What 11069 DialAFlight clients thought of Asia

Fantastic communication throughout. Professional and friendly. Repeat customer and I’ll definitely use again for my future holidays.

Always great service from Reid and team

I recommend Des whenever I have the opportunity - he always delivers -reliable, easy going, gets as good a price as he can

Thank you so much - Luke and your team are the best. We have been booking with you for over 10 years or maybe more

Oli de Bernier is excellent and always looks after us 100%

A big thank you to Cody Phillips who was our Travel Manger. He arranged our holiday and his help and advice was 1st class. I will definitely book another holiday through DialAFlight again.

Philippa was outstanding. She was always there at the end of the phone line to answer all my questions. We had a wonderful holiday

Jen Hotel in Singapore, the customer service needs to improve. I would not stay there again or for you to recommend this to your other customers

Shane always provides outstanding service. He managed to change my flights home with little notice.

It is very helpful to be able to discuss your flight options with a real person rather than an online process.

Well done Aiden, once again. Thanks for your help.

Another great holiday organised by Darren and the team - couldn't recommend highly enough.

Very pleased with the holiday. The only slight issue was the airport transfer as they weren't kept up to date with the flight changes, but it was quickly resolved. Also I probably wouldn't get an evening flight out of KK again, as they seem to be frequently delayed due to bad weather in the evenings at this time of year..

The seats Gavin got for us by the emergency doors were great.

Dealing with Anthony on booking was great. Very attentive, knowledgeable and patient. Gives confidence. Would definitely book again.

We have been using DialAFlight for many years and they have always had the best customer service that anybody could wish for. My advice to anyone who has not tried them - is to do so - ask for Daniel Webb - and you will come back time and time again.

An amazing experience thanks to the expertise of DialAFlight

So impressed with DialAFlight. From start to finish Natasha went above and beyond to ensure we had the most memorable holiday. We will definitely be booking with you again.

I will always use DialAFlight

Booked many times over the years. Always been helped so much

Always 5 star service

Fantastic

We weren’t told that our flight from Frankfurt became an internal domestic flight once we landed at Phuket - our headphones were taken back and the entertainment was switched off

Had a wonderful time with plenty of help along the way

Very helpful when I phoned

Brilliant service, as always! Thanks to Callum and team

No vegetarian meal on the plane. My pre-flight contact with DialAFlight was excellent.

Cancelled connecting flight spoilt the start of our holiday - I don’t think we will use Qatar again

Manny is the best!

Great customer service and helpfulness. Neil worked really hard to find a solution that worked for us.

Rise and shrine in Japan!

The spiritual Kansai region of holy sites and tropical beaches (and sumo wrestling) is suddenly attracting attention - including that of Nick Boulos

Hiro raises his bare thigh and slams his foot on the ground, spreading ripples across his man mountain of a body.

He bows at his opponent and, in a vision of manboobs and giant wedgies, they engage in combat; wrestling, pushing, heaving and tugging until one emerges victorious.

Suddenly, it's my turn. I step into the ring and stare ahead towards the sumo wrestler a few feet away - all 26st of him. A moment later I'm pressed up against his folds of flesh, my face alarmingly close to his armpit as I push with all my might. My feet scramble at the salt-strewn floor while Hiro - a wrestler for 22 years - stands there chuckling.

Sumo wrestlers are held in high esteem in Japan and the sport is looked upon as an art form

I'm in the small city of Katsuragi, considered the birthplace of sumo. Located an hour from Osaka in the Kansai region, this is a corner of Japan that has just become more accessible thanks to British Airways direct flights from Heathrow.

Kansai is an area of misty mountains dotted with remote shrines, tropical beaches and tea plantations which will appeal to visitors keen to explore what lies beyond the capital Tokyo. After putting Hiro through his paces ('You have great potential,' he jokes), it's time to move on to Osaka.

Home to three million people, the city is a patchwork of 16th century castles and 21st century glass skyscrapers. From my room on the 36th floor of the Conrad Hotel, the view of Dotonbori district, the main restaurant and entertainment area, is dizzying.

This 164-room hotel gives off a Lost In Translation vibe – think Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson – and is filled with 389 artworks including one by local boy turned renowned sculptor, Kohei Nawa.

While Osaka is certainly worthy of a few days' exploration, the experiences awaiting further afield prove to be the real temptation.

Travelling south, urban sprawl gives way to delightful rural scenes. Before long we're surrounded by the crumpled green peaks of the Kii Peninsula. These mountains are the gateway to Wakayama.

Occupying the southern tip of Kansai, this city holds the key to much of Japan's ancient spiritual heritage.

Pilgrims in Heian period costumes on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Trail

For more than 1,000 years, everyone from emperors to humble farmers has walked these peaks seeking peace and purification. The Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage ranks as one of the world's great pilgrim routes. A network of trails, it has several options, from gentle hour-long strolls to arduous multi-day treks.

Opting for the easier and shorter route, I slice through silent bamboo forests and inch along paths that hug plunging wooded ravines. I pause to enjoy panoramas splashed with cherry blossom. I am feeling more peaceful by the moment.

The climax is our arrival at the grand Shinto shrine of Kumano Hongu Taisha, the hallowed ground where all trails meet. The silence of the forest is broken by the rhythmic chiming of bells and the flapping of flags in the breeze.

Grand Shinto Shrine of Kumano Hongu Taisha where all the pilgrim trails converge

I watch as worshippers cross the gravel courtyards, clap their hands twice (to announce their arrivals to the deities) and bow their heads in prayer. This is a special, unforgettable place. Just down the road, in the valley and dissected by a stream of healing thermal waters, is Yunomine, an onsen village centred around natural hot springs.

These healing waters were discovered 1,800 years ago and became an important part of the pilgrimage by offering hot water purification along the way.

Pilgrims enjoy a spiritual soaking by stripping off, as is custom, for a dip in the stone plunge pool housed in a rickety shed. Barely big enough for two, it makes for quite the intimate experience.

I choose instead a riverside dip in the thermal rockpool at the Kawayu Midoriya. A spa hotel somewhat stuck in the Seventies, it models itself on the traditional inn, the ryokan. Expect sliding paper screens and legless chairs.

No trip to this part of Japan would be complete without the glittering jewel in its Imperial crown, Kyoto.

Reached in 15 minutes from Osaka by Shinkansen bullet train, this enchanting city was the nation's capital until 1868. It retains much of its ancient character, particularly in the Gion district where geishas once scuttled between teahouses in their elaborate silk costumes.

From the comfortable Ritz-Carlton hotel, it's a pleasant 20-minute stroll along the Kamogawa River to Gion.

Delving into the backstreets, I discover deserted gardens and teahouses serving fragrant cherry blossom tea and sit with elderly locals painting watercolours of a pagoda.

Hunched over their palettes, they look long and hard and produce thoughtful brushstrokes. They seem lost in their individual reveries, drinking in the beauty. It sums up my experience perfectly.

First published in the Daily Mail - November 2019

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