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.

If you would like to experience Cambodia and Vietnam for yourself simply complete an enquiry form and our travel experts will be delighted to help.

Ever wondered what it would be like to welcome in 2012 twice? Well now you can experience it all for yourself thanks to the International Date Line. Party the night away at midnight in Auckland, New Zealand, one of the first places in the world to see in the New Year. Then fly across the International Date Line to the Cook Islands, one of the last places in the world to see in the New Year. Here you will arrive on the 31^st December 2011, just in time to join in with the celebrations once again.

If you’re a serious party animal then this is the trip for you! First join in the celebrations at Auckland’s Viaduct Basin where you will find live music, fireworks and a great range of events in various restaurants and nightclubs. Then having had plenty of time to nurse the hangover, head to the airport on 1^st January 2012 to board your 5.35pm flight to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

You will then arrive in Rarotonga on 31^st December 2012 at 10.30pm local time. The International Date Line allows you to go back one day which means more time to party! Celebrate with the friendly locals as you welcome in 2012 at one of the last places in the world to see in the New Year.

So do you fancy the double celebrations of a lifetime? Holidaysplease are offering you a chance to experience all this with return flights from London to Auckland and Rarotonga. From only £2,600 this great 6-day package also includes one night’s accommodation at the five-star Langham Hotel in Auckland and four-star Sunset Resort in Rarotonga. But you’d better hurry as flights depart from London to Auckland on 29^th December!

It seems like only yesterday that we were tormented to last year’s contestant Gillian McKeith with her tears, fainting and secret food in her knickers. Now the creepy crawlies, tears and bushtucker trials will be back on Sunday as the next lot of celebrities have now been revealed. Ant and Dec will return to our screens once again for the 11^th series and keep us fixated with 3 weeks’ worth of entertainment.

This is perhaps one of the best programs to be set in the Gold Coast of rural Australia and now you can be part of it too! Ever fancied experiencing the Green behind the Gold? Well now you can! Holidaysplease offers fantastic packages to the lush rainforests of the Gold Coast where you can discover the great outdoors.

At the O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat you can enjoy a daily “Discovery Programme” of guided 4WD bus excursions, rainforest walks and various adventure activities. With a variety of Mountain View rooms and Villas to choose from you really can escape the rest of the world at this fantastic rainforest retreat. Soak up that fresh mountain air and abundant nature as you can enjoy your very own version of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!

If you fancy being thrown into the jungle, then Holidaysplease can do exactly that. Check out our Australia holidays and you too can soon be there. Simply place an enquiry and one of our Australia holiday consultants will be delighted to help you.

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.

This Christmas, Gordon Ramsay and the family are allegedly planning to jet off to the Maldives… With the Beckham’s…

Following the recent family problems, escaping the UK is probably top of their list and where better to escape to than the Maldives… With plenty of luxury hotels and resorts it is the perfect destination to escape the stresses of everyday life.

The Maldives Weather at Christmas has an average temperature of around 27 degrees centigrade. December to April is relatively dry; with the Maldives having a tropical climate it offers warm temperatures all year round.

If you want to escape like Gordon and Co for a Christmas break then Holiday’s Please can advise you on the resort that will suit your preferences best. Just fill in an enquiry and a member of the team will be in touch to help.

We are now into winter… If you are therefore looking for any excuse to escape the country for a long weekend, week away or even 2 weeks holiday then here are some ideas which might push you over the edge…

If you are looking to get a bargain then early December provides some fantastic deals and discounts before Christmas and New Year. New York is a favourite this time of year for a long weekend and a change. Do some Christmas shopping to get your friends and family something a bit more special.

If it is winter-sun you are looking for then why not travel to where it’s summer!? Australia will make sure you have a natural glow over the Party period and with the 2010 Ashes kicking off from November through to January you can get involved in the action!

 Ski Season! I find it funny that when you go skiing you probably do more experience in that one period than you have done or will do for the rest of the year. I however always feel refreshed and glowing after a ski trip (that is apart from the few bumps and bruise I tend to accumulate on a trip)

Egypt is a great destination this time of year. You will find that it isn’t too busy and most people opt to save their money for after Christmas.  A review from one of our clients who went on holiday in December to Egypt said ‘The weather was in the middle to low 70F with a moderate breeze and no rain. It was perfect for a Christmas holiday.’ Temperatures will average around 20C, and the nights are quite cool so you will have no problems sleeping. 

 The Caribbean is also an ideal holiday destination this time of year, and with the risk of hurricanes and tropical storms over, temperatures will also average around 20C. The Caribbean provides some great pre Christmas events such as the Christmas Markets in Jamaica.

 If you want some expert help when arranging your December get away, Holiday Please’s travel experts would be happy to suggest some other ideas.

Anyone about to leave the UK in order to go on a well-earned holiday has been reminded that the normal regulations apply when it comes to baggage restrictions on aircraft.

Security spokesperson for Gatwick Airport, Fiona Carleton, said that with December 27th and 28th looking set to be especially busy days in terms of flights in and out, people should remember that ignoring the rules is likely to cause delays.

She warned: “Restrictions apply to all liquids – including Christmas presents – and I strongly encourage passengers to come prepared so that our operational staff can provide the best possible service to all.”

Liquids are still restricted to containers of 100ml or less and anyone taking presents to friends and family members in their hand luggage is advised not to wrap them, as they may need to be checked at security.

Better still, put them in your suitcase where they can be wrapped and ready to be given to the eager recipient at the other end!

In related news, those going abroad have been urged not to forget to tell their bank.

This is the advice of Peter Harrison from moneysupermarket.com, who said that one person in nine has had transactions that they tried to make abroad refused by their bank.

A whopping three million Brits are to take to the skies over the Christmas period in order to go on holiday, it has been found.

According to the Association of British Travel agents (Abta), traditional holiday destinations such as Tenerife, Turkey and Egypt are popular, but other, less touristy places like Budapest and Warsaw are also being chosen by many people from the UK.

This could be due to people visiting their family and friends who may have moved away.

The number jetting off to foreign climes was found to be much the same as last year, despite predictions that travel may suffer as people cut back amid the credit crunch.

Justin Fleming, Abta president, said that getting away is more important at Christmas for many than is escaping in the summer, since the reasoning behind it is probably different.

“[Holidays] provide a valuable time to unwind and spend quality time with family,” he pointed out.

The news echoes recent research by Kayak.co.uk, which found that most people who are going away over the festive period will do so on December 22nd when they have finished work for the year and have had time to tie up any loose ends.

With X Factor over for another year, it’s hard to think of something which could fill the gap left by Diana and … that one who cried all the time.

However, for those lucky enough to be going on holidays to Dubai this week, it won’t be a problem at all.

This is because something very special – if not a little strange – is taking place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from December 23rd: the Camel Festival.

Although it may be similar in terms of the amount of fluttering long eyelashes and knobbly knees on show, the Camel Festival is likely to be much more exciting and probably less predictable.

According to the Khaleej Times, the competition will see over 30,000 camels compete in a huge beauty contest lasting 13 days.

No, we’re not sure how they can make it last that long, either – or whether celebrities will join the competitors for a duet in the grand final – but Ebrahim Al Mazrouei, the organiser of the festival, said that there is plenty of interest.

“Every day we are registering around 600 to 700 camels and we have to extend the registration deadline by one more day, in order to cope with all the arrivals,” he commented.

The Gulf Today states that there are around 375,000 camels in the UAE – presumably the other 345,000 were too shy to take part.