The Best of Asia (Best of Asia)
From Bamiyan to Bangkok, Kashgar to Kathmandu, we bring you our annual guide to Asia's finest experiences for the mind, body and soul

Best Natural Wonder (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
Band-i-Amir, Bamiyan, Afghanistan

Best Experience in a Red Light District (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
Cooco's Den & Caf?Lahore, Pakistan

Best Urban Oasis (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
The Phra Pradaeng Peninsula, Bangkok, Thailand

Best Treat for Your Dog (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
The Izu Kogen Wanwan Paradise Hotel, Shizuoka, Japan

Best Lesson in Peaceful Coexistence (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
The Tiger Temple, Kanchanaburi, Thailand

Best Cure for Cynicism (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
Losing Your Personal Belongings, Japan

Best Place to see an Angel (Best of Asia: Best for the Soul)
Divine Wine Extraordinaire, Singapore

Best Setting for a Brutal Awakening (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
The Shaolin Schools, Henan, China

Best Place to Get Naked (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Park Hyatt, Seoul, South Korea

Best Fishing Hole (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Shurakuen, Tokyo, Japan

Best Side Effect of Civil Unrest (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Bargain Travel, Nepal

Best Bespoke Potions (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Lemongrass House, Phuket, Thailand

Best Meal for Under a Dollar (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Deep-Fried Quail, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Best Place to Buy Silk on the Silk Road (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
Yekshenba Bazaar, Kashgar, China

Best Underrated Pacific Holiday (Best of Asia: Best for the Body)
The Eastern Seaboard, Taiwan

Best Democratic Dreamscape (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
The Jatiyo Sangsad Bhaban, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Best Remedy for Writer's Block (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Shosaikan, Tokyo, Japan

Best Place to Contemplate North Korea (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Dandong, Manchuria, China

Best Literary Event (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
The Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival, Hong Kong, China

Best Place to See the Indian Boom (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Aboard a New Airline, India

Best Esoteric Publication (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Han Sheng, Taiwan

Best Legal High (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
The Halo-Halo Harana, Peninsula Hotel, Manila, Philippines

Best Place to Speak Your Mind (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Loft Plus One, Tokyo, Japan

Best Art Gallery Masquerading as a Hotel (Best of Asia: Best for the Mind)
Langham Place, Hong Kong, China

Personal Best (Best of Asia)
Picks from property tycoon Minoru Mori, actor Chow Yun-fat and more


No Retreat (Your Health)
Forget lounging about—all that gets laid down on this yoga break are tough rules

A Heady Experience (On Show)
Paris' Louvre and the National Museum of Modern Art join hands—and heads

Hollywood Face-Lift (Check In)
The Hotel Bel-Air gets an expensive new look but retains its exclusive charm

Upmarket Dining (Local Fare)
London's Spitalfields market welcomes a fittingly eclectic new restaurant

Japan's Regulators Get Tough
In an unprecedented crackdown, one of Japan's biggest auditors is suspended for its part in a client's accounting fraud

Milestones

Letters
The Ways of Opus Dei