They are:

1 Make their first ski experience in over 20 swiss winter destinations

(https://www.myswitzerland.com/…/ski-and-snowb…/learn-to-ski/),

2 Snowshoe hike under the stars

(https://www.myswitzerland.com/…/full-moon-guided-snow-shoe…/)

3 Visit the house of Santa Claus at Rocher de Naye

(https://www.goldenpass.ch/en/goldenpass/offer/view?id=68)

4 Sledding in a UNESCO World Heritage

(https://oldm.myswitzerland.com/…/toboggan-run-preda-berguen…)

5 Horse carriage ride on the Snow

(https://engadin-kutschen.ch/english.php)

Switzerland Tourism says it is keen to woo more Thai visitors to the country during the winter season to enjoy snow activities.

Recently it announced it will collaborate with the Ski and Snowboard Association of Thailand to promote both tourism and sports and make Switzerland the top choice for Thai travellers in the winter season within three years.

Thais spent almost 250,000 overnights in Switzerland last year, up from 100,000 in 2012, particularly enjoying their travel by train, bus and boat.

“Switzerland is already a choice for Thai travellers, particularly during Songkran and the September/October holiday period.

“Winter is the main season for Thai travellers, but most are going to Japan and Korea. We like to encourage them to discover the original Winterdestination:a country that celebrates winter tourism for more than 150 years,” he added.

He said the country had seen seven years of continuous and steady growth in the number of Thai guests. In the period of 2012 to 2018, the sales of Swiss travel passes in Thailand increased by over 400 per cent.

The highlight of Swiss public transport, and one that can be experienced year-round, is the Grand Train Tour.

Covering 1,280 kilometres, it combines the most beautiful panoramic lines into one unique route, and passengers can board at any given point. There is no prescribed direction or duration.

A 2019 APAC Snow Brand survey in March among 2,200 people from 11 Asian countries including Thailand defined “snow holidays” as a trip of at least two nights to a snow-mountain destination with skiing or snowboarding and other activities.

Japan is the top winter destination for Asian travellers, with 65 per cent of respondents having had a snow holiday there in the last three years, followed by South Korea (34 per cent) and Switzerland (24 per cent).

The good news for Switzerland was that 93 per cent of Thai travellers are looking to a European snow holiday in the next three years, and Switzerland is their top choice.

The young generation of Thai snow-sports enthusiasts is going to the upcoming Youth Winter Olympics in Lausanne.

They had a chance in spring to visit Switzerland, tried out the slopes and got familiar with the city, which has warm-hearted connections with the people of Thailand through the Royal families.

Celebrated from November 16-30, the Langbiang Pink Grass Festival 2019 will feature a variety of exciting activities like horse racing without saddles – a traditional sport of the K’Ho ethnic people, photo contests, gong performance and traditional games of the local ethnic minorities.

Particularly, this is the first time that the traditional wedding ceremonies of K’Ho ethnic people in the area will be revived via the notes and memories of the village patriarchs and artisans from Dung K’Si Village, Da Chais Commune.

According to Cil Poh, the vice chairman of Lac Duong Commune’s People’s Committee, K’Ho people follow matriarchy, meaning that K’Ho woman will “catch” her own husband and the men must live with their wives’ family.

The traditional wedding ceremonies of K’Ho people will take place in Dung K’Si, an ancient village located by the foot of Bidoup – Nui Ba, the highest mountain in the south of the Central Highlands.

According the organisation board, Langbiang Pink Grass Festival 2019 is a typical cultural activity oriented towards the 8th Da Lat Flower Festival that will be held in Da Lat City at the end of this year.

It is also aimed to enhance the attractiveness of pink grass hills in Lac Duong Commune among tourists and promote the upcoming launch of the construction of the Dan Kia – Suoi Vang National Tourism Site by 2030.

Pink grass is a wild plant. It is common in forest areas, especially those with pine trees. When the plant is in full blossom in early winter, it carpets the whole area with tiny flowers which bloom into a collection of soft pink snowflakes.

The stunning view of a natural wonderland in Vietnam makes it a magnet to many photographers and tourists to Lang Biang Mountain in Lam Dong Province to capture such special moments of the year. — VNS

This might just be your dream holiday destination, especially if you are a nature lover or history enthusiast.

Mane Hariharalaya, a village-style resort with 34 luxurious traditional Khmer bungalows is the perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of modern day Phnom Penh.

The 7ha grounds are located in Roulos town, some 13km east of Siem Reap town, where Hariharalaya, the fabled capital of the Khmer empire during the reign of King Jayavarman II, once stood.

Mane Hariharalaya founder Key Mane told The Post: “Some city people get tired of the tall buildings, noise and pollution. When planning a holiday, they look for a tranquil environment surrounded by lush greenery.”

Ciro Izarra and Yoraima Petter, a husband and wife from Venezuela, are no different.

Petter, an aesthetic dermatologist, told The Post that Mane Hariharalaya was the ideal place to bring her husband to celebrate his birthday.

“I feel wonderful. I wanted to give my husband the best holiday destination as a birthday gift,” Petter said as the pair settled in for breakfast.

“We came here to stay for four nights in this beautiful place and celebrate my birthday. I love the surrounding landscape,” Izarra said.

They both said that they loved the resort and admired the eco-friendly concept that honours Cambodia’s heritage.

Born in 1982 to a family of entrepreneurs, Mane embarked on her entrepreneurial journey after walking away from the microfinance sector.

She started her first hospitality business, Mane Boutique Hotel and Spa, in 2015 and since then has confirmed that you don’t need experience to succeed in the hospitality industry.

‘Natural wonder’

Mane Hariharalaya officially became the sixth hotel established under the Mane brand in August

“Mane was registered as our company name and was used initially for the brand’s first hotel when it began operating in 2015,” the celebrated female entrepreneur said.

“We want to build a Khmer brand not only in Cambodia but also abroad. Over the past five years, we have built a business with seven hotels and resorts, and we plan to expand our brand to France and Japan.”

Dressed in traditional Khmer dress, Mane explains that visitors love to learn that Hariharalaya’s significance pre-dates the Angkorian era.

“King Jayavarman II built three temples in Roluos Archaeological Park – Bakong, Rolei and Preah Ko, which are located around 2km from our resort. We want to honour the ancient empire which had temples surrounded by water.

“That is why we hired a landscape artist to make mini-islands in the pond and planted a tree on each island.

“When locals and visitors from abroad first enter the resort, it’s as though they’ve stepped back into a blissful age of natural wonder before the advent of modern technology.

“They also get to experience a classical Khmer lifestyle by staying in our wooden bungalows, which were design according to traditional Khmer architecture,” the mother of four said.

They will also experience a lifestyle of Khmer culture by staying in our wooden huts built according to traditional Khmer architectural design.”

‘Khmer delicacies’

Since Mane Hariharalaya embraces an environmentally friendly lifestyle, only bicycles and electric cars are allowed on its grounds.

The menu, like the decor, heralds backs to a time before microwaves, fast food and pesticides.

“We focus on Khmer delicacies cooked with local ingredients sourced directly from a nearby village. The ingredients are organic since we plant them without using any chemical fertiliser,” Mane said.

The hotels employs high school graduates who cannot afford tuition fees to continue with their tertiary education, Mane explains that it is her way of empowering young people.

“I am proud of my Khmer heritage, and I am happy to provide jobs for Cambodians and help them earn a living. We have an experienced team capable of leading and training the younger generation,” she said.

“They can work to earn money to continue their studies. Some of them can be promoted into management roles if they work well.”

Mane Hariharalaya also offers regular bus shuttles to and from Siem Reap International Airport and the must-see Phsar Chas market, with various other stops.

The resort is located 2km from Bakong temple, around 14km from Angkor Wat temple and 10km from Pub Street.

It announced this week it will collaborate with the Ski and Snowboard Association of Thailand to promote both tourism and sports and make Switzerland the top choice of Thai travellers within three years.

Switzerland Tourism executive vice president André Hefti said the country had seen had seen seven years of continuous and steady growth in the number of Thai guests.

Thais spent almost 250,000 overnights in Switzerland last year, up from 100,000 in 2012, particularly enjoying the travel by train, bus and boat. Sales of Swiss Travel Passes increased by almost 400 per cent.

The highlight of Swiss public transport, and one that can be experienced year-round, is the Grand Train Tour. Covering 1,280 kilometres, it combines the most beautiful panoramic lines into one unique route, and passengers can board at any given point. There is no prescribed direction or duration.

A 2019 APAC Snow Brand survey in March among 2,200 people from 11 Asian countries including Thailand defined “snow holidays” as a trip of at least two nights to a snow-mountain destination with skiing or snowboarding and other activities.

Japan is the top winter destination for Asian travellers, with 65 per cent of respondents having had a snow holiday there in the last three years, followed by South Korea (34 per cent) and Switzerland (24 per cent).

The good news for Switzerland was that 93 per cent of Thai travellers are looking to plan a European snow holiday in the next three years, and Switzerland is their top choice.

The young generation of Thai snow-sports enthusiasts is going to the upcoming Youth Winter Olympics in Lausanne. They had a chance in spring to visit Switzerland and try out the slopes and get familiar with the city, which has such warm-hearted connections with the people of Thailand through the royal family.

Hefti invited prospective visitors to check out www.MySwitzerland.com to see videos about tailor-made itineraries and the legendary Swiss quality and hospitality.

Switzerland Tourism executive vice president André Hefti