Asia's 8 Most Romantic Places and the Great Love Stories Behind Them
By Goldsea Staff | 13 Feb, 2026

These places are linked to the greatest love stories of India, China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Thailand.

Some of the world's most romantic places in Asia are linked to tales of passionate devotion, tragic separation, and enduring love. These aren't just tourist attractions; they're monuments to passions strong enough to transcended social boundaries, defy emperors, and survive across centuries. 

From marble mausoleums to sacred mountains, each location tells a story that continues to inspire millions of visitors seeking their own romantic moments in places where legendary lovers once walked.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal stands as perhaps the most recognizable symbol of love on Earth. This ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, India, was commissioned by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1632 as a final resting place for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Their love story began when Shah Jahan, then Prince Khurram, first glimpsed Mumtaz at a royal bazaar. He was fifteen, she was fourteen, and according to court chronicles, it was love at first sight. 

They married five years later, and Mumtaz became not just his wife but his closest confidante and companion on military campaigns. She bore him fourteen children before dying during the birth of their last child in 1631. The emperor was devastated. He reportedly went into mourning for a year, emerging with white hair and a aged appearance.

The Taj Mahal took twenty-two years to complete, employing over twenty thousand artisans and craftsmen. Today, couples from around the world visit at sunrise when the monument glows pink and golden, hoping to capture a fraction of the eternal love it represents.

Tsutenkyo Bridge

The Tsutenkyo Bridge in Kyoto's Tofukuji Temple is linked to one of the nation's most poignant tales. The story of Orihime and Hikoboshi, celebrated during the Tanabata festival, tells of a weaver princess and a cowherd who fell so deeply in love that they neglected their duties. Orihime's father, the Sky King, became angry and separated the lovers by the Milky Way, allowing them to meet only once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month. While the bridge itself isn't directly from the legend, it has become a pilgrimage site for couples who write wishes on colorful strips of paper, hoping their love will prove as enduring as these celestial lovers who wait an entire year for a single night together. The bridge, suspended high above a valley that fills with autumn maples, creates an almost otherworldly atmosphere that perfectly captures the bittersweet nature of eternal longing.

West Lake

China's West Lake in Hangzhou has inspired poets and artists for millennia, but it's most famous for the Legend of the White Snake. This tale tells of Bai Suzhen, a white snake spirit who transformed into a beautiful woman and fell in love with a young scholar named Xu Xian. Their love was pure and genuine, but when a Buddhist monk named Fa Hai discovered Bai Suzhen's true nature, he worked tirelessly to separate the couple, believing that humans and spirits should never mix. The most dramatic moment came when Fa Hai imprisoned Bai Suzhen beneath the Leifeng Pagoda after she revealed her true form while pregnant with Xu Xian's child. According to legend, she remained there until their son grew up and passed the imperial examinations, finally earning her freedom. The original pagoda collapsed in 1924, but was rebuilt in 2002. Today, the reconstructed Leifeng Pagoda stands on the lake's southern shore, and couples visit to light incense and pray that their love will overcome any obstacle, just as Bai Suzhen's devotion ultimately triumphed.

Nami Island

Korea's Nami Island, a half-moon shaped island formed by the construction of the Cheongpyeong Dam, became a pilgrimage site for romantics after serving as a filming location for the beloved drama "Winter Sonata." But the island itself is named after General Nami, a young military commander who died tragically during the Joseon Dynasty. While General Nami's own story is one of loyalty rather than romance, the island has become intrinsically linked to the drama's story of first love, separation, and reunion. The famous tree-lined paths where the show's protagonists walked have become iconic spots for couples to recreate romantic moments. Thousands of visitors from across Asia, particularly Japan and China, visit to walk hand-in-hand down the metasequoia and ginkgo tree lanes, especially stunning when autumn leaves create golden tunnels or when winter snow blankets everything in white.

Hoan Kiem Lake

Vietnam's Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi carries the legend of Le Loi and the magical sword. While primarily a tale of national liberation, it contains a profound romantic element through Le Loi's relationship with his wife and the sacrifice required of heroes. However, a more directly romantic legend associated with the lake tells of a forbidden love between a poor scholar and the daughter of a wealthy mandarin. They would meet secretly on the lake's shore, exchanging poetry and promises. When her father discovered their relationship and forbade their union, the young woman threw herself into the lake rather than marry the man her father had chosen. Heartbroken, the scholar followed. Legend says they were transformed into a pair of mandarin ducks that still swim the lake together. The Ngoc Son Temple on the lake's small island has become a place where couples pray for lasting love, and the Huc Bridge leading to it is perpetually crowded with young people taking photographs, hoping to seal their own romantic stories.

Bridge on the River Kwai

Thailand's Bridge on the River Kwai might seem an unlikely romantic destination given its wartime history, but the region of Kanchanaburi holds another story altogether. The legend of Phra Aphai Mani, from Sunthorn Phu's epic poem, tells of a prince who played a magical flute and won the heart of a mermaid princess. She saved him from a giant ogress who had fallen in love with him and held him captive on an island. The prince and the mermaid's love story takes them across the seas of Thailand, and while the Bridge itself is a modern construction, the rivers and jungles of Kanchanaburi have long been associated with this romantic epic. Couples visit the area not just for the historical significance but to boat along the river at sunset, imagining the magical romance that Thai children have heard about for generations.

Fatehpur Sikri

India gives us another unforgettable location in the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Emperor Akbar but forever marked by a bittersweet love story. Among Akbar's wives was Jodha Bai, a Rajput princess whose marriage to the Mughal emperor was initially political. The relationship between Akbar and Jodha is debated by historians, but popular tradition holds that theirs became a genuine love that transcended religious and cultural differences. Jodha's palace within the complex, with its blend of Islamic and Hindu architectural elements, symbolizes the merging of their worlds. The city was abandoned due to water shortages, but the structures remain remarkably preserved. Walking through Jodha Bai's palace, visitors can imagine a time when love bridged the divide between different faiths and traditions, offering hope that understanding and affection can overcome seemingly insurmountable differences.

Yellow Mountains

Finally, we return to China, to Huangshan, the Yellow Mountains, forever associated with the legend of the Immortal Bridge and countless tales of lovers who climbed these misty peaks seeking enlightenment or escape. One particular story tells of a young couple during the Ming Dynasty who defied their families' arranged marriages to be together. Fleeing to Huangshan, they lived simply among the peaks, and legend says the gods were so moved by their devotion that they transformed them into two of the mountain's distinctive pine trees that grow together from a single root. The mountain's otherworldly landscape of granite peaks emerging from seas of clouds has made it a favorite for couples seeking dramatic backdrops for wedding photos, and the challenging climbs together are said to strengthen relationships, proving that couples who can endure the steep paths together can endure anything life throws at them.

These places remind us that the greatest love stories aren't confined to pages or screens. They're written into landscapes, carved into stone, and remembered in the traditions of millions who visit these places seeking connection to something timeless.