Travelfish newsletter Issue 368 : Four Thai islands you may not have heard of
Hi everyone,
Back in Bali this week for a lot of catch-up writing! Coming online this week, the Cambodian Islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem along with a few other bits and pieces. As promised last week, our coverage of Sihanoukville has been greatly cut back. The feature this week is four Thai islands you may not have heard of—happy island planning!
Another busy day on Ko Sukorn. Photo: David Luekens
An admin note. In the news wrap I mostly linked to free to read pieces, however sometimes I will link to paywalled stories and news. While I appreciate not everyone has a subscription to everything (I certainly don’t!), increasingly websites are moving behind paywalls and this will probably become a more common occurrence in this newsletter. Sites often offer free trials of various descriptions (or provide a shareable link for subscribers, as in the case of NewNaratif, which is what I use when I include one of their stories), and, well, if we link a lot to specific paywalled sites, perhaps they are worth subscribing to!
In other news, we have added a donate to Travelfish page. If you’d like to make a one-off (or regular even!) donation, please see here. Thank you! (I put the wrong link in last week’s newsletter—ops!)
If you’re heading to Thailand for the first time, you may enjoy another newsletter we have called “Welcome to Thailand”. It starts with a series of daily emails, each covering an introductory aspect of Thailand. Then it switches to a weekly (Tuesday) instalment, each recommending a destination or attraction in Thailand that you may not have heard of. The newsletter is very much aimed at people new to Thailand, so if that is you, you can sign up here. All subscribers also get a complimentary PDF itinerary for Southern Thailand. Sign up here.
Good travels,
Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish crew
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Destination(s): Four southern Thai islands you may not have heard of
I’m currently in the process of planning a holiday for the kids and I to southern Thailand, and to be honest, I’d forgotten just how many islands there are to choose from. Many have heard of Lipe, Lanta and Lao Liang (well, ok probably not the last one, but I needed another island that started with L), but there are plenty more to choose from.
With that in mind, here are four that may appeal to those looking to dodge the high season crowds.
Ko Bulon Lae
Thailand’s Ko Lanta often gets top notch billing when it comes to recommending a “family friendly” island, but if you’re looking for something more low key, without the grand resorts and vast selection of beaches, Ko Bulon Lae would have to be one of our favourite islands for families. It boasts some great stretches of sand, a still jungled interior and plenty of backpacker-style places to stay, most of which are not too hard on the wallet—even through peak season. Best of all, Bulon Lae is not toooooo far from the more popular Ko Lipe, so if you want to mix it up with a bit of yin and yang, this works well.
Ko Si Boya
Looking for an island where you’re almost guaranteed to be outnumbered by villagers (who in turn are outnumbered by cows and monitor lizards)? Then Ko Si Boya should be on your short list. Located between tourist hub Krabi and backpacker hub Ko Jum on Thailand’s southwest coast, Ko Si Boya has just a handful of places to choose from and our advice would be to pack a few books. The beaches are not world class by any stretch of the imagination, but if you’re wanting to drop off the radar for a few days or weeks a world away from the tailor shops and travel agents, this could be the medicine you’re looking for.
Ko Libong
Dugongs! The kids were raising their noses at Thailand until I mentioned the possibility of snorkelling with dugongs, and Ko Libong is one of the best places to see these graceful beasts from the water (from a distance please—don’t try and ride one). Libong has a few beaches to choose from, some quite pretty, and while significant tracts of the interior are now rubber plantations, it makes for good cycling. The Muslim villages on the island also make for a good day out should you manage to peel yourself off the beach (or out of the hammock). The island also has some excellent and very well priced places to stay.
Ko Sukorn
If Ko Si Boya sounds like your kettle of fish, then the far further south Ko Sukorn belongs on your list as well. A predominantly pastoral island, tourists are really an afterthought here as the islanders busy themselves harvesting crops rather than tourists. Think long empty beaches and dark blue (rather than the more typical turquoise) waters. As with Si Boya, this island isn’t home to the best beaches in the area, but the stunning sand at Ko Lao Liang and the greater Ko Phetra National Park are but a boat trip away. This is also a good option for cyclists—a decent road circumnavigates the island.
Good travels
Stuart
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Ten things worth reading
A city guide to Phnom Penh
“Four decades on, this enigmatic city is once again in flux. People and money have flowed back in and construction is its soundtrack. Cranes litter the skyline, while its streets are a snarl of congested, gritty, glam, hipster, industrial, historic and riverside life. It’s not the prettiest but it’s definitely one of Southeast Asia’s edgiest, most exciting cities.”
A foodie’s guide to Seminyak
“Admittedly, Seminyak isn’t really my favorite area. It is a more high-class version of Kuta by now but has lost its former hippie charm. The roads are horrendous as is the traffic (well, to be honest, traffic is an issue in most populated places in Bali) and unless you care for places like the infamous Potato Head Beach Club with its bikini-clad wannabe models and afternoon pool drinking sessions, this might not be the Bali paradise you envision.”
How to trek to two of the world’s largest known caves
Malaysia's last Sumatran rhinoceros dies
“Their isolation, caused by habitat loss and poaching, means they rarely breed and may become extinct in a matter of decades, according to conservation group International Rhino Foundation.”
Indonesia wants to make itself a tourist destination for penis enlargement massages
Indonesia is not dicking around. (GROAN)
How Indonesia’s homestays give authentic local experiences for tourists
“Still, tourists can be immersed in local culture, rather than being sheltered from it, and homestays like the Gobels’ are feeding the demand for more authentic travel despite not fitting the government’s model and receiving no financial help.” Strong agree on this story!
Vietnam boats using child labour for illegal fishing
“The children were discovered on boats detained by Thai authorities for fishing illegally in Thai waters, thousands of miles from their homes.”
The sound of silence
“They’ve got access to children, without any real monitoring. We’ve [been involved in the arrest of ] at least ten monks in the past three years for the abuse of boys. Quite often there were multiple victims – sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes four. A majority of the time, it was only through the parents or a relative that the disclosure was made.”
Surviving Indonesia’s antigay clampdown
“While homosexuality is not criminalized—except in conservative Aceh province, which follows Sharia, or Islamic canonical law—there has been an increase in bylaws targeting LGBTQ people.”
Taming G-Land, Java’s surprising jungle safari
“G-Land remains almost exclusively the jungle-lair of surfers in search of the perfect conditions but any non-surfers who have time to trek through the jungle, snorkel the reef, or simply wander along the beach soon realise that this place has unexpected charms that are waiting to be discovered.”
Something to read
My life as a fake
“Published in 2004 and set mostly in Kuala Lumpur in 1972, My Life As a Fake, by Australian Booker-prize winning author Peter Carey, is at its heart the tale of an Australian literary hoax and its reverberations into the present.”
Travel shot
Practise your straight horizon photos on Ko Libong. Photo: David Luekens
Till next time
That’s it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site’s new additions and drop us a line if there’s something in particular you’d like us to cover in Southeast Asia.
Travel light!
Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team
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