10 best riverside cities in Asia

Bridges, embankments, and a long-running geography lesson at your feet.

Ranked by climate, cost of living, language access, safety, and lifestyle fit. Personalize this →

#1
Bangkok, Thailand
100
match
Hot, sprawling, mango-sticky-rice-on-every-corner. Cheap luxury and street food side by side.
#2
Hanoi, Vietnam
100
match
Old Quarter alleys, lakes in the middle of the city, and the most painterly winter in Southeast Asia.
#3
Luang Prabang, Laos
100
match
UNESCO Mekong town where saffron-robed monks collect alms at dawn. Slowest pace in Southeast Asia.
#4
Rishikesh, India
100
match
Yoga capital of the world on the Ganges, at the foot of the Himalayas. Ashrams, ghats, rafting season.
#5
Yangshuo, China
100
match
Karst pinnacles rising straight out of rice paddies along the Li River. Quiet, dramatic, cycle-friendly.

Bangkok, Thailand