Breathtaking Tulip Fields You Can Visit in Asia

You don't have to fly to Europe!
by Andy Flores | March 17, 2023

You don’t have to book a pricey flight ticket to the Netherlands just to see vast and colorful tulip fields this spring. In fact, some of the most stunning views of tulips in full bloom can be witnessed in Asia! This means you don’t have to travel too far and you might even get to save a good chunk of your travel fund if you’re up for a spring tulip adventure.

Here, we list down our top Asian destinations with breathtakingly beautiful tulip fields:

Taean, South Korea

Photos via Korea Tourism Organization

If you’re taking a trip to the Land of the Morning Calm this spring for that long-overdue K-pop or K-drama pilgrimage, you might want to take a side trip to Taean.

This quaint coastal county in Chungcheongnam-do hosts South Korea’s biggest annual tulip festival that was once named as one of the best in the world by the World Tulip Summit Society. 

From April to May, you can marvel at the sight of more than a million tulips across 300 species, which have been cultivated and styled into Insta-worthy backdrops. 

*Travel tip-off: The quickest way to travel to Taean from Seoul is by car or taxi. The drive lasts no more than 2 hours. If you opt to travel on public transport, you can take the bus and you’ll reach Taean in a little over 2 hours.

Srinagar, Kashmir, India

Photos via Wikimedia Commons

Did you know that Asia’s largest tulip garden can be found in India? 

Every April, the Kashmir Valley bursts into vibrant hues as tulip bulbs of more than 60 varieties come into full bloom. Now a major tourist draw in South Asia (thanks to an attempt of the local government to bolster revenue in Srinagar), this attraction has seen up to 12 million tulips grow across 30 hectares of land!

The main Mughal-era tulip garden sits on the banks of the picturesque Dal Lake by the Zabarwan mountain range, and visitors can take a leisurely stroll to explore the area. For those looking to experience something unique, cable car and pony rides are available.  

*Travel tip-off: This year, the grand Srinagar Tulip Festival will be held from 3-20 April.

Tonami, Japan

Photos via Tonami Tulip Fair Official Website

While spring in Japan is easily associated with the blooming of sakura and its widespread hanami activities, the city of Tonami in Toyama Prefecture sets itself apart from the rest of the country through its massive tulip fair (to be held from 22 April to 5 May this 2023). 

Every year, Tonami—one of Japan’s leading producers of tulip bulbs—sees over 3 million tulips of 300 varieties flaunt colorful petals for visitors from all over the world to admire. 

Tonami’s Tulip Park is divided into sections, each featuring its own attraction based on the fair’s theme for the year. 

To get the best views, make your way to the Panoramic Terrace, where you can see the ground painting of the large flower bed, the circular flower bed, and even the Tateyama Mountain Range if you visit on a clear day. You can also go up to the observation deck of the 13-meter Tulip Tower—the main landmark of the Tulip Park. 

*Travel tip-off: From Tokyo, you can take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Shin-Takaoka and then take a local train (JR Johana Line) to reach Tonami Station.

Taipei, Taiwan

Photos via Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

Now, here’s a tulip destination you can visit visa-free!

Although smaller in scale compared to the other tulip attractions on this list, the tulip garden in Shilin Residence Park is not to be missed!

It has the charm of a small Dutch village and doesn’t run out of photo-op spots for the ‘gram!

Shilin Residence Park’s tulips were cultivated from bulbs flown from The Netherlands, Japan, and Turkey. The flowers start to bloom as early as the first week of February and stay lively and vivid the entire month. 

*Travel tip-off: Take the THSR or TRA to Taipei Station, then transfer to Taipei MRT and make your way to Shilin Station. In Shilin, take the Taipei Sightseeing Bus Blue Route and alight at the Shilin Official Residence stop. 

Which of these tulip destinations are you adding to your travel bucket list? Sound off in the comments!