All in Experiences
The Eastern & Oriental Express is known as one of the world's most renowned luxury trains, and probably the best known in Asia. It's 5-star dining all the way with exotic cocktails and unlimited French champagne, but at over US$3,400 per person for four days and three nights, is it really worth the financial outlay? Here's what to know about what you will get for your money.
Travelling on Vietnam’s so-called Reunification Express from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (or vice-versa) is not a luxury experience, but it’s a way to see some stunning scenery and perhaps interact with some locals along the way. It’s a 36 hours’ journey so it’s best to do the trip with stopovers and visit some of Vietnam’s interesting coastal cities along the way.
A guided foodie tour on a Vespa motor scooter is an exhilarating way to explore Saigon at night. It’s a way to enjoy some of the best Vietnamese street foods available in the chaotic old southern capital as well as experiencing the authentic side of Vietnamese life.
The Authors’ Lounge in the historic Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand, pays homage to the many writers and artists who have frequented the hotel since the late 19th century during their visits to the city. It’s well worth a visit to learn about the history of the hotel and its many famous guests, and to enjoy the sweet and savoury delicacies served for the Oriental Afternoon Tea in the beautiful Somerset Maugham lounge.
The Mae Hong Son Loop is Thailand’s most well-known scenic drive. It’s a 600 km roughly circular drive around the mountains to the west of Chiang Mai. The driving time is about 12 hours, but most people do the trip over four days so that they can stop to admire the scenery and waterfalls or spend time in the national parks along the way. The route provides many options for interesting side-trips as well.
The hamam is the Turkish version of a Roman bathhouse, but the modern-day hamam offers so much more than bathing for both men and woman. It provides the opportunity to enjoy a unique cleansing ritual in beautiful historic buildings. With massages available to supplement the traditional services, a session in a hamam might well be the most relaxing experience you can enjoy on a visit to Turkey. The pampering you will receive is guaranteed to sooth the soul.
Kanchanaburi is a province in Thailand that is best known for its World War 2 memorial sites and national parks. But it also has many hot springs along the valley of the River Kwai which may help you to ease any aches and pains that you may acquire on your travels. This comprehensive guide to all of the hot springs in the valley and their mineral water pools recommends the best ones for international travellers to visit and which ones to avoid.
World Expo 2020 which is currently being held in Dubai has lived up to all expectations and is highly recommended for those currently able to travel. With two and a half months remaining, many older travellers may be concerned about getting there during a pandemic and being around crowds. Here are some tips to make your Expo visit less stressful and enjoy the events, entertainment, experiences and cuisines on offer.
Asia offers some of the best luxury train experiences in the world with Japan and India leading the field. Travelling by train provides the opportunity to enjoy scenery and sights at a leisurely pace with onboard fine dining and entertainment. Many multi-day journeys offer tours at stopovers to interact with locals and visit places of historic and cultural interest.
Asia is most often associated with tropical beach resorts for winter holiday destinations, but for some who prefer it cooler there are plenty of options offering adventures in the snow. For older travellers who may not be into skiing or snowboarding, this ice village in Japan offers a unique opportunity to relax amongst the white stuff.
Japan has some excellent snow skiing destinations for older travellers who are looking for quieter and more relaxing places to ski than the crowded mountain resorts in North America and Europe. For most residents of Asia it is the easiest ski destination to reach, and for travellers from Australia and New Zealand, it provides the additional opportunity to ski in the southern hemisphere summer.
If you are looking for a holiday destination that’s off-the-beaten track, somewhere that’s peaceful where you can slow down, smell life, rest and rejuvenate, then Nikko in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture is the perfect destination. Just two hours north of Tokyo, you can unwind, meditate, relax in hot springs, and enjoy the authentic delights of Japanese culture away from the crowds.
Travelling solo in Asia may not be for everyone – especially for older females – but for those who enjoy time on their own, it can be liberating and rewarding. It enables you to travel at your own pace, do what you want to do, when you want, and change your schedule whenever you feel like it. With a few sensible safety precautions, solo travel in Asia can be a safe and enjoyable experience for anyone.
Taiwan has a lot of to offer first-time visitors, especially those who would like to see more of its natural attractions than its city life. Here’s an independent traveller’s 10-day itinerary that incorporates a hiking and biking adventure in the beautiful Taroko National Park and a visit to the wild coast of the Kenting National Park, as well as some highlights in and around the capital, Taipei.
Asia has a surprisingly good number of locations where it is possible to take hot air balloon flights. Drifting over a scenic landscape as the sun rises is both exciting and relaxing, and many travellers who are nervous about flying or suffer vertigo in tall buildings have said that flying in a hot air balloon was one of their most exhilarating experiences ever. It’s a wonderful way to see places from a new perspective.
xyzAsia senior correspondent Alan Williams first visited Asia in 1973 on an overland backpacking trip from South Africa to Kathmandu. It was an era long before the internet or email. He wrote this account soon afterwards, with the trip fresh in his memory. He publishes it now with only minor changes, and without allowing himself the benefit of hindsight. This is the journey as he saw it at the time.
