local news and expert tips for the jet set

POOL HOUSE

Siem Reap’s Amansara hotel (Road to Angkor, tel +855 (0)63 760333, www.amansara.com) is giving guests a whole new way to experience Angkor Wat – from the inside of a Khmer-style house (left ) on the banks of the The Royal Pool, known as Sra Srang.

Set in the heart of a genuine Khmer village, the building is on stilts in keeping with traditional Cambodian architecture and flanked by a vegetable garden. Excursions here include a traditional Khmer massage, a picnic, watching the sunset over the water, or even a cooking class (below) using ingredients plucked fresh from the vegetable and herb garden on the grounds.

NEW AND NOTED

Bringing a new dose of chic to Koh Phangan, Mandalai is a 12-room luxury resort with a stunning 55-foot yacht (below) available for the day.

Across the country in Pattaya, the brand new Amari Nova Suites (tel +66 (0)3 842-6768, www.amari.com) and the Nova Platinum Hotel are the latest from the Amari group. The 76-room Nova Suites in central Pattaya has one-, two- and three-bedroom options and features a rooft op pool and Jacuzzi, while the Nova Platinum’s South Pattaya location keeps you close to shopping and entertainment.

HOLIDAY SNAPSHOT

Want to shoot better travel photos? Take your time, says award-winning Australian photographer Ewen Bell: “Collecting images should be a patient exercise… the more you understand the subject, the more likely your photograph will be insightful.” Learn more on Bell’s 12-day Thailand Photography Tour (US$2,900, tel +66 (0)8 7929-5208 www.grasshopperadventures.com), a workshop for budding shutterbugs in Krabi, Bangkok and Chiang Mai.

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