For the past 13 years Conde Nast Traveler has been cherry-picking the best of the best– private travel designers worldwide who represent the best combination of expertise, access and value, selected on merit alone. This year ABOUTAsia Travel’s founder and CEO, Andy Booth, has been handpicked to be included in the most respected and trusted collection of specialists in the travel industry.
Cambodia’s Top Travel Specialist, Andy Booth
The temples and villages, lakes and countryside, of Siem Reap are virtually Booth’s backyard; he’s lived here for over six years. A degree in physics at the University of Oxford followed by a 15-year investment-banking career, Andy Booth retired from the City of London, first visiting Cambodia as part of a family vacation. Andy’s efforts are now concentrated on supporting rural education thorough tourism, with the aim of no less than changing the lives of the guests of ABOUTAsia and the communities where they travel. Andy’s forte is steering travelers so as to avoid the infamous crowds at the temple complex, enabling them to see Siem Reap as they’ve never viewed it before—alone rather than as part of a roving pack.
“The custom trip designers collected here represent the best blend of destination knowledge, insider connections, consumer advocacy, and value for your dollar that I’ve found in more than two decades of scrutinizing the travel industry for this magazine. They have the expertise and clout to get you the rooms with the best views and the savviest English-speaking guides, not to mention VIP perks. They have almost all been road-tested by Condé Nast Traveler readers, editors, or both. Of the more than 10,000 travel agents and tour operators who have tried to break onto this list since its inception 14 years ago, only a tiny fraction have made the grade—this year, 146 specialists. Getting into this group is, statistically speaking, tougher than getting into Harvard.”
– Conde Nast Traveler
Who needs a travel specialist?
“You’re planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip. You need everything to be perfect. You’ve scoured dozens of Web sites and travel forums, but you’re still not sure what the right itinerary is or how to guarantee flawless logistics and VIP treatment. You usually book your trips yourself, but this time you need someone with the local expertise and clout to get you the rooms with the best views, the savviest English-speaking guides, the free upgrades, and special access. In short, you need a clever advocate who will produce the maximum experience for your travel dollar. Sound like you? You’re in the right place.”
– Advice from Conde Nast on using a Travel Specialist
Avoid The Crowds
With over a million of tourists annually visiting the temples of Angkor, Andy has put his scientific background to good use, conducting extensive research and footfall counts to know when they are at their quietest. This offers ABOUTAsia’s guests the opportunity to avoid the well-trodden paths and typical timings of tourist routes, as well as clamber over crumbling ancient ruins that even some guides haven’t been to.
In-depth Country Knowledge
“Of all the places in the world, I choose to live here in Siem Reap”, says Andy. ABOUTAsia’s Head Office is located in Siem Reap with a second in the capital Phnom Penh. Andy and the ABOUTAsia team spends much of their time on the ground exploring little-known corners of the country, resulting in exceptional local intelligence that helps design creative tailor-made itineraries using firsthand knowledge. Hotels are also personally visited and rigorously inspected on a room-by-room level to ensure value for money as well as quality.
Unparalleled Access to People & Places
Being based just three miles from the wonder of Angkor Wat means Andy and the ABOUTAsia team are well connected. So whether you fancy kayaking the flooded forest of the great Tonle Sap Lake with a birding expert, having a discussion with a landmine specialist at the landmine museum, accompanying a renowned archaeologists on a remote jungle dig or learning to grow rice and weave thatch with local villagers in the countryside, Andy and ABOUTAsia know who to introduce you to.
Travel Changing Lives
Struck by the poverty and lack of development so close to the luxury hotels housing visitors to Angkor on his first visit to the country, Andy resolved to make a difference. ABOUTAsia Travel was thus founded to provide a sustainable source of income to support rural education in Siem Reap, with profits donated directly to the non-profit ABOUTAsia Schools, which to date supports the education of over 53,000 Cambodian children across 108 schools.
CONTACT US
For itinerary inspirations and travel planning advice contact our Senior Travel Advisors:
cambodia@aboutasiatravel.com
To speak to Andy Booth directly please first read the Conde Nast advice:
a.booth@aboutasiatravel.com
+1 914 – 595 – 6949
It is easiest to schedule a phone call with Andy Booth in advance via e-mail