Sea and road tours covering Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand will begin from Vietnam’s Kien Giang province in the first half of next year, the tourism head of the Mekong Delta province said. The director of the province’s Tourism Department, Le Minh Hoang, said the road tour would begin in Rach Gia town or Ha Tien district, go through Cambodia’s Sihanoukville province and the capital Phnom Penh, and finish in Thailand’s Kathaburi province. The sea tour will begin in Vietnam in Rach Gia, then go to Phu Quoc island and finish in Kathaburi province. Tourism companies in the three countries would cooperate to conduct these tours.

The Angkor Century Resort & Spa has been named Cambodia’s Leading Spa Resort for 2006 by Word Travel Awards (UK).

Korean-based Kings’ Valley Corporation and Hanwha Group will begin the construction of two five-star recreation complexes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 2007. The Kings’ Valley Corporation is building the Mountanview and Lakesides golf courses in Ha Tay province. Hanwha is a leading Korean golf and resort developer.

The airport at Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s main coastal city, has reopened. It is hoped that the airport’s opening will boost the country’s nascent tourism industry. The airport had been closed for the last three years for renovations and upgrades, and is located about 115 miles southwest of hte capital Phnom Penh. Deputy tourism minister Thong Khon said that the airport is part of a strategy to link the temples of Angkor Wat to the beaches of Sihanoukville. There plans to extend the airport’s current runway from 1 mile to 1.4 miles in length.

The Mekong Sun RV launched and began operations on 15th December. The boat will cruise between Luang Prabang and Jinghong, China. The boat was built in Laos in 2005, and is comprised of 11 classic and 3 superior cabins.

Mekong Horizon plans to build two additional boats in 2007. The Mekong Princess I has already been built and will be launched sometime in February 2007. The Cai Be Princess V will begin construction by mid-February 2007. Both boats have been designed to be similar to Mekong Horizon’s signature Cai Be Princess sampans, and each boat will be handled by a crew of 4 members. The Mekong Princess I will be able to carry up to 45 passengers in style.

The Borei Angkor Hotel has finished its renovations where it added new rooms and upgraded its existing rooms. The hotel now has an additional 67 rooms to complement its restaurant, fitness centre and outdoor pool.

The 150-room Somadevi Hotel has just opened. Located in the heart of Siem Reap, it offers nice rooms with modern amenities, a large swimming pool, a business centre, a fitness centre and a cosy restaurant. It is about a 15 minute drive from Siem Reap airport, and a 10 minute drive from Ankor Wat.

Beginning on 1st January 2007, Japanese tourists visiting Laos will no longer need a tourist visa. The Laotian government has relaxed visa requirements is in hopes of boosting sagging tourist numbers, as in recent years, the number of Japanese tourists visiting Laos has declined. This agreement is not yet reciprocal, and Laotian tourists visiting Japan will still need visas.  In spite of this fact, the Laotion government sees this as the beginning of closer ties between the two nations.

Boris Granges, owner of the famous Yangon restaurant “Le Planteur,” plans to open a restaurant in Nyaung Shwe in 2007. Though no details have yet been announced, this new entry into the culinary landscape will be closely monitored by gourmets everywhere.