Two Choice Spiritual Spots to Visit in Asia

Whether or not you subscribe to organized spirituality, a few weeks in a profoundly sacred environment can offer refreshing benefits to your soul, lift your spirits and return vigor to your body. Sometimes, after an exhausting cycle of work, all one needs is to detach themselves from the hustle and bustle of their regular lives and retire to someplace serene and picturesque. Asia is one such place that promises a spiritual experience to tourists. Across Asia, from Cambodia to India, tourists have an extensive array of historical and mystical nestled-in-nature sites to choose from.

To start with, India is one Asian country famous for having some of the most sacred sites. A colossal factor responsible for this is that many significant religions practiced worldwide started there, from Buddhism, Jainism to Hinduism. Across the streets, and seemingly everywhere, are small shrines and temples hosting religious festivals. A tourist can also choose from the abundant supply of ashrams and retreat centers to indulge in yoga and meditation.

A popular destination in India is Varanasi. In former times the city used to be called Kahi but was officially named Varanasi in 1956. The name was a simple combination of the landmark Varuna and Assi rivers. It is one of the seven sacred Hindu cities rich in history. Some believe it is the oldest city ever inhabited by humans. Others regard the place as the city of Lord Shiva, the god of creation and destruction, and believe that whoever dies there would be exempt from the reincarnation cycle. The natives also believe that a dip in the nearby Ganges River would wash away their sins.

Tourists can enjoy a boat trip along the river at dusk or sunrise. They can also participate in a prayer ceremony called Ganga Aarti or simply watch from a distance. After touring the Vishwanath Temple, another sight that is sure to delight, tourists can shop the area for silk and musical instruments.

Moving to Cambodia, a lesser-known place called Phnom Kulen is lovely to retire to. It is a sacred mountain located in northwest Cambodia that natives visit every day to pray and leave offerings. Some would simply stroll through the Phnom Kulen National Park, while others may organize a picnic close to any of the two surrounding waterfalls.

After paying an entry fee of $12, tourists walk a dirt track that stretches seven miles through a tropical jungle. When they reach a focal point, they may climb further up the mountain to the peak or head straight to the waterfall. A fact many find interesting is that the waterfall featured in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Tourists can decide to take a dip after their picnic or take a peek at nearby Prasar Krau Romeas, a ninth-century temple.

Along the path leading up the summit is a sacred temple called Wat Preah Ang Thom, where many Cambodians worship. The temple contains ancient scripts and a colossal statue of reclining Buddha. At the base of the temple is the famous River of a Thousand Lingas, which features carvings of Hindu gods. Tourists who make it up the mountain, alongside burning some calories and pumping their bodies with endorphins, are rewarded by an ethereal sight–an aerial view of the greenery as well as golden shrines built by individuals whose wishes were granted by Buddha.

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