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Asia – the largest continent on the planet – is a treasure trove of unique art and cultural experiences. Any luxury Asia tour will give you an opportunity to get close to an array of such encounters that are native and irreplaceable. These arts and cultures have played a major role in the evolution of the traditions of each country. Here is a list of five that you can dive into for singular and heart-warming discoveries of ethnicities during your luxury Asia tour.
1) The heart of Laos
Laos is a Southeast Asian country small in size but surprisingly large in the diversity of art and cultural experiences that it has to offer. Over the years, Laos has grown to be a major tourist destination in Asia. Its offerings include music, architecture, tradition, monuments, religion, and much more. The luxury Asia tour in Laos offers not only unique cultural experiences but also presents to you the ways in which the country has been influenced by age-old practices.
The cities like Vientiane, which is also the capital city, Luang Prabang, and Champasak display the cultural heritage of Laos in a most distinctive way. Religion is a dominating aspect here, and the Buddha an instrumental figure in the culture of the country, of which you’ll find enough evidence throughout your luxury Asia tour across Laos.
Music, as in any part of the world, is an integral part of life in Laos. The traditional music of Laos is less complex, with Khene, a flute-like instrument, as the major musical instrument. The Lamvong is the most popular dance form in Laos.
2) The uniqueness of Sri Lanka
The uniqueness of Sri Lanka stems from its very landscape. Also going by the charming name of the Emerald Isle, it is a beautiful island not just rich in its wilderness, but also in art and culture. Any tourist embarking on a luxury Asia tour will find a plethora of festivals, music, monuments, food, music, dance, architecture, and more in Sri Lanka. Blessed with a rich history and multiethnic population, Sri Lanka showcases several architectural gems, both ancient and modern.
Tourists visiting this island during their luxury Asia tour will also find themselves intrigued by the beautiful folk music such as the Baila and dances like the elaborate Kandyan dance. The world-renowned Kandy Esala Perahera is colorful annual pageantry with processions, dances, drummers, elephants, and elaborate rituals, which by itself can give a wonderful glimpse of Sri Lankan art forms, and therefore must definitely be included on a luxury Asia tour.
Places like Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Dambulla also give you deep insights into the culture of Sri Lanka and will greatly please history and architecture aficionados.
3) The diversity of India
India, without any doubt, has spectacular art and culture. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is a land that boasts of a stupefying mélange of art forms, architectural spectacles, and cultural nuggets that please all senses. Each state has its own festival, cuisine, language, and cultural heritage. The people of India pride themselves in being diverse and will proudly acquaint you with their art forms during your luxury Asia tour. The culture of each society is transferred from one generation to another without any break.
The traditions are followed with the same intensity and care by the current generations as they were in ancient times. Festivals such as Onam, Diwali, Holi, Pongal, Navratri, and Id are magnificent not only in their celebrations of life but also in the deeply rooted cultural connections. India has always celebrated art and is home to some of the greatest performing arts such as Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam, and many more.
Carnatic music and Hindustani music form the soul of Indian music, and folk music is equally astounding in its variety and depth. The literature from ancient to modern carries a universe of knowledge and linguistic art.
4) Amazing Thailand
Thailand sets to amaze you at every footstep that you take during your luxury Asia tour here. Thai sculptures, which since ancient times have been influenced by India, are a major cultural attraction. Buddhism and the Ramakien (again tracing its roots to the Ramayana of India) hold the most prominent place in Thai culture and are followed by Thai people transcending generations.
The traditional Thai drama form, Khon, is reflective of the intricacy and beauty of Thai arts. The shadow play is also a beautiful form of puppetry that is a great mode of storytelling, and the puppets themselves are works of art in their intricate and detailed design, as well as the play of light and color.
A major part of Thai architecture is the wats, or Buddhist temples, which are a fine display of differing styles over centuries. Thai people are gracious and respectful of age as well as customs. Their cuisine has become popular around the world, but the traditional way of eating on floor mats in a circle is the best way for an authentic taste.
5) Soul of Bhutan
The art and culture of Bhutan are deeply rooted in Buddhism. Even after centuries, the country and the people follow the same rituals, with very little foreign influence. During your luxury Asia tour in Bhutan, you’ll be introduced to monasteries, stupas, prayer flags, and prayer wheels, which show the importance of religion in the culture of Bhutan.
The calmness and tranquillity of the people are as much a tribute to their deep-rooted faith as they are to the spectacular landscape. The Bhutanese love to stick to their traditional ways of dressing and celebrations of festivals. Attending a Bhutanese Tshechu or the annual religious festival, is the best way to experience its culture, as the festival can go on for several days with elaborate mask dances, the unfurling of the appliqué thongdrel, community markets, and prayers.
It is indeed a special cultural experience. Traditional Bhutanese music is lilting and gentle, as is the dance, and the mountainous setting to these adds to the charm and beauty.
