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
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
Five Ways to Have a Deeper Cultural Experience in Sri Lanka
By Zinara RathnayakeSri Lanka has emerged as the “it” destination, catering to visitors of all kind. The island nation, with its warm, welcoming people, abundant wildlife, hidden beaches, and quaint mountain hamlets, packs a hefty punch for its small size. Read more
Asia History
Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 2)
In Episode One of Escape from India during COVID-19, we introduced you to veteran journalist Anietra Hamper who was trying to escape from India after COVID-19 derailed her fishing assignment trip. Anietra and her fishing guide, Ian Henderson, were left stranded in India with only a narrow window to get … Read more Read more
India Experiences
Escape from India during COVID-19 (Part 1)
What was meant to be a four-week writing assignment to Nepal and India for veteran journalist Anietra Hamper, turned out to be an absolute nightmare for her and her traveling companion, Ian Henderson. Read more
India Experiences
Sustainable Tourism Trumps Palm Oil Plantations in Borneo, Malaysia
By Ann-Marie CahillOur guide on the Kinabatangan River in Borneo in Malaysia has been pointing out wildlife at every turn. Crocodiles sulking near the water’s edge. Proboscis monkeys lazing in the top of trees. Hornbills flying overhead. The only thing missing is the elusive pygmy elephant. The elephant’s absence hints at the … Read more Read more
Asia Sustainability
Bringing Mobility and Hope to the Philippines
By Jessica BarrettCreating 19 prosthetic limbs for 13 children in under a week might seem like a daunting task, but Robert Schulman has never shied away from a challenge. The certified prosthetist and founder of US-based nonprofit Limb Kind Foundation arrived in Davao City, Philippines in September with a team of 11 … Read more Read more
Asia Accessible Volunteer Travel Social Responsibility
Dark Tourism in Cambodia: Exploitation and Cultural Insensitivity
By Tara TadlockOver four years in the early 1970s, Cambodia, a Southeast Asian country now frequented by backpacking tourists, faced one of the worst human atrocities imaginable– a state-sponsored genocide wiping out one-third of the nation’s population. Read more
Asia Insights Social Responsibility
Exploring Comfort Zones and Culture in China
By Alexander GalantLeaving Canada for a three-week cultural adventure in China, I become infected with the travel bug that now fuels my future. Read more
Asia Experiences Transformative Events & Festivals
Lucknow: A Melting Pot of Architecture, Culture and Cuisine
By Bandita MukherjeeLocated by the Gomti river, a major tributary of River Ganga, Lucknow is a paradise for explorers with its time-honored architecture, lip-smacking dishes, lyrical zubaan (style of conversation), and world-famous garments. Read more
India Food & Drink History
Where to Go in Sumatra to Learn More About Conservation
By Nayla AzmiSumatra is known as one of the only places in the world that you can see the orangutan in the wild. But the island can teach you plenty about conservation, too. Read more
Asia Conservation
When River Ganga Flows by Europe
By Sugato MukherjeeUpstream along the quiet banks of the Ganga, not far from the bustle of Calcutta, lies a string of towns, where a slice of Europe came to roost long before the British did. Read more
India History
Mount Ijen: A Tale Of Toxic Trail
By Bandita MukherjeeI have come here in East Java to experience a midnight hike to the volcanic crater of Kawah Ijen and watch the blue fire created by the spontaneous combustion of subterranean gases and toxic yellow smoke. Read more
Asia Nature & Outdoors
Offbeat India: A Pilgrimage to the Source of the Ganges
By Trixie PacisIndia cradles an ancient and spiritual culture that draws visitors from around the globe. Spiritual experiences in the country range from temple visits and yoga retreats to 10-day silent Vipassana meditations. While India is best known by tourists for wonders like the Taj Mahal, our six-month sojourn brought us to … Read more Read more
India Off the Beaten Path Religious Travel History
How South Korea is Painting Its Way out of Poverty
By Rose MundayOn a warm June day, the ocean breeze cools balmy Busan, South Korean’s busiest port city. As I stand overlooking Gamcheon Culture Village nestled on the coast, I shiver as I imagine what it once was: a dangerous slum, ravaged by war. Nowadays the rainbow facade of Gamcheon Culture Village … Read more Read more
Asia Architecture History The Arts
Discovering my Roots in Malaysia
By Carmen AngMy first trip was a six-week journey through Malaysia, the country where my dad was born. Not only did this trip ignite the wanderlust that fuels me to this day, it also helped me discover my roots and develop a better understanding of my ethnic heritage. Read more
Asia Experiences History