20 Favourite Moments from 20 Years in Asia
by Selective Asia team
As we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, and prepare for a good old knees-up in June, the Selective Asia team has been looking back across two incredible decades in the travel industry.
From creating thousands of trips that have brought our clients the very best of Asia, to the personal experiences that have meant a lot, it’s been an emotional trip down memory lane. There have been a few tough moments, for sure (2020, anyone!?) but many, many more highlights, and our love and passion for travel to Asia genuinely gets stronger every year.
Here, in no particular order, are 20 of our absolute favourite, stand-out memories and moments, both grand and humble, at home and abroad, from our first 20 years in Asia…
All of the food, all of the time! As we often demonstrate with our hyper-focus on the edibles in every destination we visit, eating is a huge highlight of travel, both for us and our clients. In our opinion, tucking into a freshly-prepared bowl of something delicious alongside a local crowd is one of the best ways to experience a place’s true character. From Lou’s self-confessed obsessions with red-fleshed dragonfruit in Thailand and buffalo curd in Sri Lanka, to Nick’s misty-eyed reminiscences of chilli crab in Singapore and (always) that very first taste of pho on a Hanoi street corner, to Natasha’s ‘revelatory’ moment with khao soi noodle soup in Chiang Mai, the team’s travels are definitely led by their stomachs, and Asia’s vast and varied cuisine offers plenty to write home about!
“Staying on Cheow Lan Lake in Khao Sok National Park. Truly magical, and one of the most stunning places I've ever been to. I vividly remember seeing (and hearing!) gibbons and hornbills in the jungle behind the floating lodges.” - Natasha
Reaching pastures new. Unanimously, across the team, adding a new destination to our stable, or taking deeper steps into a much-loved spot, really gets our travel pulses racing. I guess that’s just our naturally adventurous spirit! Starting with just a handful of destinations in South-East Asia in 2006, including Vietnam, which has been right at our core from the beginning, we now take travellers to over 15 different countries across Asia. We always have plans to add more, and have a rather big one waiting in the wings which, rather appropriately, ties in with the traditional 20th anniversary gift! Watch this space for more news on that later in the year…
“Enjoying incredible food at the Barefoot at Havelock resort, followed by watching the sunset on Beach Number 7 on the Andaman Islands just off the coast of India… oh, and working out that the weird tracks in the sand every morning were from hermit crabs!” - Sarah
Plunging beneath the waves to go snorkelling over one of the most spectacular coral reefs in Indonesia at Menjangan, and catching sight of seahorses and reef sharks through the blue…
“Dining, as part of a group of tour operators, with the Maharajah of Baroda at Laxmi Villas Palace, said to be four times the size of Buckingham Palace. It was an evening of somewhat varied conversation from how to attract more visitors to Gujarat, to current events, to golf (the Maharajah was a particularly keen golfer!), but certainly not something you get to do every day.” - Anna
Building it together. With most of us having worked at Selective Asia for over 10 years (many for the whole 20-year 9 yards!) growing as a team, and making close connections with our clients, colleagues and partners in Brighton and across Asia, is a key, and very enjoyable, part of what we do.
“Seeing the company grow, succeed and claim a place among the UK’s very best tour operators has been, and continues to be, great to be part of.” - Lionel.
“Discovering a company in 2015 that is like no other to work for, making long lasting friends, and learning more about Asia than I ever imagined I would.” - Lou.
Rafting the rapids through an isolated gorge in Pokhara, Nepal towards a cosy river camp in the wilderness.
“Glimpsing Mount Fuji in all its glory for the first time across the fields of green tea in Fujinomiya was really special.” - Dave
Finding stillness. Those moments of calm at sites where there are often crowds can feel particularly poignant, from emerging out of the jungle to see a less-visited Angkor temple covered in greenery, to discovering a quiet side-street within a bustling city, just a few steps from the main drag.
“A sunset drive through the streets of Colombo in an open air jeep learning about the city's hidden gems and enjoying a cold beer under a pink sky. A really lovely evening spent with friends.” - Kate
The mighty Mekong. Running right through the heart of Indochina, this formidable river has formed the basis of many a memorable moment among the team, from tucking into a dreamy BBQ supper on a boat with our Vietnam colleagues and families, to floating downstream on a private sampan, soaking up the serenity…
“Exploring Myanmar not once but twice, and helping develop incredible tours there alongside our local team. I hope with all my heart that we will be able to go back there one day.” - Lionel
Wonderful wildlife! Whether seeing elephants up close and personal in Minneriya, taking in the enormity and beauty of Yala and its many monkey sightings, learning from the brilliant Elephant Valley Project (which is still one of the most outstanding elephant projects we have the privilege of working with), staying with Leopard Trails in Wilpattu, or being stopped in our tracks by a rustle in a Borneo canopy, many of our favourite moments centre around Asia’s fabulous fauna and the region’s best practice conservation.
“Winning our first Wanderlust Top Tour Operator award against all odds in 2013, after a very intense year. There were tears. Then there were sambucas. A lot of sambucas.” - Karl
Trekking in Bhutan, doing yoga at first light at the Spirit Sanctuary, and (occasionally!) winning at archery.
“My first trip to the north and east of Cambodia. As a tour leader I'd spend quite a lot of time passing through Phnom Penh and Siem Reap enroute between Vietnam and Thailand, and I'd long been enamoured of the Angkor Temples, but visiting Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri and Kratie showed me a totally different side to a country that was already a favourite.” - Anna
Festive get-togethers. The Selective Christmas parties have become a little legendary, and are a firm team highlight, especially as they always include a meal at one of Brighton’s many fantastic Asian restaurants. One memorable event included a foray into learning towel art (as in, making those wonderful swans you sometimes see on hotel beds) which had mixed results, and last year centred around an energetic treasure hunt through the city, punctuated by rather a few pints… Our 10-year anniversary weekend in Bangkok deserves a special mention here too!
Getting closer to Sri Lanka. The Teardrop Isle has always been a very special destination for us, and with two core members of the team now based there, that connection gets ever stronger. Our most memorable Sri Lanka moments include gazing at the stunning views from Pidurangala Rock, seeing all the vivid colours of the Orchid House in Kandy, watching spellbinding sunsets in Tangalle, and walking barefoot on the beaches…
“Leaving the last word to me - no pressure! I mean, taking the train all the way to the Taj Mahal was obviously a massive moment. It was amazing to push the boundaries of how we can travel to Asia, and once again to be overwhelmed that, after all these years, the region still has the capacity to amaze me.” - Nick
Speak to one of our Destination Specialists on +44 (0)1273 670 001, or send us your enquiry.
by Selective Asia team on 20th May 2026