The million-lawnmower din of careening scooters might have some thinking otherwise, but according to hotel booking website Agoda, a mix of Asian and European architecture help make Vietnam’s capital Hanoi, Asia’s best city to walk around.
“The area’s pedestrian-friendly layout makes it easy to wander and discover local delicacies like pho (a herby, meaty broth) and banh mi (a Vietnamese-style baguette sandwich) from street vendors,” according to Agoda, which put together a list of seven of Asia’s best cities for a dander.
Not mentioned by Agoda, but old Hanoi’s appeal lies in part in its colonial-era art deco piles and in Hoan Kiem Lake, which sits next to the old town’s array of tiny art galleries and cafes. The lake features the famously red Huc Bridge and Jade Mountain Temple on a tiny island near its northern end.
Agoda’s list of seven places includes Melaka, a Unesco World Heritage Site on peninsular Malaysia’s west coast. Its mix of Dutch colonial buildings and Peranakan-Chinese shophouses make for an interesting wander. And – also not mentioned by Agoda – not forgetting its A Famosa, the remnants of a brick fortress built by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century during the heyday of the Iberian nation’s far-flung naval exploits.
For a more modern or efficiency-first type of perambulation, Taipei, Taiwan makes the Agoda list for its “... wide sidewalks, clear signage and shaded boulevards for the perfect city adventure, complete with an efficient MRT system that connects walkable hubs seamlessly”.
Singapore arguably offers much of the same, including the chance to amble around Pulau Ubin, a tiny island off the city-state’s main island, with trails along mangroves. (On Pulau Ubin, you will find no skyscraper or any of the modern glitziness that are abundant on the mainland.)
Agoda’s list includes arguably less well-known spots such as Chiang Khan in Thailand, which sits along the mighty Mekong River with a car-free avenue offering what Agoda describes as “well-preserved wooden shophouses, cosy guesthouses, quirky cafes and local boutiques”.
Many of the region’s big cities – the likes of Bangkok (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), with populations of 10 million and up – are known for being difficult to walk, with searing heat, downpours, heaving traffic and here-and-there footpaths. But for visitors to Indonesia and Thailand, towns such Yogyakarta on Java – more Dutch colonial heritage – and Chiang Rai in Thailand’s north – it has a Walking Street, after all – are worth a look around on foot. – dpa
