Travellers' checks

From July next year, the Mekong will have a new boutique vessel cruising its waters. Ho Chi Minh City-based Heritage Lines has announced the arrival of the US$4 million MV Jayavarman, which will offer a blend of eastern craftsmanship, French colonial opulence and state-of-the-art technology. In partnership with Trails of Indochina, Heritage will run the five-decked cruiser from Ho Chi Minh City via Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Passengers will be housed in 27 state rooms and will have at their disposal a spa, a restaurant and a library. For more, visit www.trailsofindochina.com.

The folks at Naladhu resort (www.naladhu.com), in the Maldives, are so sure about the weather they have introduced the Good Weather Guarantee offer. Guests will receive a US$600 credit for every day it rains for more than three hours between sunrise and sunset during their stay. Boasting 19 beach- and ocean-view houses, each with its own butler, the resort is a favourite with honeymooners and those seeking romance. The Good Weather offer is available until December 19.

A pair of restaurant guide books will be released in November giving the scoop on two of the world's most visited cities, London and New York. Published by Hg2 (www.hg2.com), Eat London is edited by Joe Warwick, a former editor of Restaurant magazine, and Eat New York by New York magazine food critic Amy Zavatto. The guides cover 150 restaurants and offer new insights into the cities' dining, with sections called Making an Impression and Abusing the Wine List, through to Late Night Dining and even Frugal Feasting. The guides will be available online for GBP9.99 (HK$137).