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Suostei – Greetings from Southeast Asia! It’s 2020 and we’re hitting the ground running. Find out about our new AKP Philanthropy project where guests have a chance to give back and make a difference in Luang Prabang. Discover why Southeast Asia is being recognized for its impact through creativity and we also reveal our Top 5 favorite family getaways across the region. We also chat with one of the biggest stars in the Yangon dining scene.
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And a few words from our guests:
“We had a great time. Every member of staff we met, across three countries, were all top notch. We found ourselves well taken care of at every turn and felt like we had the "perfect" tour guide with us along each step of the journey.”
K. Sandor, clients of Brownell Travel, United States. Traveled to Thailand, Cambodia and Laos
Southeast Asia: Defining Creativity
A playground for boutique fashionistas, chic craft-makers and modern architecture – it’s not hard to understand why Bangkok, Thailand and Hanoi, Vietnam were recently inscribed into UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. Putting creativity and culture at the forefront of development, these top Southeast Asian destinations are seeing a surge in creative experiences, and cities across the region are following suit. Here are just a few of the ways to get creative with Akorn in Southeast Asia.
Bangkok, Thailand: Walk through a trendy old district where bric-a-brac boutiques meet trendy designer galleries. Stop by the Bank of Thailand’s old printing house reimagined as a creative space and learning center in a prime space on the riverside. Explore handpicked collector’s items such as wooden Ming Dynasty chairs, embroidered 19th-century fabrics and rare vintage clothing at ATT 19, a chic art and lifestyle hub run by an antique-dealer’s family. Then discover wearable art at ATTA, the specialists in contemporary art jewelry and design.
Hanoi, Vietnam:Meet local entrepreneurs who are shaping Hanoi’s creative scene, including a boutique that sources hand-made leather, ceramic and wood crafts from local makers across Vietnam. Stop by one of our favorite fashion houses to have your traditional ao dai (Vietnamese dress) fitted and cut to your style. Stroll through the Old Quarter where each street is named after the craftsmen traditionally found there, like “Paper Street” and “Silk Street” and see a street lined with various types of musical instruments, from old-world drums to electric guitars.
Mandalay, Myanmar: Gold leaf, jade, woodcarvings, bronze statues and puppets – this is the center of Myanmar’s age-old ritual arts traditions. Listen to the goldbeaters tireless chant as they pound gold into those tiny, thin sheets you may have seen at Buddhist temples across Southeast Asia. Immerse in the hustle and bustle of the jade market where merchants haggle for the most intricate pieces of the precious limestone-colored stone. Visit workshops of woodcarvers and bronzesmiths who create impeccable works of art and religious relics and don’t forget to catch a performance of yoke thé, the Burmese puppet theater, a tradition that dates back to the 15th century.
Chiang Mai, Thailand: Shop trendy bags and fashion, funky metal jewelry and custom bamboo furniture in Nimmanhaemin district - the “center of cool”. Soak up the vibes at a cozy neighborhood café and sip black ivory coffee - the world’s rarest and most exclusive brew, refined from naturally-harvested elephant dung. Black Ivory Coffee (aka elephant dung coffee) is the world's rarest and most expensive coffee. Hop on a bike to explore an exciting street art scene in hidden parts of the city and discover the rich tradition of hill tribe textiles.
Siem Reap, Cambodia: Cambodia is filled with a hidden diversity of art and design – you just have to know where to look! Take a break from temple-hopping to meet Khmer and international artisans in unexpected corners of the city. Browse fashion by a Madagascan-born designer who collaborated with the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Lacroix and feast your eyes on contemporary Cambodian pieces or international high-end art at the city’s leading galleries. Then stop by Kandal Village, a trendy street lined with galleries, boutiques, spas and cafes by local designers, including a chic lacquerware maker and a zen shop with psychedelic-colored Buddha statues.
Our Top 5: Getaways in Southeast Asia for Young Families
Where is your next family getaway? Here, in Southeast Asia, you will find the perfect balance of enriching cultural experiences and interactive, engaging and kid-friendly entertainment. From dedicated children’s yoga and cooking classes to active, locally-inspired activities and imaginative play spaces, these are our Top 5 picks for family-friendly destinations in Southeast Asia.
1. Luang Prabang, Laos
Get hands-on with crop-to-bowl rice farming and noodle-making at a family farm on the outskirts of Luang Prabang. Then get to know the rabbits, pigs and buffalo at a local dairy farm that works with local farmers to produce home-made yogurt, mozzarella, ricotta & feta cheese and various flavors of ice-cream, including lemongrass and coconut - all made with buffalo milk! Then head back to Rosewood Luang Prabang, a sanctuary hidden in the lush green jungle with a river running through it. With the hotel’s Rose Buds program, the kids are well looked after with a range of family fun cultural activities, including fishing and waterfall walks.
Engage in quality bonding time while discovering Vietnamese culture with your kids – make your own spring rolls, paint conical hats, fly traditional kites or engage in a daily schedule of kid-friendly cooking and craft activities at Anantara Quy Nhon Villas, nestled in an isolated cove along central Vietnam’s most exclusive beachfront. While in the area, hop on a bike for a leisurely ride into town and stop by the old home of the Tay Son brothers, two 18th-century Vietnamese heroes. Watch a demonstration of vo binh dinh, a local martial arts featuring bamboo sticks and 12 drums representing 12 different animals.
Live out all your tropical sun, sand and sea fantasies at Six Senses Yao Noi, an idyllic island sanctuary that is just a speedboat ride from Phuket. Feel at home in your chic one or two-bedroom villa that comes with a private pool and gorgeous views of the lush tropical greenery or sparkling blue ocean. Feed the goats and pluck fresh mushrooms at the resort’s organic farm or keep the kids entertained with a variety of watersports, rubber tree experiences, mangrove walks and cooking sessions. The best part is; 30 flavors of homemade ice-cream on tap from sunrise to sunset! For more engaging family moments, venture out for canoeing, snorkeling and island-hopping adventures in beautiful Phang Nga Bay.
Boat across the lake and visit hydro farms where the kids can discover their green fingers, learning from local farmers how to gather up lake-bottom weeds and turn them into floating gardens – perfect for growing tomatoes, cucumbers and various other vegetables. Then hop on a bike to explore nearby silversmiths and Shan paper-making workshops. Stay at Sofitel Inle Lake Myat Min Hotel where you can take a dip in the two swimming pools. Don’t forget to say hello to the Burmese cats at Inle Heritage Center, an organization that is helping to bring back a vanishing breed.
Take family getaways to the next level with a private yacht cruise through the East Indonesian archipelago. Rascal Voyages offers bespoke family-focused experiences with five spacious cabins and a full-service crew. Spend endless days and nights relaxing on board – the perfect time to catch up on quality time – and inspire your kids with the spirit of adventure. Explore the underwater world near the islands of Raja Ampat and the Komodo National Park where you can kayak across open seas, snorkel with sea turtles & manta rays and keep a lookout for the famous Komodo dragons!
One of the faces of Forbes’s inaugural list of 30 Under 30’s in Asia, Htet Myet Oo has created a cultural legacy that has transformed the way the world understands Myanmar and its food. We sat down with the young entrepreneur who, together with his partner, Isabella Sway-Tin, envisioned a new-meets-old dining concept that became the beloved Rangoon Tea House – a cherished part of everyone’s Yangon experience.
Q: What are your memories of Myanmar as a child?
A: I was born in Myanmar in the early 90’s, during a time of major unrest. Myanmar had shut down the universities for three years, so my parents, who are both doctors, decided to relocate to the United Kingdom. Though we struggled a bit on my dad’s income, we would come back to Myanmar whenever we managed to save enough money, which was about every two years. As a result, my childhood memories of Myanmar are associated only with warm and happy experiences. My very first memories of Myanmar were not in Myanmar at all, they were of my mom’s cooking and our storytelling dinners at home where we’d ask my parents about what life was like growing up. I was fascinated to say the least. I think that’s really where I started to fall in love with the association between eating and storytelling.
Q: What made you want to come back to Myanmar?
A: I decided as early as age 13 or 14 that I would move back to Myanmar one day. My dreams and goals have always been tied more with my emotions than with money or occupation. For me, the bureaucracy and status quo of a place like London felt restricting. I found freedom of expression in Myanmar and a chance to apply all the lessons that I learned at university and in life. It is ironic because I think many people would associate the opposite with Myanmar. Moving here was very much a decision I took myself, and something I’ve been extremely happy with.
Q: What was the inspiration behind creating an old-world tea house in modern-day Yangon?
A: In 2014 when we decided to open a restaurant. The F&B scene was a complete blank canvas and I loved that! There were no rules, no example to follow, especially when it came to local cuisine. A tea shop is exactly how I love to eat. It’s casual, it’s loud, it’s not intimidating and that to me is the beauty of it. So recreating that atmosphere in a restaurant space was something I really wanted to do. The food tells the story of the history of the country. The noodles, the rice, the salads, the soup dishes - there are not many eating institutions in the world that come close to the melting pot of culture quite like that of a tea shop.
I always tried to pictured Rangoon Tea House as a time machine - what would a tea shop look like today if the country had never closed down? After 50 years of lost time - which elements would remain, which elements would change? The cuisine would have evolved, but the sounds would remain the same. The setting would be less casual and more dinner-oriented because of the romantic association with dark wood and marble. That was my journey anyway.
Q: What is your favorite dish to cook and what is your secret to making it?
A: My favorite is the easiest! It is lahpet thoke - tea leaf salad. Traditionally, it’s made up of fermented tea leaf, double fried nuts, some chopped tomatoes and peanut oil. In essence, a base, some texture, some freshness and an oil to tie it together. So, at home we normally swap tomatoes for cucumber or zucchini, nuts for fried onions or cashews and peanut oil for olive oil. My mom used to make it with pesto when we ran out of lahpet growing up. I loved it.
Q: Where do you eat, shop and hangout in Yangon?
A: There are so many places I like to eat - I’d say that Burmese-Indian food is my favorite of the sub-cuisines and Cherry Mann is my favorite restaurant anywhere. They specialize in Muslim-Burmese food and their goats brain curry with biscuit paratha is my all-time go to food when I don’t care about being healthy! If I’m feeling really casual, there’s a famous roadside mohinga shop called Myaungmya Daw Cho up the road from my house. For a drink I love Rosewood hotel and also Gekko for cocktails. Ren BBQ on Sayarsan Road is also great for a laid-back dinner!
Q: What can we expect from Rangoon Tea House in the future?
A: We’ve got lots of things in the pipeline. We’ve just opened Nam Su, which is a modern Shan tea shop and cocktail bar, on Bogalayzay Road. It’s inspired by my family’s memories growing up in Lashio, in the Shan State. Growing up, I heard so many stories of the amazing house my parents lived in, the food, the conversation and I’m super happy to be able to celebrate those memories through Nam Su. As for Rangoon Tea House, we have a second branch opening in Golden Valley which will be three times the size of the current one. We will start dabbling in all day dim sum and it will also house a separate speakeasy on-site. So, look out for us in 2020!
Rangoon Tea House is one of our favorite venues in Yangon, Myanmar and it’s an easy stop to include on any Akorn journey.
This is no ordinary restaurant. Nestled on a side street in the heart of Luang Prabang, Khaiphaen is part of a Southeast Asian movement powered by Friends-International. Opening doors for the new generation, the organization works to upskill underprivileged youths and provides on-the-job training, particularly in the ever-expanding service industry.
“Akorn guests have the unique opportunity to meet and be inspired by this unique team of individuals”, Natasha Martin, AKP Philanthropy’s Southeast Asia Coordinator explained, “By taking part in our Banana Leaves for Laos experience, every guest makes a meaningful contribution to the Futures Program which helps source and secure reliable job placements for the restaurant’s trainees at the end of their restaurant training program”.
This experience offers the chance to spend time with the restaurant’s trainees and make traditional offerings – sticky rice and banana treats wrapped in banana leaves. Guests can offer these self-made banana leaf packets as alms to local monks during the next day’s early-morning almsgiving ceremony, a time-honored tradition that remains a quintessential Luang Prabang experience.
Guests who wish to create a bigger impact can make a contribution of US $500 via AKP Philanthropy. This donation will ensure post-training job placement for one trainee who will happily meet and thank the guest in person during their travels in Luang Prabang.
● Gaggan is back! After closing his much-hyped Top 50 restaurant in August last year, Chef Anand returns with the simply-named Gaggan Anand Restaurant. Expect the same mind-blowing gastronomic experience on a larger scale and with a 14-seater Chef’s Table thrown in for a more intimate twist.
● In Cambodia, the Angkor Pass has been extended to include the outlying temple of Beng Mealea while the third terrace of the iconic Bayon Temple is closed until further notice for research and stability tests.
● Travel in and around Myanmar continues to improve as upgrades to Bagan’s Nyaung U Airport will allow for more chartered planes to land as early as the end of this month, and the arrival international flights are expected in the not-too-distant future.
● The entrance fee to Bangkok’s famous riverside temple, Wat Arun or “Temple of Dawn”, has increased from US $2 to US $4 following recent improvements to safety and security measures.
Akorn Southeast Asia is closely monitoring developments of the new coronavirus which originated in Wuhan, China in late 2019. The virus has not been declared a global health emergency at this time, however, several governments are advising travelers to avoid any non-essential travel to certain areas of China. Currently, the virus has been detected in several countries around the world. At this time all services and operations in Southeast Asia are running as normal. As usual, Akorn recommends purchasing comprehensive travel insurance in advance. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
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