Leading Asia specialist, Travel Indochina, has launched its new Asia Escorted Small Group Journeys brochure for 2015-16, bursting with travel inspiration for holidaymakers. The new brochure showcases 70 itineraries - including eight brand new tours - with more than 1,000 guaranteed departures to 11 countries across Asia, plus the opportunity to upgrade to 4-5 star Gold accommodation on many journeys.

Understanding that the best way to immerse in Asian culture is through personal, often spur-of-the-moment, interaction with the locals, Travel Indochina's new brochure is designed to inspire with itineraries that offer a balance of iconic and 'must see' sites as well as time off the tourist trail, plus all the practical information required to decide where and when to travel.

New for 2015-16, the operator has enhanced its special Insider Experiences for customers who are excited by discovery and want to delve a little deeper, enabling them to return home with stories to tell of unexpected encounters and memorable moments. All Insider Experiences are now defined into four categories:

Ø  Unique – uncover the 'real' Asia by escaping the crowds and going off the beaten track to enjoy special experiences rarely featured by other operators, including the chance to share lunch with Buddhist nuns in Burma or discover the Mekong Delta by speedboat in Vietnam.

Ø  Local – gain an authentic slice of local life by meeting the locals and making real connections, whether it is lunch in a Hutong family home or a rickshaw ride through the backstreets of Beijing. 

Ø  Special Stays – stay in places that are truly unique and full of character, from a boutique mountain-side eco lodge near Sapa in northern Vietnam or a Maharaja's Palace to a converted traditional sailing junk.

Ø  Taste – sample local cuisine and share fabulous dining experiences in Asia. Tour the vibrant food markets of Old Delhi or taste Vietnam's fresh beer at one of Hanoi's local Bia Hoi's. 

Added to these, Travel Indochina has introduced eight new itineraries including multi-country tours. Among the options is a 7-day 'Secrets of Southern Laos' covering the little-visited south and 4,000 Islands in the Mekong River. The itinerary offers a number of special treats, such as a 'Unique' cruise to spot the elusive Irrawaddy river dolphin; a visit to a small coffee plantation to 'Taste' a cup of robusta and Arabica coffee on the Bolaven Plateau; and a 'Special Stay' at La Folie Lodge. 

Another itinerary set to inspire is the new 6-day 'Taste of Burma' which can be combined with a cruise on the Irrawaddy river or a Ngapali beach escape. Customers will journey through Burma's most popular sites with highlights often missed by other travellers, including a 'Unique' opportunity to make new friends at a local village school in Bagan and the chance to 'Taste' Mandalay's famous mee-shay noodles by joining the locals who live in the villages around Inle Lake. 

Those with more time to spare can discover the highlights of three incredible destinations on Travel Indochina's new 20-day 'Thailand, Laos & Burma Explorer'. Key Insider Experiences include a 'Unique' visit to an elephant sanctuary to feed and wash these amazing mammals in Thailand's River Kwai region; an invitation to 'Taste' traditional Lao jaew dips during a delicious dinner in a family home in Vientiane; and a 'Local' market tour to meet people from hilltribe villages in Burma. 

With a guaranteed maximum of only 16 travellers, all Travel Indochina escorted group journeys allow for personal attention, with more opportunity for the guides to tailor activities to individual interests. All tours offer a combination of local English-speaking guides and expert Western tour leaders, ensuring that customers always travel alongside an insider who will introduce them to authentic Asian experiences, plus someone who understands their own culture and needs.

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Editor's notes:

Travel Indochina has been operating Small Group Journeys and tailor-made travel to the “real” Asia for 21 years. Today, the company features the widest range of itineraries of departures to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos than any other tour operator in the UK, as well as a large variety of journeys to Thailand, Burma, China and Tibet, India, Japan, Bhutan, Mongolia and Sri Lanka. Unlike many other travel companies, Travel Indochina limits its group size to a maximum of 16 people. These smaller groups enable travellers to gain the best from both worlds – greater access to the local culture and plenty of opportunities for independent exploration.

For more information on Travel Indochina, please visit: www.travelindochina.co.uk or telephone 01865 268 940.

For media information and images, please contact Sarah Habicht or Guy Hough at Hume Whitehead on 0845 498 9987 or email: sarah@humewhitehead.co.uk / guy@humewhitehead.co.uk.