The Olympics are over, and we all need a break. Here are 15 great holidays in China, Asia and Beijing's own backyard.

By Daniel Allen, Michael Armstrong, Scott Browning, Erica Chen, Lily Kuo, Juliana Loh, Lee Mack, Robert Miles, Sienna Parulis-Cook

Asia

Olkhon, Russia | 3 days

Baikal Baby
The mention of “Siberia” conjures images of bitter cold and barren steppe, but those who’ve visited Olkhon island in Lake Baikal know better.

Surrounded by the deepest freshwater lake in the world, Olkhon is a nature paradise perfect for a few days of swimming, sunbathing and hiking. Also work in a visit to Shaman Rock, sacred to Olkhon’s traditional Buryat culture, then visit a local shaman.

Stay at Nikita Bencharov’s Usad’ba, where the former Russian ping-pong champion offers comfortable, clean guesthouses (US$20), three meals a day, one of the island’s two working telephones and a Russian sauna (or banya). He can also arrange day trips around the island, as well as transport to Irkutsk.

Nikita Bencharov’s Usad’ba, nikitaolkhon@waytorussia.net

Sabah, Malaysia | 3 days

Rainforest Trekking
Eco-friendly holidays make you feel good. Borneo is one of the few remaining areas of large-scale original forest in Southeast Asia–the place for eco-everything.

Borneo boasts an incredible mix of biodiversity, cultures, languages and people. We recommend the Malaysia-governed state Sabah, considered the heart of Borneo. Borneo Nature Tours, a government-operated company that has worked with the WWF and BBC in eco-education and preservation, offers packages that include guided tours, housing, food and transport.

Rainforest novices head to Danum Valley while the more adventurous venture to the mysterious Malieu Basin, a rich ecological cachement which was first explored in 1988. At the lodge, stay in a private chalet just steps away from the maze paths that wind throughout the forest. Morning, afternoon and evening treks lead past waterfalls, natural Jacuzzis and the spooky burial grounds of nomadic tribes. Stay quiet, keep an eye out and be rewarded with glimpses of the rare wildlife indigenous to the country like the endangered orangutan, Asian elephant, clouded leopard or the extremely rare Sumatran rhinoceros. Be sure to go on a night safari and enjoy a sky blanketed by stars above the canopy.

Caution: leeches are unavoidable in the rainforest, so bring leech socks before heading out.

Borneo Nature Tours, www.borneonaturetours.com, Tel: 60-8988-0207

Hua Hin, Thailand | 3 days

Classic Resort
Located 200 kilometers south of Bangkok, this southern Thai resort town has been a favorite among both locals and tourists since its discovery by King Rama VII in 1920.

Spotted with umbrellas and vendors offering pony rides, jet skis and Thai massage, these five miles of white sand beach are a beach bum’s heaven. And thanks to its fishing community, Hua Hin reels in the freshest seafood catch around, prepared in exotic dishes found nowhere else in Thailand.

While much of the area can be seen by foot, Hua Hin Bazaar rents bicycles, motorbikes and jeeps for day trippers who can’t resist the lure of the surrounding temples, waterfalls and rice paddies. Trek a bit further to find Khao Sam Roi Yot, Thailand’s first marine national park.

Finally, Hua Hin is developing a reputation as a golfing hot spot, boasting the highest density of world-class courses in Thailand, and some of the lowest green fees in the world.

Hilton Hua Hin Resort and Spa, www.hilton.com, Tel: (6632) 538-999

Vang Vieng, Laos | 5 days

Pub-tubbing down River
Float down the Nam Song River in an inflated rubber ring and enjoy breathtaking views of the limestone mountains surrounded by tropical rustic charm. Even better, booze to your heart’s content with friends as you drift lazily down the river, getting roped in (we mean that literally–the staff actually throw you a rope) to bars for potent Laotian cocktails or the local favorite, Beer Laos. The bars stretch for about 3 km, so while you fill up with Beer Laos and local whiskey cocktails, be careful not to get too tipsy–people have been known to drown. If you’re worried, grab a life jacket before beginning your pub float. While not out tubbing, plant yourself in one of Vang Vieng’s lovely cafes to enjoy fresh baguettes and unique local concoctions such as savory crepes stuffed with mayo, pork, ham and corn. Finally, catch spectacular sunsets and sunrises over the mountains from the rooftop terrace of the Babylon Guesthouse, set in quiet spot in the heart of town.

Babylon Guesthouse, Vang Vieng’s main street, Tel: (856 21) 262-530

Osh, Kyrgyzstan | 4 days

Super Market
Residents of this bustling little city near the Uzbek border in southwest Kyrgyzstan boast that Osh pre-dates Rome. A wide array of historical heavyweights, from King Solomon through Alexander the Great, are credited with laying its foundations, claims backed up by the discovery of artifacts over 2,500 years old. Today, Kyrgyzstan’s second largest metropolis is undeniably home to Jayma Bazaar, one of Central Asia’s most vibrant and ethnically diverse markets.

Bustling with Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Tajik traders peddling everything from fermented horse milk (kymyz) to beautifully hand-crafted felt carpets (shyrdaks), Osh’s sprawling bazaar is the perfect place for immersion into the colorful Kyrgyz culture. After losing yourself in the market’s labyrinth of over-laden stalls, it’s not hard to picture the city as the vital Silk Route trade hub that it once was.

The bazaar spreads out along the Ak-Buura River in Osh’s northern suburbs, and is good for a full half-day of exploring. Get up early to wander around the length of Zaina Betinova Street. You’ll see Kyrgyz babushkas haggling over fruit, vegetables and smoked fish, while young boys push pram-like trolleys of nan bread fresh from their clay tandoors.

The market is divided into distinct parts, with a covered area housing a variety of stalls selling fresh and dried fruit and nuts. Local favorites include plump raisins, sweet pistachios and succulent apricots. Meander past pyramids of honeycomb and dried yogurt balls (kurut) to the open air section, where canny negotiators pick up traditional black-and-white felt hats for a couple of dollars.

When your budget’s exhausted, riverside taverns offer freshly grilled shashlik (kebabs), sticky plov (mutton and rice) and bowls of kymyz for the adventurous.

Stay at Stary Gorod Apartments (US$20-40), 18a Zaina Betinova Street, Tel: (996) 2-49-24

Tokyo | 3 days

Just Another Insect
Tokyo is the future and its clubs push the limits. The Shibuya area of Southwest Tokyo camouflages a beehive of party activity, with little bars tucked into the different floors of apartment buildings while mega-clubs hide behind unmarked doors.

Coming in through an underground staircase brings you to Womb (www.womb.co.jp), one of the best clubs in the world. Womb’s main dance floor is what White Rabbit sees in its dreams, or nightmares: a three-story black chasm pulsing with dancers moving like ants set off by a huge VJ screen and disorienting white lights.

Tokyo’s denizens live stressful lives and Womb is a needed brainwashing, a rush of adrenaline and a clean-slate. The dance floor is ringed by three floors of bars, one with it’s own DJ, and another lounge-bar underneath the main floor. The whole thing adds up to a tangle of limbs, teeth, lights and darkness. Drinks are pricey and often so is the door fee (Friday and Saturdays, ￥250), but so is everything in Tokyo.

Also check out Ageha (voted by DJ Magazine as one of the world’s top 50 clubs), Unit (a four-story futuristic maze of sleek bars, chilled out techno and live acts), Air (an underground house haven with one of the chillest bars to offset the dance floor hormones) and Legato (a restaurant that converts into a club, with floor-to-ceiling windows staring down on the blue-grey warped concrete of Neo-Tokyo).

Hop on www.clubberia.com to plan your night. Sure, it’s in Japanese, but it has the most complete listings and Google translate does a surprisingly good job. Location information can be found on the clubs’ own sleek, easy-to-use websites. And after your wallet gets wiped out, check out the southwestern part of Yoyogi park on Sundays (and sometimes Saturdays) where there are often sound systems and free mini-raves until it gets dark.

Womb, Ageha and Yoyogi Park, www.clubberia.com

Chengdu | 4 days

Road to Recovery
Sometimes travel isn’t about you, it’s about them. This four-day trip to Chengdu exposes you to the realities of the Sichuan earthquake, while your tourism dollars help revive a devastated local economy.

A visit to the Chengdu panda breeding center aside, the highlight of the trip is undoubtably the Jianchuan Museum, specifically its Wenchuan Earthquake exhibit. It’s one of the most powerful representations of the devastation you’re likely to see anywhere, much more graphic than anything you saw on TV; making it one of the most unique museums in all China. Since opening, it’s gone from 100 visitors a day to over 1,000.

The photos and artifacts narrate the first 30 days following the earthquake. An entire wall of photos of dead children, another wall of post-it notes bearing expressions of hope juxtaposed against concrete walls make an incredibly powerful monument to the fragility of life. John McKenna of Travel the Real China calls it “awesomely gruesome.”

Everyone who sees it leaves unbelievably moved.

Travel the Real China, www.Travel-the-Real-China.com, Tel: 135-8563-6884

Shanghai to Beijing | 9 days

Taste of China
There’s no better way to get to know a place than through eating, and this unique trip fills your belly with the best China has to offer. In nine days, you’ll eat your way from the avant-garde fusion delights at Paul Pairet’s Jade on 36 in Shanghai to hearty northern cuisine in the shadow of the Great Wall.

For Jonathan Hasson of Luxury Concierge, the host of the trip, the goal is a “rich experience of the refinement of China.” Highlights include a meal of southern cuisine served in the middle of a bamboo forest near Moganshan, as well as a feast mounted in one of Suzhou’s famous classically-styled gardens. These authentic culinary experiences provide unique insight into Chinese tradition and taste.

When you’re not eating, you’ll be treated to exclusive introductions to Chinese contemporary art, architecture and design under the guidance of experts, exactly what Luxury Concierge is known for. This culinary experience is scheduled for Nov. 8-18.

Luxury Concierge China, info@luxuryconciergechina.com, Tel: 135-0166-2908

Duliu River, Guizhou | 6 days

WhiteWater Wild
Nestled in the rugged mountains of Southeast Guizhou is the Duliu River, a picturesque channel that runs through some of the last true minority regions of China. The Duliu was once the lifeblood for traditional Dong, Wa, Miao and Zhuang ethnic minorities; it’s now been discovered as a kayaker’s dream.

This 200 km kayak journey follows the Duliu River from Sandu city to the cultural hub of Congjiang. With convenient access to a main road, it offers class 3 whitewater and rewarding cultural interaction without the anxiety of complete isolation.

A visit to Basha village, 7 km southwest of Conjiang is a must upon completion of the journey. Basha is a living museum; in 2002 it was listed as one of the 10 key culture villages of Guizhou.

Basha’s Miao minority, which believes their race was born from the stem of a maple leaf, still leads traditional, subsistence lives. Men shave their heads, keeping a long, central section to twist and comb into a hugun knot. Women wear their hair in a coil decorated with a wooden comb and dress in black cotton clothes embroidered with lace. Men above 15 are granted government permission to carry rifles that, although not used for hunting, are still functional and regularly used in cultural ceremonies.

Still a largely undiscovered gem, it won’t be long before this spectacular trip gains the worldwide attention it deserves.

ChinaClimb arranges tours, www.chinaclimb.com, Tel: (773) 881-1033

Lhasa | 5 days

That Holy Feeling
Christmas in Lhasa? You must be kidding! Turns out that Christmas, when Lhasa is devoid of tourist hordes and blessed with the crystalline blue skies, is the perfect time to experience Tibetan magic.

With a sturdy down jacket, Lhasa’s December temperatures are bearable; and when the afternoon sun is out, it’s actually pleasant, perfect for visiting Jokang Monastery, one of Lhasa’s must-see temples. In the large square in front, marvel at the sight of hundreds of Tibetan nomads praying which is what Tibetans do in the winter, when it’s too cold to tend herds.

Country Holidays, which runs this tour, also arranges a unique Puja blessing ceremony where visitors are presented white Hata streamers as a sign of welcome. According to Teck Heok of Country Holidays, Puja is an unforgettable highlight for visitors who walk away with a feeling of “indescribable holiness.”

Lhasa at Christmas is a place of serenity and sacredness, a special moment in an unusual year. The trip leaves Dec.26-30, ￥9,980.

Country Holidays, www.countryholidays.com.cn., Tel: (021) 3222-0616

Yangshuo | 4 days

Climbing Up Walls
Previously known as a backpacker hangout, Yangshuo has developed an international reputation as a rock climbing hot spot.

Back in the 1990s, famed climber Todd Skinner bolted the region’s first routes at the famous tourist site of Moon Hill. Now Yangshuo boasts a small, but well-developed climbing community and a well-respected local outfitter, ChinaClimb. The soaring karst rocks, sleepy paddy fields and billowing mist form a dramatic backdrop for this dangerous sport which quickly sucks in novices. There are hundreds of established routes in dozens of different locations, all cataloged in a 100 page guidebook available from ChinaClimb.

Novice climbers start at a rock called Wine Bottle, a 15 minute bike ride from the tourist center of Yangshuo and home to over 20 routes of varying degrees of difficulty. Experienced climbers beeline for the sweeping White Mountain. Discovered in 2003, this 60 meter tall cliff is home to over 30 routes, hard enough to test even the most experienced climbers.

A favorite spot for professionally-sponsored teams, White Mountain is Yangshuo’s climbing showpiece. Graced with water-streaked colors, the cliff resembles the face of a giant wave while its backdrop of orchards, rice paddies and sleepy water buffalo lend it a uniquely Chinese atmosphere.

Climbing is something the whole family can do. Baby Frog is a family favorite for its selection of beginner and intermediate routes and accessibility to town. Plus there are excellent swimming, biking and trekking routes nearby.

Hanging on a rock face is inherently dangerous. Expat-run ChinaClimb is a well-reputed local outfitter, ensuring the ultimate in safety.

ChinaClimb, www.chinaclimb.com, Tel: (773) 881-1033

Beijing Backyard

Laoniuwan | 3 days

Village People
Here is a destination you won’t find in Lonely Planet. The tiny village (we’re talking 20 to 30 families) of Liaoniuwan sits atop a loess plateau in the Yellow River Valley of Shanxi province. With a view of both the Yellow River and the Great Wall, this is some of the best scenery in China. Here, you’ll actually stay in a cave-home built into the rocky terrain overlooking a gorge.

Take an overnight train to Datong’s North Bus Station, 200 meters west of the city railway station. Catch the daily 7 am bus to Shuozhou and then bus to Laoniuwan. Shuozhou’s bus station is in the southeast of the city, opposite the railway station. When you get to Laoniuwan there will be signs for home-stays but don’t be afraid to walk right up to a villager and ask to stay the night. For the shy and faint-hearted, Chinese Culture Center in Beijing also arranges tours.

Chinese Culture Center, www.chinaculturecenter.org

Pingyao | 4 days

A Glimpse into China’s Past

For those looking to get up close and personal with a piece of China’s long history, look no further than Pingyao. Declared a World Heritage site in 1997, Pingyao’s Old City offers a 3-D peek into the Shanxi region’s prosperous past during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Here, among the antique Chinese architecture and original city wall, visitors will find the 200-year-old Rishengchang Exchange Shop, the “Father of the Bank in China,” the old County Government Office and Temple of the City God. Meanwhile, six kilometers southwest of the Old City, is Shuanglin Monastery, home to 2,000 painted sculptures from the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Finally, no trip to Pingyao would be complete without a visit to the well-preserved residences clustered around the city. Of these, the Wang Family Compound is a true must-see thanks to its artistic architecture and elaborate sculptures.

Tianyuan Kui Guest House, Tel: (035) 4568-0069

Qingdao | 3 days

Bring on the Beer
It’s China’s own Oktoberfest and what better place is there to celebrate everybody’s favorite bubbly beverage–beer, that is–than Qingdao, home to China’s best-known brewery. Whether you’re a discriminating connoisseur of pilsners or just one of the beer loving masses, the Qingdao International Beer Festival has plenty of cold ones to please all palates.

Started in 1991 by the Tsingtao Brewery, the festival normally takes place on the second weekend of August, but was postponed this year (go figure) and will run from Sep. 19 to Oct. 5. Don’t miss the bizarre performances, excessive amount of food, and dozens of beer tastings and drinking competitions in the aptly named Beer City (195 Xianggang Dong Lu), the center of the festival. Expect to be treated to a round, or several, by excited (read: inebriated) locals.

“With the city’s infrastructure upgraded as a result of the Olympics, there’s never been a better time to engage in a few days of shameless hedonism and endless ‘ganbei’s!’” says Marc Mekki, general manager of Mandarin Journeys which runs a weekend trip to the festival (from ￥3,000) including two nights at the Shangri-La Hotel and a day of detox at one of Qingdao’s beautiful beaches. Though the festival is hopping throughout its two week duration, the Opening Ceremony on Sept. 19 and Carnival of Gluttony (aka the Closing Ceremony) on Oct. 5 are particularly memorable. Be sure to book early because hotel rooms fill quickly.

Mandarin Journeys, info@mandarinjourneys.com, www.mandarinjourneys.com