Travelfish #460: Drowning and waving
When will this stuff sink in?
Hi!
This week have a great piece from Henry Wismayer—one of my fave travel writers. While it is a bit out of Southeast Asia’s range (Uzbekistan), it is most certainly on theme for the week. WashPo is normally paywalled, though in this case, not. Bonus!
On Couchfish, just the one post, a paid one, on my arrival to Lake Toba. Within hours of publishing that piece, I scored the mother of all bugs (according to doctor, most likely thanks to the sea spray from Bali’s pristine ocean waters), and lost five kilos in five days. Fun times and I really can’t wait for that to happen again!! Am now back on deck though, and regular entries to recommence tomorrow. Apols for the service interruption.
This week’s collection of stories includes three that are reporting on various countries being inundated/sinking/eroded—one wonders when it will all sink in? Meanwhile, 80 million per cent in denial about all the beaches it will lose, Thailand is ranting about wanting to attract 80 million tourists by 2027. I wonder if “double the numbers for half the attractions” is on the TAT cutting room floor yet? The pics this week are of a couple of spots that may not be around for all that much longer—or have gone already.
Cheers
Stuart
PS: In last week’s issue I added the wrong link for my piece on AI and travel writing. The correct link is here. Sorry!
Blink and you’ll miss it
Thailand: Ko Poda’s sandy spread—enjoy it while you can. Photo: David Luekens.
⭐️ Story of the week
The Lessons Of Uzbekistan’s Lost Sea from The Washington Post
📚 What I’m reading
The Holiday Makers: Understanding the Impact of Leisure and Travel by Jost Krippendorf
🇲🇲 Burma
Resistance Forces In Myanmar: Changing The State Of Play With Weaponised Drones from Fulcrum
‘I Turned On The Light And They Were All Dead’: Survivors Recount Horrors From Rohingya Crisis from Frontier Myanmar ($)
🇰🇭 Cambodia
In Floating Village, New Tourist Boat System Frustrates Community from VOD
Dictator Hun Sen Shuts Down Cambodia’s VOD Broadcaster from The Guardian
Ad: Phnom Penh’s Penh House, from US$70 per night. Click here for the details.
🌴 Environment
Interview: ‘Thai People Need To Have A Say In Mekong Hydropower’ from Third Pole
Vietnam’s Environmental Ngos Face Uncertain Status, Shrinking Civic Space from Mongabay
Seawalls: A Boon Or Bane For Thailand’s Beautiful Beaches? from Thai PBS
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Indonesia’s New Palm Oil Biodiesel Programme Profits Major Corporations At The Expense Of Smallholders, Says Union from SEAGlobe ($)
Separatists Fighters In Papua Hold New Zealand Pilot Hostage from The Guardian
Indonesia’s Drowning Land from The Diplomat
🇱🇦 Laos
Laos-China Railway – A Review Of The Vientiane To Boten Train from Nomadic Notes (from 2022)
Laos Gears Up To Welcome Chinese Holiday-makers from Vientiane Times
🇲🇾 Malaysia
Malaysia’s Corruption Perception Rating Stagnates In 2022 With Many Accused Politicians Still In Power from SCMP ($)
Stem The Tide Of Erosion from The Star
🇸🇬 Singapore
Why We Think Rude Hawkers Make The Best Food from Rice Media
🇹🇭 Thailand
Cops Red-faced As Scandals Rock Force from Bangkok Post
T.I.D.: Mu Ko Libong & Ko Rok from Thai Island Quest ($)
Bangkok Is Still Sinking, And Fast! from Bangkok Post
Slumfood Millionaire: Provinces - S1E3: Koh Klang, Krabi from CNA (Video)
Ad: Bangkok’s Sala Arun from US$73 per night. Click here for the details.
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Hẻm Gems: From A Historic D5 Shophouse, An Duyên Serves Up Tasty Chợ Lớn Classics from Saigoneer
Vietnam To Have 30 Airports By 2030: Draft Planning from Saigon Online
Travel Writer Joshua Zukas: The Orientalist Fantasy Surrounding Vietnam Doesn't Match Reality from You Don’t Know Vietnam (podcast)
Random other stuff
Sustainable Travel Tracking In Vietnam from The Southeast Asia Travel Show (podcast)
Search For Descendants Of Aboriginal People Who Settled In Indonesia At Least 150 Years Ago from ABC
Big island, smaller beach
Malaysia: Too late for this long-gone beach on Perhentian Besar—still kinda pretty though. Photo: Stuart McDonald
See you next week!
So that’s the wrap. I hope you are all in good health, and thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Stuart