East Asia

What connects China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Mongolia?

Geographically, the region breaks down into three very different spaces: the populous Chinese mainland with its multi-million-person cities, the island chains of Japan and Taiwan in the Pacific, and the vast, sparsely populated interior of Mongolia in Central Asia. This three-way split shapes the pace of travel: in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, high-speed trains connect the major cities within a few hours, while in Mongolia, distances of 500 to 1,000 km on unpaved tracks determine the daily schedule.

Economically, the five destinations are worlds apart: Japan, South Korea and Taiwan rank among the most technologically advanced economies in the world, China combines multi-million-person metropolises with rural provinces, and Mongolia, with about 3.5 million inhabitants across an area four times the size of Germany, remains one of the most sparsely populated countries anywhere. Politically, the range runs from China's one-party state to the democratic systems of Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Mongolia.

Chinese characters (hanzi/kanji/hanja) still shape Japan and South Korea today, even though both countries developed their own syllabic scripts (kana, hangul). Anyone visiting East Asia for the first time usually combines two or three countries: Japan and South Korea are about two hours apart by direct flight, China and Mongolia can be connected via the Trans-Mongolian Railway, while Taiwan lies off the usual combination routes and is mostly visited on its own.

How do the five East Asian countries differ at a glance?

On entry, China is the only special case with a time-limited rather than permanent arrangement: the 30-day visa-free entry is time-limited and has been regularly extended since its introduction, without a permanent solution in place. The other four countries grant Swiss, German and Austrian citizens a long-established, visa-free entry.

Sources: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Japan National Tourism Organization · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea · Wikipedia · Passe/Port (PassportIndex) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

When is the best time to visit East Asia?

In China, the climate varies greatly by region: Beijing and Xi'an are most pleasant in spring and autumn, while the south around Guilin is rainy in early summer and driest from October to November. Golden Week around October 1 brings record visitor numbers to all major sights and should be avoided if possible.

Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Tokyo throughout the year

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station BEIJING - CAPITAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (25 km, 35 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station JINGHE (19 km, 411 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station LIANGJIANG (27 km, 174 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ICHIGAYA (3 km, 31 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

Japan has two distinct peak travel seasons: late March to mid-April for cherry blossoms (sakura) and mid-November to early December for autumn foliage, both with significantly higher prices for trains and accommodation. Summer, from June to August, is hot and humid with a rainy season in June, while South Korea shows a similar pattern, with April to June and September to November as the best time to visit.

Kyoto, Seoul, Taipei and Ulaanbaatar throughout the year

Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station KYOTO (3 km, 47 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SEOUL CITY (2 km, 87 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station SONGSHAN (4 km, 6 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station CHINGGIS KHAAN INTL / BUYANT UKHAA INTL (14 km, 1330 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.

Taiwan lies in the western Pacific typhoon belt, with its main season from June to September; the drier, milder period from October to April is generally considered more pleasant. Mongolia has practically only one travel window: June to September, with the great Naadam Festival in mid-July as its highlight; outside these months, many tracks and ger camps in the interior are impassable or closed.

Sources: TravelChinaGuide · SelfGuideJapan

What characterizes each of the five East Asian countries?

China: from Beijing to Guilin

China trips usually combine Beijing with the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, Xi'an with the Terracotta Army, and the karst landscape of Guilin along the Li River; Shanghai rounds out the picture as a modern economic metropolis. The visa-free entry is time-limited for up to 30 days and covers tourist, business and transit travel; a digital entry card is also required.

Japan: cherry blossoms, temples and high-speed trains

Japan can be traveled between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka within a few hours thanks to the Shinkansen network; Kyoto alone counts 17 buildings and gardens on the UNESCO list. The visa-free entry covers 90 days for the entire planned length of stay; Kyoto has no airport of its own, so travelers land in Osaka Kansai or Tokyo.

South Korea: Seoul as a compact entry point

South Korea is heavily focused on Seoul for tourism, with day trips to the demilitarized zone, complemented by the port city of Busan in the south. The K-ETA requirement is temporarily suspended for Swiss, German and Austrian citizens; the underlying visa-free entry for 90 days remains unaffected, though an electronic arrival card still needs to be filled out online in advance.

Taiwan: night markets and mountains off the beaten path

Taiwan remains in its neighbors' tourism shadow, but offers night markets, dense mountain forests and one of the highest densities of street food stalls in East Asia. Because of China's political non-recognition, the country is not a UNESCO member and instead keeps its own list of about 12 candidate sites; the 90-day visa-free entry requires a Taiwan Arrival Card in advance.

Mongolia: steppe, Gobi and nomadic culture

Mongolia, with about two inhabitants per square kilometer, is one of the most sparsely populated countries on Earth; trips usually lead from the capital Ulaanbaatar into the steppe, to the sand dunes of the Gobi Desert, or to the petroglyphs of the Altai Mountains. The visa-free entry covers 30 days and has been temporarily extended for Swiss citizens; registration is required within 48 hours of arrival.

Sources: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Japan National Tourism Organization · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea · Wikipedia · Passe/Port (PassportIndex) · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Ministry of Culture, Taiwan · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Which routes connect several East Asian countries?

Japan–South Korea: the classic combination

Direct flights between Tokyo Haneda or Narita, Osaka Kansai and Seoul Incheon take about two to two and a half hours and are operated several times daily by multiple airlines. A typical route combines two to three weeks between Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka and Seoul, with Busan as an optional side trip in the south of South Korea.

China–Mongolia: the Trans-Mongolian Railway

The rail route from Beijing via Ulaanbaatar to Moscow is one of the best-known long-distance rail routes in the world; the Beijing–Ulaanbaatar segment alone takes about 30 hours and crosses the Gobi Desert. Travelers with less time can fly the roughly three-hour route between Beijing and Chinggis Khaan Airport near Ulaanbaatar.

Within China: Beijing–Xi'an–Guilin–Shanghai

Within China, high-speed trains and short-haul flights connect Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin and Shanghai on a classic two- to three-week round trip; the Beijing–Xi'an route takes about four and a half hours by high-speed train, and Xi'an–Guilin about two and a half hours by flight.

Taiwan: usually a standalone trip

Taiwan lies off the usual East Asia routes; direct flights connect Taipei Taoyuan with Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai and Hong Kong in two to three hours, but in practice the country is mostly visited on its own, with Taipei, the east coast and Kaohsiung in the south as the basic framework.

Sources: Wikipedia

How do you fly to East Asia and between the five countries?

From Europe, nonstop connections exist mainly to Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul; Taipei and Ulaanbaatar are usually reached with one connection via one of these hubs or via the Middle East. Within the region, short-haul flights and, in China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, dense high-speed rail networks handle a large share of connections between the major cities.

Sources: Wikipedia

What applies for entry and health in East Asia?

Health-wise, hepatitis A is the main concern in China and South Korea; in Japan and Taiwan, hepatitis B and rabies are also relevant depending on travel style; in Mongolia, pre-exposure rabies vaccination is advisable in case of animal contact, and malaria plays no touristically relevant role in any of the five countries. Travel-medicine consultation before departure is especially worthwhile for longer stays away from the cities.

Sources: Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Japan National Tourism Organization · Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Korea · Wikipedia · Passe/Port (PassportIndex)

What does a trip through East Asia cost?

In China, the dominant Alipay and WeChat Pay payment systems can make cashless payment difficult for foreign travelers, which is why a small cash reserve in renminbi is advisable. In Mongolia, cash remains practically the only payment option outside the capital, while South Korea ranks among the most card-based societies in the region.

Sources: RoamChina Travel · Clearskies

What cultures and religions shape East Asia?

China is officially shaped by atheism, with Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian traditions that remain visible in everyday life and on holidays such as the Spring Festival; the Terracotta Army near Xi'an and the Great Wall are among the best-known testimonies to a history spanning over 3,000 years. Japan combines native Shinto with Buddhist temples, often at the same site — many Japanese practice both traditions side by side without seeing any contradiction in it.

South Korea is religiously mixed between Buddhism, Christianity and a growing non-religious population; K-pop and K-drama culture has strongly shaped the country's global perception in recent years. Taiwan combines Taoist, Buddhist and Confucian elements with a lively temple culture, especially visible at night markets and local festivals.

Mongolia is predominantly Tibetan Buddhist, with a nomadic tradition still very much alive today: about a third of the population lives seasonally or year-round in gers and moves with their livestock. The Naadam Festival in mid-July, with its three traditional competitions of wrestling, archery and horse racing, is the year's most important cultural fixture.

Linguistically, the region is connected by the historical use of Chinese characters: Japan uses kanji alongside the syllabic scripts hiragana and katakana, South Korea has largely replaced Chinese characters with its hangul alphabet since the 15th century, and Taiwan, as the region's only Chinese-speaking territory, preserves traditional characters instead of the simplified script used on the Chinese mainland.

Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre

Worth combining

• China
• Japan
• South Korea
• Taiwan
• Mongolia