Whole books have been written upon the subject of Asian culture, the continent contains a very mixed set of societies, and many are widely apart from the normal view of Asian society that most often springs to mind. Asian culture is most obviously influenced by religion, and many nations that fall within the borders of Asia, still treat religion extremely seriously. For many, their religion is still a part of daily life, unlike mainstream western society.
The two predominant forms of religion in Asia are Abrahamic based religions such as Islam and Christianity and Indian based religions such as Buddhism and Taoism. Depending upon which nation you visit, one religion will be the basis of the culture as a whole. Taking Thailand as an example, the primary religion is Buddhism, and it is visible in daily life in many ways, from small offerings made to Buddha outside hospitals, to the very firm roots of all major holiday celebrations in the Buddhist religion.
Visitors to most parts of Asia also need to consider that in general, it is far less developed economically than the western world. This has serious effects upon the society and culture of the area. Old style family values are still important, people live in much closet knit communities, and life is generally simpler. Of course, in the major tourist centres, this situation is far less evident, but a short jaunt off the beaten track will reveal a lifestyle that has not changed very much at all in the last decade. It is still possible to find local farmers, using nothing but their own muscle to plant their fields and harvest their crops. In most areas the local food market is still the premier place to buy fresh produce, and street stalls still line the pavements offering mouth-watering local foodstuffs to tempt passers bye.
Of course, this very broad description does not hold true for every area of Asia, it is a pointless exercise trying to discuss overall culture of such a huge area and such a large quantity of different people and nations. Possibly the single comment that can be made which makes the most overall sense, is to remember when you are visiting Asia, it is nothing like the western world. It may seem so on the surface, but social, religious, economic and political influences are so vastly different that the basic fabric of Asian society has very little in common with our western ways. Leave your preconceptions at home when visiting, and allow yourself to relax and enjoy life in a completely new way.
If you are intending to take a trip to an Asian country, then it is recommended that you take the time to learn a little about the culture of the people you will be visiting, learn some of their customs, if for no other reason than making sure you do not give offence by doing something that they may find insulting. For example, in many Buddhist countries it is considered an offence to touch somebody on the head, which sounds quite strange to somebody who has grown up in the western hemisphere. A little background research before you arrive will make sure you are behaving as expected, and receiving the best from your holiday time.
Don't be put off by the food, although food in Asia can be challenging to some people, western food is widely available in all of the major tourist centres, worrying about your stomach is definitely no reason to scratch Asia off your list of possibly holiday destinations.
Health risks are negligible these days, although some diseases still flair up from time to time, it is advised you inform your doctor of the location of your visit to Asia so that he can advise you of any vaccinations that may be needed before you travel.
