Asia is full of ancient cultures, unparalleled in exotic beauty and mysticism. From Southeast Asia to the Far East and India, explore the myriad customs and traditions of each one. The fascinating countries of Vietnam, China, Japan and Thailand are equally amazing and yet vastly different. See the great Buddhas of Bangkok or experience a whirlwind shopping-spree in Hong Kong. Explore the temples of Japan and the monuments of Beijing. The Silk Road, the Spice Route and Xanadu beckon. Wander among ornate gilded pavilions, ancient temples, modern skyscrapers and bustling street markets filled with foreign and wonderful fruits and vegetables, not to mention just about everything else imaginable. Asia is really an escape of a lifetime.
Asia destinations include Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, thailand, Phillipines, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, North Korea, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Cambodia, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Macau, Laos, Bhutan, Brunei, Timor, Papau New Guinea, East Timor, Palau, Guam
Japan
Japan is truly timeless, a place where ancient traditions are fused with modern life as if it were the most natural thing in the world. On the surface, Japan appears exceedingly modern, but travelling around it offers numerous opportunities to connect with the country's traditional culture. Explore the three great gardens Kenrokuen, Korakuen and Kairakuen. Spring in Japan can only mean one thing: cherry blossom or ‘Sakura’, the blossoms are particularly enjoyed at dusk when lanterns hang in the trees, turning the canopy a glowing pink. Visit the majestic Mt Fuji one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and Japan’s highest mountain with a height of 3,766 meters. From the splendour of a Kyoto geisha dance to the spare beauty of a Zen rock garden, Japan has the power to enthral.
New Delhi, India
Delhi is a city where time travel is feasible. Step aboard your time machine (the sleek and efficient metro) and you can go from Old Delhi, where labourers haul sacks of spices and jewellers weigh gold on dusty scales, to modern New Delhi, with its colonial-era parliament buildings and penchant for high tea.
Beijing, China
Few places on earth can match the extraordinary historical panorama on display in Beijing. There are six Unesco World Heritage Sites in this city alone (just one less than the whole of Egypt). At its heart is the magnificent Forbidden City, a royal palace on a scale like no other. Beijing is also home to sublime temples that aspire to cosmological perfection, while the city centre is criss-crossed by enchanting hútòng: ancient alleyways that teem with life today, as they did hundreds of years ago. And, to cap it all, the awe-inspiring Great Wall snakes its way across the hills north of town.
