Air services and more

In late 2003, aviation officials from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam met in Hanoi to sign an air agreement that, effective immediately, would allow airline carriers from the four countries to collaborate on flight fees and schedules without involvement from the government. This agreement will most likely result in an increase in flights to and from major tourist destinations in the four countries.

Non-stop flights to and from Siem Reap and Seoul will be available, which should increase the number of Korean visitors to Cambodia to over 100,000 in the next few years.

China Eastern Airlines began offering flight services to Siem Reap from Kunming and vice versa on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Taiwan-based Far Eastern Air Transport (FAT) began offering twice weekly flights to and from Siem Reap and Danang in late March on Wednesdays and Sundays.

First Cambodia Airlines officially launched its first flight services on 25^th February between Phnom Penh and Singapore. The airline also offers routes to Singapore, Siem Reap, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong, with services to Ho Chi Minh City and Beijing added soon.

In January President Airlines resumed its flight services to Hong Kong from Phnom Penh and vice versa, which were suspended in March 2003 due to the SARS epidemic. Flights will operate three days a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

In January, construction began on the runways at Siem Reap and Phnom Penh Airports at a cost 5 million USD; renovations are expected to be completed in June. An additional 20 million USD will be used to refurbish the two airports' other facilities in the next five years. The city of Sihanoukville is having a runway built to accommodate small shuttle aircraft, which should be ready by April.

Mekong Express and RV Mekong closed during dry season

RV Mekong

The Mekong Express, which resumed operations 1^st October 2003, will not be operating during the dry season, which lasts from April until the end of June. The RV Mekong cruise service will be unavailable from 18^th April to 5^th June. Since the service began in October 2003, the RV Mekong has made a few changes to its schedule; passengers will now embark at My Tho and disembark at Tonle Lake and the cruise will travel to Kompong Cham instead of Kratie.

EXO PICKS: Angkor Palace Resort & Spa, Siem Reap

Angkor Palace Resort & Spa

Luxury, lavishness and leisure. Put these nouns together and you will most likely find yourself at the Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in lovely Siem Reap. In each of the resort’s 87 deluxe guest rooms, villas, suites and cabanas, the poster bed, high-speed Internet access, posh bathrooms and private terraces exude luxury, while the lavish services, gardens and spa treatments are sure to impress even the most jaded traveller. And leisure, it is reflected in the fresh cup of coffee at the open-air Pation Café, nearby temples and a quiet moment in the meditation garden.