New year, new things to do. As 2024 comes to a close, it's time to look at the biggest and best happenings next year – all the better to plan your travels, right?
If you need some inspiration, Time Out has compiled a list of the 25 most incredible things to do worldwide based on recommendations by our extensive network of travel editors and experts. And lucky us, there are five experiences right on our doorstep here in Asia, with something to feed culture lovers, adrenaline-seekers, geeks, and foodies alike.
Coming in at No. 7 is a vintage steam train journey in Vietnam that should chug out of the station by early 2025. As Time Out contributor Liv Kelly reports, these are original steam trains from the 1960s that have been restored to beautiful working condition under the hands of some of the last remaining Vietnamese steam engineers. These trains will travel between Da Nang and Hue and have themed dining menus at three stops: Kim Lien (Da Nang), Lang Co, and Hue. Find out more about these retro trains here.
If you love a dose of adventure and wildlife, then the next activity on the list might inspire you to book a ticket to Singapore. The little island nation is set to open its fifth zoological park, Rainforest Wild Asia (No. 8). This is no ordinary zoo: home to 29 animal species, it's criss-crossed with thrilling adventures like freefall jumps and caving expeditions in exhibits modelled after natural gems in Asia (like the Mulu Caves in Sarawak, for example).
Then there's Bali's Nuanu City (No. 8), a sprawling new creative city on the island's Tabanan coast. This 44-hectare park hosts numerous art and wellness experiences, from "interactive art installations in the jungle, holistic spa treatments inspired by ancient healing traditions, and dazzling light shows at the THK Tower". Visit in 2025 to check out a new contemporary art venue Eugene Museum, or to book in at The Willow and Ecoverse properties.
It's also shaping up to be a big year for Osaka, Japan. The city offers two new experiences next year, the first being Expo 2025 (No. 20). 161 countries and regions, plus nine international organisations, will be setting up pavilions in a "showcase of cutting-edge technologies and revolutionary ideas aimed at creating a better future", says Lim Chee Wah, editor-in-chief of Time Out Tokyo.
And come spring 2025, you'll not only get cherry blossoms in Osaka, but also the very first Time Out Market in Asia. Here's where you can eat your way through offerings by "the top culinary talent of a city known as the ‘belly of Japan’", says Grace Beard, Time Out's travel editor.
That's so much goodness in Asia alone, but we've got tons more in the global list of the 25 best new things to do in 2025. From the Rome Jubilee to micro-cruises through the Arctic, there are many places and things to book that flight for.
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