Asia is the world's most chaotic, colourful and diverse continent and is home to more than 60% of the planet's population.

From the slums of Delhi to the glittering skyscrapers of Tokyo, the swaying camels of Mongolia's Gobi desert to the steaming tropical jungles of Malaysia, it is a continent of colossal ecological, economic and cultural contrasts.

Once bitten, Asia is a region that beckons visitors back time and time again, whether to travel the Silk Road through China, follow in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hillary in Kathmandu or kick up the heels at a street party in the Philippines.

Despite the frenetic pace of Asia's cities, the continent also has some of the world's best destinations for a chill-out vacation. Explore the grottoes in stunning Ha Long Bay, dive coral reefs in the Maldives, bliss out on a white-sand beach in Bali or meditate in a Buddhist temple in Bangkok.

Asia is divided into distinct geographical regions. Central Asia encompasses the landlocked nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Eastern Asia packs in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, Korea and Taiwan, while Southern Asia includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The humidity rises significantly in Southeast Asia, where the likes of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, Singapore, Philippines and Timor have long attracted holidaymakers escaping the winter chill.

Survival guide

Most of Asia is subjected to a rainy season between May and October. Tropical storms are particularly problematic in Bangladesh and the Philippines.

Bargaining goes hand in hand with shopping in many Asian countries, although knowing when to bargain and when to accept a fixed rate is often unclear. Foreigners should expect to be charged at a higher rate than locals in China, Thailand, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.

The heat, water quality and food hygiene can all impact on travellers' health in Asia. A number of diseases are prevalent in Asia that are not in the West. Consult a specialist travel doctor a a few months before your trip; you may require immunizations for diseases such as malaria, meningococcal meningitis, rabies, tetanus, typhoid, encephalitis, cholera, polio and tuberculosis. Dengue fever - a mosquito-borne disease - is on the rise in Asia; while no vaccination exists, you can protect yourself by sleeping under a mosquito net, wearing clothes that cover your body and slathering on plenty of mosquito repellent.