Mekong Travel - Newsletter

August 2003

Vietnam

Vietnam's tourism revives as SARS fear fades
Reuters, Hanoi, August 1

Tourist arrivals in Vietnam sharply increased in July from June as the effects of the deadly flu-like SARS outbreak receded, but the total number for the whole year is expected to fall around 23 per cent, officials said on Friday.
"The tourism industry has recovered faster than we had expected," deputy director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Pham Tu, said. "There is a clear rising trend in visitors arrivals for the rest of the year."
The communist nation, which became the world's first to have declared free from the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in late April, received 153,530 foreign visitors in July, 44 per cent more than in June but 22 per cent fewer than a year earlier.
"With the current growth, we hope to achieve our revised target of two million (foreign) visitors by year end," Tu said.
The industry body initially projected to host 2.8 million foreign tourists in 2003, a target made prior to the SARS strike.
Official data showed foreign arrivals to the Southeast Asian country in the first seven months of this year totalled nearly 1.23 million, down 19.5 per cent on a year earlier. Vietnam's tourism revenue in the first half of the year, hit by the disease outbreak, was down 27.8 per cent on a year earlier, at $535 million. The sector accounts for seven to eight per cent of the country's economy.
July visitor arrivals were up from all key nations, with those from Australia, France, China, Japan and South Korea soaring around 120 per cent over June, but still 15 per cent less than the same month last year, government statistics showed. The hotel industry was among the first to feel the revival.
"Things look much brighter now as business is up and running again," said Nga Doan, marketing manager of Sheraton hotel in commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City. The hotel opened in April, when Vietnam's hotels were only 25 per cent full, because of the virus.
Four- and five-star hotels in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, the capital, all reported the occupancy rate this month bouncing back to between 40 and 75 per cent after aggressive discounting.

Environment

Vietnam's Newest World Heritage Site
On 2 July 2003, Vietnam gained its fifth UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most recent meeting of the World Heritage Committee recognized the Phong Nha caves as "one of the finest and most distinctive examples of a complex karst landform in southeast Asia", officially including them in its list of world monuments.
Named "teeth of the wind," or Phong Nha in Vietnamese, this stunning system of caves and grottoes was carved by a winding underground river. Located in the Trung Song mountain range in central Vietnam, the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park was created in 2001, covering 41,132 hectares of forest-covered limestone mountains. With the highest rate of biodiversity of all Vientmese national parks, this area has enormous potential for eco-tourism in the future.
The Phong Nha caves can be seen as a two-day excursion from Hue, with an overnight in Dong Hoi. For more information, please contact us.

Thailand
Thailand's southwest Andaman coast is dotted with a myriad of little known tropical islands, stretching south from Phuket, all the way down to Langkawi on the Malaysian side of the international border. Literally hundreds of beautiful tropical islands engulfed by crystal clear waters, visited by few if any other tourists. These virtually unknown islands offer great opportunities for exploring, snorkeling, scuba diving and sea kayaking. What better way to discover this little known region of the Thai / Malaysian coast than onboard a classically built wooden Bugis sailing vessel.
Constructed in 1998 in the Bugis region of Sulawesi, 'Sampai Jumpa' is a traditional Indonesian ketch, hewn from solid Teak and Ironwood. The Bugis people have long been known throughout Southeast Asian waters for their seaworthy sailing ships and outstanding navigational abilities. The sailing routes of their rebellious ancestors were primarily east to west, trading along the distant coasts of Madagascar to the nearby Island of Singapore where today, stands the commemorative Bugis Plaza.
So, like the Bugis sailors of years gone by, we invite you to join us while discovering the most beautiful and unspoiled islands scattered along the coast, between Thailand and Malaysia. Every night you'll delight in the comfort of your own private modern stateroom while the Sampai Jumpa quietly swings on her anchor in yet another pristine anchorage.
Visit islands dense with tropical foliage, where you can wander along the deserted beaches or swim in the warm crystalline waters, among tropical fish and a vast array of colorful corals. Relax on the large afterdeck as you watch the Sea Gypsies hand lining from long-tail boats. Gaze into glowing sunsets while enjoying a veritable feast of mouth watering local and international cuisine. Evenings under the stars melt away to the accompaniment of melodies, reading, games or quiet conversation. These are just some of the pleasures we propose at the end of the day, after we've furled the sails and said good-bye to the dolphins playing in our bow wave.
Sampai Jumpa sails out from a bygone era to offer a unique experience to your family and friends. In Indonesia, Sampai Jumpa means "See you soon".
If you are interested in this trip, please contact us for schedules and pricing.

A biologist in the Mergui Archipelago. Well respected professional wildlife biologist, Antony Lynam Ph.D, of The Wildlife conservation Society, recently joined SEAL for a vacation and a bit of Adventure in Myanmar's Mergui Archipelago. Antony has kindly written a report on his observations of this stunning area. Click here to view the report.

Hotels & Restaurants

VIETNAM
Novotel Phan Thiet under Renovation. Novotel Phan Thiet will be under renovation from 4th August 2003 to 15th October 2003. The renovation will affect the lobby area and the rooftop area of the hotel. Otherwise, the hotel will continue to be fully operational.

CAMBODIA
Goldiana Angkor Hotel to open. The Goldiana Angkor Hotel is scheduled to open on 1st October 2003, although it is already open for inspections. Rooms will be available from October 2003 onwards. The hotel has already received strong interest and is fully booked in November.

LAOS
New Hotel in Vientiane. The B&P hotel has just celebrated its opening in Vientiane. Ideally situated in old town center, only 50 meters from the Mekong River, this hotel is tastefully furnished and is a charming alternative in the standard category. Many international restaurants are within short walking distance.

Le Parasol Blanc under Renovation. Le Parasol Blanc is closed for renovations from now through 30 September 2003, reopening again in October.

Travel

Vietnam Airline: Hanoi/Siem Reap Route. Vietnam Airlines is now offering direct flights from Hanoi to Siem Reap, using the Airbus A320. This will be a thrice-weekly service, effective from July 2003. For more information, please contact us.

Lao Airlines upgrades. Lao Airlines' (QV) has taken delivery of its first commercial jet aircraft, an Airbus A320, which is already operating on its major Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Siem Reap and Hanoi routes. The airbus is configured with 130 Y-class and 20 business-class seats. This is a key component of the flag carrier's overall reconstruction, which is receiving technical assistance from a former Air France Consulting executive and from Vietnam Airlines. We are also pleased to inform our customers that Lao Airlines have retired their Chinese-made Y7 aircraft, replacing them with ATRs on all domestic routes.

Thai Airways expands in Indochina. Thai Airways is introducing flights from Chiang Mai to Luang Prabang and Yangon. It will be a thrice-weekly service starting from November this year.

BURMA PB Air flies from Bangkok to Bagan. PB Air is launching its first flight service to Bagan from Bangkok in November using the Embraer 145 with 50 Y-class seats and operating three times weekly. It also plans to increase its Bangkok to Danang service from thrice weekly to five times weekly later in the year.

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:

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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.