INDIA & ORIENT WITH ABERCROMBIE & KENT:

India & Bhutan
When you visit, be prepared for heat and, in the south, high humidity. Food specialties vary from region to region, ranging from the rich Mughal-influenced meat dishes of the north to the flavorful, satisfying vegetarian meals of the south. While local chefs use spices with an extravagant hand, usually their complex mixtures add layers of flavor rather than heat. Neighboring Bhutan, nestled in the eastern Himalayas between India and Tibet, offers another experience entirely. Long isolated from the world at large, Buddhist Bhutan is — slowly and carefully — opening its doors to outsiders. Travellers are an important source of foreign exchange, but nonetheless their numbers are strictly controlled to protect traditional ways of life. Visitors should be prepared for the pleasures (and minor limitations) of a journey “back in time.” Bhutan’s landscapes are pristine and its traditional cultures fascinating, but remember too that some modern conveniences (like purchases by credit card and your favorite soft drink) will likely not be available.

Thailand, Myanmar, Indochina & Indonesia
These destinations, visitors can expect a warm welcome, in more ways than one. Travellers should anticipate high temperatures and humidity, and do as the locals do: Drink plenty of water and wear the lightweight cottons and silks that are so plentiful and popular here. The food will enchant you — fresh, light and bursting with complex flavor combinations. In Vietnam and Cambodia, French influence is obvious: Paté and crusty baguettes share the table with the ubiquitous rice and noodles

China, Hong Kong, Japan & Mongolia
China is a land of contrasts, a place where startling juxtapositions of old and new seem able, at least for the present, to coexist. As the country breaks from its Red-Guard past and forges ahead with the most extensive market reforms on earth, China struggles to find a practical balance between tradition and innovation. The process is always fascinating to watch, and A&K’s local connections give you a front-row seat. These insiders will open closed doors for you — by providing a uniquely personal and thought-provoking point of view, or literally taking you behind the scenes at the Forbidden City or the excavation pits of Xian. Visiting China with A&K brings you into contact with artists, activists, actors, archeologists, business leaders, entrepreneurs, dancers, historians: quite simply, the face of China today. If you’re daunted by China’s size, note the number of air-route lines on A&K’s itinerary maps. The country’s extensive air network makes covering long distances easy, in a domestic air fleet that is both modern and well-crewed. You can see a great deal of China in less than two weeks. And don’t believe lingering rumors that the Chinese food available to most visitors is bland or unimaginative. That’s a holdover from the early days of China’s re-emergence and definitely not the case today. With the recent rise in personal wealth has come a renaissance in Chinese culinary arts: a tradition of great variety, subtlety and skill you’ll have many opportunities to savor.

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