ASIA TRAVEL EXPERIENCE BLOG

Old Market, Tonle Sap and Apsara are intriguing attractions that enhance the undiscovered allure of Siem Reap, as ANDREW PONNAMPALAM discovers

EVER since the ancient Hindu temple complex of Angkor Wat was publicised to the West by the French explorer Henri Mouhot in the mid-19th Century, it has become an icon of modern tourism. Hordes of tourists fly into the quaint little town of Siem Reap in Cambodia, en route to this archaeological wonder. Hotels, restaurants and resorts are springing up on the outskirts of this town, especially along National Highway Six and the road to the Siem Reap International Airport. Having toured these awesome monuments on more than one occasion, I must confess that I find Siem Reap’s greatest attractions in very different places.

Siem Reap Town itself, for example, is replete with nostalgia harkening back to a carefree time now almost forgotten. The quaint European and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market, speak volumes about the rich cosmopolitan heritage that characterised this lovely old town in a bygone era.

My favourite hangout was the Old Market, experienced best just after dawn. Dew-fresh vegetables, flowers and fruits were heaped in neat piles, their sweet fragrances mingling with the heady scent of spices and herbs, plus the stronger aroma of freshly-ground coffee-beans and the strong smell of glistening fresh fish, brought in from the great inland sea called the Tonle Sap, and from the clear streams and rivers around the town.

These days the wares at Siem Reap’s Old Market also include handicraft, souvenirs, antiques, curios and a host of other touristy stuff like T-shirts and postcards. Gems and silks fill another corner of this bustling commercial centre. The vendors, in their colourful sarongs, are mostly women, a fact hinting at the tragic lost generation of Cambodia, where an estimated million or more able-bodied men were slaughtered in the Khmer Rouge genocide of the 1970’s.

Today, the pain of the past seems gone, covered by the vibrancy and excitement of a burgeoning economy and a flourishing tourist-trade. The new generation of young men in Siem Reap appear fully occupied with the increasing numbers of international visitors, haggling over taxi-fare or the price of an ornately-decorated Apsara doll.

• Andrew Ponnampalam is an award-winning Travel & Aviation Writer and Consultant who has visited nearly 450 destinations around the world, and is passionately committed to the Sustainable Development of Tourism.

Dancing Nymphs
The Apsara is certainly not something to be missed. The word itself is the name given to fabled celestial nymphs who dance for the gods in ancient Hindu and Buddhist mythology. In Siem Reap, the term refers to a major form of Khmer dance which has its roots in ancient animism and primitive magic, with Hindu and Buddhist influences incorporated over the centuries.

In Siem Reap, there are Apsara dance performances every night at the larger restaurants, with strong Angkor elements that make the ornate bas-reliefs of the Angkor complex seem to come alive in an enchanting and memorable way. Compared to traditional dances in Thailand and other parts of Indochina, I found some of the Apsara dance movements ethereal and feather-like, enhancing the overall fabled mystique of beauty and enchantment.

Feathered Beauties
Feathers are another reason why tourists visit the town of Siem Reap. As an avid birdwatcher, I was fascinated to find that more and more ecotourists from all over Europe, North America and Asia are flocking to the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary at the core of the world-acclaimed Tonle Sap Biosphere Reserve. Described as “the single most important breeding-ground in Southeast Asia for globally-threatened large waterbirds”, this birdwatching haven covers over 31,000 hectares at the northwest tip of the Tonle Sap Lake, just a short drive from Siem Reap town.

I was enthralled with the large flocks of snowy-white egrets, elegant herons, lovely purple gallinules, long-legged storks and exotic ibis.

Friends regaled me with tales of amazing pelicans, cheeky jacanas, elusive rails and impressive cormorants. My most inspiring memory is watching the awesome grey-headed fish eagles using their magnificent wing-span to soar high above, sharp eyes always alert and fearsome talons ever ready to strike at the sight of fish in the clear waters of the largest inland lake in this part of the world. Over 230 species of birds have been recorded here, and many of these flourish because of the bountiful variety and amount of fish in the Tonle Sap.

Gentle People
Like the birds, people also thrive on the bounty of the Tonle Sap. It is estimated that up to 75 per cent of all fish in Cambodia come from this area, and that nearly 3 million people in the country owe their livelihood in some way to the fishing industry of the lake and its feeder river, the mighty Mekong. Get off the beaten track around Siem Reap, and you will discover a world of wonder and delight — a realm with gentle, smiling people eking a tenuous living with an intriguing blend of timeless traditions and modern ingenuity.

Alone among the lakeside communities of the world, the resourceful people of the Tonle Sap cope with two unique phenomena. First, the waters of this great lake change direction twice a year due to the monsoon floods and the distinctive contours of the hinterland. For the same reasons, the lake also changes its size and depth very dramatically, with water rising from anywhere between one metre and nine in different seasons.

The result is a bewildering array of water-villages, houseboats, floating shelters and “detachable” homes — the latter being simply uprooted and transported to a different location as the need arises!

Shops, clinics, schools, and even churches float on pontoons, rafts or platforms, while an entire flotilla of small boats congregate to form a waterborne market. Children paddle nonchalantly about this community in aluminium containers, plastic buckets and styrofoam boxes, oblivious to the bemused looks on the faces of first-time visitors.

I smile at the tourists in the next boat checking the digital images they have taken of the simple fishing folk, the gorgeous birds and the resplendent Apsara dancers they watched last night, and I think to myself that feathers, fish and fables are just some of the hidden treasures of the delightful town called Siem Reap.

by ANDREW PONNAMPALAM
traveltimes@nstp.com.my

Tags: angkor, apsara, Cambodia, Siem Reap, tonle sap

With 17 years’ experience navigating the Mekong River, Mr Puoy is reckoned to be the best riverboat captain in southern Laos. The watery labyrinth he works in contains a reputed 4000 islands, so he needs to be pretty good.

But right now, at the end of a harsher than usual dry season, the region’s Lao moniker Si Phan Don (Four Thousand Islands), seems just a tad inaccurate.

In a fading tropical dusk, Mr Puoy is steering the imposing teak-trimmed hulk of the Vat Phou through a dynamic environment of sand bars and swirling eddies, ripples and rapids.

Rustic nets are being cast in graceful arcs from low-slung boats bobbing just centimetres above the waterline, as local ferries transport monks, buffaloes and backpackers across the Mekong’s silvery expanse.

Like any good riverboat, the Vat Phou comes with an interesting backstory. It used to transport teak and rice down the Mekong, and was once owned by a Lao princess.

Recently rock royalty Sir Mick Jagger chartered the whole shebang, replicating our own itinerary of visiting local villages, French-colonial towns, and Khmer temples.

In a telling reminder of the area’s remoteness, apparently no one recognised rock’s most iconic hips and lips.

David Beckham would no doubt be mobbed by the kids playing on the Mekong’s sandy makeshift football pitches, but in one of Indochina’s quieter corners, music’s most kinetic 65-year-old was just another skinny falang with a flash camera.

Si Phan Don hasn’t always been drifting off the edge of the map. On the tiny islands of Don Det and Don Khon lies evidence of a grand French plan to transform Asian trade in the 19th century. Linked by a bridge from French colonial times, the twin islands are now a sleepy haven for backpackers who arrive for a night and stay for a month.

Amidst the scrawled signs for bumpy onward transport to Vietnam and Cambodia, a compact French locomotive and a few metres of rusted track are all that remain of Paris’s designs.

Downstream the Khon Phapeng waterfalls thunder towards the border with Cambodia. During the wet season the cataracts swell to a width of 11km, and year round, travel and transport upstream is impossible.

The French planned to link the Mekong’s southern and northern banks by Don Det’s toytown railway, eventually hoping to expand the lucrative trade caravan all the way from Beijing to Saigon and the South China Sea. The weed-strewn and rusted hulk of a locomotive remains a poignant counterpoint to lost colonial dreams.

More colonial ambition lingers in the sleepy riverside town of Champassak. Before the Pathet Lao Socialist revolution in 1975, the town was the seat of Lao royalty, and amid the Chinese shophouses and wandering cows and buffaloes are glorious French mansions. The faded ochre residences are now dusty and overgrown, but still stately and elegant, if curiously out of place in the shimmering tropics of Laos.

More layers of history reside at the nearby Wat Phu temple, arrayed on the gentle slopes of the Phu Pasak range, and trimmed with mini-glens of frangipani. Sanskrit and Chinese inscriptions confirm the Unesco World Heritage site was inhabited in the 5th century, but the star focus in contemporary terms is the pair of gracious Khmer temples – male and female – that predate Cambodia’s Angkor Wat by several centuries.

Compared to the tourist bustle of Siem Reap, this is a sedate and relaxing scene, with just a few Lao tourists ascending the temple’s 180 steps slowly in the afternoon heat.

By the 12th century, the focus of Khmer society had moved on to the architectural overachievement of Angkor Wat, and this sleepy but spectacular slice of Indochina again drifted into languid obscurity until the thwarted 19th century dreams of Paris merchants. And despite a recent visit by an incognito rock superstar, it’s still in little danger of becoming the Next Big Thing.

Four thousand islands, they reckon. On a river cruise this laidback and relaxing, who’s counting?

CHECKLIST

Getting there: One of the best ways to get there is to go on Cathay Pacific to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City and then connect with Vietnam Airlines.

Cruising: Mekong Cruises runs three-day trips on the Vat Phou in southern Laos, and two-day cruises ending in Luang Prabang on the Luangsay in northern Laos. Accommodation is in well-appointed, air-conditioned cabins. All meals are included, with a focus on Lao, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. See mekong-cruises.com for full itineraries.

Brett Atkinson travelled in Laos with the assistance of Mekong Cruises.

By Brett Atkinso

NZherald.co.nz

Tags: laos, mekng river, pathet, wat phu temple

It takes some getting to, but both the destination and the path offer unforgettable vistas and a unique opportunity to connect with various moments in the nation’s history.
First, we had to get to An Phu Mountain, 246 meters high, in the northern province of Hai Duong. From there, we climbed further to reach the Duong Nham mountain range and explore Kinh Chu, one of the nation’s most beautiful grottos.

From the peak of An Phu Mountain, the mountain range, Duong Nham, also known as Thach Mon, lies before you and resembles a giant dragon lying on an immense bed of paddy fields.

To the north of Duong Nham, the Kinh Thay River winds around the foot of the mountain range. And to the southwest is the peaceful, picturesque Kinh Chu Village.

The high terrain and thick greenery keep Duong Nham cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

We climbed stone steps along the mountainside to the Kinh Chu Grotto, accompanied by the songs of cicadas.

The mouth of the Kinh Chu is about three meters wide. We stepped into what seemed like a maze of many caves, each with its distinct personality and challenge

The Mau Cave is marked by giant moss-covered stones and a hole in its dome. Directly opposite is the Vang Cave with stalactites resembling an elephant, a turtle, a diamond and many other animals and objects. The Luon Cave has a stream with clear, cool water.

Kinh Chu also has 53 stone steles dating back to the Tran, Le, Mac, and Nguyen dynasties, each engraved with the sayings of kings and mandarins who visited the grotto.

The most famous stele is the one that is inscribed with a poem by King Tran Thanh Tong (1240-1290) – the second emperor of the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), who reigned over Dai Viet from 1258 to 1278, in Han script.

Kinh Chu also has a pagoda with many stone sculptures of Bodhisattvas and Buddhist monks.

During the fight against Mongol invaders, King Tran Nhan Tong (1258–1308), the Tran Dynasty’s third emperor who reigned over Dai Viet from 1278 to 1293, and his troops were stationed at Kinh Chu Grotto.

At the top of the Duong Nham mountain range are two blockhouses built by French troops in 1950.

The magnificent landscape and fresh atmosphere of the place generate a feeling of peace deepened by the sounds of the Kinh Chu Pagoda’s bell.

In fact, even before discovering the Kinh Chu Grotto and the Duong Nham mountain range, the Cao Temple at the top of An Phu

Mountain offers a valuable glimpse into the nation’s past. The temple is dedicated to An Sinh Vuong Tran Lieu (1211-1251), the elder brother of King Tran Thai Tong – the second emperor of the Tran Dynasty, and father of Tran Quoc Tuan or Tran Hung Dao – one of Vietnam’s greatest generals.

Down 50 meters from the Cao Temple stands the 12.7-meter high Tran Hung Dao statue made of green stones. Tran Hung Dao, was instrumental in defeating Mongol invasions and was posthumously bestowed Hung Dao Dai Vuong (Grand Lord Hung Dao) for his military contributions. In the yard where the statue is located is a long terracotta relief depicting the wars against the Mongol forces.

Halfway down the mountain are the Tuong Van Pagoda and the Thanh Mau Temple, further adding to the serenity of the place.

HOW TO GET THERE

Kinh Chu Grotto is situated in Duong Nham Hamlet, Pham Menh Commune, Kinh Mon District, Hai Duong Province, 57 kilometers east of Hanoi.

From the capital city, tourists can take bus No. 202 along National Highway 5 to the Phia Tay Bus Station in Hai Duong Town, and another bus to Kinh Mon Town. From there, it is a xe om (motorbike taxi) ride or a bus or taxi drive of around five kilometers to reach the Kinh Chu Grotto.

Source: Thanhnien

Tags: hai duong, kinh chu, kinh thay river

Hang Buom is an old fashioned trading street in the Old Quarter that skirts the main backpacker district in Hanoi
Hang Buom street, which connects Ma May street to Hang Duong, straddles two worlds: to the south the Old Quarter has become increasingly international and modernised with more hotels, cafés and bars catering for foreigners; the old Quarter is, after all, the main ‘backpacker district’ in the capital.

To the north is Dong Xuan market, a wholesale market and the main bread basket of ‘old Hanoi’. Here deliveries come and go throughout the day and night. All around traders, delivery men and shoppers munch on noodles in street side restaurants before getting back to business.

History
Prior to 1945, the street was known as Rue des Voiles, but after Vietnam ousted the French in 1954, the name was changed to Hang Buom.

The street’s main trade was the manufacturing of sails (buom in Vietnamese). Although the street is now completely landlocked it once rubbed shoulders with both the To Lich and Red rivers, so a maritime association wasn’t so incongruous.

In the 18th century Hanoi was such a bustling port that in 1788 the French missionary J. Richard wrote that “not even Venice could compete with the tremendous movement and activity” along the river.

The area’s ideal location was coveted by many incoming traders. In the late 19th century many Chinese émigrés settled here. The mostly Cantonese merchants were once a powerful economic force and they built their own schools, clubhouses and streets. You can still see traces of Chinese architecture here and there. The wonderful Tuoi Tho kid’s garden at 22 Hang Buom used to be Hoi Quan Quang Dong – a Chinese club-house.

You can see a number of houses with ancient exteriors and structures. At 50 Hang Buom you will see a classic example of the old wooden frames which were commonplace before the arrival of the French and shift to more modern construction materials from the end of the 20th century on.

The house at 60 Hang Buom is a curious blend of both old and modern architectural styles. The villas at 53 Hang Buom and 71 Hang Buom are also worth peeking you head in on.

Bach Ma temple, 76 Hang Buom
One of Hanoi’s most famous religious sites, Bach Ma temple worships the tutelary genie Long Do (Dragon’s Belly), a patron saint of Hanoi, and one of the four guardians of Thang Long Citadel.

According to legend, when King Ly Cong Uan tried to move the capital to Thang Long in 1010AD, he was struggling to build a solid citadel. The unsatisfied king went to Long Do Temple to pray and as he entered he was startled by a white horse running out of the temple.

The white horse, which symbolises the sun in Vietnamese culture, went out from the temple and galloped from the East to the West before returning to the temple. The king was inspired by this omen and he decided to build the city following the traces of the horse’s hooves. The city was built successfully and afterwards the king declared Long Do genie to be the protector of Thang Long citadel.

Originally built over a thousand years ago, the temple has been restored many times. In the late 17th century, the temple was widened and in 1829, it was completely rebuilt. Inside there are many valuable objects – look out for the 15 steles.

Food, glorious food!Van Thanh, 108 Hang Buom
One of Hang Buom’s most popular shops is Van Thanh, where you can find all kinds of cuts of roasted pork. You will often spot the shop by the long queue outside.

There are not many places where people will patiently queue in Hanoi, but Van Thanh is definitely one of them. The shop is a modest ‘old school’ establishment. The meat is unceremoniously hacked on a bread board and wrapped in newspaper.

The surface skin is always crisp and the meat is often fatty (as most Vietnamese prefer). You can serve it with a bowl of rice and some nuoc cham (fish sauce mixed with vinegar, lime, chili and sugar) as a dipping sauce or throw the meat into banh my sandwich.

Nowadays, young folk might prefer to go to KFC, BBQ Chicken, or Lotteria, but old Hanoians know best!

Ladybird Restaurant, 57 Hang Buom
A Vietnamese restaurant with an eye on the backpacker market this is an affordable and decent dining spot located in one of the Old Quarter’s classic ‘tube houses’. It’s mostly Vietnamese fare with some western options for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Bit Tet, 51 Hang Buom
This family run eatery is hidden down a long, dark passage on Hang Buom. Inside like a clandestine meeting place, you will find a small and bustling restaurant. The main staple is the eponymous bit tet – a Vietnamese corruption of the traditional French bifteck: a slice of beef steak served with chips with lashings of garlic on top and a salad and crusty French-style baguette on the side.

But you can also order excellent grilled seafood with blue crab or giant shrimp both available. Both are also served topped with heaps of scrumptious garlic and a crusty baguette on the side! The restaurant only opens in the evening but come early as it often closes by 9pm.

Distractions SF Salon & Spa, 16 Hang Buom
SF Salon & Spa uses the latest advancements in beauty care catering for both local and expat women with a hair salon, nail care and other services, such as waxing and reflexology treatment – definitely a great spot to pamper yourself after a long week at the grindstone.

Dragonfly Bar
A ‘studenty’-style bar with multiple rooms offering cheap drinks and a host of resident DJs. Gets crowded on weekends but always a friendly vibe and a good place for foreigners and Vietnamese to mix. There is a pool table and hookah pipes, if you are so inclined.

Source: Timeout

Tags: hanoi old quarter, pho co hanoi

The central province of Quang Binh is home to some of Vietnam’s most enchanting coastal areas with a string of beautiful beaches that could also help reverse the province’s economic fortunes.

Nhat Le beach

With the pace of development comes a price. Popular beach destinations become too crowded, too built up, too much of a hassle. For those who like to flop around on a quiet beach and forget about the world, the most popular ‘holiday’ beaches become contradictions. Who can feel relaxed on a public holiday if you’re surrounded by thousands of screaming kids and perpetually hassled by vendors? Inevitably, you move on. You seek new horizons far from the madding crowds.

Nhat Le river

For now, my tip is Quang Binh province in the ‘north’ of Central Vietnam. South of Ha Tinh and bordering Laos, this is one of the country’s poorest provinces. The average annual per capita income is one of the lowest in Vietnam. But the province’s tourism industry might be the main key to boosting the local economy. The UNESCO heritage site of Phong Nha- Ke Bang cave has flown the flag so far.

boat cruise along Son river to Phong Nha cave

Now the province is looking to the white sandy beaches with a great deal of justifiable expectation. The bewitching sight of Nhat Le would certainly convince any developer that this is a stretch of coast worth banking on. But for now, I am also delighted to bask in the peace and tranquility that remains on offer before the bulldozers and master builders roll in. It’s a breathtaking spot and in my humblest opinion one of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Inspired by the prospect of discovering more unknown beaches, I recently decided to explore more of the coast by motorbike. And there is plenty to discover.

In Quang Trach district, I came across Quang Phu beach, which is popular with locals but yet to be tapped by the tourism moguls. It’s only five or 10 minutes drive from Nhat Le beach and utterly pristine. The water is refreshingly clear. As you swim around, you can see scallops beneath your feet. It’s a wonderful spot to spend a morning or afternoon lolling around in the sunshine, happily contemplating life.

Further along the coast, you will find Hai Ninh beach and fishing village. The views around are wonderful with imposing mountains to the west and a deep blue sea to the east. After arriving in the late afternoon, I decided to stay until sunset – yes, I’m an old romantic at heart.

The next morning I headed for Dong Hoi market to enjoy the bustling atmosphere. The fishermen, traders and customers convene over the catch of the day. The market might be the only hectic spot you will come across on the coastline.

There are already some resorts taking advantage of Quang Binh’s stunning shores and sweeping sea views. The Sun Spa Resort is leading the pack. Set on a picturesque peninsular the resort boasts 234 international standard rooms. The overall design is wonderfully harmonious and tranquil with fern-trunk thatching, private tropical gardens overlooking the ocean, private swimming pools and spacious, elegantly designed rooms.

Sun Spa Resort is the perfect gateway to discover the World Natural Heritage Site of Phong Nha – Ke Bang Reserve – though the resort is a natural wonder in its own right, set amidst a spacious 29 hectares of landscaped garden alongside the pristine white sands of Bao Ninh beach.

Sun Spa Resort

Further up the coast, there may be more to come. Development plans have been made for Da Nhay beach, another wonderful spot, 40km north of Dong Hoi. In Vietnamese ‘da nhay’ means ‘the rocks that jump’. As you might guess by that name, this is a rugged, rocky spot but there are also sandy coves for bathing on.

You can find more modest accommodation than the Sun Spa Resort with rooms available in family-run hotels for VND150,000 to VND200,00. Either way searching the coast for quiet spots to have a dip in the sea is a wonderful way to spend a couple of days (rather than being dragged around by a tour guide). Everywhere in Quang Binh people are hospitable, helpful and happy to share the incredible natural scenery with people from out of town. I guess they want the word to spread.

Timeout

Image: ASW

Tags: dong hoi town son river, nhat le river, phong nha cave, quang binh province, sun spa resort

Chào các bạn,

Trong công việc kinh doanh lữ hành, bạn sẽ gặp một số các từ viết tắt và các thuật ngữ chuyên môn mà không được giảng tại nhà trường. Việc này sẽ gây khó khăn khi các bạn lần đầu tiếp xúc với các sản phẩm du lịch và khi tiếp xúc với du khách cũng như trong điều hành tour.

Bài viết này sẽ từng bước tổng hợp các khái niệm, các từ viết tắt và các thuật ngữ thường dùng dựa trên kinh nghiệm cá nhân người viết. Các bạn cùng đóng góp để mở rộng bài viết này và giúp nhau tiếp cận tốt hơn các nghiệp vụ trước khi rời ghế nhà trường.

1/ Phân loại các khái niệm

Inbound: Khách du lịch quốc tế, người Việt tại Hải ngoại đến thăm quan du lịch Việt Nam.

Outbound: Người Việt Nam, người nước ngoài tại Việt Nam đi thăm quan đi thăm quan các nước khác

Nội địa: Người Việt Nam, người nước ngoài tại Việt Nam đi thăm quan đi thăm quan du lịch Việt Nam

Leisure Travel: Chỉ loại hình du lịch phổ thông cho khách thăm quan , nghỉ dưỡng theo các hành trình thăm quan thông thường. Loại hình này phù hợp với hầu hết các đối tượng khách.

Adventure travel: Chỉ loại hình khám phá và hơi có chút mạo hiểm. Loại hình này thường phù hợp với khách trẻ và thích tự do khám phá. Trong loại hình này các công ty lữ hành còn đặt cho các cái tên cụ thể hóa hình thức tour như Biking, Bird watching tour…

Trekking: Đây thực sự là tour khám phá, mạo hiểm bởi khách tham gia các hành trình này sẽ tới những nơi ít người qua hoặc những vùng thường chỉ dành cho người bản xứ. Tour này đòi hỏi sức khỏe tốt, khả năng chịu đựng và thích nghi cao cùng với các điều kiện dịch vụ ở mức tối thiều

Kayaking: Là tour khám phá mà khách du lịch  tham gia trực tiếp chèo 1 loại thuyền được thiết kế đặc biệt có khả nảng vượt các ghềnh thác hoặc vũng biển. Tham gia loại hình này thường yêu cầu sức khỏe rất tốt và sự can đảm trước mọi thử thách của thiên nhiên.

Homestay: Tham gia loại hình này du khách sẽ không ở khách sạn mà ở tại nhà người dân, sinh hoạt cùng người dân bản xứ.

Diving tour: Là loại hình tour tham gia lặn biển khám phá các rặng san hô, ngắm cá và cả thử thách sức chịu đựng của bản thân. Tham gia tour này bạn được cung cấp bình dưỡng khí, bộ đồ lặn và cả huấn luyện viên đi kèm nếu bạn lặn lần đầu. Thông thường bạn có thể lặn được xuống tới độ sâu 7-10m mà không vấn đề gì cho lần thử đầu tiên.

Nếu không can đảm lặn sâu (diving) bạn có thể thử bơi (snokling) với ống thở và kính bơi. Với hình thức này, bạn bơi trên mặt nước và úp mặt xuống nước để ngắm đại dương qua kính. Nếu bạn không biết bơi thì đây cũng không hẳn đã đơn giản.

Incentive: Là loại tour khen thưởng. Thông thường chỉ các đoàn khách là các đại lý hoặc nhân viên một công ty nào đó được thưởng cho đi du lịch. Đây thường là tour cao cấp với các dịch vụ đặc biệt.

MICE tour: Là khái niệm chung chỉ loại hình tour Hội thảo (Meeting), Khen thưởng (Incentive), Hội nghị (Conference) và hội chợ (Exhibition).  Khách hàng tham gia các tour này với mục đích hội họp, triển lãm là chính và tham quan chỉ là kết hợp trong thời gian rỗi.

2/ Các từ viết tắt trên lịch trình tour

Thông thường bạn sẽ thấy một số từ viết tắt trên hành trình tour:

ABF: American breakfast: Bữa ăn sáng kiểu Mỹ, gồm: 2 trứng, 1 lát thịt hun khói hoặc xúc xích, vài lát bánh mỳ nướng với mứt, bơ, bánh pancake (một loại bánh bột mỳ mỏng)…nước hoa quả, trà, cà phê.

Continental breakfast: Bữa ăn sáng kiểu lục địa, thường có vài lát bánh mì bơ, pho mát, mứt, bánh sừng bò, bánh ngọt kiểu Đan Mạch, nước quả, trà, cà phê. Kiểu ăn sáng này phổ biến tại các khách sạn tại Châu Âu.

Buffet breakfast: Ăn sáng tự chọn: thông thường có từ 20-40 món cho khách tự chọn món ăn theo sở thích. Hầu hết các khách sạn tầm trung tới cao cấp đều phục vụ kiểu ăn sáng này

Set breakfast: Ăn sáng đơn giản phổ biến tại các khách sạn mini chỉ với 1 món hoặc bánh mỳ ốp la hoặc phở, mỳ với hoa quả, trà hoặc cà phê.

L = Lunch: Bữa ăn trưa

D = Dinner: Bữa ăn tối

S = Supper: bữa ăn nhẹ trước khi đi ngủ

Trên một hành trình tour, nếu bạn nhìn thấy ký hiệu (B/L/D) phía sau thông tin ngày tour nghĩa là ngày đó bạn được phục vụ cả 3 bữa ăn trong chương trình.

Soft drinks: Các loại đồ uống không cồn

Free flow soft drink: Thường tại các bữa tiệc;đồ uống nhẹ không cồn được phục vụ liên tục dang bình lớn cho khách tự do lấy suốt bữa tiệc.

3/ Các khái niệm liên quan tới khách sạn

ROH: Run of the house: khách sạn sẽ xếp phòng cho bạn bất cứ phòng nào còn trống bất kể đó là loại phòng nào. Thông thường với khách đoàn khách sạn sẽ cung cấp dạng này cho khách. Với mỗi khách sạn sẽ có cách đặt tên và phân loại phòng khác nhau. Không có bất cứ quy chuẩn nào cho cách đặt tên này nên bạn phải xem xét kỹ loại phòng của từng khách sạn tương ứng với giá tiền khác nhau. Tuy nhiên, thông thường gồm các loại như sau:

STD = Standard: Phòng tiêu chuẩn và thường nhỏ nhất, tầng thấp, hướng nhìn xấu, trang bị tối thiểu và giá thấp nhất

SUP = Superior: Cao hơn phòng Standard với tiện nghi tương đương nhưng diện tích lớn hơn hoặc hướng nhìn đẹp hơn. Giá cao hơn STD.

DLX = Deluxe: Loại phòng cao hơn SUP, thường ở tầng cao, diện tích rộng, hướng nhìn đẹp và trang bị cao cấp.

Suite: Loại phòng cao cấp nhất và thường ở tầng cao nhất với các trang bị và dịch vụ đặc biệt kèm theo. Thông thường mỗi phòng Suite gồm 1 phòng ngủ, 1 phòng khách, 2 phòng vệ sinh và nhiều ban công hướng đẹp nhất. Các khách sạn khách nhau đặt tên phòng loại này khác nhau nhằm tăng thêm mức độ VIP để bán giá cao hơn như: President (Tỏng thống), Royal Suite (Hoàng gia)…

Connecting room: 2 phòng riêng biệt có cửa thông nhau. Loại phòng này thường được bố trí cho gia đình ở nhiều phòng sát nhau.

SGL = Single bed room: Phòng có 1 giường cho 1 người ở

TWN = Twin bed room: Phòng có 2 giường cho 2 người ở

DBL = Double bed room: Phòng có 1 giường lớn cho 2 người ở. Thường dành cho vợ chồng.

TRPL = Triple bed room: Phòng cho 3 người ở hoặc có 3 giường nhỏ hoặc có 1 giường lớn và 1 giường nhỏ

Extra bed: Giường kê thêm để tạo thành phòng Triple từ phòng TWN hoặc DBL.

Tags: adventuree, diving, homestay, incentive.mice, kyacking, leisure, snokling, thuat ngu du lich, trekking

The temple complex at Angkor Wat is the most popular tourist destination in Cambodia. It is located in the city of Siem Reap, which is about a one-hour plane ride from the capital of Phnom Penh. Angkor Wat is the most famous temple in this area; however there are dozens of other temples to see in the immediate area.

Seasons
Avoid coming to Angkor Wat between May and October. This is the rainy season in Cambodia. About 75 percent of the annual rainfall in Cambodia occurs during this time. Because Cambodian streets do not have much of an irrigation system, even half an hour of heavy rain could mean flooding in the streets.

Visit Angkor Wat between November and March. This is the dry season in the country. Although there may be some rain, there will not be nearly as much as there is in the rainy season.

If it can be avoided, do not plan your trip to Angkor Wat in April. This is by far the hottest month of the year in Cambodia. Temperatures are regularly above 95 degrees during this month. Because there is a lot of walking involved when going from one temple to the next, it can be uncomfortable to walk in the heat of Angkor Wat at this time.

Time of Day
There are certain times in the day when it is better to visit Angkor Wat because grounds are more sparse and because pictures come out better. If visiting the temples around Angkor Wat early in the morning, go to the Angkor Wat Temple first and take photos there from across the moat. Doing this will allow you to capture a photo as the sun rises behind Angkor Wat. The light will reflect off of the moat around the temple in the picture.

To get more interesting photos inside of the Angkor Wat temple, come later in the day around dusk. There are often religious meetings held in the temple at this time. It is acceptable to watch the people at the temple pray and worship. You also may take pictures. These worship sessions include praying to Buddha and playing music.

Spend some time around the temple during sunset. Just as the sunlight is prone to make pictures turn out better in the morning, the same is true in the evening as the sun is going down. The crowds at Angkor Wat are also more sparse in the evening, which makes it easier to see what you want to see.

by Chad Buleen/Ehow

Tags: Angkor Wat, Cambodia, visit angkor

The sandstone temple Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia, ranks as one of the world’s largest religious structures and among Southeast Asia’s most significant archaeological sites, according to UNESCO. Built during the 12th-century reign of the Khmer Empire’s Suryavarman II, the temple originally honored the Hindu god Vishnu. Angkor Wat is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Laterite
Angkor Wat’s foundation is made of laterite, a red, porous soil that has a high iron content. Laterite is found in hot and wet tropical environments such as Southeast Asia. At Angkor Wat, builders dug up the laterite and formed it into blocks or bricks, which dried when exposed to air. They also used laterite in building the temple’s outer walls.

Sandstone
Sandstone is the main building material for Angkor Wat’s walls and towers. Researchers from Japan’s Waseda University identified three types of sandstone based on color, texture, chemical composition and mineral content. The researchers found gray to yellow-brown sandstone, red sandstone and green graywacke, a hard sandstone. Water, weathering, bat droppings, trees, algae and lichens have damaged the stones.

Construction
Beginning around 1113, slaves, masons, sculptors and other laborers spent 37 years erecting Angkor Wat. Workers cut sandstone from a nearby quarry, floated the blocks down the Siem Reap River and then dragged them ashore with ropes, rollers and winches. Workers smoothed the sandstone blocks and fitted them in place, sometimes using bronze clamps. In some areas of Angkor Wat, the stones are fitted so precisely that workers did not need mortar or fastenings.

Other Materials
Other materials used to build and decorate the temple have disappeared. Some of the temple’s stone sculptures were decorated with gold and precious stones. Gold also coated towers and rooftops. The furnishings included carpets, silk hangings, bronze weapons and Chinese pottery and ceramics. The stones that remain are covered with carvings and bas-reliefs. The subjects include gods, humans, animals, battles and female spirits known as apsaras.

Size
Angkor Wat is a huge rectangular building that measures about 4,920 feet by 4,260 feet. A moat about 820 feet wide surrounds the temple. The temple originally formed part of the kingdom’s administrative and religious center. Most of those other buildings were built of wood with terracotta roofs and did not survive the centuries. Stone was a special material, used only for temples and other sacred monuments.

by Cameron Delaney

Tags: angkor temples, Angkor Wat, Cambodia

A guide to the best budget travel destinations worldwide.

Finding that cheap paradise destination is getting harder and harder as the number of people travelling with a bigger budget than yours keeps on growing.  The rise of the flashpacker means that even the old stalwarts are becoming expensive as they cater to the up market crowd by installing Jacuzzis, mending the roof and doubling their prices.  Fortunately, there are still a few places dotted about where the genuine budget traveler can live well for less than 30 dollars a day.

Old school travelers always moan that Thailand isn’t as cheap as it used to be! While this may be true, next door Laos is as cheap as Thailand used to be and is a fine destination in its own right. Who needs paradise beaches when you can sunbathe on the shore of crystal clear rivers at a third of the price? Laotians are an incredibly friendly bunch and the country is ripe for exploration.

From Laos skip over into Vietnam where the dollar will get you thousands of dong and prices remain affordable. Between dirt cheap and delicious Pho noodles and virtually free Bia Hoi beer, Vietnam offers arguably the best value food and drink anywhere.

Also in Asia, incredible India is incredibly affordable provided you stick to local transport and don’t want to stay in palaces. To visit on a budget, explore a small area of this kaleidoscopic country rather than paying to travel long distances and only seeing most of it out of a train window.

Let’s not write off Thailand just yet as a budget destination; just because the islands and Bangkok have become more expensive doesn’t mean that you can’t find a great dorm bed in the capital for way less than 10 dollars. Head into the northeastern Isan province and you will find the untouched Thailand of old and the prices of old.

Nicaragua is the up and coming budget travel destination in Central America, especially if you are into your surfing.  Whether you settle on the spectacular lake island of Ometepe, let loose in the surfing party town of San Juan del Sur or explore the northern cloud forests around Esteli, Nicaragua offers great value for money. 30 dollars a day will do you proud in Nicaragua, even in the tourist hubs of Leon and Merida.

While Peru suffers from package tour price inflation, neighboring Andean countries Bolivia and Ecuador are much more affordable, even if they don’t have the same standard of ruins. Even Northern Peru is cheaper than the Cuzco/Sacred Valley circus and the incredible Chachapoyas area and the unknown ruins of Kuelap are easily visited by budget travelers. Just make sure you wrap up warm on the local buses!

Whatever the out of date blogs and guidebooks say, Argentina is no longer a budget destination. Prices have soared since the economic crisis and Argentina is now only slightly cheaper than Chile and Brazil.

Hit the Eastern European countries now before prices rise to Western European levels. Bulgaria offers affordable skiing and beach resorts along the black sea while Poland has some fantastic historical cities such as Krakow and Warsaw. If you are feeling adventurous, go to Georgia and travel about this tiny Caucasian country by cheap Marshrutkas minibuses.

It might sound crazy, but Sudan is cheap, safe and interesting, provided you stay in the north of the country. There are unexcavated Egyptian pyramids, endless sand dunes and even a hotel in an old iron boat to explore and the Sudanese are almost overbearingly welcome. Your budget will also benefit from the fact that Sudan is completely alcohol free.

by Alex Bramw

Tags: beach, budget travel, destinations, good food, Pho, vietnam food

Visiting Kompong Khleang, 35km south of Siem Reap on the Tonle Sap lake, made a welcome change from temples and the tourist trail. During the rainy season, the lake floods the village, so the buildings are built on stilts high enough to withstand the water level.

As it is still only the very beginning of the rainy season, the houses towered above the ground as we walked down the one road, something of a curiosity for the village children. A boat trip down to Tonle Sap lake took us to the floating part of the village where people live and fish during the drier months before the rains come and the lake grows.

TravelPod

Tags: Cambodia, house on stilt, Kompong Khleang, Siem Reap