Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Whether you use public transportation or a taxi, getting to your hotel is rarely the highlight of your trip.
But what if you could slide down a zip line over a waterfall, landing directly in a hotel bar? Or take a quiet trip down a river in a leafy gorge? Or fly over the snow-capped mountain peaks on a helicopter?
To make a first impression you’ll never forget, here’s a list of the most exciting hotel check-in experiences in the Asia-Pacific region.
Thailand: “ÀNI Thailand”
You can reach this hotel via a traditional boat trip.
Credit: ANI Thailand
And if you’re staying at ÀNI Thailand on Koh Yao Noi, you’ll have the option of arriving on a Thai long-tail boat, or a speedboat.
There’s no wrong choosing between them, but the hour-long trip on a Thai boat has a slower pace, allowing more time to enjoy the surroundings.
The boat moves through the UNESCO-listed Phang Nga Bay, known for its famous karst rock formations.
Thailand: Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle
Four Seasons guests can access the hotel by land, but it’s fun to take a trip on a traditional Thai boat.
Credit: Four Seasons
The design of this hotel evokes the spirit of 19th century expeditions.
The intimate hotel, which consists of only 15 rooms, is hidden among bamboo forests near the Golden Triangle, the meeting point of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.
Getting here is a local experience.
After being transferred to Hiranakron Port in Chiang Rai upon your arrival at the airport, you will board a long-tailed wooden boat (usually used for fishing or transporting goods) and journey down the mighty Mekong River past rice fields, fishermen and villages before turning into a stream. Smaller, i.e. Ruak River.
The engine slows down a few minutes later as the hotel’s harbor appears.
Bhutan: “Gangti Lodge”
This hostel has 12 suites.Credit: Gangtey Lodge
Gangtey Lodge is located above the Gangtey Valley, a nature reserve in central Bhutan.
Featuring 12 breathtaking suites overlooking the Himalayas, this lodge seeks to provide an immersive experience to explore the culture, history and nature of the country starting with a thrilling flight aboard an Airbus H130 helicopter, with capacity for five passengers.
After being welcomed at the country’s only international airport in Paro, you’ll spend the next half hour flying over the capital, Thimphu, and majestic valleys, forests, houses, and hills.
After the helicopter lands in a nearby field, you will be taken to the lodge to enjoy a special welcome song and a neck massage.
Japan: “Hoshinoya Kyoto”
Hoshinoya Kyoto traditional hotel in Japan.
Credit: HOSHINOYA Kyoto
The natural beauty of Kyoto, Japan, will dazzle you with the unique arrival experience at Hoshinoya Kyoto Hotel.
The upscale, traditional hotel ferries guests across the Oi River on one of its small wooden boats.
The experience begins in the boat hold area north of Kyoto, where you can sip a fragrant tea blend, or a seasonal brew such as shiso red juice in the summer, or arrowroot tea with ginger in the winter.
Once everyone is on board, the boat sails for 15 minutes through the Oku-Arashiyama Nature Reserve.
New Zealand: Hotel Minaret Station Alpine Lodge
You must use a helicopter to get to this lodge in New Zealand.
Credit: Minaret station
Minaret Station is located in a secluded glacier valley in the Southern Alps, New Zealand.
There is no wild road to reach the luxury lodge, which includes 4 spacious chalets and a 50,000-acre farm.
On board a Squirrel AS350 or MD500E aircraft, you will be able to enjoy the scenery of sparkling lakes, glaciers, snow-capped mountain peaks and untouched valleys.
The flight takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
Cambodia: “Chinta Many Wild”
Guests can access this lodge via the Zip Line.
Credit: Shinta Mani Wild
Featuring 15 tents along the Thmor Rung River in Cardamom National Park, Shinta Mani Wild Lodge in Cambodia promises its guests an adrenaline-pumping experience.
A private vehicle will bring guests from Siem Reap or Phnom Penh, to a seven-storey tower overlooking a sprawling jungle.
From there, guests don a helmet and harness to zip down the zip line with their guide.
During the quarter-mile journey, you’ll zip through the air at speeds of up to 31 miles per hour over lush greenery and a river to reach your first stop.
After a jaunt through woodland boardwalks, it’s time to take to the air again.
The last part of the trek takes place over the Raging Sisters Falls, reaching a pub called the Landing Zone, where a welcome drink awaits.
Maldives: “The Nautilus”
The Nautilus Maldives is one of the most luxurious resorts in the archipelago.
Credit: The Nautilis
Located in the northern Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, The Nautilus Maldives is one of the most luxurious resorts in the archipelago.
The pampering begins once you arrive in the capital, Male, where you will be escorted to the VIP lounge to enjoy refreshments and light meals while the staff handles your immigration papers and customs documents.
And when the resort’s signature purple seaplane is ready for takeoff, it will take off on a 30-minute flight to the northwest of Baa Atoll.
After landing on the surface of the water, you will head to a small floating platform in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Soon after, a luxury speedboat or yacht (depending on the room type you have booked) will take you to the island.
The post A zip line over a waterfall and another by helicopter are unique ways to reach these hotels in Asia appeared first on Gatto Presss.