The biggest news in Southeast Asia this year happened on the morning of December 26, 2004, when a earthquake registering 9.0 on the Richter scale rumbled at the bottom of the Andaman Sea off the coast of Indonesia. Minutes later, a wall of water rose from the epicenter and spread in all directions, traveling hundreds of miles an hour and wreaking devastation wherever it touched shore. An estimated 200,000 people lost their lives in more than 13 countries to what became know as the "Christmas Tsunami" of 2004. The highest death toll was in Indonesia and Sri Lanka, where the destruction was unimaginable, and the wave caused destruction as far as the eastern coast of Africa. The death toll in Thailand was an estimated 6,000, with over 2,000 foreign tourists lost in parts of busy Phuket Island, Phi Phi Island, and Khao Lak. Many are still missing.
International aid, though criticized as "too little, too late," has been of monumental proportions. The international community, at first nonplussed by reports of an unimaginable "killer wave" in Asia, responded with an avalanche of support. Hardest-hit parts of Indonesia and Sri Lanka are still suffering some 6 months after the disaster, and the psychological impact on survivors is ongoing, but coastal areas of Thailand have bounced back quite quickly. Tourism, the lifeblood of the southern coastal regions, is back to full speed. Thailand dealt with the disaster without any international aid, only technical support from select Western nations.
Safety is of course on the mind of every traveler these days, and despite the public relations disaster of the SARS crisis and avian influenza, the well-informed traveler can be sure of a trouble-free trip and manageable adventures in Southeast Asia. The avian influenza, or "bird flu," is still a concern, but the disease is only contractible from contact with chickens (no human-to-human infections as yet), and since December 2003 there have been just 109 cases of bird flu in Southeast Asia (mostly among poultry workers), resulting in 55 deaths -- hardly a pandemic, but do keep an eye on the CDC website for the most up-to-date information. SARS, at this point, is a dead issue.
Thailand
Tourism in the kingdom is booming and still draws many return visitors. Be sure to steer clear of the continued sectarian tensions in parts of southern Thailand, where fundamentalist insurgents have waged small-scale attacks on Thai institutions, and the Thai military has responded with a heavy hand. No attacks have been made on foreign targets in Thailand, and the area in question is far from tourist centers.
In airline news, check out the new Air Pass from Bangkok Airways (www.bangkokair.com), a coupoun that lets you fly on short regional hops within Thailand for just US$50 fees per leg. Well worth it.
In hotel news, Bangkok's Nai Lert Park Hotel has reopened and is now managed by the folks at Raffles (www.raffles.com). Nearby, in the heart of the city, there is a new Holiday Inn (www.holiday-inn.com).
In the far north, an area that attracts trekkers and adventure junkies, you can, after an adventure, treat yourself to luxury at the new Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi (www.mandarinoriental.com) or the new Chedi Resort (www.ghmhotels.com).
The many resorts on Phuket, Khao Lak, and Phi Phi Island that were devastated by the tsunami are already open or slated to open in coming months. More updates to come in the edition of Frommer's Thailand in the winter of 2006.
Newly opened Buriraya Resort and Spa on Koh Samui has become the Renaissance Koh Samui Resort and Spa (www.marriot.com), a Marriot property, with great facilities and a stunning hilltop location overlooking Lamai Bay. Also look for the new offering from luxury hotelier Six Senses: the Sila Evason Hideaway & Spa (www.sixsenses.com).
Central Hotels & Resorts, a growing Thai chain, has a number of new hotels around the country and a new property slated to open on Koh Chang Island (www.centralhotelsresorts.com).
Laos
The Laotian capital, Vientiane, got a real spring cleaning in 2005, with many downtown road repairs and the more ramshackle downtown buildings covered up (or torn down). The city put on its best face -- even if a bit of a facade -- for the 2005 meeting of ASEAN.
New to the capital too is the semi-luxe high rise Don Chan Palace Hotel (www.donchanpalacelaopdr.com). Though more popular with regional guests and Thai visitors crossing the border to gamble, the hotel is a fine international standard.
The number of Chinese visitors to Laos is growing exponentially (a very short flight or even overland journey from the "Middle Kingdom"), but Laos is still one of those special places that you will never forget despite the increased number of tourists from all countries. Explore and enjoy.
Vietnam
It has been 30 years since the end of the war between the United States and Vietnam, and relations between the two one-time enemies is now one of cooperation and mutual benefit. The 10 years since the countries re-established diplomatic ties have seen major change: the lifting of embargos, reconciliation over American POWs, diplomatic missions including a visit by President Bill Clinton, U.S. warships docking in Vietnamese ports, and an increase in trade and investment between the two countries. Vietnam is a trudging into the modern world with its head held high, an important Asian trading player that, despite a continued record of human rights offenses, awaits imminent entry to World Trade Organization.
About a quarter of a million Americans visited Vietnam in 2004, second only to Chinese visitors, and the country has become a hot destination for travelers the world over, whether in search of off-the-track adventures or the luxuries of old Indochine.
In travel news, and thanks to a comprehensive international air treaty with the US, you can now connect with Vietnam directly from the West Coast of the U.S. on flights with United (www.united.com). New flight routes to Vietnam continually pop up, including talk of international direct flights to Cam Ranh Bay (the airport servicing Nha Trang), so check with regional carriers (like Cathay or Singapore Airline) for updates.
Also, check out the new boat connection between Can Tho or My Tho in the Mekong Delta and the port area nearest Angkor Wat with Pandaw Cruises (see www.pandaw.com).
New to Frommer's Southeast Asia are the Zephyr Hotel (tel. 04/934-1256) and Church Hotel (tel. 04/928-8118), both new standards of "boutique minihotels" in Hanoi. Hanoi's first International Youth Hostel, called Hanoi Backpackers Hostel, was recently opened at 48 Ngo Huyen Street (north of Nha Tho, the city's Catholic cathedral) in the Old Quarter (tel. 04/828 5372), and other hostelling sites are slated to open in 2005-6 throughout Vietnam.
Tours to picturesque Ha Long Bay, just 4 hours from Hanoi, are popular, and new luxury options abound. The Emeraude (www.emeraude-cruises.com), a copy of an early-20th-century French steamer, trolls the bay in style, and Buffalo Tours (www.buffalotours.com/jewel) runs overnight trips on their luxury The Jewel of the Bay (the best of many similar junkets) as do the folks at Handspan (www.handspan.com) with the Dragon Pearl.
New to Hue, in Central Vietnam, is the Pilgrimage Village (tel. 054/885-461; www.pilgrimagevillage.com), on the outskirts of town near the imperial tombs. Opening in Hue in August 2005 is the latest offering from Sofitel: the La Residence Hue (tel. 054/837-475; www.la-residence-hue.com), which looks over the Perfume River from near the train station.
The UNESCO heritage town of Hoi An has seen a rise in tourists and fine high-end hotels and resorts. The best addition near the town center is the tidy Life Resort (tel. 510/914-555; www.life-resorts.com) with a unique semi-luxe campus a short walk from the old town proper. Nearby Cua Dai Beach offers a number of new choices: The Golden Sand (tel. 0510/927-560; www.swiss-belhotel.com) is a luxurious campus with a large oceanside pool and a good standard of rooms; the Palm Garden Resort (tel. 0510/927-927) is geared to the domestic market, but offers great seaside villas. Also check out the raucous storefront fusion bistro, The Mango Rooms (on Nguyen Thai Hoc next to Cargo Club and across from Tam-Tam; tel. 0510/910-839) for a bit of California-inspired Vietnamese cuisine, heavy on delicious grilled items. Not to be missed.
In coastal Nha Trang, Vietnam's Ocean City, the finest resort is still the Ana Mandara (tel. 058/829-829), but the same developers, Six Senses, have just finished Evason Hideaway Ana Mandara (tel. 058/728-222 www.sixsenses.com), a super-luxe resort of pool villas reachable only by boat.
Dalat is an escape from the lowland heat if you're traveling along the coast, and hosts the likes of the fine Sofitel Dalat Palace and comfortable Novotel and will soon host a new property sponsored by Ana Mandara (see the Nha Trang section) and set in a revamped colonial home. Rural Route 14 is the now-paved length of what was once the Ho Chi Minh Trail and runs the length of the Annamese Cordillera, through the heart of the Central Highlands in towns like Buon Ma Thuot, Pleiku, and Kontum, all the way up to the Central Coast at Danang and Hue. Take a ride with an Easy Rider motorcycle guide (see the Dalat section) or hire a jeep for exploring this rugged region.
Ho Chi Minh City
In busy Ho Chi Minh City, you can't miss the latest addition: the 23-floor Sheraton Saigon (tel. 08/827-2828; www.sheraton.com/saigon) is a top business standard looming over longtime favorite the Caravelle (tel. 08/823-4999; www.caravellehotel.com) and soon a Hyatt now under construction. The New World Hotel (tel. 08/822-8888 www.newworldvietnam.com) is where President Clinton called home on his famed visit to Saigon. The hotel is a top international standard with a great downtown location.
Ho Chi Minh's authentic and popular Ngon Resaurant (tel. 08/829-9449) has recently opened a few new venues, and for nightlife be sure to check out the new Sheraton Hotel's Top of 23 club or listen to live jazz at nearby Saxn 'Art (tel. 08/822-8472; www.saxnart.com).
Phu Quoc Island, just off the coast of the Mekong Delta town of Rach Gia, is accessible from Saigon by daily flights, and is a fun, burgeoning tour destination; get there before the big package tours and crowds of regional visitors. The best going, for now, is the Saigon Phu Quoc Resort (tel. 077/846-999; www.sgphuquocresort.com.vn), but plans are underway (also road cuts) for a number of new, high-end hotels and resorts.
Cambodia
The political situation is always uncertain in unpredictable Cambodia. While a stable coalition government is in place today, and the years of rampant violence and anarchy are over, strong destabilizing elements are still in existence with a powerful criminal underworld, signifying that things are never as they seem.
July 2003 elections went off without incident, but it took nearly a year for negotiation of a government coalition. Hun Sen still reigns as Prime Minister, but now alongside the FUNCINPEC Party and Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and they have a dizzying backlog of legislation. In the fall of 2004, King Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia's longtime standard-bearer through the many violent regime changes and trying times, abdicated, selecting his son Norodom Sihamoni, a retired ballet dancer, to take up the symbolic post of king.
Phnom Penh
The sleepy capital of Phnom Penh figures into some itineraries of Cambodia, and the highest standard is still the popular Intercontinental (www.interconti.com), the city's top business address, and the Raffles Hotel Le Royal (www.raffles.com). In the mid-range, the Cambodiana (www.hotelcambodiana.com) is a popular choice and a convenient downtown address. To dine among the international elite, check out Tell Restaurant (tel. 023/430-650) or stop in at the Foreign Correspondent's Club (tel. 023/724-014), an old riverside colonial with an important recent history.
Sihanoukville
South of Phnom Pehn, many visitors get a bit of fun and sun at Cambodia's only beach destination, at Sihanoukville. The new Sokha Beach Resort (tel.032/935-999; www.sokhahotels.com) is unrivalled in Cambodia (though there are better beach destinations in Vietnam and in nearby Thailand).
Angkor Wat
What brings so many to this Buddhist land of smiles is Angkor Wat, the ancient capital and one of the man-made wonders of the world. Direct flights now connect Siem Reap, the support town of the temples, with Bangkok and other regional hubs (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Vientianne, and Chiang Mai).
Siem Reap
The support town for visits to Angkor Wat is seeing a huge growth in luxury tourism, as direct flights connect with all regional hubs, and the well-heeled flock to the temple mecca. The town's bar street is lined with new outlets, all one-upping the next to go ever more chic and attract more moths to the flame.
Siem Reap now supports an Aman Resort (www.amanresorts.com), called the Amansara and a true "rock star" standard of luxury and service (rooms start at $775 per night). Near the classic luxury Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor (www.raffles.com) at the town center, look for the new Victoria Angkor Hotel (www.victoriahotels-asia.com), another grand offering from the popular French hotelier. New mid-range hotels are popping up all over town, and old standbys are going boutique. Look for the chic new Shinta Mani Hotel and Restaurant (www.sanctuaryresorts.com/shintamani).
The temples are getting crowded, so hire a guide through your hotel, or contact Exotissimo (www.exotissimo.com) or Diethelm (www.diethelmtravel.com) for the best arrangements.
To get above the fray, if only briefly, take a ride on the slick new Angkor Balloon (just $11), which launches via a tether every hour or so just 1km west of the main Angkor temple.
For up-to-the-minute updates about overland travel in Cambodia, particularly the sticky-wicket coming by land from Bangkok, check the popular website www.talesofasia.com.
Bali
Tourism is bouncing back after some very hard years for Bali islanders, years when tourists were frightened off by the devastating bombing in 2002. Australians, once the bulk of tourist visitors to the island and the most affected by the devastating bomb blast, are coming back in increasing numbers, and security is improving.
Air Asia (www.airasia.com), a popular budget carrier out of Malaysia, now runs direct routes to the island.
Renting your own villa is an increasingly popular option in places like Seminyak, near Kuta Beach. GHM Hotels runs the luxury Legian Hotel, and also next door a clutch of super-luxe villas, The Club at Legian (see www.ghmhotels.com), which is the cream of the crop. There are lots of good budget villa options as well. Bali nightlife and restaurants in the popular Kuta and Seminyak areas of Bali are always expanding and always hoppin'. Check out the many new bars along Dhyana Pura.
New are the Waka resorts (www.wakaexperience.com), a collection of upmarket, boutique destination (locations all over Bali). In the far south, check out the popular upmarket Intercontinental Resort (www.bali.intercontinental.com).
The cultural hub of Ubud in the central highlands area of the island welcomes increasing number of tourists these days, many of whom get hooked on the creative energy of this busy town and stay on as expats the rest of their days.
Simple, comfortable budget options abound (starting at $10 per night), and luxury travelers have their pick of some great spots. Ubud Hanging Gardens (tel. 361/982700; www.pansea.com), a stunning hilltop property, is a new resort from the people at the boutique hotelier Pansea. The folks at GHM Hotels have just opened the Chedi Club (www.ghmhotels.com) at Ubud, a clutch of luxury private villas. Or check out luxury Villa Semana (www.villasemana.com).
Myanmar (Burma)
To go or not to go? That is the question. "No," is the answer of many supporters of freedom under the oppressive military junta of Burmese generals. Take time to consider what your impact might be on this troubled land (check out www.freeburmacoalition.org). Burma is home to a wide array of disparate Southeast Asian ethnic groups, including hill-tribe migrants from China, as well as southern minorities much like those in neighboring Thailand. Burmese people, despite all that they suffer, are very kind and welcoming, and tour companies are increasingly adept at catering tours that see their revenues go directly to people who will benefit -- not to fat-cat generals. Contact travel agents like Exotissimo (www.exotissimo.com) or Diethelm (www.diethelmtravel.com) for unique itineraries.
A number of new cruise options are being offered by the folks at Pandaw Cruises (www.pandaw.com), including trips along the Ayerwaddy River, as well as far south to the stunning, untouched archipelago of the Similan Islands.