Here’s the latest news from bespoke Cambodia specialist ABOUTAsia Travel (www.aboutasiatravel.com):
new for 2011 – Battambang boat
ABOUTAsia Travel now offers a private boat trip between Siem Reap and Battambang, providing an intimate and unhurried look at South-East Asia’s largest freshwater lake, Tonle Sap. The eight-hour journey, across the lake and up the winding Sangkar River, takes in floating fishing villages and the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary. When not photographing wildlife or river traffic, guests can enjoy complimentary manicures and traditional foot massages onboard or snack on Khmer style tapas prepared freshly by the chef…
new for 2011 – Song Saa
Dotted with islands and perfect shores, Cambodia’s coastline is still scarcely on western radars. That will completely change with forthcoming island resort Song Saa(opening December): two islands connected by a footbridge, 25 villas either in virgin rainforest or on white-sand beaches, and a blur of thatched roof lounges, a fine restaurant, a spa centre and a large infinity pool for those sick of salt. Rare hornbills will take a breather on your balcony, empty islands are a hired motorboat away, and the boardwalk makes for a fine sunset stroll. There’s also serious eco-stripes being earned: a newly-established 1-million-sq.metre marine park, flora and fauna studies and a sustainable fishing programmes are all in the works. ABOUTAsia Travel can make advance bookings.
new for 2011 – teach English in a Pagoda
ABOUTAsia Travel’s philanthropic sister organisation AboutASIA Schools helps Cambodian children in the Siem Reap area. It does two things: provides classroom supplies etc, and provides volunteer teaching assistants and school-workers. Unlike most volunteer outfits, ABOUTAsia Schools doesn’t charge people to volunteer, either. Over summer, as most of the normal schools are closed for holiday, volunteers can teach English at the Pagoda schools (for would-be Buddhist monks) – an exciting opportunity that provides exclusive access to a generally closed-off, and often beautiful, world. Prices are on request, but quotes are available.
Angkor Wat temple reopens after four decades
Angkor Wat’s Baphuon temple has finally re-opened after a four decade-long renovation. The £9 million project to restore the 11th century, three-tier step temple began in the 1960s but was serially disrupted by Cambodia’s civil war; ultimately, the French-led team had to piece together 300,000 sandstone blocks in a painstaking archaeological jigsaw. The temple is expected to quickly become a key stop on all Angkor tours. Now including Baphuon, ABOUTAsia Travel offers specialist, private Angkor tours with expert guides that take care to avoid the crowds, and include sunset sundowners in a secret beauty spot.
good news for Siamese crocodiles
There was also good news recently for Cambodia’s critically endangered Siamese crocodile, as a captive breeding pair laid their first eggs at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre. With only an estimated 250 of the crocs left in the Cardamom Mountains, this is indelibly good conversation news. ABOUTAsia Travel can get croc-crazy international visitors exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to Phnom Tamao, to witness the Cambodia Crocodile Conservation Project first-hand.
MasterCard and ABOUTAsia team up
Last autumn, MasterCard and Siem Reap’s Hôtel de la Paix teamed up again to train young rural Khmer women as seamstresses. The admirable scheme saw MasterCard donate US$50 towards the reconstruction of Hôtel de la Paix’s Sewing School for every room bill paid with a MasterCard card between 1 August & 30 November 2010. The school aims to enable its pupils to support themselves and their families. Now, ABOUTAsia Travel is involved: helping with the provision of up to 12,000 uniforms using money raised by MasterCard.
golfing gains with Jack Nicklaus
Cambodia will take another leap forward as a golfing destination with the mid-2011 opening of the 18-hole, Jack Nicklaus-designed Grand Phnom Penh Golf Club. This will complement the existing three championship-standard courses around Siem Reap, including the Angkor Golf Resort,planned by Nick Faldo. Unlike Thailand and Vietnam courses, there are no queues for tee-off times on Cambodia’s less populous courses. Advanced reservations can be made via ABOUTAsia Travel.
turtles receive Buddhist bodyguards
One of the world’s rarest freshwater turtles is now enjoying holy protection. Beside the Mekong River, environmentalists have worked together with Buddhist monks to establish a centre for the endangered Cantor’s giant soft-shell turtle in the grounds of a temple near Kratie, on the Mekong River. At the opening ceremony, a typically orange-clad monk blessed a female, 40-pound turtle before releasing her into a large pond. ABOUTAsia Travel can arrange visits to the centre.
ABOUTAsia Travel is a bespoke Cambodia travel specialist based in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Run by Englishman Andy Booth, it arranges top-end & adventurous Cambodian itineraries for visitors (private & tour) to the country, and also acts as a local agent for the likes of Orient Express, Raffles and Mastercard.
ENDS
5 July 2011
Press: For images or more information, contact Richard Mellor at Travel PR (020 8891 4440; r.mellor@travelpr.co.uk).