The Philippines Department of Agriculture is putting in 30 million Piso to restore the 2,000-year old Ifugao Rice Terraces, often described as the 8th Wonder of the World, to their former glory.

Batad Village & Rice Terraces in 1990 before typhoons and neglect destroyed sections of them. Photo by Chris Gow

The Ifugao Rice Terraces are considered an UNESCO World Heritage site, and have been declared by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation as a Globally-Important Agricultural Heritage System.

Alcala said the P30 million is an initial amount, with P10 million coming from the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) for the repair of the damaged portions and the enhancement of the irrigation systems for the terraces in the village of Batad. The remainder will come from the National Rice Program for the reinforcement and upgrade of similar terraces in four other sites.

These include the picturesque Banaue rice terraces that can be seen at the Danara Viewpoint and the terraces in Mayoyao, Hapao and Kiangan.

Full story by MARVYN N. BENANING in the Manila Bulletin

The best way to explore the amazing rice terraces of the Ifugao, Botoc and Kalinga tribes of the Philippines Cordillera is to make a trek from village to village, staying at small guest houses and as guests of local tribal families. Here’s how.

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.

Mekong Skies

On the left, the tallest, completed building in Cambodia, the Canadia Tower. On the right the half built Sokha Resort complex currently being developed on the Chroy Changvar peninsular, opposite the popular Phnom Penh waterfront.

More pics on the Symbiosis Custom Travel Facebook page.

A late minute intervention by Prime minister, Hun Sen, has saved a thriving community-based tourism project in Cambodia’s Koh Kong Province from a planned, highly destructive, Titanium mine.

The mine project, by the United Khmer Group, was rumoured to have been just a cover to gain access to the rich forests in the Cardamom mountains… UKG has other logging operations around Cambodia.

See the full story in the Phnom Penh Post today.

The Cambodian Government yesterday approved a land concession in the heart of dense forest in Koh Kong Province for a titanium mine that environmentalists say will devastate dozens of endangered species and clear thousands of hectares of trees in Cambodia’s Cardamom mountains.

I visited Chi Phat, the area that will be affected, a couple of years ago and have posted an (unedited!) photo album from that visit on the Symbiosis Facebook page today.

This area of the southern Cardamoms is home to about 24 natural water sources and more than a quarter of Cambodia’s remaining wild elephants, as well as numerous other endangered species.

Hornbills at Chi Phat, Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia

There is also a thriving community-based tourism programme in Chi Phat, driven by wildlife protection NGO, The Wildlife Alliance, that has successfully turned former loggers and illegal wildlife traders into protectors of the forest, earning them and their families $66,000 in the past 2 years – a small fortune for remote villagers in Cambodia. Much needed evidence that community-based eco tourism can turn poachers into gamekeepers and help to protect the natural environment.

I would urge you to visit Chi Phat soon to show support for the local community’s efforts to halt the mine project… and, of course, to experience this stunning natural area before it is too late!. Have a look at the Symbiosis web page for Chi Phat to get some ideas.

Phu Quoc Beaches

Thirteen new tourism projects have been licensed on Phu Quoc Island, the largest island in Vietnam, located in the Gulf of Siam facing the Cambodian coast, with a combined investment totalling approximately USD 154 million.

The projects include a luxury retreat with leisure, entertainment and business facilities, a high-end hotel and recreation complex, a resort complex with conference facilities, plus many more exciting developments.

To date, eight projects have become operational covering an area of more than 17.2 hectares.

We, at Symbiosis, suggest that you get there quick before this stunningly beautiful island goes the way of many of Thailand’s once beautiful places!

There will soon be a direct boat connection to Phu Quoc from Cambodia’s so-called “riviera” town of Kep.  But even without it, it is a lovely trip to make - and a great cycle ride, if you are up to it – from Phnom Penh down into the verdant, watery world of the Mekong Delta to catch the local boat to Phu Quoc. You can fly from there to Saigon.

Contact Symbiosis to start planning!

By THOMAS FULLER

Published in The New York Times: January 18, 2010

SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA — Bullet by bullet, workers removed the detritus of Cambodia’s past. They pulled 300 land mines and 30,000 rounds of ammunition from the red dirt and then laid down a thick layer of asphalt. Today, what would pass for a very ordinary road in wealthier parts of the world is precious pavement for a country motoring toward prosperity and trying to leave its bloody past behind.

Read on…

This was the original route for Symbiosis Expedition Planning’s Bangkok to Saigon Cycle Challenge which first took place in 2000.  Each year we have to resurvey to find new trails that keep us away from the main roads which, even if they are not busy, are hot and dull to cycle.

This year’s Bangkok to Saigon Cycle Challenge will be the 10th and last – fortunately there are still a few routes that show you the rural beauty of Cambodia. Dates: 6-23 November 2010.

The Saigon Railway Transport Company has announced it will operate a new two-way luxury railway route from Saigon to Nha Trang commencing on August 22nd, 2008. They say the new rail service will include 14 carriages with 7 cabins in each and is designed with interior decorations of a five-star hotel standard!  Looking forward to seeing it for myself… would certainly add a new dimension to travelling up the east coast.  Watch this space.