We’re not talking about Mom’s well-intentioned badgering to remember your passport (it needs six months validity to enter Asia, by the way), take emergency credit card help numbers, and remember to phone home, or reminders to not joke with customs officials about budgies and incendiaries. This is aimed at you, dear reader, potential guests of ours who are discerning information-gatherers, whether seasoned travellers or not.

1. Let us book your hotels – It’s happened before, when a client was understandably busy rafting in northern Laos, neglected to read the fine print and failed to reconfirm a high-season reservation made by themselves at a five-star hotel only to be told while checking-in on Christmas Eve, their room had been given away. We had to scramble to find them alternative accommodation. We are familiar with each hotel’s terms and conditions, and have a team to take care of all of this. They know us, and we know them, we can even get deals and upgrades for you. Let us handle it.

2. Let us take care of transportation – Once you’re committed to a Smiling Albino trip, let us take care of the regional transportation. You have booked dozens or maybe hundreds of flights before, but why risk it? We had a lovely family arrive in Chiang Mai when their bewildered guides were waiting 200 kilometers away in Chiang Rai where the family’s adventure was to begin. A simple but surprisingly not-so-uncommon error. We got to them in the end, but the family lost half a day of their precious holiday.

3. Don’t overload your itinerary – We understand you want to see and do as much as possible, but sometimes on a trip, less is more. We’ve been putting together complex itineraries for over 15 years here in Southeast Asia. We know when it will take three times as long to get to a particular airport at certain times, and where google maps got the estimated travel time very wrong. We know when it’s faster to take a boat rather than a van and visa-versa. Seasons, local events, and unknowns all need to be factored into schedules. We can pace things in a tropical climate, plan a short afternoon rest rather than lose a whole day to exhaustion or heatstroke. Trust us, we’ll fit in as much as we believe is in the best interests of your traveling party.

4. Venture beyond your comfort zone – Now this is a bit more subjective. Think of your best travel memories… we bet most of them were when you pushed the envelope a bit. There is a fine line between exciting adventures and overdoing things. Our local knowledge and insight is key to distinguishing between the two. Go ahead and eat those roasted beetles, but let us point out the clean street food stalls from the ones only local stomachs can handle. We’ll make you cycle a few kilometers further to see a memorable hidden temple most don’t know where it is. Break from your home routines, take in a sunrise, kayak down a river, ride through Saigon on the back of a scooter, and always try eating something new! Memorable adventures await outside your comfort zone.

5. Last, but definitely not least: Attitude – This one’s up to you. An open-minded and positive attitude goes a long way to enjoying a trip. Free your mind of expectations, and enjoy new experiences. Stuff happens, like bad weather, delays, jetlag. Instead of dwelling on misfortunes, find opportunities. Some of the best times can be found during unplanned events. Like when our van got a flat tire 80 kilometers from Yangon and the entire village came out to entertain and feed us while the driver changed to the spare. Best tea leaf salad ever! Always keep in mind: smiles attract smiles. Multiply that ten-fold in Southeast Asia.

We don’t mean to be patronising or think people are incapable of tying their own shoelaces, but mistakes and misunderstandings do happen, particularly when planning complicated multiple-destination trips in a region you’re not familiar with. The solution to these issues, we’re sure you’ve already guessed, is get us to handle them. You’ll be surprised, we’re often able to save you money as well as all the time and hassles. Relax, sit back and enjoy your trip, enquire with us here.

The post Five Ways To Ensure a Great Smiling Albino Holiday first appeared on Smiling Albino.

The unexpected is a part of life, and sometimes, when it is sudden and provokes an emotional response, we call it surprise. We’ve all experienced surprise and know that it can be neutral, pleasant, or unpleasant.

Smiling Albino of course likes to focus on the best kinds of surprises, and operating from our base in Thailand for the past decade and a half, we have definitely had our fair share of surprises – most of them delightful.

One of my fondest memories of the early days of Smiling Albino’s is from when I was exploring Northern Thailand for the first time in order to craft something special for our guests. I was fortunate to meet the famous Thai artist, Sangiam Yarangsee, in the rural town of Doi Mae Salong. I was a total stranger to him at the time, but he surprised me with his profound hospitality. He took me into his home and introduced me to his family, the culture of the region, and his art. I have returned to Doi Mae Salong hundreds of times since and hosted scores of guests in the region.

The fond recollection of that experience, and others like it, are a consistent thread woven through my memory of the time I have spent in Southeast Asia, it is that type of surprise that I hope our guests have on every Smiling Albino trip. It is the kind of experience that we as a team aim to integrate into every program that we deliver.

Whether it be the friendliness of the Thais, the enthusiastic hospitality of the Cambodians or the sincerity of the Vietnamese in their interactions with us, I am sure that the surprises we deliver will continue to be positive. I’ve always believed that you don’t spend your valuable time and money for two weeks of holiday. You travel to be surprised and delighted with memories for the next 50 weeks that you’re back at work. That surprise, when well crafted, creates the memory. This is an art and a passion and we love that our guests are the beneficiaries of this little joy of ours. Call me today to find out how we can surprise and inspire you for the year to come!

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

Adventure Highlights:

Travel Myanmar with Adventurer-in-Chief Daniel Fraser

We have dedicated two years of surveying and exploration to create a Myanmar adventure that has the Smiling Albino magic our guests have come to count on.

November will be the launch our new “All that Glitters, Asia’s Golden Land”! An amazing 10 day excursion through Myanmar’s stupas, villages, mountains, rivers and pagodas, led Smiling Albino founder, Daniel Fraser!

We can’t wait to share a Myanmar adventure with you like the old days. See the full tour itinerary online. Contact us for more details

What’s Going On:

From our Blog: Confusion vs. Comfort and Ease

Have you been here before. . . you stumble off a long plane ride, jetlagged and hungry, grab your bags, and then ask the big question: how do I get to my hotel?

We share our recommendations written from decades of travel experience on how to get out of an airport and excited for the next steps in your trip.

Read more ideas on how to make travel smoother and worry-free on the Smiling Albino blog.

In the Media:

Thailand Travel Mart Plus 2014

Dan is honored to be involved in the 3 day Thailand Travel Mart Plus this week in multiple events. On June 4th he will be delivering a keynote on luxury and simplicity and on June 6th he has been invited as panelist at the Thailand Sustainable Tourism Seminar.

See details on the event and Smiling Albino’s participation in sustainable tourism!

Destination Thailand in Toronto

Dan Fraser will be the honorary emcee for Destination Thailand in Toronto, Canada this fall. Selected for his love of Thailand and his appearances on many Thai television programs and his very popular Tourism Authority Thailand (TAT) television commercial “Warm Welcome is Always Around“. Daniel will host a day of Thai festivities, food sampling, activities and performances.

The Destination Thailand festival event will be held at Yonge-Dundas Square on September 14th, 2014.  It is a great opportunity to meet or catch up with Dan, and get inspired by Thailand! Free Admission. September 14th 11:00–20:00.

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post What are surprises for? Albino Smiles, June 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.

Several weeks ago I was enjoying a few lazy minutes going through my twitter feed (@danbfraser) before getting out of bed in the morning, when I came across a beautiful sunset picture posted by a friend in New York. As I looked out my window and saw the blazing red hues of a new dawn rise over the horizon, I reflected on how she and I were experiencing the same event from opposite sides of the globe.

The same event, similar in so many ways, yet at the same time distinctly different as I was facing East to enjoy my view while my good friend had to look West.

There are parallels in that scene with life in the East and the West. So many things are similar on the surface, but the real material differences are often much more subtle.

One of those subtle differences is the relationship of the individual to the family. Family is often the center of social life in Asian cultures – it’s so pervasive as to be automatic much of the time. In the West we often tend to have to be much more conscious about planning family time.

As we approach the traditional mid-April Thai New Year, known as Songkran,a time of catching up with friends and family as well as to paying respect to elders by gently splashing water on them (actually, it turns into a nationwide water fight, but that’s another story), I’d like to ask you to reflect on your relationship with your family and what you are doing to spend time with them and strengthen the bonds that tie you together.

Just as a new perspective turns a sunset into a sunrise, I would like you to allow Smiling Albino to show you a new perspective on travel. Please send me an email today at dan@smilingalbino.com and let me know how we can immerse you in the Southeast Asian culture to build a new relationship with your family and help you put together a trip that will bring you closer together than ever before. I can promise you a new dawn.

Happy Thai new year!

Daniel Fraser,
Smiling Albino Adventurer-in-Chief

Adventure Highlights:

Smiling Albino’s Customized Nepal Grand Slam

This trip was packed full of the incredible, so we can only spotlight a few of the magical activities possible in Nepal.

For starters you can explore the perennial city of Kathmandu on the back of classic Royal Enfield motorcycles including 2 UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you like water try rafting the Seti River in Pokhara from Damauli to a serene riverbank campsite, unreachable by vehicles.

In Pokhara optional activities include leisurely boats ride to the World Peace Pagoda with views of the Himalayas, a visit to Tibetan refugee villages, bike ride around the lakeside, or for the really adventurous try a tandem paraglide with a professional pilot and the new zipline! Plan your trip to Nepal.

Get Dan’s live photo updates on his adventures on his Instagram.

What’s Going On:

Dinner in a Cave on Halong Bay
We recently just hosted a private group in Halong Bay. This was their last stop in Vietnam and they wanted something extra special. We arranged a magical candle lit cave dinner that we put together as a surprise for them!

Do you have a special moment that you want to celebrate this year? Let us know and we can arrange something special on your trip itinerary. We also know the most romantic place for dinner for two in the bay!

Myanmar’s First Peninsula Hotel
Yangon will soon be the home to the first Peninsula Hotel located in the former and soon to be renovated Burma Railway Company headquarters. This luxury hotel brand will be in the central business district of Yangon, in a colonial building from the 1880s. The Peninsula Bangkok Hotel is one of Smiling Albino’s favorite hotel brands, we are waiting anxiously for the opening of this new venture.

Travel with us to Myanmar.

Giveaway to Facebook Fan

We’re about to hit 1,300 Facebook‬ fans and we want to say thank you with a give away to a Bangkok food walking tour and a night stay at Inn a Day Bangkok!

Invite your friends to like our page and stay tuned for more details. www.facebook.com/smilingalbino

Connect With Smiling Albino!

Facebook and Twitter: “Like” and “follow” us on Facebook and Twitter and you will get tuned-in to the latest breaking news and hot tips on travel and adventure in Asia.

Planet Asia Travel Channel: Subscribe to the Planet Asia Travel Channel and receive expert advice and insider tips on travel in Asia from the team at Smiling Albino and our network of in-the-know locals, expatriates, and travel enthusiasts.

NEW on Google+ and Pinterest: Now even easier to connect and stay up to date with us!

Contact: Get a hold of us any time.

The post Importance of Family – Albino Smiles, April 2014 first appeared on Smiling Albino.