Dear Partners,

Today I would like to introduce a new tour, Magnificent Landscapes and Living Minorities, a new possibility to travel from Cambodia to Vietnam, from Phnom Penh to Saigon or vice versa - including really exotic places but still a short journey of only 4 days. I made this tour a few months ago and I enjoyed it as I travelled into some remote areas of Cambodia, the province of Mondulkiri.

After a short stop at the famous spidermarket of Skoun, passing through large plantations of pepper and rubber, you will arrive in one of the most unknown provinces of Cambodia: Mondulkiri is home of many elephants - including an exciting project called "The Elephant Valley Project" where elephants are not abused to be "enjoyed" by tourists but are able to recover peacefully from their hard labour. Tourists can of course participate by helping and/or watching the elephants, and Elephant-riding is strongly prohibited from these excurions.

You will be able to see wonderful landscapes which include some magnificent waterfalls, thriving minorities like the Phnong who live in quiet and relaxing surroundings.

Although tourism is still quite new in this area, there are several hotels including some nice bungalow resorts which are in harmony with thee special athmosphere of this region.

Crossing the border to Vietnam south of Sen Monorom, the capital of Mondulkiri is still a little adventure as only few tourists have passed here - important to have your visa for Vietnam in advance if you arrive from Cambodia. There are several opportunities on the way to Saigon - I recommend to make a stop in one of the main sights of Vietnam, the Cu Chi Tunnels and besides that, simply soak in the nice landscape.

The tour I am recommending for your clients will take 4 days.  You can of course do the tour both ways -  if you start in Saigon, then you can also include the Cao Dai Temple of Tay Ninh with the noon worship service instead of Cu Chi.  It is also easy to extend the tour either in Sen Monorom or go some extra miles and pass Kratie to watch the Irrawaddy Dolphins. If you want to go to Siem Reap directly by-passing Phnom Penh - no problem.

If you need any further information on this tour, if you want to have our detailed itinerary including rates for this 4 day overland experience from Phnom Penh to Saigon, please contact me directly at frank@focus.asia. 

You can also meet me soon at WTM London, Nov 3-5 on our booth AS 275.

Hope to see you soon (somewhere in our exciting destinations or in a travel show abroad)

Frank