VIETNAM

Hotel News From now until the end of July, the Park Hyatt Saigon is pleased to present Jean-Paul Nadeau, a vocalist and pianist who will be presenting a colorful repertoire of popular cover music in a blend of rhythm and blues, classic standards, ballads, soul, jazz, and country in English or French. Mr Nadeau will be performing at the Park Lounge from Tuesdays to Sundays between 20:00 and 24:00. The hotel’s Square One Bar is offering fresh Nha Trang oysters and free-flow Moet Chandon champagne on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 18:00 till 19:30; priced at 28 USD per person. Life Resorts has announced that its two resorts, the Life Resort Hoi An and Life Resort Quy Nhon, will be re-branded and renamed as Life Heritage Resort Hoi An and Life Wellness Resort Quy Nhon, respectively. The aim is to clarify the positioning of each resort, and to minimize confusion as to each of the resort's main products and offerings. The 3-star Hanoi Plaza Hotel opened in early March in the city’s Old Quarter. The 25 rooms and suites come with air conditioning, cable television, an in-room safe, a mini-bar and broadband Internet access. The hotel also features a restaurant, business centre, bar and lounge. On July 16th, Swiss-Belhotel's Golden Sand Resort Hoi An will host Hoi An’s first classical concert on the beach to raise awareness for the Hoi An Center for the Protection of Street Children. The concert will be performed by the Long Island Youth Orchestra, an ensemble of 85 musicians, who will play the works of Stravinsky and Strauss right under the stars of Cua Dai Beach. The event, while sponsored by Golden Sand, is not restricted to hotel guests and is open to everyone free of charge.   Princess d'Annam Resort opens end of year The Princess d’Annam Resort & Spa, located 20 kilometers from Phan Thiet and perched on the pristine bay of Ke Ga, is scheduled to open in late 2006. The resort, designed by architect Tam Hock Beng to  reflect French colonial architecture, features 36 superior villas, 18 deluxe villas, and three executive two-storey villas with private pools. The villas have been constructed around a series of nine swimming pools, with views of the garden and a turn-of-the-century French lighthouse, and are equipped with DVD players, plasma televisions, a fully-stocked mini-bar and Internet access. Facilities include the Aquamarine Spa, a fitness centre, La Safranée French Restaurant, La Frégate International Restaurant, Le Grand Bleu Café & Bar, conference rooms, and optional activities, such as trekking, snorkelling, sea kayaking and windsurfing. For more information, please visit the resort’s Web site at www.princessannam.com.   Mekong Horizon unveils Le Longanier Restaurant In Tien Giang Province’s Phu An Village, Mekong Horizon, the same company that operates the Cai Be Princess Cruises, has opened Le Longanier Restaurant at the La Residence de Phu An Boutique Resort. Set in a two-storey house built along the Phu An River, the restaurant offers Vietnamese and western a la carte and set menus, as well as buffets for large groups.

CAMBODIA

e-Visa to Cambodia Clients wishing to travel to Cambodia now have the option of applying for their visa online at www.mfaic.gov.kh. e-Visa was launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and involves an application form, payment by credit card and visa approval within three business days. Please note that the single entry tourist visas will be valid for three months from the date of issue for a visit of 30 days and are only applicable for visitors entering Siem Reap and Phnom Penh airports. Passports must be valid for at least six months. The e-Visa Website also allows users to check on the status of their online application. Please contact customer@vietlinktravel.com for more information.   Special offers in Siem Reap The Shinta Mani Hotel and Hotel de la Paix in Siem Reap are offering a low season promotion - Stay 3 Nights Pay 2 Nights. This offer, which includes complimentary breakfast on the free-of-charge night, is valid until 31st October.   La Maison D'Angkor update From 1st to 30th June, La Maison D’Angkor will close in order to upgrade its suite rooms. When it reopens, the hotel will offer a low season promotion, effective from 1st July until 30th September - guests staying in single or double rooms will enjoy free half-board, lunch or dinner, for their entire stay.

LAOS

Airport projects The Luang Namtha Airport in northwest Laos will spend four million US dollars improving its facilities, including lengthening and widening its runway to accommodate larger aircraft and upgrading its passenger terminal and other facilities. Construction is expected to take around one year and a half. The government will begin the upgrade of Pakse Airport in Champasak Province at the end of this year, following the completion of a similar project at Wattay International Airport. Pakse Airport will soon be able to service 150-seater aircraft, in particular those coming from countries nearby. Design work has already been finished and construction costs estimated. Lao and Thai finance officials have also completed negotiations regarding a loan to fund the renovation.   Vanida Hotel opens in Luang Prabang The Vanida Hotel is expected to open in mid-2006 near the city centre with 35 standard guest rooms and a swimming pool.

MYANMAR

Hotels news The soft-opening of the Malikha Lodge in Putao will be delayed until mid-December, due to unforeseen delays. Bookings are being accepted starting from 1st January 2007 with eight bungalows. Full massage services will be available, while the swimming pool, separate spa area and two extra bungalows will be unveiled in October 2007. The lodge will also conduct a high-adventure Maykha rafting expedition in January 2007 and four Nam Lang rafting trips in February 2007. The Aureum Palace Hotel & Resort Bagan is accepting bookings from October onwards. At the moment, the spa, two restaurants and the gymnasium are still under construction, while one restaurant and all rooms except for the Island Villa are operational. The Paradise Inle Resort has reopened next door to its old location with larger superior rooms that are equipped with bathtubs and showers, standard rooms equipped with showers, and more spacious deluxe rooms.   Yangon Airways to fly additional sectors Yangon Airways has announced that it will fly five new sectors starting from May: Yangon-Mandalay-Myitkyina, Yangon-Mandalay-Bamaw-Myitkyina, Yangon-Dawei-Myeik, Yangon-Dawei-Myeik-Kawthaung, and Yangon-Pyinmana.   Ark Amara Cruise to Bagan The Ark Amara Cruise, a 340 metre-long vessel that has been decorated with traditional Myanmar design, will begin operating a two-day cruise between Mandalay and Bagan starting from July. The programme, which accommodates 24 passengers, includes one night in bamboo huts at the village of Yantapo and sightseeing at destinations along the way, including ancient monasteries and the old city of Inwa.

THAILAND

Hotel openings The Grand Sukhumvit by Sofitel had its grand opening in May with 386 guest rooms, many of which are equipped with kitchenettes and dining areas and ideal for long-term guests. In early 2006, the Le Bua at State Tower opened in the heart of Bangkok with 198 one-bedroom superior suites and two- and three-bedroom executive suites fully equipped with city or river views, a living room, a bathroom with separate shower area, a kitchenette, a fully-stocked refrigerator, an iron and ironing board, two flat-screen televisions, a DVD player, broadband Internet access, a work station, and an in-room safe. Facilities include the Brasserie International Restaurant, the Poolside Café, Breeze Seafood Restaurant, an outdoor swimming pool, a business centre and a fitness centre. In July, Koh Samui will see the opening of the Punnpreeda Hip Resort. It will house 25 rooms, including deluxe rooms, villas, Jacuzzi suite rooms and one waterfall sea view suite. Facilities include an infinity-edge swimming pool and the Daaraadat Restaurant, which features international and Thai cuisines. On the banks of the Ping River, the Meritus Chiang Mai Riverside Spa Resort will soft open this month. Facilities include 74 guest rooms, a steakhouse and restaurant, a pub, the Aspara Spa, a health club, a pool with a bar, meeting and banquet facilities, a business centre, a library, and a museum. The grand opening is scheduled for October 2006.   Airline information Thai Airways International will begin flying between Bangkok and Johannesburg on 31st October three times weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The airline has also implemented fuel surcharges on domestic and international flights.   Phuket top island in Asia According to the 200th edition of the Condé Nast Traveler Magazine Reader’s Choice Awards, Phuket has been voted the best island destination in the Asian and Indian Ocean region. Bangkok was also rated as the best city. 28,000 travellers participated in the survey and rated the islands according to activities, beaches, friendliness, lodging, restaurants and scenery.