The Best Trips and Tours in East Asia

Where do you even start with Japan? There is so much to see. Do you stick to ancient towns or massive modern metropolises? Lakes or bamboo forests? Island adventures or an escape to the Japanese Alps? Our take is this – why should you have to choose? Japan’s famous high-speed train network is extraordinary, and forms the basis of our extensive Rail Trip across the country’s must-see destinations. We’ll meet you for some city exploration in Osaka before hopping on the train for some history in Hiroshima. We’ll take day trips to Miyajima Island and Arashiyama bamboo forest ahead of our arrival in Kyoto – arguably Japan’s most beautifully preserved ancient city. You’ll spot torii gates and local geishas before we continue north to the Japanese Alps, where we’ll visit a traditional folk village and go sake-tasting. In Hakone we’ll spend the night at a gorgeous ryokan – traditional Japanese inns equipped with onsen, or natural hot springs. Next up is a cruise on Lake Ashi, with Mount Fuji in the background, and volcanic adventures across Hell Valley. Our final destination? Tokyo of course. Get ready to watch sumo wrestlers train, try taiko drumming and take a sushi-rolling class as we explore the world’s largest city.

Sat right in between East Asia’s two behemoth nations is South Korea and its magical combination of luscious national parks, coastal gems and bustling urban giants. This is an amazing alternative to both China and Japan, offering a similarly exotic local culture, not to mention an equally diverse landscape within a far smaller radius. Our 10-day trip aims to offer you the ultimate cultural Korean experience, starting in Seoul, where we’ll explore a traditional Hanok village and sing the night away at karaoke. You’ll get to visit the notorious DMZ on the border with North Korea, before exploring the nation’s amazing countryside in Seoraksan National Park and Abai Village. We’ll explore the ancient capital of Gyeongju by bike, stopping for a well-earned dinner in a traditional Hanok. You’ll get to spend the night at a beautiful Buddhist temple, learning about meditation and martial arts in the process, before continuing to the coastal city of Busan. Our time there will be a feast for the senses, including famous fish markets, a traditional cooking class and a soju-tasting on the beach. We’ll visit the culturally rich city of Jeonju for a craft brewery visit and a farewell bibimbap dinner, before returning to Seoul to mark the end of our trip.

If underrated is really what you’re after, then the beautiful island of Taiwan should be top of your list. If Korea shares a little more history and culture with Japan, Taiwan does the same with nearby China. This place is totally unique, however, and our nine-day Rail Trip aims to showcase that. We’ll start with tours of capital Taipei and the nearby city of Taichung, before exploring Sun Moon Lake by cycling around it and boating across it. We’ll taste tea and visit an old temple before heading to the culinary capital of Tainan for a tour of the city and an authentic lunch. Next stop is Kaohsiung, home to the striking Dragon and Tiger Pagodas, as well as a stunning train station glass artwork and a trendy contemporary cultural space called Pier-2 Art Centre. Our next train journey winds up the stunning east coast, where we’ll head for outdoor explorations in the otherworldly Taroko Gorge. We’ll stop off at the traditional hill towns of Jiufen and Shifen en route back to Taipei, having a scenic lunch and releasing environmentally friendly sky lanterns. Back in Taipei, we’ll take an authentic cooking class and indulge in the city’s amazing night markets before calling time on our Taiwanese train epic.