* A S I A *

Exotic! Exciting, alluring Asia is the largest of all the continents. It is also the most diverse and perhaps, the most stimulating and seducing of all the continents. Engulfed by the Arctic, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, the continent is also bordered by Europe and thus making it a part of the great Eurasian super-continent. Asia is separated from Europe by the Sea of Marmara, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. On its western flanks, it is separated from the African continent in the southwest by the narrow Isthmus of Suez and the Red Sea. As such and, strictly speaking, these combined landmasses of Africa, Asia and Europe can hardly be distinguished as separate continents.

Asia is home to vast deserts, the highest and the largest of the snow covered mountain ranges in the world, fertile river deltas, beautiful valleys, ancient rainforests and every thing in between. The continent covers almost 30% of the total land mass of the earth and about 60% of the world’s total population. With as many as 50 independent countries within its borders, it offers varied expanse of sceneries, diverse peoples, extraordinary cultures and exceptional destinations. Nature has also been very generous in providing it with the world's longest coastline, the world's deepest lake and some of the most important rivers on the planet. It also has some of most recognized iconic monuments of the world, both natural and manmade: The Taj Mahal – the greatest monument to love.. The Great Wall of China, the only man made object to be recognized from space... Angkor Wat – the world’s largest religious complex... Mount Everest, the world highest peak... The Yangste... the third longest river in the world... Borabudor, the largest Buddhist complex in the world, and the list goes on and on...

There is so much to discover in this vast continent. Seated almost securely between your camel’s humps, you will feel like Marco Polo setting out on the Silk Route of Inner Mongolia. Or traversing the rugged terrain of the Gobi Desert aboard a 4Wheel Drive you will feel like you’re retracing Roy Chapman Andrew's steps in the 1920s digging for dinosaur remains. Stay a few nights with the monks (like a monk) at the temples of Mount Koya in Japan... Go afloat aboard a Balloon in Bagan in Burma... Or choose from one of the many Cultural Explorations – easy travel which will take you to temples, castles, monasteries, bazaars, pavilions, pagodas, tranquil gardens, scenic landscapes, and a wealth of art, crafts, jewels, silver, murals, mosaics, museums and mosques.

In the Himalayas, trek or hike to spectacular views and meet with friendly peoples– treks that range from easy to challenging... many of them designed for your entire family. You will be pampered when your Sherpa Guide brings steaming tea to your tent in the morning... Attend a festival at a Gompa in Ladakh or a Dzong in Bhutan. For the more adventurous, cycle your way over mountain roads in Tibet, ride a camel's back across India’s Thar Desert or horseback in Inner Mongolia. In Singapore, shop till you drop.... In Thailand travel by train, private vehicles, elephants, bamboo rafts, ferry, express boat and plane – all on a single journey through the tribal hill country, jungles and then end your trip on a beautiful tropical island. Climb and explore and enjoy the expansive views from the temples in Cambodia and Burma... Fish for Rainbow Trout in the cold waters of Bhutan... or fight the undisputed king of the game fish -- Mahseer (known as the toughest fighter among all fresh water fish) – in the mountain rivers of India...

In Nepal, raft rivers rushing down the Himalayas. Paddle a dugout canoe in the jungles of Borneo and Malaysia; relax Raj-style in an elegant houseboat in Kashmir or lay out a camp in the true British “Sahib-style” in the “Kipling Country” – in the jungles of India... Ride atop an elephant through grass even taller than the elephants and scout for the one-horned rhinoceros or the elusive Bengal Tigers... Stop at a Banjara camp to share a Roti with them... climb a high peak (or a moderate one)... Or dive into the sublime beauty of a reef. On other notes... play Polo with the Princes in Rajasthan... witness a game of Elephant Polo in Sri Lanka... ride like the Maharajas on the Palace on Wheels... Spend some time in a cooking class in Thailand or Vietnam.... take along your binocs for bird-watching... or just focus your photographic talents from spot to spot just taking pictures. With an inexhaustible lifestyle of cultures, this unique part of the globe attracts millions of tourists from around the world. Along with the famous and varied tourist destinations the continent has some of the world’s best hotels and resorts... from real palaces to colonial mansions... from boutique hotels to exclusive resorts... from fabulous lodges to resplendent tents; hotels that exudes centuries of history to accommodations of the future. Some of the best resorts on the beaches to the highest hotel in the world – at the base of Mount Everest. They are all here. And then there is more, the exotic Islands and the pristine Beaches... the Phuket islands in South Thailand... the Andaman / Nicobar Islands on the Bay of Bengal... Maldives with its exotic over-water bungalows.... Lakswadeep in the Arabian Sea... the beaches of less known resorts in Sihanoukville in Cambodia or the Ngwe Saung Beach in Burma, and of course, “Serendipity” – the Island of Sri Lanka.

Asia is truly an impeccable destination for all your senses: the sense of sight with the scenic beauty everywhere you go; the sense of hearing with year round festive occasions; the sense of smell with fragrances from food, flowers and pavements; the sense of touch with its amicable climate and friendly peoples and the sense of taste with delicious cuisines from all over.

Mark Twain said this, upon his return from his journeys into Asia:

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

There is so much to discover in this vast continent... so much here to make your dreams come true... so much to appreciate nature for and so much to thank the friendly peoples for... and even after you have visited the continent many times, you will still yearn for more!

No matter how many times you visit or whatever your choice, Asia presents a veritable kaleidoscope of adventure and experiences... and all of these can be arranged with a single phone call to Travel Interlink... So call us !