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Welcome to another edition of THE INSIDER by A&K Southeast Asia where we share our insider scoops, favorite picks and connect you with some of Southeast Asia’s most interesting people. In this issue, hear about our favorite luxury villa experience in northern Thailand, keep up-to-date with our Top 5 must-dos after the sun goes down, get creative with multi-generational travel and meet an A&K Insider who is preserving Laos’ royal arts traditions.
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And a few words from our guests:
“Everything in Vietnam was A++ stellar. Each day was fully engaged from morning till late afternoon, which we desired. The A&K Insider you arranged for us in Hanoi shared his decades of research, experience, knowledge during our private tour. He was world class.”
Our Top 5: Southeast Asia After Dark
From the bright lights of Bangkok to golden, candlelit stupas in Yangon and Ho Chi Minh City’s buzzing backstreet bars, we’ve put together a shortlist of where to go and what to do in Southeast Asia when the sun goes down.
1. One Night in Bangkok
Experience Bangkok’s buzzing nightlife on A&K’s new after dark adventure. Head up to the 61st floor for a cocktail and panoramic views at a chic rooftop Champagne bar where everything is pink! Then whiz through the city by tuk tuk for dinner at Eat Me, a sleek modern venue with an innovative menu by New York Chef, Tim Butler. Feast on lobster and pomelo salad or try the red curry oxtail with bone marrow while sipping creative cocktails that echo Thai street food flavors such as Pad Thai Ketel One with leeks, tamarind and lime or Green Curry Phraya Rum with basil, kaffir lime leaves and milk.
As night falls on the ancient temples of Angkor, head into Siem Reap town for an exciting A&K private foodie adventure, zipping to the city’s best kitchens by remork - a motorized bike and open-air passenger vehicle. Taste creations by the country’s top chefs, starting with cocktails at Miss Wong’s, an intimate lounge that harks back to the speakeasies of the roaring 20’s. Whet your taste buds with appetizers at a traditional Khmre house and garden followed by mains at an authentic eatery serving timeless recipes from the chef’s mother and grandmother. Complete your meal with delicious desserts with a Cambodian twist.
For a great night out in Hanoi, head to Twilight Sky Bar, on a rooftop overlooking one of our favorite views of the city’s iconic Hoan Kiem Lake with its dramatic red walking bridge and island pagoda. Chic and intimate, the bar is the perfect place to relax and soak up the city’s romantic vibe while listening to live music and sipping a signature Espresstino cocktail - a single shot of Vietnamese espresso with vodka and an assortment of liqueurs – or a more demure La Vie en Rose with white wine, strawberry puree and Angostura bitters.
The best place to start your Yangon evening is at the famous Shwedagon Pagoda which radiates spiritual beauty when lit up against the night sky. Take in the powerful serene atmosphere, then head up to one of the highest points in the city for 360-degree views and a chance to see the golden pagoda again while sipping sophisticated cocktails at Atlas Rooftop Bar and Lounge. Enjoy classic cocktails or a range of signature, locally-inspired mixes such as a Golden Land with spiced whisky and lemongrass, lime, sugar and an egg white.
Start your night in Luang Prabang with a laid-back meal at Popolo, the latest trendy dining spot by a young French expat couple and their Lao team. Fill up on Mediterranean classics with a twist accompanied by a Beer Lao. Then head over to 525 Cocktails and Tapas for inventive craft cocktails in a funky space that attracts a regular crowd of young and in-the-know locals and expats. Feel the spirit of Laos mixed in with the cocktails as you sip on a signature Sabaidee Laos - gin infused with kaffir ginger, forest honey, pineapple and pepperwood - or try the 525 twist on an old fashioned – Bulleit 95 rye whiskey, tamarind, bitters and orange.
INSIDER Scoop: Our Favorite Luxury Villa in Northern Thailand
Imagine this… your own private 29-acre estate, surrounded by dreamy bamboo gardens, picturesque koi ponds, water buffalo grazing in the rice fields and views of Doi Chang mountain in the distance. This is Pa Sak Tong, a stunning estate that delivers a truly personalized experience in the Chiang Rai countryside.
Built as a holiday home for a European Royal family, the nine-bedroom estate is comprised of two separate teak villas filled with the owner’s personal art and antique collections and three beautifully-appointed cottages.
Sonja Stoerr, A&K Southeast Asia’s Director of Sales, recently returned from a stay at Pa Sak Tong. “I immediately fell in love with this place. It’s such a wonderful option for those seeking a more personalized experience, where every service is private. Guests have a choice of authentic nearby experiences, including ethical elephant encounters, mountain treks or Golden Triangle adventures. A highlight for me was an early morning walk through tea and pineapple plantations and coming across a typical Thai village that is not visited by tourists.”
Later this year, Pa Sak Tong will introduce a new single-table dining pavilion where guests can experience a private Chef’s Table with full-of-flavor creations by Chef Kongwuth Chaiwongkachon, who championed the locally famous eatery, Locus Native Food Lab.
Also on property is an outdoor dining pavilion, yoga sala overlooking the rice fields, children’s play area, two full-service spas and outdoor heated pools. The villas can be booked separately or as a full estate, making it an ideal choice for groups of friends, or single or multi-generational families traveling together.
Southeast Asia’s natural landscapes and traditional cultures are made for multi-generational adventures. Planning the perfect trip that is fun for everyone is not always easy, but A&K eliminates the stress with our on-the-ground expertise and family-oriented journeys combining fun bonding activities with “Design Your Day” options that will keep everyone entertained.
Picture the whole family cycling together through Vietnam’s rural rice fields and farmland followed by some fun time in the kitchen cooking up Vietnamese specialties like tam huu spring onion rolls or banh xeo fried savory pancakes. As the young kids get excited about a colorful creative session with a Vietnamese lantern-maker, the rest of the family can enjoy a mouthwatering foodie adventure around Hoi An or perhaps a shopping excursion through the city’s best local craft and fair-trade stores. Meet back up in the evening to share your experiences over a memorable meal at a lively restaurant in town or enjoy a private rice field dinner where the little ones can run around.
Head up to Mai Chau in the northern Vietnamese countryside for a chance to give back through A&K Philanthropy’s clean water project, where the kids can engage with children at a local school that has just gained access to clean drinking water for the first time.
Our family-oriented journeys can be entirely personalized and designed for individual families based around the ages and interests of the group. Discover more possibilities across our destinations in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia.
Gracefully putting his mark on the walls and doors of Laos’ sacred temples, A&K Insider and Luang Prabang’s Artist in Residence, Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith is single-handedly keeping alive centuries of royal culture and tradition through intricate stencil work and fine gold embroidery. We recently caught up with the Lao artist about his life’s work and mission to restore the all but lost artistic traditions of his aristocratic family.
Q: Where do you draw the inspiration for your art?
A: As a child growing up in 1960’s Luang Prabang, I remember my mother and grandmother would spend hours and hours making magnificent works of art following the life and traditions of the court nobility. I saw the careful attention to detail that was given to each and every stitch, every brush stroke, every carving which all added to the overall beauty of the piece. Whether it was a royal sash or collar, a painting or a piece of lacquer, each piece was made with love and care. When I returned to Laos after the revolution, I was inspired to bring back the traditional arts of my youth before they were lost to the world.
Q: We love your embroidered leaf work. Can you explain the concept behind these beautiful pieces?
A: My work is shaped by the Buddhist concept of impermanence, which asserts that all things are transient and inconstant. When I am out walking in nature, I find dry, dead leaves that often look broken with irregular holes and patterns. So I cover them with gold and silver threads to celebrate the transient splendor of nature while also honoring the traditional embroidery skills of my family. These leaves represent the passage of time and the beauty of perishability.
Q: How are you ensuring that the next generation will carry on the traditional arts of Laos?
A: While working with apprentices and young artists, I always remember the teachings of my father, who taught me that the royal family’s success is not measured by political power but by how we influence culture and religion. Life is all about adopting and adapting: adopt the contemporary and adapt the traditional. So I don’t just show my students the skills they want to learn, but I also share with them the value of our ritual arts so that they can continue to lift the humble lives of Lao people and the people of the Mekong valley.
Q: What exciting projects do you have planned for the future?
A: The future is always the future. I believe in making the most of the “here and now.” I continue to share my Lao cultural arts and crafts to the world through international exhibitions and educational programs. I am also always busy creating new work, from new metal leaves to silk work or stencil designs to help restore the beauty of Laos’ holy temples.
For a chance to meet Tiao Nithakhong Somsanith in person and enjoy a private viewing of his inspirational work in Luang Prabang, contact us for more information.
● Bangkok’s Gaggan restaurant moved up one rank last week to take out 4th spot on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019 list, making it the highest-ranking Asian restaurant, while another Bangkok favorite, Sühring took out the 45th
● From 1 October 2019, Myanmar plans to introduce visas on arrival for Spanish, Italians, Swiss, Russian, German and Australian tourists.
● From 1 January 2020, the APSARA Authority will ban alcoholic beverages at all Angkor temples, however our much-loved A&K gala temple dinners will still be available with a selection of non-alcoholic drinks.
● Archaeologists have discovered 137 new colossal stone vessels in northern Laos, adding to the ongoing mystery of the Plain of Jars. The first jar site is expected to achieve UNESCO World Heritage Site status this month.
● Starting this month, Mandalay’s Mahamuni Pagoda has introduced an entrance fee for foreign tourists of 5,000 MMK (US $3.50) per person.
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For more information about anything you have seen in this newsletter, contact us:
Looking for more INSIDER news, ideas and travel information?
We unveil our cruise extensions in Indonesia and Singapore in partnership with Aqua Expeditions and share our Top 5 picks for Southeast Asia’s hottest restaurants. Find out how A&K Philanthropy is inspiring profound change in Chiang Mai through mushroom farming and meet the HeroRATs of Cambodia.
We share our Top 5 picks for summer in Southeast Asia and showcase our tailor-made private shore excursion service. Plus, we give you a preview of our new experiences in Vietnam and waive single supplement fees on selected Luxury Small Group Journeys.
Our Exclusive Cambodia journey features the best of Cambodia’s city, culture, island and nature. We also share our Top 5 reasons to add Dalat to your Vietnam must-see list, chat with Bangkok’s Creative District’s dynamic design duo and introduce our A&K Philanthropy project in Mai Chau, Vietnam.
