Rolling down the river

Rolling down the river

The Strand Hotel in Yangon, Myanmar, is to extend its renowned hospitality to the Ayeyarwady River with regular sailings of three and four nights between Bagan and Mandalay scheduled to commence in early January. Also known as the Elephant River, the Ayeyarwady flows through the centre of Myanmar and its banks are lined with hundreds of temples, stupas and nats. The Strand Cruise will moor in exclusive locations along the route: right by Old Bagan itself, as well as at the foot of one of the most ancient Buddhist monasteries on Sagaing Hill in Mandalay, and at a remote and picturesque riverbank for a private farewell dinner. The cruise is designed for 10 Deluxe Cabins, 13 Strand Cabins, 2 State Suites and 2 Strand Suites. The cabins, each with floor to ceiling windows and outdoor balconies, are tastefully decorated with Burmese craftsmanship and teakwood floors and furnished with pieces of original, local art. Each cabin offers an en-suite bathroom, complimentary Wi-Fi and international TV channels.

 

Flying high with “Ba Bao”

Scoot, Singapore’s low-cost carrier, has just taken delivery of its sixth Dreamliner, which is also Scoot's first 787-8. The smaller version of Boeing’s “game-changing” aircraft is named “Ba Bao”, Chinese for “eight treasures or eighth baby”. “Ba Bao” operated its first service on the Singapore-Sydney Route. The arrival of the first 787-8 coincides with Scoot carrying more than 200,000 passengers in a month for the first time. The current Scoot fleet comprises one 777-200, one 787-8 and five 787-9 craft. The B777 model will retire from scheduled service at the end of this month.

 

Lego for the kids

Le Meridien Hotels have partnered with Lego to offer a complimentary Welcome Amenity to children checking-in to any of the group’s more than 100 hotels and resorts worldwide. Just in time for the summer family travel season, children up to age 12 will be greeted with a complimentary Lego toy to enjoy during their stay and take home as a keepsake from their travels. The Lego Welcome Amenity is the first feature that will be offered in the brand-wide, multi-faceted Le Meridien Family programme, which will debut this autumn. 

 

On your bikes

Hong Kong is to host a major cycling event consisting of races, activities and a carnival. The Sun Hung Kai Properties Hong Kong Cyclothon will take place on October 10 and 11 and is being organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). Among the races are criterium races recognised by the Union Cycliste Internationale, which will be staged in Tsim Sha Tsui with professional cyclists from around the world taking part. There will also be races of different levels for cycling fans. These races will cover different parts of Hong Kong, including the 35 km Challenge Ride, which will see the iconic Tsing Ma Bridge opened for the first time for a cycling event and also allow participants to cycle around the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the tallest building in Hong Kong.

 

Land and connect

Pre-paid sim card vending machines are now available for foreign visitors to Japan at Narita International Airport, offering tourists and business travellers access to low-cost mobile data communications while in Japan. One machine each will be installed in the international arrival lobbies of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. In addition to NTT Com’s Prepaid sim for Japan for short-term use, the machines will offer smart phones, mobile routers, accessories and more. Touch panel screens in English or Chinese guide the user through the purchase procedure. Payment is via credit card, so there is no need to prepare Japanese yen cash. After making their purchase, users can register their name and birthday via either the machine’s touch panel or passport scanner to begin accessing the Internet immediately.