Passion Points: Learning
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On her recent solo trip to India, Alyssa Duncan stayed with the Maharajah of Burdwan and his wife in their palace overlooking Mt. Katchenjunga. But Duncan also visited Hayden Hall in Darjeeling, a non-profit foundation that teaches poor women to be self-sufficient; a working tea plantation; and a Tibetan refugee center where she heard tales of fleeing from Chinese rule. “I met people I never would have met before on a regular luxury vacation,” says Duncan. “It was individual and authentic. And I was treated like a family friend, not a paying guest.”
Which is exactly the kind of experience that one of our preferred Asian specialists offers travelers on bespoke trips.
“I love the contrast of going five-star and then having real adventures,” explains the co-owner, who lived in Asia for seven years. “We believe it’s a richer, more authentic experience if you spend time with people from all walks of life.” One recent visitor traveled to the remote hill country in northern Laos where she and her husband George spent time with a local tribe. “We did a two-hour trek into the mountains to have lunch with a family who cut and sell bamboo for a living. My husband was skeptical of the plan at first, but then he said it was the best part of the trip.” –Sunshine Flint
Read about an opportunity to teach English in Hanoi.
Read more suggestions on Burma on the Ask Advice Boards
Read about Eric Raisina: A couturier in Cambodia
Read a member’s rave about the Nam Hai and tips for what to see and do
Read about bringing water to kids in Cambodia
Read about Amara, a special cruise boat in Myanmar
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