Pranburi International Triathlon 2007

The southern Thai town of Pranburi will host its first major international sporting event on Saturday 20th October 2007, when the Pranburi International Triathlon is to be held at Evason Six Senses Resort & Spa.

The inaugural race, which will take place on the beaches in front of the five-star resort and on the backroads of Pranburi, is planned to become an annual event and an essential fixture in the Asian triathlon calendar.

The race will be professionally managed by international race organizers and will consist of a swim in the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand, a bike course close to Sam Roi Yot National Park, and a run through the fishing villages and along the coast of Pranburi with a beach finish.

International professional athletes will compete with local triathletes in the Olympic distance elite race, while a sprint distance short course is set to attract corporate racers and fun runners.

With an abundance of beautiful natural scenery, including the spectacular Sam Roi Yot National park and long stretches of sandy beaches, the race will be scenic as well as challenging. And located just a three hour drive from Bangkok and a short drive from the busy tourist centres of Hua Hin and Cha Am, Pranburi is ideally situated to host an international sporting event.

The race is mainly the result of an initiative by forward-thinking tour operator Exotissimo Travel, and according to Hamish Keith, Managing Director of Exotissimo Thailand, their main goals were "to promote tourism to Thailand and to create a long lasting quality race that will attract both professional and top age group athletes".

Proceeds from the triathlon will be donated to the Royal Project Foundation of His Majesty King Bhumibol, and H.S.H Prince Bhisatek Rajani has confirmed his presence at the event on 20th October.

The Big Deep : Scuba Diving in Vietnam

Once the preserve of playboy adventurers, scuba diving is now one of the planet's fastest-growing and most accessible adventure sports activities. With its beautiful coral reef, spectacular marine life, calm, warm waters and mild conditions, the tropical seas of Southeast Asia attract thousands of divers each year. The waters of Vietnam boast some of the best dive sites in the region and sites in Con Dao and Nha Trang are now emerging as leading diving destinations.

Used as a penal colony by the French up until 1975 and one of only two Marine National Parks in the country, Con Dao is a 16 island archipelago situated 180 kilometers off the Southeast coast of Vietnam. Con Dao has largely escaped the exploitation and destructive fishing that have been the fate of other reefs in Vietnam and is now considered to be one of the best examples of marine conservation in the country.

With over 1,000 hectares of stunning coral reefs teeming with a colorful array of marine life, Con Dao supports a high level of biodiversity and over 1,300 marine species have been identified so far. Con Dao's sea grass meadows support a small population of globally endangered dugong, there are also resident hawksbill turtles that nest on the islands and even playful dolphins.

Nha Trang is another scuba centre in Vietnam, and although big animals are hard to find there (apart from the local morays), the abundance of other marine life makes for fascinating diving. Indeed, Nha Trang is renowned for its vibrant nudibranchs and extensive coral biodiversity, and over 350 species of coral can be found at dive sites there.

For advanced divers and beginners alike, Vietnam offers a stunning opportunity to experience the serenity and beauty of the sub-aqua world.