To celebrate its 18th birthday, Australia’s leading Asia travel specialist, Travel Indochina, has created its definitive list of its 18 most memorable trips in Asia.
Travel Indochina’s Managing Director, Paul Hole, says for many, turning 18 is an extremely memorable moment.
“For me personally, having Travel Indochina achieve that milestone has been no different than a proud parent watching their son or daughter ‘come of age’.
After spending the past 18 years in Asia, learning more everyday about this region which we’re all so passionate about, we’ve drawn together our 18 most memorable travel experiences which we’d like to share.
We struggled to narrow it down to 18 given all that we’ve seen and done and that Asia offers, but these stood out from the rest. They’ve been moments where we’ve been able to glimpse the ‘real Asia’; insights into the lives of the locals who have so generously opened their doors and their hearts to us. Or moments of unsurpassable beauty across these diverse lands. And of course some iconic places are really worth the effort to see once in a lifetime.”
With all that, our 18 most memorable moments have been:
- Vietnam - An overnight boat trip on Halong Bay - Halong Bay is a travellers’ favourite, and any boat trip on her waters is a magical one, but waking up to see the sun climbing over the limestone outcrops after a peaceful night spent floating on the bay is something we’ll never forget.
- Vietnam - A bike ride from Dalat to Vung Tau - The scenery along the coast of Vietnam is stunning, and views across the South China Sea can take your breath away, but to witness it from your bicycle while riding down from the mountains in Dalat, through Mui Ne and on to Vung Tau is out of this world.
- Vietnam - An ecolodge in Sapa – Travelling to the north of Vietnam and journeying into the fascinating lives of the ethnic minority villagers that thrive in the unique conditions high in the mountains while staying in an ecolodge perched on the edge of the mountain has been a highlight.
- Laos - A Lao cooking class - Discovering new and wonderful cuisine is a part of travelling, and learning to cook it ourselves in an open-air pavilion in Luang Prabang has meant we’ve been able to bring part of the world home with us.
- Laos - An elephant trek in Xe Pian National Protected Area - While once tourism was a purely self-indulgent pleasure, these days we’ve been experiencing the pleasure of giving back to the world we travel through. Xe Pian National Protected Area in Southern Laos is a remote and undisturbed haven with over 29 habitats. Visits help not only protect this vital land, but support the local communities.
- Laos - A slow boat down the Mekong River – We left the hustle and bustle of our daily routine behind and discovered a slower pace of life cruising slowly down the Mekong River, past untouched forests, local fisherman and small rural villages, and got an insight into rural Laos, where the majority of the population lives, by spending the night in the small market town of Pakbeng.
- Thailand - A jungle lodge on the River Kwai – Sitting on the deck of a jungle lodge, nestled on the bank of the River Kwai in Thailand, watching the sun fall behind the river as the sounds of the lush jungle come to life. Staying deep in the mountains, connecting with the untamed nature was both a peaceful and exciting experience.
- Cambodia - Watching the sun rise over Angkor Wat - Witnessing the incredible temples of Angkor in Cambodia is one of those must-do things in life. Rising before dawn and creeping through the jungle, the path lit only by torchlight, to enter the temple complex through the little-used eastern gate, away from the crowds, watching the sun’s first rays falling on Angkor Wat stays with you forever.
- Cambodia - Received a water blessing - Found peace. A water blessing from a Buddhist monk at the serene Tep Pranam Pagoda soothes body and soul while providing a deeper understanding of Cambodia's main religion.
- China - Sharing a cup of Yak butter tea with a Tibetan family - Exotic and alluring, Tibet conjures visions of adventure in far flung lands. Passing nomad camps and herds of yak while travelling to a sparkling turquoise lake flanked by snow-capped peaks, stopping at a local family home to share a cup of steaming yak butter tea and discovering the astonishing way of life in this remote region.
- China - Sharing lunch with a local family in Beijing - China is a complex and intriguing place where the past, present and future reside side by side. Being able to scratch beneath the surface of thronging Beijing with a rickshaw ride through the ancient hutongs, or backstreets, and then share lunch in a family home to see how the locals live has helped us truly feel a part of this great city.
- China - Seeing the Great Wall of China away from the crowds - No visit to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall of China. To stand in a place so famous, well-known to all of us since childhood, is an almost surreal feeling, but the spell can be easily broken by the surrounding masses of tourists. We’ve travelled instead to a section of the wall at Mutianyu that is less frequented for a more authentic experience, and seen the very end of the wall on a Silk Road journey.
- India - An Indian cooking class in a Rajasthani palace - Standing on the rooftop terrace of a Rajasthani palace with the heady aromas of indulgent Indian cuisine surrounding and the sounds of local musicians floating through the air. We’ve been captivated by the colour and movement of the dancers performing to Rajasthan's renowned desert rhythms. Not an ancient tale of Indian royalty, but a cooking class held in a Rajasthani Palace. Entertaining and informative, it excites all the senses.
- India - A traditional milk market in Jaipur – India is filled with not-to-be-missed icons like the Taj Mahal, and is remarkable in its diversity. At a traditional milk market, we watched turbaned farmers and buyers banter over the quality and value of this Indian staple, for a glimpse into the heart of the Indian people.
- India - A family walk with an elephant and mahout – We’ve developed inquisitive minds through sharing the new and wondrous sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Asia with our travellers. Walking from village to village in India, with a local elephant and its mahout, learning about the remarkable relationship between elephants and humans, is a moment to remember.
- Japan - A tea ceremony in Kyoto - Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan and the streets are filled with serene gardens, ancient doorways leading to perfectly preserved temples, theatres highlighting ancestral artforms, and graceful geisha darting into the most famous of Japanese icons, tea houses. We’ve had the chance to appreciate the cultural significance when taking part in a beautiful, traditional tea ceremony.
- Mongolia - Mongolia’s greatest festival - The centuries-old Naadam festival includes the national sports of horse racing, archery and wrestling, with participants of all ages competing. Seeing Mongolia's most important festival celebrated all over the country is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
- Bhutan - Cliff-hanging Tiger’s Nest Monastery – Perhaps it is the intact Buddhist culture that has seen Bhutan ranked as the happiest country in Asia. Closed to tourism until recently, a trip to remote Bhutan unveiled sweeping pristine landscapes, enthralling traditions and ancient relics, and a trip to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery reveals all three. It is well worth the steep climb up to emerge at this incredible building perched on the edge of a cliff.
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