PHILIPPINES
INFO :


Theres a new flight from Puerto Princesa to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia with South Phoenix Airways.


HIGHLIGHTS :

- El Nido : exploring the numerous islands all offering deserted white sand beaches with excellent snorkelling and diving. (our favourite was Helicopter island and Seven commandos) El Nido is also famous for the luxury resorts (Miniloc and Lagen) but there are a lot of good places to stay in the village. Imal is a good guide to take you out on snorkelling/diving trips. (ask Lally and Abet or Dive palawan for info)

- Port Barton : sleepy little fishing village with a mangrove forest nearby.

- Chocolate Hills of Bohol : its worth going to the Chocolate hills Complex but the accommodation there is skanky and there is nothing else but the view.
The best is to hire a motorbike and hop between the hills, but you can also call Ismael at the Nuts Huts in Loboc. He took us with his old jeep to tour other hills.

- The Tarsier Center : Just outside Loboc, Bohol has a dozen of rehabilitated litte tarsiers. There's no hiking trail though and its a long walk back under the sun.

Places we stayed at :
Malate Pensionne in Manila (PHP 700 to 1000)
Lally and Abet in El Nido (PHP 400)
Greenview resort in Port Barton (PHP 500)


Palawan info
Seair, flight schedule and price all over the Philippines
Cebu Pacific Air, for domestic and international flights

MALAYSIAN BORNEO

Somebody said there was a flight between Kota Kinabalu and Sulawesi .. Manado
we didnt know about with Asia Air, Malaysia airlines flies those destinations too ... for a little more.
Air Asia


HIGHLIGHTS :

- Mount Kinabalu : although it is a pretty tough ascenscion, it is definitely rewarding.
Dont forget to take warm clothes wih you but you can rent jackets in Laban Rata.
booking, permits, guide and general infos for the Kinabalu Headquarters are managed by
Sutera Sanctuary Lodges

- Kinabatangan River trip with Robert Chong of the LABUK B&B (RM20/head) in Sepilok.
They were about to open their jungle camp in september 2004 near Sukau. Both Robert and Fernando are excellent guides, and the B&B is a good base to explore Sepilok and Sandakan.
They can pick you up at the airport if you ring them ahead.
Labuk B&B : labukbb@yahoo.com
Jalan Labuk/batu 15 (mile 15)
P.o Box 555, 9006 Sandankan, Sabah. Tel - Fax : 089-544-190

- Orang Utan Rehabilitation Center in Sepilok.

- The Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching is well worth checking if you're in the area. Artists come from around the world and very varied. There are still workshops in the afternoon but due to the success of the festival have become more show case than workshops. Gigs are at night over 3 nights. Usually takes place in early July.

- Bario, although we didnt have the opportunity to trek with Jaman, due to the SAR operation, Bario was an enchanting place despite the leeches.
Gem's Lodge : gems_lodge@yahoo.com

Place to stay in Miri : The Highlands B&B (RM25/head) run by 2 kelabits, on the water front, above the bar/restaurant "Wheels".

Info about Sarawak tribes : Ibans, Kenyas, Penans etc ...
Borneo Online
Kelabit Net., infos about the Kelabit people and the region
ebario, project to bring internet to the tribespeople to stay in touch with their families !

INDONESIA

HIGHLIGHTS :

- Yogyakarta, for the cultural visits in Java, like Borobudur Temples, Prembanan temples and the Sultans palace, Water palace and the likes.

- The Temples around Bali

Chilling out and discovering Flores landscape and culture although we had a serious lack of time.
- Ankermi, on Flores island, Waiterang, near Maumere is definitely the place to stay. Kermi, Claudia and litte Arjuna will take real good care of you. (Rp 35,000/room) plus this is the land of the Hobbit or more seriously where they found the remains of a new specie of humanoid, the Flores man !
If you dont have time but a bit of money you can tour the island and villages with Hans Tour and travel.
contact : roymances@yahoo.co.uk

- Kelimutu lakes and Moni area has interesting villages producing Cocoa, vanila, avocados, coffee etc. and raise cows, pigs and small horses.

- Sulawesi : Healthy Island living in The Togean Islands, with plenty of corals and fishes.. we stayed at the Black Marlin, Rp 75,000 per person full board. The snorkelling was fantastic especially in Dominics Rock, Coral Garden, The Gap and Karina Beach near the Bajo Village. (the same boat dwellers as in the Philippines, the Bajau)

Timor Tour and Travel : in Kupang, Jl Tim-Tim n.8 Km8
Tel and Fax : 0380-881543
ticket costs :
150,000 Rp One way, 300,000Rp return

Merpati flies Kupang - Darwin for USD 157 one way or USD 338 for a 35 day return.

EAST TIMOR (TIMOR LESTE)

HIGHLIGHTS :

- Xanana reading room provides videos and litterature on East Timor history.

- Arte Moris, the free art school

- Villa Harmonia, in Becora, Dili. a family run B&B just outside town, is a warm and welcoming place. They are building new rooms and a Kitchen for the guests to use.
Pedro has also opened another place in Baguia, up in the mountains (Villa Rabilai) and he's full of very useful informtaion.

Leste Oeste Tour and Travel :
lesteoestedili@hotmail.com
Tel : 670-33-17404
Ticket costs :
USD15 one way, USD30 Return.

Timor Tour and Travel : in Dili, Jl 15 Oktover n.17,
Tel : 670-723-322095 Fax : 670-723-322095

Air North flies Darwin-Dili for USD250 return.

East Timor News
Timor Leste Sun
Discover Dili site

THAILAND

This time we hardly visited the city as we were waiting to get our visa for Vietnam sorted out.
(4 working days USD30 plus negligeble commission for the travel agent)
The Aruthaya neighbourhood is really pleasant and accommodation is cheap and clean...
The Fuji lab in front the Silom complex does a really good job and for a good price. THB100 for a slide film, theres also a good japanese restaurant chain inside the complex with Teishokus (meals) at around USD5 !

Flights to Hanoi were about USD140 one way but you can easily arrange other routes such as BK - Hanoi - Hochiminh - BK.

Places we liked :
Taewez, guesthouse on Sri Ayutthaya (near the National Library). The rooms are small but cheap (THB250) and the food is good (plus they charge per minute if you want to send a fax, whereas everybody else charges THB100 for a page)
Sri Ayutthaya Guesthouse, is a bit more expensive but for THB350 you get a really nice room with fan, and for 100 more you get a bathroom and/or aircon.
Its a lot quieter than Khao San road, and its only 2 stops away on the river boat.

VIETNAM

HIGHLIGHTS :

- HANOI old quarters, the place is buzzing with shops, motorbikes, vendors, motorbike taxis, cyclos and women in pijamas... we missed the Ethnology museum which is supposedly the most interesting one. There are some good restaurants in town, and one of our osusume is La Brique near the St Josephs cathedral. We also stayed in a nice family run hotel in the area called Thun tran. Rooms are nicely furnished with vietnamese furniture, and the girl speaks both excellent French and English.

- HALONG BAY, definitely worth doing even on a tour (and herded around).
The scale of the area makes it an extremely enchanting place.

- SAPA, in the Northwest also called the Vietnamese Alps by the French colons, is a good place to go trekking although its pricey. (we paid USD48 each for a 3 days 2 nights trek with homestay)
to our greatest disapointment, the so highly rated Moutain view hotel (USD6 for a room with hot water) seemed to care only for big groups and were totally uninterested in giving information about treks or any other useful tips for indepedant travelers, even though we were actually ready to pay and do the treks with them ...
The best way to explore the surroundings is on the back of a motorbike. Ta Fin was the friendliest place we went with less hasstle from the local Red Zao vendors.
Black Hmong and other tribes info

- HUE, the anciant capital, we spent a couple of days to have a look at the royal Tombs and the forbidden city. Entry to the sites cost VND65,000 each.

- HOI AN, the old city under the patronage of the Unesco is a beautiful city (a well conserved version of the old quarters of Hanoi) to chill out and shop (for clothes) before going down to Mui Ne.
Like Hanoi, reasonable accommodation ranges from USD8 to 15 (all with satellite TV and Air con). We didn't go to My Son to see the Cham ruins, but i guess they shouldn't be missed.

- MUI NE, enormous sand dunes and red canyons, and of course the white sand beaches.
Although when we were there it was Typhoon time in the center, resulting in higher tides and strong surf ... The fishing villages are well worth a visit, and renting out a motorbike is the best way to get around. (USD9 for one day, including petrol)

- HO CHI MINH CITY aka SAIGON and Mekong Delta, where we met our friend Mohalam.
The city is agreable, but mainly a good base to sort travel arrangements for the Mekong Delta. All the tours are roughly the same. Cuchi Tunnels and the War Remnants museum remain a must see.
We also did the 3 day tour finishing in Phnom Penh for USD31 per head. (excluding food and visa costs) although we would have liked to stay longer and do it independantly.
The tours get you to Caibe, Vinh long, Chau Doc with various stops (fish farms, floating markets, and fillers such as candy making factories and the likes). Still, cruising along the Mekong on a boat is the best way to experience it.