25% off this fantastic 4 day river cruise aboard the lovely Toum Tiou, starting in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in southern Vietnam and ending at Phnom Penh, Capital of Cambodia.

Dates: 05 to 08 April 2012
Price: EUR 527 per person sharing a cabin

Book now with Symbiosis Custom Travel

Also, last few cabins remaining on the following dates:

Toum Tiou 1
Mar 28th – Apr 4th – Siem Reap to Saigon, 8 Days/7 Nights – 2 available cabins

Toum Tiou 2 
3 Days/2 Nights, Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Jan 27th – 29th – 1 available cabin
Feb 2nd – 4th – 2 available cabins
Feb 23rd – 25th – 2 available cabins
Mar 15th – 17th – 6 available cabins
 
3 Days/2 Nights, Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
Jan 30th – Feb 1st – 3 available cabins
Mar 12th – 14th – 1 available cabin

Conservation agencies have released one of the most endangered turtles — a Southern River Terrapin — back into the wild, with officials, conservationists, and local residents attending the release ceremony on January 16.

The release was first announced Monday by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and Wildlife Reserves Singapore. The 75-pound female turtle was released into the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia, outfitted with a satellite tracking tag, to allow researchers to monitor the turtle’s movements in the wild, according to a WCS press release.

The released turtle is one of only 200 Southern River Terrapins remaining in Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia, and only one of fewer than ten nesting females in the Sre Ambel River, according to estimates from PhysOrg.

Read the full story from RedOrbit.

Image Caption: This photo shows the release of the Southern River terrapin at a ceremony on the Sre Ambel River in Cambodia attended by representatives of WCS, Cambodia’s Fisheries Administration’s Conservation Department, the Singapore Embassy, and local officials. The turtle has been equipped with a satellite tag, which will allow WCS conservationists to track it. Credit: Eleanor Briggs

Great video in B&W of scenes from modern-day Cambodia by film director, Shae Sterling.
Smile of Cambodia – Beautiful film by Shae Sterling

Huge 25% discount on a 4 day deluxe river cruise on the lower Mekong River from Saigon, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Boat: The Toum Tiou
Dates: 05 to 08 April 2012
Special offer: 25% off published price

Other dates with cabins still available aboard the Toum Tiou II (normal price)

3 day/2 night cruise from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap (Angkor)
Jan 27th – 29th – 3 available cabins
Feb 2nd – 4th – 2 available cabins
Feb 23rd – 25th – 3 available cabins
Mar 15th – 17th – 4 available cabins
 
3 day/2 night cruise from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
Jan 1st – 3rd, 2012 – 6 available cabins
Jan 30th – Feb 1st – 7 available cabins
Mar 12th – 14th – 4 available cabins

A wildly-coloured gecko, a fish that looks like a gherkin, and a monkey with an Elvis-like hairstyle are among the more than 200 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year.

The area’s diversity is so astonishing that a new species is found every two days, but regional cooperation and decision-making must take centre stage to preserve its richness, the group added.

Read the full story from Reuters.

Microbreweries and beer gardens are making inroads in Phnom Penh as the taste for hops keeps growing.

Cambodia might not rank among the world’s brewery or beer garden capitals, but change is coming.

From its setting on the banks of the Tonle Sap river, Kingdom Breweries, Phnom Penh’s newest boutique producer, opened in October 2010, is gearing up to give local brands Anchor and Angkor a run for their riel, using only the best German and Czech hops, premium German malt and top-quality water to produce the brand’s flagship pilsner.

Read the full story in the LA Times.

Siem Reap – water levels are receding, weather is good and the flooding that was plaguing the old market area and Pub Street has gone and the roads are dry.
Access to all floating villages including Chong Kneas is not a problem.
Sambor Prei Kuk – its still problematic to visit this temple complex near Kompong Thom, though a private car can navigate the broken access road. The province remains the worst hit.
Phnom Penh – we’ve had some rain but the city remains dry and threat of flooding also receding.
Takeo & Phnom Da – the water levels are too high and the boat trip too uncomfortable for this trip to be included in any tours at the moment.

Cambodia’s Prime Minister, Hun Sen, yesterday announced that the Water Festival festivities scheduled for November 9 to 13 will be cancelled to preserve fund for the cleanup effort after this summer’s record floods.

The highlight of the annual Water Festival is the boat races that take place on the Tonle Sap River where it flows into the Mekong at Phnom Penh, the capital. However this year the rivers are lapping at the very tops of the river banks, and the fast flowing waters add an additional risk to the safety of race participants.

Full story in today’s Phnom Penh Post

Siem Reap Area.
The Siem Reap River, Old Market Area and Pub Street are now submerged in around 30 centimetres of slow moving water; it is safe to walk around the area though if you don’t mind getting wet! Travel by tuk tuk, van and larger vehicles is still possible.

Temples of Angkor
In the central Archaeological Park, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, including Bayon, remain accessible, as is the Roulos Group on the outskirts of Siem Reap. Some of the smaller temples in the area are difficult to access and as of today, 26th of September, the following Temples are inaccessible: Ta Prohm, Banteay K’Dei and Neak Pean due to high water levels inside the compounds; there are also several roads that have been cut by flood waters.

Chong Kneas Floating Village on the Tonle Sap lake is currently inaccessible however there are alternative locations on the Tonle Sap lake that are still able to be visited.

Phnom Penh
There is currently no flooding in the capital, Phnom Penh

Over the past few days Siem Reap and surrounding provinces have experienced heavy rain and flooding in many areas, including the centre of the tourist town of Siem Reap.

Banteay Srey Temple and Kbal Spean have been blocked by floodwaters and will remain inaccessible for at least the next few days. A large number of tourists have been trapped by the rising waters but are safe on high ground; none of our clients have been affected

It is expected that The Siem Reap River, Old Market Area and Pub Street will experience some flooding over the coming days

We also expect the road to the Chong Kneas Floating Village to be affected and possibly closed in the next few days. There are alternative locations on the Tonle Sap lake that are still able to be visited.

There are currently no reports of major flooding around any of the main temples, however… yet!

An 18kg Cantor's Soft Shell Turtle ready for release into the Mekong River in Kratie Province, Cambodia

The goal of the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre (MTCC) is the long-term sustainable conservation of the wild population of one of the world’s rarest and largest fresh water turtles — the Cantor’s soft shell turtle, (Pelochelys cantorii) of which the largest known wild population survives in the nearby Mekong River.

Read the full story from Conservation International.

Since June of this year, the Mekong Turtle Conservation Centre has been open to visitors daily, for a small entrance fee. Another good reason to visit Kratie and Cambodia’s north east region.

The 7th Angkor Photo Festival will take place in Siem Reap from 19 to 26 November 2011.

Created in 2005, the Angkor Photo Festival is the first photography festival to be held in Southeast Asia. Each year the weeklong event features exhibitions and outdoor slideshows by celebrated and emerging photographers in Siem Reap.

The strong educational goals of the Angkor Photo Festival sets it apart from other photography events. At the free Angkor Photo Workshops, renowned photographers tutor emerging Asian photographers, while the festival operates its own outreach program, the Anjali Children’s Photo Workshops.

More about the festival here.

Cyclists and adventure holiday seekers from all over the world are being invited to sign up to the Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride presented by CIMB Bank.

The event, organised by Village Focus International, will take place on Saturday 3rd December, and allows travellers to experience Siem Reap’s magical temple complex at a unique time when the Angkor roads are closed off to traffic.

The Bike Race & Ride encourages participants of all ages and fitness levels to cycle through the beautiful temples of the UNESCO World Heritage Angkor Wat temple complex to help raise funds for Village Focus International’s life changing work supporting vulnerable children and sex trafficked victims.

Since the event began in 2006, it has grown each year and raised a total of US$100,000 towards empowering young people and communities break out of poverty.

Village Focus International and CIMB Bank are hoping to raise over US$50,000 (net proceeds) this year and beat previous participation figures.

The Angkor Wat Bike Race & Ride is entering its sixth year this year. Last year 400 participants took part and organisers are expecting 600 this year. In 2010 participants from over 25 different nationalities took part.

For more information on how to plan a visit to Cambodia timed to participate in this fun event, contact us now at Symbiosis Custom Travel.

This short report from the BBC’s Fast:Track programme highlights how much more there is to see on the archaeological front in Cambodia than just Angkor Wat. The country is simply riddled with ancient monuments and at most of them you will not find other tourists clambering over the broken stones, ruining your solace.