Adventure tourism is an easy sell
WITH every type of
geographical challenge
present in the region,
South East Asia is a utopia for
adrenalin junkies.
The beaches throng with
jet skiers and wind surfers,
the mountains with trekkers
on foot or elephant back,
the rivers with every type of
craft to conquer rapids and
waterfalls, and the caves with
rock climbers and abseilers.
Machines and devices add
to the exciting mix, and some
of the adventure world’s
newest inventions are already
thriving in the region. In
Singapore, for example, the
daring can land paddle. This
is skateboarding, but instead
of propelling themselves with
their feet, participants use a
long stick called the Kahuna
Big stick. In Cambodia,
flyboarding – a water sport
using a hoverboard powered
by a jet-ski-type engine – is
taking off.
High on the list of South
African favourites in the region
is Thailand, which has much
to offer in adventure travel.
There is scuba diving and
snorkelling, kayaking and
sea canoeing, white-water
rafting, jungle trekking, rock
climbing, mountain biking
and zip lining, to name a few.
Recommendations from the
Tourism Authority of Thailand’s
Johannesburg office include:
Abseiling in Khao Yai
National Park, declared a
Unesco World Heritage Site
for its diverse eco-systems
and rich fauna, including
elephants. The park is also
renowned for waterfalls up
to 50m high, and reaching
them may involve kayaking
across a lake, or trekking
through thick jungle.
Popular dive sites. In the
Andaman Sea these are
located off Phuket, the
Similan and Surin Island
groups, and in the Krabi and
Trang provinces. In the Gulf
of Thailand, the best dive
sites are off Koh Samui, Koh
Pha-Ngan, Koh Tao and Koh
Chang.
Chiang Mai, is a well-known
base for jungle treks into the
hilly countryside, home to
fascinating hill tribes. Treks
can be tailored to different
levels of fitness, children
and older folk. The charming
town of Pai in Mae Hong Son
province has also become a
base camp for eco-explorers,
white-water rafters and
mountain-bikers. Here it is
possible to take classes
in Reiki and traditional
massage. Pai has a new
airport, making access to
the northern regions easier.
For soft adventure, the
ancient capital of Sukhothai
is a great choice for cyclists.
The Sukhothai Historical
Park covers about 70 sq km
and many tourists hire
bicycles to spend the day
touring.
Even in the built-up urban
environment of Singapore, soft
to extreme adventure thrills
are on offer. Singapore is a
popular gateway into Asia, and
adventure travellers can take
advantage of the following
attractions and activities
suggested by the Singapore
Tourist Board.
Bukit Timah, a hill with
tropical rainforest for those
who enjoy trekking.
The rustic island of Pulau
Ubin for cycling and
nature-based activities (10
minutes’ boat ride from
Changi Jetty).
The new attraction of Coney
Island, also good for cycling
and bird watching.
MacRitchie Nature Trail and
Reservoir Park for crosscountry
runs, nature trails,
kayaking and canoeing, and
the TreeTop Walk, a 250m
free-standing suspension
bridge.
Cable skiing at East Coast
park.
Zip lining through Forest
Adventure’s Treetop
Obstacle Course in the
Bedok Reservoir or MegaZip
Adventure Park in Sentosa.
All types of excitement at
Sentosa, such as indoor
sky diving at iFly; the Fort
Siloso Skywalk, some 11
storeys high; high-speed
water slides at Adventure
Cove Waterpark; The Flying
Trapeze, and more.
Trafalgar’s introduction of
South and South East Asian
destinations – India, Laos and
Sri Lanka – into next year’s
Asia programme comes with
new adventure possibilities,
adding to those already on
offer in Thailand, Vietnam and
Cambodia.
In Sri Lanka, guests can
climb the ancient fortress
of Lion Rock in Sigiriya;
in Vietnam they sail the
islands of Halong Bay while
staying on board a traditional
Vietnamese junk boat; in Laos
they can hike to the top of the
Kuang Si waterfalls and swim
in the natural pools below.
Some itineraries
recommended by the tour
operator are the 13-day
Leisurely Rajasthan, priced
from R54 000pps; 11-day
Wonders of Sri Lanka, from
R40 200pps; and 11-day
Secrets of Cambodia with
Laos, from R44 500pps.
These can be extended with
four-day Mini Stays and carry
a maximum of 26 guests.
Insider Experiences, Cultural
Experiences, Be My Guest
dinners and local specialists
add quality to all tours, and
Authentic Accommodation
options include stays at the
Rawla Narlia, once the hunting
lodge of Jodphur’s Royal
Family in India, or the Galle
Face hotel in Sri Lanka, one
of the country’s oldest hotels,
founded in 1864.
Need- to- know travel tips
DESTINATIONS that
attract most South African
travellers headed for the
region, such as Malaysia,
Singapore and Thailand,
have the advantage of not
requiring visas. This also
includes the Philippines.
Indonesia will issue visas
to South Africans on
arrival. E-visas are in force
for Myanmar and visas are
also required for Cambodia
and Vietnam (both online
applications), Brunei and
Laos.
Singapore Airlines offers
a direct air connection
from SA to Singapore.
With its regional wing,
SilkAir, services operate
to many key destinations
in the region, with good
connections from SA,
says Sally George, market
development manager for
Singapore Airlines based in
Johannesburg.
Further afield, SAA and
Cathay Pacific service Hong
Kong, and Air China flies to
Beijing from Johannesburg.
They offer extensive South
East Asian connections,
operated themselves or in
airline partnerships.
Indirect services to
points in the region are
offered by Emirates, Etihad,
Qatar, Ethiopian, Kenya
Airways, Turkish Airlines, Air
Mauritius, European and
other carriers.
Language is often
an issue for travellers.
Familiarity with English
varies and while it is easy
to get by in a former British
colony such as Singapore,
Laos, for example, and
even some far-flung places
in Thailand, present some
difficulty.
Guiding, of course, is one
means of smoothing the
path for visitors, and travel
consultants should make
arrangements for the best
possible guides.
All-inclusive group
packages, such as
Trafalgar’s, take into
consideration the ability of
guides to make or break
a trip. Says md, Theresa
Szejwallo: “All the travel
directors on Trafalgar’s
Asia trips know the local
customs, languages and
places like the back of
their hand. Your guests will
be safe and taken care of
at all times.”
Many outdoor adventure
activities are weather
dependent, and the
region is largely affected
by seasonal monsoons.
However, the timing and
severity vary from country
to country, and consultants
should be careful to check
information carefully.
Of course, when
adventure activities come
into a holiday, travel
insurance is a strong
recommendation, along
with assistance in case of
emergencies.
“The key to selling any
destination is keeping
up to date with activities,
hotels, routes and,
of course, the actual
experience that is being
sold,” says Lesley Simpson
of Lesley Simpson
Communications, which
represents the Tourism
Authority of Thailand in
South Africa.
Go to extrems
GoASEAN is a travel initiative
that promotes the 10
Association of Southeast
Asian Nations as a single
destination. Its website
offers the region’s 12 most
extreme adventures.
1. Whale shark diving off
the Surin Islands in
Thailand.
2. Kitesurfing on Mui Ne
Beach in southeast
Vietnam.
3. Base jumping off the
Kuala Lumpur Tower in
the Malaysian capital.
4. White-water rafting on
the Cagayan de Oro River
in the Philippines.
5. Land paddling in the
streets of Singapore.
6. Skydiving over the Lido
Lakes at Bogor
in Indonesia.
7. Cave diving in southern
Thailand, at locations
such as Sra Keow Cave
in Krabi and the Song
Hong Cave in Thung Yai.
8. Jungle safaris in the
Temburong forest in
Brunei.
9. Off-road motorbike tours
in Luang Prabang in
Laos.
10. Sandboarding at Mui Ne
Beach in Vietnam.
11. Waterfall abseiling at the
Doi Inthanon National
Park near Chiang Mai in
Thailand.
12. Flyboarding at the
Queenco Palm Beach
Resort at Sihanoukville
in the southwest of
Cambodia.
Vietnam - an exotic mix of cultures
INTEREST in Vietnam as an
incentive destination for South
African corporates is on the
rise.
The country has much in its
favour to attract the corporate
traveller, stemming from an
exotic blend of eastern and
western cultures that works its
way into every aspect of life.
The western aspects
come from years of French
colonialism, and the result is
a country as comfortable with
a fresh and crispy baguette as
it is with an equally fresh and
crispy spring roll.
Gill Dewar, md of GCD
Consulting, has been directing
incentive groups to Vietnam for
the past 10 years. “It is usually
a stand-alone destination, but
can be combined well with
Cambodia,” she says.
One of Vietnam’s big
advantages, particularly where
rand-beleaguered South
Africans are concerned, is its
value for money. “Once you
have paid for your flight, the
cost on the ground there is
really economical,” says Hayley
Walls, marketing manager for
Thompsons Travel, pointing out
that even very good hotels offer
better pricing than many other
popular incentive destinations,
and food is of high quality and
affordable. Hayley has lived in
the country and describes it as
“an amazing kaleidoscope of
culture, history and mystery”.
While there are no direct
flights to Vietnam from SA,
there is no shortage of indirect
routes. Visas can be obtained
on arrival, although with group
travel, application in South
Africa in advance might be
easier.
The Vietnamese are friendly,
English is spoken in the main
tourist locations, and the
country is safe, with good
infrastructure, says Gill.
Highlights to include
Touring highlights include
Ho Chi Minh City – formerly
Saigon. While very much a
busy Asian city, with its roads
bustling with motorbikes and
street vendors, its appearance
is softened by graceful colonial
buildings.
Many of the city’s highlights
are associated with the
Vietnam war – which lasted
from the mid-50s to the mid-
70s – such as the impossibly
narrow Cu Chi Tunnels and the
War Remnants Museum.
A longtail boat cruise of the
Mekong Delta offers a taste
or river life, and city tours by
motorbike or cyclo are popular
fun activities.
In the centre of the country
is Danang, which introduces a
beach component to a Vietnam
tour. Here the Centara group
manages the Sandy Beach Non
Nuoc Resort, a four-star facility
in 17 hectares of garden. It
has meeting facilities for up to
200 delegates and, outdoors,
receptions for up to 1 000
people can be hosted.
Easily reachable by road from
Danang is Hoi An, a World
Heritage city and once a busy
port, with a charming jumble
of Chinese and Japanese
architecture. “It has the largest
concentration of tailor’s shops
in Vietnam, so you could
literally arrive with an empty
suitcase and leave with a
brand new wardrobe,” says
Hayley.
Another location with World
Heritage status is Hue, a
former capital and seat of the
Nguyen dynasty. It’s a place
of royal palaces, pagodas and
shrines, and a cruise along the
Perfume River reveals intersting
scenery.
Up north
In the north, the major
attraction is Hanoi, the
picturesque capital, with its
numerous green areas, treelined
boulevards and lakes,
and a chaotic Old Quarter.
Some 165km away is Halong
Bay, “a site to behold with
literally thousands of limestone
outcrops popping out of the
ocean,” says Hayley.
“During the warmer months
it’s wonderful to experience
life in Halong Bay aboard
a traditional junk and go
kayaking, visiting caves and
seeing the little villages in
the area.” An activity popular
with incentive participants is a
candlelit gala dinner in a cave
at Halong Bay.
Also often visited in this
part of the country is Sapa,
a mountainous town where
Vietnam’s ethnic minorities
or hill tribes congregate.
Homestays are popular ways of
experiencing the cultures here.
Hayley believes trying to cover
it all from north to south is
not the best idea, and favours
concentrating on a smaller
selection to get the most out of
the adventure.
She says, unlike other South
East Asian countries, Vietnam
does experience a definite
winter in the north, where it
can get quite cold.
Another novel incentive idea
is a Mekong River cruise.
Pandaw River Expeditions,
represented on a sales and
marketing basis in South Africa
by Exclusive Serenity, offers
small 24-cabin ships that ply
rivers in the region between
June and April, on cruises of
seven nights or so.
Melanie Floor, ceo of
Exclusive Serenity, says the
product is suited to top-end
management or really high-end
incentive groups. The ships
can also be chartered, with
itineraries adjusted to group
requirements.
Pandaw can organise games
on board and on shore, and
can alter excursions, themed
dinners and dinners at river
banks as required. There’s an
on-board cinema and a bar that
can double up as meeting or
presentation space.
Unusual conutry combos to consider
MYANMAR is proving to
have substantial pull as
a destination, possibly
because its isolation
until recently, has left
it comparatively less
developed.
The Secrets of Myanmar
with Bangkok is one of
Trafalgar’s more unusual
South East Asian options,
taking an in-depth look at
the country once known as
Burma.
The tour combines the
culture and landscapes of
Yangon, Bagan, Mandalay
and Inle Lake in Myanmar,
with the bright lights of
Bangkok.
Guests enjoy Insider
moments such as observing
ancient fishing techniques
passed down through
generations, as they watch
the anglers of Inle Lake,
or encounter ethnic groups
such as the Pa-O, Danu and
Intha people at the same
location.
They participate in a
traditional oil lamp lighting
ceremony with locals at
sunset at the Shedagon
Pagoda in Yangon, a
#TrafalgarCares social
responsibility activity that
assists in funding the
temple’s upkeep.
There’s a Be My Guest
dining experience with a
local family, and Cultural
Insights such as a visit to a
nunnery.
Visitors can view the
production of Kalaga
tapestries and gold leaf
and learn about Thanaka, a
traditional cosmetic powder.
They also visit a coconut
palm sugar plantation, the
Caves of Po Win Daug and
Thanboddhay Pagoda in
Monywa, and the Shwezigon
Pagoda in Bagan.
In Bangkok, highlights
include Wat Pho and the
Grand Palace, and the
Damnoen Saduak Floating
Market.
The usual Trafalgar
inclusions of accommodation
in hand-picked four- and
five-star hotels, luxury airconditioned
transportation,
all porterage and restaurant
gratuities, and the services
of an expert travel director
and separate driver, apply.
The 14-day trip is priced
from R62 000pps with
13 buffet breakfasts, five
lunches and six dinners.
Lesley Simpson,
representative of the
Tourism Authority of Thailand
in South Africa, recently
toured the Udon Thani
province in the northeast of
Thailand, with a hop over
the border to Laos.
“It was quite rural,
although cities were vibrant,
with a selection of hotels
from well-known resorts to
small boutique hotels.
“One highlight was a visit
to the Red Waterlily Lake,
which was bursting with red
lotus flowers – magnificent.
“We then combined this
with a visit to Laos, travelling
over the Thai-Laos Friendship
Bridge to Vientiane, the
original capital. It was
truly beautiful – typical
Thai-looking buildings and
temples, yet with streets
and certain buildings very
typically French in style. A
visit to a local coffee farm
and a tasting with the lovely
French-Asian owner was
equally a highlight.
New initiatives to draw travellers to Thailand
THE Tourism Authority of
Thailand has set up a
number of initiatives and
events to inspire confidence
in travellers to the country.
Events on the cards include
the Magnificent Thailand
event in Bangkok at the
beginning of October.
The Thailand’s Luckiest
Visitor campaign will make
a return this year, rewarding
each millionth traveller to the
country with prizes.
The prizes will be awarded
to the 30-, 31-, 32-, 33-
and 34-millionth visitors to
the country.
Other initiatives include a
Situation Monitoring Centre
and the We Care Campaign.
The centre opened on
August 12 and has been
monitoring arrivals, bookings
and cancellations.
It also monitors
international and local
news, which allows TAT to
understand the effect of
the attacks on tourism in
the country.
The We Care Campaign
encourages local
communities to do all they
can for tourists and for those
who work in tourism to wear
white and yellow ribbons as
a symbol of peace.”
Newsflash
Vietnam has plans to issue electronic visas for visitors, starting
next year. Nguyen Zuan Phuc, Prime Minister of Vietnam, says the
programme will be up and running by January. The announcement
was made at a tourism development conference in Hanoi recently.
Currently, applicants have to apply for visas through the Embassy
of Vietnam in Pretoria.
Cruising - a great way to tour the region
SOUTH East Asia may not
spring readily to mind as
a cruise destination, and
perhaps plays third fiddle
behind locations such as
the Caribbean and the
Mediterranean.
But the region is increasing
in popularity, says Janine
Pretorius of Encore Cruises
in Pretoria, general sales
agent for Regent Seven Seas
Cruises.
The cruise line’s website
has 46 cruises that include
the Asia-Pacific region on
its itineraries – indication
that South East Asia is
a significant component
of world cruising. Janine
believes the largely visa-free
nature of the region is much
welcomed by South African
passport holders.
Thaybz Khan, manager –
Contemporary Portfolio at
Cruises International, says
agents should not be hesitant
about suggesting a cruise to
clients considering a South
East Asian holiday. “Chances
are they will not decline a
value-for-money option that
allows them to see more
than one place, with the
conveniences and benefits of
being on a cruise ship.”
Cruising value has been
well publicised and includes
accommodation, transport
from one port to the next,
dining, entertainment and
children’s activities all in
the standard cost of the
cruise fare, which is not
necessarily the case with
land-based resorts.
On the fully inclusive Regent
Seven Seas ships, it includes
shore excursions and
on-board extras such as free
WiFi, unlimited beverages,
including fine wines and
spirits, speciality restaurants,
24-hour room service and,
depending on the category
of accommodation, a night’s
pre-cruise accommodation in
a luxury hotel.
Some itineraries also offer
three-night land programmes,
pre- or post-cruise, featuring
visits to Angkor Wat in
Cambodia, or stays in Hong
Kong and Singapore.
Thaybz highlights the multicountry
character of cruising,
which allows the passenger
to pack in many stops with
the convenience of one
vessel and no extra costs.
Cruising also accommodates
a growing holiday trend –
multi-generational family
groups spending their leisure
time together.
“Agents need to familiarise
themselves with the variety of
South East Asian itineraries
that are on offer for their
clients to choose from,”
says Thaybz.
“Know what experience your
client is looking for. A cruise
holiday allows a travel agent
to suit the client’s budget
and lifestyle to the holiday
experience and vice versa.
“For example, if the client
is looking for an intimate,
culturally immersed
experience of the destination,
then perhaps river cruising
would be the better option, as
opposed to large ship ocean
cruising.
“Talk to us. Agents who
are apprehensive about
selling a cruise holiday in
destinations like South East
Asia are always welcome
to engage with us on any
concerns or uncertainties
they or their clients may
have,” says Thaybz.
She says the following
cruise lines have a wealth
of itineraries in the region
that take in ports from the
most popular to the most
exotic: Royal Caribbean,
Celebrity Cruises, Crystal
Cruises, Oceania Cruises and
Azamara Club.
For cruising on Asian
rivers, consultants should
investigate the AmaWaterways
offering.
