The Best Small-Group Asia Tours to Take in 2022

This 10-day adventure departs immediately after our Northern Thailand trip, and takes you to the off-beat islands and beaches in southern Thailand. Sleep in a floating raft house on Khao Sok Lake, kayak through the tangled Bor Thor Mangrove Forest – home to sun bears and 3,000-year-old cave drawings – and relax on the white-sand beaches of Koh Yao Yai and Chicken Islands. There will also be ample time to lounge poolside, unwind with Thai massages and explore Ao Yon Bay, one of the most peaceful corners in Phuket.

Immerse yourself in the Vietnamese way of life on this 12-day exploration of Vietnam, starting in the capital of Hanoi and finishing 800km (500mi) south in Hoi An. Highlights include bamboo basket weaving in the Mai Chau valley, sailing through Lan Ha Bay on a luxury cruise (on-deck tai chi class included) and sampling street food in Hue, the former capital. You’ll also snorkel among multicoloured coral by the Chàm Islands, 15km (9mi) off the coast of Hoi An.

This 12-day immersion into Japanese culture starts in Osaka, with an outing to the neon-lit culinary playground of Dotonbori Street. Next, you’ll visit the Hiroshima Peace Park, hike through bamboo forests near Kyoto (where a geisha-spotting tour is optional), tour a “sake” brewery high in the Japanese Alps and enjoy views of Mount Fuji from Lake Ashi. The finale plays out in Tokyo, where you’ll watch sumo wrestlers train, learn how to make sushi and attend a “taiko” drumming class.