angkor wat accommodation where you stay is very much part of the experience when travelling through southeast asia with audley there are of course many large chain hotels in the region but they can be bland and are not always conveniently located we have discovered some of the more unusual character hotels and resorts in the region which allow you to taste more of the local colour and culture many are converted colonial mansions some are newly built boutique hotels perhaps jungle lodges for viewing wildlife or small familyrun guesthouses with only a couple of rooms we regularly inspect the accommodation options on our research trips to the region updating our knowledge of existing properties as well as discovering new ones some of our favourites are featured within the country sections of the brochure although we use many others to suit all budgets and tastes just call to find out more transportation we use the most convenient means of transport for each sector of your journey and it i
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beach at mui ne mui ne only four hours from saigon is the glorious unspoiled stretch of sand at mui ne a place where fishermen still use traditional coracles to bring their catch ashore the micro-climate here means this is one of the driest places in vietnam as illustrated by its famous sand dunes baking hot in the midday sun a range of charming small hotels have followed the sun to the 15 kilometres of white-sand beach offering accommodation to suit a variety of budgets mui ne is sunny for almost the entire year making it ideal as a beach break from the humidity of saigon or the delta phu quoc situated close to the cambodian border the island of phu quoc offers an alternative beach option for those wishing to get off the beaten track although the island is beginning to see more visitors development is slow and the beautiful sandy beaches and pristine waters remain unspoilt the island s remoteness and lack of infrastructure only add to the isolated and secluded feel making this a perfe
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sunset at yeak loam crater lake northeast cambodia northeastern cambodia has only recently opened up to visitors with the introduction of an airstrip for flights from phnom penh the area feels tangibly remote as you drive on red-dirt roads through wild scrub plantations of rubber cashew and pepper and verdant forest waterfalls are numerous and the stunning crater lake of boeng yeak loam said to be the home of mystical water spirits is surely one of the most scenic and beautiful places in the country ban lung as the provincial capital of ratanakiri ban lung makes an excellent base from which to explore the many areas of interest in the province ban lung has a feel of the `wild east about it with its red dirt roads scooters used instead of horses and one main street the town can easily be reached by a short flight from phnom penh or by a longer bumpy road journey for those travelling to or from laos the journey can be made by road and an exhilarating boat ride across the border ratanaki
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thailand genuinely welcoming and hospitable from the powdery sand of its southern beaches to its fertile central rice lands and the mountains of the north this is a country where there is still much to discover there are vibrant modern cities where you will still find buddhist temples hazed with incense smoke and lit by candles but look further and there are other t hailand is known as the land of smiles cities now deserted and crumbling unsophisticated farming villages as well as wilderness regions bright with tropical birds thailand is blessed with some of the best hotels in the world whether in bustling bangkok on idyllic beaches or in rural areas in the north but we have also discovered some lesser known places to stay all full of character in wonderful locations and with a warm thai welcome for the genuine thai experience you could choose to stay in remote eco-lodges rustic beach bungalows or under canvas in one of the national parks with its tradition of hospitality and care thai
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koh phi phi don phuket thailand s richest and most developed province phuket is the country s premier retreat the jungle-covered hills of its interior lead down to limestone cliffs that overlook broad sweeping sands and the clear waters of the andaman sea with sophisticated resorts high quality cuisine and a cosmopolitan atmosphere the excellent visitor infrastructure allows you to relax in comfort although some parts of the island are busy and overdeveloped we guide you to more stylish retreats and exclusive hideaways with pristine beaches excursions can also be made from here to the mergui archipelago in myanmar trisara selection of bungalow accommodation and a lively social scene the area is showing signs of recovery and visitors are now returning to the ton sai village area where redevelopment and investment is in progress it is the northeast beaches however unscathed by the tsunami that are still less visited and remain relatively undisturbed being home to communities of chao náam
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life on inle lake inle lake the shallow waters of inle lake stretch for 35 kilometres ringed by rolling hills and shores dotted with small fishing villages the intha people live on the lake building their houses on stilts and travelling across the lake using their unique style of leg rowing the best way to explore is by boat in a day trip you can visit the various cottage industries such as silk weaving cheroot rolling blacksmiths and silversmiths and see the floating market that moves between the area s villages on a five-day rota a three-hour drive from inle lake is the kakku temple complex this rarely visited site is home to over 2,000 buddhist stupas aligned in parallel rows and covering nearly one square kilometre a five-hour boat journey from inle lake takes you through picturesque scenery and remote villages to the village of sakar deep in pa-o country where the thar khauk temple complex has until recently remained hidden a trip here is a wonderful opportunity to venture further
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kek lok si temple penang penang the afterglow of colonialism lingers in penang alongside ancient temples as bicycle rickshaws ply the twisting streets of georgetown the capital this island is often only thought of as a beach resort but with its long british history and arguably the best food in asia it has a lot more to offer a pleasant circuit around the island takes in butterfly farms and the fascinating villages with thriving local markets as well as the funicular railway up penang hill with its fabulous views and gardens eastern penang and oriental hotel cheong fatt tze mansions penang at the tender age of 16 cheong fatt tze left his native china and headed for penang where he was named china s last mandarin and first capitalist and the rockefeller of the east by the new york times in a wonderfully inspired work of restoration his penang mansion has been beautifully converted into an imposing boutique guest house and was the winner of the unesco conservation award in 2000 datin
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proboscis monkeys kota kinabalu kota kinabalu is the entry and exit point for flights to sabah the city has a few historic buildings and museums but its greatest asset is its position on a coastline that boasts some of borneo s finest beaches and several excellent resort hotels just offshore turquoise waters filled with exotic fish coral reefs and five tropical islands make up the tunku abdul rahman marine park a perfect excursion from kk as the locals call their city would be a day of snorkelling around one of the islands with a barbecue lunch or perhaps an expedition inland for whitewater rafting shangri -l arasaria kota kinabalu located on a deserted stretch of coastline 40 minutes north of kota kinabalu town the rasa ria is the perfect place to wind down after exploring the jungles of sabah overlooking a long sweeping beach the resort has wellappointed guest rooms and suites a large swimming pool several fine restaurants and a range of watersports facilities are excellent on land
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philippines is a fascinating and diverse archipelago with over 7,000 islands it is the ideal place to escape to beautiful beaches but it also shelters some of asia s most remote ethnic tribes many of which have had little contact with the outside world culturally it is astonishingly diverse with its national language tagalog revealing traces of a long and complex history p oised on the edge of southeast asia and as an early trading point between the middle east and china it uses arabic numbers four hundred years of spanish occupation installed hispanic names for the days of the week along with a deep and devout christianity while a blast of american imperialism added country music a smattering of english words and an abiding awe of the dollar none of these invaders got much beyond the major cities leaving the impenetrable interior with its stone-age tribes and ancient agricultural systems miraculously untouched on the coast the tides have washed all foreign influences from the smooth w
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java indonesia j ava dominates indonesia s population and economy and is the hub through which most transport in the country passes there is so much on offer in java including white-sand beaches in the karimumjaya archipelago breathtaking ancient religious monuments in central java bull racing in the summer on medura island and huge volcanic peaks to be conquered throughout the island java has seen hindu kingdoms come and go from the mataram kingdom in the 8th century to the majapahit kingdom ending in the 15th century most of the country converted to islam following the decline of these kingdoms and by the end of the 18th century the island was under dutch control java has embraced all of these cultures and their influence can be seen throughout the island jakarta the country s capital is the usual entry point for your travels in java and indeed most of indonesia it is a vibrant city with a lively social scene and has much to offer the visitor town location overlooking paddy fields an
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new mill new mill lane witney oxfordshire ox29 9sx united kingdom telephone 01993 838 100 · fax 01993 838 010 email southeastasia@audleytravel.com · website www.audleytravel.com w8501 all of our brochures are printed on paper produced from sustainable resources should you wish to dispose of your brochure we kindly request that you recycle it with special thanks to the following photographers neil beer jamie marshall chris kober john carr steve allen ian lloyd peter langer reinhard dirscherl bill hobdell robert stokes getty images alamy.com istockphoto.com singapore tourist board malaysia tourist board sabah tourist board our hotel partners vidotour trans niugini tours and members of the audley southeast asia team.
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