The Millennium Experience

In India, religion is no one-day-a-week affair: it’s a way of life—the force that moves the country. It governs the mind, defines most behavior, sets much of the country’s agenda and calendar. It can even become a personal lullaby or alarm clock, with Hindu chanting at nighttime and the Muslim muezzin calling the faithful to prayer in the morning.
India is also fusion and contrast. Throughout this country, where the earliest remnants of a civilization date from at least 3200 BC, you see the effect of repeated invasions on India’s culture and heritage. ... More

As the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Phnom Penh is strategically positioned in the center of the country at the confluence of four branches of the Mekong River. Though it was founded in 1434, Phnom Penh is a small city with only a million inhabitants. There are only a few notable sights, which you can easily cover in a morning. ... More

A feast of islands awaits you in the Philippines. Luzon has historic Metro Manila, with its vibrant nightlife, the breathtaking Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountain ranges to the north, and Spanish-era architecture and churches. The Visaya Islands have some of the country’s best sandy stretches and music-loving inhabitants, and Mindanao has towering Mt. Apo and rare flora and fauna. All three regions enjoy translucent seas, tropical beaches, and highlands to trek. This Archipelago of 7,107 Islands, extending between Taiwan to the north and Borneo to the south, seems like a misplaced Latin American country. ... More

A dynamic economy and an energetic people whose traditions are rooted in centuries of culture make Thailand the fulcrum of Southeast Asia. No other country in the region has so well combined a rush toward industrialization with a genuine reverence for heritage. Pristine mountain jungles and idyllic virgin beaches contrast with sleazy beach resorts and red-light districts, and amid the sensory kaleidoscope of the capital peaceful temple complexes and wonderful hotels are islands of calm. ... More

Laos is opening up to foreign tourists in gentle steps, beginning with the Friendship Bridge crossing the Mekong river to Nong Khai. Of all the peoples in Southeast Asia, Laotians seem the most gentle and peace loving, but this tiny landlocked nation, not much larger than Great Britain, has for centuries been a strategic battleground. Visas are now obtainable there and at the Vientiane airport (be sure you can show your outbound ticket and preferably a hotel reservation). New hotels are opening in Vientiane and the former capital, Luang Prabang. Outside these two cities, accommodation is pretty rudimentary and scheduled travel uncertain, but if you’re an intrepid traveler you’ll be able to find your way around and you will be welcomed. ... More

The city of Amman, once the capital of the Ammonite empire, and named Philedelphia under Graeco-Roman rule, has been the capital of modern-day Jordan since 1921. This sprawling city, originally built on seven hills, is home to about one-third of Jordan’s population. The hill areas contain mainly modern buildings, hotels and tourist facilities. However, for those in search of a more traditional Middle Eastern atmosphere, the area of most interest is the bustling Downtown area, with its many souks (markets) and cafés. A stroll through the district surrounding the King Hussein Mosque (built in 1924 and restored in 1987) will allow you to soak up the lively street atmosphere and to browse through the wares of stalls purveying everything from food to gold and souvenirs. ... More

Taiwan was, until recently, called Formosa, the Portuguese word for ‘beautiful’. A large island with towering mountains generously covered in lush subtropical forest, Taiwan lives up to its erstwhile name.
Officially the Republic of China, the island of Taiwan is situated 160km (99 miles) off the southeast coast of the People’s Republic of China. It includes the Penghu Archipelago, Liuchiu Island, Lanyu, Green Island, Kinmen, Matsu and Wuchiu. Taiwan is one of the most successful economic nations in the world. Almost exactly bisected by the Tropic of Cancer, Taiwan is surrounded by the East China Sea, the South China Sea, the Philippine Sea, and Pacific Ocean. It is separated from mainland China by the Formosa Strait. Taipei, home to around five and a half million people, is the capital. ... More