Travelfish #480: The cocaine sharks edition
A wrap on stuff worth reading
Hi!
I read a lot of weird news week in week out, but this week’s Guardian story on “cocaine sharks” (see Random Other Stuff towards the end of the newsletter) takes the cake. Surely fiction writers the world over are hanging up their typewriters.
I’m leading though, not with a story on sharks doing lines by the bale, but rather a good old fashioned rant from Rebecca Jennings at Vox. It’s a good read, but I should note that the travel writer that is quoted repeatedly in the story on the woes of tourism runs mass-tourism bus tours across Europe…
On Couchfish, I look at carbon calculators and how they could perhaps be improved. In case you missed it, last week Travelfish turned 19, and I reflected on those years here.
Firm in my decision I’m never going swimming off Florida, this weeks photos are a couple of shark ones from my time in Raja Ampat—no cocaine involved.
Cheers
Stuart
We’re waiting
Reef tip sharks waiting for a few bales of cocaine, Kri Island, Papua. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
⭐️ Story of the week
📚 What I’m reading
Kopi Dulu by Mark Everleigh
🇲🇲 Burma
Mangrove Restoration Helps Local Communities – And The Planet 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
Cambodia Strongman Hun Sen Set To Claim Landslide Election Victory After Banning Opposition from The Guardian
Here Comes The Son from RFA
Cambodian Conglomerate Sparks Conflict In Botum Sakor National Park from Mongabay
Did someone order a beach view?
Ad: Salad Hut on Ko Pha Ngan’s beautiful west coast, from US$118 per night. Click here for the details.
🌴 Environment
Will You Ever Be Able To Fly On A Plane Without The Huge Carbon Footprint? from Fast Company ($)
Climate Change Is Only Beginning To Mess Up Your Holidays from The Washington Post ($)
With No Green Way To Fly, Is It Time To Ration Air Travel? from The Independent ($)
Flying In Europe Up To 30 Times Cheaper Than Train, Says Greenpeace from The Guardian
“The Mekong Is Dying”: How China’s River Diplomacy Neglects Locals, Exacerbates Climate Change from China Global South Project
Amsterdam Bans Cruise Ships To Limit Visitors And Curb Pollution from BBC News
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Indonesia Claims Record-Low Deforestation, But Accounting Raises Questions from Mongabay
‘Music Lets Us Be The Real Versions Of Ourselves’: Indonesian Muslim Metalheads Voice Of Baceprot from The Guardian
Sulawesi’s Extraordinary Karst Galleries from The Lombok Diaries
Borneo – In 5 Photos from Travel: NE Where ($)
Trade In Dog And Cat Meat Banned At Infamous Indonesian Market from Benar News (Warning, contains a distressing photo)
🇱🇦 Laos
In the Annamites, Newly Discovered Species Edge Toward Extinction from SEA Globe ($)
Preserving Their Heritage from Khmer Times
Looking for deals on organised tours **with no domestic flying**? Here are a few for Southeast Asia via Travelfish partner TourRadar. (Prices are in US$)
Cambodia
Cambodia Explorer (11 days, $920)Indonesia
Komodo Island Hopper (9 days, $1,196)Laos
North Laos by motorbike (7 days, $2,062)Malaysia
Sabah Highlights (7 days, $1,243)Thailand
Bangkok to the North (9 days, $1,130)
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇸🇬 Singapore
From Tianjin To Woodlands: An Immigrant’s Journey To Be A Singaporean Minimart Owner from Rice Media
It’s Not Easy Being A Casual Cyclist In Singapore from Rice Media
🇹🇭 Thailand
5 Underrated Thai Islands For Digital Nomads from Nurall
My Second Skin, Made In Thailand from Nikkei Asia ($)
Voices Of Protesters: Public Outcry After Pita Barred From Being PM from Prachatai
T.I.C.D.: Intro to the Central Thai Andaman Sea from Thai Island Quest ($)
T.I.C.D.: Mu Ko Phi Phi & Mu Ko Poda from Thai Island Quest ($)
Grading Thailand’s Famous Mae Hong Son Loop from Brent And Michael Are Going Places ($)
Looking for somewhere special in Penang?
Ad: Campbell House in Georgetown, Penang from US$72 per night. Click here for the details.
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Langurs Conservation Group Film Wins International Forest Film Award from Vietnam Express
A Pilgrimage To Sơn La, Vietnam’s National Mận Capital, As A Devoted Fan from Saigoneer
Hang Bua & Tham Om Caves from Vietnam Coracle
The Rescue Flight Trial Begins from Vietnam Weekly ($)
Random other stuff
The Faces Of Tourism from The World Travel & Tourism Council
What Makes a Great Tour Guide from Tourpreneur (Video)
The Museum Experience Meets Creative Storytelling from Rooted
Can Asia’s Sustainable Gastronomy Movement Keep Its Fire Going? from Asia Sustainable Travel
Is Certification The Answer? from Travel Tomorrow
‘Selfish’ Tourists Abound: Here’s How To Be A Good One from The New Daily
The Pro-Extinctionist Philosopher Who Has Sparked A Battle Over Humanity’s Future from The Guardian
Experts Say ‘Cocaine Sharks’ May Be Feasting On Drugs Dumped Off Florida from The Guardian
Flooded With Sightseers, Europe’s Iconic Churches Struggle To Accommodate Both Worship And Tourism from The Washington Post ($)
Why Expertise Has Lost Its Luster In An Age Of Populism And Chaos from LitHub
Earliest Curry In Southeast Asia And The Global Spice Trade 2000 Years Ago from Science
Travellers Shouldn’t Get The Blame For ‘Overtourism’. This Is Who Is Really At Fault from The Sydney Morning Herald ($)
No, I’m not nervous at all
The view once you get in with them (sorry for poor quality, is a screenshot from a video, but am sure you get the idea). Photo: Joe Wong.
See you next week!
So that’s the wrap. I hope you are all in good health, and thanks for reading.
Cheers!
Stuart
Rebecca Jennings' Vox article was excellent - thanks for recommending!