ABOUTAsia in the Media

"On my last night, I have dinner at Villa Chandara, a country restaurant just outside the center of Siem Reap, with Andy Booth, founder of the bespoke travel company About Asia Travel and a resident of Siem Reap for the past 12 years."

"We enjoyed a truly bespoke experience courtesy of our gracious host, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and our guide, ABOUTAsia Travel."

"Cambodia's leading authority on private, tailor-made tours, AboutAsia Travel, who hold all the keys to unlocking the secrets of this enigmatic country..."

"When Andy recommends a dish in a restaurant, it´s because he ate there on Wednesday and it was superb—not because it won some award a year ago. He holds the post of British Honorary Consul and wrote the well-regarded Angkor Guidebook, a coffee-table-worthy tome. "

"Kep is a popular seaside resort in the South East of Cambodia. It was the height of fashion for French colonials and Cambodian high society to have a property here during the colonial period in the 60s."

"Andy Booth, founder of ABOUTAsia, is author of The Angkor Guidebook - Profits of the books support local children's education"

"The company also offers unique and memorable experiences, including sunset cruises on the moat at Angkor Thom, breakfast picnics on..."

"From shrines to skyscrapers: Duncan Madden explores how fast-paced change is tempering memories of Cambodia's tumultuous past."

"We saw Angkor Wat with a guide from Andy Booth’s admirable company AboutAsia, committed to avoiding the crowds while seeing the best."

"Enter AboutAsia's new tours: timed to avoid the busiest hours, they'll steer you behind the scenes on special-access visits by archaeologists."

"The Cambodian specialists, they can help you set up your holiday or honeymoon, including accommodation and tours, in Cambodia. ABOUTasia Travel will personalise your trip itinerary, with sensible advice that only local people would think to give."

"There´s never any substitute for being on the ground — and going to Angkor Wat is, like being in Venice, one of the experiences nobody has ever been disappointed by."

"www.ABOUTasiatravel.com The Plantation Urban Resort.A colonial-style hotel, situated behind the Royal Palace in the historical centre of this vibrant city."

"Finalmente i ragazzi sono grandi per andare insieme ad Angkor e le aspettative non sono state deluse. Abbiamo approfittato di questo viaggio per visitare bene Bangkok e per goderci un po' di mare a Koh Phangan."

"Andy loves putting his perfectionism to work in making picture-perfect tours."

"The new holiday trend is all about immersing yourself in the local community."

"His specialty is tailoring itineraries to avoid crowds at the temples of Angkor and hiring extremely knowledgeable, English-speaking guides."

"AboutAsia is all about community involvement, celebrating local hidden gems, preserving Cambodia’s natural beauty and, most importantly, providing education to underprivileged children."

"As awe-inspiring as the enduring temples surrounding Siem Reap are, history tells us that they’re pale shadows of their former splendor. That’s why The Angkor Guidebook, written by Cambodia-based British expatriate Andrew Booth, is so compelling. Designed as a pocket companion for first-time visitors."

"'The Angkor Guidebook: Your Essential Companion to the Temples,' published by About Asia Travel, features digital recreations of the temples and cityscapes as they stood centuries ago, with gilded facades and refined carvings..."

"The Angkor Guidebook is a visual feast; Andy has brought the history of the temples to life..."

"Angkor Wat is not only the largest religious structure on Earth, it´s one of the busiest, with more than 2m visitors every year. Andy Booth, chief executive of the not-for-profit tour operator About Asia, is a..."

"Many travel companies have sister foundations that will put your donations to good use; now an increasing number are taking it a step further and committing profits to such projects. Cambodia focused tour operator AboutAsia, for example, profits proceeds to schools and education initiatives around Siem Reap."

"Now, Andy has created one more thing to celebrate: a guidebook on Angkor Wat, which traces the history of the UNESCO World Heritage site and profiles more than 20 temples with detailed yet succinct descriptions."

"Ever wondered what the magnificent yet now severely weather worn temples of Angkor Wat would have looked like in their heyday? A brand new book, The Angkor Guidebook helps visitors do just that. "

"Ever wondered what the magnificent yet now severely weather worn temples of Angkor Wat would have looked like in their heyday? A brand new book, The Angkor Guidebook helps visitors do just that. "

"Take your mind off Christmas completely with a jam-packed break with ABOUTAsia. The private tour starts with the ancient capital of Angkor and its modern-day equivalent, Phnom Penh."

"Siem Reap still exudes the sleepy charm of old Indochina and as the gateway to the ancient temple city of Angkor Wat."

"What visitors see now are temples that have been work for many year through The Angkor Guidebook."

" The Angkor Guidebook is more than just a book, it’s an experience and a tome that will be handled as well as read because of the intriguing virtual reconstructions it contains."

"Angkor Wat half-marathon on December 7th. This year, 3,000 runners will take part - and you can be one of them as part of a seven-night package... Profits will go to charity."

" ABOUTAsia knows how to avoid the crowds at the temples of Angkor, so a private tour with them is a must. Get a little more off the beaten path with Indochine Exploration..."

"Want an off-the-beaten track experience that you won't find in guidebooks?, ABOUTAsia Travel, a Cambodia travel specialist, Can help with this..."

"His specialty is tailoring itineraries to avoid crowds at the temples of Angkor and hiring extremely knowledgeable, English-speaking guides. Please read on Page 11."

"Local knowledge is key. My team and I live and work here in Siem Reap... If I recommend a restaurant or spa it is because I have tried it in person and thought it was great – not because I read it in a guidebook."

""塔內寺�的篤篤早�車是特別安排，為旅程增加樂趣。"

"If you want to get the most out of your trip—and avoid the crowds—check out AboutAsia travel’s customized itineraries, [with] unique and insightful excursions around Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and more."

"...have your guide take you to one of the quieter temples in the forest, or around the moat of Angkor Thom, and enjoy the serenity and late afternoon light after the crowds have left for home."

"To beat the huge crowds, navigate the immense temple complex and see the true gems, you need an expert like Andy Booth, Condé Nast Traveler’s Top Cambodia Specialist for 2013. Andy’s company creates custom itineraries to Cambodia’s most incredible places with top guides like mine, the fantastic ‘Bon’."

"Wer an eine Reise nach Kambodscha denkt, meint Angkor. Die Tempelanlage zieht massenhaft Touristen an. Dennoch ist es möglich, ihre Magie zu erfahren. Da nahezu alle Touristenschwärme nach derselben...festgelegten Zeit- und Routenplanung durch die Tempel geschleust werden...lässt er seine Guides die Touren genau um dieses Gedränge herum planen."

"To see this complex without fighting your way through a mob scene, you need an expert—and luckily I had one. Andy Booth, a former London trader whose immense success in that field allowed him an early retirement and a move to Cambodia, created the company ABOUTAsia Travel to offer creative custom itineraries to the Angkor complex..."

"Based in Cambodia, ABOUTAsia ... aims to provide visitors with memorable, meaningful and tailor-made holidays, while ensuring that their travels improve the lives of the local children through education..."

"Hankering for a new and exotic Asian adventure without sacrificing the important things in life like retail and cocktails? Well, we’ve rolled two amazing countries into one guide to double your pleasure..."

"When founder Andrew Booth learned how few tourism dollars from foreign-owned companies stay in Cambodia, he resolved to mend a broken system. All of his tours’ profits go toward funding rural schools in the Siem Reap province—108 so far, with 53,000 students."

"Instead I meet Andy for sunset drink...For much of it, we're the only ones on the water...If there was ever a case for choosing the road less travelled, this is it."

"Even more impressive, though, are his offerings beyond the temple tours: biking the wall of Angkor Thom and through forests and rice paddies, kayaking in a flooded forest then lunching in a riverside home, and taking a moonlit boat ride in the moat surrounding Angkor Thom. Bonus: His company’s profits go toward educating more than 50,000 Cambodian children (and counting)."

"Visit Cambodia's number one tourist attraction, Angkor Wat, with the average tour guide and you'll probably leave the UNESCO World Heritage Site with your head swimming in dates, dimensions and unpronounceable names of kings. Jaya-who?"

"Many things about his travel company set it apart from other operators. For starters, profits are ploughed back into Cambodia’s under-resourced education system to give thousands of children a better start in life."

"This royal capital city is often cited as the birthplace of the Angkorian era. But these were the early years of the empire, and we realise we have still a lot to learn about their origin and culture."

"What kind of skill set does it take to discover a 1,200-year old city hidden in the Cambodian jungle? It doesn’t hurt if you are a professional map-maker, land mine expert, and dirt bike addict as I learned from Stephane De Greef, a full-time explorer and part time tour guide that Siem Reap specialists AboutAsia Travel set me up with on my last trip to Cambodia."

"While guidebooks offer tips such as rising before dawn to beat the crush, AboutAsia uses surveys of pedestrian traffic patterns, tools such as Google Earth and Booth's own experience during a decade spent traveling and living in Cambodia to help clients outwit the tourist hordes."

"Being touted as Thailand 50 years ago, the 60-odd islands of Cambodia's south coast are near-pristine. With new flights linking Sihanoukville to the Angkor Temple hub town of Siem Reap, this is a destination on the up..."

"19. Don't Drop Angkor - You can find a semse of discovery & mystery on a new avoid-the-hordes tour from specialist outfit ABOUTAsia..."

"If all this makes me sound smug, that's probably because I felt it: as a tourist it's always pleasing to swim against the tide. ..."

"In the latest of our series on ultimate journeys, Michelle Jana Chan offers a smart way to see Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple minus the crowds..."

"How to do it? ABOUTAsia travel offers stays in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, which includes a visa, transfers, guided tours of Angkor, and entry fees. A two-week tour of the same cities plus three days at a four-star hotel on the coast, a driver and transfers is also available..."

"ABOUTAsia is committed to showing guests around Cambodia's top attraction without crowds but that's not their only USP. ABOUTAsia is also one of Cambodia's key innovators in the field of philanthropic travel, donating profits to an education company that currently supports 51,000 Khmer kids..."

"I spent my first day at the temples with a guide from AboutAsia, owned by British ex-pat Andy Booth. While it's essentially a luxury tour operation, staffed by Siem Reap insiders, it was conceived to establish & bankroll its own local schools..."

"I spent my first day at the temples with a guide from AboutAsia, owned by British ex-pat Andy Booth. While it's essentially a luxury tour operation, staffed by Siem Reap insiders, it was conceived to established & bankroll its own local schools..."

"As the massive influx of camera-toting tourists makes it quite a challenge to find one's footing at Angkor Wat, follow the Oxford-educated scientists behind ABOUTAsia travel away from Angkor's well-trodden path..."

"Beyond the time-etched temples of Siem Reap, is a less visited world of Miami-style townhouse hotels, design boutiques and modernist villas - all within reach of the virgin islands of the south. ABOUTAsia can tailor a bespoke itinerary similar to the above..."

"It's dry season in Cambodia, when humidity drops and tourist numbers soar - a time when the resourceful guide will try to flee the crowds and find a novel route into the temples. With visitor numbers to the Angkor temples rising, these days a successful visit is all about timing..."

"Cambodia is so much more than the magnificent temples at Angkor, as a bunch of funky new openings is busy proving. About Asia Travel can arrange cross-country packages, including private-jet transfers and sightseeing tours..."

"Those seeking to cast off their recessionary concerns and bask in a little luxury will find new pockets of exclusivity in 2012 - notably Song Saa, a retreat that will bring the five-star stylings of the Maldives to the Cambodian side of the Gulf of Thailand. Stay a week full-board with ABOUTAsia Travel..."

"ABOUTAsia Travel offers a six-night trip combining The Plantation and Siem Reap's Shinta Mani, including private transfers and guided tours of Angkor and Phnom Penh..."

"Grab a discount luxury stay at Cambodia's first ever island resort. Combine with Angkor; stay nine nights full board in Song Saa and five nights in Siem Reap with ABOUTAsia Travel, including all transfers, VIP visa service, and private guided tours..."

"Cambodia specialist ABOUTAsia Travel has teamed up with the Sam Veasna Center (a sustainable tourism NGO) to run the Cambodia Super Tour special-access wildlife trip. Visiting several private reserves, and accompanied by local villagers who have been trained as guides, you'll have the chance to spot a multitude of animals. A rare opportunity to experience Cambodia's wild side while supporting local projects..."

"AboutAsia Travel offers a six-night itinerary staying at The Plantation and Shinta Mani..."

"For the next three months (Song Saa) is offering a major discount, so if you are going to splash out on a once-in-a-lifetime week of luxury, now is the time to do it..."

"Cambodia has escaped its troubled past to become Southeast Asia's most vibrant country..."

"If you fancy a trip to the Far East, 2012 is the time to do it & Cambodia is tipped as the next big beach destination. A whole host of new luxury hotels opening in late 2011 confirms it's nearly ready to be placed on the A-list hotspot map..."

"If you are a first time visitor to Siem Reap & Angkor, check out AboutAsia, a luxury private Cambodia tour agency..."

"Our minibus and guide are from the locally based company ABOUTAsia, which ploughs its profits into funding local primary schools for disadvantaged children..."

"September is a canny time to tour the country. Hotels are still priced at low season rates, tourists will be sparse and the countryside will be lush and attractive after the monsoon period..."

"Cambodia travel specialist ABOUTAsia is offering a private boat trip between Siem Reap and Battambang, taking a leisurely look at South East Asia's largest freshwater lake, the Tonle Sap..."

"Knowing how to avoid crowds at Angkor's temples turns what could be a bewildering experience into one that's breathtaking, and it is made possible by Bunchhay, our expert guide from ABOUTAsia..."

"Specialist touring company ABOUTAsia Travel guides travellers away from the tourist crowds. So we asked founder Andy Booth to share the lesser-known treasures of the Angkor..."

"To get the best out of the major sites, some cunning herd-avoidance strategies are needed..."

"Cambodia is often ignored over neighbouring Thailand which means that the country boasts many more unspoilt beaches..."

"Song Saa is exciting because it mixes pure-shores escapism with an admirably eco-friendly attitude. ABOUTAsia Travel has a full-board week from..."

"The cost to the volunteer of some projects can be equal to a flashy holiday in the Maldives. But not all. ABOUTAsia Schools is a non profit organisation and does not charge its volunteers..."

"The former French colonial town of Kampot offers a taste of old Indochina. Go this year before a new casino and golf resort change it forever..."

"Each year more than a million tourists visit the temples at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. It is one of the world's greatest religious monuments and the area is becoming increasingly congested. But if you are in search of rest and reflection, the country is blessed with hundreds of other temples - some of which rival the mystery and majesty of Angkor..."

"Specialist tours of Angkor and Beng Mealea can be organised through ABOUTAsia travel, whose expert guides specialise in the art of avoiding the throngs..."

"When you lose the crowds, a visitor can feel just a little like Henri Mouhot, the French naturalist who came upon Angkor in 1860 when the complex was still under a canopy of equatorial forest..."

"Tours to the villages of the Tonle Sap lake, with knowledgeable and language-skilled guiding, is offered by «About Asia Travel», a company in Siem Reap, that gives its profits to the building of schools..."

"The only company was the guide and driver, two sweethearts under a tree 200 meters away and half a dozen docile water buffalo grazing in the golden water. Truly a spectacle of nature..."

"To stay ahead of the pack, (Andrew) Booth pays his guides to spend a half-day every week researching new sights, routes, and seasonal specialties, all in the quest for spice notes..."

"Andrew J. Booth, president of Siem Reap-based tour operator ABOUTAsia, who started taking clients to Beng Mealea in 2005, just two years after the ruins were thoroughly demined..."

"...we planned our trip using the travel agency, ABOUTAsia... What we found over our five-day trip was a safe country, rich in culture, history and spirit..."

"...hire a quick-witted guide who can snake you in and out of temples without getting tangled with tour bus crowds..."

"...thus began the other-worldly soundtrack that matched Angkor's mind-melting imagery with a type of immaculate seamlessness..."

"...We are giving the neediest children of Cambodia an interest in their own heritage...This is no compromise of ethical tourism versus a great service for the tourist..."