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Travel Indochina’s 18 most memorable travel experiences in Asia

Do you remember turning 18? For many it is an extremely memorable moment. At Travel Indochina the past 18 years have involved lots of travelling, learning and growing - and we’re not done yet!

To mark our 18th birthday we’d like to share with you our 18 most memorable travel experiences in Asia. From a sunrise at Angkor Wat to a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto, these are some of the special moments that make our small group tours and tailor made holidays to Asia so very unique. (click on one of these experiences to find our more or scroll down and read them all)

1.  Vietnam - An overnight boat trip on Halong Bay
2.  Vietnam - A bike ride from Dalat to Vung Tau
3.  Vietnam - An ecolodge in Sapa
4.  Laos - A Lao cooking class
5.  Laos - An elephant trek in XePian National Protected Area
6.  Laos - A slow boat down the Mekong River
7.  Thailand - A jungle raft on the River Kwai
8.  Cambodia - Watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat
9.  Cambodia - Receive a water blessing

10.  China - Share a cup of Yak butter tea with a Tibetan family
11.  China - Share lunch with a local family in Beijing
12.  China - See the Great Wall of China away from the crowds
13.  India - An Indian cooking class in a Rajasthani palace
14.  India - A traditional milk market in Jaipur
15.  India - A family walk with an elephant and mahout
16.  Japan - A tea ceremony in Kyoto
17.  Mongolia - Mongolia’s greatest festival
18.  Bhutan - Cliff-hanging Tiger’s Nest Monastery

1. Vietnam - An overnight boat trip on Halong Bay

Halong Bay in Vietnam is a travellers’ favourite, and any boat trip on her waters is a magical one, but waking up to see the sun climbing over the limestone outcrops after a peaceful night spent floating on the bay is something we’ll never forget, and neither will you.

An overnight boat trip on Halong Bay can be experienced on:

2. Vietnam - A bike ride from Dalat to Vung Tau

The scenery along the coast of Vietnam is stunning, and views across the South China Sea can take your breath away, but to witness it from your bicycle whilst riding down from the mountains in Dalat, through Mui Ne and on to Vung Tao is out of this world.

A bike ride from Dalat to Vung Tao can be experienced on:

Cycling Vietnam - 19 days

3. Vietnam - An ecolodge in Sapa

Travel to the north of Vietnam and journey into the fascinating lives of the ethnic minority villagers that thrive in the unique conditions high in the mountains. Perched on the edge of the mountain with spectacular views of the valley below, Topas Ecolodge works extensively to further a sustainable community.

An ecolodge in Sapa can be experienced on:

4. Laos - A Lao cooking class

Discovering new and wonderful cuisine is a part of travelling, and learning to cook it yourself means you can bring part of the world home with you. Taking part in a hands-on cooking class in a delightful open-air pavilion in Luang Prabang in Laos gives you the chance to create and then consume your own creations.

A Lao cooking class can be experienced on:

5. Laos - An elephant trek in XePian National Protected Area

While once tourism was a purely self-indulgent pleasure, these days we experience the pleasure of giving back to the world we travel through. XePian National Protected Area in Southern Laos is a remote and undisturbed haven with over 29 habitats. A visit helps not only to protect this vital land, but support the local communities. What better way to “tread lightly” than to see the park from the back of an elephant?

An elephant trek in XePian National Protected Area can be experienced on:

Inside Laos - 17 days

6. Laos - A slow boat down the Mekong River

Leave the hustle and bustle of your daily routine behind and discover a slower pace of life as you cruise slowly down the Mekong River, past untouched forests, local fisherman and small rural villages. Spending the night in the small market town of Pakbeng is an insight into rural Laos, where majority of the population lives.

A slow boat down the Mekong River can be experienced on:

7. Thailand - Jungle rafts on the River Kwai

Sitting on the deck of your jungle raft, nestled on the bank of the River Kwai in Thailand, watch the sun fall behind the river as the sounds of the lush jungle surrounding you come to life. Staying deep in the mountains, connect with the untamed nature for an experience both peaceful and exciting.

Staying on a jungle raft on the River Kwai can be experienced on:

8. Cambodia - Watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat

Witnessing the incredible temples of Angkor in Cambodia is one of those things you should do once in your life. Rising before dawn and creep through the jungle, your path lit only by torchlight, to enter the temple complex through the little-used eastern gate, away from the crowds. Watching the sun’s first rays falling on Angkor Wat will stay with you forever.

Watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat away from the crowds on:

9. Cambodia - Receive a water blessing

Find peace. A water blessing from a Buddhist monk at the serene TepPranam Pagoda soothes body and soul while you gain a deeper understanding of Cambodia's main religion.

Receive a water blessing on:

10. China - Share a cup of Yak butter tea with a Tibetan family

Exotic and alluring, Tibet conjures visions of adventure in far flung lands. Pass nomad camps and herds of yak as you travel to a sparkling turquoise lake flanked by snow-capped peaks. Here, stop at a local family home to share a cup of steaming yak butter tea and discover the astonishing way of life in this remote region.

Share a cup of Yak butter tea with a Tibetan family on:

Tibet Experience - 11 days

11. China - Share lunch with a local family in Beijing

China is a complex and intriguing place where the past, present and future reside side by side. Scratch beneath the surface of thronging Beijing with a rickshaw ride through the ancient hutongs, or backstreets, and then share a tasty, homemade lunch in a family home to see how the locals live and truly feel a part of this great city.

Share lunch with a local family in Beijing on:

12. China - See the Great Wall of China away from the crowds

No visit to China is complete without a visit to the Great Wall of China. To stand in a place so famous, well-known to all of us since childhood, is an almost surreal feeling, but the spell can be easily broken by the masses of tourists surrounding you. Travel instead to a section of the wall at Mutianyu that is less frequented for a more authentic experience, or see the very end of the wall on a Silk Road journey.

See the Great Wall of China away from the crowds on:

13. India - An Indian cooking class in a Rajasthani palace

Standing on the rooftop terrace of a Rajasthani palace, the heady aromas of indulgent Indian cuisine surrounds you and the sounds of local musicians float through the air. You are captivated by the colour and movement of the dancers performing to Rajasthan's renowned desert rhythms.Not an ancient tale of Indian royalty, but a cooking class held in a Rajasthani palace. Entertaining and informative, this activity excites all your senses.

An Indian cooking class in a Rajasthani palace can be experienced on:

14. India - A traditional milk market in Jaipur

India is filled with not-to-be-missed icons like the Taj Mahal, and is remarkable in its diversity. At a traditional milk market, watch turbaned farmers and buyers banter over the quality and value of this Indian staple, for a glimpse into the heart of the Indian people.

A traditional milk market in Jaipur can be experienced on:

15. India - A family walk with an elephant and mahout

Develop inquisitive minds when you share the new and wondrous sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Asia with your family. Imagine your kids walking with you from village to village in India, with a local elephant and its mahout, learning about the remarkable relationship between elephants and humans.

A family walk with an elephant and mahout can be experienced on the Family Journey:

Pappadoms & Palaces - Family - 10 days

16. Japan - A tea ceremony in Kyoto

Kyoto is the cultural capital of Japan and the streets are filled with serene gardens, ancient doorways leading to perfectly preserved temples, theatres highlighting ancestral art forms, and graceful geisha darting into the most famous of Japanese icons, tea houses. Appreciate for yourself the cultural significance when you take part in a beautiful, traditional tea ceremony.

A tea ceremony in Kyoto can be experienced on:

17. Mongolia - Mongolia’s greatest festival

The centuries-old Naadam festival includes the national sports of horse racing, archery and wrestling, with participants of all ages competing. This is Mongolia's most important festival and is celebrated all over the country. Seeing the festival is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but to get away from the capital of Ulaan Baatarto experience it in rural Mongolia offers the chance to get much closer to the action and provide a more intimate experience with the locals.

Mongolia’s greatest festival can be experienced on:

Trans-Mongolian Adventure - 17 days

18. Bhutan - Cliff-hanging Tiger’s Nest Monastery

Perhaps it is the intact Buddhist culture that has seen Bhutan ranked as the happiest country in Asia. Closed to tourism until recently, a trip to remote Bhutan unveils sweeping pristine landscapes, enthralling traditions and ancient relics, and a trip to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery reveals all three. It is well worth the steep climb up to emerge at this incredible building perched on the edge of a cliff.

Cliff-hanging Tiger’s Nest Monastery can be experienced on: