Travelfish #382: Videos to get the feet itching + Couchfish!

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, This week, rather than another missive on that virus, I’ve listed a few videos that I thought take a good stab at highlighting destinations in the region. I hope all you Travelfish-readers stuck on the couch enjoy them. Talking about the couch, another plug for my new project Couchfish. If you’re stuck at home, harking after travel, this paid newsletter may be just what you are after. [Please consider signing up]( [Impressive falls. Photo: David Luekens] Impressive falls. Photo: David Luekens The newsletter costs US$5 per month—free if you are a Travelfish member (in which case just email me your Travelfish member name and I’ll add you to the list). Curious where I am up to on the newsletter? I’m leaving Kamphaeng Phet for Mae Sot tomorrow. Cheers and thank you for your support, Stuart 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](. Videos to get those feet itching The news cycle is, well, a bit of a downer at the moment, so if you’re looking for something to distract you from the news and bring Southeast Asia a little closer to you, here are a few videos which I hope will help. BURMA There’s no shortage of terrific videos about Inle Lake on the interwebs, but [I especially liked this one]( which for most of the time, focuses on a single part of the lake and what goes on. Mesmerising. At the other end of the spectrum, how about following [an expedition to Hkakabo Razi?]( One of the protagonists asks “What’s an old fashioned expedition?” and, well, this is it—it is absolutely worth the 25 odd minutes of your time. Also check out the [back of the scenes video]( and [the write-up of the expedition on National Geographic](. CAMBODIA I really liked [this one for Cambodia]( is part of a series on their travels through the region. Meanwhile [this one on the old Mekong Discovery Trail]( captures the simple beauty of the area—I can’t begin to tell you how lost I got trying to do this. INDONESIA I tried to steer clear of surfing videos, but [I love this French one]( how it captures the slow ferries and how time stands still—and yes some great waves at the end. For something more all encompassing try the [Wow Tapes edition on Indonesia](. LAOS While the most common “activity” on the 4,000 islands is laying in your hammock, [this group went white water rafting](. Exhilarating stuff. What would you have if you could go white water rafting between the trees? The remote [Gibbon Experience]( offers a possible answer. MALAYSIA I liked this one of the Perhentians [simply because it is a bunch of friends who go to the islands]( and have a good time. Can’t wait for those times to come back. For a more natural tilt, take a look at [Wild Borneo](. THAILAND I’m normally not a huge fan of drone photography, but this one, capturing [a number of historic sights in northern Thailand]( does it well. Down on the islands, this old video on Ko Yao Noi remains [one of my long running favourites]( is so much more to islands than the beach. VIETNAM You cannot talk Vietnam and videos and not mention [the incredible Son Doong Cave](. I’ll leave it at that. For an above-ground view, try this one [covering the rice harvest in the stunningly beautiful Mu Cang Chai region]( roughly half way between Hanoi and Sapa. Good (couch) travels 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 2021. Log in to the Member Centre on Travelfish now for your coupon code and [start designing your own round the world trip »]( Ten things worth reading Travel in the time of COVID “Similarly, many budget travel options such as hostel dormitories will likely be limited for an extended period if they are even permitted to open.” Had not thought of that—[good point](. The state of being “While every individual has a different story in regards to why they are not Thai citizens, from bureaucracy to a lack of official documents, [the impact of being stateless is the same]( – limited access to social welfare and health care, restricted movement, and limited livelihood options and job opportunities.” Finding inspiration on Yangon’s empty streets “When I walked around the city to take photographs, I found places that are usually bustling with people have fallen silent. There are few cars on the roads. Bars and restaurants are closed, with just a handful still open to offer takeaway services. There is no sign of Thingyan being celebrated anywhere. For a person who has grown up in Myanmar, [this feels surreal]( What will happen to Indonesia? “Not only did this lack of information allow the virus to get a foothold in Indonesia and spread, it also set the tone for how the government would handle the coming days and months of the Coronavirus outbreak. [In a word: badly.]( Hungry times at Thailand's elephant sanctuaries as coronavirus hits tourism “Dumrong said that [he can neither lay off the staff nor let the elephants go]( as the elephants would be unable to fend for themselves in the wild and need mahouts to look after them.” Malaysian man walks 120km home to avoid infecting anyone with coronavirus “Soon after he set out on his journey, after he had passed a cemetery, a dog came up and started tagging along. He allowed the dog, which he eventually named Hachiko, [to tag along]( Silk industry faces collapse “If the crisis persists, she said, [her situation will become dire](. She urged the authorities and financial institutions to look into more favourable loan policies for the Kingdom’s struggling small- and medium-sized businesses.” Traveling by Ear: 13 Podcasts for Wandering Souls $ US-centric, but [a few good ones in this list](. In Sumatra, an indigenous plea to stop a coal road carving up a forest Despite Covid19, [other struggles continue](. This, a single example from Sumatra, Indonesia. Food in the Time of Corona: Last Meals before Lock-Down [Torture me why don’t you Tom!]( Something to read The Harmony Silk Factory “The Harmony Silk Factory by Tash Aw recounts the life of a successful Chinese textile merchant in Malaya during the British colonial years, leading up to the Japanese occupation. [But nothing is as straightforward as it first seems]( Travel shot [Exposed brick details at Wat Phra Si Ariyabot. Photo: David Luekens] Exposed brick details at Wat Phra Si Ariyabot. 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. 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