Along with much of the country, Vietnam’s capital city, Hanoi, has become a booming destination to travel to. But where do you go in a city with so much to …
local life
Insights into local life tend to play a big part in ETG trips to South and Southeast Asia. From experience, we believe that looking beyond the must-see sights allows a much deeper connection with the destination you visit. We find that experiencing everyday life in a country often helps creates the conditions for memorable and random encounters. Our travellers frequently tell us that these moments become highlights of their holidays and very personal memories.
This archive dives into experiences and stories based on our time getting under the skin of a destination. We also tackle the impact of over-tourism on local life and prominent issues specific to that destination, as well as the the benefits of local-led community tourism.
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Co-founders Sam and Tom recently visited the off-the-beaten-track region of Mannar, Sri Lanka with travel photographer Damon Wilder. Situated in the northwest of the country, it’s a flat, wild west …
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Content editor Philly recently explored new local island experiences in The Maldives. From tucking into delicious local dishes, to exploring important cultural sights to appreciating the everyday life of Maldivians …
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‘Grandpa’s sleeping up there with the children.’ My guide said. ‘But he’s been dead for three years… Well sort of.’ So sets the scene for my perplexing visit of Sulawesi …
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Philippa Kaye, our ‘on the ground’ travel expert in Delhi, says everyone travelling to India should stay in a homestay. I was surprised because for me ‘homestays’ conjure images of …
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Across AsiaGuest Posts
Beautiful film capturing life in Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand
by Guest Post & Amelia CurranFor three months Janis Brod, a German cinematographer, has travelled around Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand capturing the various ways of life. Here is the film of her experience.
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Latest Travel News and Views from AsiaSri LankaSustainable Travel
Abode Gets Longlisted for World Responsible Tourism Awards!
by Sam ClarkWe’re delighted that our favourite Sri Lankan eco-tourism project Abode Tours Community Homestay has been nominated and longlisted for the 2015 World Responsible Tourism Awards.
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Having lived in Bangkok on and off for the past 7 years, I’ve thought quite a bit about the current constitutional crisis within Thailand. I’m not really qualified to offer …
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In our ‘Travel Tales’ series, our Travel Consultants share their travel stories. Our Travel Consultants regularly travel to the destinations they specialise in. This is how each hotel, experience and …
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In our ‘Travel Tales’ series, our Travel Consultants share their travel stories. Our Travel Consultants regularly travel to the destinations they specialise in. This is how each hotel, experience and …
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Nick, one of our Vietnam specialists, went on our evening vespa tour of Saigon. From sampling frog, to secret cafes to learning to maneuver through busy streets, here he shares …
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Earlier this month villagers in Cambodia’s central Kandal province celebrated the wedding of two pythons in an unusual ceremony that saw large female python Chamroeun married to her smaller mate, …
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So, after one of the most dangerous, unpredictable and upsetting weeks in the city’s recent history, Bangkok is picking up the pieces and returning to normal. Despite the fact that …
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On a recent trip to Northern Thailand, I finally got to visit Mae Hong Son Province and its principal towns – Pai and Mae Hong Son. The northern capital of …
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The Mekong River is one of Asia’s great waterways – a powerful, mesmerising and life-giving force that careers from the icy mountains of Tibet to the humid rice fields of …
In this blog, we hope to layout the defining features of an experience-based holiday and how it can change your time away into an extraordinary holiday.
Thailand is well known for its dramatic monsoon rains, and like it or not, whatever time of year you visit the Land of Smiles, there is a chance you will …
The following articles were written by Somtow Sucharitkul, a well known writer, musician and social commentator, and offer an angle on Thailand’s recent troubles not widely reported in the mainstream …