Sihanoukville, Cambodias Beach Getaway

Sihanoukville - Cambodia's largest beach town.

Sihanoukville is on Cambodia's southern coast which hosts Cambodias only Sea Port on the gulf of Thailand. Founded relatively recently in 1964 specifically for the deep water port. Now popular as a tourist destination because of its many beaches and tropic weather.

Named after Cambodia's retired king, Norodom Sihanouk, Sihanoukville has developed as a premier attraction for tourists visiting Cambodia, as well as residents looking for a holiday. This was stifled in 1994 when three western backpackers were kidnapped by the Khmer Rouge, and later murders. Sihanoukville has since recovered and now entertains almost 1,000,000 tourists every year.

Sihanoukville also supports an international airport with a troubled history - following a crash in the Cardamom Mountains in 2007 the airport remains ready for service but no flights are scheduled. The plan was for the airport to encourage visitors to other major attractions like the Angkor temples in Siem Reap, to enjoy a beach vacation on Cambodia's southern coast.

The commercial deep water sea port is located on Sihanoukville's northern peninsula, with a number of tropical islands and beaches to the west and south. The other beaches lie on the western and southern edges of the peninsula.

The most popular beach in Sihanoukville is Occheuteal beach which is lined with casuarina trees, sporting many grass roofed huts with lazy chairs which offer cold drinks and refreshments. The northern tip of Occheuteal beach, which naturally part of the same beach, has been dubbed serendipity beach where you can find many of the same grass roofed huts, as well as backpacker accommodations and some mid-range bungalows.

The Southern end of Occheuteal beach is mainly deserted, awaiting the development of a large resort, the progress of which has been very slow following the failed attempt to build a golf course on this land. Around the headland on the Southern end of Occheuteal beach is a similar and primarily deserted Otres beach - While formerly devoid of visitors, Otres beach is now home to some backpacker accommodations and is being touted as a location for adventure sports including sailing and paragliding.

The premier beach in Sihanoukville is the privately owned Sokha beach, a beautiful stretch of well maintained beach belonging to the Sokha Hotel chain which belongs to Cambodian oil mogul Kem Sokha. Non-Guests may be disappointed if they would like to visit Sokha Beach as the hotel guards may deny access however visitors could park in the hotel car park and walk to the beach unnoticed.

Independence beach is a pebbly beach to the west of Sokha Beach and to the south of Victory Beach - Many open air alfresco restaurants line this beach which is very popular with khmer locals. Just north of Independence beach is the small and rocking Koh Pos beach with Koh Pos island only 800m off the coast. The northern most beach in Sihanoukville is Victory Beach which is directly south of the port of Sihanoukville. Another small beach called Lemherkey Beach is located on the Southern end of Victory Beach. This is where a construction began in the 1950's on the new port of Kompong Som. You can hire boats from here to nearby islands.

Tourists can easily visit the dozen or so islands off Sihanoukville's coast. Most remain undeveloped, however overnight accommodation is available on Koh Russei, also know as Bamboo Island. Many businesses in Sihanoukville offer trips and tours to Bamboo Island.

Sihanoukville has also been known as Kompong Som and Krong Preah Selhanu, and is often nicknamed Snookyville or even just Snooky to expatriate residents.

The Cambodian national beer, Angkor Beer built its first brewery in Sihanoukville. The famous Independence hotel claimed host to Jaqueline Kennedy in her 1967 tour of Cambodia, but in 1970 Prince Sihanouk was ousted in a coup by the Khmer Rouge as Cambodia descended into civil war. At this time Sihanoukville was renamed Kompong Som, and still retains this name to some degree. During the Khmer Rouge era, the Independence Hotel was used as target practice, and following the mistake hijacking of an American cargo ship, the port was heavily bombed by the american air force.

Despite Pol Pot's downfall, the highway from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh remained in a shocking condition and was well known for banditry. This has changed drastically in the past 10 years with the roads from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville being improved, and all hostilities eradicated.

Sihanoukville has since been dubbed by the New York Times as "Asia's next trendsetting beach" and this is justified by the never ending construction, with new hotels popping up on a weekly basis, and an ever increasing population of expatriate residents walking around enjoying the sun.

The famous independence hotel which was used as target practice for the khmer rouge and whose swimming pool was used as a mass grave, has since been restored as one of Sihanoukville's luxury hotels, however a new swimming pool has been dug, and the old one filled in.

Sihanoukville is definitely worth a visit if you plan to travel to, or through Cambodia. The beaches are relaxing for all, and there is always something to do if you are so inclined.

Medical Tourism In Thailand

Medical tourism is fast becoming very popular in Thailand, especially given the fact there are some very good hospitals in Thailand catering specifically to foreign patients. Bumrungrad Hospital, Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital and Samitivej Hospital are three such hospitals which are also popular with the local foreign population living in Bangkok.

You would be surprise to know that these three hospitals having been promoting themselves quite actively in the last four to five years and now 60 percent of the patients in Bumrungrad Hospital are foreigners while Samitivej Hospitals has 40 percent. It is not that these hospitals do not accept Thai patients. They do. However, while foreigners consider these hospitals cheaper than the hospitals in their own country, most Thai cannot afford these hospitals. Hence, they do not visit them.

It is estimated that nearly 1.28 million foreigners visit Thai hospitals each year bring in revenues close to 33 billion baht.

Hospitals like Bumrungrad Hospital are covered a lot of U.S. television station and international magazines like Newsweek.

There is no doubt that medical tourism in Thailand is all set to become a major revenue generator not just for the hospitals but also for the country. The prices offered in Thailand are much lower compared to the U.S. and UK. However, the standard of treatment and technology is as high if not better. One thing is for sure that the hospitals in Thailand more hospitable and friendly.

Though medical tourism in Thailand is booming, the omnipresent question is whether the poor of the country will get the same facility and treatment. From end of 2006, healthcare has become free in Thailand but there is a dearth of doctors in poorer provinces as doctors prefer to work for private hospitals where the salaries are higher.

Gold Coast Golf Holiday Accommodation

The Gold Coast is a popular golfing holiday destination for Australian residents and International tourists from nearby countries such as, New Caledonia, New Zealnd, Japan, Hong Kong and China just to name a few.

With the perfext year round climate, fantastic selection of golf courses and beautiful holiday homes available there is no reason why it wouldn't be. During the winter months in Australia you the Gold Coast is popular with international visitors from New Zealand and domestic visitors from Victoria, Tasmania and the Sourthern parts of New South Wales. The temperatures on the Gold Coast at this time of year are prefect for golf with top temperatures reaching approximately 25 degree Celsius. During the warmer months it is of course snowing or just to cold in a lot of countries in the Northern hemisphere such as Japan, Hong Kong and China.

With golfers often travelling in groups of 4 or more it is often not convenient or economical to stay in resort or apartment style accommodation on the Gold Coast. The draw back is often these accommodation types are not self contained or they cater only for a couple or twin share. This then requires your golfing group to rent extra apartments or rooms, this dramatically increase the cost of your groups holiday and you can find that you may not be able to find another room at the same accommodation.

A popular trend for golfers and non-golfers coming to the area is to stay in one of the many beautiful holiday homes. Broadbeach holiday homes are perfect for golfers as you will often have five popular courses under a 10 minute drive from your front door to the first tee, for example, Palm Meadows Golf Course, Royal Pines, Lakelands or the Glades.

Ten S's of Thailand

Thailand has earned its unsurpassed admiration for the rich assortment of attractions but the ongoing development of the country's tourism industry indicates that there are still more waiting you to explore. From the abundance of settings and activities, the country is spotting novel destinations and promoting niche markets which afford special interests and requirements to travelers seeking memorable holidays. Our cover story will unveil to you remarkable things in this breathtaking country under the title "Ten S's of Thailand."

Smile
Thailand boasts an affluence of diversity with the legendary Thai smile which is amongst the authentic delights of unearthing Thailand. One of the key reasons why a plethora of tourists return to the country year after year is because Thai people are so friendly and ready to break a smile on every occasion, thereby leaving Thailand to be dubbed the "Land of Smiles". So as to serve this world-renowned slogan, the country has been developed into the cosmetic dentistry hub for beautification. Numerous aesthetic dental clinics are now blossoming drastically. They offer an innovative sort of dental services which has impressed the world.

Sabai
The word sabai means comfortable and at ease in Thai. Whilst here you can extremely feel sabai as the nation comes with a vast selection of luxury serviced apartments, hotels, resorts and other genres of accommodations to choose from with excellent value for money. Tourists can relax, laze and lounge or they can luxuriate in the comfort of facilities and amenities provided. Whether it is for your getaways, vacations or any important occasions, the accommodations of all kinds present a stay in style for every taste and budget. They feature heavenly locations, international standards, peerless services and unrivaled local hospitality.

Sanook
Journeying in Thailand has been quite eye-opening granting a true sense of fun or sanook in Thai. A land of tropical beaches, luxuriant mountains and amazing rivers, Thailand is beyond doubt an oasis in the hectic world. This lovely country is also blessed with natural wonders that make it an ideal base for ecotourism where visitors can have an experience with memories to last a lifetime. With this relaxing offer, visitors will enjoy an extraordinary chance to appreciate natural beauty and savor such exhilarating activities as nature study, bicycle tour, elephant safari, trekking, wildlife viewing and whitewater rafting, to mention just a few.

Spice
Thai food has a unique taste and flavor that makes the country the "Kitchen of the World". It is especially hot and spicy. Most of Thai food is prepared with indispensable ingredients including chili, garlic, lemongrass, fresh coriander leaf, limejuice, fish sauce and shrimp paste. Besides providing a sizzling and exotic aroma, Thai food that contains chiefly herbs and spices also exerts medicinal and curative properties. With their low-fat qualities, they help make Thai food one of the healthiest anywhere. One of the signature Thai dishes is the spicy shrimp soup tom yum goong. Those who have nibbled Thai food will long for it again and again.

Spa
This scenic country is conceived as the "Spa Capital of the World", where traditional therapy is ingeniously upheld as an alternative way to eliminate pains, toxins and harmful elements from the body. Spa has been a leading-edge therapeutic trend. Going hand in hand with tourism boom, it is presently flourishing in eminent tourist destinations. Spa confers a complete choice of treatments for a profound state of relaxation as well as physical and spiritual rejuvenation. These include general body scrubs, facial treatments, foot reflexology and traditional Thai massage, one of the world's oldest healing methods with substantial health benefits.

Swing
Amongst the most mesmerizing attributes of golfing in Thailand is a multiplicity of locations and surroundings in which the courses are located, making the country the "Golf Capital of Asia". There are many championship standard courses in Bangkok and around the nation all fitted with top-notch facilities, terrific signature holes and perfect maintenance to keep them international standards, enabling you to enjoy your swing all year round. Every course has its well-trained caddies and it is compulsory to employ one caddie for your round. Most of the new courses have fine accommodations on site plus leisure activities for the family.

Silk
Silk from Thailand has been popular around the globe. It has accentuated the fabric's stoic elegance. Silk is a natural filament made from the salivary glands of silkworms, a type of moth that feeds on the mulberry plants. Since a single filament is too thin to use alone, several threads are mingled to create a thicker and more durable fiber. Thai silk is different in colors from light gold to very light green. Good caliber Thai silk is woven on handlooms. The warp and weft are not of the same color, making Thai silk so exceptional in terms of color tones and blends. Wherever you buy it from, Thai silk is always a lasting keepsake and treasure.

Safety
Dwelling in Thailand is utterly safe and sound. The quality of life of the Thai people and travelers is now escalating to a gratifying level. Through the decisive administration of the Thai government, travelers can relish their vacations in the country more safely and securely. Targeting to endorse Thailand as a world-class destination, the government has strong willpower to tackle with all detrimental problems that may affect the tourism industry and to proffer budget tour packages to all types of travelers. Therefore, travelers are reassured that whilst here they can immerse in their pleasure to the fullest yet feel protected and secure.

Shopping
The Land of Smiles is a shopping paradise where dedicated shoppers can buy a wide variety of high quality products and services with special discounts. A unique shopping opportunity awaits visitors to bargain and purchase handicrafts, textiles, gems, jewelry, antiques and more contemporary wares. Shopping in Thailand can be marveled from high-end shopping complexes and department stores to bustling markets and high streets. In Bangkok, the famous shopping streets are strategically situated along MBK-Siam Discovery Center to Ratchaprasong Intersection as well as along Sukhumvit Road to Emporium Shopping Arcade.

Sea, Sand & Sun
A sanctuary for sea, sand and sun lovers, Thailand prides itself on a number of the world's most beautiful beaches and islands with pristine white sands, crystal clear waters and spectacular coral reefs. There are various things along the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea to suit your preferences. Fabulous beaches and incomparable marine environments have enticed a multitude of holidaymakers from around the world. They can pamper in superb accommodations, beachside bars and restaurants as well as an endless option of recreational activities like Phuket yachting, Andaman Sea diving, sailing, sunbathing and much more.

Villa Rentals in Spain in the Canary Islands - Perfect For a Winter Break?

Villa rentals in Spain in the Canary Islands are still a firm favourite with holidaymakers especially on the ever popular island of Tenerife. This may be because the authorities in Tenerife realised that many people who were booking holiday rentals in Spain were looking for a more upmarket holiday in Spain villa or apartment and they encouraged the development of this higher standard of accommodation. Recently money has been invested in attracting visitors who are looking for a golf holiday. This has been very successful as many people want to book a holiday in Spain villa here in the autumn and winter months when the weather is still very mild and the conditions are ideal to play golf.

In recent years the Islands have had a remarkable makeover and now have much more appeal to visitors looking to book high-class villa rentals in Spain in the Canaries. Since the Seventies the Canary Islands have appealed to British holidaymakers who were looking for an inexpensive winter break. Regrettably, this led to the building of many cheaply constructed hotels in a short space of time which blighted some of the resorts, giving them a distinctly downmarket feel. Back in those days hotel package holidays were really the only choice available as booking a holiday in Spain villa direct from the property owners was virtually unheard of.

Tenerife has changed over the last few years from a cheap and cheerful package holiday destination to a more select holiday spot where exclusive apartment and villa rentals in Spain booked direct with the private owners are much sought after. At the lower end of the market improvements are also being made as some of the unattractive concrete high-rise hotels which were built in the past thirty years are being pulled down. Thankfully they are being replaced with structures which are much more in keeping with their surroundings and the existing traditional villa rentals in Spain.

There has been a sharp increase in the number of people who are booking their own villa rentals in Spain in places like Tenerife as more people get access to the internet. Holidaymakers have realised that a package deal from a travel agent is not the only choice for their annual holiday and in these cash-strapped times booking your own holiday can save you money. You may also find that the standard of accommodation on offer for self-catering apartments and villas is far superior to what you could get for the same price in a hotel. Also by booking holiday rentals in Spain direct with the owners you get a more personal service.

Another area with many holiday rentals in Spain which has had a major refurbishment recently is Puerto del Carmen in Lanzarote. The infrastructure of this popular resort had suffered the impact of thirty years of package tourism and was looking worn around the edges. One of the main elements of this multi-million pound revamp is the development of the town harbour area into an upmarket marina with moorings for luxury yachts. Another important addition is the new golf course, only the second on the island, 'the Lanzarote Golf' which is a contemporary golf course, created by the well-known North American designer Ron Kirby. This is bound to encourage anyone wanting a golf holiday in Spain to book nearby villa rentals in Spain here.

Wat Sri Khom Kham of Thailand

Wat Sri Khom Kham is popular all around Thailand for its sitting Buddha image which is 17 meters tall and it has lap width of 14 meters. However, what really turns visitors' heads is the garden present within the compound of the temple. The sculpture garden gives a unique look.

Wat Sri Khom Kham is situated right at the shores of Phayao Lake in Muang district and it is said that the temple was founded after Lord Buddha, Himself, visited the site. The villagers of the area call the temple Phra Chao Ton Luang and hold a fair every year in the month of May.

Within the temple is a building known as Ho Thai Nithat. This building is where you can get to see all the antiques, local literature and the lifestyle of the people of the region, which is displayed using all the latest technology devices.

The sculpture garden is usually described as Heaven Hell Park. It is basically a collection of statues which portray heaven and hell. In Thailand, usually heaven and hell are portrayed through murals and painting. This is the only temple in the country where the sculpture garden is devoted to this theme. While the statues representing hell are quite monstrous, those representing heaven are serene and peaceful. But on the whole, the garden is a very peaceful place and one can just wander around or relax depending on what you feel like doing.

The temple is situated just one kilometer from the town and it takes just 15 minutes to get there on foot.

PurePoint Golf Instruction Golf Swing Lesson -- Full Swing Alignment

How many of you are convinced that you are hitting it offline because of the club face not being square at impact? Maybe you're hooking it or maybe you're slicing it.

I want to give you a little golf swing lesson that I think will help you a lot.

Grip the golf club like you normally would, and put it on the ground. Now raise it up in the air and make half a golf swing, or really, all the way back, and then stop.

Now, look at that club face. That club face should be perfectly square.

Now, here's a golf swing lesson in case you grip it off to the right a little bit. Alright. Now, maybe you're hooking the ball, but you're not paying attention to your grip.

Now that club face is closed, and that right there would tell me that you need to change your grip. Maybe you're slicing the ball and not paying close attention to my grip.

Okay, the club face is open. Then I would put it on the ground and turn it a little bit until it's square.

And if it's too far over to the right, put it on the ground and move your grip to the left.

This controls the face. Ninety percent of the time that's the reason the face isn't square.

So, if you're convinced that you're slicing and hooking and it has to do with the grip, the golf swing lesson is that all you have to do is hold the club in the air and take a little half-practice swing and see if the face comes back square.

Now, let me tell you what role the head plays because I have a golf instruction tip that is equally as important. You should not keep your head down throughout the entire swing. That would be just as wrong as if you were lifting your head up in the downswing.

So, there's a very fine combination of what the head should do. So, here we go.

As the golf club swings back, the head hasn't moved at all and your eyes are on the back of the golf ball. Now, in the downswing, as the arms unwind and the left hip starts to get out of the way, the golf club's going to swing to the bottom of the hip.

At that point, the speed of the right arm is going to start to pull you around.

So, the speed of the arms and hands are what pull you up and around. So, you can keep your head down as long as you like without forcing it down, and then the speed of the arms and hands coming past the golf ball turn you and pull you through.

So, here is the golf Teaching tip once again, keep your eyes on the swing back of the ball, arms up and down, and let the speed of the arms turn your head as you roll through.

Thanks, and I hope that helped you.

Copyright 2006 David Nevogt