This unusual ‘dinner party’ has been held annually for about 20 years now so you would have thought that the guests-of-honor would know how to behave. Well unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for the sake of a spectacle) – no-one has yet taught the wild long-tailed macaques monkeys table manners.
The location (the Khmer ruins) is some 70 miles north of Bangkok, and the host of this particular event is a grateful local hotelier. He is grateful for the business that the monkeys bring, and it is held that villagers believe the monkeys protect the village and even bring them good luck. The 600 or so guests are served a sumptuous feast of fruit, vegetables, rice, noodles, coca cola (apparently a favorite treat). Even menus, table-cloths and napkins are provided – I guess more for the photos. I wonder how they know its time to tuck in….or even which day to turn up?
The event now includes a procession, children dress up in monkey costumes (of course) and live music. Well – the festival works because it now draws in some 10,000 visitors – so I guess that’s the best tip the hotelier (and indeed whole village) can receive! Who said you make your own luck……? If you want to go the fun takes place on the last Sunday in November, but I wouldn’t recommend trying to eat the banquet yourself as the monkeys don’t always take too kindly to it.
This eco hotel (formally called ‘Fur ‘n’ Feathers Treehouses’ has won many awards. Not surprising when you understand the hotel has a passion for the environment and wildlife. Small is amazingly beautiful, and luxurious, in this instance. So what does The Canopy offer its visitors?
Accommodation is provided in the following:
• 5 two bed-roomed luxury timber and glass tree houses are fully self contained, (all totally secluded and private with fully equipped kitchen, spa baths, a balcony with a BBQ and hammock.
• One larger 3 bedroom house (called the Bower House) with spectacular views of the valley and is on top of a ridge in the rainforest.
• A further two bed rooms are located at ground level within the main building (called the Rainforest Unit) and has wheelchair access.
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When you think of cruises, you probably imagine huge luxury liners, with onboard entertainment, fine dining and evening receptions. A cruise doesn’t always need to be that way though. In the Telegraph’s Cruise Channel Pamela Petro tells of her travels on an Arctic cruise in Canada’s Nunavut territory. She finds that bear spotting on a zodiac raft is certainly not your average cruise holiday.
Arctic cruises help introduce travellers to the Arctic environment, as well as allowing tourists a sobering look at the effects of global warming. You can expect a variety of interesting day trips, often including polar bear spotting, walrus watching and shore excursions among barren rock and ice-tipped mountains.
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Ever since I heard about Giraffe Manor (8 miles from Nairobi) I have wanted to visit. I am just waiting for my youngest child to be old enough to take malaria tablets!
I have been on safari before and it was then that giraffes became my favourite animal. I find them so photogenic and unlike any other animal on earth. I love the way they run with their necks stretching out, how they have to splay their legs to drink and even the way they fight (taking turns to ‘whack’ each other’s necks like an animal version of conkers!). On most African safaris any giraffe lover will be easily pleased. They are not one of the ‘big 5’ that people like to check off their must-see list but they are pretty common. I saw many giraffes but only glimpsed on cheetah and wasn’t lucky enough to see a single leopard.
On my safari I did manage to get a couple of beautiful photographs of giraffes but nothing that compares to the up close experience you can get at Giraffe Manor. It is a very small exclusive hotel set in 140 acres of forest. The building itself was commissioned by a British Lord in the 1930’s and modelled on a Scottish hunting lodge within sight of Mt Kilimanjaro. In 1974 Jock Leslie Melville and his American wife Betty bought the manor as their home when the Rothschild giraffe was facing extinction with much of its habitat disappearing. Two of the Rothschild giraffes were moved to the estate and Jock and Betty funded the African fund for Endangered Wildlife (AFEW). The giraffe’s at the manor have since bred and thrived
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