IAT 007 // Spring 2018

Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours
www.insideasiatours.com

Alternative

CHERRYBLOSSOMSEE JAPAN IN BLOOM

EXCLUSIVE
WITH
INTERVIEW
DDI ELDAVID BA24
ON PAGE

Family Cambodia

Ancient Bagan

Japan Photography

Contents
R E G U L AR S

4

The inside scoop

An insider’s view of what’s new and excitingin Japan, Burma and Indochina.

19

Top 4 reasons: To go on asmall group tour

Never considered group travel? After leading manysmall group tours, Mark Fujishige thinks you
should give it a go.

24

East meets…
David Baddiel

25

Insider guide: New Yearin Burma

26

Tickled pink: Cherry
blossom alternatives

30

Your adventures andEast competition

4

8

20

24

From hedgehog cafés to wild swimming…
David Baddiel shares some highlights from his
family trip to Japan.

Pack your mac, this is New Year like you’ve
never known it.

Ruth Hubbard finds some quieter places to see thebest of the blooms.

Honeymooner Megan Lucie Adams looks backon her dreamy holiday in Vietnam; and thechance to WIN a Vietnamese cooking set.

F E AT U R E S

8Family Cambodia

Chris Greener insists there’s more thantemples to entertain the little ones.

14

Through the lens

Big cities, traditional towns and an island
escape; photographers capture Japan’s unique culture.

Temple tales from Bagan

26

David Lovejoy finds the best ways to
explore this ancient site.

GET IN TOUCH:
www.insideasiatours.com
Japan: 0117 244 3463
info@insidejapantours.com
Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos: 0117 244 3464
info@insidevietnamtours.com
Burma: 0117 244 3465
info@insideburmatours.com
Subscriptions & general enquiries:
0117 244 3466, east@insideasiatours.com
InsideAsia Tours Ltd., Hanover House, Queen
Charlotte Street, Bristol, BS1 4EX
www.insideasiatours.com/eastmagazine

2- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

THE TEAM:
Editor: Georgia Rae Dunkley
Designer & picture editor: Kate Sanderson
Marketing manager: James Mundy
Contributing editors: Ruth Hubbard,
Tom Weston, Claire Allison, Dilek Eccles,
Chris Greener

5067

COPYRIGHT
Designed and produced by InsideAsia Tours Ltd.
All content supplied by InsideAsia Tours staff, except
where indicated.
PRINT
Printed by Pepper Communications Ltd.

© hallucion_7/stock.adobe.com (cover), Jim Weatherill

20

J U S T B AC K
Claire Allison
As well as stays
in Tokyo, Kyoto,
Osaka andNagoya, Claire
got firmly off the beaten track on thebeautiful island of Shikoku.
Memorable moment: Sinking into
a secluded onsen (hot spring bath)surrounded by unspoilt views of the
Iya Valley.

14
Welcome to East

IAT 007 // Spring 2018

What are your travel plans for 2018? Whether you want to join a group

Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours
www.insideasiatours.com

Alternative

CHERRY

tour, travel solo, with family, or as a couple you’ll find this edition of East

SEE JAPAN IN BLOOM

packed full of inspiration.

BLOSSOM

Organising special trips is a real privilege and it’s great to read about

EXCLUSIVE
WITH
INTERVIEWDIELDAVID BAD
24
ON PAGE

how Megan and her husband fell in love with Vietnam during theirhoneymoon; we agree that you can’t beat Hoi An for a romantic
Family Cambodia

Ancient Bagan

Japan Photography

atmosphere and great food, as well as a bit of pampering.

It was a pleasure to arrange David Baddiel’s family holiday this summer. If you are thinking of
taking your tribe to Japan then have a read of his tips and trip highlights including river swims,
hot spring baths and Tokyo’s Robot Restaurant.
Two of our tour leaders have made contributions to this edition with Mark Fujishige extollingthe virtues of the group experience, and David Lovejoy reporting back from Burma. The tour
leaders really do go to extraordinary efforts for their groups - check out the Ferris wheel story.
We like to do things a bit differently at IAT; whether it is finding alternative cherry blossom
spots on the Izu Peninsula in Japan, a different way to see the temples of Bagan in Burma or
taking the kids to the Phare Circus in Cambodia. It’s all about creating space and time for you toenjoy your holiday and get beneath the surface of the country.
The best bit of advice we’ve heard this month? That would be from our happy
honeymooners: ‘just go!’ Happy travels and a Happy New Year.

Alastair Donnelly

Simon King

Lawrence Pryer
Lawrence travelledfrom Sapa in
Vietnam and down
the coast to Ho Chi
Minh City before hopping across theborder to Cambodia.
Memorable moment: While walking
through the beautiful Ta Giang Phinh
Valley in Sapa, I saw rural life andlocals harvesting rice.
Elisa Ferroni
Elisa visited thecities of Yangon
and Mandalay, theancient temples ofBagan, and little-visited Monywa, as
well as getting out into nature at Inle
Lake, and mountainous Kalaw.
Memorable moment: Feedinga retired elephant in Kalaw, andbiking around Bagan was special,
but a cheeky monkey jumping
on my head in Po Win Taung wasparticularly memorable!
Madeleine Bromige
Madeleine’s trip
started up in themountainous areaof Yamagata on
Honshu Island, before flying down toJapan’s smallest island, Shikoku.
Memorable moment: So hard to
pick! I loved hiking Mount Haguro
with the yamabushi mountainpriests, and making tempura at ahomestay in Shikoku’s Iya Valley.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

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
Go it alone on Japan Solo
D id y o u k now?

2019 tour dates for Japan,
Indochina an
d Burma havejust been relea
sed!
bit.ly/InsideA
siaToursJAPANgarden, soak up the atmosphereamidst the skyscrapers in Tokyo, andeat your dinner in peace (solo dining
is a big thing in Japan), you will also
have plenty of group experiences
to dip into. Try swishing a katana(samurai sword) in Kyoto, getcreative with woodblock printmaking

JAPAN

Yayoi Kusama Museum comes to Tokyo
The vibrant swirls of colour, psychedelic
musings and mind-bending polka dotsof eminent Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama
can now be seen at a permanent
location in Tokyo. The new five-storey
museum in Shinjuku has exhibition
spaces with silkscreens, huge colourful
canvases, and documents that give an
insight into the 88-year-old’s illustrious

4- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

career. Perhaps most exciting of all isa floor dedicated to her immersive,
mirrored ‘infinity rooms’.

in the capital, and document yourexperiences with a photography
lesson in buzzy Osaka.
DO IT: Japan Solo, from £2,040 for
11 nights (exc. intl. flights). Call one of
our experts on 0117 244 3464 or visit
bit.ly/East-Japan-Solo to find out more.

New discovery at Angkor Wat
A 12th century statue has beenunearthed by archaeologists
in Angkor Wat. The impressive
two-metre figure is believed tohave been a guardian at theentrance of a hospital.

DO IT: The Yayoi Kusama Museum, 107
Bentencho Shinjuku-ku Tokyo 162-0851.
Tickets must be purchased at least twomonths in advance:
www.yayoikusamamuseum.jp© InsideAsia Tours staff, Luang Say Lodge & Cruises, Nacasa & Partners, Sophie Hughes

Set the pace and move to the beatof your own drum on our brand new
Self-Guided Adventure, Japan Solo.
We’ve combined the liberation of
travelling independently, with theopportunity to meet new people– you certainly won’t be lonely.
While you can contemplate in a Zen

INSIDESCOOPLAOS

Lap of luxury in Laos
Explore some of Laos’ most remoteregions, meet local communities and seesome very beautiful architecture on thisbrand new luxury Fully Tailored Journey.
Take a sunset cruise on the Mekong
Delta, weave through dramatic
mountainous scenery in Vang Vieng,and hike in the rolling hills of Muang La.
Bring the days’ adventures to a closewith some very special places to lay

your head: an elegant 1930s colonial
mansion, a mountainous hideout with athermal spa, and a governor’s residencecomplete with botanical gardens.

DO IT: See a stylish side of Laos on our
Luxurious Laos Fully Tailored Journey,from £3,440 for 11 nights (exc. intl.
flights). Call one of our Laos experts on
0117 244 3464 to find out more.

VIETNAM

JAPAN

Insider Experience:
Trace Vietnam’s history through art

Capsule hotels for her
Capsule hotels, with their bijou sleeping
pods, have long been convenient andnovel places to stay in Japan. For afemale-only option, head to the newly
opened Nine Hours Woman Kanda inTokyo. If an overnight stay isn’t for you,there is also the option of popping in for aquick shower or an hour’s nap during
a hectic day of big city sightseeing.
DO IT: Nine Hours Woman
Kanda, 2-9-4 Kajicho,
Chiyoda 101-0044,
Tokyo Prefecture

From colonial-era paintings to
propaganda posters, art gives afascinating insight into Vietnam’s history.
On our brand new Insider Experience,
you’ll meet up with a Hanoi resident
and travel through time on a guided tour

around contemporary galleries, classic
museums and art cafés.
DO IT: Call one of our Vietnam
experts on 0117 244 3464 to findout more.

VIETNAM

New take on house plants in
Ho Chi Minh City

BURMA

Yangon’s first cat café

Creative architects have come up with a novel way of bringing
nature to inner-city houses in Ho Chi Minh City. The Stacked
Planter House is designed to encourage trees to grow throughthe ceilings, spreading foliage to every floor.

After flourishing in Japan, cat caféswith plush cushions and adventure
play-pens have been popping up to
the cheer of cat-lovers internationally.
You can now sip a frothy coffee while
making a feline friend in Yangon at the
new Catpuchino Café. Visitors need tobook a slot in advance so thekitties don’t get cuddled-out.
DO IT: Book in advance –Catpuchino Café, No.81 Pan
Hlaing Road, San ChaungTownship, Yangon.

Japan
Wes Anderson goes barking
for Japan

Japan
Disappearing act for Tokyo train
An ‘invisible’ train is set to hit Tokyo’s rails in 2018. In a bid to helptransport co-exist with the scenery, top architect Kazuyo Sejima has
designed a train with reflective materials to camouflage it as it travels
from the mountainous area of Chichibu to the capital.

BURMA
Lost Tea Company

Wes Anderson, known for his
fantastical film design, is setting his
next release, Isle of Dogs in Japan.
This star-studded animation is actually
about a dystopian future, so unlikely
to provide holiday inspiration…

Forget hygge, use ikigai for a happy life
The Japanese concept of ikigai could

DO IT: The Little Book of Ikigai isovertake Scandinavian hygge as the next

published by Quercus and available

buzzword in all things self-fulfilment. Ikigai

at all good

is loosely translated as ‘a reason for being’,

bookshops.

or ‘a reason to get up in the morning’, and

DO IT: Isle of Dogs will be hitting UK
cinema screens in April 2018.

6finding one’s own ikigai is the recipe for along and happy life. Count us in.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

Lahpet, Burma's popular tea
leaf salad, has now madeits way to the UK. The Lost
Tea Company has imported
samples all the way fromthe hills of Shan State, so
you can now get a taste of
Burma at home.
DO IT: Buy your tea
leaf salad kit atwww.lostteacompany.com© InsideAsia Tours staff, Alila Koh Russei, VTN Architects Hanoi, Cardamom Tented Camp, Seibu, Lost Tea Company, Fox Searchlight,JapanD id y o u k now?

We release
two exclusiveblogs about
Japan every
week.
Subscribe to
make sureyou
never missa post again!
bit.ly/Insid
eJapanBlog

Japan

INSIDESCOOPCAMBODIA

Meditate withmountain priests

Head to the hallowed Three Mountainsof Dewa for mindful hiking with the
yamabushi mountain priests. Wrap up
in a white cotton outfit (complete withhandy bell), wield your hiking stick, andtake the gentle walk up Mount Haguro
past enormous cedars, numerous
shrines and flowing waterfalls. Simple
temple lodgings and vegetarianfare await at the top. Wake up toCamping with a conscience

beautiful views and a guided morning
meditation session.

The Botum Sakor National Park in
Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains has
a new series of safari-style tents. With
chunky wooden beds, smart interiors
and private bathrooms, this isn’t youraverage roll-out mat and bivvy bag
affair. Best of all, the camp promotes
sustainable tourism and protects thearea from habitat destruction.
DO IT: Call one of our Cambodia
experts on 0117 244 3464 tofind out more.

DO IT: Call our Japan experts on
0117 244 3463 to find out more.

CAMBODIA

Private island idyll
It turns out that private islands aren’t
only for the rich and famous. The sleek
Alila Villas resort has just opened on thesmall island of Koh Russey in the Koh
Rong archipelago (just off the coast of
Cambodia). With lush green forests andstretches of untouched sandy beaches, itfulfils every long-held island daydream.
DO IT: Call one of our Cambodia
experts on 0117 244 3464 to findout more.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

7

WORDS BY CHRIS GREENER

TAKINGTHE
KIDS TO

A
I
D
O
B
M
A
C
Having lived in Cambodia with his family, Chris Greener
has seen first-hand how kids love the country

[ FAMILY TRAVEL ]Two things spring to mind when people
think of Cambodia: the extraordinary featof ancient engineering that is Angkor
Wat, and the devastatingly cruel periodof the Khmer Rouge. Can a country
known for temples and sites that dredge
up memories of genocide really provide
a fun family holiday?

Clambering through monkeyclad jungle ruins, we see
enormous vines swallow
ancient temples, and giantstone faces emerge throughdense foliage, smiling serenely above theovergrown scene. My eldest traces ancientcarvings before perching on a ledge at thebase of a huge stone elephant, pausing tolook over this bygone estate. I step into ahollow between some giant plaited roots
with my awestruck youngest, her eyes
widening as she looks up at branches thattouch the sky. We are explorers discovering
a long lost kingdom for the first time.
This is one of Cambodia's most famoussites, the much photographed tangledtemple, Ta Prohm. Having crafted ascavenger hunt for my kids - completewith clues, riddles and an illustrated map they busily weave around the site, holding
important scraps of paper as they try to
uncover the enigmas of this once great
civilisation.
It isn’t just us searching for secrets inevery nook and cranny though; hordes of
tourists visit these temples every day. But
we’ve been let into a secret of a different
kind. Apparently there’s somewhereequally enchanting but nearly deserted;
Koh Ker, a 10th century former capitalof the Khmer Empire. A two-hour drive
takes us out of Siem Reap to our campin the heart of the jungle, just outside
this ancient site. Waking early the next

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

9

"We are explorers discovering alost kingdom for the first time"

Window seat
History lessons with adifference at Banteay Kdei

[ FAMILY TRAVEL ]morning, we peer out of our canvas
home to see the first light find its way
through clusters of leaves overhead, theonly sound coming from birds bouncing
from tree to tree. Unlike Angkor Wat and
Ta Prohm, we have this ancient city toourselves – we are the stars of our own
Indiana Jones movie! Another day ofadventure ensues. Who knew that kids
could like temples?

© InsideAsia Tours staff, iStock.com/master2

Making Cambodia home
It didn’t take us long to find our feet after
moving to Phnom Penh – largely thanks
to the kind welcome from the community.
‘Friendly locals’ has become a tired tropein travel literature, seemingly applied
anywhere, but Cambodia actually topped
Rough Guide’s ‘friendliest countries in theworld’ list and I can certainly vouch for it.
They embraced us as neighbours from ourvery first week.
Making our first hasty steps into thelight, my wife and I were bleary-eyedfrom hours indoors unpacking our worldly

possessions. Our new life in Cambodia
with our first child was just beginning;
we were yet to make our first foray into
the neighbourhood, but an empty fridge
and a restless baby meant it was time tofind food.
Delicious wafts escaped from a local
restaurant, and we had barely stepped
inside when my family and I were
enthusiastically whisked through. A
waitress came over to our table, beamingfrom ear to ear at my small child who wassoon elevated to the highest echelonsof celebrity. Before I knew it, he wasgood-naturedly kidnapped and taken on
an impromptu tour of the restaurant. We
were left standing, not quite sure what to
make of someone stealing our child.
Chefs, waitresses and managers alikenattered behind the scenes, and just as
we wondered if he was ever to return,he was carried back towards us witha happy chortle and a fistful of treats;squishy banana and the juiciest mango.
From then on, every time we went for ameal - or anywhere, really - the hospitalityof the Khmer people (and their absolute
love of all children) saw my kids making
friends with just about everyone. We’ve
been lucky enough to have family holidays
all over the world, but the Cambodian’s
generosity of spirit is second to none.

Getting out of the city
A national holiday gave us theopportunity to swap the busy capitalfor the countryside with a trip to thesleepy town of Battambang. Going crosscountry with kids can be arduous, andI have plenty of friends that who opt
for the ‘flop and drop’ philosophy on
holiday, but there’s no reason to stay stillin Cambodia. The roads are developed,
and with private cars and air-conditioned
coaches we found getting aroundstress-free. Battambang is so laidback it’shorizontal, and with little traffic and wellpreserved French colonial architecture awalking tour is a must. But nicknamedthe ‘rice bowl’ of Cambodia, we wanted- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 11

to see beyond the city’s parameters.
A leisurely bike ride took us on a flat
path flanked by green rice paddies oneach side and shaded by intermittent
thickets of trees. Workers in the fields
glanced up, smiling at us with toothy
grins, and as we passed through villages,
curious families appeared for friendly chatsas kids circled around their legs making
shy conversation. Everyone speaks ahigh level of English in Cambodia, frommarket-sellers and tuk tuk drivers, to hotel
staff and local guides, but it’s not always
necessary; my kids are soon runningaround with the local children - it seems
that playing transcends language barriers.
Ambling on to a food market, wesnorkel and dive, or trek in pristine
jungle… but we came to relax. Situatedon the Gulf of Thailand, the sea is blissfully
warm, but it’s also shallow as far as theeye can see so the kids paddled safely
as the waves gently lapped the shore.
While they ambled around on the sand,I took to a hammock strung between
two palm trees, book in hand. When we
yearned for a bit of adventure, we sought
out a beachfront café for a lunch of fresh
seafood before resuming a lazy afternoon
in the hammock.

Coming homedance routines. The fearless juggled
flaming torches, and as each flare

Now back in the UK, there are many things
we miss – primarily the sunshine on those"The hospitality of the Khmer people (andtheir absolute love of all children) saw my kids
making friends with just about everyone"
WORDS AND PICTURES BY CHRIS GREENER

Unexpected evening
entertainment
We earmarked the evening for the Phare
Circus show; it seemed to be a thing oflegend but I had no idea what to expect.
Would there be clowns? High wires
maybe? Please, no animals. We took ourseats in the big top.
The lights went up, live music began
and a group of young performers
entertained the crowd with a whirlwind ofacrobatic mastery. They bounced aroundthe stage doing backflips, handstands
and cartwheels, as well as performing
traditional (and perfectly choreographed)

12cascaded through the air, every avid facein the audience was illuminated.
Not only was it hands-down themost amazing, and unexpected, showthat I have ever seen, it’s also all in aid
of a good cause. I found out that theorganisation is a social enterprise – eachof the performers are from disadvantaged
backgrounds, and any profits are used totrain them and other young people. As theshow came to an end we felt a collective
pang of sadness, but it certainly wasn’t thelast time we saw one of their shows.

Going south to the seaside
Cambodia’s beautiful south coast is only
a few hours from Phnom Penh, so atweekends we would go in search of thesea (and relaxation), packing a bucket andspade to spend disconnected days on
one of its pristine beaches - a world awayfrom our home in the capital. We would
often stay in Sihanoukville, a lively coastal
city with plenty of resorts that remains
relatively under the radar in comparison
to the coasts of neighbouring countries
Thailand and Vietnam.
As lovely as the quieter beaches arehere though, nothing compares with
Koh Rong Samloem. This island is only
a 45-minute boat journey from themainland and has a coastline of empty
white stretches of sand. You can kayak,- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

beaches, and a community who treated
our kids as their own. We travelled crosscountry, tried new (often unusual) foodand made more friends than we could
have imagined. But our kids were too
young to try everything: we didn’t kayak
through the submerged forests and floating
villages of Tonlé Sap Lake, go horse-riding
through rural countryside, or stand-up
paddleboard along the winding Preaek
Teuk Chhu River. They were too young to
track gibbons and bathe with elephants in
Mondulkiri, soar through the Angkor Park
jungle canopy on zip-lines, whizz along
tributaries and waterways in Prek Toal, or
zip along local roads and the countrysideon the back of a Vespa. Even witheverything we did in three years, we could
do so much more. All the more reason to
go back for a holiday – I’m not sure thatany other country will ever come close.

Chris is Senior Southeast
Asia Product Executive in
our Bristol office.
		
DO IT: Take the brood to Cambodia
on our Family Cambodia Fully
Tailored Journey, from £1,400pp for 12
nights (exc. intl. flights). Call our Cambodia
experts on 0117 244 3464 or visit bit.ly/
East-Family-Cambodia to find out more.

© InsideAsia Tours staff

were presented with some uniqueentertainment: fish squirmed in buckets;
chickens clucked at our feet; people
perched on little red stools above pallets
of exotic produce, or sat cross-legged on
the floor to weave unruly strands of rattan
into baskets. I was fascinated, but all of thisjust happened to be at my kids’ height.
They were at the heart of the action.
The only thing missing was a delicacy
we’d spotted in Phnom Penh; amidst thecolour and hubbub of a market there,
we spied creepy-crawlies as you’ve neverseen them – fried tarantulas piled high onround silver plates. They are definitely an
acquired taste, but my son gave it a go asa baby. Who says kids are fussy eaters?

[ FAMILY TRAVEL ]Man meets nature
Tangled trees at Ta Prohm

Beside the seaside
Beach days in Koh Rong Samloem

[ photography ]THROUGH
THE LENSP H OTO G R A P H Y I N JA PA N
Japan is ever evolving, often bounding forwards at an unwavering pace. But amidst these rapid
advances, a collection of characters immerse themselves in age-old culture and tradition.
Kadoka channel the quiet concentration of their flower arranging ancestors, masked kagura dancers
battle ancient enemies, elegant geisha strum the shamisen…
With exclusive access to this esoteric world, we bring these stories to life from behind the lens.

LANTERN FESTIVAL, Norman Blaikie
Our visit to Matsue coincided with the annual ‘Water lantern festival’.
Beside one of these displays was an illuminated wall where I noticed
two women with an umbrella; we asked if they would mind us taking
their picture and they were happy to oblige. It was the last night of thefestival and within a few minutes the lanterns were being packed up.

MARUYAMA GARDEN, Jim Weatherill
OLD HANDS, Gaynor Robson
Joge is a fascinating village northeast of Hiroshima, dating back to the
Edo period. The faces of this delightful, and very welcoming old couple
were filled with character and I knew they had been through a lot
together over the years. When he slipped his weathered hand in hers
and she gave it a comforting little squeeze I knew that was the photo I
really wanted. I quickly reframed and pressed the button.

INDEPENDENT THINKER, Gaynor Robson
As we arrived at the steps of the Heian Jingu Shrine in Kyoto, theobligatory school excursion photo was in progress. All of the students
were obediently lined up in their neat uniforms, shiny shoes anddark socks. Somehow, all I could see was the girl in the middleof the front row wearing white socks! Was she a privileged senior
student, an independent thinker, a rebel?

LUNCHTIME IN OSAKA, Norman Blaikie
Osaka was our last destination and much of the time was spent
wandering around interesting places in the city. A number of cafés inthe covered laneways were open; these are clearly where locals can eat
cheaply, and were very inviting. I was fortunate that the cook happened
to look up at the right moment - his engagement makes the image.
16- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

PREVIOUS SPREAD: KAGURA DANCER, Jim Weatherill
RIGHT: KIMONO AND LEAF, Norman Blaikie[ photography ]GENBEI YAMAGUCHI: FAMOUS KIMONO AND OBI MAKER, Norman Blaikie
While in Kyoto we visited the studio of Japan’s leading kimono and obi maker and were able to photograph him with some of his prize-winning creations.
Genbei-san descends from a long line of samurai and, even in his advancing years, undertakes dangerous activities to experience his physical limits.
He can present with a stern expression but also has a great sense of humour and a warm personality. He was a very generous host.

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY, Jim Weatherill

DO IT: For more information about photography tours, contact ourJapan travel experts on 0117 244 3463.

GATEWAYS TO HEAVEN, Norman Blaikie
An early morning visit to the Fushimi Inari shrine allowed us tophotograph the famous red gates before the crowds arrived.
18- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

[ SMALL GROUP TOURS ]TOP 4 REASONS:

To go on a small group tour
Mark Fujishige is based in Gifu Prefecture but leads tours across the length and breadth of Japan
Group tours = travelling with training wheels? If your passport is positively overflowing with stamps, you might thinkthat a group tour with a bunch of strangers is just that. Before I became a tour leader, I was guilty of feeling exactly thesame. I hadn’t ever been, or even considered going, on a group tour. It can seem a bit risky to take a well-earned andlong-awaited holiday with a group of strangers. But on my first group tour, it didn’t take long for me to realise that it is
one of the most fulfilling, and downright fun, ways to travel. “Why?” I hear you ask sceptically. Let me count the ways.

© InsideAsia Tours staff

1

THE TOUR LEADER
I know I am a tour leader, but I
can’t emphasise enough howmuch easier it is to plan a stressfree holiday with someone on-hand
who is very familiar with the country.
While we can’t know everything,having lived and travelled in Japanfor many years we have racked up afair few insider tips. Miso ice cream?
I wouldn’t recommend it, unless you
like very salty caramel with chunks offermented bean and a decent hint of“funky”. See? Invaluable knowledge.
We can also pull strings for access to
unforgettable experiences (such as a
private meeting with a geisha), andwe speak the language; decipheringthat menu just became a whole
lot easier.

2

SAVE YOURSELF TIME
As the saying goes, “timeis money”. After travelling
halfway across the world you
should be out and about taking it
all in; rather than poring over maps
and trying to translate timetables,
knowing that at the end of thismeticulous planning you might havemade the wrong choice. We canalso make the impossible possible.
It’s true! Imagine that you’re on a
mountaintop and you suddenly
remember a long-harboured dream
to see a Ferris wheel that appeared
in a Manic Street Preachers video.
It’s 200km away and you leave from
Tokyo in 24 hours. Someone madethat happen (yes, it was me).

3

FOOD TASTES BETTER
WITH FRIENDS
Solo dining in Japan iscompletely acceptable, butwhen I’m travelling solo I missconversations over dinner andbreaking bread with friends. Take
izakaya for example; these informal
Japanese taverns serve lots oftapas-style mini-dishes, how will you
try everything by yourself? Confident
folks may strike up a conversation
with a stranger, or make a beeline
towards another lone traveller, but
on a group tour the sake flows
freely, you can try a little bit ofeverything, and spend a few hours
regaling the day’s adventures.

4

FIRSTS ARE BETTER
WHEN SHARED
There’s nothing quite likemarvelling at the view from theTokyo Skytree, tucking into that firsthuge bowl of ramen, or facing yourfear of the mic and truly setting “FireTo The Rain” at karaoke. All things
that are definitely not as much fun
on your own. On the first eveningof the tour you will be strangers, butby the time you say “sayonara” you
might just have a friend for life. Thatsame one you dared to try the miso
ice cream…

DO IT: Small group tour dates for2019 have just been released. Call
our Japan experts on 0117 244
3463 to find out more.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 19

Temple tales fromBAGAN
WORDS AND PICTURES BY DAVID LOVEJOYDAVID LOVEJOY TRAVELS DOWN DUSTY TRACKS TO
EXPLORE THE PAGODAS OF THIS ANCIENT CITY.

[ BURMA ]“This bygone capital, now called
Bagan, held my gaze until all light
was wrung from the sky.”I

catch my breath. Despite
having only just arrived byboat on the Irrawaddy, I
couldn’t wait. After clambering
up a nearly thousand-year-old
temple, I get my first glimpse of asweeping vista where two thousand
stupas pierce the horizon. Thisbygone capital, now called Bagan,
held my gaze until all light waswrung from the sky.
Waking up early the next morning
I sip coffee from the veranda of mybedroom as the sun rises, slowly
casting light on this ancient city.
Where to start?
Escape the crowds
Bagan’s spectacular archaeologicalsite dates back to the 11th and13th centuries when the Pagan
Kingdom unified a group of regions
to form an empire; the result of

which closely resembles modernday Burma. It’s played an importantrole since in the country’s fledgling
tourism scene. Visitors flock here
every day, but with two thousand
temples and plains that stretch formiles in every direction, it’s large
enough to be experienced in nearsolitude. I meet up with an expert
guide, a prodigiously well-read local
with invaluable insights who knows
the site back to front - I’m in safe
hands. We decide to cover as muchof the area as we can by going
down dirt paths less travelled on an
e-bike. These have more in common
with an electric motorbike than atrusty pushbike, but with only twogears they needn’t raise your bloodpressure. The appeal, aside fromthe obvious “wheee” factor, is anabsence of smog and noise.
I silently zipped through fresh air- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 21

Getting perspective
More than 2,000 ancientpagodas remain in Baganand past secret temples, with thefreedom to hop off and explore apagoda whenever I wanted.
Temple secrets
As we dart from temple to temple,
hidden secrets wait for us in eachone. A visit to the revered Ananda
Temple belongs on every itinerary
and my guide brings the historyof this golden-topped pagoda tolife. Inside, he points out an optical
illusion on the enormous gilded
statue of Buddha; the face scowls
towards the nobility’s seating area in
the foreground, but begins to smile
as you move further back, where it
would be observed by those of lower
social status. According to legend, the22architects of Ananda Temple were put
to death to ensure no other temple
could ever rival its perfect glory. Yikes.

Readying myself to cover more ofthis hallowed ground, I ponder mytransport. It is possible to swap your“As we dart from temple totemple, hidden secrets wait
for us in each one.”
Pace yourself
Most of the resorts in Bagan have apool; ideal respite from the midday
humidity. You must pace yourself- less is definitely more in the landof temples. I made time for a longlunch, icy drinks and a lazy dip (it’s ahard life) before heading back out.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tourse-bike for horse and cart in theafternoon if you so wish - they lookgreat in photographs and you mightfeel the breeze in your hair. But after
my hearty lunch, I’m not sure I canhandle the bumpy ride and opt
for inflatable tyres and an animalfree journey. Bagan’s not short ofinspiration for your photo album
after all.
The sun’s rays begin ramping up,
so I brace myself for the cavernous
depths of some of the larger
temples. While they are free fromultraviolet rays, they do have a lot incommon with an oven - don’t forgetyour fan. It was so worth braving
the heat to see frescoes depicting
all stages of life, and young monks
dashing hither and thither like fairies.
Burmese society
I’m struck by the number of smartlyrobed young monks here, but myguide explains that for many families
it’s the best (or only) way to ensurethat their child receives food and[ BURMA ]© David Lovejoy

Bagan

education. It seems surprising thata country rich in gems and natural
resources, and enviably situatedbetwixt India and China, would haveone of the widest income gaps
on earth. Unfortunately, most of
the wealth is hoarded by an elite
few with ties to the former military
government.
Their absolute rule ended lessthan a decade ago and, with afirm grip around the nation’s purse
strings the effects on society arestill widespread. Financial hardship
isn’t their only legacy; this was once
one of the most highly educatedsocieties in Southeast Asia, but
under their rule academic pursuits
were no longer encouraged.

Presumably an ignorant populace iseasier to control.
There is hope though - my guide
grew up during these dark times
and didn’t let anything hold him
back. Just as a plant breaks rock,the driven audacity of youth is hardto suppress. Sustainable tourism
provides opportunities for guides
and community businesses alike toredress the balance of power. In lightof the current political situation in
Burma, this can only be a good thing.

manmade sites, such as Angkor Wat,
Bagan isn’t recognised by UNESCO.
As more tourists travel here though,Bagan will have a fighting chance ofbeing protected. My advice would be
to visit sooner rather than later.

David Lovejoy is a senior
tour leader based inJapan. He is often busy
travelling around Asia, but home
for him is in Yokohama.

The future of Bagan
Crude repairs carried out by theformer government have supposedly
rendered this magnificent site
‘inauthentic’, so unlike other ancient

DO IT: David will be leading
small group tours to Burma in
2018. Call our Burma experts on
0117 244 3465 or visit bit.ly/EastBurma-Tours to find out more.

Burma Essentials
CAPITAL CITY: Naypyidaw
MAIN RELIGION: Theravada Buddhism
POPULATION: 54 million
LANGUAGE: Burmese
TIME: GMT + 6.5 hours
GETTING THERE: Flight time from
London to Yangon: 13h 25 min with atleast one stop.
WHEN TO GO: With temperate days
and cooler evenings, the winter season
between November and February is thebest time to go.
VISAS: UK citizens will need a visa toenter Burma, get an evisa via
http://evisa.moip.gov.mm.
CURRENCY: Myanmar kyat (MMK).
£1 – approx. 1,750 MMK. USD is themost popular form of currency accepted
for conversion to kyat. This can only
be done at official banks and currency
exchange offices, not through hotels andother tourist services.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 23

[ INTERVIEW ]meets...

DAVID BADDIEL
The comedian, television presenter, novelist, and playwright, gives us
the lowdown on his recent family trip to Japan.

Well, I’m a cat man in almost every respect. But I do
have four at home, so I basically live in a cat café.
Therefore I think I’ll have to plump for the novelty ofhedgehog. I liked the owl café a lot, but it was lessa cafe, more a sitting room with an owl area...

2. What surprises you about Japan?
I’m always surprised by the level of service. I havebeen before but it seems to have gone up fromlast time. It’s amazing, but can occasionally beconstricting; they seem to know everything thatyou’re doing in advance. Changing your dinnerplans can send a five-star hotel into meltdown.

3. What makes Japan different toanywhere else in the world?
Well that - the level of service. Also, the food.
Also, the weirdness. Even though it’s obviously
very much part of a globalist culture, Japan always
feels deeply foreign to a Westerner.

4. What was the most Japanesething you saw?
A woman bowing to a plane.

24- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

5. What was your tastiest meal?
It’s difficult to choose! We had sushi (at what I
think is just a chain) at the Tsukiji fish market- it was conveyor belt, but fantastic. Also, the
Hoshinoya in Tokyo did us a nine-course meal there were a few of these - and the chef madea vegan set for my daughter, including wildmushrooms that he’d had picked that morning. It
was amazing.

6. Describe Tokyo’s Robot
Restaurant in three words
Legal acid trip.

7. What did your kids enjoy the most?
They loved the animal cafés, and my son
particularly liked the onsen; the one in the
Hoshinoya Tokyo is great. I wish we’d gone tosome public ones - I did that in 2002 in Tokyoand it was amazing.

8. Not many travellers make it to thejungle-clad Iriomote Island, did it feellike a world away from Tokyo?
Yes and no. The weather was nice - which it
wasn’t anywhere else in the country; typhoonseason actually happens there, but thankfully we

missed that. There is also a laidback beach culture
which feels quite un-Japanese. The Hoshinoya incontrast is still very Japanese - it’s very organised,
and there’s a lot of bowing.

9. What was your favourite place?
I love Kyoto, when you can get away from thecrowds. But after coasteering on Iriomote, ourguide took us back to the car by river insteadof road. As we swum back, it was sunny andastonishingly beautiful, so it's a joint favourite.

10. Do you have any advice for othertravellers to Japan?
Yes. The weather is humid but overcast in August- I prefer spring or autumn instead. And whilst it’sbrilliant, don’t just stay in Tokyo.

David travelled on an InsideJapan Tours
Self-Guided Adventure to Tokyo, Kyoto, Izu
Peninsula and the Okinawa islands.
DO IT: To plan a family holiday to Japan,
call our experts on 0117 244 3463 or visit
bit.ly/East-InsideJapan-Tours.

twitter.com/Baddiel© Androniki Christodoulou Photography

1. We’ll kick off with the big
questions – who makes the best café
companion: owl, cat, or hedgehog?

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

New Year in

BURMA
1

We know what you’re thinking, New Year has been and gone.
Not so in many Southeast Asian countries. While a noisy countdown,
hearty cheers and the sweet sounds of Auld Lang Syne ring out on
1st January in the West, the celebration of New Year (Thingyan) in
Burma takes place between 13th and 16th April with some very
different traditions. Less champagne, more water. Lots of water.
Here’s what to know if you find yourself amidst the celebrations.

Prepare to get wet
Unless you’re elderly, pregnant or a monk, you’re fairgame for a soaking. Good-natured water fights, believed
to wash away the sins of the previous year, are to be hadon every street. A fun way to immerse yourself in local
culture, and cool down at the same time.

2

Keep your goods in awaterproof bag
Invest in a waterproof bag, or
leave your phone and camera
somewhere safe before you goout. The last thing you want is
to lose your travel snaps afteran overenthusiastic drenching.

43
Expect places to be closed
Most Burmese citizens will get
involved in the festivities, somany shops, restaurants, andmuseums will be closed.
Thingyan is a popular festival
and transport options can be
few and far between, so give
us plenty of time to book youraccommodation in advance.

ပိတ်
CLOSED

Drink plenty of water“Water, water, everywhere…”
Don’t forget to stay hydrated.
In all of the excitement it canbe easy to forget that water
is for drinking too.

5 Try a street snack
Give mont lone ye paw a go.
These sweet dumplings are madefrom jaggery (cane sugar), riceand coconut, and are traditionallyhanded out for free during Thingyan.

DO IT: For more information about festivals, events, and the best
times to visit Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Burma, take alook at our brand new When to Travel page: bit.ly/When-to-Travel- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 25

TICKLED PINK:
Tickled Pink:

alternatives
C H E R R Cherry
Y B L blossom
O S S O M
A L T E R N A T I V E S

WHEN TO GO: FEBRUARY

In oarBlooms on the banks ofFort Goryokaku in May

[ JAPAN ]Heralding the arrival of spring, and encapsulating the transience of life itself, nothing stirs the Japanese soul quite like theephemeral cherry blossom. But while the world and her husband descend on Tokyo and Kyoto to catch the blooms inearly April, we recommend seeking out some more secluded spots to appreciate this spectacle away from the melee.

Ruth Hubbard shares her favourite lesser-known cherry blossom spots.

WHEN TO GO:EARLY TO MID-MAY
Fort Goryokaku,
Hakodate
To catch the last of the year’s
cherry blossom set your sights
on Japan’s northernmost island,
Hokkaido. Here we must bestow
Hakodate with the “best cherry
blossom as seen from above”
award (if such a thing existed).
Fort Goryokaku is a massive,star-shaped citadel; it was built inthe late 1800s by the Tokugawa
shogunate who feared an attackfrom Western powers. Visit in
mid-May to wander the moats
lined with gorgeous pink trees.
Don’t worry, you won’t need ahelicopter to get an overhead
photo, just take the lift 90m up
to the top of Goryokaku Tower.

Think you need to wait until April tocatch Japan’s cherry blossom? Thinkagain! Visit Tokyo in early February
and hop on a train for a scenic threehour ride down the Izu Peninsula to
Kawazu. This small town boasts theearliest appearing cherry blossom on
Honshu, Japan’s main island. What’smore, the flowers open at a slower
pace than all of the other cherry

28

blossom varieties - the blooms last
for around a month, rather than theusual fleeting two weeks – so there
is more time to make the most ofthem. Join the locals for a picnic by
the river under a 4km long
stretch of pink.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours© Kagawa Tourism, iStock.com/dar_st, iStock.com/alfa_t, Goryokaku Tower, Norikazu/shutterstock.com. Previous spread: Goryokaku Tower

WHEN TO GO: FEBRUARY

Kawazu, Izu Peninsula

[ JAPAN
Japan ]
WHEN TO GO: EARLY APRIL
Megijima Island, Seto Inland Sea
The Japanese archipelago
encompasses more than 6,000
islands, so it would be a shame not
to indulge in a little island hopping.

Take a 20-minute ferry ride from
Takamatsu on Shikoku, the smallest
of Japan’s four main islands, toMegijima. Measuring just 1 by 4km,

this island’s 200 inhabitants areoutnumbered by cherry blossom
trees. When they flower in early
April, you can soak up the sight ofpink canopies against a postcardperfect backdrop of the islandstrewn Seto Inland Sea.

WHEN TO GO:
Late April toearly May

nagoyaWHEN TO GO: EARLY APRILWHEN TO GO: LATE APRIL TO EARLY MAY

Inuyama Castle, near Nagoya

Former samurai district, Kakunodate

Just twelve castles remain intactfrom Japan’s feudal age, andall are a good bet for a cherry
blossom picnic. Inuyama, built in
1537, is one of the oldest castles
after surviving many a natural
disaster. It’s perched on a small
hill that is surrounded by cherry

Did you think only willow trees
could weep? In Kakunodate,cherry trees lament the bygone
era of the samurai; gorgeous
swoops of pale pink blossoms
arch to the ground amid thewell-preserved Edo Periodarchitecture. The trees weretrees, as is the nearby landscapegarden Urakuen. Inuyama is a
45-minute train journey from
Nagoya, the home of InsideJapan
Tours’ Japanese HQ - you may
just bump into our staff enjoying
enjoying a bento lunchbox with acheeky cup (or two) of sake.

transported here from Kyoto andlovingly cultivated by local samuraifamilies, determined to outdo theirneighbours with their horticulturalprowess. Kakunodate is four hours
by train from Tokyo, up in themelancholic north, so the flowers
are at their best in early May.

Ruth Hubbard is the Product Manager for all of our destinations, and is based in our Bristol office.
DO IT: Any of these cherry blossom destinations can be woven into a tailor-made holiday. Call our Japan experts on 0117 244 3463
or visit bit.ly/East-InsideJapan-Tours to find out more.
- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 29

[ Your adventures ]HONEYMOON IN

VIETNAMWe love hearing about where InsideAsia travellers have been exploring.
This issue: Megan Lucie Adams heads to Vietnam for her honeymoon.

became our favourite place. The
town is known for its world-classtailors, so we had clothes madehere – a different kind of souvenir!
In the evenings we discoveredsome brilliant restaurants - I love
Vietnamese food in England,
but the real thing was even moredelicious - and after busy days weTaking off
As someone who’s not a keen
flyer it was a relief to have sucha smooth journey, with only one
stop in Singapore (which is sucha gorgeous airport) before arriving
in Ho Chi Minh City. We caught up
with a friend who works in the city,
before meeting our guide, Thang.
He was very helpful and a mineof information about the area - weactually got on so well that we’ve
stayed in touch.

“I was excited to travel
around Vietnam, but
didn’t expect to fall inlove with the country
as much as I did.”

Charming Hoi An
As we made our way north we
stopped off for a few days in Hoi
An. With its beautiful old buildings
and twinkly lantern festival, this soon
30

slept well at the Almanity Spa andResort. With daily massages and Tai
Chi in the afternoon, we left Hoi An
feeling calm and happy.
The caves of Halong Bay
On the north coast, we spent a nighton Halong Bay and woke up early
to explore the caves. This truly wasa once in a lifetime experience. The
rain poured, and we experienced
lots of thunder and lightning, but it- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours

just added to the atmosphere. I was
excited to travel around Vietnam, but
didn’t expect to fall in love with thecountry as much as I did.
Top tips for travelling
If I was to give one piece of advice
to those thinking of going, it would
be: don’t think about it, JUST GO!
Other (more practical) advice would
be to drink lots of water to stay
hydrated in the humidity, respect
the beautiful culture, and learn a few
phrases to chat to the locals - they
really seem to appreciate it. It's themost wonderful country that I've
ever visited and I loved every minute.
Now it’s time to plan our next trip!

DO IT: Megan took a fully tailoredhoneymoon to Vietnam. Call ourVietnam experts on 0117 244 2464
or visit bit.ly/East-InsideVietnamTours to find out more.
If you’ve had an adventure with
InsideAsia Tours that you’d like toshare, get in touch!

© Megan Lucie Adams

M

y husband and I havewanted to visit Asia fora long time, and ourhoneymoon seemed like theperfect excuse! Having heard lots ofwonderful stories from friends who
had been to Vietnam, we set oursights on 10 days travelling from thesouth to the north of the country.

[ COMpetition ]COMPETITIONTRAVEL VIDEO WINNER

Huge congratulations to Owen Evans for winning a GoPro HERO5 Session in our travel video competition.
For a good dose of travel inspiration, watch it here bit.ly/My-Eastern-Adventure. Thank you to everyone who entered.

Photography competition
Our photography competition is back, and this issue’s theme is FOOD.

HOW TO ENTER:
1) Read our terms & conditions.

SEND US YOUR FOODIE PHOTOS

You can find them at:
insideasiatours.com/eastmagazine
2) Send us a ‘food’ themed

Send us your favourite foodphotograph from your travels inthemed snap from Japan,

Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos

Vietnam, Cambodia, Laosor Burma. You must have theor Burma for the chance torights to the photograph.

WIN a Vietnamese cooking

3) Send it over to

set courtesy of Sous Chef

east@insideasiatours.com by 5pm(check out their website to(GMT) on 1st April 2018. Include

get your taste buds tingling:your name, address & contact details.

souschef.co.uk)
We’re looking forward
to seeing your entries(preferably after lunch).

The winner will be revealed in our
next issue. We’re looking forward
to seeing your entries!
Any questions? Get in touch –east@insideasiatours.com.

- Travel inspiration from InsideAsia Tours 31

Tag your InsideAsia Tours holiday photos on Instagram with #insideasiatours or#insidejapantours and we’ll share our favourites. Warning: May cause wanderlust.

@sarapretellisupertramp
Luang Prabang, LAOS

@stuartbutler1974
Golden Rock, BURMA@rajatjindal50
Tokyo, JAPAN@polkadotdeer
Kamakura, JAPAN@af8images
Halong Bay, VIETNAM@cathybotbeta
Hakone, JAPAN@clearlychanning
Kyoto, JAPAN@dgdominic
Kamikochi, JAPANTo find out more and start planning your next holiday,
order a brochure, call our experts or visit our website.

0117 244 3463
info@insidejapantours.com/InsideJapanTours/InsideJapan/InsideJapanTours

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