Phim Hay 360s

A cave explorer stands before an imposing stalagmite made of mineral deposits near an entrance to the Xe Bang Fai River cave in central Laos.

An expedition in February 2008, co-led by veteran caver John Pollack, comprehensively mapped and photographed the 5.9-mile (9.5-kilometer) length of the little-known cavern for the first time.

The spelunking team encountered some of the largest rooms and most impressive structures of any river cave on Earth, Pollack said.

A river cave is any cave with an active water source flowing through it.

Everything about the cave is big from its towering entrances to its phobia-inducing spiders, which can be 10 inches (25 centimeters) across, Pollack added.

"It's also extremely well decorated with spectacular formations," Pollack said.

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Scot Hoffman
—Photograph by Dave Bunnell

The islands and beaches of southern and eastern Thailand have many popular destinations and most visitors head straight for the beaches of Phuket, Samui or Krabi, yet up-and-coming hotspots like Phi-Phi, Koh Chang and Koh Lanta are new firm favourites. If you don't just want to see what's on land in this nation of spicy papaya salad, you may like to explore the underwater offerings of the remote Similan or Surin islands.
Central Thailand is the historical heartland of Thailand with grand historical ruins such as Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, while Northern Thailand is covered with rugged, jungle-clad mountains that are dotted with hill tribe villages which make for spectacular trekking around Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son. The northern city of Chiang Mai offers trekking adventures into hill tribe dotted territory as well as plenty of modern conveniences and is a great launching pad for discovering the smaller tourist spots of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai.
Northeastern Thailand is one of the least visited parts of Thailand, which lends it its own down-home Thai-style charm, plus there are some spectacular Khmer-era ruins such as Phi Mai, Phanom Rung and Prasat Khao Phra Wihan to keep things interesting.

Thailand Things to Do

Planeta.com announces the winner of the 2008 Ecotourism Spotlight Award. For the second year in a row, Ecotourism Laos received the greatest number of votes.

"Thanks to all for supporting the Ecotourism Laos website and other great sites listed this year," said Steven Schipani, Senior Advisor of the Lao National Tourism Administration. "I would also like to thank Planeta for providing a platform to recognize the Lao Government's support for ecotourism and its efforts to conserve the country's rich cultural and natural heritage"

BACKGROUND
Government websites that educate visitors about ecotourism and responsible travel options are eligible to win Planeta.com's annual Ecotourism Spotlight Award. 2008 nominees included Laos, Quito and Bali and Utila.

The award was developed to create incentives for communication, opportunities for conversation and a reward for participation among government leaders working toward ecotourism and responsible travel.

"Many tourism officials are figuring out Web 1.0 principles as locals and visitors are seeking out the Web 2.0 experience," said Planeta.com founder Ron Mader. "The spotlight award helps nudge government leaders forward as we give credit to the websites that are leading the pack."

The winner is announced in celebration of World Tourism Day (September 27) as way of spotlighting best practice in responsible travel and ecotourism.

Voting took place from July 15-August 30. More than 100 people participated.

Source: http://www.planeta.com/planeta/08/0809spotlightaward.html

Yangon is no longer the nation's capital, with the generals having moved politics to a more secretive location, yet it houses some of its greatest wonders - namely the She Pagoda. This sacred religious site is steeped in legend and a favorite with pilgrims. More Buddhist treasures can be admired at Bagan, with its sea of pagodas, and Mandalay, home to dozens of temples and a reconstructed royal palace.
Myanmar is a country with contradictions both strange and sad. It’s blessed with huge amounts of natural resources and stunning beauty, but its population toils in poverty; its rich history and fabulous temples are a natural draw for millions of tourist dollars, yet it sees only a trickle of that potential.
If you do decide to go, and are prepared to deal with the risks and restrictions, Myanmar can be a breathtakingly beautiful country, with friendly people and endless splendor. One only hopes that the situation will improve, and the country will eventually be able to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Myanmar Things to Do

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A number of parks, lakes and countless architectural wonders including the gleaming gold dome of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque all add an interesting tourist spin to Brunei. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, has more than just beautiful mosques, however. It features a lively amusement park on its western outskirts and acts as a gateway to the port town of Muara and the oil towns of Seria and Kuala Belait.
It is not the cities and towns that visitors come here for but the Temburong eco-tours and longhouse stays. Rainforest covers Belalong National Park, and here visitors can walk among the trees on the canopy walk before learning more about the huge insects and other wildlife that call the forest home at the research center.
If you've never been to Brunei then a good introduction is our Brunei Tourism page which gives an introduction to the country and an overview of all the essential travel, visa, health, safety and itinerary information needed by first-time travelers.

(KPL) Laos and Malaysia have agreed to increase direct flights between Vientiane and Kuala Lumpur following an agreement between the Lao Aviation Transport Department and Malaysia Airlines.

Under the recently-signed deal, the number of direct flights will be increased from three to seven a week.

Laos will not limit the number of flights between the two countries, Viengsay Singkhama, Director of the Lao Aviation Transport Department, said, adding that they are non-stop flights without transit through a third country.-

The trendy capital, Kuala Lumpur, is dominated by the Petronas Towers, a glistening reminder of the nation's modern developments. Glitzy shopping abounds here but things are more laid-back in other popular tourist centers like Malacca and Penang, where colonial architecture abound.
The lesser visited Sabah and Sarawak offer unique explorations in national parks and rainforest with the chance to take in rare wildlife and the traditional ways of the ethnic groups that inhabit these parts of Borneo. You could of course head to the resort island of Langkawi on Malaysia's west coast for Andaman bliss instead.

Malaysia Things to Do

• Highlights
• Activities
• Festivals