FAR EAST SPECIALIST COX & KINGS LAUNCHES 2014 BROCHURE WITH NEW TOURS IN CHINA AND JAPAN

The world's longest established travel company, Cox & Kings, has launched its new Far East brochure for 2014 featuring a comprehensive programme of escorted group tours and private tailor-made holidays to China, Japan, Mongolia and Southeast Asia. For 2014 there will be new escorted group tours to China, Japan and Thailand and expanded tailor-made sections for China, Mongolia, Thailand and Burma.

Neill Prothero, Far East product manager at Cox & Kings says: "I am delighted to be introducing three new escorted tours for 2014. Our clients want to explore the areas off the usual tourist trail but many still want to know they have the security of travelling with like-minded people in a group. Cox & Kings provides one of the most complete programmes to the Far East and we have the experience, knowledge and expertise both in our London office and on the ground to arrange an itinerary perfectly suited to clients' exact requirements. There's very little we can't arrange".

CHINA: China remains one of the bestselling countries in Cox & Kings' Far East brochure. With clients increasingly looking to travel away from the main tourist areas so as well as a new escorted tour to Yunnan province, additional tailor-made suggestions have been included such as cookery, tai chi or calligraphy lessons, teahouse operas and champagne picnics on the Great Wall.

NEW: The exciting new Yunnan Explorer tour ventures into some of the less-visited, ethnically diverse parts of China, focussing on Yunnan province. Home of evocative sounding locations such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge, the scenery is spectacular but the real attraction is being able to travel through the lesser known parts of China. The tour ends in Hong Kong and Macau, two former colonial cities that make a sharp contrast to the rest of China.  Yunnan Explorer is an 11-day / 9-night escorted group tour, priced from £2,995 per person.

JAPAN: Cox & Kings reports that passenger numbers to Japan increased by 45% in 2012 compared to 2011. There is increased demand for visits to more rural regions and the luxury operator is introducing an escorted tour to the north of the country. Suggestions for enhancing a tailor-made holiday to Japan have been included such as Ikabena flower arranging, a visit to a sumo training session or a Japanese home cooking lesson.

NEW: Northern Japan Explorer explores the little-visited Japanese island of Hokkaido, known for its scenery, lakes and mountains. The tour begins in Sapporo, a town famous for its breweries and continues to Lake Toya and the mountain towns of Furano and Asahikawa. Two nights are spent in Daisetsuzan National Park to enjoy the many trails and waterfalls as well as a visit to Monbetsu to take a cruise on the Sea of Okhotsk.  Northern Japan Explorer is an 11-day / 9-night escorted tour priced from £3,995 per person.

BURMA: Burma remains one of the company's bestselling destinations, with a further growth in passenger numbers in 2013 of 20% compared to 2012. Whilst numbers for the escorted tour remain high, there has been a shift towards tailor-made bookings, showing increasing confidence in the country's infrastructure. A 13-day / 10-night escorted group tour, The Golden Land of Burma, is priced from £3,395 per person.  A new luxury river cruiser, the Orcaella, which is operated by Orient Express, has recently begun cruising into the northern region of Burma. A 16-day / 13-night tour, including an 11-night cruise from Mandalay to Pagan via remote villages and ancient monasteries, is priced from £6,495 per person.

NEW: THAILAND: With passenger numbers travelling in south-east Asia increasing, Cox & Kings is introducing a new escorted tour to Thailand. Visiting the country's classic sights as well as some lesser-visited attractions, this tour is an excellent introduction to the country and also includes the Golden Triangle near Chiang Rai where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. Highlights of Thailand is 13-day / 11-night tour is priced from £2,795 per person.

INDONESIA: Following the successful launch of Cox & Kings' escorted tour to Indonesia in 2013, there are additional tailor-made suggestions including the islands of Sumatra, where travellers can visit the Bohorok Orang Utan Centre and explore the rich wildlife of the Kerinci Seblat National Park, one of the last refuges of the Sumatran rhinoceros and tiger; and Sulawesi, home of the unique cultures and traditions in Tana Toraja and the Bantimurung Bulusaraung National Park, famous for its stunning limestone karst formations, waterfalls and caves. With a total of almost 17,000 islands, a cruise is an ideal way to explore the more remote areas and discover a land where traditional life has changed very little over the centuries. Cox & Kings has introduced a selection of cruising options.

All prices include flights, transfers and guided excursions and accommodation with breakfast daily and other meals as specified.

Please see www.coxandkings.co.uk/far-east for the full programme to the Far East.

For more information or images, or to request a copy of the brochure, please contact Katie Parsons on 020 7808 5694 or email katie.parsons@coxandkings.co.uk

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PRESS INFORMATION: KATIE PARSONS

PRESS OFFICE: 020 7808 5694 / katie.parsons@coxandkings.co.uk

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