Travel notes ed peters provides local news for the jet set

HOTEL WATCH

Rather than “bigger and better”, Asia’s newest hotels seem to be making “smaller and cooler” their watchwords.

In Hong Kong, the 95-room Hotel LKF (www.rhombushotels.com) is perched amidst Lan Kwai Fong’s scores of bars, pubs and clubs and is being dubbed the “world’s biggest mini-bar”.

On Koh Samui, Renaissance Resort & Spa (www.marriott.com) hosts just 78 rooms and villas, all with their own deliciously private – to say nothing of sexy – pool or whirlpool.

In Phuket, on the remote eastern coast, they are just putting the fi nishing touches on Sripanwa (www.sripanwa. com), the last word in contemporary accommodation chic.

Just north of the island, in Phang Nga, blink and you might miss the Aleenta (www.aleenta.com/phuket/) – a mere 15 suites deliciously designed especially for “Robinson Crusoes who have grown up”. Having only quietly opened its doors in April, discover it for yourself before everyone else does.

WATER WORLD

Many of Asia’s most popular destinations are on or surrounded by water, and there is more than one way of taking a dip.

More of a floating palace than a mere fi shing vessel, the Michelangelo (www..luxurysuperjunk.com) cuts a swathe across the South China Sea out of Hong Kong, while John Gray – known as Big Monkey to his ai friends – pioneered the exploration of the sea caves or “hongs” around Phuket
(www.johngray-seacanoe.com). Paddling through darkened tunnels into hidden lagoons is like entering a lost world.

A gentle river trip along the Mekong aboard the specially designed cruiser Pak Ou segues perfectly with the laid-back lifestyle of Laos (www.diethelmtravel.com).

INSIDE TRACK

I think, therefore I blog. e town criers of the wired world, laptop luminaries are changing global perspectives, and there are few better ways to get the skinny on where you are headed.

In ailand, a weekly update from long-time resident Stickman (www.stickmanbangkok. com) provides a fascinating snapshot of the kingdom, while yoga guru John McWhorter
(www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Hangzhou-Johnny/) marvels at the city Marco Polo once described as the most beautiful in the world.

In a similar vein, if you want to add your own travelling tales to the web, sign up at www.bootsnall.com.

LOCAL HERO: PHUKET

Sompong Panwong – “Pong” to his pals – was born and raised in Ao Po, and has lived in Phuket all his 25 years.

There have been a lot of changes on the island, but its natural beauty remains untainted,” he says. “I still love heading down to Laem Promthep, the cape at the southern tip, to catch the sunset with my wife and two kids.

“You’ll find a great mix of locals and visitors there, family groups and courting couples, photographers and sightseers, and the maritime museum sets the whole area in context.”

FREQUENT FLYER

Wide blue yonder. Bird’s eye-view. King of the world. Flight-seeing is all this and more, and a one-of-a-kind experience that takes many shapes and forms.

Try ballooning over Bagan’s temples in Myanmar (www.myanmar-adventure. com) or northern ailand (www..balloons-over-thailand.com); a seaplane fl ip around James Bond island and Phi Phi (www.bluewaterair.com) in Phang Nga Bay; or a helicopter ride over Angkor Wat (www.angkorscenic.#64258; ights. com). It’s certainly one way to avoid the crowds and gain a unique perspective on some of Asia’s greatest sights.

Prices are not exactly from the bargain basement, but the trip is worth every penny. Keep your camera handy!

TRIP LIT

After three decades in business, Odyssey – which produced the fi rst guide to “Peking” and Shanghai a. er the Cultural Revolution – is widely recognised as the thinking traveller’s publisher. Its books delve deep into destinations, and are rich with local knowledge and literary background, written by experts.

For example, did you know that while the Emperor Qin Shihuangdi who was entombed with the terracotta warriors in Xian was a tyrant, he was also the one who standardised the country’s currency and writing systems?

Today, Odyssey’s latest guide, China – Renaissance of the Middle Kingdom, is just out and a new edition of Angkor – Cambodia’s Wondrous Khmer Temples will hit bookshops this summer, joining other tomes on the Silk Road, Xian, Guizhou Province, Women of the Tang Dynasty, Phuket, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Bangkok.

Visit www.odysseypublications.com for more information.

TOP TRAVEL TIP

The land of the rising yen, Japan is fairly short on travel bargains, with the stunning exception of the value-for-money Japan Rail Pass (www.japanrailpass.net).

For 28,300 yen – the price of a long-distance return ticket – visitors can pick up a week’s unlimited travel. Timetables and fares are at www.hyperdia.com, while www.seat61.com is another mine of information. From Hiroshima, destinations like Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo are just a few hours’ shinkansen or bullet train ride away, a high-speed journey that is a treat in itself.

ROOM TO GROW

Girls in Cambodia – one of the poorest nations in the developing world – often get left behind in the education stakes. However, Room To Grow (www.roomtoread.org/scholarships.html) aims to redress the balance.

As little as 68 US cents a day pays for a scholarship. The charity is currently sponsoring more than 300 girls around the country. Donating is a meaningful way to get involved in the Cambodian community, a “souvenir” that can change a life and last a lifetime.