Travelfish #467: Papua, Still
A wrap on stuff worth reading
Hi!
This whole sustainability thing is both hard and complicated, and this week’s read of the weeks highlights some of the challenges ahead. Grab a coffee and give it a read.
Sticking with the sustainable stuff, last week Talking Travel Writing published the first of a four-part series I’ve written for them on sustainable tourism and travel writing. If you’ve an interest in the area, give it a read. Also, if you’re a travel writer, or have dreams/nightmares of becoming one, their newsletter, particularly their paid-for version, belongs on your subscription list. You can sign up for either their free- or paid-newsletters via the prompt below.
Last week there were a couple more stories for paid Couchfish subscribers, one on shopping in Jakarta (without zombies), and the other a potted history of the nation’s rail network. On the free list, I wrote a diving-inspired piece on slowing down.
I’m still in Papua, and so thought it was best to treat you with a couple more pics.
Cheers
Stuart
Rainy days are the worst
Tried to write the newsletter here, but there was a bit too much glare on the screen. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
⭐️ Story of the week
Obstacles To Decarbonisation In Southeast Asia from Fulcrum
📚 What I’m reading
To The Lake by Kapka Kassabova (Still—hey, I’ve been diving!)
🇲🇲 Burma
Thousands Flee Into Thailand Amid Renewed Myanmar Fighting from Aljazeera
Western Fashion Brands In Myanmar Called Out For Worker Abuse from SEA Globe ($)
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
Activists Find Illegal Logging Evidence In Protected Area In Northern Cambodia from RFA
Cambodia’s Ream National Park Transformed From Wildlife Haven To Development Zone from China Dialogue
Ad: Phnom Penh’s Penh House, from US$70 per night. Click here for the details.
🌴 Environment
How Plastic Opens Fish Up to Disease from Hakai
Is There Meaningful Demand For Sustainable Travel In Bali? from Bali Sun
Maps Of Sharks’ Journeys Show Marine Protected Areas Alone Won’t Save Them from Mongabay
Paying For Paradise? Hawaii Mulls Fees For Ecotourism Crush from Komonews
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Local Guides And Orangutans from Low Season Traveller
Police Discover 12 Bodies In Serial Murder Probe Against Slamet Tohari from Jakarta Globe
Malls And Mosques: The Sights And Sounds Of Indonesia’s Iftar from Fulcrum
🇱🇦 Laos
Influx Of Chinese Nationals Means Tough Competition For Merchants In Laos from RFA
Railway Service A Boon To Economic Recovery from The Star
Looking for deals on organised tours? Here are a few for Southeast Asia via Travelfish partner GetYourGuide.
Cambodia
Up to 15% off a full-day trip Angkor Wat’s Kulen Waterfall.Indonesia
Up to 15% off a tour to Merapi, Borobudur and Prambanan.Malaysia
Up to 10% off a bicycle tour of Kuala Lumpur’s old city.Thailand
Up to 30% off a 4-hour tour of Bangkok’s Chinatown.Vietnam
Up to 50% off a one-day Hạ Long Bay tour.
🇲🇾 Malaysia
Contemporary Life Lessons From An Ancient Rainforest from Nikkei Asia ($) (From 2022)
Preserved In Pixels: Traditional Malaysian Shops And Eateries – In Pictures from The Guardian
🇸🇬 Singapore
The Art Of The Con: How Scammers Exploit Singaporeans from Rice Media
Chilli Crab: The Woman Behind Singapore's Beloved Dish from BBC
🇹🇭 Thailand
No-Reservations Travel Sets You Free from Nikkei Asia ($)
Working From Home Continues In Chiang Mai On Saturday And Sunday from ThaiPBS
Ad: Bangkok’s Sala Arun from US$73 per night. Click here for the details.
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Hội An's Plan To Charge Entrance Fees From Next Month Faces Backlash from Saigoneer
Time To Change Myopic View Of The Mekong from Asia Times
No Hanoi Summer Lasts Forever from A Story From Connla
Tuyen Quang Magic ‘8’ Loop | Motorbike Guide from Vietnam Coracle
Random other stuff
Why I Hate The Tourism Industry from Ecomadic
Cabinets Of Curiosity from The Lombok Diaries
I Used Tinder To Learn A Foreign Language from Astray
Capturing A Kid’s-Eye View Of Travel from The New York Times ($)
Why The First Lonely Planet Thailand Travel Guide Author Fell In Love With The Country And Its Culture from SCMP ($)
Behold An Ancient Fish’s Moment Of Sheer Regret from Defector
Hello Raja Ampat
To be honest I thought it would be bigger. 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