TIME Asia | Travel Watch

	ASIA	MARCH 2, 1998 VOL. 151 NO. 8
TRAVEL WATCH Just Don't Call Them Gambling Cruises Make no mistake--you won't find any shuffleboard on the cruise ship Havens Star. Don't expect to dock in exotic locations, either, or to find a perky cruise director. But that's just fine for most folks aboard this 15,000-ton vessel anchored off Hong Kong shores, because they know exactly what they want: a breath of fresh sea air and the chance to play baccarat, the slot machines and video mahjong for cash into the wee hours. These "cruises to nowhere"--so-called because they sail out to international waters and back, rather than head for another port--are a popular alternative to land-based casinos. Patrons are taken by small passenger ferry out to their ship in the early evening, and it then chugs slowly out to sea. When the vessel re-enters the port the next morning, gaming tables are rolled back up and tired passengers are transported back to shore. Even if you don't gamble, the cruises are an interesting and inexpensive way to spend an evening. On the Havens Star, for example, a night in a clean cabin with private shower, free food and access to the ship's disco, karaoke lounge and several bars will set you back a mere $50. And because the gambling doesn't start until the ship reaches international waters, it's all legal. Yet tour operators and officials seem uncomfortable about them. In Singapore, authorities refuse to let a cruise company use local port facilities if more than 30% of its operations are heading "to nowhere." In Malaysia, some politicians are fretting over a gambling ship moored off Kukup. And in Hong Kong, while three companies run gambling cruises and their vessels dock in the harbor, firms generally avoid openly advertising "gambling ships." It seems to be more of an image problem than a legal one. Officials of Asia's largest cruise operator, Malaysia-based Star Cruises, bristle at the suggestion that they have built their empire on short gambling runs, saying publicly that they want to be identified with "family cruises" that have specified land destinations. Yet they still run a number of "cruises to nowhere" out of various Asian ports. (Star Cruises, in fact, is owned by Malaysian casino king Lim Goh Tong's Genting International.) Some tourism industry officials contend it's simply a question of emphasis. Says Joseph Tung, executive director of Hong Kong's Travel Industry Council: "People think gambling for pleasure is O.K., but it shouldn't be the main focus of entertainment." Tell that to the passengers on the Havens Star. On a recent voyage, most appeared interested only in the ship's tiny casino: they crowded in as soon as the doors opened at 10 p.m.--despite having to buy a minimum of $100 in chips just to get on the table--and were still going strong at 3 a.m. Or maybe it's because the ship's swimming pool wasn't filled, though no one seemed to notice. By Leah Kohlenberg, with reporting by Isabella Ng/International Waters WEB CR@WLING LEISURE PLANET (www.leisureplan.com) DO IT YOURSELF Like to plan your own vacations instead of working with an agent? Leisure Planet can help book hotels, flights and cars, taking into account everything from budget needs to recreational preferences to aesthetic whim (photos of the exterior and interior of each hotel are included). You can even specify if you want a window seat on the plane. The company doesn't actually guarantee the lowest prices, but it will alert you if it finds alternative routings that are cheaper than the one selected. The site also includes links to travel guides with info on ways to fill your leisure time. CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL TRAVEL INFORMATION (www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.html) HEALTHY TREKKING Nothing is more important than your health, a concern often brushed aside too quickly by harried travelers. The CDC's travel information pages are comprehensive and easy-to-navigate, leaving no excuses for not taking care of yourself. Check out health risks by country, read up on recent regional outbreaks, or find out the latest tips on children's vaccinations. HOW FAR IS IT? (www.indo.com/distance) THE LONG OF IT As the crow flies, it's 15,510 km from Lima to Tokyo; 8,344 km from Omaha to Rome; and 3,212 km from Hong Kong to Jakarta. Using geographical chartings, How Far Is It? calculates distances in miles, kilometers and nautical miles. This completely interactive site includes even obscure destinations and will let you determine exactly how far away your loved ones are, estimate the distance of your next trip or simply satisfy your geographic curiosity. SHORT CUTS THE ART OF TRAFFIC Bangkok is infamous for its horrible traffic jams. But a clever Thai-born Indian artist is trying to make the best of it: Navin Rawanchaikul has turned a taxi into a movable art gallery. Passengers can flag down the green-and-yellow cab like any other, but inside is a mini-exhibit--most recently a video presentation by Japanese artist Yutaka Sone entitled "At the End of All the Journeys" (showing, appropriately enough, the inside of a remote-controlled car). The taxi is labeled "Navin Gallery," and the shows are free--though cab fare is still collected. DETOURS Forget the beach--visitors looking for a sensational spot in the Philippines should consider heading for the hills. Rising like brilliant green, glimmering staircases high into the air, the Ifuago and Mountain provinces' rice terraces--referred to locally as the "eighth wonder of the world"--were carved out of the hills by ancient tribes with primitive hand tools more than 2,000 years ago. Designated as a World Heritage site by the United Nations, the terraced fields are passed down among families, and farmers tend them just as their ancestors did. Good viewing spots are the villages of Banaue (a well-accessed tourist site with a number of hotels), Batad (an hour's ride and vigorous two-hour hike away, with basic guesthouses only) and Bontoc (another scary bus or jeepney ride, with accommodation quality ranging between that of Banaue and Batad). A warning: don't go during Easter Week, the most popular time for Filipinos to travel to the area. And see the terraces soon, because the high-maintenance fields are slowly eroding, due to inattention--the younger generation can make more money in the cities--and natural perils, like giant worms.
time-webmaster@pathfinder.com

Just Don't Call Them Gambling Cruises

Make no mistake--you won't find any shuffleboard on the cruise ship Havens Star. Don't expect to dock in exotic locations, either, or to find a perky cruise director. But that's just fine for most folks aboard this 15,000-ton vessel anchored off Hong Kong shores, because they know exactly what they want: a breath of fresh sea air and the chance to play baccarat, the slot machines and video mahjong for cash into the wee hours.

These "cruises to nowhere"--so-called because they sail out to international waters and back, rather than head for another port--are a popular alternative to land-based casinos. Patrons are taken by small passenger ferry out to their ship in the early evening, and it then chugs slowly out to sea. When the vessel re-enters the port the next morning, gaming tables are rolled back up and tired passengers are transported back to shore.

Even if you don't gamble, the cruises are an interesting and inexpensive way to spend an evening. On the Havens Star, for example, a night in a clean cabin with private shower, free food and access to the ship's disco, karaoke lounge and several bars will set you back a mere $50. And because the gambling doesn't start until the ship reaches international waters, it's all legal. Yet tour operators and officials seem uncomfortable about them. In Singapore, authorities refuse to let a cruise company use local port facilities if more than 30% of its operations are heading "to nowhere." In Malaysia, some politicians are fretting over a gambling ship moored off Kukup. And in Hong Kong, while three companies run gambling cruises and their vessels dock in the harbor, firms generally avoid openly advertising "gambling ships."

It seems to be more of an image problem than a legal one. Officials of Asia's largest cruise operator, Malaysia-based Star Cruises, bristle at the suggestion that they have built their empire on short gambling runs, saying publicly that they want to be identified with "family cruises" that have specified land destinations. Yet they still run a number of "cruises to nowhere" out of various Asian ports. (Star Cruises, in fact, is owned by Malaysian casino king Lim Goh Tong's Genting International.) Some tourism industry officials contend it's simply a question of emphasis. Says Joseph Tung, executive director of Hong Kong's Travel Industry Council: "People think gambling for pleasure is O.K., but it shouldn't be the main focus of entertainment."

Tell that to the passengers on the Havens Star. On a recent voyage, most appeared interested only in the ship's tiny casino: they crowded in as soon as the doors opened at 10 p.m.--despite having to buy a minimum of $100 in chips just to get on the table--and were still going strong at 3 a.m. Or maybe it's because the ship's swimming pool wasn't filled, though no one seemed to notice.

By Leah Kohlenberg, with reporting by Isabella Ng/International Waters

WEB CR@WLING

LEISURE PLANET
(www.leisureplan.com)

DO IT YOURSELF Like to plan your own vacations instead of working with an agent? Leisure Planet can help book hotels, flights and cars, taking into account everything from budget needs to recreational preferences to aesthetic whim (photos of the exterior and interior of each hotel are included). You can even specify if you want a window seat on the plane. The company doesn't actually guarantee the lowest prices, but it will alert you if it finds alternative routings that are cheaper than the one selected. The site also includes links to travel guides with info on ways to fill your leisure time.

CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL TRAVEL INFORMATION
(www.cdc.gov/travel/travel.html)

HEALTHY TREKKING Nothing is more important than your health, a concern often brushed aside too quickly by harried travelers. The CDC's travel information pages are comprehensive and easy-to-navigate, leaving no excuses for not taking care of yourself. Check out health risks by country, read up on recent regional outbreaks, or find out the latest tips on children's vaccinations.

HOW FAR IS IT?
(www.indo.com/distance)

THE LONG OF IT As the crow flies, it's 15,510 km from Lima to Tokyo; 8,344 km from Omaha to Rome; and 3,212 km from Hong Kong to Jakarta. Using geographical chartings, How Far Is It? calculates distances in miles, kilometers and nautical miles. This completely interactive site includes even obscure destinations and will let you determine exactly how far away your loved ones are, estimate the distance of your next trip or simply satisfy your geographic curiosity.

SHORT CUTS

THE ART OF TRAFFIC

Bangkok is infamous for its horrible traffic jams. But a clever Thai-born Indian artist is trying to make the best of it: Navin Rawanchaikul has turned a taxi into a movable art gallery. Passengers can flag down the green-and-yellow cab like any other, but inside is a mini-exhibit--most recently a video presentation by Japanese artist Yutaka Sone entitled "At the End of All the Journeys" (showing, appropriately enough, the inside of a remote-controlled car). The taxi is labeled "Navin Gallery," and the shows are free--though cab fare is still collected.

DETOURS

Forget the beach--visitors looking for a sensational spot in the Philippines should consider heading for the hills. Rising like brilliant green, glimmering staircases high into the air, the Ifuago and Mountain provinces' rice terraces--referred to locally as the "eighth wonder of the world"--were carved out of the hills by ancient tribes with primitive hand tools more than 2,000 years ago. Designated as a World Heritage site by the United Nations, the terraced fields are passed down among families, and farmers tend them just as their ancestors did. Good viewing spots are the villages of Banaue (a well-accessed tourist site with a number of hotels), Batad (an hour's ride and vigorous two-hour hike away, with basic guesthouses only) and Bontoc (another scary bus or jeepney ride, with accommodation quality ranging between that of Banaue and Batad). A warning: don't go during Easter Week, the most popular time for Filipinos to travel to the area. And see the terraces soon, because the high-maintenance fields are slowly eroding, due to inattention--the younger generation can make more money in the cities--and natural perils, like giant worms.