IAT 009 // Summer 2019

Travel inspiration from theSoutheast Asia and Japan experts

E
EXCLUSIVW WITH
INTERVIE

JAY
RAYNERON P.28

MEKONGMOMENTS:
Tales from the river+ City breaks inSoutheast Asia

Summer in Japan//

Making holidays matter// Group tour tips

Contents
R E G U L AR S

4

The inside scoop

An insider’s view of what’s new and excitingin Japan and Southeast Asia.

24

Making holidays matter

28

east meets…
Jay Rayner

29

Insider guide: Top 5
Japanese phrases

30

Your adventures; andAsia Expert crossword

Whether eating at acclaimed restaurants
or watching show-stopping performances, theseexperiences each give a little something back.

8

4

Few know food like Jay Rayner, but how did Japan’s
culinary scene fare with his family?

Intimidated by Japanese? Start small with thesesuper simple phrases.

Tina Banks travels solo to track down Southeast
Asia’s best art; and test your travel knowledge
with our quick crossword.

F E AT U R E S

816

See more with a stopover

Make the most of indirect flights and fall inlove with Asia’s most exciting cities.

12

Japan in summer:
Let the sunshine inWith all eyes on Japan in summer 2020, we find thebest ways to embrace the season, including hiking
hotspots, firework festivals and island escapes.

16

Mekong moments:
Tales from the river20

All in it together

Grant Ekelund trades a short-haul flight for ameandering journey aboard the Mekong River.

20

GET IN TOUCH:
www.insideasiatours.com
www.insidejapantours.com
Japan: 0117 244 3463
info@insidejapantours.com
Southeast Asia: 0117 244 3464
info@insideasiatours.com

THE TEAM:
Editor: Georgia Rae Dunkley
Design: Kate Sanderson, Sarah Stagg
Marketing Manager: James Mundy
Contributing editors: Ruth Hubbard,
Tom Weston, Claire Allison, Dilek Eccles,
Chris Greener

Subscriptions & general enquiries:
0117 244 3466, east@insideasiatours.com
InsideAsia Tours, Hanover House,
Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, BS1 4EX
www.insideasiatours.com/magazine

2- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

28
COPYRIGHT
Designed and produced by InsideAsia Tours Ltd.
All content supplied by InsideAsia Tours staff,
except where indicated. Tour prices may besubject to change.
PRINT
Printed by Pepper Communications Ltd.
© iStock.com/hadynyah (cover)Some experiences in Japan are better
when shared – just ask our tour leaders.

J U S T B AC K
After inspiration for your next
adventure? Our team have asuitcase full of travel tales…

12
IAT 009 // Summer 2019

Welcome to issue 9
Hello and welcome to the 9th issue of east.

Travel inspiration from theSoutheast Asia and Japan experts

Like many homes in the 1970s, my parents’ living room side-table

E
EXCLUSIVW WITH
INTERVIE

JAY
RAYNERON P.28

MEKONG

was adorned with an illuminated, plastic, spinning globe. For 11-year-

Tales from the river

old me this represented a confusing patchwork puzzle of very faraway,

MOMENTS:+ City breaks inSoutheast Asia

Summer in Japan//

Making holidays matter// Group tour tips

impossible to visit places. I was not very good at geography (other thancolouring in maps), had no idea how to use a compass and had not
enjoyed my brief brush with foreign languages one little bit – all things

which in my mind were essential skills for any global explorer to possess.
But none of this mattered. I LOVED that globe. I spent hours ‘playing’ with it, running my finger
over its contoured surface, feeling the terrain of distant lands. I filled scrapbooks with the wonders

Grant Ekelund
Grant travelled
to Vietnam,
Cambodia andHong Kong tolearn about culture, history and theregion’s best food.
Memorable moment: Sailing on
the Mekong River was so relaxing(p.16), and cycling in Hoi An reallyleft an impression on me.
Amy Tadehara
Amy, our newly
crowned CondéNast Traveler Top
Travel Specialist, hit
the road to explore Japan’s Tohoku
coastline, travelling from Sendai to
Sanriku Fukko National Park.
Memorable moment: Learning
about the aftermath of the tsunami at
the Hiyoriyama Park in Ishinomaki.

of the world: Poor quality news clippings of the Great Wall of China, and a hazy sunset over Wat
Arun and flame-red orangutan from Sarawak carefully cut from my parents’ new encyclopaedia(sorry Mum).
Skip forward some 40 years, and after what could only be described as an unconventional career(ballet dancer, tech entrepreneur, ad agency manager) I’ve landed my dream job here at InsideAsia
Tours, lifting those scrapbook clippings off the page and into real holidays.
So what’s new? Well, for the last five years we’ve got to the heart of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laosand Myanmar. But there’s a whole continent out there to uncover and having asked our customers“where next?”, it was apparent it’s not just me with itchy feet and more than a touch of wanderlust.
After much passionate debate here in the office to narrow down the options, I’m delighted toreveal that in 2020 - our 20th anniversary year - we will be launching six new destinations. All will
be revealed in the next issue of east – which just like this one will be crammed to the gunnels
with inspiration from our journeys on the road and opportunities to get to the heart of Asia. Happy
travels and watch this space.

Julia Anukam
Julia joined ourJapan Unmasked
Small Group Tour,criss-crossing
the country from Tokyo all theway to Hiroshima.
Memorable moment: Seeing
Miyajima’s breath-taking landscapeand trying lots of delicious vegan food!

Paul O’BrienPaul took a luxury
cruise throughLaos, stopping to
explore riverside
villages along the way.
Memorable moment: The wholejourney was stunning, but I loved
walking through sleepy villages andmeeting local people.

Julie Butterworth
Head of InsideAsia Tours Brand- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

3

N E W S & W H AT ' S N E W I N O U R D E ST I N AT I O N S

INSIDESCOOP
Scramble selfie

Wa nt to be thefir st to fin dout abo ut our new
des tin ati on s?
Drop us a line at
rs.cominsiders@insideasiatou

JAPAN

JAPAN

KitKat craze alive in Osaka

DO IT: 1 minute from JR Shibuya
Station, Mag's Park viewing platform open
10am-9pm, entrance 300 yen (£2).

Formula 1 heads to Hanoi

Vietnam might be known for

Having launched hundreds of flavours -chocolatiers get to work. Like something fromstreets heaving with motorbikes,

including cherry blossom, sweet potato,a sci-fi film, the masterpiece is then set using

and adzuki bean - we thought there wasn’t

swirling liquid nitrogen. With prices starting

but in April 2020 the capital citymuch more Japan could do with a KitKat. We

at £5 for a single bar, this isn’t your averagethought wrong. At a dedicated shop in Osaka,

mid-morning treat from the newsagents.

a city aptly known as ‘Japan’s Kitchen’, you

4Shibuya 109 you can capture theaction, along with the ultimate bird’seye view selfie, by connecting yourphone to an overhead camera.

of Hanoi will host the Formula
1 for the first time, seeing off
a sluggish sea of two-wheelers

can create your own weird and wonderful

DO IT: British Airways are launching a directin favour of racers reachingcombination. Choose between five different

route from London to Osaka in 2019;

speeds of up to 208mph.

types of chocolate, pile up an assortment

contact our team of Japan experts onof toppings and watch the steady-handed

0117 244 3463 to find out more.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts© Af8 Images, Seto Uchi Arts Festival, KitKat, Paste at The Apsara

Tokyo’s not short of tourist attractions,but the ‘Shibuya Scramble’ remains
a firm favourite amongst first-time
visitors - turns out watching crowds
swarm over a zebra crossing is more
fascinating than it sounds. The best
views are from above, and now withthe observation deck at Magnet by

INSIDESCOOPJAPANCAMBODIA

Manga at the British Museum
Fans of manga rejoice: the largest
manga exhibition ever held outside
Japan is coming to the British Museum.
Trace the evolution of this Japanese
form of storytelling from a humble
collection of sketches, to a global cultural
phenomenon that influenced a rangeof pop culture, including anime, gaming
and cosplay.

Explore Angkor with an expert
As the largest religious monument in theworld, the Angkor temples have been
written about, mused upon and exploredby thousands of visitors to Cambodia
every year. For a new perspective,
join Dr Damien Evans to discover thesecrets of this magnificent site. As well
as being one of the world’s leading

academics on the temples’ archaeology
and reconstruction, he was part of theground-breaking team that uncovered
the lost Khmer city of Mahendraparvata.
DO IT: Visit insideasiatours.com or call

our Cambodia experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more.

DO IT: The exhibition takes placefrom 23 May – 26 August 2019.
For tickets and more information,
visit Britishmuseum.org

JAPAN

Island hopping for art
While it hasn’t been quite thesame agonising wait as the Rugby
World Cup, the triennial Setouchi
Art Festival has felt like a longtime coming. Scattered acrossa collection of islands on the
Seto Inland Sea, the setting forthis ground-breaking festival is

LAOS

Eat like a royal in Luang Prabang
Chefs Bee Satongun and Jason Bailey,owners of the Michelin-starred Paste
restaurant in Bangkok, are giving Lao
cuisine a long overdue spell in the spotlightat The Apsara hotel in Luang Prabang.
Heavily influenced by the recipes of Phia
Sing (chef for the Lao royal family in the

mid-20th century) each Paste at The
Apsara dish is a delicious slice of history.
DO IT: We can include a Paste at
The Apsara reservation on any of ourtailormade itineraries; call our Laos experts
on 0117 244 3464 to find out more.

as impressive as the world-classcontemporary artwork on display.
DO IT: With sittings in spring,summer and autumn, there’s plentyof opportunity to see the festival
in 2019. Call our Japan experts on
0117 244 3463 to book tickets.

VIETNAM

In safe hands
Complete with a provincial French
village, fairy-tale castle, cable car,fantasy theme park and 89-ft
Buddha, the Ba Na Hills near Danang
is one of Vietnam’s more unusual
day trips. Just when you thought
they couldn’t add much more to thisformer colonial retreat, along camea 150m-long golden bridge held
aloft by the giant stone hands of amountain god. Whatever next?
DO IT: Visit insideasiatours.com orcall our Southeast Asia experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more
about exploring Danang.

VIETNAMcambodia

Happy campers in Cambodia
Forget leaky tarpaulin, staying
under canvas has neverbeen swisher. In fact, the
new collection of tented
accommodation in Cambodia
makes even the fanciest hotels

6seem pedestrian. Wake to sunrise
over Angkor temples at The
Beige; share your surroundings
with endangered species at the
Cardamom Tented Camp; or geta taste of the high life with a- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

helicopter transfer to your plush
hideaway at the Shinta Mani Wild.
DO IT: Visit insideasiatours.com orcall our Cambodia experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more.

Do you prefer kicking off the day witha drip filtered short black or slowly
sipping an indulgent condensed
milk creation? Either way, getting
coffee right is serious business
in Vietnam. Meet an expert at an
80-year-old coffee shop in the heartof Ho Chi Minh City to learn brewing
techniques, mingle with local people
and find your favourite cup.
DO IT: Visit the Experiences
page on insideasiatours.com orcall our Vietnam experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more.

© Danang fantasticcity, Shinta Mani Wild, InsideAsia Tours staff

From bean to brew in Saigon

Japan

INSIDESCOOP
JAPAN

2019: Year of the
RUGBY WORLD CUP
Go for a spinin style
It may officially be the ‘Year of thePig’, but we can’t help thinking ourporcine friend has been upstaged
by a certain oval-shaped ball...
Having arrived in Japan after 20
years bouncing back and forth
between Europe, Australia and

New Zealand, 2019 is mostdefinitely the ‘Year of the Rugby
World Cup’. We tailor trips aroundthe tickets, so all you have toworry about is remembering
your flag and keeping yourfingers crossed!

DO IT: If you’ve secured tickets
but need a little help planning,head to Japanrugbytravel.com,
or call our team of rugby travel
experts on 0117 992 7068 tofind out more.

JAPAN

Celebrate the seasons in Bristol
Don’t miss the chance to see original
woodblock prints dating from the 1760s- 1930s at Masters of Japanese Prints,
an extraordinary series we couldn’t beprouder to sponsor at Bristol Museum
and Art Gallery. The latest exhibition
explores each of Japan’s seasons withhanami parties under the cherry

blossom, spirited summer festivals,
autumn leaf peeping and snowy scenes.
Highlights include Hiroshige’s depictionsof the harvest moon and Hokusai’s iconic
Great Wave off Kanagawa.
DO IT: For more information, visit
bristolmuseums.org.uk

Dream car: Aston Martin,
McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari or
Lamborghini? Take your pick
and take to the streets of Tokyo.
Drive between Ginza’s towering
skyscrapers and neon signs,
see the lights sparkle over thewaters of Tokyo Bay in Odaiba
and glide down the slick streetsaround Roppongi Hills. Spoilt
for choice? With pit-stops along
the way, you can swap luxury
rides part way through. The
hardest part is giving the keys
back at the end…
DO IT: Visit the Experiences
page on insidejapantours.com
or call our Japan experts on
0117 244 3463 to findout more.

MYANMARJAPAN

New book: Journeys in Burma

unveiled and is free of charge to visit.

Travelling the length and breadthof Myanmar, David Eimer speaks
to a wide range of characters,
including film stars and former
political exiles, as he chronicles thecountry’s return to the global stage.

DO IT: We can include tickets to
Moominvalley.com any of our tailormade
itineraries; call our Japan experts on
0117 244 3463 to find out more.

A Savage Dreamland: Journeys in
Burma (Bloomsbury Publishing),
will be available in all goodbookshops from June 2019.

Nordic dreams in Japan
No one can say exactly what a
Moomin is, but after waddling on to
television sets in 1969, thesehippo-like characters from faraway
Finland made a name for themselvesin Japan. 60 years later, Moominvalley

Park, filled with iconic Moomin
memorabilia, has opened just anhour and a half from Tokyo. That’s notall, Metsä Village, a series of Nordic
restaurants, shops and cafés on thebanks of Lake Miyazawa, has also been

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

7

Venice of the East
Bird’s-eye viewof Bangkok

SEE MORE ON A

STOPOVER

Dread indirect flights? Spare a few days and make the journey thedestination with a stopover in one of Asia’s most exciting cities.

8- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[STOPOVERS}THAILAND

Bangkok
Bangkok manages to be everything
you expected and nothing likeyou imagined, all at once. Chaotic
streets choke with heaving traffic,
insistent hawkers noisily flaunt
their wares and eye-popping neonadvertises the city’s notorious
nightlife. In covered bazaars you’ll
find floor-to-ceiling displays ofeverything you never knew you
needed: from incomprehensible
slogan t-shirts to enormous gilded
ceramic pots. To avoid being swept
away in the thrum of Bangkok’s

confusion, you can always step
off solid ground for the city’swaterways and some welcome
breathing space.
Believe it or not, Bangkok wasonce known as ‘Venice of the East’.
For a blast from this exalted past,take a leisurely longtail boat rideon the network of khlongs (canals)
that stream from the Chao Phraya
River. Amble down the waterways
and stop off to see watersidecommunities and small temples
before grabbing a bite to eat (thinkmouth-watering pad thai, hot green
curries and spicy papaya salads).

Take a day trip to Kanchanaburi
to learn about the region's history
at the River Kwai bridge andthe Railway Museum. Moving
displays tell the story of Thailand’s
involvement in World War II andthe construction of the infamous
bridge and ‘Death Railway’ by Allied
Prisoners of War. While the mainstreets might feel uncomfortably
modern, Bangkok is home to some
impressive cultural treasures –don’t miss the beautiful Wat Pho
temple (home to a huge gilded
reclining Buddha) and the ornate
Grand Palace.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

9

SINGAPORE

In Singapore, you’ll step onto
sparkling streets and look up togardens in the sky. This island city
state is impressive, yet understated,and more restrained than mostmetropolises in Southeast Asia.
Like many ports, it has spent years
drawing influence from acrossthe world, and these days cultural
quarters representing different
communities stand side by side. Lose
yourself amongst the rainbow ofbrightly-painted shops in Little India,
walk under Chinatown’s swinging
lanterns and stop to admire theglowing dome of the Sultan Mosque

MALAYSIA

Kuala Lumpur
With various nations putting theirstamp on the city since its humble
beginnings as a tin mining town
in the 1800s, Kuala Lumpur’sarchitecture reads like a history
book. Map the journey throughmock Tudor facades, rising minarets
and elaborate Hindu temples. Spot
Moorish flourishes, like those of
the Sultan Abdul Samad Building;
Malay-inspired shapes, such as the
Istana Budaya theatre resemblinga traditional headdress; andmodern glassy skyscrapers, themost spectacular of all being thePetronas Towers. Standing at nearly
452m, these towers were the tallest
building in the world until 2004 andmark another chapter in the city’s
development. The best views can befound at the 170m Skybridge andObservation Deck, but to see thetowers themselves, head across theroad and pull up a chair at Vertigo, arooftop bar in the Banyan Tree
hotel opposite. For a tranquil start10

in Arab Street, before making yourway to the smart colonial district.
Here an impressive array ofarchitecture harks back to the time
before British independence, but
the undeniable jewel in the crown is
the Raffles Hotel. This iconic building
dates back to 1887 and has stories
hiding behind every crisp whitecolumn and sparkling chandelier.
Visitors flock here for a delicious
taste of history; now a go-to choice
on cocktail menus the world over,
the Singapore Sling was first shaken
here in 1915, and is served now as
it was then - with a generous handfulof monkey nuts. Seemingly at odds
with Singapore’s litter-free streets,

it’s customary to leave the shells on
the floor.
In recent years, Singapore has
made headlines with the creationof a green dream, Gardens by theBay. This ambitious 101-hectare
nature park defies expectations withan indoor cloud forest; the world’s
largest indoor waterfall; and magical“Supertrees” with 50m verticalgardens joined by elevated walkways.
But that’s not all for nature lovers:
there are rolling lawns and primeval
forest at the UNESCO World Heritage
Botanic Gardens, and the 35-hectare
Night Safari has 130 species,
including the Asian elephant andMalayan tiger.

to the day, make a beeline for thelush 92-hectare Perdana Botanical
Gardens. You can easily spend awhole morning visiting the orchidhouse; admiring the hibiscus garden;
and making friends with locals at thebird, deer and butterfly parks. Don’t
miss the Tugu Negara, a nationalmonument to commemorate theplight for independence, and walkto nearby Merdeka Square where
the world’s largest flagpole marks
the spot where independence was
declared in 1957.

There are plenty of places to snap
up souvenirs in the city. Back in
1929, the Central Market was
the go-to place to pick up fresh
produce, but these days you’ll find
all manner of local handicrafts
behind the pale blue art deco
entrance. For the best bargains,
put your haggling skills to the teston the busy streets of Chinatown,
or for something a little more
upmarket, take a trip aroundthe Bukit Bintang district’s shiny
shopping malls. Once your suitcase- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

can’t take any more trinkets, you’re
not far from the Jalan Alor area with rows of open-air restaurants
selling the city's best street food, it’s
the tastiest place to fill up.
Once you’ve had enough of thecity proper, take the 12km journeynorth of the city to the Batu Caves.
Here, you can climb 272
multicoloured steps to join visitors
worshipping at the country’s holiest
Hindu temple and shrine, passing
the 42-metre high statue of Lord
Murugan on the way.

© EAsia (previous spread), Shutterstock/S-F, iStock.com/Nick-FerreiraSingapore[STOPOVERS}

Wan t to beth e
fi rs t to fi
ndou t ab ou t
ou r ne w
de st in at io
ns ?
Get in touch!
insiders@insideasiatour
s.com

CHINA

Hong Kong
Hong Kong may be the proud ownerof the most skyscrapers in the world,
but you don’t have to go far to see aslower side of the metropolis. Beyond
the crowded skyline, 70% of the city
is made up of mountains, woodland
and lush parks - enough wide-open
spaces for even the most city-averse
tourists to feel at home. Energetic
types can swap dense downtown
air for dusty trails high above theskyline, but even in the city proper,
early birds can find calm amongst thecommotion with sunrise tai chi.
To get orientated, take a ride on
the city’s 130-year-old funicularrailway to the top of Victoria Peak;at 554m it’s the highest point on
Hong Kong Island with views acrossthe skyline and over the blue of bay.
Just across the water, Lantau Islandbrings together old and new with
Disneyland, an airport and the Tung
Chung shopping complex, along withstilted fishing villages, stretches of
empty beaches and the giant bronze
Tian Tan Buddha seated atop ajungle-clad mountain.
With so much to see, you’ll soon
work up an appetite for Hong Kong’s
famous foodie scene. Those with ataste for the finer things can enjoy
the city’s Michelin starred restaurants,
but for something a little more lowkey, pull up a chair at the Temple
Street Night Market in Kowloon.

Follow your nose to bowls of wonton
noodles, wok-fried seafood andfreshly steamed dim sum, or opt
for a signature Hong Kong snack:a waistband-expanding warm
pineapple bun wedged with butter.
When night falls, collect yourpennies and take the Star Ferry to
see Hong Kong’s dazzling lights
cast reflections over the water.

DO IT: You’ll never look at thosepesky indirect flights in the same way
again! Visit insidejapantours.com |insideasiatours.com to make themost of your trip to Asia.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 11

Japanin

SUMMER12

Let the sunshine in- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[ JAPAN ]Pastel pink cherry blossom captures the collective imagination in spring,burnt orange leaves paint the landscape in autumn, magical powder snow dusts
the slopes in winter… but come 2020, all eyes will be on summer in Tokyo.
Here are just a few of our favourite ways to make the most of those long, hot days.

Top tips from ourtravel consultants:

LUCY PENDLEBURY, UK

Festivals andfireworks

During her two years

In matsuri (festival) season, the wholecountry goes giddy for a jam-packed
calendar of events. Wherever you are, you
won’t be far from a festival: in the small
port city of Aomori, huge floats depicting
haunting mythical scenes illuminate thenight sky; down in Shikoku, dance troupes
take to the streets in elaborate costumes
for the three-day Awa Odori Festival; andin the mountains of Naeba in Niigata
Prefecture, Fuji Rock draws some of theworld’s biggest artists for a three-day
music festival (with a hot spring bathto rest dancing feet, it’s got one up on
Glastonbury).
Then there’s the fireworks in Julyand August - the 20,000 bursting over
the Sumida River in Tokyo are just the
beginning: huge displays can also befound in Lake Kawaguchiko (Mount Fuji
providing an impressive backdrop), behindthe picturesque torii gate on Miyajima

Odori! It’s the beating

living in Shikoku,
Lucy wasted no time
joining an Awa Odori
dance troupe:“Don’t miss Awa
heart of Tokushima insummer. Public spaces
come to life as dancegroups and musicians
excitedly gear up for
the festival”

Island, and over Lake Toya in Hokkaido.
THOMAS LEWIS, AU
Thomas misses
calling sun-soaked© iStock.com/aaa187, InsideAsia Tours staff/Mike Reddy/David Lovejoy, Christian Kober, Hirata Kanko

Okinawa home:

Blissful
beaches“Leave the mainland

The Maldives it isn’t, but as a collection ofislands, Japan has its fair share of lovely
beaches. As well as the chance to swim
and sunbathe on the Izu Peninsula or surfon the Shonan Coast, both just an houror two from Tokyo, it’s worth venturing
further afield. Make a trip down to Japan’s
southernmost islands to watch baby
loggerhead turtles make their way back to
the water on Yakushima, stand up paddle
board on Ishigaki and catch a buffalo ride
across the sand on Iriomote.

the happiest places incities for a moreleisurely pace on thebrilliant white sandbeaches of Okinawa– it’s known as one of
the world for a reason"- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 13

MICHAEL TROMBOLD, US
Keen foodie Michael
Trombold still yearns
for his favourite
Japanese dishes:“Zaru soba is theperfect meal for a hotsummer day. Afterslurping these chilled
buckwheat noodles,order soba-flavoured
soft serve ice creamfor dessert - don’t
knock it ‘til you try it!”

NATALIE COLLAR, US
With eight
marathons under
her belt, Natalie
always had one eyeon her next outdoor

Foodand drink
Steaming bowls of ramen might be the lastthing you fancy in Japan’s sticky summer
heat, luckily there are plenty of delicious
seasonal alternatives.
Cooling off with swirls of soft scoop
ice cream is nothing new, but you’d be
hard pushed to find the variety of weirdand (mostly) wonderful flavours or fancy
toppings found in Japan - yes, to a gold leaf
garnish, no to miso-flavoured chunks. For
something a little lighter, try kakigori, fluffy
shaved ice drizzled with sweet syrup.
There’s no end of stalls to pick up tasty
food on the go, such as yakitori skewers
and corn on the cob, but the most popularsummer dish is somen; these cold noodles,
served with a light dipping sauce, are just the
ticket on a hot day. Wash the whole thing
down with an icy beverage: nomihodai, allyou-can-eat-and-drink beer gardens, can befound across Japan. Up in Sapporo’s Odori
Koen Park, brewers set up stalls and outdoor
seating for a whole month.

adventure whileliving in Japan:“Summer is my
favourite time togo hiking. For arefreshing escape frommuggy Tokyo, headto higher altitudes in
the Southern Alps
(Kitadake, Shiomidake)or Yatsugatake
Highlands”

Hikinghotspots

Got your heart set on climbing Mount Fuji?
Reaching the top of Japan’s most famous
summit is only possible in July and August.
As you reach higher climes, the air becomescool and clear making a hike surprisingly
refreshing on a muggy day. If Fuji’s 3,776m
height seems a little too heady, more leisurely
pursuits await amidst the crystal lakes andthick forests of Kamikochi in the Japanese
Alps and the wild landscapes of Daisetsuzan
National Park in Hokkaido.

TOBY GALLAGHER, UK
While living in
Hokkaido Toby madethe most of theisland’s natural beauty:© iStock.com/Amarita/Ryosei Watanabe/gyro“To see the best ofsummer in Hokkaido,
hire a car and drive
to Furano’s quiet rurallandscapes, where
you’ll find fields filledwith flowers”

14- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[ JAPAN ]Beautifullandscapes
Hemmed in by skyscrapers, Tokyo’ssummer heat is heavy (you have to feelfor the salarymen still hurrying to work
fully suited and booted). Away from thecapital’s soupy humidity though, there are
no shortage of places to escape the heat,and even make the most of the weather.
Japan’s climate varies hugely, but generally,
the further north you travel, the cooler itwill be. Discover lesser visited corners suchas Tohoku’s mountaintop temple towns
and the peaceful national parks on thenorthernmost island of Hokkaido.
DO IT: For more information about
weather and events throughout the year,
go to insideasiatours.com/when-to-travelor call one of our Japan travel experts

on 0117 244 3464.

MAP- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 15

MEKONGMOMENTS:TALES FROM THE

RIVER

WORDS AND PICTURES BY GRANT EKELUND

Rather than taking to the skies to fly
between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh,
Grant Ekelund travels slowly, following the
Mekong River through floating markets and coconut
candy workshops (lemongrass mojito in hand).

Balancing act
Rush hour on the river16- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[ SOUTHEAST ASIA ]"...the only two items on my to-do
list are relaxing and watching thetall buildings of Saigon slowly fadein the distance"Lounging on the sundeck, theday’s special cocktail at one
elbow and my camera andbook at the other, the only twoitems on my to-do list are relaxing andwatching the tall buildings of Saigon
slowly fade in the distance.
I’m on board the Mekong Princess one of several river cruisers that ply thewaters of the mighty Mekong River - fora journey between the big city of Saigon(also known as Ho Chi Minh City) in
Vietnam, and Phnom Penh, the capitalof Cambodia.

Front row views
As this expansive river ebbs and flows,
life unfolds before me: heavily-ladencargo ships ride so low the gunnels
disappear below the waves, ferries fillwith temporarily quiescent motorbikes
and fishermen dodge between the
traffic. My perch has the best views in
the house and I sit contentedly on thedeck for hours.

Life is sweet
Blissful as this is, I discover there’s more
to cruising than relaxing and making
the most of the (incredible) breakfast
buffet. Twice a day, my fellow passengers
and I step on to solid ground to explore
beyond the banks.
On our first stop, mountains ofcoconut shells hint at an introduction
to what must be the tastiest of all local
industries: coconut candy. During amasterclass, the whole candy making
process is revealed, from plucking fruit, topounding melted coconut crème using
the wood-fired mixer, to finally serving a
hard-won plate of sticky sweets.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 17

Village visits
Mat weaving on
the Mekong

18- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

Market days
After whiling away a few hours backon the boat, the city of Can Tho crawls
into view. Sailing at the tail end of thegreen season, the Mekong is high,and as the ship pulls up to the dock,a huge spray floods the pier. Children
squeal in delight at the chance to playankle-deep in the spreading water, theirparents less amused at the dampnessof the situation.
In Southeast Asia, markets aresome of the best places to see local
life in action and pick up ‘authentic’souvenirs. Can Tho is home to one of
the few remaining floating markets in
Vietnam, and though the streets arestill wet from the short yet torrential
rain shower, the night market remains
a hive of activity. It is time to practiceour bargaining skills, but dazzled by thearray of ‘best original copy’ watches
and t-shirts adorned with slogans inquestionable English, we decide to givesouvenir shopping a miss after all…
Night traders pack away their wares
while we sleep, and by sunrise thefloating markets are ready for the day
ahead. Tall poles above each boat
show what’s being sold - a useful
signpost for your morning shopping- and villagers from the whole deltaregion balance precariously to hawk
everything from fresh vegetables tolocal crafts. This display, along withbuyers’ smaller sampans dodging
in and out of the assemblage, is aphotographer’s dream. After more
snapping than buying, we sail up
river towards the wet market which,contrary to its name, is back on dry
land. Squeezing between stalls, weare surrounded by the smell of
breakfast pho as we pass bouquetsof flowers, piles of pomelo andgrapefruit, and row upon row ofbaskets with silver fish and huge
hunks of meat. Some of the goods
are so fresh, they’re still quacking!

Over the border
Edging towards the border, a small
village in a remote jungle holds thesecret to one of Cambodia’s mostimportant products: the krama or
Khmer scarf. Being shown arounda workshop of looms by a family
who have weaved for generations ismagical, but it isn’t just the moments
learning about traditional tradesthat are special about these village
visits. It isn’t even trying coconut
candy, although delicious. It’s thehuman moments: watching a music© InsideAsia Tours staff/Grant Ekelund

As we sip tea, and work our way
through fuchsia dragon fruit and spiky
rambutan (in between ‘just one more’coconut sweet), the villagers surprise
us with a performance of folk songs.
After a hearty applause and ourfill of candy, a donkey cart carries us
down narrow back roads, passing
schools, markets and people who stopand smile as they watch the unusual
visitors pass. Swapping donkeys fora gaggle of small human-poweredsampan boats, we roam through theclose green waterways of the delta
swamps; overhanging palms form
a narrow tunnel, and everything issilent but for the gentle swish of oars
propelling us forwards.

[ SOUTHEAST ASIA ]"...overhanging palms form a narrow
tunnel, and everything is silent but for the
gentle swish of oars propelling us forwards”
performance; waving to people as
we bump past on donkey carts; andwalking through flooded flower fields,chased by laughing schoolchildren
gathering to wave us goodbye at thedock. During each stop, I’m struck by
how welcoming people are.

Taking it slowly
Flying between Ho Chi Minh Cityand Phnom Penh takes a mere 55
minutes: a flight so short you don’teven have time for an episode of The
Great British Bake Off, but we cover
the same ground over five days. Losing
hours taking tea with local people,
learning about arts and crafts, sipping
fresh coconuts at the market andmarvelling at ancient temples may
not have been the most efficient way
to travel, but despite my best efforts
with the lemongrass mojitos, it’s anexperience I’ll never forget.

As we reluctantly reach the end of
our trip, the crew assembles for a
farewell Cambodian dance, inviting
everyone on deck to “do the twist!”
and we are rewarded with one
final sunset. As the ball of orange
disappears behind the horizon, thebrilliance of Phnom Penh rises ahead.
The start of another adventure.
Grant is a Senior Travel Consultant in
our Boulder office.

Mekong Essentials
GETTING THERE: Grant’s cruise startedin Ho Chi Minh City andfinished in Phnom Penh.
Flight times:
London to Ho Chi Minh City:12h 30min+,Phnom Penh to London: 16h+
WHEN TO GO: October to December

Take to Southeast Asia’s mightiest
river on our 12-day Mekong Explorer
Fully Tailored Journey, from £3,395
per person, or add a shorter
Mekong cruise to any of our tailored
trips. Visit insideasiatours.com orcall our Southeast Asia experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more.

is the optimum time to take a MekongRiver cruise. For more information
about weather andevents in Southeast
Asia visit
insideasiatours.com/
when-to-travel

Phnom
Penh
Ho Chi
Minh City- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 19

All in it

TOGETHER
Tables for one and solo karaoke booths may be popular in Japan,
but having spent years living, working and travelling solo, our tour leaders
think these experiences are better when shared.

Mark Fujishige
PLANT RICE, TOGARINOZAWA ONSEN
How often do you have the opportunity to roll up
your trousers, wrap a towel around your head,and get down and (a little) dirty in a tambo(rice field)? Having played an important role
throughout the country’s history, rice is culturally
significant in Japan, so travel beyond those smart
city restaurants to see where it all began in a rural

20

alpine village. At the end of a busy afternoon, you’llreap the rewards with a plate of well-earned sushi.
Small Group Tour: Hands on Japan (Maydepartures) from £3,950 (excl. intl. flights). Visit
insidejapantours.com or call our experts on
0117 244 3463 to find out more.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[ JAPAN ]Richard Farmer
EAT OKONOMIYAKI, HIROSHIMA
There’s nowhere better to try Hiroshima’s famous
okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) than Okonomimura. Each of the 24 restaurants has a maximumof 15 seats, so I book my favourite at least one
month ahead of the tour - before I even receive
my passenger list! The staff are always friendly,
particularly the hilarious head chef who loves
to play the 'guess which country everyone isfrom' game while he cooks on the hot plate infront of us (his cooking is much better than his
guessing). You can bet the TV will be showing
the latest Hiroshima Carps baseball game in caseconversation runs dry, but it never does.
Small Group Tour: Hidden Japan, from £3,675(excl. intl. flights). Visit insidejapantours.com orcall our Japan experts on 0117 244 3463 tofind out more.

Robert Kodama
TAKE PART IN TAIKO, TOKYO
throwing enthusiastic shapes, learning about ahugely important cultural tradition has never been
so much fun.
Small Group Tour: All-In Japan, from £4,975 (excl.
intl. flights). Visit insidejapantours.com or call ourJapan experts on 0117 244 3463 to find out more.

© InsideAsia Tours staff

As a former taiko drummer, I’ll always have asoft spot for these lively workshops. Forget thatmorning coffee, you’d be hard pushed to findanything more energising than the sound ofthunderous taiko drums first thing in the morning.
With expert teachers encouraging groups to unite
in thrashing around, making lots of noise and- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 21

steve parker
GO ON A BIKE RIDE, KIBI PLAIN, OKAYAMA
Japan is famous for mountainous landscapes,
but with flat, well-paved paths, a group bike ride
through the charming Kibi Plains is a leisurely affair.
The conditions are so good, you can even takethe 17km route on the mama chari ("mama's
bike"), a shopping bike with a bell and basket.
Get an insight into traditional rural life by passing
meandering streams; waving at local people
threshing rice; and stumbling across Buddhist
temples, Shinto shrines and burial mounds thatdate back to the 4th-century Kibi Kingdom.
Small Group Tour: Japan Unmasked,
from £2,595 (excl. intl. flights). Visit
insidejapantours.com or call our Japan experts
on 0117 244 3463 to find out more.

mark rawlins

With the scent of tatami, bittersweet taste of tea
and colours of richly decorated kimono, watching amaiko perform is a real treat for the senses. Theseelegant performers are highly trained in ancientarts like playing the shamisen (three-stringed
instrument), but few realise what good fun anafternoon in their company is; they’re dab hands

22- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

at drinking games and have a great sense of
humour, so there are always many laughs to be had!
Small Group Tour: Spring Elegance, from
£3,875 (excl. intl. flights). Visit insidejapantours.
com or call our Japan experts on 0117 244 3463
to find out more.

© Holly Catmull ,InsideAsia Tours staff,

MEET A MAIKO (TRAINEE GEISHA), KYOTO

[ JAPAN ]brian beatty
GO HIKING, KAMIKOCHI
Few things bring people together like anenergetic hike in the staggeringly beautiful areaof Kamikochi in the Chubu Sangaku National
Park. Summer in Japan’s cities can be stifling, but
at 1500m above sea level, the air in Kamikochi
is cool and fresh, while in autumn the landscapeis a patchwork of gold and red. As well as making
friends on the tour, you’ll encounter lots of local
residents on the trails: look up to spot rare birds
and monkeys swinging from tree to tree!
Small Group Tour: Classic Japan, from £3,595(excl. intl. flights). Visit insidejapantours.com orcall our Japan experts on 0117 244 3463 tofind out more.

DO IT: Find all of our Small Group Tours andtour leader profiles at insidejapantours.com- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 23
23

MAKE
YOUR
HOLIDAY

matterWhat does a fun night at the circus have to do with
the Khmer Rouge regime? Or a craft workshop withrural community development? Some of our favourite
experiences in Southeast Asia also play a part intackling some of the region’s biggest challenges.

24- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

[ EXPERIENCES ]From silkworm to scarf
Visiting silk farms in Siem Reap

PHARE CIRCUS,
CAMBODIA© Ian Stone, Golden Silk Pheach, Conor Wall Photography

For a spirited medley of live music and high energy
gymnastics (with a good dose of flame juggling
thrown in for good measure), don’t miss Phare
Circus. Inspired by drawing classes at a camp on
the Thai-Cambodia border, a group of returning
Cambodian refugees launched a non-profit arts
organisation to improve the lives of other young
people bearing scars from the civil war and brutal
Khmer Rouge regime. An educational programmefollowed, before the launch of a dedicated circus
school where students weave difficult stories into
the high octane performances. As well as beinga family friendly fun night out, all profits support
projects and outreach programmes for around2,000 young people.

DO IT: Phare Circus performances take placenightly in Siem Reap, and three times a week in
Battambang. Watch one of their inspirational showson our Indochina Encompassed Small Group Tour.
Visit insideasiatours.com or call our Cambodia
experts on 0117 244 3464 to find out more.

ARTISANS ANGKOR,CAMBODIA
You only have to look at Angkor Wat’s
intricate bas-reliefs, or to the markets packed
with silk paintings, silver jewellery andlacquered bowls to discover Cambodia’s richcultural traditions, but there was a time whenthese ancient skills were in danger of dying
out. In the 1990s, social enterprise Artisans
Angkor launched a training programme
to revive Khmer arts while providing
employment in rural areas and improving
the lives of local people; there are now 800
artisans and 48 workshops crafting traditional

goods in an ethical working environment. As
well as free guided tours of the workshops or
the Silk Farm, you can make your own Khmer
masterpiece (and unique souvenir) with thehelp of a local master.

DO IT: Join a masterclass with Artisans
Angkor on our Hands On Cambodia& Vietnam Small Group Tour. Visit
insideasiatours.com or call our Cambodia
experts on 0117 244 3464 tofind out more.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 25

TREE ALLIANCE,SOUTHEAST ASIA
With innovative dishes featuring a range ofWestern and local ingredients – tarantula withblack pepper lime sauce is more delicious
than it sounds – the TREE Alliance restaurants
in Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar have racked
up streams of glowing 5-star reviews. Their
restaurants aren’t just a delicious pit-stopin between sightseeing though; behind thescenes, the organisation is making a massive
difference to the lives of local young people,
one meal at a time. As well as training staff withBHO HOONG VILLAGE
STAY, VIETNAMFirst-time visitors to Vietnam flock to the pretty
port town of Hoi An for unique architecture, quaintcoffee shops and that magical lantern festival.
But for a window into a different world, travel two
and a half hours on the (slightly bumpy) roadless travelled into the mountains of the Annamite
Range. Here, you’ll spend a day or two in Bho
Hoong village, home of the Co Tu people (oneof Vietnam’s smallest ethnic minorities). Rather
than passing through for a few photos before
hurrying along to your next stop, you’ll really26

the skills to succeed in hospitality, they provide
social support for groups that would otherwise
face barriers to securing work. If you findyourself struggling to choose from the extensive
menus, why not give everything a go? It’s for agood cause after all!

DO IT: Enjoy lunch at the Romdeng TREE
Alliance restaurant in Phnom Penh on our
Kingdom of Adventure Fully Tailored Journey. Visit
insideasiatours.com or call our Cambodia experts
on 0117 244 3464 to find out more.

experience rural Vietnamese life, learning about
centuries-old customs and traditions, and trying
your hand at everything from local handicrafts
to crossbow techniques. By working closely withthe community, most notably Yi Kong, former
king of the Co Tu people, there’s no sign of theovertourism that has blighted minority villages inother Southeast Asian countries.

DO IT: Stay at Bho Hoong village on our Vietnam
Discovery Fully Tailored Journey. Visit insideasiatours.
com or call our Vietnam experts on 0117 244 3464
to find out more.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

© Mandalao Elephant Camp, TREE Alliance, InsideAsia Tours staff[ EXPERIENCES ]MANDALAO ELEPHANT
SANCTUARY, LAOS
Often sold to zoos and circuses, worked tothe bone in the logging industry or vulnerable
to poachers, elephants are at risk throughout
Southeast Asia. Sadly, even at ‘sanctuaries’ they
are often expected to give rides or perform tricks.
At the Mandalao Elephant Sanctuary in Laosthough, things are different. After witnessing
the dire situation for elephants, two American
conservationists rescued seven gentle giants
who are now expected to do nothing more than
explore, play and forage in a 30-hectare forest.
Mandalao is just 40 minutes from the UNESCOWorld Heritage Town of Luang Prabang, yet feels
wonderfully remote. Spend a day giving theelephants their morning bath (potentially a splashy
affair), join them for a walk through the forest, andmake friends forever with the gift of a banana or two.

DO IT: Walk with the elephants on our Treetops,

Mountains and Elephants Fully Tailored Journey.
Visit insideasiatours.com or call our Laos experts
on 0117 244 3464 to find out more.

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 27

[ INTERVIEW ]meets...

JAY RAYNER

Using hand gestures to order at an izakaya, getting to grips with sumo wrestling, eating far too many Mont Blancs…
the journalist, author and esteemed food critic shares his recent experiences of Japanese food and culture.

Yes, there’s a whole chapter in my new bookabout a dessert called the Mont Blanc, which
funnily enough the Japanese are quite obsessed
with. I think it’s the chestnuts they’re particularly
taken by. After finding out that the Mandarin
Oriental sits pretty much on top of the flagshipstore, I wondered in and found myself standing intheir food hall.
It is the most remarkable shiny, glossy, jewellike emporia, and there were more Mont Blancs
on sale there than you could shake a stick at, so
I kept buying them from these ridiculously overengineered cool boxes. Every moment was alittle bit like that scene in Love, Actually when
Rowan Atkinson ties up the piece of jewellery
Alan Rickman is buying for his mistress – you
can’t believe how long it’s taking and then it feels
sacrilege to get the thing open.

They take so much pride in food inJapan! Mont Blancs aside, how did
you choose where to eat?
This sounds like I’m very in touch with what I do
for a living, but I think the best thing we did wasuse the concierge service to arrange our restaurant
bookings before we left. You get very fast access towhat it’s like to be among the locals if you get yourrestaurant choices right.
On our last night, we stayed at the Park Hyattand I tootled along to the concierge to say “it’s ourlast night and we want something laidback. We
don’t want anything fancy”. They had a sheet withall the local restaurants marked in an area very
close by and sent us to exactly the perfect place: a28

mad 24-hour izakaya [Japanese pub] where all theordering was by iPad. It was absolutely great. So,
my one tip would be to think carefully about yourrestaurant bookings before you go.

With the chef’s suggestions of the
day and the chance to mix with local
salarymen, izakaya are so much fun.
Did the kids enjoy it as well?
They enjoyed it very much indeed, they really did.
Our favourite meal of the whole trip was at an
izakaya where no-one spoke any English, but wefound a way and it was very friendly and an awful
lot of fun. We had no idea what was coming, but
all of it was a delight.
Although I think it’s fair to say that the pizza
break was a bit of a relief as well. They were
extremely good pizzas! That’s the other thing. That
attention to detail and method means that when
they do pizza in Japan, they are going to do it
better than in Rome.

Did you find big differences between
Japanese food in the UK and in Japan?
There is one key difference - Japanese restaurants
tend to be very specific about what they do. So,
you have one restaurant for tempura, and one
restaurant for eel, and so forth. Whereas the genericJapanese restaurants in the UK may have a varietyof all these things.
But in the big cities, I think the quality ofJapanese food in Britain has risen to an enormous
degree, so I would be lying if I said it was unfamiliar.

How was it getting around in Japan?
It’s all extremely efficient – we had no problems
whatsoever. The only thing I would say is “do not- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

underestimate it when people tell you it’s hot in
the summer!” Everyone had mentioned it and I
shrugged at it, but I don’t think I’d really anticipated
how hot ‘hot’ is in August.
Our machiya in Kyoto was a refuge in a way.
In the same way when it’s freezing cold in winteroutside and you come into a warm house and you
feel like you’re looked after? It was that in reverse.

How did you find living in a refurbishedtraditional house?
It was lovely. Very comfortable and perfect for
us, I would recommend it. On the one hand,a plush hotel is a lovely thing and I do adore ahotel experience. However, they can be quite“international”, and they’ll present everything in a
way that’s very familiar. Whereas a machiya does
have an element that’s set in the past. It makes
you feel like you are genuinely living a different
kind of life.

…and you experienced the sumo, it
doesn’t get more Japanese than that...
Any person who has travelled a lot knows thequiet smugness of going somewhere almost
no other tourists are. We were very clearly on
our own there and it was absolutely fascinating.
Funnily enough, in some ways it sums up acertain thing about Japanese culture - an awful
lot of ritual leading to nine seconds of action.

DO IT: Eat your way around Japan on our 13-night
Gastronomic Adventure self-guided trip, from
£2,690. Visit insidejapantours.com or call ourJapan experts on 0117 244 3463 to find out more.

© Jay Rayner

So, this was a family trip, but you
were also researching your new book,weren’t you?

[ INSIDER GUIDE ]Insider’s guide to...

TOP 5

JAPANESEPHRASES

Hello
Konnichiwa(Kon-nee-chee-wah)Hotel receptionist, taxi driver, random
person on the street… give this one
a go as soon as you touch down.

Don’t let complicated kanji characters put
you off learning Japanese; even the simplest
phrases are appreciated in Japan.

Excuse me
Sumimasen(Soo-mee-mah-sen)Thank you
Arigatou gozaimasu(Ah-ree-gah-toe goh-zye-mass)

Whether receiving the world’s best
ramen or showing appreciation for
directions you didn’t understand,
don’t forget your manners.

I don’t understand
Wakarimasen(Wa-ka-ree-mass-en)Happens to the best of us.
If in doubt, honesty is always
the best policy.

Useful for everything from bumping into
someone on the bullet train to asking forhelp finding an acclaimed izakaya.

DO IT: Did you know that our travel consultants speak Japanese?
For a little more help navigating the language barrier and planning your trip,
give them a call on 0117 244 3463.

Goodbye
Sayonara(Sye-onn-ara)

When it’s time for yourreluctant return home…

- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 29

[ Your adventures ]ART IN

SOUTHEAST
ASIA
Travelling solo
Travelling across the globe by
yourself can be scary, but it reallyforced me out of my comfort
zone. When else would you ask astranger if they would like to sharea meal? Coming from the UnitedStates, I was a little uneasy about
my country’s history, but everyone
was so welcoming and loved totell me their stories. I met so many
wonderful people, but an afternoon
with Mr. Vo Trung Khuyen, ownerof the Hoi An Art Gallery, reallystands out. A simple question abouta piece of art led to a wonderfulconversation over tea. As we talked,
I sketched the kettle and cups andanother solo traveller joined us;
she’d heard about a scenic routeacross the bridge out of the town
but didn’t have a bike. Mr. Vo Trung
Khuyen let us borrow his so we
could take the journey together, andI gave him my drawings as a small
gift for his kindness.
30

Traditional folk art and culture
As well as teaching my students
to be good citizens, I shareartwork from around the world
to encourage them to appreciate
other cultures. In the tiny village ofNong Bueng outside Champasak in
Laos, I met a man proudly adding
the last details to a carving that had
taken a week to complete; a trade
he had learned from his father.
Travelling with guides gave me“Travelling acrossthe globe by
yourself can bescary, but it reallyforced me out of
my comfort zone"
access to rural places where I could
take knowledge about these skills,
passed down from one family artist
to another, back to my students.
Village stays
Staying in Bho Hoong Village
in Vietnam was my favourite
experience of all. There are 54- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts

minority groups in Vietnam, and94-year-old Yi Kong is the leader
and representative of the Co Tu
Tribe. After lunch at his home, hegave me a tour of his workshop,
showing me everything from abeautiful shrine to honour hisancestors to a python snake (which
I found myself holding!), before
an impromptu performance on
a traditional musical instrument.
Waking up to the sound of roosters,
rising to eat pineapple and sugar
cane, and giving traditional weaving
processes a go was an amazing
experience.
Having experienced village life in
Bho Hoong; learnt about the turmoil
of war in The Bao Tang My Thuat
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum; exploredthe 5th-century Wat Phou temple in
Laos; and made friends from all over
the world, I haven’t returned short oftales to tell my students!

DO IT: As well as art trips like Tina’s,
we’ve tailored all kinds of specialist
journeys, including cycling in the
Mekong Delta and ancestry tracing
in Myanmar. Get in touch with ourSoutheast Asia travel experts on
0117 244 3466 to find out more.

© Tina BanksA

fter receiving a grant tolearn about the folk art
and culture of Vietnam,
Cambodia and Laos, artist andteacher Tina Banks spent four anda half weeks exploring the region.

[ COMpetition ]COMPETITION

Thank you to everyone who entered the last east competition.
We loved all your photos, but Ian and Teresa’s image of Muang
Neua from their 5-week trip in Southeast Asia left us dreamingof Laos. The £250 voucher from Sherpa clothing should keepthem kitted out for the next adventure!

Asia Expert crossword
ACROSS

1

Runner-up: east makes it to the mountains
David flicking through east at the Picasso
Museum in Hakone was a close runner-up,
snapping up a backpack and toiletry bag
courtesy of our friends at Sherpa.

Answers to even the most curious clues can befound between the pages of this issue of east…

2

3

1 Highest point on Hong Kong island (12)4 Laos is known as ‘The land of a million…’ (9)456 Popular Vietnamese breakfast dish made with noodles (3)10 Busiest crossing in Tokyo (7)612 Largest religious monument in the world (9)13 Nightly circus held Siem Reap (5)714 Chestnut dessert, popular in Japan (9)

8

9

10

DOWN
2 Finnish series with its own theme park in Japan (10)
3 Twin towers in Malaysia (8)5 Japan’s northernmost island (8)

11
13

12

6 Capital of Cambodia (9)7 Apprentice geisha (5)8 Japanese word for ‘Excuse me’ (9)9 Colonial hotel where the Singapore Sling was created (7)1411 Japanese comics and graphic novels (5)- Travel inspiration from the Southeast Asia and Japan experts 31

Travelled with us? We love seeing your holiday snaps! Tag your photos on
Instagram with #InsideAsia or #InsideJapan and we’ll share our favourites.

@hayley_travelmanagers
Tokyo, JAPAN@graeme.green
Nam Et-Phou Louey, LAOS

@mikereddy
Osaka, JAPAN@myairportramblings
Bagan, MYANMAR@tripsandcolors
Navane Village, LAOS

@tyler_palma
Luang Prabang, LAOS

@susie_chan_
Nakasendo Way, JAPAN@cocktailsandcorgis
Matsumoto, JAPAN

Order a brochure, call the travel experts or visit
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