For a bit of perspective: in 2010, the ten member countries of ASEAN saw a combined total of 73,750,000 tourists. In just 4 years, by 2014, that number had climbed to 105,083,000.

This is a double-edged sword for many who want to visit the region. On one hand, an increasing number of people mean attractions make more money, which will (hopefully) be invested in improvements and upkeep to ensure the site stays in good condition. On the other hand… ugh, people. People everywhere.

But the smart traveler doesn’t let this deter them. In fact, you might be surprised at how much difference a few simple tactics can have, sometimes being the difference between pushing your way through sweaty, sunburned crowds and touring the same attraction at your leisure, in peace and quiet.

• Go early – as in, line up outside before it opens.

This is an obvious one, but no matter what time an attraction opens, you’ll invariably see the thickest, noisiest crowds from mid-morning onward. Showing up when the doors open can get you inside and on your way while the rest of the crowd are still trying to find a seat at their hotel buffet.

• Hire a guide.

You might think this is purely out of self-interest, but it really isn’t!  Whether you join a guided trip by Smiling Albino or choose to go with someone else, the fact of the matter is that registered guides who offer to show you around a place will (usually) have the inside scoop on a whole host of details, including shortcuts, crowd movements, restrictions, and special situations that you can use to your advantage. Our favorite example of this is a friend who visited the Taj Mahal, but only had a punishingly short 45 minutes to spare. The guide ended up giving him a quick tour of all the major spots, avoiding lineups and slow-moving crowds, that finished exactly 45 minutes after it started. A good guide is indispensible.

• Avoid the mainstays

Most people travel in roughly the same way – they have a limited amount of time to see an endless list of attractions, so it makes sense to hit the “Wow!” ones first. But while there’s a good reason they’re considered “Wow!” attractions, that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of others that offer a similar – some would even say better – experience over and above the lack of crowds. For every grand temple or beautiful waterfall or sunset vista heaving with crowds, there’s another one with far less people jockeying for a picture. Do some research and you might be surprised what you find.

• Book tickets in advance

This one doesn’t always work, obviously, as some attractions don’t even offer this service, but you might be surprised to learn that many do. Sometimes all it takes is an email or a phone call, and you can find yourself walking right past the sweaty masses and through the front door like the VIP we all know you are.

Give some thought to what you value the most – experiencing the famous historical but crowded attractions, or discovering, at your leisure, lesser-known sites that you may be able to enjoy all to yourself. There are always ways to improve on one’s travel experience – hindsight is one, preparation is a better one. Regardless, the most important thought to keep in mind is to travel with an open mind and enjoy the adventure, don’t waste your time and energy fretting over ‘what if’s and you will find you’ll return home with many more happy memories.

The post The Art of Navigating Crowded Attractions first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Like many industries, the travel and tour business is a lot like an iceberg – what you see is only a small fraction of the whole package. From a client’s point of view, most any service they pay for – be it getting a package from FedEx, sending a text on their phone, or paddling a sea kayak into a limestone cave – is just one small part of a complex system that took a ton of planning and logistics to provide. That got us thinking – wouldn’t it be interesting to provide some insight into what exactly goes into a Smiling Albino trip?

In a four-part series, we’re going to take a look at the who, what, and how of crafting an Asian adventure, from the first contact email to the bittersweet hugs at the end.

Part I – Making Contact

So what actually happens when you press ‘send’ on your inquiry email to Smiling Albino? This goes to all of our fantastic Client Services Team​ who will read it and get the ball rolling.

“The first thing we do is reply as soon as we can with a standard email that asks the customer to give us a bit more information about them,” says Queen, one of​ Smiling Albino’s ​Client Services Team Leaders​. “We do this to find out things like if they want their trip to be relaxing or strenuous, kid-friendly or geared toward grown-ups, and any special flourishes that we might need to get working on right away.”

The entire Client Services Team reviews the request, brainstorms for ideas and recommendations and selects the person who will lead the communication. Once the specifics are nailed down a very rough itinerary is drawn up and shared with Smiling Albino’s Client Services Coordinator (generally whoever is available. New people to the team begin in this role ​and currently there are 3 people who do this). Before anything else, they will make sure the itinerary is possible (for instance, if we were traveling in Thailand we wouldn’t plan a party night for an election day, as alcohol sales are banned). If everything checks out, the sales team tentatively books all necessary hotel rooms and holds them while the final details of the trip are confirmed with the customer.

“Once the details of the trip are finalized, we ask the customers to sign on the dotted line and agree to the terms and conditions of the trip. For instance, we require that every Smiling Albino guest be covered by travel insurance. Once the deposit is received, the trip coordinator goes through the itinerary step by step locking down hotel rooms, transportation, guides, and reservations for things like restaurants, bicycles, kayaks, etc,” says Queen.

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But as you may know, many Smiling Albino trips are not simply off-the-shelf cookie-cutter adventures, but custom-designed for each individual group. This is where things can get complicated – but it’s also where things can get amazing.

“We can coordinate many of the things that put the “V” in V.I.P.,” says Queen. “Helicopter transport, exotic car rentals, secluded dining at mind-blowing venues, or even arranging to have a public venue all to ourselves for a set period of time. We’ve arranged these before, many on extremely short notice. We dare say that very few companies – if any – are able to provide these types of services.”

Previous guests have also enjoyed private dinners with notable hosts upon request. Globe trotting travel journalists, media personalities, and distinguished cultural figures have all regaled guests with insights and stories of adventure over dinner and drinks in some of Asia’s finest establishments.

Most of it depends on what a guest desires, although occasionally special add-ons are suggested based on the customer survey, and that’s what Queen and her team specialize in.

“All of us have first-hand knowledge of every aspect of the trip, from hotels to restaurants to transport providers,” says Queen. “When it comes to V.I.P. trips that are designed from scratch, we often head out on survey trips to see how far we can push the envelope.

“This all comes back to our first contact with the customer and the amount of information they share. The more we have, the better we can be at crafting something truly unique and unforgettable.”

Next: Mapping out a trip. What do Smiling Albino’s trip coordinators do once Queen has gathered all the relevant info?

The post Behind the Scenes of a Smiling Albino Trip – Part 1 first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Time management. Efficiency. Productivity.

You might not realize it, but your holiday has begun the minute you contact Smiling Albino.

Sure, some people like to “do it themselves” and piece together a trip based on information gleaned from old Internet blog postings or out-of-date travel guide books, but the most successful people I know of are relentless in the pursuit of greater efficiency in their lives. Many of them have made careers out of making sure that their lives and organizations are run effectively and those people know when to leave a job to an expert.

We take your time very seriously, whether that is during the planning stages of your trip or once you hit the ground running in the country that you land in.

When someone plans their own trip they end up ticking off boxes on a list of things to do rather than entering a world of authentic experiences.

Smiling Albino has spent years reading local newspapers, asking local friends and wandering the streets in search of the best ways to really have an intimate cultural experience in whatever city you may find yourself in.

We take your ideas, dreams, and desires to customize a personalized experience that we are sure you will remember for a lifetime.

Start your next holiday right this minute – contact us now at info@smilingalbino.com.

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

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Adventure Highlights:

From our Blog: Benefits of Travel with Kids (Plus Tips for Making it Easier) Read more. . .

Travel shows our kids that the world is bigger than they are, and that people are different… and very much the same. Taking our children traveling is an investment into their future, and into the type of person they will become.

Here are two of travel’s major benefits and a couple of tips for making travel with kids easier on you. Read More. . .

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What’s Going On:

Planes, trains, and Pagodas

Dan’s currently in Myanmar finalizing the finishing touches for our newest tour edition “Asia’s Golden Land”. First adventure will happen this November! See full itinerary here.

Contact Smiling Albino for inquiries and questions!

PURE Life Experiences 2014

We will be back at PURE LIfe Experiences 2014, November 10-13 in Marrekech. We look forward to seeing you there at the global marketplace of high-end experiential travel!

Coming Soon!

We are in the process of a rebrand to the Smiling Albino identity. To be released in July! Expect the same caring, detailed attention from Smiling Albino with a new and improved company website!

Good for a laugh!

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post Don’t waste your valuable time! – Albino Smiles, July 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.