For Westerners, Asia has always had an exotic appeal. The cultures, religions, and ways of life across the continent are foreign to us, and thus compelling. We want to understand what it means to live in a place with 4,000 years of continuous civilization. We want to roam among the world’s highest mountains and explore the tropical backwaters full of mystery and intrigue. We want to see a tiger, ride an elephant, bask in the radiance of the monument of love, the Taj Mahal. In this new century especially, Asia is a continent for women to explore. Yes, there were predecessors, such as 19th century cultural explorer Isabella Bird, but women have turned to Asia in large numbers in recent years, finding a spiritual and emotional draw to the continent that goes beyond their call to more familiar places such as Europe and North America. Women are seeking adventure, connection, and an understanding of the world and its peoples, and no place offers a more enticing opportunity to do this than Asia.
