Asia

Easy to travel, affordable and rewarding mix of adventure

The biggest continent; the birthplace of all major world religions

Asia is recognized as the largest and most populous continent on the planet, consisting of 48 countries that cover roughly one-third of the Earth’s surface area. It is the birthplace of some of the oldest civilizations and is characterized by an impressive variety of cultures. Approximately 2,300 languages are spoken across the continent, which is also the origin of all major world religions, including Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.

Stretching from Turkey to Japan, Asia presents a wide array of nations and territories that often share little in common, but sometimes they are also very similar.

The factors of religion, natural resources, and quality of land play a significant role in shaping the lifestyles of people, in addition to political developments or historical connections.

When certain nations were starting to welcome foreign visitors

My first encounter with Asia occurred during my Asian Big Tour in 1999 – 2000, primarily concentrating on the Southeast Asian region. At the end of millennium, Indonesia was experiencing an economic downturn, which resulted in a notable decrease in the number of visitors to the country. The devaluation of the local currency significantly lowered prices, enabling me to travel at a minimal cost.

Although the handover of Hong Kong to China had taken place on July 1^st 1997, the transition was not yet fully realized during my stay. Additionally, Cambodia and Laos were just beginning to open their doors to international tourists, and the local communities were still becoming accustomed to seeing foreigners. This was arguably the most favorable time to visit the region.

Years after completing the Asian Big Tour, I return to other countries in Asia on shorter journeys. My objective was to optimize the logistics of my visits to the Caucasus, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Central Asian countries, while also determining the most suitable times to visit areas that are often embroiled in conflict or war.

Communicating in local languages is inherently complex, and the process of learning any of them is a formidable undertaking. Spanish is widely utilized throughout most of the Americas, in addition to English, while French and English are prevalent across much of Africa. However, in Asia, establishing effective communication with local populations can be particularly challenging. To facilitate my interactions in Central Asia, specifically within the former Soviet Union, I decided to learn Russian, which was extremely helpful in a dozen of countries where it is spoken.

There are still several Asian countries that I aspire to visit, and it is likely that some will have to wait until I have traveled to all other countries worldwide.

I plan to save the most exciting destinations in Asia for my ultimate trip.