Asia

While Asia is a relatively convenient holiday destination for Australians, a trip to our neighbouring continent can still feel like a journey to another world. From natural beauty, ancient landmarks and rich cultural diversity to the unique experiences of its bright and bustling modern cities, Asia has something to offer every travel group.

Visit bustling Beijing

China’s vibrant capital, Beijing, serves up a smorgasbord of ancient wonders and contemporary highlights. No trip to Beijing is complete without a glimpse of the Great Wall of China, which extends for 573km through the region. Two of the most accessible, well-preserved sections of the Great Wall can be experienced at Badaling and Mutianyu, which provide a cable car or chairlift up to one of the watchtowers.

Your group will be keen to wander within the Forbidden City and discover the stories of 24 emperors who resided in the imperial palace complex of the Ming and Qing dynasties. For a leisurely yet richly rewarding experience, head to the vast Summer Palace. Here, members can look at splendid buildings on Longevity Hill while taking a boat ride on Kunming Lake, before watching a traditional Chinese performance in the restored grand theatre. Elsewhere in Beijing, take the chance to learn tai chi in the Temple of Heaven or practise Chinese calligraphy in narrow streets known as hutongs.

While visiting the world’s first dual Olympic city – Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, having previously hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics – why not also check out some of the iconic venues used for winter sports including the ‘Bird’s Nest’, the ‘Ice Ribbon’ and the ‘Ice Cube’?

Travel from Matsumoto to Takayama

The two-hour journey between Matsumoto and Takayama is steeped in history and tradition that will enchant Club members. Matsumoto, at the foot of the Alps, is home to the ‘Crow Castle’ – so called because of its dark allure – a designated national treasure of Japan. Visit the Ishii Miso factory in Matsumoto and see how this essential Japanese ingredient, made from soybeans, is produced by traditional fermentation in massive cedar barrels. Be sure to sample the staple, miso soup.

No visit to Japan is complete without a relaxing soak in an onsen, the traditional hot spring baths so loved in this part of the world. And there’s no better place to indulge than Hirayu Onsen, a picturesque mountain town east of Takayama. Your members will love Hida Folk Village, where each old farmhouse has a traditional thatched and shingle roof typical of the mountainous regions. Just 20 minutes from Takayama, this open-air museum is a fascinating destination.

1. Beijing’s Forbidden City is a sprawling palace complex with over 700 years of history

2.Endless surprises await in Beijing’s narrow hutongs

3.Beijing National Stadium, aka the Bird’s Nest, played host to the 2008 Summer Olympics’ Opening Ceremony

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You’ve arrived in beautiful Takayama in Gifu Prefecture. Take a guided walk to see the narrow streets of Sanmachi Suji district, lined with wooden merchants’ houses dating to the Edo Period (1603-1867). The Takayama Jinya is an Edo Period provincial governor’s office and the only one in Japan where the original main building still stands. Visit the Miyagawa Morning Market on either bank of the Miya River to purchase local fruit and vegetables as well as traditional gifts.

Your Club can take in some of the wonderful sights of Takayama – along with a host of other brilliant Japan destinations – on many of the multi-day tours offered by Janesco Travel. Their fully escorted tour options range from 10 days to 22 days (janescotravel.com/tours).

4.Matsumoto Castle is known colloquially as ‘Crow Castle’ due to its black exterior

5.Hida Folk Village is a charming open-air museum on the outskirts of Takayama

AT A GLANCE

Beijing, China

→ Great Wall of China → Forbidden City → Summer Palace → Temple of Heaven → Bird’s Nest → Ice Ribbon → Ice Cube

Janesco Travel

1300 880 819 janescotravel.com

Matsumoto to Takayama, Japan

→ Crow Castle → Ishii Miso factory → Hirayu Onsen → Hida Folk Village → Sanmachi Suji district → Takayama Jinya → Migayawa Morning

Market

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Discover Malaysia’s land of tea

A cool and welcome respite from the heat of bustling Kuala Lumpur, the Cameron Highlands has everything you could hope for in an idyllic mountain retreat: lush wilderness, forest trails and an abundance of exquisite, farm-fresh tea. Members will appreciate the beautiful rolling green slopes of Malaysia’s largest tea-producing region, situated in Pahang, which is located around 200km from the capital.

The 8,000-acre BOH Tea Plantation is one of the largest plantations in Southeast Asia and the home of BOH’s first tea factory. The historic Tudor-style colonial buildings, local flora and panoramic views over the garden make this a wonderful inclusion on any tour itinerary. Your Club members will no doubt savour the perfect cup of tea before browsing the lovely souvenirs available at the gallery and shop (bohtea.com/visit-our-tea-gardens).

However, world-class tea is far from the only pleasure to be found in the Cameron Highlands. Be sure to take a tour to the enchanting Mossy Forest, where a boardwalk guides you through a blanket of moss, ferns and orchids. The ‘cloud rainforest’ is shrouded in mist, giving it a unique and mysterious atmosphere. The region is also famous for its flora and fruit, particularly roses and strawberries. Members can choose to visit a bee farm or a butterfly garden to round out their stay.

1. Dongdaemun Design Plaza is a futuristic shopping mall located in South Korea’s capital

2.The “This One Earth” statue is a prounification sculpture at the entrance to Korea’s Third Infiltration Tunnel

3.Follow the boardwalk through the Cameron Highlands’ captivating Mossy Forest

4. Grab a keepsake at Insadong Antique Alley, Seoul

See the heart of Seoul

Old meets new in the heart of Seoul. South Korea’s fascinating capital offers an absorbing blend of Buddhist temples, palaces and street markets juxtaposed with high-tech subways and skyscrapers. Notable attractions and activities include the traditional village of Bukchon Hanok, the ancient locust and pine trees at Jogyesa Temple (where you might share tea with a monk), shopping for unusual amulets and other souvenirs at Insadong Antique Alley, and a tour of Gyeongbok Palace – built in 1392 and for five centuries the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty – where members can witness the changing of the guard ceremony. For a taste of more contemporary architecture, check out futuristic Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

When it comes to dining, prepare for some absolutely scrumptious ‘Seoul food’. Members can experience a traditional Korean-style BBQ house for smoky meats and sizzling savoury pancakes, or learn how to make South Korea’s favourite dish, bibimbap, at a cooking class and demonstration.

North of Seoul, gain a deeper knowledge of the relationship between North and South Korea by visiting the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in Paju for Imjingak Park, the Bridge of Freedom and the Third Infiltration Tunnel, where up to 30,000 soldiers can pass through within an hour. Back in the capital, the War Memorial Museum allows visitors to reflect further on the conflict between the bordering countries.

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A taste of salt and pepper in Kampot

Kampot is the land of salt and pepper. Situated on the Preaek Tuek Chhu River in southern Cambodia, the provincial town is known for its magnificent salt fields and plantations producing some of the best black, red and white pepper anywhere in the world. Your Club will be able to see up close how both the mineral and flowering vine are expertly harvested before they become popular condiments.

Life moves slowly in Kampot, but that’s all part of the charm. Like the locals, you’ll be drawn to the river promenade at the foot of the Elephant Mountains, where a lovely sunset stroll or boat ride awaits. As the sun goes down, you’ll be rewarded with a unique glimpse of glowing fireflies lighting up the riverside trees.

You can also explore Kampot’s surrounding countryside on a bus tour or hire a tuk-tuk to see wooden huts, rice paddies, palm trees, water buffalo and zebu (humped white cattle), as well as children smiling and waving while field workers rake the salt and carry it away in baskets. To the west, visit Preah Monivong Bokor National Park, famous for Bokor Hill Station, an abandoned luxury resort and retreat built by French colonialists in the early 1920s. The national park is home to forests, waterfalls, and an array of wildlife including gibbons and big cats. You can also visit Wat Sampov Pram, aka the Temple of the Five Boats, a monastery that sits atop Bokor Mountain.

5.Wat Sampov Pram, aka Temple of the Five Boats, in Preah Monivong Bokor National Park

6.Bokor Hill Station is an abandoned resort that was built by French colonialists in Cambodia

7.The village of Bukchon Hanok, Seoul

AT A GLANCE

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

→ BOH Tea Plantation (bohtea.com/ visit-our-tea-gardens) → Mossy Forest

Seoul, Korea

→ Bukchon Hanok → Jogyesa Temple → Insadong Antique

Alley → Gyeongbok Palace → Dongdaemun Design

Plaza → Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) → Imjingak Park → Bridge of Freedom → Third Infiltration Tunnel

Kampot, Cambodia

→ Elephant Mountains → Preah Monivong

Bokor National Park → Bokor Hill Station → Wat Sampov Pram

Enjoy the best of Java

Nestled between Sumatra and Bali, the volcano-dotted island of Java sits at the geographic centre of Indonesia. The sprawling capital, Jakarta – a modern city with upscale hotels and shopping malls – is defined by a historic mix of Javanese, Malay, Chinese, Arab, Indian and European cultures, which have all influenced its language, architecture and cuisine. The old town, Kota Tua, is home to Dutch colonial buildings and the urban village of Glodok (Jakarta’s Chinatown), while traditional wooden schooners dock at the old port of Sunda Kelapa.

The pride of Jakarta, the expansive National Museum, provides a wonderful insight into Indonesia’s prehistoric past and cultural heritage through over 100,00 objects including stone inscriptions, batik cloths, and gold and silver ornaments and jewellery once owned by the rajahs and sultans of the archipelago.

Elsewhere in Java, your Club should visit the legendary 1,200-year-old Buddhist temple, Borobudur – famed for being the largest of its kind in the world. Across the fertile countryside around Dieng Plateau, witness stunning geothermal features like the bubbling volcanic crater of Kawah Sikidang and the turquoise-coloured scenic lake, Telaga Warna. And in East Java, catch the breathtaking sight of the sun rising across the vast collapsed crater at the Tengger Caldera, perched high in the hills between Malang and Probolinggo. ■

AT A GLANCE

1. Borobodur Temple ranks easily among the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world

2. Formerly called Batavia, the old town Kota Tua is a must-visit during a stay in Jakarta

Java, Indonesia

→ Kota Tua old town,

Jakarta → Glodok Chinatown,

Jakarta → National Museum,

Jakarta → Borobudur → Kawah Sikidang → Telaga Warna → Tengger Caldera