Mekong Travel - Holiday travel specialists in the Indochina region

September 2001

Important Travel Information

We have received information that the citizens of the countries listed below are presently not allowed to enter Laos until further notice. We recommend you to re-check with your closest Laotian Embassy or Consulate for an update on entry regulations concerning these nationalities prior to each trip. - India - Iraq - Iran - Sri-Lanka - Bangladesh - Afghanistan - Pakistan - Nepal - Cameroon - Saudi Arabia

Tourism increase in Cambodia

Cambodia aims to double visitor arrivals from 466,000 last year to one million within 2003, at which time it will declare its "Visit Cambodia Year". According to tourism statistics, the number of international travellers visiting Cambodia by air/sea/road, has increased every year, therefore Cambodia is expanding its infrastructure to cope with an increasing number of new arrivals.

Environment

Burma
New Blyth's Tragopan site A new site for the vulnerable Blyth's Tragopan - Tragopan blythii has been discovered in a remote area of northern Myanmar.

Cambodia
There is exciting news from Cambodia where a significant population of Giant Ibises Pseudibis gigantea has been found. The discovery, which is reported in the June 2001 issue of Cambodia Bird News, was made during survey work carried out by Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Cambodian Government Department of Forestry, and Wildlife and Ministry of Environment researchers in Preah Vihear province. The Giant Ibis is Critically Endangered, with a global population estimate in BirdLife's Threatened Bird of the World of just 50 birds. However, survey work in Preah Vihear has found a minimum of 45 Giant Ibises to date within a vast area of 4,000 km2, large tracts of which have yet to be surveyed. The area also holds healthy populations of other threatened species.

Vietnam
New laughing thrush species from Vietnam. A new species, the Chestnut-eared Laughingthrush - Garrulax konkakinhensis, has been described from Mount Kon Ka Kinh in central Vietnam. The revised boundary for Kon Ka Kinh Nature Reserve has been proposed that includes the three sites on Mount Kon Ka Kinh where the species has been found, and this has been endorsed by the central government. In addition, the White-eared Night Heron has been rediscovered at Lung Ly limestone forest by the BirdLife Vietnam Programme after not having been seen in Vietnam for more than 25 years.
Ba Be and Na Hang are well-known as the home of two rare and endemic primates: Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey and Francois' Leaf Monkey. Both of these primates are threatened with global extinction as a result of hunting and habitat loss.

Hotels & Restaurants

Phnom Penh
Hotels: Pailin Hotel is closed for renovation.
Restaurants: La Terrace is a newly opened, French managed, outside-sitting restaurant, located in the former French Cultural Centre, serving delicious French-and Khmer dishes, in an elegantly styled background and cozy atmosphere. It goes without saying that La Terrace is "the" place to dine-out in Phnom Penh.

Siem Reap-Angkor
Hotels: The Pansea Hotel is now ready to open on August 31st, managed by a Swiss General Manager, Mr Urs Eberhardt and his famous French Chef, Mr Pierre Vedel. Located on the shores of Siem Reap River, a stone's throw away from the busy local markets and minutes away from one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, this deluxe category boutique property was designed with a tribute to fascinating Khmer architecture. All 55 rooms and suite are exquisitely appointed with Khmer flair and finished in bamboo, wood, stone and cotton. Relax and sip a Bombay Sapphire on the colonial veranda that is "The Bar". Overlooking the pool and with magnificent views over Siem Reap River, this is the place primed to be "the" place for hotel guests and the trendy elite of Siem Reap alike.
Angkor Century Hotel actually is the first International 4 star-hotel in Siem Reap, due to open end of August 2001 (soft-opening). Angkor Century Hotel is a four-storey property with 190 rooms conveniently located in the heart of the City of Siem Reap and 15 min away from Angkor Complex and from the airport.
Restaurant & Bars: Bopha Angkor Restaurant & Hotel is located in the heart of Siem Reap, overlooking the river of the same name. The romantic garden with fountains provides shade for leisure and relaxation after an interesting visit to the Angkor Temples. Bopha Angkor serves an excellent variety of traditional Cambodian cuisine, cocktails, ice creams and a large selection of crepes on the river terrace. This newly renovated Restaurant offers a quiet ambience and fine cuisine with a magnificent view over Siem Reap River at a reasonable price.
The newly opened Cambodia's Butterfly Garden and Bar is a unique enclosed tropical flower garden, with over 1000 beautiful butterflies of more than 40 different kinds. Waterfalls and ponds with colourful Japanese Carp, and a relaxing Patio Bar, are centrally located and only 4 minutes walk from the old market.
Roads: Road RN6 to the east, will be completed and paved by end of October (donated and monitored by the Japanese government), connecting Siem Reap City to the Roluos Temples to the east (13 km) and to the west from the City centre towards Siem Reap Airport (4 km). This new axis will re-route heavy traffic off city limits. A new laterite road now connects to the Beng Mealea temple, in Siem Reap province, which can be easily visited during a full-day excursion. An admission fee of US$ 20 will be collected at the temple from 1st December 2001.

Travel

Laos
Lao Aviation operates from Siem Reap to Vientiane once a weekend will increase services to two in September. Vietnam Airlines extended its services to 3 daily flights from Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City.
Siem Reap Airport: Siem Reap's new domestic terminal is fully operational since May this year. A large, air-conditioned check-in hall, provides visitors with a swift check-in process, as well as clean comfort-rooms, connected to a comfortable waiting-hall, with a small drink-outlet and a well equipped book-and newspaper stall. Unfortunately, no new plans have been announced to renovate the international terminal yet and Siem Reap's International-and Domestic airport tax will most likely increase from the 1st November 2001.

Siem Reap Airways (FT) is now flying daily from Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City. Furthermore, FT has increased its services to 2 daily flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and FT's new attractive schedule suits our tour-programmes particularly well. Bangkok Airways increased its services from Siem Reap to Bangkok to 5 daily flights, from Siem Reap to Phuket once daily (high-season only) and from Siem Reap to Sukhothai twice a week. Other routes already exist, such as from Phnom Penh to Pattaya and to Ko Samui and shortly from Siem Reap to Singapore (Nov 01).

Social

Mekong Club

Address: P O BOX 820, HP9 2JG, England
Tel: +(44) (0)973 231 446,
http://www.mekongclub.net

The Mekong Club is an informal, non-political, non-commercial association, primarily concerned with promotion of the cultures of the "Mekong Region" (i.e. Viet Nam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and adjacent regions) in the UK. The Club will act as a forum for exchange of information and experience by:

The promotion of social and cultural events, tutorial groups and other meetings
Maintenance of a world wide web page and an address list for circulars on 'events and ideas'.

Membership is open to all, but it is envisaged that the club will be of particular interest to:

Expatriates from the Mekong Region living in the UK, with particular encouragement given to 2nd and 3rd generation family members.
British (and other European) citizens wishing to maintain in contact with people and issues in the Mekong Region.
Visitors from the Region needing temporary support whilst in the UK.
Citizens in the Mekong Region, wishing to develop contacts in the UK.

The Club will be organised by a chairperson, secretariat and webmaster, with a single, annual business meeting combined with a social event. The secretariat will be responsible for financial stewardship, with a "minimal" fund consisting of contributions for individual events and newsletters. An annual membership fee of £5 is envisaged per adult. For further details, please write or telephone the above number.

Mekong Club Application:

I/We …………………………….. would like to join the Mekong Club

My/Our address is: .......................................................................................................

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Please find enclosed the payment for membership of £5 and my/our voluntary contribution of £… Total: £…. (Cash or cheque payable to Mekong Club)

Posting Address: P.O. BOX 820, HP9 2JG.