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.

One issue that comes up every now and then – not just for us, but for any travel company out there – is the guided

experience vs. the DIY travel. Of course there are many types of people and no single type of travel experience will appeal to all of them, but we believe that guided experiences give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to exploring the world. I know what you might think – of course we’ll say that, it’s our business! But as world travelers ourselves, we always prefer to have a guide show us the lay of the land when we’re in a new place, be it an old acquaintance, a new friend or a professional business. Here are 5 quick reasons why we prefer to avoid DIY travel on our journeys.

1)    The unpredictable

Making plans in a foreign country is often an exercise in frustration. Beyond the language barrier, there are plenty of other wrinkles that can pop up and ruin things. Everything from local festivals and political problems to fast-changing weather and poorly communicated schedules at local attractions can derail your well-laid plans and leave you out in the cold. It’s very hard to know about all of these things in advance, and having someone on your side who knows what might happen is a huge plus.

2)    In case of emergency

Quick – what number do you call in an emergency in Thailand? Cambodia? Vietnam? It’s not something you think about often but every country has their own emergency telephone system. Knowledge of what to do in an emergency in a foreign country is of the highest importance, and a DIY traveler might not know how to react in a situation like this. A local guide will know the ins and outs of things like insurance, which hospitals to avoid, how to make a quick overseas call, and what to do if you get detained by the authorities. Not only can these questions be answered easily by a local, but you’re much less likely to run into problems when a guide is with you. Oh, by the way, the numbers are 191, 117 and 113, respectively.

3)    The cost of convenience & safety

Let’s be honest – it’s not that hard to walk into a motorbike rental shop and rent a bike for a few days. What is hard is making sure that the bike is waiting for you – with a full tank of gas and insurance in order – when you get out of the kayak after riding down a river all morning. It might look easy, but it’s not, and this type of thing takes a great deal of planning. Things like ensuring your room’s air-con units are working; making sure your driver doesn’t show up hung over; choosing shops/vendors that won’t rip you off; avoiding tourist traps; and making sure your deadly allergy to peanuts doesn’t go ignored at dinner…these are the things that are easy to overlook but can often be the difference between a life-changing trip and disaster.

4)    Making it Unique

It’s easy to assume that because you’re DIY-ing around (fill in continent or country here) that you’re getting the experience you really want. That can certainly be a part of it, but are you really making the most of it? Language barriers alone can prevent you from adding many unique angles to your trip, and extra touches can make a trip that much more unique. Things like having lunch and cold drinks ready for you when you come around the corner at that jungle temple, or arranging to have your hometown newspaper ready for breakfast at your hotel, or even chartering a private helicopter instead of flying on a regular ol’ airline…these aren’t things that you can simply decide to do while you’re on the road.

5)    Taking the Beneficial Shortcuts

Every town and city and country and culture in the world has its shortcuts and pitfalls and if you’re not familiar with how things work you’ll likely end up taking none of the former and more of the latter. When you’re with an SA guide, they may look calm and collected, but in their minds they’re thinking five steps ahead – water stop, food stop, making sure the elephant is ready to ride when we arrive, do the bikes have gas, will it rain, and if so, do we have ponchos and shelter? Want to visit the Hall of Opium at the Golden Triangle? No problem, usually – but they close on Mondays, and royal holidays, and sometimes the schedules aren’t clear.  These are things that are difficult to know, but important to learn and if you’re doing all the planning, keeping track of all of these things can keep you from doing what you’re here to do – enjoy yourself!

The post DIY Travel – Five Ways it Can go Wrong first appeared on Smiling Albino.