{"id":5191,"date":"2020-11-28T20:37:42","date_gmt":"2020-11-28T20:37:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.secret-retreats.com\/blog\/?p=5191"},"modified":"2024-08-19T07:46:07","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T07:46:07","slug":"fascinating-destinations-and-the-indigenous-cultures-of-asia-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.secret-retreats.com\/blog\/general-info\/fascinating-destinations-and-the-indigenous-cultures-of-asia-part-1.html","title":{"rendered":"Fascinating destinations and the indigenous cultures of Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Enchanting ancient cultures you can still interact with today! <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once again, we would like to lead\nyou to explore the cultures and traditions of Asia\u2019s Indigenous people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is always exciting to get off\nthe beaten track, whether by vehicle or trekking and visit places that few have\nseen or are perhaps known only from books or seen on TV. Tourism offers a\nlifeline to many of Asia\u2019s indigenous communities, creating opportunities for businesses\nto provide essential income for the community to develop and thrive and prevent\nthe migration of the community\u2019s youth which often rings the death knell of\nrural communities, and the ancient cultures that they housed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, getting off the beaten\npath to visit these ancient communities is often a challenge in itself, but\noften times the journey can provide as many rewards to the traveller as the\ndestination itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our teams of concierges are\nalways ready to share their experiences of travelling to visit Asia\u2019s\nindigenous peoples, as well as providing tips to ensure both you and the people\nyou meet get the most out of your visit. Please don\u2019t hesitate to contact our\nconcierge team for more information. Without any further ado, let\u2019s take another\nlook at more of the fascinating tribes in Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Hmong \u2013 Thailand, Laos, Vietnam<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Hmong are one of the biggest \u201chill-tribe\u201d groups in\nAsia. With communities living right across Southeast Asia the Hmong are found\nin the northern provinces of Thailand, northern Vietnam, and northern Laos. If\nyou are travelling in these areas, or trekking South East Asia\u2019s hills and\nmountains, they are one of the minority ethnic groups that you are most likely\nto encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Hmong were recruited by the CIA during the Laotian\nCivil War in America\u2019s war against the spread of communism, and were consequently\nexiled from the region after the war ended in 1975 with many going to North\nAmerica and Australia as refugees to escape possible retaliation from the\nvictorious communist government. Nearly 300,000 people also fled to Thailand\nwhere they were accepted as refugees. As the wounds of war healed a Thai-Lao\ncooperative was eventually set up to help repatriate many Lao Hmong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hmong people of Asia are a subgroup of the Miao tribe of\nChina with all the Hmong subgroups considered to have originated in Southern\nChina. The Hmong ethnic group is subdivided into, for want of a better word,\n\u201cclans\u201d. Language, cultural traits and especially dress can vary considerably\nbetween the clans. The numerous subgroups that exist under the main umbrella\nterm of Hmong, are often distinguished by the colours of their traditional\ndress, such as white pleated skirts for White Hmong subgroup. But it is not\nalways so clear cut and dialect will be the key distinguishing the clan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are communities of White Hmong living extensively in the\nnortheastern provinces of Thailand, Nan, Phrae, Phayao and Chiang Rai\nprovinces, so you may encounter them around for instance Chiang Khong or when\ntrekking the beautiful hills and countryside of Nan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue Hmong are generally found slightly more to the west\nthen their White cousins and their communities are found in Thailand in the\nprovinces of Chiang Mai and western Chiang Rai areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blue Hmong in Vietnam may look completely different from\nwhat are known as Blue Hmong in Thailand, and striped Hmong in Laos may well be\ncalled Green Hmong elsewhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The traditional houses of the Hmong are wooden and bamboo\nconstructions built directly on the ground with beaten earth floors, unlike the\nstilt houses of their Akha neighbours. While in past times they were animist,\nmost groups have since converted to Buddhism or Christianity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Thailand, the current population of Hmong is estimated at\naround 125,000people living in the country, making it the second largest\nminority after the Karen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Known for their beautiful handicrafts, particularly their\nweaving and basket making, the Hmong-made items make ideal souvenirs of your\ntrip to Asia. Many Hmong wear brightly coloured clothing with intricate\nembroidery on sleeves, hems and necklines, making Hmong handicrafts such as\nwallets, purses and shoulder bags some of the most popular items bought by\ntourists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keen agriculturalists, herbs and vegetables are widely used\nin rice and soup dishes both of which are considered Hmong staples. They also\neat papaya salad a traditional regional spicy salad as well as Hmong barbecued\nsausage. Be sure to try out their purple sticky rice a celebratory dish that is\nserved during festivals and celebrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN THAILAND<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN LAOS<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN VIETNAM<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Mlabri \u2013 Thailand, Laos<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Mlabri or Mrabri are a small ethnic group of Thailand\nand Laos have been called “the most interesting and least understood\npeople in Southeast Asia”. Sadly estimates put the population at less than\n400 people, with some estimates as low as just 100 Mlabri remaining in the\nworld today. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hill tribe that lives in northern Thailand along the\nborder with Laos, the Mlabri live as nomadic hunter-gatherers, and it is\nprobably this fact that has lead to their decline as the modern world\u2019s many\nboundaries and borders sadly do not accommodate for such free-living\nlifestyles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name Mlabri is a Thai\/Lao alteration of the word Mrabri comes\nfrom a term meaning “people of the forest”. Amongst Thais they are\nalso known as Phi Tong Luang or “the spirits of the yellow leaves”,\nsince they seem to vanish and abandon their shelters when the leaves begin to\nturn yellow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1936, an Australian researcher named Dr. H. Bernatzik\ndiscovered the Mlabri living in Thailand\u2019s Nan Province, in which he documented\nhis converrsations with the \u2018yellow Leaf People\u2019 he encountered and studied. It\nis believed that the Mlabri originated from around Xayaburi, Laos. Historically\ntheir communities were found living in forested areas of 3,000 feet above the\nsea level. Their settlements are usually sited near water resources, in order\nto catch aquatic animals for food easily and their homes, always temporary, are\nbuilt from palm leaves and bamboo-string. Also, they don\u2019t use pillows,\npreferring to sleep with their ears to the ground in order to hear the sounds\nof people or animals approaching their settlement. Animists, believing and\nrespecting the spirits of nature and the forest, this gentle people, the\nultimate eco-community, are all too fast disappearing from the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER THAILAND NOW<\/a><\/td> DISCOVER LAOS NOW<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Maniq and Semang \u2013 Thailand, Malaysia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Maniq, Mani or Semang are hunter gatherers living in the\nforests in Thailand\u2019s southern provinces and Malysia\u2019s northern provinces. An\naboriginal people, of the Negrito race, they are small in stature with men\nrarely taller than 150cm. Even today this ethnic group lives largely unknown by\nmost Thais and Malaysians. Estimated to number as fewer than 350people living\nin Thailand they are renowned for being a jovial people with a love of songs\nand music. Living deep within the forests, they hunt using a blowpipe and\npoison arrows and sleep under shelters made of sticks and leaves and are known\nto have an extensive knowledge of the medicinal benefits of the plants around\nthem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Divided in to around 15 extended family groups some have\nsettled, but most continue to live a semi-nomadic lifestyle following food and\nwater sources in the forest, moving on when they run dry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the Malaysian sultans and rulers of the southern provinces of Thailand who ruled the Semang were often taken as slaves. Appallingly, it was once regarded as prestigious to keep Negritos in the grounds of their palatial homes as part of their collections of amusing jungle beings. In the first decade of the twentieth century, the king of Thailand, King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) visited the southern regions of his country and met with the Semang people. In 1906, an orphan Semang boy who was captured and named Khanung was sent to the royal court, where he was perceived as the adoptive son of the ruler which led to the patronage of the Semang people by Thailand\u2019s Royal Court. But sadly, as with all hunter gatherer communities around the world, their way of life will soon be found only in the history books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN THAILAND<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN MALAYSIA<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Bhil \u2013 India<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Bhils or Bheels are an ethnic group found in Western India. With\ntheir own unique culture and traditions as of 2013, the Bhils were the largest\ntribal group in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bhils are listed as indigenous people of the states of\nGujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan\u2014largely the\nwestern Deccan regions and central India and in Tripura in far-eastern India on\nthe border with Bangladesh. The Bhils have a number of clans and lineages with\nmost Bhils speaking the dialect of the region they reside in, such as the Marathi,\nGujarati or Hindustani dialects. Their own language, Bhili, is also widely\nspoken across their clans but with possibly 36 regional dialects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With communities distributed widely in upland areas of\nseveral states, from Ajmer in central Rajasthan on the north, to Thane in\nwestern Maharashtra on the south, to Indore in western Madhya Pradesh on the\neast, and to Surat in southeastern Gujarat on the west. A very decorative\npeople their traditional dress is very colourful and incorporates a lot of\nornate jewelry and tattoos. They are also renowned for their art, their style\nresembles that of Indigenous Australians, with pictures made up of\nmulti-coloured dots of paint. Or the Pithora paintings of the Bhilala subgroup.\nA ritualistic artwork, the Pithora painting adorns 3 walls at the threshold of\na house and is painted in thanks for an answered prayer. Images portray their\ncreation myths, ancestors and deities and are executed and blessed by the\ncommunity\u2019s head priest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER RAJASTHAN NOW<\/a><\/td>DISCOVER JOURNEYS IN INDIA<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Giraavaru \u2013 Maldives<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This fascinating and philosophically modern ethnic group were\nthe indigenous people of the tropical island of Giraavaru, in the Mal\u00e9 Atol, in\nthe Republic of the Maldives. Sadly due to climate change and the rise in sea\nlevels the island\u2019s groundwater and wells became saline and the community had\nto be relocated from their ancestral home to the Kaafu Atoll and the capital\ncity of Mal\u00e9 where many of this ethinc group have now assimilated with the\nmodern populations of Mal\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considered to have originated from the Malabar coast of\nIndia and possibly Sri Lanka, the Giraavaru are thought to have migrated to the\nMal\u00e9 Atol more than 2000years ago. Philosophically they were a very modern\nsociety, with their communities always headed by a woman who, remarkably, were\nalso recognized by the Maldivian Sultans to represent the Sultan\u2019s civil\nauthority on the island. The Giraavaru were very independent however, and many\nof the Sultan\u2019s laws did not apply to the Giraavaru people. Strictly monogamous,\ndivorce was not tolerated in their society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly as a result of the assimilation into Mal\u00e9 society,\nforced upon them when they were moved from their island home, it is thought that\nas a result of intermarriage there are now very few \u2018pure\u2019 Giraavaru left alive\ntoday.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indigenous cultures and their unique ways of life are fast\nbecoming museum pieces across the world but ironically where travel is often\nblamed for the march of homogenization across the world it can also prevent the\nde-population of traditional villages and their unique communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourism judiciously and sympathetically applied by\nResponsible Conscious Travel Advocates like Secret Retreats, can make these small\nrural communities viable and create opportunities for the young and old of the\ncommunity. These opportunities allow the young people to stay home, instead of\nmigrating to the cities for work, and continue their traditional ways of life and\npreserve their culture for generations to come. All thanks to the business\nbrought to their doors by intrepid conscious travellers and travel companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Explore the land of the Giraavaru, cruising the gorgeous\nwaters of the Maldives with Secret Retreats<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While international travel to Asia has largely been rendered\nimpossible with borders firmly closed to international tourism, the good news\nis that travel to the Maldives is now possible, and without the need for quarantine\non arrival too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, travel is a worry where covid is concerned, and\nso what better way to travel than by private boat. And with that, we are\npleased to share with you news of our new Private Cruise in the Maldives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Secret Retreats Maldives Cruise is available for\nbookings from the end of February to June. The 1 cabin luxury yacht will\naccommodate a couple or a family of 4 and has 6 professional crew to care for\nguests onboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With cruise itineraries from 7days, it is the perfect\nopportunity for couples and young families to escape the winter and the stress\nand worries of 2020 by enjoying a luxury private cruise among the stunning\nmarine scenery of the Maldive islands and atols. Options for extension stays at\na hotel are also possible. This is really not to be missed!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER CRUISES IN MALDIVES<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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When we take a vacation it is\noften as much a quest for the new as an opportunity to unwind and relax \u2013 a\nchange is as good as a rest, as they say. A new destination to explore, a new\ntaste to discover, fresh views to gaze at. Sometimes however, it is the old and\nthe ancient, not the new, that charms us. Increasingly we are seeing travellers\nare seeking something much more thought provoking, perhaps experiences that challenge\nour world view and question our lifestyles in order to take stock perhaps, or to\nappreciate what we have and to put one\u2019s own situation in perspective. And encounters\nwith ancient cultures that have managed to survive in the modern world, from\nwhom we can learn a lot about appreciating the simple beauty of life, is\ndefinitely on a lot of people\u2019s bucket lists these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The past decade has seen a great\ninterest in travel activities and experiences where indigenous people are\ndirectly involved in educating people about their culture, traditions, beliefs\nand lifestyles. It is always fascinating to meet people from a different\nculture, discovering their history, music, and art, and in many cases having\nthe chance to support their cultural and environmental conservation efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Tribal tourism”, as it\nhas been dubbed, is on the rise. From Indonesia to India, Sri Lanka to Myanmar,\ntourists are increasingly drawn to the idea of visiting First Nations peoples, discovering\ncultures whose world view and way of life is entirely different from our own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are our\npick of the top destinations that explore, support, and celebrate indigenous\ncultures around Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Asmat<\/strong> <\/em>
Silolona Sojourns Cruise<\/strong>
Komodo, Indonesia<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Asmat are a tribe that are found on the south side of\nthe western part of New Guinea, an area that when the first European explorers\nventured into the Asmat\u2019s home range, considered to possibly be the fabled Shangri-La.\nThe Asmat prefer to live near the sea on small islands with mangrove forests,\nsaltwater and freshwater swamp land and lowland rainforest. Renowned wood\ncarvers, their work is collected worldwide – unlike the results from the other\nskill they have long been famed for, as headhunters. They are perhaps the most\nfamous cannibalistic tribe on Papua, a province of Indonesia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The relationship of the Asmat carver to wood is totally\nsacred with their wood working skill highly prized amongst primitive art\nexperts who respect the Asmat as woodcarvers of the highest order.  The Asmat believe that their creator carved\ntheir ancestors from trees and gave them the blessing of life. The artist strives\nto infuse each piece with the spirit energy of those ancestors creating a\nsacred bridge between the material and the spirit worlds. The first pieces of\nAsmat woodcarving that were taken back to Europe in the 19th C were said to\nhave influenced western art movements including the works of Henri Matisse,\nMarc Chagall and Pablo Picasso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headhunting raids were an important element of Asmat culture\nuntil Christian missionaries worked hard to convert the Asmat to Catholicism\nending the practice of headhunting which according to some accounts persisted\nwell into the 1990s. Headhunting was practiced both for revenge and to complete\ncertain rituals. One of America\u2019s famous son\u2019s possibly came to a sticky end at\nthe hands of the Asmat. Michael Rockefeller, from one of the richest families\nin the USA, was collecting Asmat art in the region and went missing in 1961.\nSome say he was lost to a river when his boat overturned\u2026some say he was\ninvited to a barbeque\u2026 Sadly, he has never been seen again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All deaths, even by diseases, were treated with suspicion by\nthe Asmat, and if bewitchment was considered to be the cause then a head of the\nbewitcher was needed to balance the acts and to satisfy the family\u2019s ancestors.\nThis could often result in an endless cycle of violence. Heads were also\nessential for the rituals associated with the rites of passage from boys to\nmen. And as the old adage goes, \u2018waste not want not\u2019, so a successful\nheadhunting expedition would result in families reaching for the spices and\ntheir best recipes for \u2018great meals for cannibals\u2019, after which a good cook-up would\nensue\u2026probably a barbeque, best not to eat the sausage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The luxury Phinisi Yachts Silolona and Si Datu Bua are an\nexcellent choice to embark on a stunning sailing charter adventure of a\nlifetime. Both yachts are based on the hand-crafted traditional Indonesian trading\nvessels known as \u2018PHINISI\u2019. Newly constructed using the finest tropical\nhardwoods by the Master Konjo boat builders of Sulawesi these two gorgeous\nyachts, the 5-cabin Silolona and the 3-cabin Si Datu Bua, are available for\ncabin cruises, private charters and tandem charters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both of the spectacular and very unique charter yachts are\navailable to take you, your friends, colleagues or family on a romantic journey\nfollowing the ancient Spice Island Trade Routes gracing their guests with\ncaptivating authentic cultural experiences with the Asmat tribe and Dani people\nin Papua.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Akha<\/em>
Muang La Lodge
Muang La, Laos<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Akha tribe is one of the rarest indigenous hill tribes in\nthe whole of Asia. Choosing to live in the most remote areas of the continent\nand originating from south China and Tibet, they are also now found living in\nthe highlands of Myanmar, Northern Thailand, Northern Vietnam and Laos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a very distinctive national dress worn by the\nwomenfolk, their indigo dyed handwoven clothes and distinctive highly decorated\nhats are often decorated with beads, shells, handmade silver and silver coins. The\nyoung women of marriageable age wear the most elaborate clothing, contrary to\ntheir elders, who wear clothing with less ornamentation. In fact the coins used\nto decorate Akha clothes often herald from the days of the British Empire and\nFrench Indochina. Those were times when the coinage of the British Empire, the\nsilver rupee, and the French Piastre, were high in silver content and are very\ncollectable today. Listen as you stroll the fascinating walkways of a Myanmar\nor Northern Lao country market and you will hear the bright \u2018ching\u2019 of silver\ncoins in the hands of the dealers, as the coins are still highly valued and used\nas currency in the countryside \u2013 and often kept in the bank of \u2018hole in the\nground\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Muang La Lodge is nestled deep in the mountains of northern Lao, with the Akha and other hilltribes, the Khamu and Hmong, as their neighbours. The team at this delightful lodge have designed a variety of excursions that allow you to meet, share with, and learn about the typical ethnic communities of the region including the Akha. These hunter-gatherer tribes are called the \u201cpeople of heaven\u201d by the Lao people living on the plains. Their villages are found above 1,000m above sea level, built on the sides of the mountains, where the villagers retain their centuries-old, traditions and customs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER MUANG LA LODGE NOW<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Vedda<\/em>
Gal Oya Lodge,
Gal Oya National Park, Sri Lanka<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Vedda are the indigenous people of Sri Lanka. A forest-dwelling\npeople, they have called this beautiful island home for more than 35,000years. As\nthe earliest inhabitants of Sri Lanka, they have lived on the island since\nbefore the arrival of other ethnic groups in India and long before the\nBuddhists arrived, living off the land and at one with nature. Hunting and gathering in the jungles\nand forests they call home, one of the staple foods gathered by the Vedda is\nwild honey, which they collect by climbing trees where the hives are and\nburning dry leaves to ward off the bees as they harvest the sweet and energy\nrich honeycomb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As with all the culture clashes around the world the ancient\nworld of the forest dwelling Vedda is slowly disappearing as they are seduced\nout of the forest by the convenience of modern life, or pushed out by pressure\non the forests and national parks making their hunter-gatherer existence\nuntenable in these modern days of land-ownership and boundaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team at Gal Oya Lodge have created\nan unmissable experience! Their neighbours are one of the last remaining\ncommunities of the Vedda people. They can arrange for their guests to visit the\nvillage chief and take a guided trek through the forest with the Vedda. The\nforest comes alive as your Vedda guide explains the tribe\u2019s use of medicinal\nplants, takes you to the locations of their ancient hunting grounds and cave\ndwellings, as well as sharing the secrets of how as hunter-gatherers they have sustained\nthemselves in the ancient jungles of Gal Oya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER GAL OYA LODGE NOW<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The Ladakhi<\/em>
<\/strong>Lchang Nang Retreat, Nimmu House, Stok Palace Heritage Hotel
Ladakh, India<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The remote lands of Ladakh, northern India, have long mesmerized visitors and explorers with their unique and at times other-worldly beauty. The scenery as deep as time itself, the stark almost moon-like mountain vistas, lush river valleys, great roaring rivers full with glacial meltwater and unique architectural styles that blend harmoniously both with the land and the environment \u2013 something we can all learn from these days \u2013 the scenery and atmosphere of Ladakh is truly magical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ladakhi, the people of Ladakh, have a rich folklore much\nof which pre-dates the Buddhist era. As the Himalayan farming season is short, due\nto the severity of the winter in this region of the world, the Ladakhi only\nwork for 4 months of the year. While there is no denying that life in Ladakh is\noften hard, the people certainly know how to celebrate and enjoy themselves,\nand they throw lengthy and elaborate weddings, festivals and religious\ncelebrations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their ancient, rich and colourful culture is centered around\nthe beliefs and practices of Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism, the predominant\nreligion of Ladakh. During the eight winter months, work is minimal, and\nfestivals and celebrations are almost a continuous affair, giving ample\nopportunity to display Goncha, the traditional dress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through their intimate understanding and ingenious use of\nscarce natural resources, these people have for centuries succeeded in\nproviding themselves all their basic needs. And they have done so without\nundermining the integrity of their natural environment, without treating nature\nas an adversary to be conquered. Nor do the Ladakhi interact competitively with\neach other.  Life in Ladakh is infused\nwith great stability, deep spirituality and peacefulness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the remoteness of Ladakh multiple destinations are\nneeded to really experience and enjoy all the very best of this fascinating\nregion and Secret Retreats can share this wonderful experience with you through\nour 3 members there – Lchang Nang set in the Nubra Valley, Nimmu House in the\nancient village of Nimmu and the incredible Stok Palace, home to the royal\nfamily of Ladakh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choose a pace for your visit that matches your inner self.\nIf activity is your desire, the property teams can arrange treks, rafting, guided\nvisits to the ancient Buddhist monasteries, picnics, and excursions to any of\nthe numerous sites that make this part of the world so enthralling. At Stok\nPalace you can meet the monks that have provided religious services to the\nLadakhi Royal Family for generations and practice meditation in the monastery\nhere that dates back to the 14th<\/sup> C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day trips are made easy with the help of each property\u2019s\nfriendly staff \u2013 leave early morning and return in the evening to the\ntranquility and comfort of your Secret Retreat, be it the beautifully restored\nnobleman\u2019s house of Nimmu House in one of their Heritage Rooms or luxury tents\nin their apricot orchards, or your room or luxury tent at Stok Palace, or your\ntraditional bungalow in the Nubra Valley set under apricot and walnut trees at\nLchang Nang \u2018The House of Trees\u2019. And for the more restful, practice meditation\nand yoga in one of the most enigmatic destinations on earth, refresh your mind,\nre-align your chakras, allow your soul to sing as you realize the simple\nmeaning and beauty of LIFE immersed amongst the timeless grand vistas of Ladakh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DISCOVER HOTELS IN LADAKH NOW<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What are you waiting for? Contact the Concierges at Secret\nRetreats and plan your next holiday in Asia, you know you deserve it! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Enchanting ancient cultures you can still interact with today! Once again, we would like to lead you to explore the cultures and traditions of Asia\u2019s Indigenous people. It is always exciting to get off the beaten track, whether by vehicle or trekking and visit places that few have seen or are perhaps known only from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":5239,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[25,1,251,26],"tags":[72,119,31,97,246,203,355],"yoast_head":"\nFascinating destinations and the indigenous cultures of Asia - Secret Retreats Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.secret-retreats.com\/blog\/general-info\/fascinating-destinations-and-the-indigenous-cultures-of-asia-part-1.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fascinating destinations and the indigenous cultures of Asia - Secret Retreats Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Enchanting ancient cultures you can still interact with today! 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