One_Lucky_Lady

I've been thinking about places to visit in the upcoming years. I typically take a 30 day or so trip each year. For planning, I thought it would be a good idea to take into consideration places where it would be a good idea to see sooner rather than later. For example, places that that will be changing, such as becoming more Westernized and not as exotic or traditional. I was thinking Bhutan and Myanmar should be on my list. It doesn't have to be in Asia. Where else do you think?

Kathie

The Temples of Angkor near Siem Reap, Cambodia
Luang Prabang, Loas
Anywhere you are counting on virgin jungle/rainforest

thursdaysd

Totally agree with Kathie about Siam Reap and Luang Prabang (my favorite Asian town!). The Yangzi river gorges are going fast, and the Chinese are busy replacing a lot of the old sections of their big cities with glass and concrete. I don't think you have to worry about Myanmar changing until the government does, which unfortunately doesn't look like being any time soon.

Mealea

I think the places that are changing the fastest right now are Angkor/Siem Reap and Luang Prabang. I would visit these places soon. Tourism is really booming in both places and every year there are big changes as more and more foreign tourists arrive.

I think it will take much longer for Bhutan and Myanmar to change. I'm really glad for that since they are some of my favorite places in the world. Luckily they aren't on the mainstream tourist trail - Myanmar for political reasons and Bhutan for the high costs. Tourism is growing slowly in both of these places, but the local culture is still very strong.

I've been to all of these places, and would recommend going to Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam) next if you want to go before even more influence is seen from tourism. If you want to see some wonderful and traditional countries with much less tourism, go to Bhutan or Myanmar.

Mealea

I meant that it's lucky that Myanmar is not overrun with tourists, not lucky that there are very serious and troubling political problems that keeps Myanmar off the mainstream tourist trail.

Guenmai

Ghana...two thumbs way up! Happy Travels!

hobbes

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, India...

ly_wan

I would suggest you to visit Xian. There is not much development compare to Beijing. The people there is nice & things are very cheap. I went to Beijing last year, really unforgetable. Thinking to visit China again this year end.

fuzzylogic

I think you should be able to work it out for yourself. But maybe you are asking where you can go ahead of the crowd that already has sufficient infrastructure and a sufficient complement of comfortable hotels.

You also don't say how you like to holiday. Do you need to have it all booked in advance: do you want to do the tour thing?

Is that where you're at?

If you are happy to busk it:

Ghana is fab.
Malawi too.
Try Himachal Pradesh in India.
Or the Hunza Valley in Pakistan.
Or Darjeeling.
Or Mali.
Or Bangla Desh.

Luang Prabang is lovely but given the number of posts about it here, it has been discovered big time. But most of the people who rave about it won't have got there by road. You ou

fuzzylogic

I think you should be able to work it out for yourself. But maybe you are asking where you can go ahead of the crowd that already has sufficient infrastructure and a sufficient complement of comfortable hotels.

You also don't say how you like to holiday. Do you need to have it all booked in advance: do you want to do the tour thing?

Is that where you're at?

If you are happy to busk it:

Ghana is fab.
Malawi too.
Try Himachal Pradesh in India.
Or the Hunza Valley in Pakistan.
Or Darjeeling.
Or Mali.
Or Bangla Desh.

Luang Prabang is lovely but given the number of posts about it here, it has been discovered big time. But most of the people who rave about it won't have got there by road. You could do it that way - and stop in Vientiane, and then go south.

Check it out. Do the research yourself.

glorialf

From what I've heard Siem Reap has already changed significantly -- certainly from when I was there over 10 years ago.

I'd go to the following before they change:
1. Burma
2. Myanmar
3. Laos
4. Hunza valley, Pakistan
5. South Sulawesi
6. Central Highlands of Vietnam -- where the montagnards live (not Dalat and hoi an etc)
7. Gujarat India

One_Lucky_Lady

Thanks for the replies. I enjoy visiting places with interesting sites and with cultures different than my own (USA). Because my husband and I have hundreds of thousands of Delta miles built up, I've started to plan and book my trips far ahead. I've got some free time on my hands this week so have been dreaming of upcoming trips! We don't do tours, but like decent hotels (A/C, swimming pools if its hot).

I actually went to Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang a few years ago on a trip mainly to Thailand with girlfriends. And now I want my husband to see Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang soon, and that's kind of what started this train of thought. I had never been to Asia before, and Luang Prabang especially was so charming and I want my husband to see it before it changes too much. He's also interested in Vietnam, so I may combine them with parts of Vietnam on a trip. He has never been to Asia.

I guess the purpose of this post was to get ideas of interesting places to look into further. I like the idea of mixing it up, going to different parts of the world for sucessive trips. We're going to Turkey in May 2006, so maybe Angkor/Luang Prabang/Vietnam in 2007, and I'm thinking I should start looking at something in Africa for 2008, maybe Myanmar in 2009. Need to get to India someday too! I wish traveling was my full time job! Thanks again for the ideas. I'll be researching!

crellston

Along with a number of other posters, Luang Prabang is my favourite Asian town. I first visited about 8 years ago and again about 3 years ago and I noticed a marked change with many more tourists and a lot more high end hotels - I fear that it will go the way of much of asia in being overwhelmed by mass tourism.

Northern Laos is fantastic place to visit with beutiful scenery (if you like mountains forests and rivers)and people that rarely see outside visitors. The accomodation and travel can be a bit rough , especially in the rainy season. I also loved the south of the country down the Mekong to the Cambodian border totally different from the nort, it makes for a nice contrast