Asia Robert Harding World Imagery / Alamy

Most passengers on the way to the Maldives are looking forward to the landscape from their beach chair, but the best views actually begin the moment the flight takes off from Hong Kong. This route tracks south of China’s Hainan Island, then comes over the green of northern Thailand before encountering blue ocean dotted with the 800 islands of Burma’s Mergui Archipelago.

Hong Kong to Europe

The Most Scenic Flight Routes in Asia © Boaz Rottem / Alamy

From Hong Kong to Europe—like Rome, Milan, Paris, and Düsseldorf—planes fly over the edge of the Himalayas and even over K2. “Because the elevation there is high, it’s a lot closer and easier to see, because we’re flying pretty high at that point” – says one of the pilots. The Karakoram, a range of the Himalayas, runs through China, India, and Pakistan, and is home to the biggest concentration of ultra-high mountains, most notably K2, the second-highest peak in the world.

Hong Kong to Bali, Indonesia

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Borneo is the world’s third largest island, and its equatorial environment combined with a varied topography makes for excellent aerial sightseeing. Shrimp ponds, highland terrain, lowland rainforest, palm oil plantations, mangrove forest, winding rivers, stilt villages, and Mount Kinabalu are all below, and of course there are no visible boundaries for the three countries that lay claim to the island—Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Cebu, Philippines to Hong Kong

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Departing from Cebu and heading north to Hong Kong means taking a scenic tour of the northern half of the Philippines, from Mount Pinatubo north of Manila to other volcanic terrain, lakes, and islands ringed with white sand beaches and reefs. “Our aircraft have a camera that looks outside and down, so even middle seats have a view,” says Clemmow.

Hong Kong to Tokyo-Haneda, Japan

The Most Scenic Flight Routes in Asia Anthony Brown / Alamy

This popular business route comes with a side surprise of spectacular views over Tokyo. Choosing to fly to the more central Haneda Airport over far Narita Airport, passengers are treated to an approach over Tokyo Bay and Rainbow Bridge before landing at this airport’s international terminal.

Singapore to Hong Kong

The Most Scenic Flight Routes in Asia David R. Frazier Photolibrary, Inc. / Alamy

Be sure to select a window seat on the left side of the plane for this three-and-a-half-hour route. Open the window shade half way to Hong Kong for a view down to Vietnam’s coastline, and the famous beaches from Vung Tau to Nha Trang along the South China Sea.

Taipei, Taiwan to Hong Kong

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This flight is best for an evening flight, just after sundown, so the lights of the skyscraper Taipei 101 see you off from Taiwan and the sparkles of the Victoria Harbour “Symphony of Lights” show welcome you to Hong Kong.