After celebrating last New Year’s in London, myself and a few friends decided we wanted to do something different for 2012. In the end we all agreed to celebrate Christmas in Cambodia and New Years in Vietnam. Hopefully this blog will help share some of our amazing experiences.

Lebua Hotel, Bangkok

Skybar, Lebua

Lebua Hotel, Bangkok – We kicked off our tour in Bangkok at the incredible Lebua Hotel. The first thing we all did was rush to the skybar, while the girls sipped cocktails and snapped skyline photos, the boys were busy rein acting scenes from hangover 2. The Lebua was definitely a luxurious stay and a perfect starter to our holiday. Later we ventured into the city and found ourselves at a ladyboy show. This was probably one of the most entertaining and fun experiences…especially when the star of the show was flirting with my friend Deepan, who was trying so hard to hide.

Thunder Ranch Shooting Range, Phom Phen

Thunder Ranch Shooting Range, Phom Phen  – The next stop was Phom Phen. We jumped in our tuk tuks (local taxis) and headed to Thunder Ranch, run by the Royal Cambodian Army. We all had a go at firing AK47s and M116s. I wasn’t expecting the jolt back and noise but it was a good experience, even if I did miss most of the targets. It was also the part of my trip my brother was most excited about, being an avid Call of Duty fan.

The Choeung Ek Memorial Stupa, housing 8000 of the skulls unearthed at the Killing Fields.

The Killing Fields, Phom Phen  – The Killing fields was a very moving and emotional experience. It was the one place we had to visit in order to fully appreciate and understand a very important part of Cambodian history. It was hard to believe that 3 million people lost their lives in the most horrific circumstances, under the communist Khmer Rouge regime, just a few years before we were born. We all did some prior reading, but nothing could have prepared us for the stories, photos and facts documented at the museum. Despite such tragic events we all felt that the people of Cambodia were extremely friendly, forgiving and brave.

Christmas Day, Siem Reap

Christmas Day, Siem Reap – Celebrating Christmas day in 30 degree heat was a bit surreal. Everywhere we went seemed to play Christmas carols and all the shops and restaurants were decorated in tinsel and fake snow. We thought we’d join in and wear santa hats to get in the Christmas spirit. We exchanged our usual turkey for crocodile, and after a big feast headed to a bar for some local beers and wines. The night ended on the dancefloor singing along to YMCA…as you do! It was just like being back at home. Outside the club was a line of children dancing and selling bracelets. Although we danced with the children and brought their bracelets, we couldn’t believe these kids were dancing out here at 3am, when they should have been in bed.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap – After our all-nighter, we literally freshened up at the hotel and headed straight to Angkor Wat. Sleepy-eyed we sat on the banks and watched the sunrise. Despite the foggy weather it was an amazing view, everyone sat and admired the temple silhouette come to light. Later on we got a closer look at the inscriptions and impressive architecture.

Sheraton Hotel, Hanoi

NYE, Sheraton Hotel, Hanoi  – We had taken quite a few internal flights and long coach journeys so by this stage we were looking forward to relaxing at the Sheraton hotel in Hanoi. After a traditional Thai massage we were invited to a ballroom dance. As none of us could ballroom dance, we decided to join the Sheraton NYE party instead. After a lovely champagne reception, we joined the locals and hotel guests for an unforgettable countdown and night of entertainment.

Ta Phin Village, Sapa

Local Villagers

Ta Phin Village, Sapa  – The next adventure was an overnight train to Ta Phin village in Sapa, Northern Vietnam. On arrival we were greeted by our tour guide. The village itself was set within a valley layered with rice paddies, with towering mountains at one end. The people were from ethnic minorities known as Kinh, Red Dao and Black Hmong. The moment we stepped out of our van an army of kids barricaded us with trekking sticks. It was difficult to choose who to buy from but we did the obvious thing and brought from the youngest. The children all seemed to work hard and play hard. Two girls followed my side most of the walk and were very interested in life in the UK. The girl’s mother was happy they were practicing their English and told me that the village was very poor before tourists began to visit.  But now they get to sell their crafts, make money and meet new people.

Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok

Wat Pho, Bangkok

Wat Pho, Bangkok – The very final destination was Wat Pho, aka the reclining Buddha Temple. The main focal point is the 46 metre gold plated buddha, which is pretty impressive from any angle. The temple is extremely busy, so you do have to walk through quite fast. The rest of the grounds feature an array of gardens, temples and statues. Throughout the whole of my holiday I had tried very hard to capture a photo of a monk but failed. This was my last chance, and it turned out to be the best photo from my entire collection. I was told by his senior that he very rarely smiles, so my thumbs up before the photo must have done the trick.

We had an amazing time on our travels and would definitely return in the future.

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Yesterday saw Chancellor George Osbourne bring some good news for the travel industry in this year’s budget. It was announced that Air Passenger Duty (APD) will not be increasing this year. Osbourne told how he will be delaying the increase until next year due to the heavy rises in tax last year.

It was also confirmed that talks will be starting today regarding the system of distance banding used for the tax. These talks will review the “rather arbitrary nature of the banding system which appears to consider the Caribbean to be further away than parts of the US and Hawaii,” he commented.

APD will now be extended to private jets too so that APD taxation does not have to be increased. He said “the wealthiest should not escape the tax the ordinary holidaymaker has to pay.” The hefty rise in last year’s duty and the increasing cost pressures on families was the reason behind the delay in the APD rise.

Osbourne further added that he wanted to replace APD with a per plane duty. However current international laws permit this, and so the UK government will now be working to change this law.

What did you make of Chancellor George Osbourne’s 2011 budget? Are you happy with the freeze in APD or do you think better changes should have been made instead? Let us know your opinions by leaving your comments below.

Thai Airways and Singapore’s Tiger Airways will together launch a low-cost carrier in Thailand next year. The new carrier, Thai Tiger, will be based in Bangkok, the regional Southeast Asia hub for tourists especially those arriving from Europe. Thai Tiger will fly to destinations within five hours of Bangkok, such as Vietnam and Cambodia, offering travellers a cheap and more convenient way to travel.

The new airline is expected to launch in the first three months of 2011 and will operate as a competitor to already successful low-cost Far East carriers, Air Asia, and Qantas-owned Jetstar. The budget airline market has boomed worldwide over the past decade but there’s always negativity surrounding them. For instance in the UK carriers easyJet and Ryanair always receive mixed reactions from travellers and the media. What are your reactions to low-cost carriers- are they cheap and cheerful or a nightmare to travel with? Feel free to leave your comments below and let us hear your views. Don’t forget to take a look at our amazing Far East holidays and make it the setting for your next escape.

Travellers from the UK are no longer satisfied with following their neighbours on package holidays to Europe, it seems.

According to a poll carried out by Holiday Extras, 48 per cent of respondents intend to experience something particularly memorable on their holidays this year, while 31 per cent said they will try to experience a destination completely new to them.

“With the pound currently weak against both the dollar and the euro, it is perhaps no surprise that many people are looking to new and different destinations,” commented Mike Whiting, managing editor at the company.

In related news, Kate Kenward of the Association of Independent Tour Operators recently said that more people than ever are going on long haul holidays in a bid to get the best value from their breaks while experiencing something new at the same time.

For those people on the lookout for something completely different, a mountain bike trip in Cambodia could be the ideal solution.

The country was suggested as a good setting for such pursuits by the Wildlife Alliance and Asia Adventures, which pointed out that this kind of holiday will allow tourists to have a fun break that they will remember for years to come, while also having the satisfaction of contributing to the local community.

A mountain bike trip in Cambodia could be the ideal holiday for those looking to try something a little different in 2009, it has been suggested.

The Wildlife Alliance and Asia Adventures have put together itineraries in the south Asian country that will allow tourists to experience a fun holiday, while having the satisfaction of giving something back to the communities being visited.

Trails that will be followed are guided by former illegal loggers and poachers in an effort to create a sustainable tourist industry, rather than simply relying on exploiting the country’s natural resources.

Attractions that can be seen along the routes include bat caves, waterfalls, ancient burial urns and perhaps even elephants.

Mark Ellison, managing director of Asia Adventures, commented: “If people coming here to mountain bike helps protect this beautiful environment by offering poor loggers and poachers alternative employment such as guides, that is excellent, a win-win for all.”

According to official figures from Cambodia‘s ministry of tourism, 1.89 million people visited the country from January to November 2008, an increase of over seven per cent on 2007′s figures.

The popular destination of Phnom Penh brought in almost half of the total visitor numbers, it was found.