OF his travels to the Far East, Author Lafcadio Hearn wrote in 1904: "Here, all is enchantment. You have entered bodily into Fairyland—into a world that is not and never can be your own. You have been transported out of your century into an era forgotten, back to something as ancient as Nineveh." In 1956 nearly 75,000 U.S. visitors, more than ever before, will journey to the Far East looking for some of the same enchantment. The main travel spots:
India, where U.S. tourists will find one of the world's oldest cultures and some of its most awesomely rugged scenery. Within reach of the big cities are such sights as the magnificent, white marble Taj Mahal at Agra, the ancient Holy City of Benares, Mt. Everest looming over the green tea gardens of Darjeeling. Off the beaten track are trips to the village of Molar Bund, 16 miles from New Delhi, which is entirely inhabited by snake charmers, and to the famed cave temples of Elephanta and Ajanta. For $1,500 per person, two-week tiger hunts can be arranged; a rebate is guaranteed if no tiger is seen, but not if the hunter misses, since "no responsibility is taken for bad shooting."
India's hotels in New Delhi, Calcutta and Bombay are on a par with the Western world's finest, charge around $17 per day for an air-conditioned double room with meals, and serve splendid Indian food, e.g., curried shrimp, Tandoori chicken fried with spices. What to buy in India: fine carved ivory, emeralds and other gems well under U.S. prices, silk scarves and $10 saris, which local dressmakers turn info evening dresses for $40 v. $150 for sari dresses in the U.S. Average touring cost: about $26 per day per person.
The Philippines, where an Asian culture is heavily leavened with Spanish and U.S. influence. Tourists visiting the islands in hope of seeing the World War II battlefield on Bataan are likely to be disappointed; it is hard to get to and has few tourist facilities. But there is much more to see and do: the handsome Philippine Capitol at Malacañan Palace, where President Magsaysay enjoys shaking hands with visitors, tours through the tropical countryside which include a look at native dancing and cockfighting plus a whopping big Filipino meal (a barbecued pig, prawns, coconut ice cream eaten out of a coconut shell). One local delicacy for the daring: balut, a duck egg ready to hatch.
Manila's Western-style hotels are good, with a double room running about $13 per day without meals. The peso exchange rate is two to the dollar, though black-market rates run as high as three to the dollar. Best buys: straw sandals and native handicrafts.
Singapore, the stepping-off stone for trips to Indonesia, South Viet Nam, Cambodia and Thailand. In Singapore itself, visitors can wander through fragrant, junglelike botanical gardens, try out the famed Chinese restaurants, take a side trip across the causeway to the Malayan mainland for a view of the Sultan of Johore's famed palace. Singapore's best hotel is the renowned Raffles, where rates average $20 per day for a double room v. $15 elsewhere. Best shopping bets: jade, Chinese scrolls and painted silk. Average tourist expense in Southeast Asia: $30 to $50 per day per person.