Travelfish #325: Vinh Long + Two weeks in Northeast Thailand

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi all, Good morning from Hue in Central Vietnam! This week on Travelfish we have another update from the Mekong Delta, this time [Vinh Long](. Also new is a complete rewrite of our itinerary on [two weeks in Northeast Thailand]( turning it into two routes: one to the north and one to the east. Don’t worry, in either case you’ll end up gazing at those chocolate brown waters as they slide past, on the way to ... Vinh Long. Just a short intro today as we’re in a rush to get it out before spending the day motorbiking the Imperial tombs that dot the landscape surrounding Hue. Helping us around Hue is a fantastic new book by Tim Doling, Exploring Hue. If you’re heading to Hue and you want more than a cursory overview, this book is an essential purchase. [You can read more about it (and order a copy) here](. In the travel writing section we have a link to an interview Stuart did with Talk Travel Asia in which they asked the question, why do some places just stay sleepy? We hope you enjoy it. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish crew Support Travelfish! If you'd like to chip in (if you haven’t already) for using the site, we'd love you to sign up for a year-long subscription for just A$35. [See more here](. Soapbox What's the forecast? A few years ago I was in Singapore when I was unfortunately called to attend a wake in Hong Kong at short notice. I’d been to Hong Kong years before in their summer—a hot, sticky and clingy affair, not that unlike what I was pretty used to in Southeast Asia. This time around, I just assumed it would be the same. It wasn’t. As I stepped off the flight at Hong Kong’s fancypants airport, it was **so** cold I involuntarily yelped at the top of the stairs (yes, no gate, thanks Tiger) as the blast of seriously cold wind and rain hit me. The flight attendant standing at the door couldn’t help herself but laugh. There I was in shorts, T-shirt and flip-flops. I had to borrow shoes and a jacket from a friend whose house I camped at (thanks Palani) to attend the wake as it was simply too cold to walk around in the evening in what I had packed. Where am I going with this? Weather matters. Great weather can totally make a trip. You know when you get up and the weather is so glorious the day seems like it's moving in slow motion? It does however work the other way around, too. We’re currently in the typhoon season here in Southeast and East Asia and social media has been awash (cough, cough) in videos of the appalling weather that hit Hong Kong and the Philippines with tragic results over the last few days. Hanoi, or at least northern coastal Vietnam, is next to get some attention. As devastating and tragic as these events can be, this is the season for it, and it pays to make weather a part of your planning process. It also pays to keep some perspective about what is happening. Inconveniences caused by extreme weather will almost invariably be affecting people who live in the areas in more fundamental ways than tourists. It comes across sounding pretty tone deaf complaining about a cancelled flight, train or bus, when for example other’s houses are being washed away. Keep some perspective, make sure you have travel insurance, read the weather reports ... and don’t assume Hong Kong is warm and sticky year round. Stuart Premium members only: Book a round the world with [roundtheworldflights.com]( (must travel from the UK via Asia, Australia, New Zealand AND the Americas) and get £30pp off your trip. Offer valid for departures to December 2018. Log in to the Member Centre on Travelfish now for your coupon code and [start designing your own round the world trip »]( What we’ve read The Quiet American by Graham Greene The Quiet American is a classic not just about Vietnam — it portrays the nation at [a crucial and intriguing juncture in its history]( — but about American foreign policy, and folly, as well. Featured Two weeks in Northeast Thailand Northeast Thailand—whats not to love? The food is great, the people friendly, the landscape stunning and there is no shortage of great places to stay...yet it attracts a bare fraction of the number of travellers heading elsewhere in the country. Why is it so? There are plenty of ways to get around. Photo: David Luekens In this two part itinerary, David starts in Bangkok then lays out two easy to do routes across the region, one striking north the other east, both are doable largely (though not entirely) by train. These two routes fit in ideally for travellers heading to neighbouring Laos, with the northern route finishing in [Nong Khai]( just a short bus ride from the Lao capital of Vientiane, while the eastern route taps out at [Khong Chiam]( where southern Laos is literally just across the river. Welcome to Ayutthaya. Photo: David Luekens So for travellers say coming up from southern Thailand and looking to make a beeline across to Laos, (you know we’re going to say this right!) slow down and eat the som tam! Either route will take you through the ancient Thai capital at [Ayutthaya]( then, depending on which tack you take you could be wandering [enormous national parks]( exploring Khmer ruins or just soaking up some of that friendly northeastern hospitality (and eating the food while you are at it). Khao Yai is pretty vast. Photo: David Luekens Yes, you’ll probably encounter fewer travellers than you would elsewhere in the country, but that is part of the attraction. While English may be spoken a little less frequently, phrasebooks do work, and the Thais are, as always, appreciative of even the most hamfisted attempt at saying “hello”, “thank you” and “can you tell me where the bus station is I need to get a red but number 54 to the Khmer period ruins about 15 kilometres out of town”. So don’t be put off by the less travelled—either of these routes is easily done in a couple of weeks, but even if you can’t afford that long pick one town, any town, and add that in for a night or two along your way to Laos—you may well find you like it more than you thought you would. Dancing Shiva at Phimai. Photo: David Luekens [Read more about spending two weeks in Northeast Thailand here.]( Travelfish partners [Browse the internet safely]( When we travel we always use TunnelBear VPN to secure our browsing. This reduces the risk from dodgy WiFi networks and idiotic ISPs who inject ads into our browsers. Use the internet safely with TunnelBear. TunnelBear offer a free 7-day trial or use it selectively and enjoy [500meg of data per month for free](. News from the region BURMA: Myanmar’s assault on a truthful press “We must reject the cynical and dangerous idea that everyone is entitled to their own facts.” Yes! BURMA II: Myanmar tourism is no pariah at Asia-Pacific Travel Mart “Government statistics showed that Asia, up 12 percent, was the only region with a jump. Arrivals from North America (-15 percent), Other Americas (-19 percent), Western Europe (-26 percent), Eastern Europe (-15 percent), Africa (-12 percent), Middle East (-23 percent), and Oceania (-14 percent), [were all in the negative]( BURMA III: Authorities ban protests against jailing of Reuters journalists, threaten arrests ““It is going to be [ugly]( he said.” BURMA IV: Elephant poaching on rise, spurred by Chinese demand “The carcasses have been found with the skin on their back peeled off in a rectangular shape, indicating they were [killed specifically for their skin]( CAMBODIA I: Cambodia leader tells world to stay out of Indochina politics We wish [he would just stay out of Cambodia](. CAMBODIA II: Chinese gambling boom looms over Cambodia’s Kampot “The couple, who manage a hotel, couldn't keep up with the city's [runaway growth]( which has seen property prices rocket amid insatiable demand for housing from Chinese expats, driving up costs.” INDONESIA I: Asia Sentinel story on Indonesian corruption goes viral ‘The report calls the subsequent events “the [greatest kleptocratic theft in Indonesia’s history]( One to watch. INDONESIA II: Indonesia’s troubled minorities “But sheer numbers alone [may not capture the conditions of life]( for minorities, be they religious, ethnic or sexual.” SINGAPORE: How can the subjugation of indigenous people be called a celebration? “Back in 1819 this was known as British Imperialism. In 2019, it’ll be known as [the Expat Package]( SINGAPORE II: Singapore's Mandai eco-resort: Paving paradise to put up an eco-resort “Mr Subaraj [is not convinced]( THAILAND I: New Thai political party charged under draconian old law “Under a junta-scripted constitution anyone convicted of a criminal offence [is banned from running as a lawmaker]( THAILAND II: Land of lady boys? Thailand is not the LGBTI paradise it appears “Meanwhile, [prejudice against the community]( means its members struggle to be accepted as lawyers, doctors or social workers and are instead confined to the entertainment industry, Kath says.” THAILAND III: Woman had to have toes amputated after Thai fish pedicure “To find out more about Victoria’s amputation recovery [follow her Instagram @terrifically-toeless](... VIETNAM: Hanoi starts campaign to deter dog meat trade, consumption ‘According to AFP, the document from Hanoi authorities states: “The trading, killing and use of dog and cat meat has brought on [a negative reaction from tourists and expatriates living in Hanoi]( VIETNAM: The roads to school and what they teach Vietnamese children “It is still rainy season in the Central Highlands and [on the way to school]( Bich sees red mud, wild grass and stakes standing empty in a funeral line.” Travel writing BURMA: Burma be enchanted The official video as a part of a campaign to try and encourage people to visit the country in the face of [collapsing demand from Western travellers](. LAOS: Authentic village food and life with the Khmu people in Laos “I was again impressed by [how warm of a welcome this was]( the feeling being totally that of just hanging out together in the large front room of a friend’s home.” OVERTOURISM: Tourists not welcome: how to tackle the issue of overtourism “Volunteer tourism involves young and often inexperienced individuals working on short-term developmental projects in developing countries. In many cases, [this causes more harm than good]( – such as dependency, exploitation and child trafficking. ” PODCAST: Exploring unexplored Asia with Stuart McDonald Stuart had a chat with Scott and Trevor or Talk Travel Asia about why it is that some places simply remain unexplored. [Why is Pai like Pai and not like Chiang Dao?]( THAILAND I: Ao Sane Beach Jamie goes to [one of our favourite beaches on Phuket](. THAILAND II: To (Buddhist) hell & back “For instance, if you harm plants or herbs you will change into a goat head. If you steal from others, you get a monkey head. If your mischief is just general hooliganism, you get a crocodile head.” [Lessons to live by...]( VIETNAM: Up close and personal with Vietnam’s most critically endangered primates “The two then decided to create a video to help bring these little-known species to broader public attention and raise awareness of their critically endangered status. The bulk of the filming took six weeks, with [some animals easier to find than others]( VOLUNTOURISM: Do western do-gooders actually do harm? “In Aceh, Indonesia, after the 2004 tsunami, hundreds of institutions for children were opened. But Maestral found that more than 97% of the children in them were brought by their families [so they could get an education](. “Very few of the children had been affected by the tsunami at all,” says Goldman.” Interesting site On Twitter: Øystein L. Andersen “Photographer and volcano-enthusiast. Hunting active Indonesian volcanoes, footage available for licensing. Based in Indonesia, from Bodø, Norway.” Øystein reliably tweets [some of our favourite volcano shots](. Enjoy. Travel shot [Phanom Rung. One of our few “must sees”. Photo: David Luekens] Phanom Rung. One of our few “must sees”. Photo: David Luekens Till next time [Sam and Stuart.] That’s it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site’s new additions and drop us a line if there’s something in particular you’d like us to cover in Southeast Asia. Travel light! Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team [( You're receiving the Travelfish newsletter because you signed up at Travelfish.org. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe Instantly](. Make sure you're getting our emails! If you're a Gmail user and would prefer your Travelfish newsletter in your Primary in-box rather than Promotions, just drag this email from the Promotions tab to the Primary tab, and click "yes" when it asks if you want to do that for all of our emails. Better still, [read this newsletter online.]( [Disclosure]( | [Privacy]( | [Unsubscribe]( We want travellers to love Southeast Asia as much as we do. 9 robinson close, hornsby heights, nsw 2077, AUSTRALIA [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](