In Focus: Family Fun - Southeast Asia Style!

Practice the art of making noodles in a local home, enjoy a scavenger hunt around the temples of Angkor or learn how to dress in a traditional Burmese longyi. Southeast Asia has plenty to offer with rewarding destinations and a range of fun and educational activities for children of all ages. Families can spend quality time together on an Akorn journey, engaging in cultural discovery and exploring amazing new worlds with loved ones. 

In Cambodia, kids can test their acrobatics skills at an exclusive workshop with Phare Circus, a non-profit organization providing local youths with an outlet for a career in the arts.

Or, head to Vietnam, where families can experience local life, learning how to fish the Vietnamese way in the Mekong Delta or experience being a farmer for a day, planting rice and ploughing fields with water buffalo in the countryside.

In Thailand, discover the world of traditional Thai puppetry. Together with a professional Thai puppet troupe, learn the fascinating traditional art during a private hands-on lesson.

Get in touch with one of our Destination Specialists to discover more fun, family-friendly ideas and experiences with Akorn in Southeast Asia and customize a tour to your family’s exact interests.

Back to top

Trending: New River Adventure in Northern Laos and Thailand

Traveling between Luang Prabang in northern Laos and the Golden Triangle, Gypsy is the newest addition to the Mekong Kingdoms fleet. Converted from a traditional rice barge, the private charter vessel takes guests on a two-night journey through some of the most incredible landscapes of the upper Mekong River, an area rarely visited by tourists.   A five-man crew service the well-appointed two-bedroom vessel, which features wood and thatched roofs that blend seamlessly with the natural surroundings.

Guests have a range of shore excursions to choose from including a visit to the famous Pak Ou caves and the botanical gardens as well as fishing, jungle trekking and mountain biking options.  On board, guests are equally well entertained with yoga classes, folk dancing, cooking and weaving workshops on offer.

In between exploring the cultural delights of this remote corner of the world, guests enjoy delicious local and international fare served by the on-board chef. There are also plenty of opportunities to relax on board in the well-equipped bar lounge, dining room or sun deck, or in the comfortable suites which offer unspoiled views from floor-to-ceiling windows.

Contact us for more information about cruising the Mekong River in Laos or our other river cruise adventures in Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.

Back to top

Our Top 5: Favorite Shops in Southeast Asia

1. Hla Day | Yangon, Myanmar

“Hla Day” means “beautiful” in Burmese and that is exactly what this non-profit social enterprise represents. Working directly with local artisans, disadvantaged communities and small business owners, Hla Day designs and develops quality hand-made items with a contemporary twist. The unique handicrafts capture the romantic colors and textures of Myanmar through the use of traditional skills and locally-sourced materials. All profits are reinvested to empower the artisans with business training and support and improve their livelihoods.

Hla Day is located on the famous Pansodan Road next door to one of our favorite Burmese restaurants, Rangoon Tea House. Guests can stop by on any Akorn excursion in Yangon.

Back to top

2. Eric Raisina Couture House | Siem Reap, Cambodia

A shining star in Cambodian couture, Eric Raisina creates stunning, one-of-a-kind fashion pieces featuring the use of natural fibers, organic textures and hand-made designs. The designer’s vivid and flamboyant flair is inspired by his Madagascan heritage infused with an unmistakable Cambodian flavor.  Style your wardrobe with items made by a fashionista who once designed fabrics for Yves Saint Laurent and collaborated with Christian Lacroix.

Visit Eric Raisina’s Couture House on Akorn’s Ethical Artisans of Siem Reap experience, putting the spotlight on Cambodia’s local arts, fashion and design scene.

Back to top

3. Ma Té Sai | Luang Prabang, Laos

Ma Té Sai is all about authentic products made by women living in remote areas of Laos. Founded and managed by Australian-born Emi Weir, the social enterprise and fair-trade organization connects local artisans with international markets, helping to preserve local traditions and cultural heritage. The shop sells a range of items from beautiful gifts, textiles and homewares that are all hand-picked from rural villages, farms and workshops from all over Laos.

Meet founder Emi Weir for a one-on-one chat to learn more about the life and crafts of women in remote Laos, arranged exclusively by Akorn.

Back to top

4. TanMy Design | Hanoi, Vietnam

The destination for embroidered fashion and household items in Hanoi, TanMy Design is the product of four generations of artistry.  The shop started out producing simple pillow cases and handkerchiefs carrying hand-embroidered messages of hope and love to soldiers during the war. It has since grown into one of Hanoi’s most fashionable stores, offering a range of local designer items include colorful jewelry, clothing and accessories, linens, homewares and more!

Located in Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter, TanMy Design can be easily combined with any Akorn excursion in Hanoi.

Back to top

5. Studio Naenna | Chiang Mai, Thailand

Bringing together skilled weavers, embroiderers and designers from various ethnic groups of Chiang Mai in northern Thailand, Studio Naenna creates high quality, environmentally friendly and sustainable products that reflect traditional culture combined with a unique and timeless quality. The studio was founded by renowned textiles expert, Patricia Cheesman, whose love and passion for local crafts led her to develop a unique fair-trade system that supports local women and preserves their unique culture and traditions.

Visit Studio Naenna and take part in a workshop led by Patricia Cheesman, learning how to make beautiful tie-die fabrics with Akorn’s Insider Access.

Back to top

The Insider: Nathalie Johnston, Director of Myanm/art, shares her vision of art in Yangon

Home to a burgeoning art scene, Yangon has recently adopted a new art space, which happens to be one of the oldest buildings in the city. Having been closed to the public for several decades and after witnessing several important historical events, the Secretariat building is now open to the public as a center for art exhibitions. We chat with Nathalie Johnston, Director of Myanm/art, who has played an important role in bringing art to the Secretariat.

How long have you lived in Yangon?

I left the US and moved to Asia to pursue art and language study in 2006. I have been traveling to Myanmar since 2009, but finally moved here in 2013. 

What do you love about your adopted home?

I am impressed by the people, the artists, the palm trees and all the colors, accurately depicted in the artworks and traditional dress of the people.

How would you describe the art scene in Myanmar?

Myanmar has a large and diverse art scene, but travelers and even those who live here are not often aware how sophisticated it is, mainly because what they see are commercial galleries and most artists have only just begun to self-promote online.

The creative capital for contemporary art is definitely Yangon, but Taunggyi, Inle Lake, and Mandalay also have good art scenes. Painting on canvas is forever trending in Myanmar, mostly because the torch-bearers of painting are greatly respected and often emulated. Artists of the younger generation are now experimenting with street art and graphic design, using dark humor to address tough issues like immigration, sexual orientation and politics.

Artists to watch: San Minn, Nge Lay, Maung Day, Zun Ei Phyu, Richie Htet, BART WAS NOT HERE, Wunna Aung, Htein Lin and Sandar Khine.

We love your new art project in the formerly abandoned Secretariat building in Yangon. What is the importance of the building and how do you see the venue developing in the future?

The Secretariat is the largest secular building in Myanmar. Though it harks back to the Victorian colonial era, this is not what makes it special. What really gives it strength is the fact that it is where the father of the nation and many founding cabinet members were assassinated, where independent Burma was founded, where the British flag came down for the last time, and where an elected government slowly lost its grip and power was handed over to Ne Win’s military regime. Forbidden ever since, the Secretariat is finally opening up to the public through events and outreach programs.

The way to make such a historical place public is to enable to people to use it for arts, education and entertainment. Any repurposing of a building of this size is enormously challenging, and the people of Myanmar feel deeply sensitive about what it should be or how it should be used.

My feeling is that a mix of cultural and commercial spaces is a good way to open the building up for public use. In addition, a museum and an education center to utilize the space for future generations would be a powerful combination.

What has been your role in reviving the Secretariat building and what it such a great venue for art exhibitions?

Pyinsa Rasa is a cultural organization comprised of five local groups - Wathhan Film Festival, Myanmar Deitta, Rough Cut, JAM IT! And Myanm/art. As the director and founder of Myanm/art, I was the catalyst to start negotiations to use the space on behalf of Pyinsa Rasa. We created an in-depth proposal for the management of the Secretariat Conservation Group to show how we could use the building and invite people to learn about Myanmar arts and different aspects of it - music, film, events, photography etc.

We raise money from donors and sponsors to curate exhibitions in the space. We bring in international exhibitions to share with the public. We sponsor school tours from outside of Yangon proper to visit the venue. We also organize and oversee concerts, events and short exhibitions so that as many artists as possible from Myanmar are using this building for something cultural.

The building itself is absolutely stunning. High ceilings and large windows bringing in natural light are ideal conditions for an art and exhibition space. But the history of the space and finding a new use for it is what makes it exciting for us.

Can you give us the scoop on upcoming exhibitions at the Secretariat?

We have many more projects we want to do and share, but for now there is one that really stands out. Opening on 7 July 2018, the Seven Decades exhibition, curated by Htein Lin and supported by Pyinsa Rasa will look at an older generation of well-known artists from Myanmar, featuring their works and examining the past 70 years of Myanmar’s history through art.

Since early 2018, the Secretariat building has been opened up as a new center of art in Yangon.  Contact us to incorporate a visit during a private excursion of Yangon.

Back to top

Bulletin News: Updates from the Region

• Thailand’s Maya Bay is closed from 1 June - 30 September for marine rejuvenation
• The new expressway between Ha Long Bay and Hanoi is expected to open later this year, cutting travel times between the two cities by almost half
• Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed for maintenance from 15 June - 15 August 2018
• Myanmar announces the opening its first Starbucks, to be located in Yangon’s Sule Square
• Bangkok restaurant, Gaggan, ranked fifth on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list
• Edelweiss to launch direct flights from Zurich to Ho Chi Minh City in November 2018

For more information about anything you have seen in this newsletter, please feel free to contact our friendly Destination Specialists in Thailand, Cambodia & Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Back to top