mornington peninsula car on road from above

The Mornington Peninsula is ideal for a road trip. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tips + Trends

Seaside Villages, Ancient Ruins and Other Small-Town Charms in Asia and Australia

While it would be nice to jet thousands of miles away, sometimes all that’s needed is a break from big-city life. Whether a quick jaunt to a nearby seaside village, up into the mountains or to a historic old town — the quintessential day trip is back. Across Asia and Australia, here are charming small towns perfect for a day trip to rejuvenate the soul.

As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.

Melbourne to Mornington Peninsula

With calm turquoise waters speckled with coral reefs never far from view, this seaside shire on Port Phillip Bay has been a playground for Melbourne’s wealthy since the late 19th century. Indeed, Mornington Peninsula is a place to sip mimosas, go for a dip, order fish ‘n’ chips and browse fashion boutiques.

Mornington’s iconic bathing boxes (small, colorful sheds on the beach) are an hour’s drive from downtown Melbourne, but the best parts are further along the coast. Stop at the seaside towns of Rye, Sorrento and Portsea, looking out for secluded swimming spots. Check out Sorrento’s historic village, the first European settlement in Victoria state, and at Portsea, jump off the pier for a refreshing swim.

If time permits, take a quick detour near Rye on the way back for an evening soak in the Peninsula Hot Springs.

Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands

fields of tea in cameron highlands
Seek the rolling fields of a tea farm in the Cameron Highlands. (Photo: Getty Images)

Break the three-hour drive from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands with a breakfast of wonton noodles at Pun Chun Chicken Biscuits & Restaurant in Bidor, a sleepy town lined with iron-grill-gate shophouses.

Then continue through banana-tree-lined kampongs (villages) to the highlands. Crisp, cool air is a welcome reprieve from Kuala Lumpur’s humidity, and that’s not the only notable difference. There are black-and-white Tudor homes with rose gardens and colonial-era bungalows with spacious verandas, many of which are now restaurants with alfresco dining.

Spend a few hours at Malaysia’s largest tea plantation, Boh Tea Plantation. Savor a cold-brew black tea and wander sprawling acres of tea plants, and then pick strawberries at one of the many strawberry farms near Tanah Rata. On the way downhill, stop by the Lata Iskandar waterfalls to dip your toes in the water and peruse handwoven baskets and other crafts from roadside vendors.

Bangkok to Ayutthaya

Wat Mahathat face sculpture in vines of tree
Grab a photo at Wat Mahathat. (Photo: Getty Images)

The ancient capital of the Kingdom of Siam from 1350 to 1767, Ayutthaya is glorious in a different way today, its brick and stone ruins making for peaceful exploration. Just over an hours drive from Bangkok, in Ayutthaya the trees seem larger, the sky bluer. Bring a book and find a shady spot to read on some ancient steps under a towering tree.

The bucolic feel belies a colorful history — Ayutthaya was once an important trade port that welcomed merchants from all over Asia and Europe before it fell to the Burmese in the mid-18th century.

Don’t forget to snap a picture of the Buddha head entwined in the roots of a banyan tree at Wat Mahathat before visiting St. Joseph’s Church. A 17th-century, mustard-yellow Catholic church, it stands by the Chao Phraya River’s grassy banks, a reminder of the city’s diverse past.

Taipei to Yilan

waiao beach yilan
Find solace on Yilan’s coast. (Photo: Getty Images)

An hours drive from Taipei, Yilan County on Taiwan’s northeast coast has black-sand beaches and is flanked by green mountains. Go for a surf or walk by the cockle-covered rocks on the Pacific-facing Wai’ao Beach, and then drive or take the train three stops south to the hot-spring town of Jiaoxi, which has plenty of shabu-shabu (hot pot) restaurants.

In Jiaoxi, you’ll also find the three-tier Wufengqi Waterfall. Purple and yellow wildflowers and giant ferns frame the trail, which passes through a circular-roofed church before arriving at the falls.

Tokyo to Takasaki

A convenient one-hour direct journey from Tokyo Station on the Japan Rail, Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture is often overlooked by tourists, but the lack of people makes visiting its historic and natural sites more enjoyable.

Takasaki is home to Daruma, the angry-faced, roly-poly, papier-mâché doll. Visit Jiganin Temple to see piles of Daruma dolls in all shapes and sizes. The temple is in Byakue Kannon, which has one of Japan’s biggest statues of the white-robed Goddess of Mercy, Kannon. Climb nine floors to reach her right shoulder for an aerial view of the city.

Should time permit, head to Lake Haruna on Mount Haruna, which freezes over in the winter and is good for a paddleboat ride in the summer.