Artisans De Angkor Siem Riep Cambodia

Welcome to this week's Blog.

Cambodia is a destination rich in history, culture and religion. It has been through turbulent times in the past, with the French occupation and the Khmer Rouge revolution however, Cambodia, has managed to retain its identity and culture. Nowhere more is this exhibited, than at Artisans de Angkor, a European Union sponsored business program, producing traditional local handicrafts for sale, across Asia and around the World.

Artisans De Angkor is in Siem Riep, home to the finest examples of Khmer architecture in the country, including Angkor Wat which is the main attraction that visitors to the area come to see.

A trip to Artisans de Angkor, is well worth including in your tour to the area, as it will open your eyes and provide a real-life insight, into the nature of the handicraft making business. The company employs graduates from the nearby 'Chantiers-Écoles de formation professionnelle' a professional training school that was set up with the aim to provide skills and training to unemployed people between the ages of 18 and 25, particularly after the reign of the Khmer Rouge, to make sure Cambodian arts and culture survived and could be showcased in the future.

Artisans de Angkor was then set up to provide the graduates with an employment opportunity, providing them with sustainable employment and income for themselves, their families and their local areas.

The best way to see Artisans de Angkor, is to take a fully guided tour, with the help of your fully knowledgeable guide, you will be shown around the whole process of producing fine local handicrafts including 100% fine Silk products, such as scarfs, bags, purses, wallets, cushion covers and excellent Silk woven paintings.

Also, Artisans produces a variety of lacquer ware products including statues, ornaments and containers, and amazing stone sculptures, all which you are able to purchase and take home as a souvenir of your visit to Cambodia.

Purchasing a souvenir or two from Artisans de Angkor, contributes to the sustainable employment and income of the regions people and keeps the fine arts and cultural heritage of Cambodia continuing, for now and into the future.

Please visit our website for details of tours that include Artisans de Angkor and the Cambodian region in general.

www.xplore-asia.com

The Sapa Valley Region of Northern Vietnam

Welcome to this week's blog!

Located an overnight train ride from bustling Hanoi is the remote region of Sapa Valley, home to beautiful mountains and valleys, many minority hill-tribes and fascinating street markets. An escape to Sapa is highly recommended for those looking to see real life and culture in Vietnam.


















Sapa is an old French Colonial Hill station nestled amongst the highest mountain range in Vietnam, Hoang Lien Son close to the Chinese border. Sapa is well known for its outstanding natural beauty and the variety of hill-tribes people that live in the area. As a destination it offers many adventure outdoor activities, cycling and trekking are the most popular of these.












For those seeking the ultimate adventure, consider a three day trek to the summit of Fansipan, standing at 3143 meters, it is the highest peak in Vietnam, affording breathtaking panoramic views into neighbouring China. Travelling to the summit, is not the hardest trek in the world, so if you are fit and healthy and have plenty of energy, consider making this trek to the roof of Vietnam, where you'll be amongst the clouds.












Hill-tribe visits and home-stays are a very popular activity in the Sapa region. One of the most well known hill-tribes in the area is the Black Hmong minority, who frequent the villages throughout the area. They have their own culture and customs and many tourists enjoying visiting and learning about their ways of life, by taking a tour or even arranging an overnight home-stay. You will learn about farming techniques, how their wonderful garments are made and be treated to traditional hill-tribe fare and music, a fascinating experience, allowing you to immerse yourself in how simple life can be!
Home-stays are an ideal choice if you wish to have a real life experience of how these people live and work their daily lives and the people of the Hmong tribe and other minority groups are very welcoming to foreigners visiting them. Another aspect of local culture not to be missed is a visit to one of the numerous, hill-tribe markets. Each market has its own unique feel and is generally a place for the locals to get together to sell their wares and to socialize with friends and family, perhaps even meet a partner!

The largest of these markets in Bac Ha market, 80 Kilometres from downtown Sapa in the Lao Cai region, this market takes place every Sunday under the gaze of the nearby mountains and the border with China. In-fact, tribes people from all over the region and even from over the chinese border come here to barter and trade. This is very common at all of the markets in the Sapa region, a real cultural experience, where horseback is the mode of transportation of goods for sale.












A Hmong culinary specialty you may wish to try is Thang Co Blood Porridge, made from a mixture of pony and goats meat, slow cooked to produce a fine 'blood soup' served in a large hot-pot. This dish is a popular staple of the hill-tribes people in the region and is shared by everyone, using chopsticks to dip the succulently cooked meat into a spicy dip and then eaten, normally accompanied with bread, instant noodles, vegetables and herbs.














It is best to try this dish at one of the restaurants in the Sapa area, as opposed to experiencing it at one of the markets, like Bac Ha, here you will see the locals socialize , eat and wash the soup down with wine! Thang Co is very popular among the locals and warms the body in a region where temperatures and plummet dramatically in the evenings.

Cycling, trekking and even traveling by motorcycle are all very popular ways to explore the Sapa Region. Generally tourists take an overnight 9 hour rail service from Hanoi to Lao Cai, the main town in the region and then a 90 minute journey by road and dirt track to get to Sapa itself.

For a short break to visit hill-tribes and trek, 3 to 4 days is the recommended amount of time for a tour here, for the more adventurous there are various treks, cycling routes and home-stays that can be arranged for those wishing to spend longer, and a perfect combination with the Sapa Region would be Hanoi and a cruise around stunning Ha-long Bay, well known for its limestone cliffs, commonly referred to as the Gullin of Vietnam!

So consider visiting the Sapa region as part of a tour to Vietnam and indeed Indochina, Vietnam offers a fantastic mix of history, culture, outstanding natural beauty and stunning beaches, more than comparable to other Asian destinations such as Thailand and Malaysia. You would also be supporting Responsible and Sustainable tourism and growth throughout the region as a whole.

Xplore Asia offers a variety of escorted and tailor-made tour options, please visit our website and contact us for more information and to design your personalized tour.
www.xplore-asia.com

Responsible Travel and Tourism

Welcome to this week's Blog

Our theme this week is Responsible Travel and Tourism.

Many hotels, resorts, attractions , tour operations and industry suppliers claim to be eco friendly and promote Responsible Travel & Tourism, but really is everyone doing enough to justify their claims?












These days we live in a world where development in an environmentally friendly way is of the upmost importance. Tourism in the past has been seen to have had both positive and negative impacts on the world's environment as a whole, whilst creating much needed infrastructure and employment this has sometimes been done at the expensive of the natural environment.
Nowadays, because of the global warming issues we currently face, we as an industry are recognizing this and waking up to the reality, that we all must change our outlook and act with responsibility, hence this week's title, Responsible Travel and Tourism.












There are many ways you the traveler can act with responsibility on your holidays and be friendly to the environment, firstly, travel in a more eco friendly way, consider cycling, hiking and trekking as alternatives to buses, cars and trains for shorter distances. Try to choose hotels which offer eco friendly programs, where they promote the use of re-cycled materials throughout the hotel and have eco friendly programs. Some hotels have even gone as far as having their room designs based completly on recycled materials, being used to decorate and facilitate rooms and furnishings.

Responsible Travel is also about supporting the local economies and environment of the people and the places in which they live by bringing a sustainable income to the regions. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the hill-tribe villages throughout Asia and Indochina.

These people have had their own ways of life for generations such as the Black Hmong in the Sapa Valley in Vietnam. By respecting their ways, we can learn alot from these tribes people, as they too have to live off of the land and what the land naturally gives them. Encouraging purchases of souvenirs produced locally by these people, also acts responsibly, as it supports their own sustainable growth and development of their local economy.













Trying adding to your holiday adventure, by including a tour that visits Hill tribe villages, handicraft workshops, or take on the experience for yourself, and stay a few days with the locals, on one of the many authentic Home-stay programs available.
Choose a tour where the operator has a firm commitment to Responsible Travel and Tourism and their programs reflect this, such as the Mekong Discovery Trail in Cambodia, which runs tours through the Cambodian Jungles, alongside the Mekong River from the Laos Border all the way to Phnom Pehn. This program was set up to bring a sustainable income to the people in the region through tourism, and Xplore-Asia is actively involved within the operation and training for the program in this region.















Tree planting programs in Southern Laos are another aspect of Responsible and Sustainable tourism development on-going in the Indochina region. Both Cambodia and Laos offer outstanding cycling and trekking experiences too, allowing you to contribute to responsible tourism, first hand.

Choosing your operator is of paramount importance, one which cares for the environment and offers tours that actively reflect this. Now you can select your operator easily by referring to 'green travel market' a website that list Responsible Travel and Tourism operators throughout the world.

This website has been set up as part of a program organized by the Non-profit making organization 'Sustainable Travel International' whose main goal is to provide unbiased information, industry training, assistance and accreditation to the Responsible Travel and Tourism Industry as a whole, providing a recognized logo worldwide, to assure you the traveler, that the hotel, tour, product that you have bought, is up to standard and satisfies the quality and guidelines laid out, to be classed as a Responsible Travel and Tourism Operation.













Xplore-Asia has proudly recently been accepted by’ Sustainable Travel International‘as a valid organizer of Responsible Tourism Tours and programs, and over the coming weeks and months will be contributing to the development of STI’s programs with submissions and will also be listed on the Green Travel Market website, where you will find more information on Green and Responsible programs in general.

www.xplore-asia.com

Wine Producing In Thailand.

Welcome to this week's Blog!

Thailand is known for many things, wonderful beaches, great sightseeing, fantastic nitelife and smiling happy people!, but did you know, it also produces some of the world's finest table wines, which have both been recognised and exported around the world.

This week we focus on one particular wine producer, Chateau De Loei, which is located in the stunning beautiful North Eastern province of the same name,Loei,near to the border with Laos.











Loei is a part of the country which is very different from most other parts of Thailand. Phu Ruea National Park has one of the highest peaks in the country and because of its height, the temperatures and the cooler climate of the area; conditions are very conducive to the cultivating and producing of fruits, vegetables and flowers, not normally found in this part of the world.

In fact, throughout Loei and in other neighbouring provinces, there are many attractions that can be visited to see this unique produce which includes strawberries, chinese pears, African Violets, Petunias and of course the vital ingredient for wine making is of course grapes, which grow here in abundance.

Loei has been described by some as a small piece of Southern France, in the heart of Asia, and this is certainly true for the Chateau de Loei, who have been producing fine Thai table wines since 1995.














Dr Chaijudh Karnasuta the founder of Chateau De Loei discovered that the Phuruea highlands were ideal for wine producing grapes and in 1995 bottled Thailand's first commercially produced Thai Table wine.

His wine succeeded and his wine became the first from the country to be exported to Japan and Europe. Even the vineyards logo is named after the Chinese year in which Dr Chaijudh was born,The year of the 'Rooster' which in Chinese signifies 'hard work and dedication' and this has certainly been the case with Chateau De Loei.

The whole wine producing process takes place at the Vineyard, and tours are arranged for people to visit, see and taste the produce and even buy some to take away and enjoy. The fine Chenin Blanc and Syrah grapes are grown here and using French bottling equipment, the wine is produced and bottled, for local and export markets.

Credit for Chateau De Loei's product success is partly given to the research undertaken by His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej,who found that the Phuruea climate, soil and water supply are ideal for the 'best grape harvest' that takes place in February and produces the best quality grapes for wine producing at that time.














The fine wines that are produced are fruit based wines, suiting different culinary experiences, Chateau De Loei produces three types of white (Chenin Blanc)and, two reds (Syrah) and one rose (Syrah)all with very distinct flavours and tastes suiting each individuals palette.


Initially designed for the domestic market and now a success Internationally, Chateau De Loei's wines have added to Thailand's reputation as a fine nation and an innovator, surprising people worldwide, with the quality of wine produce made.

So next time you make a visit to the Land of Smiles, or your even shopping for a bottle or two to take home for the evening, think of Chateau De Loei and either visit for yourself, or try a taste of this beautifully, scenic part of the world.

Chateau De Loei can visited as part of Xplore Asia's Kingdoms and Cultures itinerary.
www.xplore-asia.com

For information on the Chateau De Loei, please visit the following www.chateaudeloei.com

Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary

Welcome Xplore-Asia’s newest initiative, our weekly blog.

Each week, we will introduce you to different parts of South East Asia and Indochina, placing the emphasis the more interesting aspects of a particular region and keeping you up to date with new developments.

Our blog is intended to be a guide for you to help assist in tailor-making your dream holiday, with us. We hope you enjoy reading our blog, and remember, please continue to follow us through Face book and Twitter, to keep up to date, as we keep you updated weekly.

This week, we turn our focus to Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary in Borneo.










Located in the heart of a mangrove forest and an oil palm estate, is one of Borneo’s real treasures, The Labuk Bay Proboscis Monkey Sanctuary, which is home to a variety of endangered wildlife species, with the indigenous Proboscis monkey exclusively found only in this part of Borneo.

The Labuk Bay sanctuary was born out of a kind land owner’s sense of responsibility to see the survival of these creatures. Whilst embarking on a palm oil plantation development, near to the current site the land owner, got to hear of the precarious predicament, these marvelous creatures were in, and wished to learn more. After learning about the monkeys and the possibility that they might lose their natural habitat, the land owner, dropped his plans for plantation development, to help maintain the ecological balance of nature in the area an ensure the survival of these marvelous animals .

The Proboscis Monkey’s have very recognizable features; the males are very large in size and have very prominent noses which swell and turn red when the monkey is either angry or excited. These are thought to be significant in the males courting of a female. Also the males are known for their, flat top reddish hairstyles, and large protruding bellies, thought to relate to their complex digestive system.
In comparison, the females are much smaller in size with their only distinguishing feature being their up turned noses. The size and weight difference of the male to the female is thought to be the largest amongst any primate species throughout the world.
The Proboscis Monkey’s home is in the mangrove forest and swamp, so apart from living amongst the trees, the monkey’s feel very much at home in the streams, rivers and creeks and are more than accomplished swimmers.

Today, the Labuk Bay Sanctuary provides the monkeys, with a home for life, and operates a very successful feeding programme; a dietary supplement scheme of fruits and water, which helps ensure the conservation of these animals. The monkey’s come regularly each day for their feed, normally in groups, which you can observe whilst visiting here. Another initiative is the mangrove planting project, where you can make a donation towards the repopulation of the monkey’s habitat and the world’s environment in general.














The Sanctuary offers fully guided treks and night walks through the jungle to observe not only the Proboscis Monkeys but also the abundance of other wildlife, including hornbills, wild boars, crocodiles, maroon leaf monkeys, and maybe a wild orangutan. At night the forest comes alive, when the firefly’s, light up the darkness, providing an amazing light show experience.

Only a few minutes driving distance by pick up from the sanctuary is Nipah resort, which serves as the accommodation for Labuk Bay. in fact, it is the only accommodation within the vicinity of Labuk Bay.













Set in lush tropical rainforest, and built in lodge style, it provides a very relaxing setting with a choice of comfortable chalets or shared dorms (ideal for group travel).

The chalets, double and twin have both air conditioning and fans, with hammocks on the private veranda outside, which you can slip into after a day’s exploring.

The resorts restaurant is set in a low lying area amongst the mangrove forest, which in the evening provides a dramatic scene of the firefly’s lighting up the trees. Also there is a satellite TV room, a pool table and a library and internet room, if you wish to catch up on the rest of the world.
However, why would you wish to catch up on the rest of the world, when you’ve spent the day in paradise on Earth, amongst the amazing Proboscis Monkeys and the beautiful nature and wildlife.

A visit to Labuk Bay is an experience definitely not to be missed when you in this part of Borneo, after all, exploring nature is the reason why you come here.
Labuk Sanctuary is featured as part of the Discover Borneo escorted tour by Xplore-Asia. Please visit our website for full details of the program and to make a reservation

Xplore-Asia looks forward to bringing you closer to nature, in Borneo.

Xplore Asia Launches New Escorted Tours and Tailormade Programs Brochure

Exciting News from Xplore-Asia.

New Escorted Tours and Tailor-made Programs brochure has just been launched and is now available! Please visit our website to download your own personal copy and find out about the New Tours and destinations on offer in 2010.




This year Xplore Asia will take you on Adventurous,Cultural and Historical tours to new parts of Asia. Thailand, Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia are new Destinations for 2010-2011.

Discover the wonderful' Coastal Road' That runs the length and breath of Thailand, from Bangkok to Nakon Sri Thammarat, it's Thailand's Route 66! Passing through Banana and Rubber plantations,stunning beaches and everyday villages The Coastal road tour will give you a full insight into the lives of the people and the region of the South. This Tour is ideal for people who have discovered the North and are yet to Discover the South!

Classic Malaysia and Discover Borneo, mark our first entry into this culturally rich and diverse Nation. From the bright neon lights, Diverse shopping malls and Exotic markets of KL, to the Jungle Clad mountains of Borneo, colonially rich Penang, to tranquil and beautiful Langkawi, whilst discovering the Tea Plantations in the Cameron highlands, Malaysia as they say is 'Truly Asia' with its rich mix of culture and people, spices and natural beauty!

In Indochina we offer a you an array of touring options, from those with time for a short stopover passing through, choose from a variety of tours,treks and adventures in Laos and Cambodia. Visit our website for more information or contact our local offices.

For more in depth touring, consider one of our three escorted tours, for 2010.

Choose from 'The Journey through Indochina, 21 days touring the region, taking you from Bangkok through Laos, discovering Vietnam , the Mekong delta river and into Cambodia to visit the capital of today and the capital of yesterday 'Angkor Wat' at Si em Riep. This tour, truly gives you a full insight into the region as a whole.

Take 16 days exploring on the 'Trails of Indochina, this tour starts from Bangkok, heads north to cultural rich Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand and crosses the border into Laos, where you begin the trail, through Indochina heading for Vietnam and a full discovery of the country, from Hanoi to Halong Bay, Danang and Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh, now is the time to 'discover' these two developing nations.

Finally, 'The Gateway to Indochina' focuses on the southern part of the region, offering a round trip of adventure from Thailand, through mysterious Laos and South, alongside the Mekong River into the Kingdom of Cambodia, where you will visit the Capital city Phnom Penh, and the Ancient city of Angkor Wat, in Siem Riep, before returning to Bangkok.

This tour offers everything, history, culture, great sightseeing and the added bonus of nature, you get the chance to see the Niagara of the East , Khon Phapeng in Laos, and the Irrawaddy Dolpins near Kratie, part of the Mekong Discovery Trail.

This is only a selection of the 'New Touring options' from Xplore-Asia, for a more in-depth look, please download the new brochure and Xplore the website.

Xplore Asia looks forward to the opportunity of you, Xploring Asia with us.

www.xplore-asia.com

The Mekong Discovery Trail Laos Border - Stung Treng

Ou Svay is a little village about 11km from the Laos / Cambodian border and about 46km from Stung Treng. The village can be reached by taxi or motorbike and makes for an excellent starting point to see the Irrawaddy Dolphins.
From Oh Svay there are two routes you can explore along the river one is North and the other is South and they offer very different experiences
North to Preah RumkelTake a boat ride with the villagers to see the Anlung Cheuteal dolphin pool. One of the last pools of Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong there are estimated to be only about 64 currently remaining. The boat driver will switch off his engine about 100m from the dolphins as so not to disturb them. After watching the dolphins stop of at the mainland which is the start of the trek up Vouen Nhang hill. The climb up the hill takes about an hour and is gentle, passing through forest which makes excellent shade.
At the top the views become clear, enjoy the views over the Si Pan Don area in Laos and see the lower Mekong. This area is right on the Laos / Cambodian border, many people would have heard of this waterfall from Don Khone but approaching from the Cambodian side is an awesome experience, and shows the other side of the waterfall created by the water eroding the softer rock basin downstream.
Take in the views, on one side of the hill you will have views of endless forests into Cambodia while on the other side you will have views over the Mekong making its way up north through fabulous rock formations in the Mekong that stopped the French from transporting their goods within the Indochina region.
After enjoying your picnic lunch start your return trip down the hill again. Going back is easy and you can continue to Preah Rumkel an Ecotourism Site which has been setup to promote sustainable tourism. Have dinner with the local community and spend the night in one of the homestays, the generators normally go out at 9pm so you can have a good nights sleep!
South to Stung TrengThe following day you can return to Stung Treng via Veun Kham the Laos / Cambodian border town or continue your adventure with a kayaking trip along the Mekong from Oh Svay.
Kayaking along this stretch of the river provides a unique experience unrivalled to any other trip, the experience is not difficult and they are no real rapids but the birdlife sustained by the Flooded forest is delightful.
Starting the trip at Oh Svay kayak down river and you will soon find yourself in the shaded flooded forests of the Ramsar wetlands, the trees are huge and there roots all appear out of the water, the water here supports a large variety of fish and is oxygentated by the waterfalls upstream which supports the whole ecosystem. Listen and watch the birdlife while you float downstream. A tranquil day not to be forgotten. After kayaking through the forest you will arrive at Koh Ky where you can then transfer to Stung Treng by vehicle ending the day with a shower at a nice hotel or for the more adventurous enjoy camping on a sandy island or stay at a nature lodge on the Mekong.