Archive for May, 2006
There are several good places near the old market (some locals call it “the bar street”) - you will find lots of chic bars and eateries. To name a few of our favorites; The Red Piano -this is a a very popular one. They also serve pastas, steaks, as well as a selection of Asian dishes. Nice wine list. Extensive cocktail menu (including the Tomb Raider Cocktail!). Great place to relax and enjoy a few drinks before or after your dinner! The Temple Bar, a few steps from Red Piano - good music and great sound system! If you are looking for a more sophisticated place to hang out - then head for the Bar in Hotel De La Paix - very chic, trendy with minimalist style of decoration. One of the most famous here aside from the full cocktail and great wine list is the its color-changing bar! Really a nice place to cool off before hitting the road to Angkor again in the next morning. Cheers!
May 22nd, 2006
You are not going to believe that there are so many good restaurants in Siem Reap! The best ones that we would highly recommend are: Khmer Kitchen, this small restaurant is located in a small alley way behind the Old Market. The food is authentic Khmer and each dish is cooked to order and served as it is ready giving a distinct freshness to the food. Among those of our favorites are amok fish (Cambodian’s specialty), shrimp lab (with lime leaf, garlic, chilli, fresh mint), fried noodles with vegetables. Wine list here is basic so worth taking your own. As the restaurant is non air-conditioned so it is best to dine here in the evening as its much cooler! Then - Angkor Cafe, this restuarant is right opposite the main entrance of Angkor Wat.Chic restaurant with a corner of unique arts & crafts from Artisan D’ Angkor. Great food, resonable prices and very efficient services. There is no other place to cool off the heat after a long walk at the Angkor Wat. FCC Siem Reap - another chick and trendy restaurant in the old colonial building right in the city center (it is located in the hotel compound). Food is excellent (they only serve western food here) and prices are great. It is best to visit this restaurant in the evening only as there is no air-conditioning! Of course, there are many more great restaurants such as Viroth’s and Chez Sophea etc. - we will write about that later! Bon apetit! Â
Â
May 22nd, 2006
THE EVASON HIDEAWAY & SIX SENSES SPA AT ANA MANDARA – TRAVEL & LEISURE’S 50 ROMANTIC ESCAPE!
Don’t you know that this resort has been chosen by Travel & Leisure magazine to be one of its 50 romantic escapes (February 2006)!
This is what they say “After a day of islet-hopping in Ninh Van Bay or shopping in bustling Nha Trang, grab a bottle from your villa’s private wine cellar and soak in the wooden bathtub with a view, or plunge into your own free-form rock pool. Or take advantage of the property’s perks; stroll past the water lily lake to the beachside spa and get an Adam-and-Eve massage that ends with a whirlpool dip and a glass of bubbly. T & L Tip: request a candlelit barbeque with a personal chef and waiter and views of the South China Sea�.
Â
May 22nd, 2006
We have got this question from some of our customers recently. In replying to them - we think it would be useful for the rest of you too! Yes - both hotels do accept major international credit cards such as Visa, Master and JCB.
May 22nd, 2006
Any of you who are going to visit Phnom Penh and will be looking for the ATM machines. Here is the list of its locations:
Independence Monument - 100 Preah Sihanouk Boulevard
Olympic Market - 316 & 363 Preah Sihanouk Boulevard
Riverside - 265 Sisowath Quay
Russian Boulevard - 20 Kramuon Sar (corner of street 67)
Total - Total Avenue de FranceÂ
Additional ATM’s are also available at the following sites. However, accessible on the following locations are from 5.00 a.m. until midnight only:
Caltex - Corner of Mao Tse Tuong Blvd & St.202
Caltex - Corner of Mao Tse Tuong Blvd & St.167
Caltex - Lot 170, Norodom Blvd
Caltex - #124,126 & 128 Cnr of St127, 374 & 384
Caltex - Corner of Monivong/Mao Tse Tuong Blvd
Total - Total Chateau d”Eau
Caltex - Corner of Monivong Blvd & St 86
Caltex - National Road #6, Taphol Village, Siem Reap
Phnom Penh International Airport - National Road #4
Lucky Supermarket - #160, Preah Sihanouk Blvd (accessible from 9.00am to 10.00pm)
Pencils Supermarket - Riverside
ANZ Royal Bank Cambodia Ltd.
Russian Boulevard(20 Kramuon Sar (corner of street 67))Â
Independence Monument: (100 Preah Sihanouk Boulevard)Â
Olympic Branch (361 & 363 Preah Sihanouk Boulevard)Â
Riverside Sales & Service Branch (265 Sisowath Quay)
Do not forget that you can only withdraw the US dollar from the ATM machines here.
Hope this information will be useful for those who accidentally need some extra cash while in Phnom Penh!
Â
Â
May 21st, 2006
Many of you have been asking us about the rainy season in Vietnam and if its worth going at that time. Well – most of Indochina countries have one single rainy season at the time of the south monsoon between May-October BUT on the coast in the central part of Vietnam that face the north east, the season of maximum rainfall is between September-January. Thus, in contrast with other parts of the country the climate in Central Vietnam, with its dry and hot weather during May-October, is perfect in the summer months for beach holidays in Danang and Hoi An! Â
May 21st, 2006
The other day we have told you about the Park Hyatt Saigon which has been voted by our customers as the best hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Today we are talking about another 2 hotels voted by the Destinasian Magazine. The Hotel Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi and The Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City have been selected as the best tourism hotels in Asia-Pacific. The Sofitel Metropole has been voted for their best location and services while the Caravelle Hotel for its best services in Ho Chi Minh City. For us - all these 3 hotels (i.e. Park Hyatt Saigon and Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City as well as  Hotel Sofitel Metropole in Hanoi are always our favorite places to stay on most of trips to Vietnam!
May 20th, 2006
As of April 29 2006 - the beaches of Phan Thiet and Mui Ne can be easily reached by public train. The new and modern train from Vietnam Railway consists of 7 wagons with or without air conditioning. It also has a restaurant. Mui Ne is only 20 minutes drive from the new train station in Phan Thiet. The daily schedule is:
Departing Ho Chi Minh City at 7.30 a.m. and arriving at Phan Thiet at 11.40 a.m.
Departing Phan Thiet at 1.45 p.m. and arriving at Ho Chi Minh City at 6.15 p.m.
May 20th, 2006
If you are in Vietnam and looking for a great pictures of the landscaped, people, sites etc for this country - I would highly recommend you look into this website. There are more than 15,000 of great photos on Vietnam from on different categories from more than 5,000 members from all over the world (mainly from Vietnam). You will be amazed to know that all of its members do have their own lives and work and photography is just their hobby!Â
Also - there are lots and lots of great pictures for which you can send to your friends and family for FREE!. I have been researching for months for the great pictures of this beautiful country and this website is by far the best I found! Again - highly recommended by me for the best pictures of Vietnam:
http://www.photo.com.vn
May 20th, 2006
This annual jazz festival is one of the most popular musical events in Thailand and will be held in the first week of June this year. More than 10,000 local and oversea visitors are expected to turn up for this special summer Jazz Festival. Leading artists joining the festival this year are: Ibrahim Electric, Marlene Mortensen, Jonas Johansen Trio, Lazaro Valdes, Michael Blake, Mikkel Nordso Band, Ben Besiakov Trio, Thomas Fryhand, Bill Bruford’s Earthworks. The festival will be held at the beach front of Sofitel Central Hua Hin and the show time is 4.45 p.m. - 10.45 p.m. For more information - check out its website on:
http://www.huahinjazzfestival2006.com/
Have a great time!
May 20th, 2006
Next Posts
Previous Posts
