Talking Travel: Non-Stop to Angkor Wat on Air China
Talking Travel is the Beijinger's weekly travel guide to great deals, interesting destinations, and weekend getaways. Visit every Tuesday morning for the latest for the frequent flyer.
We've gotten a lot of feedback about last week's edition, with people saying they have already started to book for Spring Festival/Chinese New Year. That's good to hear.
A new Southeast Asia travel destination is about to hit the travel map for Beijingers: Siem Reap. Huh? Where? Well, Carmen Sandiego, Siem Reap is in Cambodia and better known as the gateway to Angkor Wat. Starting December 1, Air China will fly non-stop to Siem Reap from Beijing, at first twice weekly, then four times per week beginning January 1. This cuts travel time from Beijing to the Cambodian historical site by many hours. Previously, one had to fly either to Phnom Penh or Bangkok, then connect, or go by road from Phnom Penh, a six-hour journey. Cambodia offers visa-on-arrival or e-visa options for travelers of many nationalities; check here to see which passports qualify. Fares for the new flight are not yet available.
Siberia Airlines and Hainan Airlines announced a codeshare agreement last week. That will make it easier for travelers to Russia to book flights on either airline, and to earn frequent flyer miles on Hainan's program, Fortune Wings. Siberia Airlines (S7) operates Russia's second-largest air network.
New rules regarding the type of trips that Chinese travel agents are able to offer is already having an impact on foreign travelers heading abroad. New Zealand saw a drop in group travelers from China during the October holiday, but a rise in independent travelers. Some see this as a good sign, as independent travelers tend to stay longer and spend more.
We hope you weren't socked in in Harbin due to the air pollution there. Air quality may be having an effect on inbound travel in China, with foreign arrivals from January to September down by 5 percent.
More deals coming up next week. Until then, one road flat safe.
Look for more travel information from the Beijinger every issue in our Get Out column.
Image: Wikipedia.org
