The Singapore Food Festival begins on the 17th of July, running for ten days till July 26. The theme this week revolves around the native Peranakan cuisine, with ethnic precincts showcasing their respective dishes all throughout the festival.

Of course, you might not know your bee hoon from your char kway teow, but a day or so spent sampling the city-state's many hawker centers will soon have you eating like a pro. Get started on Singapore's wide choice of foods by reading our article on Singapore's hawker centers.

Image © Mike Aquino. Licensed to About.com.

I'm out again, this time in the island of Panglao in the Philippines. Panglao is a hot diving spot, and the resorts lining the beach of Alona Kew all have dive centers or are associated with one.

I'm staying at Bohol Divers Resort (the spot you see above is their restaurant overlooking the beach), and tomorrow I'll be riding a boat booked through Blue Planet Diving to visit Balicasag Island, a popular diving spot. I'll stay topside while the photographer I'm working with on this project (not related to About.com) goes below.

I know, I know, I'm missing out on a lot, but I'd rather see it when I'm ready and PADI-certified.

Cruises keep Singapore tourism alive. AsiaOne Travel reports that cruise vacations are enjoying a growth spurt as other Singapore travel industry sectors spiral down - the passenger count has increased by 21% to 459,000, as opposed to a 14% drop in the number of foreign visitors to Singapore overall in the same period. The signs look promising - so much so that cruise companies like Costa Cruises and RCC are expanding their operations.

New Cambodian State Carrier to take flight at end of July. This just in from Bernama: Travel in Cambodia is about to get much easier, as Cambodia Angkor Airline spreads its wings beginning on July 27. Initially servicing Siem Reap and Preah Sihanouk province, the new company hopes to begin offering flights to Korea in the near future.

Deal of the month: Save $200 on a gay vay-kay in the Mekong. Gay-oriented operator Spirit Journeys offers a relaxing jaunt through Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos for only $4095. Gay vacationers will go on a spiritual quest in the East, visiting ancient temples like the Grand Palace in Thailand and Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Visit their site for more information.

Surf Girls, Head on down to Bali. Girl Getaways lists their favorite girl surf camps, and wouldn't you know it, Seminyak in Bali, Indonesia is on their list! With Surf Goddess Retreats, not only do aspiring surf goddesses get to practice their craft at any time of the year on some of the sweetest swells in the world, they can also take advantage of "Goddess Glow" spa treatments on their off hours! The whole package costs $2,385 for eight days.

Stay 2 nights, get 3rd night free in Bali! Four Seasons Resort Bali in Jimbaran Bay offers a bonus for Bali visitors, by letting you stay three nights for the cost of two! Suites come as low as $500 a night, so make your reservations now. Offer valid till July 14. More details at balihotelsluxury.com.

Bali Dynasty is getting a makeover. I love the Bali Dynasty, because I'm a sucker for a resort that offers you so much for so much less money than you'd expect. So I'm fairly happy that they've completed the upgrade they were undergoing when I was last there - with newly modernized rooms, refitted bathrooms, expanded windows, and more stuff. For more details, read my Dynasty Bali Review.