Our next InsideAsia destination: revealed
We’re terrible at keeping secrets. And this one is just too good not to share early. As our co-founder, Alastair Donnelly, explains…
In 100 days, we’re launching our brand new InsideAsia destination – one that personifies cultural adventure at its core.
Our next country is nine times bigger than Japan. It has 22 official languages, but its 1.4bn residents speak over 100 (and you can see up to eight on any one road sign). It’s the birthplace of chess – and Snakes and Ladders.
That may be enough to help you guess... but I’d also like to explain a little about how and why we’ve chosen this country as our next destination.
This time 25 years ago, Simon and I were making our journey back from Japan via the slow and scenic route: the Trans-Siberian railway. Along the way, it wasn’t just the landscapes that stuck with us, it was the people. The guides we met and stories we heard unlocked an ambition to promote the type of travel that goes beyond ticking sights off a list.
That ambition launched InsideJapan, and later InsideAsia.
Ever since, we’ve built a team that pours passion, attention to detail and an unquenchable curiosity into crafting cultural adventures: from Tokyo to Bangkok, the Mekong River to Kinabalu National Park. Wherever we send you, our trips have one thing in common: they prioritise connection to people and place – because we still firmly believe that without hearing local stories or slipping into the rhythms of everyday life, you can only go so far.
And in the world’s most populated country, this idea holds a particular truth.
Which is why we’ve chosen India as our next InsideAsia destination.
India is a country of storytellers. Visit, and you’ll quickly realise that understanding India isn’t about finding one story – it’s about hearing layered perspectives: what people want you to hear, what they think you should hear, and what you discover between the lines.
India is technically one country – but that’s not reflective of the sheer diversity and idiosyncrasies each state holds.
Just as Greece and France share a continent but little else, so too are Punjab and Kerala completely distinct. Punjab (known as the breadbasket of India) is landlocked, has a big, modern music scene, and serves its meals with roti. Kerala is more laid back, with greener landscapes, tea plantations and coconut grove-lined beaches. Food, served in banana leaves, focuses on seafood, spices and rice. Geography has a lot to answer for here, but, so does religion, local history and language.
So easily categorised as an ancient civilisation, it’s easy to overlook that India is a relatively new, ever evolving and modernising country.
Its Constitution, influenced by trade and empire links, was only formally adopted in 1949 – yet India has the world's third-highest number of billionaires. Its film industry releases almost double that of Hollywood each year. And it’s home to the highest railway bridge on Earth, standing 35m taller than the Eiffel Tower.
But travel to India is often focused solely on the Taj Mahal and the country's ancient history.
That’s partly because India suffers from the same ‘golden route’ syndrome as many places in the world, where too many people visit the same few ‘top’ destinations. Type ‘Japan’ into Google and you’re met with dozens of images of geisha and Mount Fuji. Do the same for India, and you’ll find palaces and flags.
But trips that focus purely on tradition offer just half (or less) of the story. And that’s what we’d like to change.
We hope to help travellers go beyond the obvious. We plan to seek out and champion the places and experiences we know will be the most memorable, fun and interesting – unfamiliar territory, so easily overlooked by the package holiday crowds.
Sometimes it will be a simple case of turning right instead of left. Other times, we might suggest you swerve one or two of the biggest sites, because we know a better place to showcase the religion, architecture, food or history you’re really looking for.
I’d hazard a guess you haven’t heard of the Paradesi Synagogue in Jew Town, Kochi, for example, or that some restaurants will suggest dishes based on your star sign.
Before we started our research journey, I hadn’t either. But India is surprising. And that's part of the joy we can’t wait to share.
So, how do we tackle a country like India?
It’s a new country for us, and, as we’ve always said: we don’t do destinations we don’t know yet.
That’s why we’ve hired a team of experts, led by Jess – who’s been travelling to India for nearly twenty years. She taught herself Sinhala, studies the multitudes of religion, languages and traditions, and understands life on an everyday level. Right down to spotting how far trucks have come based just on their number plates. You'll hear more from Jess as we ramp up to full launch.
We’re also spending time on the ground, starting with our travel consultants. Robyn has been south, spending time in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, while Lily explored the well-travelled, Rajasthan state. Dom recently visited Gujarat, Jess met with the owners of some incredibly special accommodation, and Jenny’s been busy partnering with local guides.
Our research trips build specialism. They help us get beneath the surface of a country – road testing everything, learning more about what experiences are on offer, and meeting people with incredible stories, who we’d love our customers to meet, too.
Some of those people have, or will become, our partners on the ground – a network of experts who call India home. They’ll guide you through the maze of Mumbai streets, and signpost you to the best place to drink chai after a long cycle, high in the tea plantations. They are flexible, available 24 hours a day, and there to make your trip through India that much easier – all without smothering your experience. We know that first-hand, because we’ve spent time with them, too.
India is a country built on pride, spirit and endeavour – and we aim to match that in our approach. We are meticulous. We enjoy the details. And we love the challenge of designing trips that defy expectation, in a place where moments of serendipity spark true cultural adventure.
So, join us, as we dive into a country we can’t wait for more of you to explore.
Leave certainty at the immigration queue – and embrace India's frenetic energy. Learn that, when given in to, the country endlessly invites you in: to a place where life happens densely and quickly.
We’ve got 100 days until launch. We’ve got lots more planned. And we'd love for you to join us on our journey – sign up to hear more about India.
Alastair Donnelly, Co-founder of Inside Travel Group