Asia

Take a trip off the beaten path. Get your camping gear and your walking stick and trek through the beauty of Bhutan. As you fly into Paro, witness the beauty of the Himalayas. Bhutan, the Land of the Peaceful Dragon, has successfully avoided severe degredation of its pristine environment. The strong political influence of the Buddhist monks who reside in Bhutan has resulted in a strict policy of "restricted" tourism and socio-economic development and the ability to maintain the delicate balance between humans and nature. For this reason, you will enjoy the beauty of the Bhutanese culture and environment.

As you plan your trek through Bhutan, be sure to include the trails along the Paro river in your journey. These trails accompany the river as it winds through the country and passes by many of Bhutan's dzongs, or monastic fortresses. The trails also provide views of Bhutan's many mountains, including Jhomulhari, Bhutan's sacred mountain. You will also see many different species of plants and animals. For you yak enthusiasts, take the hike into Lingshi to view numerous yak pastures. Herds of the distinct blue sheep can bee seen in the valleys of Tsharijathang.

For further information on trekking through Bhutan, visit these sites:

Bhutan
Basic travel info
Info on tours in Asia
Asian Trekking
Tourism in the Himalayas

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Nepal

Since you have to fly to Bhutan through either India or Nepal, take the route through Kathmandu and visit the Royal Chitwan National Park where you can ride an elephant through the National preserve while searching for glimpses of such wildlife as the endangered benal tigers, rhinocerous, leopards, gold jackals, mongooses, scarlet minivets, rose-ringed parakeets, sloth bears and monkeys. While not too athletic, elephant ride through the park can be dangerous with all those wild animals around. There have even been reports of a tiger charging an elephant carrying a tourist (no animal, human or otherwise, was injured in this incident), but it's definitely something to check out.

You can also trek through Nepal, though many say that Nepal has deteriorated with all the Western influence. In fact, becoming "another" Nepal is something that the Buddhist monks in Bhutan are trying to avoid by restricting tourism. Nevertheless, Nepal is home to Mt. Everest and some of the most beautiful parts of the Himalaya and trekking through Nepal can be a great journey. Some good sites on trekking through Nepal:

Nepal Himalaya Trekking
Asian Trekking
Travel Nepal

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Thailand

Thailand offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. And with those beaches comes some of the best diving in Asia. The southern islands of Thailand offer many opportunities for scuba diving, sea canoeing and sea kayaking. The island of Phuket in the Indian Ocean is a great place for diving for the novice and the expert. To get there, take either an on-road journey from Bangkok (although this trip last about 14 hour, you get to see the beautiful countryside) or fly for about 2 hours to reach the island from Bangkok. Once there, you can dive and explore the undersea beauty of the Indian Ocean or hike or bike through the surrounding areas of Phang Nga, Khao Sok, Phi Phi and Krabi and see rice paddys and coconut plantations. For the more adventurous types, explore the splendor of Chumphon on the Gulf of Thailand, 460 kilometers south of Bangkok. This region is relatively unexplored and underdeveloped. Or explore Pattaya, two hours south of Bangkok for reef diving. For the die-hard divers, check out the possible diving excursions from Pattaya to Phuket.

For more info on Thailand, check out these sites:

General information about Thailand
Tourist Authority of Thailand
Thailand information
Thailand and Tourism

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