The curfew on the East Coast of Sabah from dusk to dawn (6pm to 6am), involving the sea area starting three nautical miles from shore until the international borders with the Philippines, has been extended to 17th Aug 2014. This encompasses an area of some 121,270 sq miles. The length of the curfew area is about 362 nautical miles from Tanjung Pundaras in Sandakan to part of Pulau Sebatik near Tawau. 

Tourist activities in Sabah are not affected by this enforcement. All activities, including night and early morning activities in areas such as Sukau, Abai & Danum Valley will continue to operate as usual. We will also continue to update you accordingly.

Starting from 1 November 2014, Vietnam Airlines will launch 2 new international routes from Phu Quoc airport to Singapore and Cambodia. The first route to Singapore will carry 2 flights a week and the second to Siem Reap will carry 3 flights a week.

Thailand’s ruling NCPO (National Council for Peace and Order) has put operations in place to clean up Phuket’s beaches.



The country’s largest island and a huge magnet for tourism, Phuket has suffered from squatters occupying its beaches with sunbeds, umbrellas and tables, while setting up stalls to sell various items to passers-by. The developments are helping return Phuket’s beaches to their former glory, when picture-perfect arcs of golden sand were visible. The removal of obstructions has opened up the beach creating more room for families to set up picnics and visitors to enjoy. The beaches in Cherng Talay were first on the list in part of the NCPO ‘clean up’ operation. Plans have also been drawn up and officers deployed to re-zone the beachfront in order to combat future encroachment, starting with Kamala beach.



Phuket is home to a selection of the world’s most spectacular beaches, graced with powder-soft sand and beautiful palm trees framed against a backdrop of rolling hills covered in lush jungle. Discover these newly rejuvenated beaches with Symbiosis Custom Travel as we explore Phuket, its history, the Andaman Sea and beyond.

Visit the main website at www.symbiosis-travel.com.

The Philippines has a rich and colourful culture. If you’re creating a bucket list of places across the Philippines’ 7107 islands to visit, Ivan About Town’s list of 50 cities (and towns), each with a rich history, an abundance of architectural heritage, delicious food, and colourful local cultures is a great starting point for planning your trip.

Read more here.

(7/19/2014) The Bali Police have arrested a man captured trying to sell 17 protected green turtles (chelonia-mydas) to Denpasar restaurants.

According tot Metrobali.com, under arrest is a man named Sangkalan, captured when police inspected a van he was driving on Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai in Sanur on Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

Police found 17 live turtles in the back of the van that had transported the reptiles from Jembrana.

Police say the man was only a courier and authorities are still seeking the identities of the syndicate behind the sale of protected turtles.

Police have moved the turtles to a sanctuary compound on Serangan Island.

Last minute special offer: “Save 500 euro per week” on all pre-booked accommodation/diving packages between 16th and 31st August 2014 at the lovely Raja4Divers.

Also, book your 2015 stay at Raja4Divers now and take advantage of 2014 rates.

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel to book or for further info.

“Total Komodo” dive cruise from Bima to Labuan Bajo aboard the deluxe WAOW sailing boat.
Dates: 14 to 25 July 2014, 12 days / 11 nights
Save: EUR 820 / USD 1,110
Price: from EUR 3,695 / USD 5,000 per person, depending on cabin 
Remaining spaces are in Deluxe, Superior and Master cabins. 

Contact Symbiosis Custom Travel today book.

The Indonesian Immigration office has announced and implemented an increase in Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) fee starting on 3rd July 2014 at any international airport or official seaport in Indonesia.  The price for a seven-day visa-on-arrival has been set to $15 from the initial $10, while the price for a 30-day visa-on-arrival will be increased to $35 from the initial $25.

Tourists from those countries eligible for the VoA, in accordance to the Directorate General of Immigration, can continue to pay for this visa at the new price upon landing. Those nationals that are not granted visa free entry or VoA can apply for a tourist visa at an Indonesian embassy abroad.

The new VoA cost is similar to a number of other countries whom offer the service in Southeast Asia, and Indonesia continues to offer exceptional value for money as a destination for travellers.

The whole of Thailand is still under martial law, but the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has now lifted the curfew from the entire country.

The NCPO established the curfew – which initially was for between 22:00 and 05:00, then later reduced to between 00:00 and 04:00 – on 22 May 2014. It has been gradually lifted from different areas within the Kingdom since then.

What this means to tourism is unclear, as while it allows Thais and visitors to Thailand to travel around as and when they please, it does not really affect the travel insurance concerns some tourists may have. This is because the continued imposition of martial law could invoke an exclusion clause in a travel insurance policy, so while it cannot be denied that the lifting of the curfew from the entire country is a positive move for tourism, there is still some way to go before things will return to “normal”. Travellers planning to visit Thailand should check with their travel insurance provider to see where they stand on this issue, and whether they are still fully protected.

There have also been reports in some Thai media on Saturday (14 June) that the curfew could be reinstated in some areas depending if there is trouble or not. On Friday, a grenade exploded in Bangkok though official reports state that the incident was not politically motivated. Nobody was injured.

Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has announced the lifting of the nighttime curfew in 17 provinces and 15 districts in three further provinces with immediate effect.

The provinces are Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi, Tak, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Sukhothai, Mae Hong Son, Uttaradit, Phrae, Nan, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Roi Et, Loei, Surin, Trang and Satun.

The 15 districts are Sadao and Mueang districts in Songkhla Province, six districts including Ko Kood in Trat and seven districts including Kaeng Krachan in Petchaburi.

These 20 areas join the existing 10 major tourist destinations currently enjoying curfew-free, which are Phuket, Ko Samui, Pattaya City, Hua Hin, Cha-am, Krabi, Phang-nga, Hat Yai, Ko Chang and Ko Phangan (including Ko Tao).

Thailand’s nighttime curfew has been lifted in seven (7) more major tourist destinations: Hua Hin, Cha-am, Krabi, Phang Nga, Hat Yai, Koh Chang and Koh Phangan with immediate effect, as announced by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO).

This latest announcement brings the total number of major Thai tourist destinations to enjoy curfew exemption to 10. Curfew has now been lifted in the following destinations…
Phuket
Koh Samui
Pattaya
Hua Hin
Cha-am
Krabi
Phang Nga
Hat Yai
Koh Chang
Koh Phangan

The lifting of the curfew in Thailand has been extended to Koh Phangan for the famous Full Moon Party this month, scheduled to take place between the 9th-13th of June. Let revellers revel!

The curfew in Thailand, put in place by the Thai military junta, has been adjusted to 1am-4am in all provinces except for Pattaya, Phuket and Koh Samui where the curfew has been lifted entirely. This has been done in order to alleviate inconvenience in these tourist hotspots.

Whether you agree or disagree with the recent coup and the suspension of Thailand’s quasi democracy, the conditions for tourism are probably more secure now than they have been for months… although tourists have never been the target of either side in the dispute.

Book by 30th June 2014 and receive 15% discount on any Komodo National Park trip departing in 2014 on SY Indo Siren!

This dive route allows you to explore the Komodo dive sites to their fullest. The diving is varied from muck dives in Bima Bay, sloping reefs and dark volcanic sand or Gili Banta, submerged pinnacles at Gili Lawa Laut teem with schools of snappers. Stop off at either Rinca or Komodo islands to make a walk with the dragons. Currents can be strong but bring with them all the delights of diving in Indonesia.

Season: May- November
Cruise: 10 nights Komodo National Park/Bima-Bima
Price/per person: WAS EUR€ 3,100 / NOW EUR€ 2,635 / Save EUR€ 465
Conditions: Not combinable with other promotions. Applicable for new bookings only

Contact Symbiosis for further details

SilkAir has launched flights between Singapore and Kalibo the gateway to Boracay in Philippines.

Kalibo will be SilkAir’s third destination in the Philippines after Cebu and Davao, increasing the number of destinations in SilkAir’s route network to 46 destinations in 12 countries.

Flights to Kalibo will be operated on a thrice weekly basis, departing Singapore on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. The flights will be operated by Airbus A319 and A320 aircraft, featuring both Business and Economy Class cabins.

MI599 departs Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2 at 10:00 to arrive in Kalibo at 13:45. The return flight departs at 15:00 to land in Singapore at 20:10.

Kalibo is the capital of Aklan province in the Philippines and is a gateway to the beautiful Boracay island where nature’s bounty of scenic attractions can be found, with fine sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Boracay also offers a wide array of attractions, from cascading waterfalls, natural cold springs, and the chance to explore the five caves of Buruanga town.