The route for the 2008 Tiger Rally has now been finalised - see map. Starting in Kuala Lumpur the rally heads north to the Cameron Highlands, which is refreshingly cool after the sticky heat of the lowlands. Once a hill station for the British it is now a popular resort with the Malaysians.
On day two we will take the road to Pangkor Laut, one of the most exclusive resorts in South East Asia. Parking the cars in a guarded compound we will take the ferry to the island and the fantastic hotel complex. From here the rally travels north to the island of Penang, where we will stay at the very beautiful Eastern & Oriental Hotel, owned by the Sarki Brothers.
The first stop in Thailand is at elegant Trang at the Amari Trang Hotel, nestled on an unspoiled section of beach. Phuket can be hectic and overwhelming but we are staying at one of the newer and more exclusive hotels, the Twin Palms on Surin Beach. The rally will temoprarily split into two groups on the way into Bangkok as good hotel accommodation at Chumphon is limited. Half way to Bangkok is the tranquil and soothing Tusita Resort. Then we head for Kanchanaburi, home of the Bridge on the River Kwai and the Tiger Temple. Last stop in Thailand is Bangkok where we have booked the Peninsula Hotel.
In Cambodia our first stop is at Siem Reap where we will be staying at the Grand Hotel D'Ankor, which is conveniently placed for the temple complex. In Phnom Penh we stay at the Raffles Hotel Le Royal, a sister hotel of the Grand.
Heading down to Vietnam the rally halts in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a couple of nights at the Sheraton in the heart of the old town. Da Lat a French hill station is the next stop where we stay at the Da Lat Palace, with views over Da Lat Lake. Next stop is at Nha Trang and the VinPearl Resort. This is followed by two nights at the amazing Nam Hai near Hoi An. A short drive takes us to La Residence at Hue before we head north to Vinh and the Phuong Dong. The following day is a long but satisfying drive through the border into Laos. We stop in the capital, Vientiane, in the Don Chan Palace, which sits by the Mekong River. A tremendous drive then takes us to Luang Prabang, famous for its excellent markets and historic sites.
The road to Hanoi takes the rally to Phon Sa Van, home of the amazing Plain of Jars which did suffer during the Vietnam war, but most are still in original condition. The following day we leave Laos and head for the seaside town of Thanh Hoa and the Van Chai Resort. The finishing line is the Sofitel Metropole in the heart of Hanoi. Filled with classic colonial charm it is the ideal point to finish the event.