Dating back to the Angkorian period, the annual Bon Om Touk (Water Festival) is the most exuberant occasion in the Cambodian calendar. Held over a three-day period during the first full moon of November, the festival marks the reversal of currents in the Tonle Sap River and represents a thanksgiving to the Mekong River for providing livelihood to the people. In Phnom Penh, many Cambodians flock to the river banks to watch the traditional boats race. In the evening, illuminated boats cruise along the river and complement the nightly fireworks display.
The Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia, in collaboration with the National Committee for National and International Festivals, will arrange complimentary seats for visitors who would like to witness this event. Please contact us at cambodia@exotissimo.com for more information.

Vietnam Airlines announced the reduction of fuel surcharges for its domestic air routes, applicable as of 15 September 2008. Exotissimo will now apply the new reduced surcharges as per 15 September 2008 rates on the amended invoices of bookings concerned (that is all booked before 15 Aug 08). Please contact vietnam@exotissimo.com for more details.

Exotissimo’s latest and southernmost office in Phuket was opened on 1 October! Heading the team of three in our Phuket office is Christophe Lopez who has lived on the island for more than 15 years. The team is currently developing signature and exciting excursions to showcase clients the best of Phuket and southern Thailand. Located at 100/19 Moo 5, Chalermprakiat Rama 9 Road in Phuket town, Exotissimo Phuket looks forward to welcoming all at the new office. Please contact Christophe at christophe@exotissimo.com for more information.

On 26 October 2008, Siem Reap Airways started daily flight services to Saigon. The new Saigon – Siem Reap – Saigon route serves the growing flight demand between the major tourist and commercial centres in Cambodia.

The Grand Champassak Hotel is opening in Pakse in October. This 12-storey deluxe hotel boasts of 216 rooms and features a Chinese restaurant, a coffee house, a lobby bar, a shopping arcade and an outdoor swimming pool. For business travellers, the main conference hall seats approximately 1500 people and the function can accommodate up to 150 guests. The hotel is situated right by the Mekong River.

The outstanding Mandarin Restaurant is set to spread its charm to Hanoi when it opens its new branch this month. In Ho Chi Minh City, the Mandarin Restaurant has been a regular haunt for both foreign dignitaries and food connoisseurs for more than a decade. Award-winning specialties include steamed rice in lotus leaf and steamed duck with rice pancakes. With the opening of Mandarin Restaurant, we are delighted that there is now one more choice to sample authentic upscale Vietnamese dining in Hanoi.

“Kala” means “coconut shell” in Thai, and it is also the name of the latest boutique resort in Koh Samui. The Kala is a lifestyle resort that provides guests with a touch of Samui and a memorable getaway experience. The resort wants to offer guests the feeling of “being slipped the keys to an incredibly stylish friend’s home”. This new property is comprised of 30 deluxe rooms and 8 pool villas with all units facing the sea. Facilities include the 26th Degree restaurant and The Rabbit Bar, as well as the Agarin Spa that caters to the relaxation and indulgence of guests. Perched atop a cliff in Lamai District, the hotel overlooks the Gulf of Siam.

The chic Indigo Pearl Hotel is situated along Nai Yang Beach (near Sirinath National Park) in northern Phuket. Architecturally inspired by Phuket’s tin mining past, the hotel is one big museum with a detailed eye of the “industrial art” concept. The friendly staffs are helpful and totally at ease in their working environment. The rooms are spacious, comfortable and boast of imaginative design. Despite having 243 guestrooms, the whole resort still retains a cosy and almost “boutique” atmosphere. Right across the street from the resort lies one of the most beautiful and secluded beaches in Phuket. Guests can wander along the beach for some shopping, enjoy a massage or tuck in to freshly barbequed tiger prawns. The amazing service of the hotel staff along with the conceptual design definitely makes Indigo Pearl a superb deluxe choice.

There are few luxurious accommodation offerings in Khao Sok National Park. However, this is set to change when the Tree Tops Resort finishes upgrading its facilities to a first-class level. The upgraded resort will feature a huge tree covering the main building and an enormous pool. Currently, Tree Tops is still offering tree houses accommodation amongst the rainforest canopy and plans to upgrade their floating raft houses on Chieo Lan Lake are now underway. The upgraded resort is expected to be operational by November 2008. One of the oldest forests in the world, Khao Sok offers a truly amazing landscape of elephants, waterfalls and a crystal clear Chieo Lan Lake surrounded by stunning limestone formations.

The Le Paradis Boutique Resort & Spa will be closed for major renovation works from 1 April 2009. The resort’s current 26 villas will be overhauled and replaced by 40 poolside villas. Meanwhile, the sales, marketing and reservation teams will be working as usual during the rebuilding period. The Le Paradis is scheduled to reopen on 1 May 2010.

Aureum Resort & Spa recently announced its plans to expand its room inventory in its Bagan and Ngwe Saung branches. 42 deluxe units will be added to Aureum Bagan’s existing 72 rooms while Aureum Ngwe Saung will see an addition of 36 deluxe units to its current pool of 62 rooms. Meawhile, a Zen-style Sushi Bar has opened in the Aureum Ngapali. Lovers of Japanese cuisine will delight in the wide selection of sushi, sashimi rolls, saltwater prawn tempura and Japanese grill.

This September, Makphet Restaurant will relocate to a small quiet street behind Vat Ong Teu. Initiated by Friends International, this vocational training restaurant in Vientiane trains homeless youth to cook and wait tables. The restaurant upholds the highest standards of hygiene and serves modern Lao cuisine prepared with only naturally-grown ingredients and no MSG. The small boutique “Noi Noi” shop that used to be housed on the second floor of Makphet Restaurant will also move to the new location. Noi Noi sells traditional handicrafts using recycled materials made by the parents of former street children. All profits from Makphet and Noi Noi will be channeled back to sustain these projects and support welfare services for underprivileged families.

Situated along Luang Prabang’s main street, the new restaurant Petits Nids serves Western and Lao food. Run by Filipinos, the restaurant interior blends contemporary Asian sleek with the traditional styles of Laos. Adjacent to the main building, the alfresco yard with local campak trees makes an ideal place to chill out.