travellinks

Travel Planning

Our favorite sites for help while planning international travel:

• Trip Advisor | Reviews of hotels and restaurants
• Thorn Tree | forums full of off the beaten path info
• Kayak | search engine for flights
• Expedia | often has the best rates around for hotels
• The Countdown Clock
• Luxury Link | auctions on 5 star accommodations

Asia

Links to placed we've been and companies we would recommend in Asia:

• The Peninsula Hotel | (both Beijing and Bangkok)
• The Mandarin Oriental | Chiang Mai, Thailand
• Tasana Pra | Private villa in Koh Samui, Thailand
• Aman-i-khas | Tiger safari in Rajasthan, India
• Hotel de la Paix | Hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Simatai | The Great Wall of China
• Dadong Restaurant | Fantastic Peking duck in Beiking
• Huxinting Tea House | Beautiful, old tea house in Shanghai
• Paragliding in the Himalayas | leave from Pokhara
• Flights over Everest | we took Buddha air
• Cambodian Children's Fund | sponsor a child
• Daughter's Cambodia | help young women rebuild their lives
• Soryar Kim | Amazing driver and guide in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Africa

Links to places we've visited and companies we'd recommed in Africa:

• CoffeeBeans Routes | cultural tours in and around Cape Town (contact: Iain Harris)
• andBeyond | 5 star safari camps (we've visited Ngala, Kitchwa Tembo and Bateleur)
• Giraffe Manor | up close experience with giraffes in Nairobi, Kenya
• Sheldrick Trust | adopt an orphaned elephant in Nairobi, Kenya
• Andulela | cooking classes and tours in Cape Town
• The Cape Royale | Luxury apartment style hotel in Cape Town
• The Alexander | Small boutique hotel on the Garden Route, South Africa
• Ginja | Great dinner in Cape Town
• Beleza | Great brunch in Cape Town
• Glory of Nubia | Private felucca sailings on the Nile River (Aswan, Egypt)
• Sofra | Best meal in Luxor, Egypt
• Star Goddess | Cruise the Nile
• Bungee Jump + Helicopter Victoria Falls
• The White Elephant Safari Lodge | Kwazulu-Natal