Transports of delight: 10 unusual ways to see Asia
We often associate certain modes of transport with particular places, but go the unexpected route and you’ll find new ways to enjoy these destinations.
Dubai by 4WD
Driving the dunes out of Dubai.Credit: iStock
Pass on daggy desert experiences that end in belly dancing and barbecues, and opt for proper dune-bashing outside Dubai. After basic instruction, you’re off. The heat soars, the engine roars and your instructor screams “Accelerate!” as you lurch, helplessly out of control, down sand hills the size of Uluru. Your spine will be more bashed than the dunes, but you’ll scream away a happy day.
See desert-safari-dxb.com
Laos by train
Better than a bumpy road: Laos’ new trains. Credit: iStock
In 2021 the opening of 416 kilometres of railway between Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Boten finally gave Laos a decent train ride and happy alternative to lumpy roads. There are express and local services, with some stations still to open. Inside Asia Tours has taken advantage with a scenic “Laos by Rail” tour that offers cultural immersion, sustainable activities and glorious scenery.
See insideasiatours.com
White-water rafting in Bali
Combat heat and humidity on an adrenaline-filled splash that takes you 10 kilometres down the Ayung River in central Bali on a raft or two-person inflatable kayak. Alternatively, the faster-flowing Telaga Waja River is more demanding: it starts on Mount Agung’s volcanic slopes and culminates in a four-metre spill down a dam. The gorge gets narrower downstream, widening occasionally into refreshing natural pools.
See raftingbali.net
Philippines by expedition ship
Our near neighbour is overlooked by expedition cruises despite its island-spangled seas, karst scenery, great reef snorkelling and friendly inhabitants. Aussie cruise company Coral Expeditions is changing that with a new 16-day expedition that takes in colonial and WWII history, busy Manila, and numerous stunning islands such as rugged Calayan, Palaui Island National Park and Maripipi, with its white sand and turquoise waters.
See coralexpeditions.com
Sri Lanka by hot-air balloon
See Sri Lanka from above.Credit: iStock
The shimmering green landscape around Dambulla in central Sri Lanka is a patchwork of tea plantations, lakes and forests dense in rosewood, teak and mahogany trees where gaudy parrots squawk. Villages are surrounded by rice fields scattered with giant granite boulders. Sigiriya is the stand-out: a 200-metre-high monolith encircled by moats and ramparts, and topped by a ruined fortress.
See srilankaballoon.com
India by safari jeep
Big cats in India – a tiger takes an early morning walk in Nagarahole forest.Credit: iStock
Leopards, deer, hyenas, lemurs, sloth bears and Asiatic lions are among wildlife worth a safari in India, but nothing beats sighting the elusive and endangered Bengal tiger. Abercrombie & Kent takes you on tour to three national parks (Kanha, Panna and Bandhavgarh) to search for the big cats amid the scrub and grasslands – though without having to sacrifice luxuries at tented camps.
See abercrombiekent.com.au
China by bullet train
If you associate Japan with bullet trains and China with bicycles, it’s time to get updated. China runs the world’s fastest scheduled trains (350km/h) from futuristic-looking railway stations on a network that links much of the country. You can get from Beijing to Shanghai in just under five hours, or to Xian in four – faster than schlepping through airports. Sleek trains are comfortable, very quiet and barely vibrate.
See 12306.cn
Hiking Hong Kong
Walking for a view in Hong Kong.Credit: iStock
Hong Kong isn’t all skyscrapers. Islands and countryside are crisscrossed by trails that range from easy to the scenically steep at Ap Lei Pai, where hand ropes help the peak ascent. Lantau Island is popular for ornate Po Lin Monastery and beaches. Get more remote at birdwatching destination Nam Sang Wai Wetlands, or among bat caves and volcanic pillars at coastal Yin Tsz Ngam. See hiking.gov.hk
Northern Thailand by bicycle
Cycle down country laneways past stands of bamboo and dragon-fruit plantations haunted with white butterflies. Pedal past temples with gold-leaf Buddhas, and wooden houses afloat in rice paddies where muddy kids giggle. Cycling is the slow way to enjoy local life in cooler-climate northern Thailand, where you can stay in eco-accommodation outside Chiang Mai such as Lisu Lodge, which supports jobs for hill-tribe people.
See asian-oasis.com
Japan by cruise ship
Cruising in Japan is booming, and for good reason. The Japanese have invested in improved cruise and tourism infrastructure, and the island nation’s indented, volcano-topped coastlines and port cities make for easy exploration by cruise ship, with most itineraries sailing round-trip from Tokyo or Yokohama. Meanwhile expedition cruises take in esoteric subtropical islands such as the reef-fringed Okinawa and Ryukyu archipelagos.
See silversea.com
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