So, we’ve given you our picks of the best beers at this year’s festival, and now we’re helping you broaden your horizons in a slightly different way.

Namkhong Beer (Laos)

Before Namkhong, our friends up in Laos could basically choose between Beer Lao and Beer Lao Dark. Not anymore, with this easy drinking lager.
Where to find it: APB, Booth R2

Sengur (Mongolia)

If Genghis Khan were alive today, he’d be about 852, and he wouldn’t think twice about shotgunning a couple of Sengurs. Brewed using local barley and pristine Mongolian water, Sengur has a distinctive burnt malt aftertaste.
Where to find it: APB, Booth R2

 Kilikia Dark Lager (Armenia)

Alright, so this conventional dark lager was at last year’s Beerfest and it’s been spotted in fridges around town, but come on, it’s still a beer from Armenia. What other Armenian produce have you had the chance to try?
Where to find it: ArevA Group, Booth B10

Gold Crown (Cambodia)

As much as a glass of Angkor Beer is the perfect way to conclude a day of wandering around temple ruins, it’s good to see the Cambodian beer market expanding. This refreshing lager is crisp and smooth.
Where to find it: APB, Booth R2

Clancy’s Amber Ale (Canada)

From the same folks who’ve been bringing you Moosehead Lager all the way from Saint John, New Brunswick, comes this malty, slightly sweet amber ale. And if you’re wondering, we also don’t know who Clancy is.
Where to find it: Asigo Trading, Booth R3

Jaz Fresh Lychee (Malaysia)

Much like a Proton, Malaysia’s de facto national beer is affordable and gets you where you want to go. This brand new lychee-infused member of their stable comes in mini-kegs and plastic-wrapped yellow bottles featuring excessively cute cartoon characters.
Where to find it: Napex Brewery, Booth R4

Storm Beer Golden Ale (Indonesia)

If you’ve been to Bali, then you’ve probably heard of Storm Beer. Their incarnation of the golden ale, arguably the best beer style to get hammered on a weekday afternoon, is light and floral.
Where to find it: Storm Beers Bali, Booth R1

Myanmar Beer (Myanmar)

Politically-minded drinkers might appreciate the irony of something being called “Myanmar’s Favorite Beer,” but this is a lager that’ll be enjoyed by all.
Where to find it: APB, Booth R2

BrewDog Trashy Blonde (Scotland)

The famous (or infamous) BrewDog may not be bringing their headline-making ultra-strong beers Tactical Nuclear Penguin (32%) and Sink the Bismarck! (41%) but they make up for it with this zesty, hoppy, passionfruity number.
Where to find it: MyBrewerytap, Booth B11

Biere Larue (Vietnam)

Enjoyed all over Vietnam, particularly in its central area around Da Nang, Biere Larue looks like a close cousin of our own Tiger Beer. It tastes a little of straw, or what one might imagine straw tastes like, and you can bet it’ll leave you making jokes involving the word “dong”.
Where to find it: APB, Booth R2

Visit the official website of Beerfest Asia 2011 for a full list of beers. Tickets (from $32) are still available for all four days from SISTIC

How did you start collecting sand?
I love to travel, and whenever one travels, it’s natural to want to bring some souvenirs back. I love beaches. I love water. I love to sit by the water. I did think of collecting water, but I soon discovered that water evaporates.

I like the feeling of letting sand run through my fingers, reminding me that we cannot hold on to things too tightly, that there are some things which are not within our control. I love the sand on my feet, in between my toes, and leaving my footprints in the sand.

A beach is a happy place, with the wind, the smell of the sea, the sound of the waves beating against the shore, the sun and a couple of cold beers to go along with it. Collecting sand is like keeping memories locked up within a space, and those memories will not run away. I can even smell the sea again with just a shake of a bottle.

How do you store your collection?
In small bottles, large bottles, bottles of different shapes and sizes, test-tubes, in those small medical bottles and in pretty mineral water bottles with the names of the places written on the outside. All my bottles of sand are placed on a shelf, and no one is allowed to touch them, except for me!

How big is your collection?
I have sand from Australia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the US, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, New Zealand, Vietnam, India, Dubai and Europe. I have around 45 bottles.

What lengths have you gone to for your sand?
I went to collect sand in Melbourne during the winter season (i.e. June) and I almost got my butt frozen. I ran all the way out to the beach, packed some sand in a small bag, managed to pose for a picture (smiling happily on the outside but freezing terribly on the inside) and ran all the way back into a toilet to warm my hands.

We suss out some of the best beaches in the region.

Clean up the beach!

International Coastal Cleanup, Singapore

International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is an annual event that encourages people around the world to take action against trash. ICC was first held in Singapore in 1992 and this year's cleanup takes place on Sep 17. Visit coastalcleanup.nus.edu.sg for more information.

Waterways Watch Society

Waterways Watch Society (WWS) looks after six of Singapore's key rivers and canals. Since waste in the waterways washes out into the sea, they play a key role in protecting the coast as well. WWS identifies sources of pollution then comes up with solutions to them. Visit www.wws.org.sg for more information.

Singapore Environment Council

Established in 1995, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC), an independent NGO, conducts regular coastal cleanup activities. To find out more about the council, visit www.sec.org.sg. To put your name down as a volunteer for their next beach cleaning session, send an email to [email protected].

Check out some of the best beaches in Asia

Find out what this teacher collects as souvenir

Picture yourself on holiday. Right now. There’s a good chance that the first image that springs to mind is swaying coconut trees, sand and colorful cocktails garnished with fruit and miniature umbrellas. No matter what sort of person you are in your day-to-day life, when it comes to places to rest, relax and simply get away from the grind, beaches are almost universal in their appeal. For whatever reason you're heading to the seaside, here are eight of the best around Asia. Like the best beach to…

Recover from a Party

Haad Yao, Koh Phangan, Thailand
Koh Phangan is a familiar name that often lies buried beneath a torrent of alcohol and deafening bass. It is better known as the place where the famous Full Moon Party began, raging on the island’s Haad Rin beach since the mid 1980s. After you’re done partying with up to 30,000 people in a dance-till-dawn festival of booze in buckets and playing with fire, there’s a calmer, quieter escape just 40 minutes away.

Haad Yao is a soothing, tranquil retreat from that all-night binge. And besides, there are 353 days of the year where there isn’t a full moon within sight on Koh Phangan. The calm, shallow waters off Haad Yao, home to 3,000 species of marine life, are ideal for beginner scuba divers.

Where to stay: Haad Yao See Through Resort (above, www.haadyao-seethroughresort.info) is your best bet on this stretch, with rates starting at around B1,750 ($70) a night. Special three- and four-night packages are available on Full Moon Party Weekends with rates starting at B1,332 ($53) a night.

Getting there: Bangkok Airways flies daily to Koh Samui for around $500 return. Koh Phangan is a short ferry ride away from Mae Nam beach, which is five minutes away from Koh Samui’s airport.

Get Cultured

Negombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is famous for its tea, history, friendly people and gorgeous beaches, and Negombo on the country's west coast brings its best elements together.

Less than 10km from Bandaranaike International Airport and 40km from the capital Colombo, this quiet town offers delightful slices of everyday life in Sri Lanka. The beach itself seems to go on forever, with dozens of resorts lining the broad stretch. A main road runs along the beach and by it you’ll find restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, convenience stores and tour companies.

Nicknamed “Little Rome” locally because of its many churches, some dating back to 17th-19th century colonial times, numerous canals flow through the town as reminders of the days of Dutch rule. A 17th century Dutch fort still stands near the center of Negombo, though it is in a rather poor state.

Negombo started out as, and remains, a fishing village, and you can organize a fishing trip of your own with one of the tour companies along its main road. At the end of the day, when you retreat to your hotel and sip on a Lion Beer on orange sands, you can watch the sun slowly dip into the Indian Ocean.

Where to stay: With a new wing recently built in late 2010, Jetwing Sea (Palangaturai, Kochchikade, Negombo, +94 (31) 493-3413, www.jetwinghotels.com) occupies a prime spot on the waterfront. Rates start at around US$140 ($170) a night.

Getting there: Singapore Airlines (from around $750 return), Emirates (from around $470 return) and SriLankan Airlines (from around $590 return) fly daily to Colombo.

Get Away from it All

Song Saa, Cambodia
Just off the coast of the port city of Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand, lie about 20 small islands known as the Koh Rong Archipelago. Most of them haven’t been developed yet, but come later this year, a pair of them will welcome their first visitors. The islands are named Koh Ouen and Koh Bong, but they’re known as Song Saa—“The Sweethearts” in Khmer. This private escape is marked by a rainforest, pristine coral reefs and white sand beaches.

The islands are protected as part of a conservation area, and the waters are teeming with life—dugongs have been spotted among the fish and seahorses. If absolute seclusion is what you seek, you can take a boat trip to other neighboring islands that are completely deserted.

Where to stay: The catalyst for the development of the two islands, Song Saa Private Island Resort (Koh Ouen, Sihanoukville, +855 (77) 777-439, www.songsaa.com) is the only place to stay on the island. With its overwater villas, spa and sunset cruises, this eco-friendly establishment is as good as it gets.

Getting there: Song Saa is accessible by speedboat from Sihanoukville, and Sihanoukville is in turn a three to four hour bus ride from Phnom Penh. SilkAir (twice daily from around $327 return) and Jetstar (once daily from around $273 return) fly to Phnom Penh.

Get Your Marriage Started

Kihavah, The Maldives
How do you choose any one particular beach in a region where every island is beautiful to the point of looking digitally rendered? Well, we’re going with the one that has an underwater restaurant. Kihavah, one of the islands that make up Baa Atoll, is a dream getaway for any traveler, but honeymooners will be absolutely blown away by what it has to offer.

You can count on total privacy, expect a night sky filled with more stars than darkness, and you’ll wake up every morning to gorgeous orange sunrises and end each day with dramatic red sunsets. You can snorkel through clear, turquoise waters or set sail on a private boat for a day of island hopping.

Where to stay: Kihavah is the slice of heaven that it is thanks to Anantara Kihavah Villas (Kihavah, Maldives, +960 660-1020, www.anantara.com). Private infinity pools in every over-water villa, the world’s only underwater restaurant and wine cellar, and a luxurious spa known for its coconut exfoliation treatment are among the indulgences here. If you're a newlywed, or just want to renew your vows, Anantara offers a variety of wedding packages, from a beach ceremony with a candle-lit dinner, to an underwater wedding during a scuba dive. Rooms are available from around US$1,170 ($1,440) a night and seaplane transfers from Malé cost US$400 ($490) per person.

Getting there: Singapore Airlines flies twice daily to Malé with fares starting from around $930 return.

Escape for the Weekend

Pulau Joyo, Indonesia
Perhaps more so in Singapore than anywhere else, people find themselves short of time. As such, weekend destinations are important—hassle-free, easy to reach places that let us cast off the shackles of the week as quickly as possible. Pulau Joyo is just that place.

Located off the far side of Bintan from Singapore, Pulau Joyo is close to us in one sense, but distant from anything else in another—there's open sea all the way to Borneo on its eastern side. This private island is home to a single resort, so there’s something a little more Maldivian about it than just its soft sand and blue-green waters.

Where to stay: Pulau Joyo resort (www.pulau-joyo.com) has been described by bespoke travel experts Lightfoot Travel as an ideal place for a “Robinson Crusoe-esque escapade in driftwood palaces with friends and family.” “Driftwood palace” isn’t just some fancy marketing term either; Pulau Joyo is home to four grand beachfront chalets constructed entirely with driftwood. It also boasts top-class food and wine, a rejuvenating spa and its own 140-foot yacht, the Hang Tuah, which is available for charter. Full-board rates start at $999++ a night.

Getting there: Hop on a Bintan Resort Ferry (www.brf.com.sg) from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (for around $62 return) and Pulau Joyo staff will arrange everything else.

Go Back to Basics

Coral Bay, Perhentian Kecil, Malaysia
On Perhentian Kecil, the simple life reigns—particularly on Coral Bay, one of its two main beaches. Everything here is done at your own pace. Diving in the crystal clear waters off the coconut tree-lined shores, you’ll find yourself among an abundance of tropical fish. The area is also a sanctuary for endangered green and hawksbill turtles, and it isn’t uncommon to see them gliding through the surf.

Where to stay: There may be no Shangri-La on Perhentian Kecil, but there certainly is a Shari-La (Coral Bay, Perhentian Island, Kuala Besut, +60 9697-7500, www.shari-la.com). Shari-La's chalets come equipped with creature comforts like satellite TV, but the fact that “24 hour electricity” is advertised as a facility lets you know that the modern world is yet to fully intrude. Rooms are available from RM100 ($40) a night.

Getting there: Firefly flies between Singapore and Subang seven times daily (from around $190 return), and between Subang and Kota Bharu seven times daily (from around $175 return). AirAsia flies from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur 11 times daily (from around $120 return) and from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu six times daily (from around $154 return). The Perhentian Islands are a ferry ride away from Kuala Besut near Kota Bharu.

Mix with the Rich and Famous

Dadonghai Bay, Sanya, China
China’s own Hawaii has made quite a name for itself in the last decade. Of the six bays around Sanya, Dadonghai offers the best blend of everything that makes the city stand out. You have a quiet, lengthy stretch of broad beach, lush, dramatic hills jutting out into the South China Sea, and the city itself, including the famed Xiari Department Store, is just 3km away. Chilled-out beach bars and restaurants serving fresh local seafood line the 2.3km crescent, and the sound of live music is always in the air.

There are a number of condominium developments around Dadonghai Bay so the beach’s most frequent visitors are wealthy Russians, Hong Kongers and Mainland Chinese. Activities around Dadonghai are varied; you can hop on a tourist bus, join in a game of beach volleyball, cruise out to West Island for a glass-bottomed boat ride, trek to the Luhuitou Peak Garden to look over Sanya from 275 meters up or visit Nanshan Temple to see a 108 meter tall statue of Kwan-yin. You could also stick to drinking Chinese beers all day long.

Where to stay: Visit www.sunnysanya.com to see a full list of serviced apartments in the area (rates start at around $80 a night). For something more luxe, look no further than the Mandarin Oriental Sanya (12 Yuhai Rd., Sanya City, Hainan, +86 (898) 8820-9999, www.mandarinoriental.com) which has a private beach (rates start at around $340 a night).

Getting there: Jetstar flies to Haikou four times weekly from around $227 return and Tiger Airways flies there thrice weekly from around $255 return. You can reach Sanya via high-speed rail from Haikou airport.

Beat the Hype

Lovina, Bali, Indonesia
We can’t do a beach story without mentioning Bali, but let’s be honest, the Bali of today is nothing like the Bali of the past. Traffic jams, a whole cast of obnoxious tourists and the occasional rabid dog are just some of the issues stalking the central tourist area around Kuta. Fortunately, there are still parts of the island that have not been fouled by the hordes. Lovina, close to the northern city of Singaraja is one such place.

Lovina’s black sand beaches are quiet and there are a number of dive operators on the stretch. The most popular residents of Lovina are the local dolphins who reside just offshore, and tours to see them are available each morning. As you might imagine, shops here are stocked with dolphin-related trinkets.

Lovina isn’t short on the nightlife that makes Bali, well, Bali, and some of the island's best local cuisine can be found around here, too. A few of these restaurants offer cooking classes, and learning how to prepare gado-gado or bubuh injin is a better souvenir to take home than any “I (heart) Bali” tote bag.

Where to stay: Perched right by the waters of the Bali Sea, Puri Bagus Lovina (Jl. I Gusti Ngurah Rai, 300 B Tuban, Bali, +62 (361) 751-223,www.puribagus.net) is classically Balinese.

Getting there: Singapore Airlines (from around $562 return) flies to Bali twice daily, while Jetstar (from around $244 return) and Garuda (from around $350 return) fly at least once daily.

Hear what this childcare teacher collects when she goes on a holiday.

Think Singapore's beaches don't match up? Here are some ways to make them better.

The wait is over, Beerfest Asia is back. This festival of the world’s favorite drink has become a fixture since its debut in 2009, so you should know what to expect: Good beer, good music, good food and good times. But what’s new in the third edition? What’s going to entertain us without nightly World Cup screenings? More importantly, what’s different in the way of beer?

The Beer

Beerfest Asia 2011 runs for four days from Jun 16-19. Edward Chia, Festival Director of Beerfest Asia 2011, tells us that there will be over 250 beers on show, with around a fifth of them making their debut in Singapore. “We have new exhibitors on board and among them, they are bringing down some 50 new beers that are not in the market currently,” says Chia. “This means that festival-goers can only taste these beers at Beerfest Asia and nowhere else.”

2011’s edition looks primed to continue the trend set in motion by preceding festivals. “Beer drinking is no longer limited to the average Joe,” says Chia. “We see more beer connoisseurs and craft beer drinkers and it’s real, organic growth as people actively seek out craft beers to taste and sample. People have even taken up home brewing as a hobby.”

Beer drinkers these days aren’t all Joes in fact. An increasing number of them are Janes. Chia tells us that more and more ladies are letting their love of the beverage be known. “It is not just us realizing this trend. In fact, our exhibitors have also noticed and will have a few pleasant surprises for female festival goers.”

And so, the important question: What are his Excellency the Festival Director’s beers of choice? “There’re so many to choose from! If we have to choose, Budweiser Budvar and Zubr from the Czech Republic (it’s the first time that Beerfest Asia will feature Czech beers), American craft beers brought in by BeerStyle, BrewDog beers from Scotland and English beers from Singapore Beer Alliance are all good bets.”

The Entertainment

Melancholic indie stuff can be great but this isn’t the time or place for it—Beerfest is all about tribute acts. Favorites from last year’s festival, Queen dead-ringers Killer Queen and U2 clones Achtung Baby are returning with incarnations of The Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Blues Brothers featuring the All Star Showstoppers.

There’s also an element of comedy to this year’s Beerfest, gearing to make you laugh more than you already do when you’re inebriated. Patrons can buy tickets to the Comedy Club for $20 and enjoy stand-up performances from the likes of Jonathan Atherton, Paul Ogata, David Smiedt, Tom Rhodes and Henning Wehn.

And have you ever watched an American college movie and longed to try your hand at beer pong? This is your chance. In addition to the legendary game of drink, you’ll find pool and foosball tables at various marquees on the festival grounds.

Our Picks

Enough talk, let’s drink. In the spirit of an increasing female presence in the market, we’re giving picks “for him” and “for her.”

FOR HIM
Stone Brewing Co. Double Bastard Ale
This brew is all man, not just in name but in its 11.2 percent a.b.v, aggressive hop bitterness, strong flavors of pine and grapefruit, and a finish that seems to last forever.

Schneider-Weisse Aventinus
If mainstream German beers are starting to bore you, graduate to this mighty weizenbock with fruit and spice characteristics.

Anderson Valley Brewing Company Poleeko Gold Pale Ale
Everyone needs a good session beer. You can go the distance with this light, citrusy American pale ale.

Brother’s Festival Pear Cider
Have a cider instead of a beer—nothing wrong with that. Just don’t be fooled by this sweet, easy-drinking offering from Brother’s; the seven percent a.b.v might take you down.

FOR HER
North Taiwan Honeydew Melon Beer
A little like that honeydew milkshake you get from a foodcourt when you’re in a health-conscious mood, this one-of-a-kind beer is refreshing and surprisingly drinkable.

Eve
Confusing anyone familiar with budget bubbly and passion pop, Eve comes in lychee and passionfruit flavors. This low-cal innovation from Carlsberg is tailor-made for ladies who want to make an impression.

The Lindemans range
Don’t let the fruity flavors of apple, peach, raspberry, blackcurrant and cherry make you think any less of these Belgian beers. They’re made with barrel-aged fruit juice and brewed with the centuries-old technique of spontaneous fermentation.

Kinshachi Chocolate Weizen
We’re not going say that ladies can only drink light and fruity beers. Step up to the plate with this complex, robust, eight percent a.b.v drop from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Beerfest Asia 2011 is on Jun 16-19 with tickets $20 upwards through SISTIC. For more information, visit www.beerfestasia.com.