Compass: Asia
“Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.”
–Miriam Beard
Explore beautiful Asia, the Earth’s largest continent. Covering more than 30 % of the planet’s land surface, Asia is the most populous region. It has a unique blend of many first civilizations. Asia’s history is vast and the continent is abundant with diverse ethnic groups, cultural heritage, traditions and religious beliefs; all worth learning more about.
The countries within beautiful Asia include: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Georgia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, North, Korea, South, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor Leste (West), Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam
There’s More to Kundasang, Borneo than Mount Kinabalu
By Ziba RedifFarfetched as it may seem, the tiny Malaysian mountain town of Kundasang is sometimes compared to the pastoral villages in the Alps. S Read more
Asia Off the Beaten Path
The Myths, Legends, and Magic of Malacca
By Tonya FitzpatrickSoutheast Asia is filled with cultural diversity, unique cuisine, and the most unbelievable panoramic views, such as tropical rainforests and seas. Located in the Southern region of the Malay Peninsula is the state of Malacca, and the capital is Malacca City which UNESCO named a world heritage site in 2008. Read more
Asia Off the Beaten Path History Preservation
Wild Mahseer of Assam: In Harmony with Nature
By Bandita MukherjeeBlessed with serenity and tranquility, Wild Mahseer, named after one of the toughest game fishes, offers unique natural and cultural experiences to visitors. Spread over 22 acres of land, the heritage bungalows with antique furniture and colonial décor provide the opportunity to relive history and it is a perfect place … Read more Read more
Asia Conservation
A Walking Tour Highlighting a Mumbai Slum’s Innovative Industry
By Bianca CaruanaDharavi, in central Mumbai, is considered one of the largest slums in Asia, but deep within this neighborhood, below the shanty grey roofs, loosely comprised of scavenged, upcycled metal, lives a resourceful and innovative community that plays an imperative role in Mumbai’s city-wide waste management. Read more
India Off the Beaten Path Social Responsibility
An Indonesian Village that Changed its Fate with the Internet
By Rose MundayWhen it comes to Indonesia, you might wonder how islands like Java can compete with the likes of Bali. Read more
Asia Technology Social Responsibility
Mahabaleshwar: A Tranquil Getaway in the Western Ghats of India
By Tania BanerjeeSunlight streamed in as I parted the window curtains of the double-decker luxury bus my husband and I were taking from Mumbai to the popular summer destination of Mahabaleshwar, 264 kilometers East of India’s biggest city. Outside, low-hanging tufts of clouds touched the opulent carpet of green that rolled down … Read more Read more
India Agritourism Off the Beaten Path History
Volungearing: A New Way to Do Good
By Bianca CaruanaA new kind of volunteer tourism has entered the travel industry with an innovative approach; Volungearing, conceived by TribesForGOOD, taps an individual’s skills to pair him or her successfully in the social impact sector. Read more
Asia Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
Why Ghibli Park Won’t Be an Amusement Park
By Ann-Marie CahillFrom botanical gardens to open-air museums with reconstructed villages, amusement parks have long been part of the mantra, ‘work hard, play hard’. They have been a place to escape the toils and responsibilities of everyday life (a sorely tempting offer, right now). The latest addition is Ghibli Park, scheduled to open … Read more Read more
Asia Family Travel
When Calcutta Housed These Retail Powerhouses
By Sugato MukherjeeIn his sleek and self-illustrated volume ‘Jakhan Choto Chilam’ (When I Was a Child), the great Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray vividly portrays kaleidoscopic cameos of Calcutta (now Kolkata) of the interwar years, a city where he grew up. Read more
India History
Coffee in Laos: an Unlikely Pathway out of Poverty
By Tara TadlockWhen people think of Southeast Asia, Thailand and Vietnam often come to mind first. But squeezed between them is Laos, a country covered in dense jungles and lush mountains perfectly suited for growing coffee, a relatively new crop that has grown recently in importance to the nation’s economy. Read more
Asia Food & Drink Humanity
Chasing a Volcanic Summit and its Legend
By Sugato MukherjeeThe small village of Cemoro Lawang is perched on the fringes of an undulating stretch of fine volcanic sand. This is Laut Pasir which, in Javanese, means Sea of Sand. My hotel, Bromo Permai, has a charming lobby that overlooks this unsettlingly unearthly territory. Read more
Asia Landscape History
Ging: Tea Trails in the Himalayan Foothills
By Bandita MukherjeeLeaving behind the tourist-filled streets of Darjeeling and the lingering whistle of the steam engine of the Heritage Himalayan Railway, our car enters the Lebong Valley. It is a different world altogether. Read more
India Food & Drink History
Splash and Burn: A Sumatran Conservation Mural Tour
By Nayla AzmiThe earth belongs to not only some humans, but all humans and other species that co-exist together. So it’s important to ensure everyone is on board in a conservation initiative. Read more
Asia The Arts Conservation
Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 3 Final)
The conclusion of Escape from India during COVID-19 continues with Anietra sharing more of the roller coaster ordeal that took her and Ian from hope to hopelessness and back. Now she is confronted with the memories of the traumatic experience. Read more
India Experiences
Conserving the Leuser Ecosystem through Slow Travel
By Nayla AzmiSumatra’s Leuser Ecosystem is a magnificent place. One of the largest intact forests left in Southeast Asia, the Leuser covers 2.6 million hectares and is the only place in the world where four important key species co-exist in the wild—the orangutan, tiger, elephant, and rhino. Read more
Asia Eco-tourism Conservation