Much of the joy of travel comes with the spontaneous discoveries, the hidden gems that are uncovered simply by exploring. It helps of course to set your compass for destinations that are just that little bit off the beaten path. And with that, here is a small selection of our favourites – easily accessible via our Karma network of properties or the thousands more available through our External Partnerships…
In Sidemen Valley, Bali, the island exhales. Footpaths stitch together rice terraces, villages and temples, while Mount Agung looms quietly in the background. This is Bali before beach clubs – agricultural, ceremonial and rhythmically slow.
Chettinad, Tamil Nadu, India tells a different story of wealth and restraint. Vast mansions built by trading families sit amid parched countryside, their symmetry matched by one of India’s most precise, spice-driven regional cuisines. Why not pay a visit en route north to our Himalayan properties…
High in the Himalayas, Spiti Valley, India feels pared back to essentials. Monasteries cling to rock faces, villages endure on thin air and silence becomes part of the landscape—less a destination than a recalibration. Once you get to Manali and Karma Utopia, you’re within reach..
In southern Laos, Champasak drifts beside the Mekong. Nearby Wat Phou, older than Angkor, aligns stone, mountain and river with quiet authority, largely free of crowds and ceremony. The perfect side trip on your next visit with us to Cambodia and Karma Karnak.
A hop skip away from the Indian Subcontinental mainland, Jaffna Peninsula, Sri Lanka stands apart culturally and geographically from the rest of the island. Hindu temples, seafood markets and a distinct Tamil identity shape a place that feels introspective, resilient and deeply local.
Hyper-modern city state Singapore has a secret offshore enclave that’s well worth a visit: Pulau Ubin is all mangroves, kampong paths and a version of island life shaped by tides rather than timetables.
Together, these places form a different map of Asia—measured, meaningful and best experienced without hurry.
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