Travelfish #408: New long read, A Malaysian Quagmire
A UNESCO Heritage listing falling apart
Hi everyone,
I saw a tweet the other day from a friend in Saigon (who is in the travel industry), she said “today was yesterday”. That was it. Three words. To be honest, it resonated. At least in the travel world, it feels like Groundhog Day. Suffice to say, she is over 2020. Me too.
Yesterday we published our third long read, this one by a Malaysia–based author on the UNESCO Heritage site in Lenggong, Perak State. You can read the full piece here. Our long reads are entirely funded by Travelfish supporters—thank you!
A UNESCO Heritage listing falling apart. Photo: Travelfish.
Last week on pay to read Couchfish I’ve been all over two Cambodian islands, with a two part series on the beaches of Koh Rong. Then a crazed boat ride, a run in with an equally crazed hotelier and then a lighthouse. Why do the crazed people always talk to me?
On free to read Couchfish, I wrote about Indonesia’s Java and why it baffles me why more don’t visit. This piece resonated with the “into Indonesia crowd” and if Indonesia is your thing, you may enjoy it.
You never know who you’ll meet in Java. Photo: Sally Arnold.
Over on Thai Island Times, don’t miss David’s wrap on Thai island and beach stuff—and there I was thinking I spent too much time of social media! I should note, this is also David’s six month anniversary on running his newsletter and it remains my go to list for what is going on in Thailand (at least beach and island wise!). If you’re not already a subscriber, sign up! It is free!
Just as I was about to hit “publish” David put out another piece on Ko Lipe—you can read it here.
Good travels,
Stuart
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Ten places to drop off the map in Thailand
It kind of feels a bit ridiculous to write about a collection of places to dodge the hordes in the current climate. That said, some day travel will get going again, so file this one away for when some normalcy returns. Or, if you’re lucky enough to already be in Thailand, get travelling!
Bo Kluea
Salt. Valuable stuff. Photo: Mark Ord.
When I write about White Gold in the context of Bo Kluea, I’m not on about Bolivian marching powder but rather salt. This scratch of a village wedged in Nan province between Doi Phu Kha National Park and the Lao frontier is famous for the stuff. Writes Austin Bush in The Food of Northern Thailand:
“Mentions of Ban Bo Luang and its wells go back as far as the fifteenth century, when the village’s salt was offered as a tribute to the Chiang Mai–based kings of the former Lan Na kingdom. Later, the salt wells made Ban Bo Luang a stopover on the caravan route to traders from Laos and southern China—those with even less access to the sea than the northern Thai.”
Go for the salt, and the relaxed riverside scene—but also easy access to both Doi Phu Kha and Khun Nan national parks. You can read more about it on Travelfish here—and also on Couchfish.
Chanthaburi
Chanthaburi: “City of the Moon” this intriguing provincial capital in eastern Thailand is so well placed for breaking the trip to Ko Chang or Ko Kut, it seems crazy more don’t break their trip here.
Crab at Buu Nim, hit me. Photo: David Luekens.
In his 1904 Guide to Bangkok and Siam, J Antonio writes of “Chantaboon”:
“It is a pleasant little town, however, although the few Europeans resident there complain of ennui.”
He goes on to note the “natives” are good at grass mats and jewellery. Luckily for you there is a whole lot more to see and do and I’d say the chances of you contracting ennui are low. Wander the old quarter, visit a cathedral or a wat, and do make time for a daytrip to the coast to eat fresh crab at Farm Buu Nim.
Khong Chiam
Nearing the confluence. Khong Chiam. Photo: David Luekens.
Overlooking the merging of two rivers—the Mekong and the Moon—far flung Khong Chiam makes for an ideal last (or first) stop in Thailand before (or after) Laos. The main tourism drawcard is the above mentioned river confluence, but Khong Chiam is also convenient for Pha Taem National Park. There’s also handicrafts and plenty of good eating. It is a popular spot for weekending Thais, but foreigners are strangely few and far between.
Ko Phayam
Setting the mood on Ko Phayam. Photo: David Luekens.
I can’t write about Thailand hideaways and not mention islands, but with so many to choose from, it is hard to pick. A back beach on a popular island like Ko Pha Ngan can be pretty ace, while a backwater little–visited spot can also deliver. Ko Phayam, by the northern tip of Thailand’s Andaman coast fits in to that perfect middle ground. Not too busy, but not dead. A wide range of beaches, but big enough that it isn’t just about the beaches. Check it out and perhaps swing by Ko Chang Noi while you’re in the area. Do check the weather though—wet season is wet in these parts.
Mae Sot
Burma meets Thailand. Photo: David Luekens.
The entire Thai Burma border encompasses some of the most beautiful stretches of the country. The road stretching from Umphang in the far south to Mae Hong Son (and beyond) in the north, is an absolute cracker. Umphang, Mae Sot, Mae Sariang, Khun Yuam, Mae Hong Son—so many great spots—and then Sangklaburi further south—so why pick Mae Sot?
While all have have their own merits, Mae Sot has long been my favourite. Go for the food, the people, the outlying temples, the national parks, and, or course, that fantastic ride south to Umphang.
That Phanom
At Wat That Phanom. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
For me, Thailand’s northeast has two primary attractions—the Khmer period ruins, and the food. My favourite though, is a small spot halfway between a village and a town on the bank of the Mekong—That Phanom. It was once on the traveller hit list thanks to an excellent guesthouse (Niyana’s‚ which, as far as I know has now closed) but it remains a beautiful spot. It is also home to a stunning temple, Wat That Phanom, but many come for the small town vibe and long slow bicycle trips along the west bank of one of the most beautiful rivers in the world—the Mekong.
Nakhon Si Thammarat
This is how you do it. Photo: David Luekens.
Most travellers head to southern Thailand aiming for beaches and that idealised beach Instagram shot. The mainland though, has plenty of greatness to deliver. Nakhon Si Thammarat is an hour or so south of the many piers that head out to Thailand’s silly islands, but few bother. This is a mistake. After Hat Yai this is the largest city in Thailand’s south and while the bars have a bit of a cowboy feel to them, there is plenty of history on hand in “Nakhon”. Come for the Suchart Subsin’s House of Shadow Puppetry, the incredibly spicy dry curries, Khao Luang National Park and Baan Khiriwong. You can send me a postcard afterwards to say thank you. If you have more time, consider Khanom and Sichon on the coast.
Phayao
Watch out sinners. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
Ancient maps marked a mythical “northern lake of Siam”. It was a fabrication of drunken sailors and map makers of the 17th century. That said, Phayao, ideally placed between Chiang Mai and Nan, has a great lake. It is huge. Come here so eat salt–crusted fresh water fish, barbecued on open air grills while you relax by the water on mats with low slung tables crammed with iced beers. The sunsets deliver. Set a day aside to visit Wat Analayo and Wat Sri Khom Khan. Also eat. You will not go hungry here.
Prachuap Khiri Khan
Prachuap has some decent viewpoints… Photo: Stuart McDonald.
Look, the important thing to remember here is Prachuap Khiri Khan is easier to get to than say. Just call it “Prachuap” and hop on the train. It has a city beach which, to be fair, is not Thailand’s best, but just over the hump to the south is the airforce beach (Ao Manao) which is far better, and, importantly, lined with seafood joints to eat and drink at. To the north is an absolutely macaque infested hilltop temple which I’d only recommend if you like being mauled by macaques. Instead go to the nearby national parks, and, well, eat a lot of seafood.
Trang
Forget the islands. Photo: David Luekens.
Oh Trang, how many times have I slumbered in thee due to a missed boat connection? Like Krabi to the north and Satun to the south, Trang is an island gateway to a cluster of Thailand’s Andaman Sea islands. But you should linger. Don’t rush for the boat. Slow down and smell the coffee—it is worth lingering for. Mainland beaches, waterfalls, caves ... or just drink more coffee!
Good list making!
Stuart
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Fourteen things worth reading
What I Learned from Backpacking as a 40-Something
“All backpackers learn that a good trip becomes an amazing trip because of the people, not the landmarks.”
Malaysia’s Indigenous people question timber sustainability
“Global Witness has condemned Samling for its ‘egregious track record of illegal logging, primary rainforest destruction and violation of indigenous rights’ in countries including Malaysia, Cambodia and PNG.”
The Mahakan Fort mistake
“The miniature park idea is ironic and questionable. It only demonstrates the poor knowledge of city administrators regarding living history, and their obsession with material construction divorced from humans and their stories.”
Eating, drinking, and making merit in Phnom Penh
Slowing down in Laos
“Plainly there isn’t much money in making a travel magazine on a shoestring. But through their travels, the Valentes came to value slowness as its own sort of luxury.”
Indonesia balances war on illegal fishing with international obligations
“Therefore, Indonesia can implement its policy of sinking vessels and disregard the obligation for prompt release.” Look in the mirror Indonesia.
How Steinbeck's Cannery Row spoke to me – even in small-town Indonesia
“This novel, as I later learned, shared much with his other novels: it invites us to see the world from a humble, and at times very narrow, perspective. From the engine of a dilapidated Ford Model T to the cash register of a grocery store owned by a Chinese immigrant, even to a brothel. The world in this novel was certainly different from the one I lived in, but at the same time, as a small-town boy I was able to feel a connection to it.”
Bangkok’s motortaxi drivers aid Thai protesters
“In October, when authorities deployed water cannon for the first time since protests kicked off in July, it was the drivers who rushed to provide early warnings and later blockaded some roads so activists could safely escape riot police.”
Fever dream: inside a Yangon fever clinic at the epicentre of the pandemic
“I was shocked. I hadn’t expected so many to be positive.”
The Mekong Delta's creeping disaster
“While salt water inches further upriver each year, parts of the delta directly on the coast are being washed away by rising sea levels and waves.”
Cambodia's ninja gardeners tame jungle growth
“Leaving the temples unmanicured could bring back the vision French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot had encountered in the 1860s when he chanced upon the site.”
A movement without pronouns and leaders is challenging Thailand all the way to the top
“When you’re steeped in such a conservative outlook, what the youth are doing seems not just reckless, but incomprehensible.”
Why this uncle plans to keep running his 114–year–old–cafe
“In its heyday, the 12th Canal Market ‘was comparable to Venice.’”
Prosecute crimes against journalists, don’t commit them
“Harassing, intimidating and threatening Cambodian journalists has become so normalized that some colleagues who faced pressure on October 23 merely shrugged it off as no big deal, or even part of the job.”
Something to read
The food of Northern Thailand
Who wouldn’t need a bite and a drink about now.
Photo of the week
Grab a banana before Bromo when on Java. Photo: Sally Arnold.
Thank you!
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Travel light!
Stuart & the Travelfish team