Get Set for Summer

TRAVEL

get set for

summer Whether it is a quiet getaway to rejuvenate the senses or an actionpacked vacation filled with adventure, here are some ideas for your summer break. By ELISABETH LEE

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WELLNESS FOR ALL

phuket

Explore hidden bays by boat

PHOTOS: Getty Images

If you’re the adventurous sort, get on a budget flight to Phuket and check out this three-­‐day tour of gorgeous Phang Nga Bay. This guided tour by water sport operator Sea Canoe explores the many hidden lagoons, rock formations and sea caves of Phang Nga Bay, giving you plenty of chances to get up close and personal with nature — expect to see monkeys, monitor lizards, sea eagles and Braminy kites during your seaborne trip.

Day one of this water tour includes hands-­‐on training in using a single-­‐seat hard shell kayak. You then spend the remaining two days paddling your own

kayak. Come sundown, you get to pitch your own tent on remote island beaches.

While you explore the picturesque bay, there are plenty of opportunities to swim, snorkel and take in the unspoilt nature of the islands.

The Phang Nga Mini Expedition costs 27,000 baht (about S$1,091) and includes kayak training, transfers from Phuket, an English-­‐speaking guide, all meals, entrance fees to national parks and insurance.

Visit www.seacanoe.net for more information.

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TRAVEL

Help the community in Baray, Cambodia

Baray

For some of us, a vacation is best spent serving the needs of others. After all, it’s better to give than receive! Head to Cambodia for a community-­‐based homestay — it’s an ecologically-­‐ friendly, socially-­‐conscious holiday that will also help alleviate local poverty.

Tucked away in Baray district, midway between the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh and the famous temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, is Khmer Homestay, a unique community-­‐based outreach effort. Stay in a rustic bamboo hut and take part in one of the ongoing

Lose yourself at a beach resort For every person who thinks a boozy night out is just what the doctor ordered, there’s another who’d rather spend the night curled up with a good book. For those looking for a little rest and relaxation — and a lot of reading — a week on one of Lombok’s lonely beaches might be just the cure.

Lombok has escaped the curse of overdevelopment that has plagued its neighbour Bali. Here, the only rhythm you’ll hear is the roar of the surf. Load up your Kindle and get away from it all at The Lombok Lodge, a small boutique hotel with nine luxury suites located right on the pristine white sands of Medana Bay in north-­‐western Lombok. All suites feature large private terraces with cosy, comfortable sun beds for a day of dedicated lounging.

The Lombok Lodge offers a five-­‐day Spa and Relaxation package priced at US$1,990 (about S$2,540) for two, which includes accommodation, private airport transfers, daily five-­‐course dinners and breakfasts as well as daily yoga classes and spa treatments. For summer promotions, ask about the advance purchase deals.

Visit www.thelomboklodge.com for more information.

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WELLNESS FOR ALL

Community Involvement Projects, or simply explore the different facets of Khmer village life. There are plenty of activities for the whole family — you can take a ride on a pony cart, try your hand at Khmer noodle making, or even take an ox-­‐drawn cart ride and watch the sun set over the paddy fields.

Prices on request, as rates depend on group size.

Visit www.khmerhomestaybaray.com/ for more information.

Lombok

Cook up a storm

If you fancy yourself a competent home cook, what could be better than spending a week learning the secrets of Thai cuisine on one of Thailand’s loveliest beaches? The Samui Institute of Thai Culinary Arts (SITCA) is the only culinary vocational training centre in the Land of Smiles approved by the London-­‐based City and Guilds, and a great place to learn the finer points of preparing an authentic pad thai and tom kha gai.

SITCA’s twice daily three-­‐hour class starts with a lesson in preparing homemade Thai curry paste, plus hands-­‐on instruction in how to prepare three additional dishes that may include green curry with chicken, deep-­‐fried fish with turmeric and stir-­‐fried spicy seafood with holy basil. At the end of the class, you get to taste the fruits of your labour. In fact, you can even invite your travelling companions to

Koh Samui

join you at no extra charge. If you have the time, SITCA runs week-­‐long immersion courses in which students learn to whip up 60 dishes over just six days. Each student will get the chance to prepare every dish — from salads and soups, to stir-­‐fries, curries and desserts.

A lunch or dinner cooking class costs 1,950 baht — take three or more classes and receive a certificate of achievement. The six-­‐day Thai Cuisine Immersion course costs 52,500 baht and includes daily lunch and dinner.

Visit www.sitca.net for more information.

Boracay

Join a party Nothing beats an ice-­‐cold beer on a hot afternoon on Boracay’s picture-­‐perfect white beach.

Leave your worries at home and blow off some steam with a long weekend spent partying it up on one of the Philippines’ most famous beaches.

Start your evening off with happy hour at Club Paraw at

Station One. Every seat in the club offers spectacular sunset views and frosty buckets of San Miguel go for 250 pesos (about S$7.40). Head over to Ariel’s House to hit the dance floor — top Filipino DJs can often be spotted behind the decks of this new addition to the Boracay scene.

Boracay Beach Club, located in the heart of the party strip, offers a four-­‐day Island Adventure Package for US$399 for two people, which includes accommodation, daily breakfast, a sunset cruise, banana boat ride, massage and airport transfers.

Visit www.boracaybeachclub. com for more information.

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