As a postscript to our Young Adults Put Muscle Behind Fundraising for the Sangkheum Center in Siem Reap, Cambodia article, the following is a brief report from Thomas Holdo Hansen, the whl.travel local connection in Siem Reap.

Bota (bottom), Jo (right) and Dayvy of angkorhotels.org prepare to set out with the young adults of the Sangkheum Center on the fourth annual Angkor Wat Bike Race and Rally in Cambodia

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Posted under Cambodia, General, countries, responsible organisations

By Ethan Gelber

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Most travellers first learn of Siem Reap when they start planning a visit to the famous Cambodian World Heritage Site that includes Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is, of course, a stunning 12th-century temple and the best-preserved structure of the Angkor Group, a wide-reaching jungle-thick area of hundreds of incredible monuments. It is, for many, a highlight of any trip through Southeast Asia. And on 5 December 2009, it will be centre stage for the fourth annual Angkor Wat Bike Race and Rally. [Editor's note: Don't miss our postscript and fundraising update following the events of the day.]

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument ever built, is the backdrop for Siem Reap's fourth annual Angkor Wat Bike Race and Rally

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Posted under Cambodia, General, countries, responsible organisations, whl.travel newsletter

By Ethan Gelber

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On 27 September 2009, the world commemorates World Tourism Day for the 30th time. World Tourism Day is an annual focus on tourism-themed events identified by the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the Executive Council of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO). It is hosted each year in a new country.

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Posted under Brazil, Cambodia, General, Ghana, Madagascar, Mauritius, countries, responsible travel news

By Ethan Gelber

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The results are in and the veil has been lifted on the top finalists! The entire whl.travel network congratulates NatureAir, PEPY and Wikiloc for their well-deserved rewards and recognition in the Geotourism Challenge 2009, to Ger to Ger, Context Travel and Cobati (Community Based Tourism Initiatives) as recipients of the first Urban Adventures Prize, and to Ger to Ger, Cape Race and RiverIndia for the scholarships they’ve won as part of the Tourdust Scholarship.
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Posted under Cambodia, Canada, General, India, Mongolia, Spain, USA, Uganda, awards, responsible organisations, responsible travel, responsible travel news, whl.travel news, whl.travel newsletter

By Laura Pepper

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I had no idea that a trip with PEPY would have such an impact on my life. Well, actually that’s a slight lie. The friend who had recommended the Cambodia-based NGO to me had warned that it would, but I didn’t quite believe it. After all, I had volunteered before, I had travelled Southeast Asia before and I had been working with children for two years. What possible magic formula could PEPY bring to the mix? I found out during a 10-day Golden Week PEPY tour in rural Cambodia.

PEPY participants with Cambodian kids

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Posted under Cambodia, General, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Awed by its grandeur, don't overlook the details of Bangkok's Grand Palace

With the recent launch of hotel- and tour-booking websites for Bangkok (www.bangkok-hotels-link.com) and Pattaya (www.pattaya-hotel-link.com), whl.travel has taken another frog-leap forward toward becoming the leading travel-booking service in the Greater Mekong area.

Bringing to 25 the current total number of whl.travel destinations in the region, the website for Bangkok – a vital travel gateway – joins six other sites in Thailand (Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Phuket and Sukhothai), four in Laos (Champasak, Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng and Vientiane), three in Cambodia (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville) and a total of 11 across Vietnam (including Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Saigon and Sapa).

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Posted under Cambodia, General, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news