Arrivals/Departures: The holiday souvenir that won't wash off

Indelible reminder

A National Tattoo Museum (www.mokomuseum.co.nz) has opened in the South Pacific, the birthplace of the tattoo (the word derives from the Polynesian tatau). The museum, which is the first of its kind in the region, has regular live displays of both Maori ta moko and Samoan techniques. The tattoo is an important part of Maori culture: it used to be common for Maori men to wear tattoos across their faces and body parts – a tradition that is undergoing a revival. Tattooing first became fashionable in Europe after sailors returned from New Zealand in the 18th and 19th centuries with tattoos and has become popular again in the past 10 years. Will tourists return with similar souvenirs?

Indulge yourself

In Napa Valley, California, the world's most hedonistic museum has flung open its doors. Set up by a group of epicureans, it's called Copia, after the goddess of abundance, and is dedicated to food, wine and the arts. The inaugural exhibitions include Forks in the Road: Food, Wine and the American Table which examines America's often self-indulgent relationship with food, and Talking Turkey, a collection of celebratory sculptures. A big exhibition due to be held from May next year is The Birth of Coffee. But Copia is more than a museum: there are cooking classes, lectures, wine tastings and more than three acres of organic gardens. For further information, visit www.copia.org.

Dead and preferably buried

Anlong Veng may not mean much to most Britons, but to Cambodians the town will always be associated with the brutal Khmer Rouge regime. Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge leader, died in the town in 1998 and Cambodian tourism authorities are considering whether to open his final refuge to the public. The house of one of Pol Pot's senior deputies, Ta Mok, is also in Anlong Veng. Ta Mok has been imprisoned since 1999, and there are similar plans to turn his house into a museum. With improved transport links, the aim is to attract more tourists to the town, which is 200 miles north of Phnom Penh but does not feature on any major itineraries. Already, visitors to Cambodia can see the Khmer Rouge killing fields near the capital and and visit Tuol Sleng, a former torture centre. While some Cambodians believe that the country's dark history should be commemorated, others believe that opening up Anlong Veng may be a step too far. "This is not the Cambodia we want to show to tourists," says So Mara, secretary-general of the National Tourism Authority of Cambodia. "We want them to see a peaceful and friendly country – not this dark side that we would rather forget."

A word of advice

The Foreign Office has recently revised its travel advice for visitors to Uganda and, in particular, has lifted its warning against travel to Bwindi National Park. The park is home to rare mountain gorillas and has suffered from its proximity to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Border security has been tightened and tour operators such as Travelbag Adventures are reintroducing the park to itineraries. The Rwenzori National Park, another mountain gorilla habitat, was re-opened in July 2001 and there have been no security incidents so far. However, the Foreign Office continues to advise against travel to a number of other districts and border areas. For details, visit www.fco.gov.uk/travel.

Whatever next?

It's an insomniac's dream: Thomas Cook TV, a digital television channel, went on air last week and is broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week on Sky. The holiday shopping channel will be selling holidays from Thomas Cook's own range of brands, including JMC, Nielson and Club 18/30. For the curious – and the sleepless – you'll find it on channel 653.