All in Destination Guides
At first glance, the tiny nation of Brunei on Borneo island appears to have little to offer visitors. It’s prosperous but quiet, without the usual Asian urban bustle or the rollicking nightlife that many tourists crave. But this is precisely why some senior travellers will like it – combined with the fact that it has some fine tropical rainforests.
Malaysia has much to offer the senior traveller. From relaxing beach breaks to rainforest adventures, it provides a relatively safe environment for the holiday of one’s choice. English is widely spoken. The country often ranks high on lists of best places to retire to, an indication of its generally welcoming approach to older foreign visitors.
These days Vietnam is high on the list of recommendations for first or second-time visitors to Asia because it is a country with many natural attractions, UNESCO heritage sites, colonial shopping precincts, and value-for-money beach resorts.
For first-time senior travellers to Asia, there is no better place to start than the island state of Singapore. It’s quieter and more orderly than Hong Kong, and provides an introduction to Asian culture whilst still being very ‘western’ in terms of the number of people who speak English, the amount of English signage around the island, and the availability of familiar western food.
For first-time senior travellers to Asia, Japan is undoubtedly the number two choice as a safe and easy country to visit. In fact for seniors who may have difficulty coping with Singapore’s heat and humidity, Japan may be a better first choice because in spring and autumn, the climate in most parts of Japan is close to perfect.
The Philippines has some of the best beaches in Asia. As the Philippines doesn’t attract as many tourists as Thailand, often those beaches are less crowded. But there are mountains, volcanic islands, waterfalls and many interesting rural destinations with beautiful scenery for those not into the beach scene.
In recent years this island nation — once known as Ceylon — off the southern tip of India has established itself as one of the primary up-and-coming tourism destinations in Asia. It’s become popular with visitors from Europe for cheap tropical beach holidays and also has a lot to offer older travellers — especially history buffs and those interested in nature, wildlife and cultural festivals..
