Spotlight on Cambodia Cambodia is often visited as a part of a multi-destination journey including Thailand and Vietnam, and many people travel to Cambodia just to visit Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples and leave without knowing anything else about this fabulous holiday destination. Each part of the country has hidden secrets and offers completely different experiences. Peter Jones, Kumuka’s partner in operations in Cambodia wrote to us to tell us why people should consider delving a little deeper into this amazing country… “Take a long look of what a holiday purely in Cambodia can offer you. Get back to nature and see the famous Irrawaddy river dolphins and local tribes people; take a mountain walk by a crystal clear volcanic lake; swim under a cascading waterfall; go elephant riding or simply take time to relax on the sandy beaches and enjoy the fabulous seafood. Nowhere is this better symbolised than the majestic temples of Angkor, a timeless testament to the ingenuity of the Khmer people. Beyond Angkor lies the vibrant capital of Phnom Penh, gateway to the remote north-east, a land of hill tribes, wildlife and bold landscapes, and the south coast with hidden beaches and empty islands. Many of these destinations are unknown to the outside world, helping the visitor feel more of an explorer than a tourist. Cambodia will soon be renowned for its abundant natural attractions and empty beaches. The tourist infrastructure in Cambodia has developed tremendously in recent years, including the opening of quality hotels and restaurants and the upgrading of roads and transport links. Cambodia is more accessible today than at any time in the past and a journey here is a journey to a land of timeless grace and charm. I have lived now in Cambodia for a number of years. I have explored most parts of the world, but on arriving in Cambodia I instantly fell in love with the beautiful country and its people. I was amazed at how much there was to see and do but realised that the vast majority of visitors did not experience the 'real' Cambodia. At Kumuka we have four different tour suggestions to discover the best Cambodia has to offer: 1. Temples of Angkor 2. Hidden Dynasties 3. Cycle Cambodia 4. Cambodia Uncovered And if one of these doesn’t suit we are able to tailor the perfect holiday for you, by giving suggestions of what to see and to do and what part of the country to visit when, all depending on your interests; making sure you get the most out of your precious holiday time. We were also very proud that one of our specialist guides was used to assist Gordon Ramsay on his resent Cambodian Great Escape. I very much look forward to meeting you on your arrival in Cambodia and looking after your travel plans once you arrive. Please give us a call, be different and start planning your Cambodian holiday today! Peter Jones back to top

Family Adventures - Laos

Last month Meg Hall, Kumuka’s Head of Communications, went to Laos on a Tailor Made itinerary with her family. Read her story below.

France meets Asia in Laos and I have to say it’s rather an eclectic mix in terms of both culture and cuisine. Rather than completely fusing it feels as if the two work parallel in harmony with the occasional, subtle, cross over. Even though Laos gained independence from the French in 1945 the influence is prominent.

In Luang Prabang you still find fine French dining at its best (and possibly cheapest in the world) next to street stalls selling hot and spicy Laap and Laotian BBQs on the river bank. To say this part of the world is a culinary dream is an understatement. You could spend weeks simply getting around to all of the wonderful restaurants and street stalls and never tire of it. That’s just the beginning.

To continue reading head about Meg's family adventure click here

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On Demand Presentations

So you’re interested in travelling with Kumuka and want to see what our tours are really like? Why not check out our presentations online? With heaps of pictures and thorough explanations of how our tours run, you will be a Kumuka pro in no time! You can also view our Tailor Made presentation which is full of information on what our Tailor Made team can offer you. Check out our website (link to http://www.kumuka.com/presentations.aspx) to start watching!

Watch This Space - New Central America Tours

As of January 2012 Kumuka will have a new, more upmarket, Central America Program. You can travel from Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, as well as within Costa Rica. These tours will offer 3-4 star accommodation with the occasional cabin or lodge, and will use mostly private minibuses with some tours having a boat, ferry or domestic plane trip which is included in the price. We use Local Guides on these tours for their wealth of local knowledge and to give you a real insight into the areas you are travelling through. They will take you to sights such as Palenque Ruins, Teotihuacan, Chichen Itza, Tikal and Barton Creek Caves, all of which are included in the tour price.

These new tours will be live on our website soon, keep your eye on www.kumuka.com to be the first to view these new tours!

Looking to Get into the Travel Industry?

Kumuka Worldwide currently has a position in the Sydney office to assist our Tailor Made and Groups department. If you’re passionate about travel and tourism, have excellent verbal and written communication skills, competent in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, capable of working independently, and have outstanding attention to detail, then this could be the perfect start to the travel industry for you.

We are looking for an enthusiastic candidate who is currently studying, or has studied, tourism or a related field at TAFE, College, or University, and is available for a minimum of 2 days per week and for an ongoing period.

This is the perfect entry into the travel industry for anyone wanting to improve their industry knowledge and experience and who wants to work in a stimulating and rewarding environment. Check out our internship page for more details on the position and to apply.

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Travel Tip of The Month

Get Snap-Happy

Don’t hold back when taking photos. Take photos at different angles, using different settings and of anything and everything that interests you. Travelling to certain destinations is often a once in a lifetime experience and many travellers regret not capturing a special moment or taking photos with their travel buddies whilst on holidays.

Just make sure you have enough memory cards and always take a spare battery when travelling anywhere that may not have electricity to recharge.

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Ukraine Bound

Our Tailor Made department has been growing rapidly over the past few months so we have decided to keep you updated on the goings-on in the Tailor Made Department. Whilst our Sydney-based Tailor Made consultant Lisa has been off exploring Japan and the USA for the past few weeks, our London-based Tailor Made consultant Mark has been keeping busy creating dream itineraries for our clients all over the globe.

Mark is currently working on a trip for an architectural school to the Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The architectural school travels to “unreal and forgotten landscapes”, discovering destinations that most of us have only ever imagined, and they have chosen Kumuka Worldwide’s Tailor Made Department to create their perfect itinerary.

If you’d like Kumuka Worldwide to create a Tailor Made tour for you, go to our website or contact us for more information.

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Competitions & Promotions

Sounds of The Arctic Competition - WINNERS

Kumuka would like to congratulate the winners of our “Sounds of the Arctic” Competition - Bill Stankay and Orla McMahon. These two lucky winners both guessed the correct mystery animals and are now off to the Arctic on our North Spitsbergen Cruise where they will have the chance to observe magnificent wildlife including polar bears, harp seals, walrus, reindeer, puffins and the elusive Arctic fox.

Kumuka’s Travel Photo Competition

If you missed out on a prize in our Arctic Sounds Competition never fear… you could win a trip to the Antarctic, Europe or Peru by entering our new Photography Competition and being one of the top 3 entrants! To enter go to Kumuka's Facebook page and click on the contests tab. Upload a travel snap you feel best captures your favourite travel destination. Then tell us why this is your favourite destination (by leaving a comment under your photo once it has been uploaded).

You can make us laugh, or make us cry, but make us want to travel there! Your travel snap could be from the Top of Mt Everest or from your own back yard. It’s up to you. Good luck and happy snapping!

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LATE DEALS - up to 20% OFF

Check out the fantastic late deals on the following departures:

For more great special offers and late deals click here >

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There are no foreign lands. It is the traveller only who is foreign.

Robert Louis Stevenson - Novelist and Poet

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