Travel through Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Taiwan via boat, swimming and a variety of restaurants.
See three countries on one cruise through the Golden Triangle
Travellers to the Golden Triangle, the point in northern Thailand that converges with Laos and Myanmar, can now board a luxury, traditional-style two-cabin cruiser on the Mekong River between Chiang Mai and Luang Prabang. In Laos, Mekong Kingdoms is offering a private two- or three-night trip, depending on the direction of travel. The cruiser, Gypsy, is 41 metres long and has indoor and outdoor living areas, including a lounge and dining area. Rates start from US$5,450 (Dh20,018) for a three-night, four-day cruise from Luang Prabang, to the Golden Triangle, Thailand; and $6,950 (Dh25,528) for a two-night, three-day cruise in the opposite direction. Rates are per boat for up to four guests and include all on-board meals, Wi-Fi, excursions, an English-speaking guide, entrance fees and transfers, on-board activities, return airport or hotel transfers and gratuities. Mekong Kingdoms is part of Minor Hotels, which owns the Anantara brand – the latter has hotels in both locations. For more details, go to www.mekongkingdoms.com.
Intrepid launches a Taiwan expedition for foodies
An eight-day food trip in Taiwan with Intrepid is now available for booking. Fresh oyster omelettes, beef noodle soup, fried taro balls, xiao long bao (steamed soup dumplings) and organic tea are all on the menu, as are sights including Yilan, Taichung, Sun Moon Lake and the Taipei 101. The trip costs from $2,225 (Dh8,173) per person, including accommodation, transport, most meals and guiding, for groups of one to 12. For more information, visit www.intrepidtravel.com.
Splash out on new SwimTrek trips in Vietnam and Indonesia
If you want to stay active and immerse yourself in your destination, SwimTrek, a swimming holiday company, has just launched two tours in South East Asia. One is a liveaboard boat and swimming trip through the Lessa Sunda Islands and Komodo National Park in Indonesia, while the other is a trip to north-east Vietnam and the Cat Ba archipelago. The landscapes are similar, with sheltered bays and karst islets to explore. In Vietnam, highlights are a full circumnavigation of the Ba Trai Do island and Cat Ba Island. Guests on both trips should be capable of daily swim distances of four to five kilometres. SwimTrek runs its Indonesia and Vietnam trips in June and October respectively. Prices start from £2,100 (Dh10,409) per person for a twin-share cabin in Indonesia and £1,050 (Dh5,204) for a superior twin/double room with ocean view in Vietnam. Packages include guide-led tours and full safety vessel cover, accommodation and all breakfasts and lunches. For more information, visit www.swimtrek.com.
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
Personalities on the Plate: The Lives and Minds of Animals We Eat
Barbara J King, University of Chicago Press
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Sting & Shaggy
44/876
(Interscope)
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 – Group 1 (PA) $65,000 (Dirt) 2,000m
7.05pm: Handicap (TB) $65,000 (Turf) 1,800m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic – Listed (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,600m
8.15pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $195,000 (T) 2,810m
8.50pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (T) 2,000m
9.25pm: Meydan Challenge – Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,400m
Race results:
1. Thani Al Qemzi (UAE) Team Abu Dhabi: 46.44 min
2. Peter Morin (FRA) CTIC F1 Shenzhen China Team: 0.91sec
3. Sami Selio (FIN) Mad-Croc Baba Racing Team: 31.43sec
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
