Asia
What immediately comes to mind when you think of Asia? Polite people, amazing food, diverse culture, and breathtaking landscapes. A key factor is certainly the relatively affordable travel costs, which make experiencing Asia possible even on a small budget.
Malaysia - Borneo
Bus tour
Must-see attractions: KL Tower Sky Deck - Batu Caves - Mederka Square - Sultan Abdul Samad Building - Sin Sze Si Ya Temple - PNB 118 (photo only) - Petronas Twin Towers - Tan Hou Temple - Street food - Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station - Taman Negara National Park - Cameron Highlands tea plantations - Moss Forest - Perak Tong Cave Temple - Kek Lok Si Temple - Street art in Georgetown - Kuching along the Sarawak River - Light show in front of the Parliament Building - Bako National Park - Nature and wildlife in Sabah
Route: Kuala Lumpur - Taman Negara - Cameron Highlands - Ipoh - Penang Island - Georgetown - Kuching - Sandakan - Kinabatangan - Kuala Lumpur (19 days / Best travel time April to September)
Malaysia is so hard to describe. A country that's a melting pot of cultures, blending Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous influences, where Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity coexist peacefully. A country with amazing cuisine, lush and pristine landscapes that range from modern metropolises like Kuala Lumpur to ancient rainforests and idyllic beaches...
Laos
Bus tour
Must-sees: Arrival via Chiang Rai (temple hopping) - Mekong River by slow boat - Pak Ou Caves - Luang Prabang - typical food at night markets - alms round by monks - Kuang Si Waterfalls - Vang Vieng - Patuxai Arch of Triumph - Pha That Louang National Shrine - Tad Fane Waterfall - Wat Phou - Mekong Delta - Relaxing on Don Khone - Enjoying Singha beer - Khone Phapheng and Li Phi Waterfalls - Departure from Ubon Ratchathani
Route: Chiang Rai - Houeixay - Mekong - Pakbeng - Mekong - Luang Prabang - Vang Vieng - Vientiane - Pakse - Bolaven Plateau - Champasak - Mekong - Don Khone - Pakse - Ubon Ratchathani (15 days / Best travel time November to February)
Laos is still a very authentic part of Southeast Asia, with no large hotel complexes or pushy vendors. The infrastructure is very basic, the landscape is diverse, and life moves at a relaxed pace. The people are very friendly, and the typical Southeast Asian food is fantastic. This is exactly how it should be, and it's highly recommended to take your time to get to know Laos properly, rather than just briefly touching on it as part of a typical multi-country tour.
Japan
Private tour
Must-sees: Tokyo Skytree - learning how to queue - temples and shrines in Kamakura - Shinkansen ride - Kanmangafushi Gorge - Hakone National Park - Kaiseki cuisine - Lake Ashi - Matsumoto Castle - onsen bathing - Kenkoru-en Garden - Shirakawa-go - Kyoto Imperial Palace - strolling through Kyoto's old town - Yakasa Shrine - Kiyomizu-dera - Bamboo Forest - Thousand Gates Shrine - feeding deer in Nara - Hiroshima Castle - Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park - Miyajima - Himeji Castle - Dotonbori Osaka
Route: Tokyo - Kamakura - Nikko NP - Hakone Yumoto - Matsumoto - Kanazawa - Shirakawa-go - Kyoto - Nara - Hiroshima - Iwakuni - Miyajima - Osaka (20 days / Best travel time March to May and October / November)
Japan is simply a dream travel destination. Everything is quite relaxed and incredibly well-organized. It's very clean and there's hardly any crime. The sights and scenery are fantastic, and the food is outstanding.
Central Asia - TKM / UZB / KGZ
Bus tour
Must-sees: Ashgabat - Hiking in Mary - Kohne Urgench - 1001 Nights in Khiva - Ark Citadel and Poi Kalon in Bukhara - Timur's White Castle - Admire and enjoy Registan Square in Samarkand - Stroll through Tashkent - Experience the Tian Shan Mountains in Bishkek - Lake Issyk-Kul
Rock paintings in Cholpon-Ata - Wooden church in Karakol - Skazka Gorge (Fairy Tale Canyon) - Visit eagle hunters
Route: Ashgabat - Mary - Ashgabat - Dashoguz - Khiva - Bukhara - Shar-e Sabs - Samarkand - Koni Gil - Tashkent - Bishkek - Issyk Kul - Karakol - Bishkek (17 days / Best travel time May to September)
This section of the ancient Silk Road is incredibly impressive and diverse. Along the old caravan routes, you can admire magnificent madrasas and mausoleums, the rugged landscapes of the mountain regions are breathtaking, and strolling through the ancient cities allows you to experience the charm of the Orient...
India - Rajasthan
Private - Round trip with driver
Must-sees: Taj Mahal - Palace of Winds (exterior view) - Udaipur and boat trip on Lake Pichola - Kumbhalgarh - Chittorgarh Fort - Ranakpur Jain Temple - Mehrangarh Fort - Jaisalmer - Indian cuisine - Mango Lassi in Jodhpur (Shri Mishrilal Hotel) - Staying in Maharaja palaces
Route: Delhi - Agra - Jaipur - Kota - Chittogarh - Udaipur - Ranakpur - Kumbhalgarh - Luni - Jodhpur -Jaisalmer - Bikaner - Mandawa - Delhi (18 days / Best travel time November to February)
Many tourists probably start their trip to India in the south. However, because of the sheer number of sights, we were determined to begin in Rajasthan and had a truly impressive journey. It took us three attempts to make it happen...
Thailand
Combining Bangkok and beach
Must-see attractions: Klong boat trip - Royal Palace - Wat Arun - Mahanakon Tower - Khao San Road - Phang Nga Bay - street food stalls and beach bars
Route: Bangkok - Khao Lak (15 days / Best time to travel: November - March)
My second visit to Bangkok left me with mixed feelings. It didn't quite feel like Thailand. The Khao Lak region is a great starting point for a tour of Phang Nga Bay. Some say it's the most beautiful bay in the world...
If you're more interested in details about a tour of Thailand, then read on here...
Israel - Jordan
Bus tour
Must-see attractions: the atmosphere of Tel Aviv; the Pontius Pilate Inscription, the aqueduct and amphitheater in Caesarea; the Baháʼí Gardens; life on a kibbutz; the "Jesus Boat"; the Golan Heights; the Church of the Annunciation; the Baptismal Site of Jesus; Herod's fortress Masada; swimming in the Dead Sea; the Mount of Olives; the Church of the Holy Sepulchre; the Via Dolorosa; the Western Wall; Mount Zion; the Church of the Nativity; the Shrine of the Book; enjoying Amman; Mount Nebo; the mosaic in St. George's Church; Petra; and tours in Wadi Rum.
Route: Tel Aviv - Caesarea - Haifa - Acre - Kibbutz - Sea of Galilee - Golan Heights - Nazareth - Beit Alfa - Jordan Valley - Qasr El Yahud - Dead Sea - Masada - Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Amman - Jerash - Ajlun - Amman - Madaba - Mount Nebo - Petra - Wadi Rum - Aqaba - Amman (11 days / Best time to travel: March to May and September to October)
It doesn't get much more historically significant than this...
Myanmar
Bus tour
Must-sees: Shwedagon Pagoda - Bagan - Mount Popa - Mingun Pagoda and Bell - Mandalay Royal Palace - World's Largest Book - Ponnya Shin Pagoda - U Bein Bridge - Pindwa Caves - Ngapali Beach
Route: Yangon - Bagan - Mandalay - Mingun - Inwa - Saigaing - Amarapura - Inle Lake - Thandwe (16 days / Best time to travel: November to March)
During our Indochina tour, we came across Bagan almost by chance. Since we wanted to experience Myanmar anyway, which we considered to be the most authentic part of Asia, and Bagan is located in Myanmar, it was a perfect fit, so off we went...
Indonesia
Private - Round trip with driver
Definitely experience: Leusder NP - Masijid Raya (Great Mosque) - Maimun Palace - Volcanoes - Batak Villages - Prambanan Temple - Borobudur - Bromo - Makassar - Toraja Land - Tanah Lot - Ulun Danu Temple - Besakih Temple City - Mount Batur
Route: Medan - Bukit Lawang - Binjai - Medan - Lake Toba - Berastagi - Yogjakarta - Surabaya - Tosari - Denpasar - Sanur - Lovina - Ubud (20 days / Best travel time April to October)
Indonesia is probably primarily associated with Bali. However, Indonesia has over 17,000 islands. We visited only four islands – Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and Bali – and have to say that Bali doesn't really live up to the hype...
Indochina - Singapore
Bus tour
Must-see attractions: Wat Phom - Royal Palace - Tuol Sleng Museum - Angkor Wat - Angkor Tom - Ta Prom - Tonle Sap - Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum - Forbidden City in Hue - Tu Duc Tomb - Thien Mu Pagoda - Thu Bon River boat trip - Reunification Palace - Pho dinner - Marina Bay Sands
Route: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Tonle Sap Lake - Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hue - Hoi An - Ho Chi Minh City - Singapore (14 days / Best time to travel: December to March)
Cambodia, Vietnam and Singapore stopover in one trip...
Sri Lanka - Maldives
Private - Round trip with driver
Must-sees: Isurumuniya Temple - Sri Maha Bodhi - Mirisavatiya Dagoba - Rock Fortress - Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa Old Town - Vatadage - Gal Vihara - Golden Temple - Tooth Relic - Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Highland Tea Drinking - Safari in Yala National Park - Stilt Fishermen
Route: Colombo - Anuradhapura - Habarana - Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa - Habarana - Dambulla - Kandy - Pinnawela - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Yala NP - Hambantota - Colombo - Maldives (14 days / Best travel time December to April)
A private tour of Sri Lanka with a driver, followed by a stay on a barefoot island in the Maldives. A beautiful combination of countries with diverse landscapes, stunning Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka, and the unique island world of the Maldives...
Thailand Round Trip
Bus tour
Must-sees: Canal boat trip - Royal Palace - Wat Pho - Wat Traimit - Floating markets - Bridge on the River Kwai - Overnight stay on the River Kwai - Getting to know the Mon people - Wat Mongkol Bohpit - Wat Phra Sri Sanphet - Sukhotai Historical Park - Lampang Luang Temple - Meo hill tribes - Wat Rhong Khun - Ban Mai viewpoint - Overnight stay with the Hmong - Wat Doi Suthep
Route: Bangkok - Damnoen Saduak - Kanchanaburi - Ayutthaya - Phitsanulok - Sukhothai - Lampang - Chiang Rai - Golden Triangle - Chiang Mai - Bangkok - Hua Hin (14 days / Best travel time December to April)
A tour of Thailand is a must...
China
Bus tour/boat trip
Must-see attractions: Temple of Heaven - Great Wall - Ming Tombs - Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City - Summer Palace - eat authentic Peking duck - Terracotta Army - Wild Goose Pagoda - Xi'an City Walls - Chongqing Old City - Three Little Gorges - Three Gorges Dam - Bund - Jade Buddha Temple - Reed Flute Cave - Li River - Victoria Peak - Hong Kong Fish Market
Route : Beijing - Xi'an - Chongqing - Yangtze River Cruise - Yichang - Wuhan - Shanghai - Suzhou - Tongli - Shanghai - Guilin - Hong Kong - Hainan (21 days / Best time to travel: April to June and September to November)
Our first tour of Asia is to China, not Thailand. China has a very special appeal due to its unique history and its unique fascination. Therefore, we're planning a grand tour of China...
UAE Dubai
Site visit
Must-see attractions: Burj Khalifa - Burj al Arab - Dubai Mall - Dubai Fountain - Jumeirah Beach - The Walk - Atlantis the Palm - Aquaventure Waterpark - Dubai Marina - Skyline
Route : Dubai (4 days / Best time to travel: November to March)
What can one say about Dubai? According to surveys, it's the number one dream destination...