Travelfish #464: Bucket lists and random pics
Plus internet woes. Again.
Hi!
This week leading with an interesting piece on bucket lists—is there a phrase I hate more than that? No. The piece though, is well worth a read.
Last week on Couchfish I finished up on Lake Toba with a waterfall visit ($) then had an interlude on bus travel (free to read) and then I covered first impressions of Jakarta ($) and then had a spin around town ($).
I’m a bit stuck for photos this week as am having (again) photo online library issues. Bring back slides I say. Anyways, you’ll have to settle for some random shots from my desktop. Apols.
Cheers
Stuart
No idea where this is
I know I’ve been there though, because it is my grubby jeans. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
⭐️ Story of the week
Shred Your Bucket List: Why ‘Must-Do’ Travel Plans Are Ruining Your Vacations from The Wall Street Journal ($)
📚 What I’m reading
Columbus: His Enterprise Exploring The Myth by Hans Koning (still)
🇲🇲 Burma
A Silent Sangha? Buddhist Monks In Post-Coup Myanmar from International Crisis Group
Myanmar Traditional Boxing Packs A Punch, Kick And Headbutt In Kayin State from Frontier Myanmar ($)
Looking to book your transport online when you’re on the road in Southeast Asia? For Vietnam, look no further than Baolau. For the rest of the region, 12Go should be your first port of call.
🇰🇭 Cambodia
Logged And Loaded: Cambodian Prison Official Suspected In Massive Legalized Logging Operation from MongaBay
In Cambodia, Climate Change Is Already Driving Migration from SEAGlobe
International Tourism Receipts Rocket Nearly Eightfold To Over $1.4b from The Phnom Penh Post
Leaked Law Proposal Would Give Cambodia Expanded Powers To Censor Critics from Rest Of World
Ad: Phnom Penh’s Penh House, from US$70 per night. Click here for the details.
🌴 Environment
Seeding Hope from ProPublica
Biggest Carbon Credit Certifier To Replace Its Rainforest Offsets Scheme from The Guardian
Why Bhutan Failed Its Hydropower Goal, And What This Shows About The Geopolitics Of Energy from The Third Pole
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Why Is Indonesia Moving Its Capital From Jakarta To Borneo? from AP
Indonesia: The Buck Stops With Sri Mulyani from The Interpreter
The Women Defending Indonesia’s Forests from The Asia Foundation (Podcast)
🇱🇦 Laos
Laos’ Luang Prabang May Lose UNESCO Status Amid Fears Dam Will Cause ‘Irreversible Damage’ from SCMP ($)
Thailand Begins Work on Longest Railway Tunnel Connecting to Laos from The Laotian Times
Inflation Continues Its Steady Upward Rise In Laos from The Diplomat
Looking for deals on organised tours? Here are a few for Southeast Asia via Travelfish partner GetYourGuide.
Cambodia
Up to 15% off a full-day trip Angkor Wat’s Kulen Waterfall.Indonesia
Up to 15% off a tour to Merapi, Borobudur and Prambanan.Malaysia
Up to 10% off a bicycle tour of Kuala Lumpur’s old city.Thailand
Up to 30% off a 4-hour tour of Bangkok’s Chinatown.Vietnam
Up to 50% off a one-day Hạ Long Bay tour.
🇲🇾 Malaysia
KLIA In Need Of Major Facelift from The Star
🇸🇬 Singapore
The Lee Family’s Highly Politicised Drama from We, The Citizens
The Last Mile: Golden Mile Complex’s Final Hedonistic Hurrah from Rice Media
🇹🇭 Thailand
Air Pollution In Bangkok: Addressing Unequal Exposure And Enhancing Public Understanding Of The Risks from Stockholm Environment Institute
An Image Of Nan from Bangkok Post
T.I.D.: Mu Ko Bulon & Mu Ko Khao Yai from Thai Island Quest ($)
Ad: Bangkok’s Sala Arun from US$73 per night. Click here for the details.
🇻🇳 Vietnam
In The Mekong Delta, Ferries Are Childhood Friends And Daily Companions from Saigoneer
Ambitious Action Plan Needed To Lure International Tourists from Vietnam Investment Review
Random other stuff
Longevity, Paradise And Inspiration, All Just An Audiobook Away from The New York Times ($)
An Insight Into Creating A Walking Holiday from Jack Montgomery
Liberty Tours: Why Tourism Matters To Liberty from Econlib
What Are Sidewalks For? from Vietnam Weekly
Way too much rice
Again no idea where, but obviously somewhere in Thailand. Eating alone clearly. 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