ALL S.E. ASIA HAPPENINGS

Six months after our first trip to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, my mouth salivates with the memories. I am a food lover. While I find it difficult to remember peoples’ names, dates, and book titles, I can distinctly recall the settings and tastes of delicious meals. 

Hanoi was our first stop in Vietnam. Dodging our way through motorbike traffic and weaving among the fascinating sidewalk vendors, we found the culinary goal I’d had my stomach set on:  Banh Cuon! A slight, older woman (mother, grandmother?) spreads the crepe batter atop a large round drum on the sidewalk outside of the tiny eatery.

The result is impossibly thin and we watch amazed as she expertly transfers it onto a plate. Topped with flavorful ground pork, herbs, thin and crunchy fried shallots along side of a bright dipping sauce it is the perfect bite.  So ethereal that we have to order another round!

Food is everywhere!  Bowls of Pho in every direction and I’m in heaven.

In Luang Prabang, Laos, we discover sticky rice that we roll into little balls and dip into colorful sauces. Fried seaweed and salty chewy buffalo jerky are the Laotian snack foods that we wash down with cold BeerLao. The night food market in the center of town is chock full of vendors cooking sausages, grilling skewers of meat and fish, assembling noodle bowls and baking sweet coconut cakes which we eat while warm and delicate.  

We arrive in Saigon, to the cacophony of motorbikes revving and beeping along the boulevards. Our guide takes us to the sprawling wholesale market. We make our way through bin after bin of colorful spices, dried fruits, mushrooms, noodles, strange petrified sea creatures and cooking utensils. Our appetites are primed for my culinary goal in Saigon:  the crab restaurant!  Our cab driver weaves through the congested streets and deposits us in front of an alley shaped restaurant with few tables. We are lucky to grab one. Crab is plentiful in tasty vermicelli bowls and piled crispy and sweet on platters with dipping sauce.  I’m in crab heaven!

In lovely, lantern lit Hoi An, we learn to make and eat rose dumplings – light and luscious. Bowls of tiny clams with garlic, lemongrass and fresh herbs remind me that simple and fresh ingredients make the best food memories. We eat banana crepes fresh off the griddle from a sidewalk vendor and happen upon the most delicious iced coffee I have ever drunk. Make that the most delicious coffee, period. Sweetened with condensed milk, it’s a symphony of bitter, sugary, icy and rich perfection on a hot, late morning.

The people, history, and scenery from the remarkable itinerary arranged by Haivenu Tours are captured in the hundreds of photographs we can rifle through in pleasant reverie. But the memories of the flavors remain only in my mind and mouth as I savor them again and again.

Ms. Melorie Noble

Some years back we had travelled to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar and left the region knowing that we had to return to visit Vietnam. 

Last year we were fortunate enough to find time to make the trip.  While planning the visit the one thing that we really wanted to do was some trekking and camping in North Vietnam. Most companies refused to help with this quest, particularly as it was early February and thought to be far too cold. Little did they know that we had already camped on Antarctica! Haivenu Tours were the exception. They were fantastic, and nothing seemed to be too much problem.

We caught the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai where we were met by our tour guide – Mr Son, who drove us to Sapa to start our trek. We are both fit 50 somethings but do carry injuries. The route was undulating, but nothing that we could not handle, including the extra excitement of slippery mud. On-route we had outstanding vistas of paddy fields and surrounding countryside.

Our trek was a little different as we chose to camp but did have the option of doing a home stay if we wanted. The second camp site was on the banks of a river, far enough from the nearest village not to be disturbed and near enough to not feel totally isolated.

That evening was our last night of hiking and we were treated to a Vietnamese outdoor barbeque. There was plenty food and for the first time we had rice cooked in bamboo over hot coals. We were even treated to some Vietnamese wine. An evening that neither of us will ever forget. Thank you Mr Son, Ha and all at Haivenu tours for this unique experience.

Mrs. Ros Pennefather

LUANG PRABANG

By far, today was the best day of the trip.  Several people have said that Luang Prabang would be the high point of the trip and I can see why.  It’s a UNESCO heritage city that was founded in the 7^th century and remained the capitol until the 1500s. Maybe it’s sort of a cross between Key West, Asheville and Charleston.

This morning at 6AM we participated in the daily morning ritual of saffron-clad monks collecting Alms from the general populace. We bought and distributed the contents of 2 large boxes filled with individual packages of ramen to the monks.  Most of the offerings are plain rice with no protein. 

For many, it’s their only source of food.  Unlike Thailand where all the men spend some time as monks, about 30% of Lao men train as monks during their lives. Some spend a few months while others spend a lifetime.  The monks have 2 meals that must be completed before 11 AM.  The rest of their day is spent in study and prayer.  Our guide got his education as a monk including his ability to speak English.  Laos is unique in being the only country where this tradition of Alms is still preserved.

We spent the morning at the Living Rice Farm.  We learned how rice is grown by experiencing it firsthand as a rice farmer.  I had the most fun by being knee deep in the rice paddy mud pushing a plow being pulled by a water buffalo. I only did it for 10 minutes and was exhausted.

In the afternoon, we visited the beautiful Kuang  Si Waterfalls and lush forest walking trails.  The lower falls have 3 swim pools that are freezing cold. The main waterfall is over 500 meters and is quite sight.  Everyone in Laos is there with you to make it very crowded.  Afterward, we took a leisurely walk to the riverside and saw a rickety single lane bamboo bridge crossing the river. Little did I know that after a lovely expensive ($18 incl taxes & tip) dinner with my bride that I walked across the dimly lit Bamboo Bridge after dinner to return to our hotel.

ANOTHER DAY

We took a short pontoon boat ride from the dock of our lovely 5 star hotel ($100/nite) across the wide Mekong River to the other side.  We then took a 2 hour car ride on Highway 13 south (more about that later) to the 4000 Island area.  We then got on what was essentially an 11 metre old canoe with a tiny outboard engine and sat single file on wooden planks for a half hour journey down to Mekong.

At this point, essentially all boat traffic stops because the Mekong becomes a series of islands and significant waterfalls.  The 2 major islands in the region are first Don Det and then Don Khone (pronounced Kahn).  We disembarked onto Don Khone.  It is a lovely island, filled with tourists including some backpackers who stay for $5/nite.  We proceeded by a sidecar tuk-tuk to the railway bridge connecting Don Det and Don Khone.

In the late 1890’s, the French developed a project to connect the vast landlocked region of southern China to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City).  You will recall that the Mekong River originates in the snow-capped mountains of Tibet and runs through China, Laos and Cambodia before entering Mekong Delta in Vietnam to the ocean.  However, essentially all boat traffic ends as described above. 

Over a decade, the French built a 14 kilometer railroad from Don Det with a bridge over the Mekong to Don Khone to a point further south below the aforementioned blockage of the river.  They then constructed boats and filled them with cargo that sailed down the Mekong to Don Det Island. The cargo was off loaded and the ships disassembled. 

All was loaded onto the railroad to the southern port of Don Khone. The boats were reassembled and the cargo was put back on for the remainder of the trip to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.  In a similar manner, goods from the Vietnamese port were shipped in a northerly direction to Laos and China.  This means of transportation functioned until 1941 when the Japanese invaded the region during WW II. 

After the war, the French who were in a weakened position and fighting the Communists (Indochina War) tried to re-establish the route but it was supplanted by Highway 13 which runs 200 kilometers alongside the Mekong from the Lao-China border through Laos including Luang Prabang and Vientiane as well as Phnom Penh into Saigon.  (BTW the Chinese are also building a railroad to the Golden Triangle which already has a gambling mecca like Las Vegas built by them on the Lao side of the Golden Triangle.  We saw it when we started our boat trip from the Thai/Lao border – at the start of Day 3 above.)

The Chinese in their continuing successful efforts to dominate Laos and all of Southeast Asia are building a railroad from southern China ultimately to Saigon. The 1^st phase from China to Luang Prabang is scheduled to be complete by 2022. The final phase to Saigon is estimated to take a decade to complete. 

Throughout Laos, the populace is distraught about becoming a puppet state of China but individually see no other choice.  It is of interest to me that the Communist politicians who govern Laos are practicing Buddhists like the populace.  I guess Communism adapts to the local environment.  Independently, the Chinese also already helped build a currently functioning railroad system from Bangkok to Singapore.

We then continued by tuk-tuk to Tat Somphamit rapids and falls.  It becomes obvious why the Mekong stops here to boat traffic.  Even in the dry season, there are roaring rapids.  There is a 1 hour zipline that costs $30 with 7 stations back and forth across the falls. It looked like great fun.  Unfortunately time and circumstances did not allow me to do it.

After a late lunch, we travelled by tuk-tuk, canoe and car further south to Khone Phapheng Waterfall.  I was really excited to see the widest waterfall in the world in person. It is 1-1.5 kilometers wide.  As a point of reference, Victoria Falls is #7 and Niagara Falls is #9 in the world. 

Alas, I was reminded that we were coming to the end of the dry season so the Falls were more a collection of rocks than rapids. However, it was still interesting but ultimately disappointing.  We got back in time for Lynn to get a message at the resort before dinner.  All in all a really cool day in southern Laos that was very different from what we had previously experienced.  

Michael and Lynn Aptman, USA

Our interest in South East Asia began with a long time desire to visit Angkor Wat. Once we committed to the trip, we had to include other regional activities to make traveling that distance worthwhile.  With those travel goals, we connected with Haivenu, our regional travel advisors.  With Haivenu, we constructed a roughly two week tour of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.  

As a child of the ‘60s, my impressions of the region were skewed by the US military involvement in Vietnam. We knew the region and cultures were much broader than that period of time so our focus with Haivenu was to get a sample of the culture and diversity of these three distinct countries. 

We first stopped in Hanoi where Haivenu had completely arranged our multi-visit visa. We were met in the airport by a local representative who gave us VIP service to pass Vietnamese customs and immigration. This really put the visit off to a good start. Our first few days were spent in Hanoi, arriving just after the Tet holiday so the city was still decorated and in a festive mood. We were struck by the energy of the city; the smells, the food, the traffic, the markets.

We enjoyed a spectacular water puppet show at a local theater, a cultural event that had been performed for centuries.  Another memorable event was a lunch we had during our tour of the city. It was an amazing restaurant in both elegance and cuisine- - and we were the only diners there for lunch; a private luxury experience.

Leaving Hanoi, Haivenu guided us to an overnight cruise with Perla Dawn Sails in Lan Ha Bay. This location is quite similar to the more crowded Ha Long Bay.  Our accommodation on the boat was marvelous as was the cruise. We had spectacular access to this unique area with marvelous views.  It was well worth the long drive out of Hanoi. 

Returning to Hanoi, we then took a regional flight to Luang Prabang in Laos. This is an out of the way location that may not be on everyone’s tour of this part of Asia.  We loved it.  Our hotel (Luang Say Residence) may be the most elegant place we’ve ever stayed.  Absolutely marvelous food and service. In Laos we sampled their local crafts, silks and arts; their temples and Buddhist shrines.  We boarded a private boat for a tour up the Mekong river.  We had an early morning view of the local monks accepting food and offerings from the faithful to start their day. 

From Laos, we flew to Siem Reap where we finally made our way to Angkor Wat.  Our private tour guide was fabulous and not only explained what we were seeing but maneuvered us to stay away from the other growing crowds of tourists during our visit. We sampled bugs and BBQ during a night vespa tour of Siem Reap putting us right in the middle of the local city markets and culture. Our guide introduced us to an upscale local craft shop that had the most exquisite tapestries, art and carvings.  These were really unique items of exceptional quality. Our purchases, now at home, still generate memories and discussions of our visit.

From Cambodia we returned to Vietnam, stopping first in Hoi An. On the drive from Da Nang airport, we were amazed at the level of investment and development in hotels, casinos, general tourism.  The investment, both domestic and international, is enormous.  In contrast, Hoi An retains a smaller village charm even though there are many tourists. Our lasting memory of Hoi An is taking a small boat ride on the river.  The boat was piloted by an ancient Vietnamese woman with a broad smile (few teeth), and a warm personality. She spoke no English and we spoke no Vietnamese but we had a wonderful time. The things she must have seen during her years on the river.

We closed our Asian odyssey with a short flight and a stay in Ho Chi Minh City which everyone still seems to call Saigon. We were struck here as well by the level of investment, growth and development.  The skyscrapers, highways and economic growth and energy are impressive.  Our opera house visit and dance show was exceptional.  We had an excursion out of the city, south to the Mekong Delta for a river tour and award winning luncheon. In a singular nod to America’s military involvement in the country we visited the Cu Chi tunnels and the war museum to see a bit of the war in Vietnam from the Vietnamese point of view.

One can say that the entire visit opened our eyes to different cultures, new energies and lifestyles. The people we met were open, warm and inviting.  As for Haivenu and our travel plan- - everything went completely according to plan.  Our guides, regional travel arrangements, ground transport, local excursions and recommended entertainments/restaurants/hotels could not have been better planned or executed.  Our experience in Indochina will stay with us.  We’re very glad we came.

Bill & Cleo

South Carolina, USA

Our trip to the southern hemisphere was a reason to enjoy some sightseeing around Indochina en-route to visit our antipodean family. We started our journey, with Turkish Airlines, travelling from Valencia via Istanbul, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok. An excellent airline.

On arrival we were met by our guide from Haivenu Tours and welcomed with many interesting Christmas presents from the Vietnamese area.

After a much needed night’s sleep, we were collected early from our hotel the next morning in a private car for the journey into Vietnam and the Mekong Delta, arriving two and a half hours later at Cai Be Pier for our embarkation to the Delta.

We were shown rice factories along the river and a scenic route to Tan Phnom Island in long tail rowing boats to our lodgings for the night at Mekong Eco lodge. This was luxury backpackers but did have an outside bathroom with a fish pond!

We were fed and watered with a very tasty regional lunch then out on bikes to explore the area. We learned how to make hats out of water hyacinths, hammocks out of reeds and vegetable cakes along the way. Our bed that night was a welcome sight and we were glad it was covered completely by a mosquito net as we were surrounded by ponds.

Next morning, as it was Christmas day, I was unsurprised to have received a load of texts, but was a little perplexed by the one I received from a friend in England, asking how we were coping with the typhoon. “Typhoon, what typhoon” we exclaimed from under our net!

We soon found out soon enough about the typhoon when we were moved away from breakfast on to a boat along with the island people toward the mainland for safety as the Mekong delta was being closed!

It felt surreal as there wasn’t any sense of panic, even though 600 people were being evacuated and we were in the midst of the trauma.

However our driver had mounted fields and countryside to collect us from the other side of the ferry point and drove us to a safer location.

As it happened we were placed in a very nice restaurant along with other tourists who were also unable to continue their travels that day. We were then driven to our next abode, earlier than planned, but were safe.

Next day we were unable to see the floating market because the stall holder’s vessels had to be tethered securely to the Mekong Delta banks.

It was not too much of a disappointment in these circumstances. We were driven to our next Hotel on the mainland of Can Tho and despite the torrential rain, we were told the brunt of the typhoon had moved on in another direction.

Our Delta trip was now moving into Cambodia, so we were transferred from the pier in Chau Doc into a little speed boat for our five hour trip along the Delta waterways into Cambodia, stopping a few miles down the river at the border between Vietnam and Cambodia to be registered. This was an easy processes and all the officials were extremely friendly and helpful.

On return to our boat we were given breakfast and they even had very high frequency Wi Fi. Amazing…no third world country here, not even on a boat!

Our arrival in Phnom Penh was more eventful, as no one was there to meet us but being seasoned travellers, we found our own way to the Hotel and immediately received a phone call apologising and offering us a free dinner trip as compensation. Excellent!

Next morning we were collected and taken to the ‘Killing Fields’ to see the atrocities that occurred under the direction of the Khmer Rouge.

Horrendous stories we were told of what had occurred there, and also visited the old school, which was converted to a prison, which held yet more almost unbelievable information.

We flew to Siem Reap, as it was very tortuous trip by car, and upon arrival we settled into our hotel where, this time, we were able to stay for a few days.

The highlight, of course, was the incredible Angkor Wat temple, actually promoted as one of the new seven wonders, There, we found a crowd of Buddhist monks accompanied by loads of chanting and colour.

We visited many temples in Cambodia and, apart form the one with the tree roots (Ta Phrom), this was by far the most spectacular!

Our Journey ended in Bangkok where we met up with family for a wonderful holiday celebrating our daughter’s 50th Birthday in Thailand.

Thanks to Haivenu Tours for their wonderful and informative trip around Vietnam and Cambodia.

Jill and Peter Surtees.

Thirty years ago, in what now seems another age, my wife and I were travelling through Thailand in early 1990, and among the many wonderful and beautiful places we visited was the glorious island of Phi Phi Don.

After spending a few days swimming and lazing on the beach, we took a water taxi to Ton Sai, the main settlement on the island. At that time, Thailand was not nearly as developed as it is now and the houses were typically simple stilted affairs with rattan walls and thatched roofs. 

We were wandering through the delightful dappled tropical light of the village, surrounded by coconut palms with Tonsai bay glittering bright blue before us, and were charmed as we smiled at each other at the sight of the small children happily playing in the sand. A few fishermen were working on their nets and it seemed to us then that this was a lovely idyll of tranquil simplicity. 

We were suddenly startled as a large coconut fell heavily a few feet in front of us, accompanied by a tearing sound as the falling object ripped the entire corner off the house in front of us. 

There is always a ‘frozen moment’ when something unexpected happens and everyone in the vicinity stops and instinctively turn towards the source of disturbance with uncertain and troubled expression hovering upon their faces. 

I remember vaguely being slightly shocked at how much damage a coconut could do and what the effect might have been if it had landed on us, when a fisherman who was standing close by looked directly at me, his face relaxing upon comprehension and broke out in a brilliant smile.

“Mai pen rai!” he declared in his native tongue, and all the villagers around us began to laugh and so infectious it was that we found ourselves laughing happily too.

Now, these were undoubtedly skilled and self-reliant people, and repairing the damaged house would have probably been of little real consequence, but we were deeply struck by the light hearted acceptance of the people, contrasting the likely reaction of the western mind to such an occurrence, which in all likelihood would be one of frustrated annoyance, even anger, and most typically accompanied by some expletive or other.

Although it was fairly self-evident, we later confirmed that the Thai term “mai pen rai”, used in this context, is broadly equivalent to the French “c’est la vie” or the spanish “que sera sera”, and we adopted it into our personal vocabulary and still use the expression between ourselves today. 

Of course, as is the way with such things, we smilingly walked on and explored or surroundings further and got on with our day and the rest of our holiday, but we never forgot this heart-warming encounter and always retained a lovely memory of the people of the village.

Fourteen years later, we happened to be visiting New York over the Christmas period, and I was standing in Times Square idly scanning the large electronic ‘ticker-tape’ display scrolling news items to the public and stood utterly shocked amid the seemingly oblivious crowds as the unfurling text revealed the horror of the Tsunami, estimating a death toll of some 200,000.

Returning to our hotel, CNN was in full disaster mode and relaying the known facts, and it emerged that Phi Phi, among many other locations in Thailand and beyond had taken a powerful hit. The entire village of Ton Sai had been destroyed by a three metre wave and I was deeply affected as my memory of our time in the village came flooding back with such aching clarity.

Although I never actually knew the people I met there, I felt a profound sadness and could recall each of their faces in startling realism.

Many years have passed since then and Ton Sai, along with other locations so dreadfully affected by this cataclysmic natural event, has been rebuilt and developed far beyond its original simplicity. I have no real issues with development and indeed we have visited and enjoyed Thailand several times since, but have always scrupulously avoided Phi Phi and Ton Sai, which I would now find utterly unrecognisable, simply to preserve what is, to us, a very special and surprisingly vivid memory.

Vincent, England.

Haivenu has been known to me since 2006, when they coordinated our first trip to Hoa Binh, on a mission to visit the orphanage of my youngest child, Abigail Ngoc Lindsey.

Many years later, Abigail decided she wanted to go in search of her birth mother and so it was that a group of six family members and friends went back to Vietnam in 2019. Owing to the challenges of ensuring all our party could secure the time off work, we booked our trip with little time to spare, but our very skilful tour designer, Thu, arranged a well thought out strategy to accomplish our aims. 

Initial enquires through local government offices were frustrating, however, as the typically slow wheels of bureaucracy made it impossible to make the necessary arrangements to locate the family’s whereabouts and secure a visit within our timeframe.

Our Haivenu guide, Vincent Bui, however, turned out to be an amazing sleuth who located the proverbial needle in the haystack easily and discreetly, mixing with the locals for clues. With his help, we managed to locate the village in the Da River area, and journeyed there to visit the family house.

There was some initial apprehension, as we had to be truly sure we had the right family but, after exchanging and comparing stories, Abigail’s birth mother smilingly produced a photograph which she had kept of Abigail as a child. 

We had the most wonderful visit on and off for three days and though it was emotionally draining, we soldiered onward to complete the trip and metabolize our luck.

While this would certainly not be a trip for the conflicted adoptee, this young woman is self-assured and has a wonderful adopted life such that this only enlarged her bounty. I was highly apprehensive that the visit be conducted with the highest sensibility and, though we disrupted tribal life temporarily, we have a follow up plan to assure continued connection.

Thankfully, the family was also not in dire straits financially, hence the much better outcome. There couldn’t be a bigger test of professionalism than this journey so well planned and executed by Haivenu. Thank you again. I’m sure we will be back in the coming years.

To learn more about Abigail, please visit her website

Margaret Lindsey, Rochester, New York

One of the most amazing archaeological sites in the entire region, Myanmar’s Plain of Bagan is home to hundreds of temple relics and is an incredible area to explore. Whether your preferred mode of exploration is by foot, oxcart, bicycle or hot air balloon, we can help set you off on the right track.

Visitors to Vietnam will find a wide variety of sacred spaces throughout the country - temples, pagodas, churches and memorials. Spaces for reflection, perhaps solitude, supplication and rejuvenation, visiting these spaces while traveling abroad helps us understand the differences and appreciate the similarities between us all. This can be part of your experience in Vietnam.

Deep in Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains you may find yourself paddling a kayak down a quiet channel through dense jungle, the only sounds the occasional bird call and the thrust of your paddles in the water.
Yes, it will be possible! Contact us for details!

Central Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley is well known as the winter home of a migratory flock of Black-necked cranes. A festival celebrating the birds, an endangered species highly revered by the locals, is held annually on November 11 at Gangtey Monastery in Phobjikha Valley amidst the vast grandeur which so typifies Bhutan, a country of epic views and natural splendour best seen on its wilderness treks, and unbounded friendliness.

Flowing through the heart of Hue, in central Vietnam, the Perfume River offers a broad, placid byway for dragon boats to carry visitors upriver to the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda, as well as the impressive sprawling mausoleum compounds of various kings of the Nguyen Dynasty. Step aboard and join us!

Le Thatluang D’oR is a newly launched hotel in the heart of historic Vientiane, the sleepily charming capital of Laos, offering luxury accommodation in a quiet neighbourhood. When designing holidays, Haivenu Tours offers a range of accommodation options to choose from to suit your preference. Our ever-evolving partner list includes the newest options and focuses on accommodations that accentuate the local experience. Contact Haivenu Tours for your options!

See a nose job coming?? These enigmatic stone faces dominate countless photographs by visitors to Cambodia’s Temples of Angkor. However, as of January 2020 restoration project will begin and the upper level of Angkor Thom will be temporarily closed to visitors. Access will remain open to the lower levels, but the closest viewing area will be closed for the project duration. There is still time to get there this year - contact us for details!

Kata Beach in Phuket, Thailand, positively glows at sunset. The sun sets everywhere but, yes, let’s admit it, Thailand has some very special beaches. Let us help you explore your beach options - on Phuket, in Thailand, and all across Southeast Asia. 

Myanmar is a destination where the usual search for authenticity is largely unnecessary once you enter the country. Many in Myanmar wear thanaka on their faces. Made from ground tree bark, thanaka paste is applied for cosmetic beauty, offers sun protection and is said to promote healthy skin. With a scent akin to sandalwood, thanaka has been used by women in Myanmar for some 2,000 years and the tradition continues today. Contact us to find out more about experiencing Myanmar.

Myanmar is a destination where the usual search for authenticity is largely unnecessary once you enter the country. Many women in Myanmar, as well as some men, wear thanaka on their faces. Made from ground tree bark, thanaka paste is applied for cosmetic beauty, offers sun protection and is said to promote healthy skin. With a scent akin to sandalwood, thanaka has been used by women in Myanmar for some 2,000 years and the tradition continues today. Contact us to find out more about experiencing Myanmar.

The cool lush Cameron Highlands are the heart of Malaysia’s tea growing region, as well as being home to many flower and vegetable growers. Throughout this region you still find colonial era British style mansions and cottages, one of the area’s primary attractions, along with some good walking trails and one of Malaysia’s few pleasantly temperate eighteen-hole golf courses. To find out more click here.

It was in 1997 when the first kayak expedition reached the country. The expedition consisted of a team of international kayakers. The team were hosted by the Tourism Council of Bhutan, which was known as Tourism Authority of Bhutan at that time. The team were invited to look for other adventure activities for western tourists. One of the kayakers of the first expedition was Gerry Moffatt from the United States. During the month-long expedition, Gerry and the team mapped the major river systems and kayaked down the unexplored gorges and crystal-clear rivers of Bhutan.

Singaporean Carmen Kok regrets that she never made it to university. She’s not letting her daughter make the same mistake, even if she has to send her abroad to get a place. 
“You can’t rise up in Singapore without a degree,” said Kok, 47, who plans to spend three times what she makes in a year as a hairdresser to send her daughter to college in South Korea. “She may be able to get a job if she doesn’t go to university, but she can get a higher salary if she goes.”

Cambodia has imported 15 rats from Africa for the purpose of locating landmines and unexploded ordnance in the country, a senior landmine official told Kyodo News on Thursday. Heng Ratana, director general of Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), said the rats were imported from Tanzania in April and are now undergoing training in the northern province of Siem Reap. He said testing of the rats is set to begin by the end of this month or early next month to see if they are qualified. 

The Dayak Cultural Festival (DCF) this weekend will feature an art and tattoo exhibition by renowned Dayak artists, cultural shows and various traditional delicacies from throughout Borneo. To be held at the Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) centre at Jalan Kumpang, organisers Sarawak Dayak Graduates Association (SDGA) and Dayak National Congress (DNC) are inviting the public to experience the best that Dayak culture has in store.

It took the Wildlife Conservation Division (WCD) officials more than three hours to tranquillise the gaur bull at Chamkuna’s Toorsa embankment in Phuentsholing yesterday. After sedating, it took the officials another two hours to medicate the injured animal. With its right eye completely blind and an injured foot, the gaur was first sighted dawdling in the grassland over the river mounds on June 6.  Foresters in Phuentsholing have been monitoring the animal since then.

With a total land area of just 687 square kilometers, Singapore is among the smallest countries in the world. Therefore, the city-state has always been challenged with two big limitations – space and population size. Despite these challenges, Singapore is home to more than 5.5 million people and has a GDP per capita equal to that of leading European nations – paving the way globally for countries now facing rapid urbanization. With a skyline recognized across the world, the story of Singapore – past present and future – can be told through its buildings.

Many people in Vietnam have come up with inventive ways to help them stay as cool as possible during the persistent hot spell, which is the longest in the past 40 years. Residents in a number of localities in the country, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, have been writhing in the sultry, stifling heat of the past few months, with a peak felt in recent weeks.

100 volunteers planted an average of eight trees a minute to beat the Guinness world record. These 100 men planted an average of eight trees a minute or 496 trees an hour to beat the Guinness World Record of most trees planted in an hour (team).  Bhutan not only managed to beat the previous record of 40,885 trees in an hour in Assam, India, but also set a new record.  The motto of the record, according to the organiser, is, “Let’s begin a greener Bhutan.”

More people in Myanmar have mobile phones than use electricity to light their homes, many more rely on bullock carts than possess cars or vans, and there is still a serious deficit of toilets and potable water. These are these are some of the striking – and useful – findings that emerge in the 2014 census, depicting a country of extreme differences and pronounced rural-urban variations.

Samkol Sangvar’s rice porridge eatery is just one of many new businesses putting traditional Cambodian street and market foods in a restaurant setting. At Khmer Chicken Porridge, which opened near Kandal market earlier this month, kitchen staff in clean, bright green uniforms serve up the classic Cambodian comfort food to hungry diners seated at varnished wooden tables. It’s not exactly fine dining, but it’s still a far cry from the rice porridge carts that prowl the city streets serving up the dish, known as bobor, in Styrofoam bowls.

Vietnam’s future depends on the efforts and priorities of its postwar generation, especially how they apply technology, panelists said at a Forbes summit Tuesday that honored rising stars in technology.

Deforestation threatens one of the largest evergreen forests in south-east Asia but local patrols are powerless to stop loggers whose livelihoods rely on the timber. Sok Plok and his fellow forestry activists are surprisingly fast for men in flip-flops as they navigate through the thick, thorny vegetation. They have been alerted by the distant humming of tractor engines; a sound that, in this part of Cambodia, normally means illegal loggers are afoot.

Next month, Pek Mith will head to Kallang, Singapore with a very ambitious goal in mind. "I'd like to help put Cambodian basketball on the map," said Mith, a 29-year-old Lowell resident and jeweler.

From Bhutan's first independent newspaper to the rise of social media, Sydney journalist Bunty Avieson documents the Kingdom's unique journey.

Myanmar and Laos on Saturday formally opened the first-ever friendship bridge across the Mekong River that links Myanmar's Tachileik in Shan state and Laungnamtha Province of Laos, according to the live report of MNTV Channel.

When Eng Bunhuoch joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the late 1990s, there were just a handful of families practicing Mormonism in Cambodia. Today, the Salt Lake City-based church claims more than 12,000 parishioners in this predominantly Buddhist nation.

The Philippines has just become the first country to develop nationwide ride-hailing regulations, making it legal for app-based transportation services like Uber operate anywhere in the nation.

A pig strayed from its usual rural haunt and into a Chai Wan shopping mall last night, leading to a four-hour stand-off with police and animal control officers. The case was the second porcine incursion of the day, after a boar was spotted taking a dip in a pool at a Tsuen Wan Park before being returned to the wild by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department officers.

Thirsty for change, a new breed of artisans are challenging legal restrictions and industry giants with their DIY amber nectar.

What is the most important wildlife species on Borneo? Depending on whom you ask this question, answers will surely vary. A forestry official might argue that any tree of the dipterocarp family is obviously most important, because that’s where the timber cash is. And for the same reason, an oil palm grower would likely reply that the oil palm tree is by far the most important species. Many people in Australia, Europe or North America may reply “the orangutan,” or maybe “the rhino” or “proboscis monkey,” because, after all, those species are highly threatened and many worry about their survival. But ask a person from Borneo and the dominant answer would likely be quite different. In fact, I think that many would argue that the Bearded Pig is by far the most important. Are you surprised? Had you even heard of Bearded Pigs? Bear with me and I will explain.

More than three decades ago, Amy Chanthaphavong's parents fled their home country of Laos. But, 35 years later, his daughter Amy made a life-changing decision. She left San Diego, California, for the small South East Asian country, intent on becoming part of its rapid economic development.

Filmmaker Cyrus Moussavi and Jacob Russell of Raw Music International travel around the former Burma, now Myanmar, searching for traditional music and the stories that come with these songs.

The Bako National Park is the oldest and smallest national park in Sarawak, but it offers some of the most spectacular views. The 27 sq km park has stretches of white sandy bays, rocky shorelines and fantastic rock formations that are the result of millions of years of sandstone erosion. Its rainforest is also home to almost every type of plant life found in Borneo. The beautiful jungle trails lead to secluded beaches and breathtaking waterfalls. The park, established in 1957, is located some 37km off Kuching and faces the expansive South China Sea.

More than 50 jugglers, acrobats, magicians, dancers and stunt artists from Asia and Europe are set to join Cambodia’s circus performers for a tour around the Kingdom starting this week.

Read more: http://www.phnompenhpost.com/siem-reap-insider/circus-festival-brings-acts-all-over-world

Poor small-scale farmers are the world's biggest risk takers. Imagine a poor farmer who owns a small plot of land. She buys seeds with cash she borrows from a trader and must find a way to manage pests without killing her vegetables. She must guess when and when not to plant because weather patterns are no longer predictable. She farms even if she knows her produce will compete and probably lose to cheaper ones imported from state-subsidized industrial mono-crop farms elsewhere. In her 50s to 60s (the average age of farmers), she gambles season after season, because agriculture is the livelihood – and the life – she knows. Southeast Asia is home to poor small-scale farmers like her who, despite hardship, prop up the region's agriculture sector.

Read more: http://www.thanhniennews.com/commentaries/how-the-risktaking-farmers-of-southeast-asia-will-survive-climate-change-43819.html

A helicopter tour around the world-famous Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park in the north-central province of Quang Binh will begin operating at the end of this month. Three trips for 60 tourists will depart on April 26 or 27, Saigon Tiep Thi (Saigon Marketing) newspaper quoted the tour operator, Oxalis Adventure Tours Company, as saying.

Read more: http://www.thanhniennews.com/travel/helicopter-tour-of-national-park-to-take-off-in-vietnam-25571.html

Before the communist takeover, the Cambodian ruler embraced music. Various Western influences blended with tradition for a rock scene like no other.

Following Amazon’s model, Singapore Post is building 24 warehouses in 12 countries to store products for companies.

Over 10,000 square metres of fishing nets discovered in a protected fishing area of Kratie’s Sambor District were seized and burned over the weekend in an effort to crack down on illegal fishing and protect the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin.

The son of the Sultan of Brunei, one of the world's richest men, has wed bride Dayangku Raabi'atul 'Adawiyyah Pengiran Haji Bolkiah in a spectacular ceremony at the monarch's 1,788-room palace in Brunei's capital, Bandar Seri Begawan.

The Royal Ploughing Ceremony, held yesterday in Battambang province, has forecast a promising outlook for the production of beans and corn in the coming year, although observers say that much still depends on the weather. The ceremony, conducted under the presence of King Sihamoni, marks the beginning of the agricultural production and rainy season.

In the country’s highlands, economics, cell phones and young love are fuelling an increase in early marriage.

The price of pepper has risen every year but one since 2009, while coffee has swung between gains and losses. Coffee farmer Bui Van Trong is planning to switch as much as 15 per cent of his five-acre farm to pepper after prices more than tripled in five years.

Wars are fought twice, once on the battlefield and later in the remembering. In that way, the Vietnam War – though it ended on the battlefield four decades ago – continues as a battle of memory, history and truth. And the stakes are still high. Honest narratives about important past events can shape our destinies, helping to determine whether there will be more wars or maybe peace.

The Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, the city’s first of its kind, is open to the public on Wednesday, just in time for the Reunification Day, April 30.

Practically isolated from the global market for 50 years, Myanmar is still largely dependent on agriculture. But the country is one of the most at risk from climate change and no one feels these pressures more than the rural smallholder farmers who make up the backbone of its food system and rural economy.

After an estimated 35% of Burma’s largest city was destroyed to make way for new development projects, Moe Moe Lwin is looking to preserve its heritage.

Sandwiched between India and China, the Kingdom of Bhutan is most famous for its ranking as the happiest country in Asia, it is best known for measuring Gross Domestic Happiness instead of gross domestic product. But is there a dark side? Dr Bunty Avieson lived there for over 12 months helping to establish the country’s first independent newspaper and got to see the other side of this hitherto unknown nation.