Interactive Rattanakonsin Museum open until 8 pm

Opened on 9 March, the Rattanakonsin Museum is the latest- and most entertaining- museum in Bangkok. Located near the Golden Mount and Grand Palace in the historic Rattanakonsin neighborhood, the museum is an ideal stop for an introduction to Thailand’s rich history and with the late opening time, guests can visit before or after dinner.

The 7 exhibition rooms each represent a different aspect of the Rattanakosin area, covering history, culture and arts. Highlights include a 4-D multimedia presentation exploring the founding of Rattanakosin, an interactive animation tour of the area and a multimedia demonstration of various forms of traditional entertainment.

Exotissimo will add this visit to tours as an introduction to Thailand or for those with a keen interest in history. The museum is open Tuesday – Fridays from 11.00 – 20.00 and Saturdays and Sundays from 10.00-20.00.

Booking and inquiries can be sent to: thailand@exotissimo.com

Introducing travelers to the history and rich culture of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, our 12-day Colorful Capitals multi-country tour gives a taste of the region from an insider’s point of view.

The program starts in Bangkok where guests will visit revered sights such as the Grand Palace, Wat Po and Jim Thompson Museum with rides on tuk-tuks and taxi boats. Flying to Luang Prabang on the third day, the program tours the ancient city’s iconic temples, Mekong River and evening market with opportunities to learn about Lao culture through alms giving, a textile workshop and cooking course. The program continues to Vientiane where guests will visit famed temples as well as participate in a traditional baci ceremony. Crossing borders into Cambodia, they will spend another two days sightseeing in Phnom Penh before heading to Siem Reap to discover its Angkor monuments. The program ends with a flight back to Bangkok.

To view program details of Colorful Capitals, click here.

A home-style cooking school set in a waterside location, the Amita Thai Cooking Class offers a hands-on Thai cooking experience under the guidance of a qualified instructor. This half-day tour starts with a short tour around the school’s organic garden to learn about Thai herbs, followed by a theory session and cooking demonstration. Participants then get to try their hand at cooking Thai dishes before sampling their own creations. A set of the course recipes will be given as a souvenir. To view the program details, click here.

Taking place on 2-4 November, our Chiang Mai Loy Krathong tour is designed for travelers to experience one of Thailand’s most popular festivals. Setting krathong (banana leaf floats) adrift on the Mae Ping River, launching a khom loy (floating lantern) into the night sky and sampling northern Thai signature curry noodles are some of the exciting activities in this 3-day package. Click here to view the program details.

For clients curious about Asian farming lifestyles, our rice planting workshop in an organic farm is a great introduction. Included as an optional half-day activity in our 3-day Sukhothai in Depth program, this workshop gives clients a taste of traditional agricultural life by donning a Thai farmer outfit with hands-on participation in the planting and ploughing process. View Sukhothai in Depth here.

A perfect day trip for families, our new Doi Inthanon Waterfall Walk features an easy 2-hour trek through Chiang Mai’s lush mountain scenery. Travelers will pass through a Karen hilltribe village and a local market as they hike up to Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s highest peak. More program details can be viewed here.

VIETNAM

In Vietnam, we are glad to announce that the ground situation in Hoi An and Danang has improved significantly since yesterday and we even experienced some sunny weather in Hoi An!

Hoi An

- Hoi An: Bach Dang and Nguyen Thai Hoc streets are still flooded. However all other sightseeing sites are open, including Japanese bridge, Fujien Pagoda, Phung Hung and Quan Thang old houses, Ceramic and Sa Huynh Museums.

- Restaurants Cargo Club, Mango Room, Morning Glory and Brother’s Café will not open until tomorrow (Friday).

- Hotels Pacific, Ancient House and Lotus are now accessible again.

- The pool at Riverside Resort will take a week to be cleaned.

- Boat trips are still not possible on Thu Bon.

- My Son is NOT accessible yet.

Hue

- Hue City: water has receded and all sightseeing sites are open.

- Boat trips on the Perfume River are NOT possible yet.

Roads

- Road to Hoi An from Cua Beach: OK

- National Road No. 1 between Hue and Danang is open again

Train

- From Danang/Hue to the north: OK by today (Thursday); To the south by Friday, 2 Oct 09.

Hotels Partly Opened

- Victoria Hotel: the SUP and DLX rooms remain operational although the garden, pool and the beach need a complete clean-up. All cancellation fees will be waived until 5 October and normal operations will resume on 6 October 09.

Hotels Still Closed
- Golden Sand Resort: closed until 7 Oct 09 inclusive

- Life Resort Hoi An: closed until 14 Oct 09 inclusive.

LAOS

The Lao Government has urged the population to remain vigilant against Ketsana’s potential threat in Bolikamxay, Khamouane and Vientiane, the 3 provinces bordering Vietnam. The Mekong River is not threatening to flood yet and no heavy rains have fallen in Laos. There are no disruption to flights or tours in major tourist destinations such as Luang Prabang, Vientiane, Pakse and Champassak.

CAMBODIA

Currently the situation in Siem Reap and northern Cambodia is stable, but there has been severe flooding in a number of areas including the Siem Reap city center. The Siem Reap river has overflowed its banks and the water level is still rising. The airport remains open, but we had to cancel all boat trips to the lake as all access roads are closed. Transportation around various parts of the town has been affected by the flooding. All our clients are completely safe and no hotels have been affected. We are staying in constant contact with all our clients and will keep everyone updated as the situation progresses. The road between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is partly flooded around Kampong Thom but remains accessible. The situation in Phnom Penh is good despite seeing heavy rains every day.

THAILAND

The situation in Thailand is fine with only the northeastern part of the country on high alert. Heavy rains and some flooding have been experienced in provinces such as Ubon Ratchathani but Ketsana is expected to weaken as it moves further inland. There is no flight disruption and all roads and airports remain open and accessible.

Isaan Insight is a new 9-day cultural program that offers rewarding insights into Thailand%u2019s northeastern provinces, a region least known to foreigners. This program includes visits to Khmer-style temples, Mekong River, pre-historic sites and villages with Vietnamese and Lao influences. This itinerary also features stays at unique properties, including Phunacome Resort in Loei which is part of the Isan Boutique Collection. For clients desiring a lavish stay, Sedhapura makes a fabulous alternative in Ubon Ratchatani.

Click here to view the details of Isaan Insight tour.

The latest addition to Ayutthaya’s boutique scene, Iudia on the River located near the Ayutthaya World Heritage Park, making it an ideal resort for FIT travelers wishing to explore the ancient Siamese ruins. Tapping on ludia’s attractive introductory rates, we are offering our Ayutthaya Escape at fabulous prices.

Contact thailand@exotissimo.com for booking details.

This four day kayaking and camping adventure is an easy, yet exhilarating, way to experience Phang Nga Bay and makes a great family excursion. Setting off from Phuket, two days are spent on the water kayaking along turquoise water and through limestone caves with a guide and an unforgettable night is spent camping on a secluded island

The program is timed to avoid the tourist crowds and includes memorable touches such as an evening paddling journey, kratong launch and barbeque picnics. View the full itinerary here.