'So shocked': Aussie travellers greeted with unexpected sights on Asia holiday
I never expected that one of the best Italian meals of my life would be at a restaurant in a random back street of a small Cambodian city.
But I still think about that pepperoni pizza and beef ravioli at least every few months.
I won't lie - before visiting Cambodia and Vietnam, I had a pretty good idea in my head of what to expect. Streets clogged with traffic, busy markets, skyscrapers, pollution, and loud noises everywhere.
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There's a lot more to Asia than busy streets and pollution. Supplied
But once I arrived, I realised that there's a lot more going on than that. And I'm not just talking about Italian food.
The Vietnamese countryside is stunning, and the islands of Cambodia have beaches that rival some here in Australia.
Everyone we met went out of their way to welcome us, and on more than one occasion, we joined a local for dinner or drinks at their insistence.
I could write at least a thousand words on how good and varied the food was - and not once did we encounter a language barrier that prevented us from ordering in a local eatery.
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We couldn't believe how beautiful the landscapes were. Supplied
New data from tour company Wendy Wu Tours shows Australians are having their assumptions about Asia turned upside down.
Outdated perceptions have held some travellers back from booking holidays to the region, only for them to finally visit and realise that their fears are very far from reality.
Nine.com.au writer Mikala had a similar experience when she first visited Thailand earlier this year.
"I was so shocked at how clean the streets were, despite there being no public bins anywhere, there was no trash at all!," she says.
"I wish Sydney would get on that level."
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Thailand is a very clean country. Supplied
Lauren also notes how kind the locals were when she visited Thailand. "People were so eager to help, down for a laugh and seemed much more grateful to have tourists in their town than a lot of European cities I've been to that don't give you the time of day," she says.
Sonia Orrego, Head of Product at Wendy Wu Tours, says hearing about Asia from friends and then exploring it first-hand is helping to change Australians' perceptions of Asia.
"Many are returning to destinations like Japan, staying longer, and venturing beyond the usual tourist routes, showing that real experience, not outdated assumptions, is now driving travel choices," Sonia says.
People are returning to Asian destinations after getting a taste. Getty
Data from the tour company shows that the shift is particularly strong among over-55s, with 99 per cent saying Asia holidays are more affordable than expected.
Three in five travellers to Asia reported that the friendliness of locals is one of the biggest highlights of visiting the region.
Japan, China and other parts of Asia have all seen huge growth in the number of visitors from Australia, proving that these destinations have a huge pull - despite any long-held misconceptions.
Data fromtravelinsurance.com predicted travel to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia would jump 42 per cent in 2025, attracting four million Aussie travellers.
