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Published: 12:00am, 24 Oct 2000

Century Travel is offering specials to Canada, with return tickets to Vancouver with Cathay Pacific from $4,950 and to Toronto from $6,030. Tickets must be issued before October 31 and are valid for 14 days. The offer ends on December 15. For more details check the Web site: www.2100travel.com

A UK-based travel specialist, Asian Journeys, has expressed concern over suggestions in Cambodia that the forest around Angkor Wat be felled to make way for grandstand seating for a laser show at the temples.

It is also concerned that planning permission has been granted for large hotels to be built in the nearby town of Siem Reap, and that the site may soon be inundated with tourists. Ironically, Asian Journeys is promoting dawn hot-air balloon trips over Pagan's pagodas in Burma. It promises on its Web site (www.asianjourneys.com): 'Voyagers will drift low over the pagodas for about 45-60 minutes before landing softly on the Ayeyarwady river bank. The landing crew will be waiting with champagne and snacks.'

Meanwhile, another major hotel has had a soft opening in Siem Reap. The Sofitel Royal Angkor boasts in its press release that it is 'the closest hotel to the Angkor Wat complex and is the third Sofitel hotel to be located at the World Heritage site'. But it claims that the Royal Angkor, which has 175 rooms, has been designed to blend in harmoniously with the local landscape.

The hotel has organised several packages, including one for honeymoon couples. One deal offers picnic hampers 'for two days exploring in Angkor'.

If you are going to London, beware of ticket touts who promise good seats at the theatre. You may well be left out in the cold, with lighter pockets.

The British Tourist Authority (BTA) is so concerned about bogus ticket scams that it has produced a warning leaflet in conjunction with the Society of London Theatre.