Up-and-coming travel destinations in Asia Ella, and others

S.S. YOGA

Fed up of the usual destinations and want to try out something different for a change? Perhaps Agoda.com’s list can help you out. IPOH is a city known for its food and certainly is not an unfamiliar destination for locals. But while we might be familiar with its attractions, many outside the country are not.

Ella, so much to offer tourists

Now the city in Kinta Valley has made it into the list of up-and-coming travel destinations in Asia drawn up by Agoda.com. Ipoh came in 4th on the 2013 list of “fresh” Asian destinations.

Agoda.com’s team studied booking patterns, read thousands of customer reviews and spoke with local experts to come up with the list. These destinations all had high growth rates, attracted a large amount of expert travellers (i.e. those who travel frequently to new destinations) as well as increasing numbers of locals on vacation.

Tana Toraja, Indonesia

It’s about 320km northwest of Makassar on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.

Tana Toraja is a misty, densely forested region in the highlands of South Sulawesi province known for its animist beliefs, unique houses and grisly (to Western eyes) funeral ceremonies.

The past few decades have seen interest wane and income from tourism dry up, but the rich culture and natural beauty of the area are begging to be explored again.

Tana Toraja tourism is centred in the town of Rantepao. Between April and October is the less rainy season, and up in the mountains near Tana Toraja, it might even get pretty chilly at night.

There are sporadic flights from Makassar but it’s hard to say when or if they’re operational, so most people get a morning or overnight bus from Makassar, which takes about eight hours.

Traveller tips: A certain Michael from Canada recommends a solid dose of Dramamine for the long and winding bus ride from Makassar, while almost all recommend hiring a guide to provide the inside scoop.

Nantou, Taiwan

Nantou County is literally the heart and agricultural centre of Taiwan – the only landlocked county on the island. The biggest draw is the serene Sun Moon Lake which anchors a large area popular with boaters, fishers, hikers, bikers and sightseers.

The variety of homemade agricultural products on sale at the many farms that surround the area also serve as a tourist pull. The county is home to Mt Yushan, Taiwan’s highest point, and offers hot springs, rivers and rolling green landscapes aplenty.

The refreshing, mountainous terrain found in Nantou, Taiwan.

From October till January is an especially pleasant time in Nantou’s higher elevations. Avoid going during major festivals such as Chinese New Year (January/February), Ching Ming (April) and Mid-Autumn Festival (September), unless you book well in advance and don’t mind larger crowds.

Almost every large town in Taiwan has a bus service to Nantou, and the tourist railway route from the town of Ershui to Checheng is a great way to see the countryside. Checheng station is only a few kilometers away from Sun Moon Lake.

Traveller tips: Visitors have highly recommended the gondola trip, which gives a great view of the lake from above (some say it’s a tad expensive). It’s worthwhile to go to bed early and get up for the sunrise over the lake.

Ella, Sri Lanka

On the southern end of Sri Lanka, about 140km from Kandy, Ella is known among travellers but has remained largely off the beaten tourist trails. Nestled amid Sri Lanka’s mountainous interior, the town is well situated to take advantage of some seriously relaxing downtime – hiking, eating, exploring and relaxing. The best time to visit is from December to March, although this is the high season. As it is in the mountains, even the low (hot) season can be comfortable (even chilly at night). Buses come through here from various points on the southern part of the island, but most people catch the train which circles in from the bigger cities on the west coast.

Traveller tips: A trip to Lipton’s Seat, the favoured hilltop viewpoint of Sir Thomas Lipton whose beverage empire began in the 1890s with tea exported from the then Ceylon, is a must.

Courtesy: The star online