Asia has loads of stunning architecture and the palaces are some of the most impressive. These are the best palaces in Asia you can visit when there.
They cover all parts of the continent of Asia, from the far-east, to the south-east, the Indian subcontinent, and to the far-west.
Of course, there are a lot of other palaces in Asia that could have been added to the list, India alone could have its own article about palaces there, but I wanted to show the best ones and cover many different regions.
You may have thought that I missed one of the big ones out of this list when you read it, the Taj Mahal in India, but it is actually a mausoleum and not a palace, so is not added here.
The Royal Grand Palace (Thailand)
The Royal Grand Palace in Bangkok is the most impressive palace complex in Southeast Asia that I have seen and in fact, I have visited the area several times over the past two decades.
It is the Thai Royal Family’s architectural symbol and served King Rama I to King Rama V until 1925 when the royal family moved to other residences. It was built in the late 18th century.
It’s located in the heart of the old city of Bangkok.
Forbidden City (China)
The Forbidden City complex in Beijing holds the title of the “world’s largest palace by area enclosed within the palace’s fortified walls” and when I visited the complex it was indeed massive to see.
It’s a legendary palace complex built in the early 15th century over a 14-year period that included the use of over 1 million workers! It served the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties until 1912.
But, despite its size, it is a very popular place to visit so expect large crowds if going there. One tip is to go later on in the day and when it’s close to closing time the area starts emptying out of tour groups and you can snap a few pics in peace.
Potala Palace (Tibet)
The Potala Palace is the ultimate out of all the palaces in Asia that you can see and it is also the highest palace in the world at an altitude of 12,139 feet above sea level.
It was originally built as a symbol of love by the king of Tibet, Songtsen Gambo, for his spouse, but was later taken over by monks in the 7th century and turned into the winter residence of the Dalai Lama. After the current Dalai Lama’s exile from Tibet in 1959, it has been turned into a museum.
Gyeongbok Palace (South Korea)
Gyeongbok Palace was built in the late 14th century and is part of the ‘Five Grand Palaces of Seoul’, but I’m just mentioning this particular one out of the five as it’s the most beautiful and largest.
It was used by the Joseon dynasty and is today located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. If you have any interest in historical architecture in East Asia then this palace complex is a must-visit.
Himeji Castle (Japan)
Himeji Castle is the most impressive out of all the Japanese castles visited and is one of the best-preserved original architectural design castles in Japan.
It was built in the early 14th century and was home to the local rulers until 1871 when the Han feudal system ended. Although it is technically a castle I’m including it on this palaces in Asia list as it’s so impressive.
Read: The 10 best castles in Japan to visit.
Dechencholing Palace (Bhutan)
Dechencholing Palace is located in Thimphu, the capital of the mountain kingdom of Bhutan. It is a very modern palace in comparison to most others on this list, having been built in 1953 by the third King of Bhutan.
Tokyo Imperial Palace (Japan)
The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is one of the most famous palaces in Asia, being the main residence of the Emperor of Japan since the late 19th century when they were moved out of the old imperial capital of Kyoto to Tokyo.
It’s a complex that has massive park areas and several buildings, including a museum.
Golestan Palace (Iran)
Golestan Palace, also known as the ‘Rose Garden Palace,’ is located in Tehran and dates back to the 16th century when it was part of a palace complex of buildings for different ruling dynasties.
It’s one of the oldest and most architecturally impressive buildings in Tehran. When I visited the area in 2012 I found it, along with buildings in Isfahan (see below) to be one of the most beautiful complexes in Western Asia.
Mandalay Palace (Myanmar)
Mandalay Palace is located in Myanmar and was built in the mid-19th century. It was the residence of the last two Burmese kings but the palace didn’t last long as a royal residence as it was captured by British troops in 1885.
Much of the palace complex was destroyed in WWII and only a few original buildings survived. Much of what you see today is a replica built in the 1990s.
Summer Palace (China)
The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) is one of the best palaces in Asia located only 10 miles from the centre of Beijing. It has the best-preserved imperial gardens in China, and some say the world.
The palace complex is known as the ‘Nourishing Peace Garden’, dates back to the mid-18th century, and was used as a summer retreat for the Chinese royal family.
It’s easy to get to from Beijing and plan at least a half-day there to be able to wander around all the places to see.
Ali Qapu Palace (Iran)
Ali Qapu is another great palace to visit in Iran and is located in the historically rich city of Isfahan. It’s located in the main square of the city and dates back to the late 16th century but has been added to since.
When I travelled around Iran I found the architecture in Isfahan to be the most spectacular.
Another palace to check out when in Isfahan is the Chehel Sotoun.
Hawa Mahal Palace (India)
India has some of the most beautiful and historic palaces in Asia and the state of Rajashtan holds the crown as having some of the best.
The Hawa Mahal Palace is known as the ‘palace of winds’ and is an extension of the Royal City Palace of Jaipur. It dates to the late 18th century.
Mysore Palace (India)
Mysore Palace is the premier palace of southern India to visit and originally dates to the 14th century, although many renovations have been done over the centuries after.
It was built as a royal palace for the rulers of the Wadiyar dynasty who controlled the Kingdom of Mysore from the late 14th century until 1950.
A must-visit palace if you are in southern India.
Heijō Palace (Japan)
Heijō Palace is located in Nara, the old imperial capital of Japan, and was the imperial residence there during the 8th century. After the capital was moved to Kyoto after only a century the area became used for farmland and the buildings largely disappeared.
Mid to late-20th-century archaeological works and restoration was done on some of the buildings found there and are now open to the public. The Heijō Palace is a very historically significant building in Japan.
Nara is a must-visit city if you are in Kyoto or Osaka as it’s only an hour away by train and is an easy day trip to see some of Japan’s most impressive history.
Read: Festivals in Nara, Japan.
Beylerbeyi Palace (Turkey)
Located on the Asian side of Istanbul the Beylerbeyi Palace is one of the best palaces in Asia to see. I managed to get around to most of the palaces in Istanbul over several visits to the city and Beylerbeyi is a good one.
It was built in the late 19th century as a mansion and gardens complex used mostly as a summer residence and is a beautiful place to visit, with an Ottoman palace-style structure inside.
Istano Basa Pagaruyung (Indonesia)
It was in 1998 that I visited Pagaruyung Palace on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where I spent two months travelling. It may not have the impressive stylings of a grand palace in China, etc, but it is a stunning traditional building to see and culturally important to the region.
Dating back to the 18th century it was used by the royal rulers of the Pagaruyung Kingdom until 1833 when the kingdom was disbanded. Today it is a museum.
It’s best to stay in the nearby city of Bukitingi if you want to visit this palace. There are also many other interesting historical places nearby to see.
Forbidden Purple City – Imperial City (Vietnam)
Located inside the ancient Imperial City of Hue, the Forbidden Purple City is part of the old complex there and is one of the most interesting architectural buildings in Vietnam.
The Imperial City was built in the early 18th century but has had much damage over the years from war. However, it is still a must-see place if you are in Vietnam and love historical places.
Personally, I went a day out of my way to stay a night in Hue just to see the place. It was worth it!
Royal Palace (Cambodia)
The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was built in the 1860s and has been the residence of the kings of Cambodia since then, apart from several years during the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
It’s a spectacular complex of buildings similar in style to that of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Ishak Pasha Palace (Turkey)
The Ishak Pasha Palace is an Ottoman-era palace in Eastern Turkey built between the late 17th century and the late 18th century. Today it is partially in ruins but is still used as an administrative building.
One of the sad things about the building, as you can see in the picture, is that during a restoration project in the past few decades, modern glass roofs were added to bad structural parts of the palace. Still, it is one of the best surviving examples of Turkish palaces.
Amber Palace (India)
The Amber Palace is technically a castle (or fort, as castles in India, are generally referred to today) but is described as a palace and certainly looks like one.
It is done in a mix of Mughal and Hindu architectural styles and although the area has been used as a fortification for over a thousand years, most of the current structure was built in the 16th century.
Like some of the other best palaces in India, it is located in the state of Rajasthan in the north of the country and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Read: The 15 best castles in India to visit.
Best Palaces In Asia
And that’s 20 of the best palaces in Asia you can visit. For more on historical travel destinations in Asia take a look at 40 famous temples in Asia to visit.
With plenty of other palaces in Asia out there you can certainly see many more, but if you are short on time and want some of the most impressive ones to see then these are it.
I recommend using SafetyWing Travel Insurance for your trip, just in case, it’s best to be prepared.
Take a look at the 30 best palaces in Europe to visit.
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