And for those coming with us this year, here is a preview of what is to come. The photographs from this slide show have all been taken by Angel Travellers.

We’ll begin in Kathmandu, staying near the lively backpacker district, before moving on to Bhaktapur; a town so beautiful and locked in time; we need to arrange a permit for you to stay there.

We then move south towards India, and stay near Chitwan jungle reserve, before moving to Lumbini, spending a night in a monastery at the birthplace of the Buddha.

Next we drive through the mountains to Pokhara below the Himalaya, before returning to Kathmandu valley and then home.

It’s a unique journey, shaped by people and landscapes. We hope you are looking forward to it. And these images, present just a fractional foretaste of what is to come.

For those coming on our holiday to Vietnam with us this year, you might like to see this video of the late Anthony Bourdain, as he enjoys (in quite long anticipation) pho – noodles.  You will have ample opportunities to sit with the locals on small plastic chairs and enjoy the national dish – and the local atmosphere…..

This year our group coming to Nepal will stay in the Mandala Boutique Hotel; perfectly placed on the cusp of an area called Thamel – with over 100 restaurants of every persuasion to choose from.  On the roof terrace of the hotel, perhaps to enjoy a drink, you’ll be able to see the temple of Swayambunath,  a Unesco symbol of Nepal, where Buddhist legend tells us Kathmandu was born.

The hotel allows our visitors to walk literally everywhere downtown. Despite being in a quiet enclave, it is just minutes from all that Kathmandu has to offer.  Markets and bazaars are on your doorstep, and you can choose to eat anything around here; from traditional food to Indian, Chinese/ Tibetan to a burger or chicken & chips – we can show you where.

After the exhilaration of Kathmandu, we’ll move to a medieval town of complete contrast. Staying in a simple guest house,  the city of Bhaktapur closes down by 9pm, and is largely under candle light.  We will get our group a special visa to go there, as the whole town it is protected as a place of unique world heritage. It’s like stepping back in time.

We’ve 3 places remaining for our Nepal trip, please contact is via this site if you might like to come.

On our tour to Bangkok, Laos and Cambodia, we stay in some incredible places. In the remote jungle hamlet of Nong Khiew for example, each traveller has a stilted ensuite cabin, complete with queen sized bed and mosquito nets overlooking the river.

This is a river that winds its way through jungle until eventually reaching the Chinese border.  It’s along this stunningly beautiful stretch of water that we make our own way towards the Chinese by boat.

6 passengers to each rudimentary motorboat, fitted with Peugeot 505 car seats to make it more comfortable,  we glide through spectacular and lesser known, surreal landscapes, visiting villages along the way, before sailing back through epic gorges, thick jungle and around karst mountains, back to our jungle cabins. Dinner can be had overlooking the river, enjoying the isolation of this remote corner of Laos.  Here is a photograph of your room for the evening.  If you might like to join this spectacular adventure, let us know.

Getting the correct travel insurance for any holiday is important. Online there are a multitude of choices, including single trip and annual policies – so which one should you choose?

The answer is subjective to your circumstances; where you’re going, how often you travel and any ongoing medical concerns, plus age, previous claims, all make a difference. Insurance to include the Caribbean or USA are often more expensive for example, due to the high cost of medical treatment. So in choosing an annual policy if you’re not planning to go to the US for example, it can be cheaper to exclude it from the policy.

Whether you’re on a tour of Rajasthan, India, Nepal, Cambodia or just a couple of weeks in Spain there are some common things to look at in any holiday insurance. Don’t assume the EHIC card in Europe offers full comprehensive cover either, each country can have a different way of interpreting it, even down to individual regions.

All your travel insurance should cover medical and emergency expenses. Luggage is optional and dependent on what risk you’re prepared to take – and the value of its contents. Expensive cameras are one thing, but they shouldn’t be packed in your main luggage anyway.

With annual policies, look out for the small print. What is the maximum number of trips per year, which regions do they cover and how long can each trip be in duration? Some offer a policy for up to 31 days for example, whilst others 60 or more – all have a baring on cost. Also consider where you are going. A tour of Nepal for example, includes remote roads where air ambulance cover (i.e. helicopters) is useful.

What’s also important is who you travel with. If you do not travel with an established operator (like Angel Holidays) your insurance might be compromised. If you decided to go trekking in the high Himalaya for example, with a local agency with no legitimised expertise or licences, insurance cover can be null and void even if the activities are listed in the policy.

Laos, and crossing into the country from China, at least if you’re an elephant seems quite easy. Even the Chinese border guards look on. We hope you enjoy this video.

Many of our Rajasthani hotels come from a Maharaja perspective. In Bikener you’ll stay in an old palace owned by a cousin of the city’s Maharaja, a 17^th century house that is decadent, colourful and artistic.  The Maharaja is a friend of Angel Holidays. In Jaisalmer, you’ll stay inside a fort; simple medieval rooms with magical sunsets over the desert, whilst in Jodphur, you’ll stay  in a house dating from the 17^th century. In Jaipur you’re staying at the oldest hotel in Rajasthan (pictured) and old rambling palace from the 16^th century. The Maharaja’s brother who owns it, is a friend of Angel.

It’s only through the contacts of Angel Holidays, that make this possible. Next spring in 2019 we’re doing it all again. So if you might like to join us – and enjoy some very warm winter sunshine, let us know.  You can join our wait list. The tour can be found on www.angelholidays.co.uk/india

Bangkok: and with just a week to go before our first arrivals for our next tour, we’re getting excited. Temperatures are hot – around 30 degrees by night – with many diners sitting ‘alfresco’ watching the Thai world go by: full of life, neon lights and smiling faces, it’s wonderful.

For those coming out early, you might want to join us where we’ll take a convoy of tuks tuks (it’s quite cheap) for a whirlwind ride across the city before finding somewhere for dinner and a foot massage. Get excited, you are in for a fascinating tour! Click below for an example…..

If you’re travelling to India there have been some important changes to tourist visas that might save you money. Until a

couple of years ago, the only way to apply for a visa was to apply for a minimum of 6 months visa duration, with many travellers, travelling for just two or so weeks, it meant large costs of well over £100 with a great deal of money wasted.

The Indian embassy have now developed a new system for the average shorter stay traveller – they can be a little time consuming to apply (you need digital photographs for one) but they will save you money. Visit our Angel Holidays site for more information.

Visa, insurance & health

Our first group to India is arriving soon and we’ll camp under the stars in the desert, visit the Exotic Marigold Hotel, stay in unusual places, ride camels and take a train across the desert amongst other things. If you would like a free copy of our 17 page guide on the tour, perhaps to consider coming next year, let us know and we’ll email it to you. In the meantime, here is a video of Udaipur where we stay 3 nights.