Much of Asia’s architectural heritage is under threat as countries pursue rapid economic growth and often eschew preservation in favour of rapid modernisation. In Cambodia the threat is particularly acute, extending from the World Heritage-listed ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat to the buildings of the 1950s and ’60s, when the newly independent kingdom began…
Read moreA packed weekend in Phnom Penh
It’s rich with history, loaded with atmosphere and jammed with great restaurants and shops, but Phnom Penh is often overlooked by travellers in favour of Siem Reap, the launching point for Cambodia’s famed Angkor Wat. A weekend trip to the capital however, is easily done from Bangkok and yields rich rewards. Phnom Penh offers accommodation…
Read moreCambodia maps out plan to lure tourists to Khmer Rouge sites
The veranda has collapsed, a lone green typewriter sits unused on a dusty table and only two of the 27 staff are here. But Anlong Veng’s tourism office has a grand plan to lure visitors to the final stronghold of Cambodia’s infamous Khmer Rouge. It was to this far-flung district in Oddar Meanchey province, about…
Read moreIdling on islands
Life glides by slowly perched in a hammock overlooking the swirling Mekong River in Laos’ Four Thousand Islands. Sipping a Beer Lao and watching the ever-changing colours of the river is meditation not just popular with locals but with an increasing number of independent travellers. Si Phan Don, as the locals call it, is a…
Read moreCambodia’s beach resort gambles on international tourism boom
With pristine beaches rivalling Asia’s best holiday destinations, a five-star hotel, a reopened airport and a planned golf course, Cambodia’s Sihanoukville is poised to jump into the global tourism arena. Thousands of tourists are already lured to Cambodia by the ancient Angkor Wat temple complex but few other sights attract their attention or their desperately…
Read moreThailand’s new opium hall casts light on dark history
CHIANG SAEN, Thailand – Nestled in the heart of Southeast Asia’s infamous Golden Triangle region, a gleaming new museum portraying the chequered global history of opium is about to open its doors to the public. The 400-million baht (9.5-million dollar) Hall of Opium, built amid mountains that a decade or two ago were covered with…
Read moreVenice of the East fights its own watery future
The criss-crossing canals that once earned Bangkok the moniker "Venice of the East" have long gone, but the city still draws one comparison with its famed Italian cousin: it too is sinking. "Bangkok is sinking at varying rates throughout the city… The settlement rate can be more than 12 centimetres per year in the worst…
Read moreJapanese tourists taste real Thai bullets
Japanese tourists have discovered that Thai holidays can be about more than just cheap shopping and snoozing on tropical beaches: shooting guns at Thai military ranges has become a popular new diversion. "There are so many Japanese tourists coming to Bangkok — if they want to do some shooting and some sightseeing, then that’s the…
Read morePeace, at Pimalai
Take one long beach on a quiet tropical island, add a collection of low-key villas, each decorated with a modern take on Thai design, and mix well among lush, colourful gardens. What you have is the recipe for an utterly luxurious yet simple holiday; a place to unwind, relax, and recharge. Welcome to Pimalai Spa…
Read moreSummer sales in Hong Kong
Being a tax-free zone for all goods except alcohol and tobacco has long made Hong Kong an attractive shopping destination. To make it even more seductive to people seeking serious retail therapy, shops have traditionally banded together to offer two mega-sales periods per year: from New Year to Chinese New Year, and throughout summer. And…
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