Life-changing Journeys

ABOUTAsia was founded with two aims in mind:

  • To provide visitors to Cambodia with memorable, meaningful travel experiences
  • To ensure that tourism provides a positive impact for the future of Cambodia's children

Founder's Story

Andy Booth, former investment banker, retired from the City of London and visited Cambodia as part of a family vacation. Struck by the poverty and lack of development so close to the luxury hotels housing visitors to Angkor, he resolved to make a difference: Andy founded a travel company to provide a sustainable source of income to support schools around Siem Reap.

Educating Cambodia's Children

In spite of its rich cultural heritage, the UNESCO-protected Angkor Wat and associated temples, Siem Reap is a poor rural province. Having built a school, Andy realized that ongoing support made more of an impact - the average annual budget for each child is less than 3 US Dollars (2010-11 Education Statistics, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport).

Andy Booth, Chris Smith, presenting new text books

Andy Booth & Chris Smith, Krosang Roleurng School

ABOUTAsia Schools now supplies children with books and stationery, uniforms, computers, classroom refurbishments and supports English classes through volunteer teaching assistants, and employed teachers. By the end of the school year in 2012, we supported over 50,000 children in nearly 100 schools.

Unique Experiences

Dinner at an Angkor Temple - or a country setting as the sun sets over the paddy fields; Lunch with a Khmer Princess discussing her life as an exile and return to her homeland, or a Khmer Rouge prison survivor; Exclusive access to nature reserves - walking with elephants or spotting endangered primates in untouched forests; Explore contemporary Cambodia - from lunch in a fishing village to rice wine with hilltribe hunter-gatherers; Sundowner drinks at one of our private spots - cocktails serenaded by cicadas by ancient Angkorian waterways; Get behind the scenes, meet more interesting people...

elephant washing at Elie project

Don't ride elephants - walk (and wade!) with them

Andy has always felt that travel should be about the special, unique experiences - a memory of the country that you take home and treasure. Cambodia has provided many such moments for the team - we came here, fell in love with the country, and stayed. We invite you to share some of our experiences.

The Team

We know that our itineraries are different - as an Oxford-educated scientist, Andy has recruited a talented team who look at things differently from old-style travel agents. We live here, and do the research to make sure you get the best experience possible. Expert local guides with Western Imagination, Professionalism and Quality Control: these add up to a perfect travel-planning team. Read our team blog to get an idea of what we are up to.

Reputation

We provide touring services for a growing portfolio of travel companies in the United States, Europe and Asia. Besides blogs and testimonials from our previous guests, read travel writers who have seem Angkor and Cambodia with us.



Cambodia travel information and Angkor Wat tour specialists ABOUTAsia are based in Siem Reap just 4km from Angkor Wat. At the heart of the organisation is a guiding research centre providing Cambodia vacation advice and industry leading tours planning.

 

Peerless service standards and local positioning have made us the tour operator of choice by international luxury travel groups and discerning independent travellers to Angkor Wat, Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

Cambodia travel and Angkor Wat information from ABOUTAsia