The Magic of Off the Beaten Path travel in Asia

PUBLISHED December 3rd, 2013 11:40 pm | UPDATED January 19th, 2016 03:55 pm

Off the beaten path. Those seem to be the buzz words falling out of the mouths of many travellers these days. While most of us might yearn for an off the beaten path travel experience – you know the one where you manage to escape all those other annoying tourists, or when you go somewhere nobody else you know has been –  the reality is with the advent of the internet and low cost flights, remote locations are no longer so remote. It’s a sad fact that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to escape mass tourism and switch off when you get away. Or is it?

A Docastawayer truly getting away from it all

Introducing Docastaway, a boutique travel operator whose sole aim is to enable you to have that castaway experience, minus Tom Hanks and his trusty ball Wilson. Having spent several years exploring the most uninhabited and isolated tropical corners of the planet they have discovered this planet’s most remote islands, those which remain a secret and still completely untouched by western influence. Docastaway, it seems, is your ticket to discovering those deserted islands, secluded pristine and beautiful archipelagos around the world where time ceases to exist and you can truly escape from reality. We knew it must exist somewhere out there!

Of course, when we heard about Docastaway, we just had to interview the very man who we now think of, as the off the beaten path magic maker -Alvaro Cerezo Aguilar -to put an end to that incessant question whirling round in our heads…how can we really get away from it all?!

What advice would you give to someone wanting to do some ‘off the beaten track’ travel?

In the specific case of people from Singapore who enjoy places off the beaten track in Asia, without doubt my advice would be to keep your boss happy so you can get extra days off, if possible all together! The limited time that people get off from work to be able to disconnect for a few days from urban life can make things challenging. It’s important to remember that places off the beaten track are precisely that, and one of the reasons is the amount of time spent reaching these spots.

Lagoon Camping

Places that are interesting to tourists, that are only a few hours from an important city, but rarely visited, are difficult to find.  They do exist but are very few, and they don’t remain ‘untouched’ for very long. However, it shouldn’t be forgotten that even in very touristy places there are always unexplored spots that can really surprise us – I recommend hiring two-wheeled transport wherever you go because it’s one of the most essential aids for getting to secret places!

However, the good news is that we have recently discovered a new desert island in South East Asia which, together with certain logistic improvements, would allow the ‘off the beaten track’ lovers in Singapore to enjoy our castaway experiences within just a few hours.  Almost certainly this new destination will be available from January 2014.

Could you share with us some ‘off the beaten track’ destinations in the region for those of our readers wanting to escape mass tourism?

Of course, apart from the desert islands, in my opinion perhaps two of the most fascinating places ‘off the beaten track’ which still exist in Asia are Litang, on the Tibetan border in China and the thrilling city called Ayodhya in India.

The first is a beautiful place 4,000 metres above sea level that has a strong Tibetan culture which, in my opinion, is a lot stronger that the culture in Tibet itself.  This village has seen the birth of no less than three Dalai Lamas and today it’s one of the few places where the ominous ‘Sky Burials’ are still carried out.

The Indian city of Ayodhya which is anchored in the past with a very strong culture and traditions causes quite an impact on arrival there.  Grave terrorist problems in the past led to this city being besieged by the army and for several years it was ‘isolated from the world’, but that is no longer the case and the city has turned into the forgotten jewel of India.

How on earth do you go about finding some of the incredible remote desert islands you have access to at Docastaway?

 

The answer to that is by trial and error.  Out of some 30 desert islands that we explore, only one is suitable for our castaways.  It’s very hard work but undoubtedly passionately thrilling.  It’s like living in the permanent pursuit of a treasure island.

Although a true paradise island probably isn’t for everyone, what kind of traveller would really appreciate them?

Feeling like Robinson Crusoe while floating away on an Indonesian boat

Without doubt, those who love nature in its original state.  Those who love deserted beaches, snorkelling, inhospitable and remote places, survival lovers. However, it’s important to point out that it isn’t necessary to be versed in survival techniques to enjoy our experiences as we also offer a Comfort Mode for those who don’t want to renounce their modern day comforts.  The most important thing is the desire to spend a few days totally disconnected from your everyday lives, to be in your own private paradise, miles away from civilisation, feeling just like Robinson Crusoe.

Of the places you have been to so far, which is your favourite?  What made it special?

If I could only choose one country, not taking into account the desert islands, it would be India. I don’t think there’s anywhere else in the world that awakens so many diverse sensations, both positive and negative, you feel touched, surprised, out of place, frustrated……..strong sensations, and I believe that experiencing them is probably the best part of travelling.  My first desert island was in India, more than ten years ago, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and since then, whenever possible, I take advantage of any opportunity I find to escape to this fascinating country.

You must have been to some pretty incredible places – but what’s left on your bucket list?

Among the places on my list you will find Murmansk and the Kamchatka region in Russia.  Also, noted are North Korea, the Fiords and Svalbard in Norway.  And not to forget is Socotra in the Yemen, Kabul in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and the Sinkiang region in China.

For more information on Docastaway please visit their website here.

Photos compliments of Docastaway