Asia travel advice
Language barrier advice
Andy Burt from our supplier, Intrepid, shares his Asia travel advice:
“For me, the interaction with the locals in China is one of the highlights of a trip. It’s hard to anticipate how little language you have in common, yet with body language and a sense of humour you can still have a meaningful interaction with people. A lot of people presume that Chinese people are quite rude and a bit standoffish, but they’re not at all. Where the Japanese are reservedly polite and don’t want to lose face by having bad English, the Chinese don’t care, they just speak Mandarin at you like you’ll understand it, which of course you don’t much to their amusement, but within that you find a way to communicate. There’s a lot of spitting in public in China, it’s just what they do, so leave your cultural baggage at the door and appreciate them for who they are.”
“For me, the interaction with the locals in China is one of the highlights of a trip. It’s hard to anticipate how little language you have in common, yet with body language and a sense of humour you can still have a meaningful interaction with people. A lot of people presume that Chinese people are quite rude and a bit standoffish, but they’re not at all. Where the Japanese are reservedly polite and don’t want to lose face by having bad English, the Chinese don’t care, they just speak Mandarin at you like you’ll understand it, which of course you don’t much to their amusement, but within that you find a way to communicate. There’s a lot of spitting in public in China, it’s just what they do, so leave your cultural baggage at the door and appreciate them for who they are.”
Our Asia Holidays
Sri Lanka wildlife and whales tour
Whales and the wildlife of Yala National Park
From
£2279 to £2749
11 days
inc UK flights
Vietnam holiday, South to North
From bright lights, to beaches and junk boats.
From
£1455
13 days
ex flights
Borneo tailor made tour on a shoestring
The Best of Borneo: Wildlife, Adventure, Idyllic Beaches
From
£1295
11 days
ex flights
Japan self guided walking holiday, Nakasendo Trail
Self-guided walking along Japan’s ancient Nakasendo trail
From
£865 to £1225
5 days
ex flights
Sri Lanka holidays, tailor made
Independent tailor made holidays to Sri Lanka
From
£2145
15 days
inc UK flights
Japan small group holiday, Japan unmasked
Whistlestop Japan highlights with an expert tour leader
From
£2695 to £2855
14 days
ex flights
Japan golden route holiday
9 night classic Japan trip: Tokyo, Fuji, Kyoto
From
£2100
10 days
ex flights
Kayaking holiday in Indonesia, Komodo Dragon expedition
Sea kayaking to some of the most remote beaches on earth
From
£1795
10 days
ex flights
Borneo orangutan holiday
Trekking, wildlife and beach adventure holiday to Borneo
From
£3195
14 days
inc UK flights
Kerala homestay tour, India
Stay in homestays in various destinations in Kerala
From
£1610
15 days
ex flights
Vietnam holiday
Tour and learn about this beautiful destination
From
£1271 to £1710
20 days
ex flights
Japan tailor made tour on a shoestring
Japan's classic sights on a shoestring
From
£1170
8 days
ex flights
Vietnam small group cycling holiday
The best of Vietnam on two wheels
From
£2199 to £2859
16 days
inc UK flights
Tiger tour in India, land of the Tiger tour
Wildlife tour through India
From
£2829 to £3379
16 days
inc UK flights
Burma holidays, small group tour
The highlights of Burma visiting Rangoon, Bagan, Mandalay & Inle Lake
From
£2479 to £2579
16 days
inc UK flights
Indochina overland holiday
The ultimate discovery of South East Asia
From
£3749 to £4249
30 days
inc UK flights
Borneo tour, Great Apes and Beach escapes
Explore bustling cities, lush jungles and paradise beaches.
From
£1658
9 days
ex flights
Great Wall of China walking holiday
Trek along various contrasting sections of the wall
From
£1799 to £2179
10 days
inc UK flights
Rajasthan tours, India
Discover the evocative northern province of Rajasthan
From
£980 to £1210
15 days
ex flights
Golden Triangle small group holiday, India
India's 3 most popular destinations, Delhi, Agra & Jaipur
From
£540 to £680
8 days
ex flights
Tailor made holiday in Bali, Off the beaten track
Cultural heritage, rainforest & beach relaxation in Bali
From
£1250
14 days
ex flights
Malaysia Tour
Ethnically and culturally rich, scenic Malaysia awaits
From
£1345 to £1370
15 days
ex flights
Thailand cultural tour, floating market & beach
Get a taste of rural Thai life and traditional cuisine
From
£690
4 days
ex flights
Gokyo Everest trek in Nepal
Trek the Gokyo region in Northeast Nepal
From
US $1375 to US $1475
18 days
ex flights
Kayaking in the Keralan Backwaters
Experience local life kayaking through Kerala backwaters .
From
US $570
5 days
ex flights
Cambodia, Laos and Thailand, Mekong adventure
Bangkok, Luang Prabang, Phonsavan, Siem Reap & Phnom Penh
From
£3250
14 days
ex flights
Vietnam and Cambodia tour
Natural wonders & fascinating cultures in Vietnam & Cambodia
From
£1190 to £1669
17 days
ex flights
Northern Thailand and Laos cultural holiday
Explore remote northern Thailand and northern Laos
From
£1950 to £2000
14 days
ex flights
Laos and Vietnam overland tour
Explore Laos and head across to north Vietnam
From
£2295
16 days
ex flights
Environmental advice
Richard Goodey, from our supplier Lost Earth Adventures shares his Nepal travel advice:
“The problem with rubbish in Nepal isn’t monumental, but it is an issue. What we advise tourists to do is eat as the locals do: eat the rice, the lentils, the fresh fruit and vegetables. Tourists tend to bring with them plastic water bottles, packets of crisps and chocolate bars for energy, so without thinking, they are adding to the rubbish problem and the Nepalese are picking up on this – if they can sell you a Mars Bar for 50p, to them that’s massive money. It’s fine to eat foods like that, but take your rubbish with you back to Kathmandu and throw in the bin there because up in the Himalaya, they bury it in the ground, or they burn it – and that’s no good.”
“The problem with rubbish in Nepal isn’t monumental, but it is an issue. What we advise tourists to do is eat as the locals do: eat the rice, the lentils, the fresh fruit and vegetables. Tourists tend to bring with them plastic water bottles, packets of crisps and chocolate bars for energy, so without thinking, they are adding to the rubbish problem and the Nepalese are picking up on this – if they can sell you a Mars Bar for 50p, to them that’s massive money. It’s fine to eat foods like that, but take your rubbish with you back to Kathmandu and throw in the bin there because up in the Himalaya, they bury it in the ground, or they burn it – and that’s no good.”
Wildlife advice
Mark Huggins, from our supplier Undiscovered Destinations, shares his Burma travel advice: “Near Kalaw there is a locally-run project which looks after former working elephants. It was one of the best things I did – you learn about the elephants and help wash them in the river, which is amazing – and in a really beautiful setting. It also supports local community projects and microfinance initiatives. The elephants are very well looked after, a vet comes to see them every week, and only a certain number of tourists are allowed to see them every day. It’s not well promoted; the local people are just trying to use the project to protect the forest. After visiting hours, the elephants wander back into the forest, and the mahouts fetch them the next morning. It looked very well done; you can see the medical books for all the elephants with the vets' notes about their conditions.”Itinerary advice
Sophie Hartman, owner of our supplier Chinkara Journeys, who specialise in central India:“Do not attempt to cram in too much in too short a time – road travel in India is not its best feature, so much better to focus on a couple of places and stay there.”
Health & safety
HEALTH
SAFETY
For further information on health and safety in specific countries across Asia, please have a look at our detailed travel guides and visit the FCO or the CDC websites.
Our top Asia Holiday
Sri Lanka wildlife and whales tour
Whales and the wildlife of Yala National Park
From
£2279 to £2749
11 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2019: 20 Nov
2020: 8 Jan, 8 Apr, 14 Oct, 11 Nov, 18 Nov
2019: 20 Nov
2020: 8 Jan, 8 Apr, 14 Oct, 11 Nov, 18 Nov
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Asia or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Tips from our travellers in Asia
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Asia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Asia travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
Sri Lanka is extremely hot in early April, so ensure you use plenty of sunblock. Be prepared for very early mornings and quite tiring drives and boat rides if you are whale or wildlife watching; it is worth it in the end though.
– Chris Rose
“If you’re going to Burma, Bring waterproof clothing in the rainy season and eat authentic curries at local restaurants wherever possible.” – Stephanie Diggon
“Plan what areas you want to visit, discuss with your operator as to what you can see and do within the timeframe of your visit. They will have a better understanding of how feasible your plans are!” – Graham Goddard
“If you’re visiting The Great Wall, be prepared for some scrambling, and a little rock climbing in parts, but for the most be ready for lots of steps of varying heights. You will need plenty of energy, but it well worth the experience!” – Phyllis Ryan
“We did a homestay tour in Kerala and only stayed for 2 nights at each location. With hindsight, maybe 3 nights and fewer stops would have been better to really get a feel for each place.” – Brian Summers
“Plan what areas you want to visit, discuss with your operator as to what you can see and do within the timeframe of your visit. They will have a better understanding of how feasible your plans are!” – Graham Goddard
“If you’re visiting The Great Wall, be prepared for some scrambling, and a little rock climbing in parts, but for the most be ready for lots of steps of varying heights. You will need plenty of energy, but it well worth the experience!” – Phyllis Ryan
“We did a homestay tour in Kerala and only stayed for 2 nights at each location. With hindsight, maybe 3 nights and fewer stops would have been better to really get a feel for each place.” – Brian Summers
Mongolia is a big country with poor infrastructure. Make sure your trip doesn't involve too much driving or you will spend your whole time on a bus. Covering 400km in one day, while possible, is not pleasant.
– Sam Grainne
“In Vietnam, choose Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City unless you are and absolute city junkie. We preferred Hanoi, a mad city but almost manageable and a great insight into how people are flourishing under capitalism. We regretted not spending more time in the mountains.” – Di Bligh
“If you’re heading to Cambodia, consider adding a day at the beginning and/or end of the tour. You'll have a chance to settle in at the beginning, so it doesn't feel rushed, and at the end you can spend the extra day back at Angkor (you get a 3-day pass but only use 2 on the tour) or taking an optional excursion - as we did.” – Richard Evans
“If you’re heading to Cambodia, consider adding a day at the beginning and/or end of the tour. You'll have a chance to settle in at the beginning, so it doesn't feel rushed, and at the end you can spend the extra day back at Angkor (you get a 3-day pass but only use 2 on the tour) or taking an optional excursion - as we did.” – Richard Evans
More about Asia
Find out when the monsoons set in, which cultural festival you definitely need to attend, and just generally the best time to visit Asia by using our temperature & rainfall chart as well as our month by month guide and some personal recommendations from our friends in the know.
Our Asia travel guide does its level best to provide responsible travellers with a balance of rated, underrated and completely overrated places to go and things to do in Asia.
Make the most of your time in Asia as you study our map of favourite Asia highlights and read up on the countries and regions that we think are definitely worth visiting.
This vast continent holds a wealth of temples, monasteries and religious monuments to encourage travellers to find things to do in Asia that they might never ever consider back home.
Experiencing Asia on a budget doesn’t mean that you have to dust off your old backpack and dig out your 1980s hostelling handbook, far from it.
From the fattest of noodles, the stickiest of rice and the fun-nest of foodie tours to delicious dhal dishes and classic curries, our top 10 lifts the lid on Asian cuisine and take a big sniff.
Our top 10 walks in Asia feature everywhere from Kyoto to Kerala alongside Everest Base Camp, the Great Wall of China and the hill stations and tea plantations of Sri Lanka.
Find out where to watch wildlife in Asia, as well as the benefits this has for local communities living around the habitat of endangered species.
Taking your family to Asia will be an absolutely enchanting experience as the locals will love your kids almost as much as you do.
It's often the people you meet in Asia that form the most indelible memories, which is why it's so important to understand responsible tourism in Asia before, during and after you travel.
Find all of our Asia guides in one place, for particular countries in Asia such as Bhutan, Japan or Thailand . Or perhaps you would like to know more about the different types of Asia holidays we offer such as India cycling or Maldives cruising.
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Photo credits: [Page banner: dia_n] [Language barrier advice: DanishMiki]
[Environmental advice: Sabinanepal]
[Health & Safety: Josh Stewart]
[Chris Rose quote: Roxanne Desgagnés]
[Sam Grainne quote: Lottchen On Tour]
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