Four professional sporting events are in the pipeline for foreign and local participation, with the Dili International Marathon and Tour de Timor in particular meeting international standards for quality organization.

Shan State in Northeastern Myanmar offers adventure travelers some incredible opportunities to trek through remote villages, spend nights in rustic accommodations, meet the different ethnic groups and end up in the breath taking Inle Lake area.

Burma, Myanmar, is shrouded in controversy. It is run by a military dictatorship that has banned motorcycles from the city, put an end to plastic bags and discourages smoking by banning cigarette advertising. But it is far from being intimidating; in fact, the people are warm and worth a trip to this country.

The hills in Timor Leste and the people thereof offer a much nicer escape route to seasoned travellers.

Lake Sebu, Philippines. The 92,450-hectare landscape was proclaimed by the Philippine government as a protected area. As such, you can still pristine forests at its best. Being one of the most important watershed areas in the country, you get a glimpse of many small streams, creeks, rivers, springs – not to mention endemic flora and fauna.

The heritage of Champa is dangling on the line with massive tourist-related development, says the writer of this age-old spot in Vietnam.

From ancient finds to ultramodern municipal building, from cascading waterfalls to crystal-clear rivers, from beautiful coasts to mythical caves, from endangered tarsier to time-warped marine turtles, from idyll poblacion to adrenalin-rush river tubing, Maitum, the Philippines has it all.

For the fourth year running, Wild Asia held its Responsible Tourism Award that sought to recognise and reward exemplary travel operators that stood out from the rest – the eco way. Three winners emerged from eight finalists, from six Asian countries. This year's finalists demonstrated sustainable tourism beyond "green checklists", and the winners are...

Angkor Wat still holds a magical spot in our hearts, but travellers can explore not so often ventured paths in Siem Reap, Cambodia like Kbal Spean and Beng Mealea, to marvel at a thousand lingas soothed by clear river water.

On October 11th, fishermen will set off into the wind with multi-hued sails, competing each other for a coveted prize. It'll be precious money to feed their families and serve community needs. Simon Pridmore weaves the tale behind this fascinating Jukung Race, and tells how we can help boost the income of the poor.

Mallika Naguran reviews the recently launched Habitats in Harmony: The Story of Semakau Landfill by Marcus Ng. It was published by the National Environment Agency to commemorate 10 years of the landfill’s operations that has now doubled up as a unique recreational destination for nature lovers.

Bako National Park is probably the oldest National Park in Borneo, having been gazetted even before Sarawak was included as a part of the Federation Malaysia. With an area of only 27 square kilometres (2727ha), the range of ecosystems that you can find in it is anything but scant. It houses seven different types of forests, with the Kerangas – “open forests” – making up 70% of it. Proboscis monkeys are the main draw at Bako National Park. They are also one of the main concerns of the park, with an estimated population of 150-250 that deem Bako National Park as their home – out of only 1000 left in the wild. They are native to Borneo, and are more comfortable in lowlands like its mangrove forests and swamps.

Join in the Angkor half marathon this 5-6 December 2009 and enjoy timeless Cambodian heritage Ho Chi Minh, 2 September 2009. A great success since 1996, the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon gathered 2,593 runners from 43 countries in 2008. This year the bar has been raised. Running for a good cause while discovering one of the most amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Cambodia is the main attraction for the sporty traveller.