Traveling to Asian countries is such a thrilling experience because you are bound to see various cultures and religious practices in one part of a city. Food in Asia is also vast, and there are so many types to choose from.
However, aside from the culture and food, which makes us want to go to cities in Asia are their breathtaking tourist destinations and the experience we get from visiting those places.
Compared to the past, countries, and cities around the world are becoming more considerate for old people as well as people with disabilities and injuries. Almost every place is now making their locations wheelchair-accessible, placing ramps and making sidewalks more wheelchair-friendly. Asian countries and cities are not an exemption. Many Asian tourist destinations are now fully equipped and accessible for people using a wheelchair.
There are many reasons why someone may use a wheelchair, including when the individual has reduced mobility from a medical condition or an injury, such as an injury to the spine. Spinal cord injuries vary depending on their type, severity, and level, as explained here on the SCi Progress website. The type of injury and how mobile the individual is may have a significant influence on their travel plans, so looking out for locations with accessible features in place is always recommended.
Accessibility is a key factor for people in a wheelchair to enjoy a tourist destination, and if you and your family are planning to go to an Asian tour, this guide is for you.
Listed below are 15 of the best and most amazing accessible tourist destinations in Asia that the whole family can enjoy.
Singapore is probably one of the best country/city in Asia in terms of progressive consideration to being accessible using wheelchairs and baby strollers. The entire Singapore Metro Trail System is designed to be accessible. There are specialized shuttle services for people in wheelchairs, plus buses have ramps for wheelchairs and strollers. You can also use Grab Assist which is dedicated to carrying passengers to and from their wheelchairs. This is very useful especially if you’re in a wheelchair and you want to explore alone.
To start the list, we’ll begin with Singapore. However, this list is from different Asian cities and countries so that you’ll have options for exploring other Asian countries.
1.) SINGAPORE ZOO
Singapore Zoo has ramps for visitors who use wheelchairs. It has paved pathways, designated parking slots, disabled-friendly restrooms, and you can also rent strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs in case you need them making it one of the most accessible zoos and destination in Asia.
It also features a TRAM RIDE that you can ride while enjoying the sites and wildlife.
Singapore Zoo houses 315 species of animals and has been running on June 27, 1973. Animals are well-fed and well taken care of. One of the best animals to take photos of are the white tigers.
Aside from big cats, there are also enclosures for reptiles and amphibians which are air-conditioned. The place where they keep these wonderful creatures is perfect for people who are on wheelchairs because it’s equipped with ramps.
Aside from taking photos of animals, people can interact with them as well as watch shows. Just make sure you take note of the schedules of the shows so you won’t miss the best ones.
A well-loved show is the Elephant Show which explains about the different elephants in captive and how they are different from each other. It also shows a few tricks from the elephants.
Prices: S$33 for adult, S$22 for children (3-12 yrs old), S$15 for Senior Citizen (60 above). Buy tickets online to avoid long queues and get discounts.
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore 729826
How to get there: Go to Ang Mo Kio MRT Station (NS16) and then take Bus 138 from the bus interchange.
2.) UNIVERSAL STUDIOS SINGAPORE
Universal Studios Singapore is another location where travelers who use wheelchairs can visit. If needed, you can also rent strollers for kids (S$15 for single, S$20 for double), wheelchairs (S$15), and electric vehicles (S$50) on site.
All common areas are accessible for guests on wheelchairs but please note that most rides are limited, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the Universal Studios Experience in Singapore.
Inside, Transformers fans can enjoy taking pictures with Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.
Since there are limited rides in Universal Studios Singapore, maximize on the shows. Just make sure to note the schedule since some of the shows overlap with each other.
There are also roaming “celebrities”, cartoon characters and famous icons that you can take photos with. Below is our photo with Beetlejuice.
There are also some structures built that may be used for “creative” photos such as the one I did below with a Jurassic Park T-rex head.
Within the area of the Universal Studios, there is also a chocolate haven that’s a MUST-VISIT for all chocolate lovers.
Prices: S$79 for adult, S$59 for children (4-12 yrs old).
Buy tickets online to avoid long queues and get discounts.
Address: 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
How to get there: Universal Studios Singapore is part of Resorts World Sentosa. The nearest MRT is HarbourFront Station. There would be signs there pointing you to the direction of the Universal Studios Singapore.
3.) OCEAN ADVENTURE (SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES)
Ocean Adventure Subic Bay is the first Southeast Asian open-water Marine Park. Trained Dolphins are in their natural surroundings.
It offers shows with trained dolphins, sea lions, acrobatic shows, bamboo-survival training shows, etc. It also has large aquariums to feature other marine animals. The restaurants, exhibits, and restrooms are all equipped with ramps for wheelchairs and strollers.
What’s great about the Ocean Adventure is if you dream of touching and being close with dolphins, you’d have an opportunity to do so. But these activities have separate costs but they are definitely worth it. The ramp leading to the dolphins can be maneuvered using a wheelchair. Staff can assist you if needed since you need to sprawl on the ramp to be closer to the dolphins and take photos with them.
Prices: PHP788 for adult, PHP628 for children (12 yrs old and below), PHP628 for senior citizens, Children under 30 inches get in for free. Buy tickets online to avoid long queues and get discounts.
Other prices:
Swim with Dolphins – Php 3,700 (for 8yrs & above)
Dolphin Beach Encounter – Php 2,400 (for 6yrs & above)
Dive with Dolphins – Php 4,250 (Includes diving gear. Certification Card is required to be shown)
Family Dolphin Experience – Php 10,000 (rate for 4 pax) additional person rate – Php 2,500
Address: Ocean Adventure Approach Rd, Ilanin Forest West, Subic Bay Freeport Zone, 2222 Bataan
4.) AVILON ZOO (SUBIC BAY, PHILIPPINES)
Avilon Zoo is the biggest zoo in the Philippines, built on a 7.5-hectare land located in Barrio San Isidro, Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines.
The Avilon Wildlife Conservation Foundation operates it. They help repopulate animals which have staggering numbers. They also rehabilitate wild animals that were victimized by humans. The site offers wheelchair rental, and most of the Zoo grounds are accessible to wheelchairs.
There are also huts where you can eat with your family while looking at and feeding the giant arapaimas using feeds you can buy for a small price (around PHP50).
AVILON is a combination of two French words: Aves meaning “of birds”, and Lon meaning “land”. The full meaning of Avilon, therefore, is LAND OF BIRDS.
True to the meaning of the AVILON ZOO, it does have quite a variety of birds and we especially loved this Toucan.
Aside from birds, there are also rare and endangered species that are undergoing conservation projects such as this Philippine mouse–deer (Tragulus nigricans), locally known as “pilandok”.
Orangutans have the best spot in the middle of the Avilon Zoo and it’s best if you view them while they are being fed fresh fruits. We saw this orangutan which seemed so human-like that it looked like an old black man with brown hair and beard.
Aside from the giant arapaimas, you also have a chance to feed other animals such as the giraffes. They are such gentle giants. We weren’t expecting them to be that huge. It’s cool to feed them because they have really long tongues and they love carrots so much. There are ramps almost everywhere including in this giraffe enclosure.
Prices: Walk-in rate of PHP800 for Adult & PHP600 for kids below 3 ft. PHP600 for Prepaid ticket (purchased online at www.avilonzoo.ph three days before visit)
Address: 9003 GP Sitio Gulod, San Isidro, 1860 Rodriguez, Rizal, Philippines
5.) DUBAI MALL (DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)
Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall not just in Asia but in the whole world! It is near BURJ KHALIFA, the largest building in the world. Though it is the largest in Asia, it is also made to be accessible for everyone including those in wheelchairs and strollers.
Close up, almost everything is made up of amazing and interesting architecture.
Inside, beams are decorated with gold leaves, structures, and symbols similar to Egypt’s hieroglyphics.
As you look upon the dome-shaped roof, you’ll feel a sense of awe and wonder at how amazing everything looks.
Dubai mall is not just an ordinary mall, but it also houses the DUBAI AQUARIUM, UNDERWATER ZOO which features a shark tunnel, and a number of western restaurants.
There are four floors which house mid-range to luxury brands.
The SEGA REPUBLIC which is an indoor video game amusement park is housed on the 2nd floor of the Dubai Mall. It is also home to Candylicious, the largest sweet shop in the world! The elevators and wheelchair-accessible restrooms are available inside the mall.
Address: Financial Center Rd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
6.) BURJ KHALIFA (DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES)
Just right beside the biggest shopping mall in the world is the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa. It is measured at 2,722 ft. tall and opened last January 9, 2010.
The Burj Khalifa has two different levels of observation decks. The lower deck is called “AT THE TOP” which stands at 452 meters high. When it opened, it was the highest observation deck in the world.
However, China topped this record with an observation deck in Canton Tower.
This brought about the opening of the second deck called “AT THE TOP SKY” which now stands at 555 meters high. This is now the highest observation deck in the world. It is not found on the highest floor though. The highest floor is the 163rd floor, but this part of the building is private and cannot be accessed by the public.
At night, it looks pretty amazing as well and you’d not be satisfied with just a couple of shots. It’s also instagrammable and would make a perfect background for your perfect selfie shot or photo with friends and loved ones.
Prices: AT THE TOP (Adult is AED 125, Children 4-12 yrs old is AED95), AT THE TOP SKY (Adult and Children are both prices at AED 350).
Address: 1 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Blvd – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
7.) PETRONAS TOWER (KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA)
The Petronas Towers is also known as the Petronas Twin Towers. They are twin skyscrapers. It was the tallest building in the world from 1998-2004, but it remains as the tallest twin towers in the world. It won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004. This building is accessible to those in wheelchairs because of the ramps and wheelchair-friendly restrooms inside.
Though the Petronas towers look amazing in the morning, it looks even more astounding at night especially when the lines outside the building light up.
Many hotels within the vicinity of the Petronas Towers fight for the best view of the twin towers. You can also ask your hotel if there are rooms that have the Petronas Towers as “backdrop”. One of the best ones we’ve stayed in that has an amazing view is the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
The building is very advanced, and almost all parts are accessible for guests who use wheelchairs. Because of the limited capacity, online reservations to visit this place is a must at https://eticket.petronastwintowers.com.my/?lang=en.
Prices: 80MYR for Adult and 33MYR for Children below 12 years old, Infants (below three years old) get in for free.
Address: Concourse Level, Lower Ground, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8.) N SEOUL TOWER
It is more popularly known as NAMSAN TOWER (SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA). The Namsan Tower isn’t the highest building nor does it have the fastest elevator in the world. It is well-known and loved by many because it is a national landmark of South Korea. It is found on the Namsan Mountain and is 236m high. It is South Korea’s first general radio wave tower, and it provides TV and radio broadcasting in Seoul.
The tower is accessible to wheelchairs because of elevated steps and ramps. The tower has led lights that light up and attract thousands of tourists and locals.
Tourists can enjoy panoramic views of the city and iris also near Namsan Park and Namsangol Hanok Village, which are also accessible places for wheelchairs.
Prices: 10,000 won (around $8.44)
Address: 105, Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
9.)GYEONGBOKGUNG PALACE (SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA)
Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first and largest of the royal palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty. Established in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace was located at the heart of Seoul. It is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces and served as the main palace of the Joseon Dynasty. There are wheelchair-friendly restrooms as well as wheelchair rentals inside.
Prices: Admission costs 3,000 won (around $2.69) for adults and 1,500 won (about $1.35) for visitors age 7 to 18.
Address: 03045 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul
10.) SHANGHAI TOWER (SHANGHAI, CHINA)
The Shanghai Tower is the 2nd tallest building in the world. It is second only to Burj Khalifa found at Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It stands at 632 meters high and has 128 floors. It has the 2nd fastest elevator in the world with a top speed of 20.5 meters per second. The architecture of the building is quite outstanding. The accessibility of the building is also remarkable since there are ramps in all appropriate locations in the building.
It was initially the fastest in the world, but it was beaten in 2017 by Guangzhou CTF Finance Centre (also in China) with a top speed of 21 meters per second. Inside it, you’ll find lots of shops and restaurants as well as viewing or observation decks.
Prices: Adult-￥160 -￥180 (door price). Free Admission for Children less than 1m.
Address: 501 Yincheng Middle Rd, Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai
There you have it, 10 best and most amazing wheelchair-accessible places in Asia. We hoped you enjoyed this article. Follow us on our social media so we can inform you about new posts similar to this one.