These are Asia's best coffee cities, according to Lonely Planet

These are Asia’s 3 best coffee cities, according to Lonely Planet

Sarah Khan

17 Apr 2018

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Asia’s 3 Best Coffee Cities
Could it be Tokyo, Bali or Singapore? Scroll through to find out!
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Ipoh, Malaysia
Considering that Ipoh is the birthplace of the much-loved Ipoh "white" coffee, it's perhaps unsurprising (and deserving) that it earned its spot as one of the world's best coffee town.

According to Lonely Planet: “Ipoh’s signature white coffee is famously hot, sweet and almost buttery in taste, and has spawned a chain of cafes that has found its way around Malaysia. For the authentic stuff, Sin Yoon Loong is adored for following the traditional recipe.”
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Chiang Mai, Thailand
To tourists, Chiang Mai might be better known for its temples, lush greenery and delightful Thai culture and hospitality. Dig deeper and you'll find a young but thriving food and coffee scene, that even caught the attention of Anthony Bourdain in his TV series 'Parts Unknown'. You'll love the array of chic and truly Instagrammable coffee shops serving up mean cuppas.

According to Lonely Planet: “Thailand’s northern city of temples has exploded with coffee shops, many having the added bonus of serving single-origin roasts grown within just an hour or two of the coffee shop itself. Coffee tourists will be spoiled for great music, food and street life.”
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Tokyo, Japan
With its old-school kissaten to its slew of trendy coffee spots (belonging to what is called the 'third wave' coffee movement), Tokyo is certainly a coffee capital of its own league. You'll find countless cafés, coffee shops, bistros and bars rubbing shoulders with traditional Japanese-style tea houses in every corner of the city.

According to Lonely Planet: “Japan has always embraced new trends, and coffee is no exception. Its capital is the place to go for the highest proliferation of third wave-style coffee shops, but be sure to round out your education with a
visit to a traditional kissaten.”

Are you surprised?

Here’s something for the coffee lovers: Lonely Planet has just named Asia’s best coffee cities in its newest travel guide.

Called the Lonely Planet’s Global Coffee Tour Guide, the book is the ultimate bible on the best coffee destinations in the world. As you would expect, it’s curated by their team of coffee-obsessed travel writers and journalists, who have made it their mission to discover the best cafes, espresso bars, roasteries, plantations and coffee experiences in over 35 countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Yes – it’s that exhaustive.

Between the Indonesia kopi lawak to the Vietnamese drip coffee, coffee is undeniably a huge part of Asian culture. Curious to see which countries in Asia made the cut for a coffee town worth visiting? Check them out above!

Sarah Khan

Photos: Getty Images

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