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  2. Emirates Summer Special


    Emirates is reducing first- and business-class fares in the month of July. Available exclusively online, passengers can save up to 30 percent on fares from any of the airline’s four U.S. gateways, New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Houston (IAH) and San Francisco (SFO) to destinations in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Book by July 31 and travel from Aug. 1–Sept. 30.

     

     



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  3. Best Of Waldorf


    The Waldorf Astoria Collection Florida Keys properties are offering the Best Of Waldorf promotion. Through August, rates begin at $179 per night. With a stay of three consecutive nights, guests will receive a free fourth night. The offer is available at Casa Marina Resort and The Reach Resort. Children under the age of 18 will receive complimentary breakfast and a complimentary stay when in the same room as a paying adult.

     

     



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  4. Cabin Fever

    Popular wisdom says an aircraft
    by Beth Vrabel Six years ago, Alissa Dorman boarded a plane from her home in the Pacific Northwest for Arizona. It was her family

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  5. Mission Control

    One of the last U.S. cities to slip into recession and one of the first to emerge, Houston has a firm grip on its super-sized economy.


    by Sharon King Hoge Start off with

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  6. ’Round The World Promo


    In celebration of its 10-year anniversary, SkyTeam alliance is offering a promotion on its ’Round the World fare pass. Discounts are available between 5–30 percent. Book by Sept. 30, travel by June 30, 2011. The ’Round the World fare pass allows customers to travel on only one ticket anywhere SkyTeam’s 13 member airlines fly. Learn more here.

     

     



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  7. Summer In Rome


    Experience Rome with the Hotel Hassler Roma’s Summer in the City package. The promotion includes three-night’s accommodations, daily breakfast buffet, a massage for two at Amorvero Spa, complimentary Prosecco at Amorvero Terrace overlooking the Spanish steps, and one complimentary lunch for two. Through Sept. 9, a minimum stay of three consecutive nights is required. Visit the website.

     

     



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  8. Adrift in the Desert

    Leave Israel’s bustling cities to wander the ancient caravan routes of Negev.


    by Kim Foley MacKinnon Standing on the edge of the Makhtesh Ramon “crater,” I felt as if I had been transported to another world — the moon, perhaps, or some unnamed planet. It was hard to believe that less than three hours north by car was Tel Aviv, and even closer was Jerusalem. But once again, I was reminded that Israel is a small country, despite its enormous impact on the world. Only about the size of New Jersey, it makes venturing off the beaten path easy.

    My companions and I had left bustling Tel Aviv to explore a small part of the desert that makes up almost two-thirds of the country yet is home to only 10 percent of the population. Few tourists venture here. With the allure of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the Galilee, perhaps it can be a hard sell. But it’s so worth visiting. Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, was convinced that the desert was the key to Israel’s future, a belief so firm that he spent his last two decades here at Kibbutz Sde Boker; and he and his wife chose to be buried in the place he loved.

    Negev — meaning both “dry” and “south” — encompasses about 4,000 square miles and was once the heart of the ancient Nabatean empire, where the Nabateans plied their trade along the famed Spice Route, moving spices and incense (think frankincense and myrrh) from southern Arabia to the Mediterranean. The archaeological sites of Avdat, Haluza, Mamshit and Shivta, as well as the Negev capital, Be’er Shiva, incorporate a UNESCO World Heritage site. There is still a nomadic Bedouin population that lives in the Negev.

    Makhtesh Ramon, so mesmerizing to gaze at, is one offive so-called craters (actually geologic depressions) in Israel. The largest in the world, formed millennia ago, it is one of the biggest attractions of the Negev; and if you are going to run into tourists, this is the likeliest place. It’s not a crater at all, but a valley that is 25 miles long, 5 miles across at its widest point and about 1,650 feet deep. Fossils, rock formations and volcanic and magmatic phenomenon date back as far as 220 million years. Ocean once covered this area. The crater formed when climatic forces dictated change. As we walked the rim, we saw a rappelling lesson going on nearby, just one of many adventures to be had here.

    The Ben-Gurion gravesite is perched over the Nahal Zin, or Zin Valley, yet one more surreal vista that begs to be explored. We spotted ibex hopping around; apparently they are plentiful but easy to miss, as they blend into the desert landscape. The best way to discover the region is to get out of your car and wander on foot, bike or camel, Bedouin-style. My group booked a Jeep tour to take us deep into the valley, then we ditched our ride to hike, finally arriving at a spring where several of us took the plunge to cool off after a dusty journey. On the return trip, our eagle-eyed guide stopped the Jeep and pulled out a telescope to show us Griffon vultures nesting in the cliffs. We didn’t see another human soul until we were closer to the park entrance and a campground where two groups were setting up for the night. I was envious of the solitude and magnificent night sky they were going to enjoy, but I also knew I had a treat in store. We were spending the night at Carmey Avdat Farm, a winery and zimmer (bed and breakfast).

     

     



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  9. Wildest Dreams

    Trek deep into the heart of Borneo to discover its untamed treasures.


    by Richard Newton In the dark, at 3:30 a.m., we have to remind ourselves this is Borneo. The island

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  10. Save At 12 London Hotels


    Available between July 23 and Sept. 5, the 12 Radisson Edwardian hotels in London are offering a summer promotion. The offer includes deluxe accommodations, daily breakfast for two, 25 percent off dining at each hotel restaurant, a bottle of Prosecco and strawberries, a picnic blanket, free WiFi and afternoon tea (Radisson Edwardian Hampshire Hotel only). Call 800 333 3333 or click here. Reference offer code SUMMER.

     

     



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  11. Lufthansa

    Business Class
    Frankfurt (FRA) to Newark (EWR)
    tel 800 645 3880


    by Ron Bernthal Sitting in Lufthansa

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  12.  

Private Customised Tour

Getting There & Away | Siem Reap | Cambodia

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Getting There & AwayThe majority of visitors to Siem Reap arrive by air from Phnom Penh and Bangkok. There are also regular flights from Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City and Vientiane. See the airline list below. Visas are available on arrival at the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh airports. From Phnom Penh, there are also daily boats and buses going to Siem Reap. Some visitors make their way to Siem Reap overland from Thailand via the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing.

Siem Reap Airport Tax
Airport Departure and Arrival Tax: Domestic: US$6. International: US$25

Siem Reap Airport:
The airport sits 6km from town, close to the temples, occasionally affording spectacular views of Angkor Wat during landings and take offs. Outside the terminal is a ticket booth for registered taxis into town. Independent taxis and motorcycles wait just outside the airport. The price is the same for both: motorcycles are $2 and cars are $6-7 into town. Most hotels offer free transportation from the airport but you must notify them in advance of your arrival.

Siem Reap Ferry Dock:
The ferry to Siem Reap arrives at Chong Khneas near Phnom Krom, 12km south of Siem Reap. There is always transportation waiting at the dock. Mototaxis charge about $2-$3 and cars $6-$7 for the 20-30 minute ride into town.

Air:
Siem Reap Airways offer several daily flights to/from Phnom Penh. http://www.siemreapairways.com; another cheap opportunity is http://www.airasia.com; or www.laoairlines.com

River Ferry:
Daily ferries ply the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The end of the trip is marked by a hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap. During the dry season, the ferry stops short of the dock and passengers transfer to smaller boats to traverse the final few hundred meters.
Ferries depart 7am daily from the Phnom Penh Port on Sisowath Quay. Ferries depart Siem Reap daily at 7am from the dock at Chong Khneas. Passage is around $18-$25 and should be purchased a day in advance (251km, 4-6 hours). Drinks are sometimes available. Tickets can be purchased through hotels and travel agencies cheaper than at the ferry offices. Though generally safe, these ferries are ‘local transport’ and have experienced breakdowns, groundings and other difficulties. Travel is best during the wet season (June-November). Dry season low waters can mean smaller, less comfortable boats and occasional groundings.

Buses:
Several guesthouses, travel agencies and bus companies offer daily bus transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. It is a smooth 314 km, 5-7 hour trip. The bus makes usually two stops along the way (at Skun and Kampong Thom). All charge the same, $3.50 (14,000R) one-way. The earliest buses depart starting at 6:30am and the last buses between noon and 1pm.

GST: Phnom Penh bus station near the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey (Central Market).

Phnom Penh Public Transport Co.: Phnom Penh bus station near the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey (Central Market).

Share Taxis:
Local share taxi depart from southwest corner of Central Market in Phnom Penh for 25,000 riel per person (5-8 hours). A private taxi costs you US$38-$45 for the whole car. 5-6 hours. (Due to rising fuel costs, prices are in flux.)

Motorbike Info to Siem Reap:
The road to Siem Reap is in good condition, but driving in Cambodia is still challenging in the extreme, and should be attempted only by experienced riders. Speeding taxis, slow cows, and oblivious children are the norm. The trip calls for a dirt or road bike, no smaller than 250cc. It can be made in a day, but two days with a layover in Kampong Thom is a more relaxed alternative and allows time to visit the pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk.

Leave Phnom Penh via the ‘Japanese Bridge’ and follow National Highway No 6 north 75km to the Skun intersection. (Skun is known for its exotic foods - check out the fried spiders, turtle eggs and more at the roadside stands.) Bear left and follow the NH No 6 to Kampong Thom - about 2-3 hours. In Kampong Thom, the Arunras Hotel (062-961294), Stung Sen Royal Hotel (012-309495) and Mittapheap Hotel are all decent mid-range places. Arunras Guesthouses and Restaurant next to the hotel is the place to eat cheaply. From Kampong Thom to Siem Reap the trip takes another 2-3 hours.

 


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