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Home, home on the range
Nothing wrong with playing cowboys and Indians in northeastern Thailand
PENSUK Great Western, a ranch resort in the Thai hinterlands 230km from Bangkok, brings new meaning to the phrase “East meets West”. While Americans flock to Thailand's beaches and temples, Thais (and many Hongkong Chinese groups) find American history exotic and rather quaint. Odd, but fair is fair.
In 1995, Mr Yuttana Pensuk built the core of the resort as a private Old West-style playground for family and friends. Four years later, he bowed to public pressure and started renting rooms to Thailand's wannabe-gunslingers.
For accommodation, guests can choose between Dodge City, cowboy rooms in the resort's main building and tepees. Dodge City looks like an Old West town, complete with bank, saloon and jail. Each facade, however, leads to a guestroom.
The “Indians” have their own village of tepees, airbrushed on the inside with stunning scenes of the American plains. Watch out for that charging buffalo! All in all, Pensuk has 33 guestrooms.
Activities include shooting (.22 caliber rifles), archery and horseback riding with staff in full cowboy and Indian regalia. Duels, we understand, are optional. The resort's hoe-down - Cowboys' Night Out - is every Saturday night. Yeee-haaaaw!
But authentic it's not: Indian tepees from the plains coexist with pueblo architecture from the American Southwest and totem poles from the Pacific Northwest. Also, the guests come for the atmosphere of the Old West, not its old-fashioned, rugged living conditions. All Pensuk rooms have airconditioning, bathtubs, cable TV and other modern amenities. And oh, there's a swimming pool, too - not quite a trough in the local OK corral. But for an unforgettable jaunt into Americana, Pensuk Great Westen is just about perfect - though you can't pay in wampum.
For reservations or more details, contact Pensuk Great Western (111 Moo 2, Thambon Nongtaka, Amphoe Soongnuern, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand 30380; tel: [66-1] 600-8056; fax: 267-5861; e-mail: wattana@pensuk.com; www.pensuk.com). Rooms are Bt2,350-3,600, per person, based on double occupancy, including breakfast, lunch and activities.
- By Amit Gilboa
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Calling gourmets
THE Singapore Food Festival 2001 and World Gourmet Summit are in full swing till 30 April. Highlights include the free Spice Oasis Little India (20-22 April) with music, dance and good eats, and Delectable Delights (6-8 April; Parco Bugis Junction), with some 30 stalls hawking street food from Beijing, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore. www.singaporefoodfestival.com
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Hongkong perspectives
SPLENDID Tours & Travel's Scenic Hongkong Panorama starts off with a 12-minute scenic helicopter ride, followed by coach ride to the south side of Hongkong island and lunch at Aberdeen's Jumbo Restaurant. Finally, cruise to Stanley and end the trip with a relaxing walking tour. (HK$880/person; six hours; Wed & Sat; tel: [852] 2316-2151; fax: 2312-2031; e-mail: tourdept@splendidtours.com)
An urban escape
CITY-BOUND? Find harmony with the Rejuvenating Retreats package (from US$345 double; through 31 December) at the Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur. Enjoy two nights' stay, daily breakfast, two Thalgo Life spa treatments and exclusive use of the fitness and spa centre. Tel: [60-3] 380-6299; e-mail: reserve-mokul@mohg.com
Three clicks, you're in
NORTHWEST Airlines' new, improved websites across the region make it easier to access flight schedules and frequent flyer details, with a design that enables consumers to access all features in three clicks or less. (www.nwa.com/asia)
Cushioned ear-wings
CHINA Southern Airlines' new PremiumEconomy class offers headrests with “cushioned wings”, personal televisions and increased aisle and overhead storage space, on Boeing 777 service between Guang-zhou and Los Angeles (priced under US$1,400, plus tax).
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You can see clearly now
KOREAN Air has started to install personal video systems and inflight phone services in economy class seats on some of its international longhaul fleet. All aircraft introduced after September will have PC power outlets in economy class.
Lufthansa longhaul
LUFTHANSA, with seven new longhaul connections this summer, is the first airline flying nonstop from Hongkong to Munich. To celebrate, the airline is awarding 5,000 bonus miles for economy class roundtrips (up to 20,000 bonus miles for three trips) and up to 10,000 bonus miles for first or business class, till 15 June. To qualify, register before you fly (www.lufthansa-greaterchina. com). The airline also flies between Berlin and Washington, and to Denver and Phoenix.
More travel with Thai
THAI has reduced its mileage requirements for award travel by up to 10,000 miles. To qualify for a free roundtrip ticket from Bangkok to destinations within 1,000 miles, ROP members now need 25,000 frequent flyer miles. (www.thaiair.com)
Winners in Korea
FOREIGN visitors to Korea have the chance to be among 2,001 winners of lucky draw prizes in the “Korea 2001” sweepstakes. Just fill out an entry form next time you pass through Gimpo or the new Incheon airport. Grand Prizes, drawn in December, include 20 business class roundtrip tickets and a Lifetime Holiday Prize, including three visits to Korea. www.2001visitkorea.com
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