Travelfish #247 Where to go in 2017 + Overtourism...

[Visit Travelfish.org] Hi everyone, We're back! We're back from a family vacation in Japan (more on that below) refreshed, recharged and ready for another solid year of travel in Southeast Asia, which, of course, we'll be sharing with you every Monday (sometimes Tuesday). We've been back on deck a week now and have a few updated destinations to tell you about. David finished his trip through Thailand's [Ranong], [Ko Phayam] and [Ko Chang Noi] (all in southern Thailand) and the first of Cindy's southern Laos stretch, [Tha Khaek], is also online. Coming this week we have the fantabulous Konglor Cave, a must-see in Laos, and a wrap on some attractions in Ubud and Bangkok. Sally is then off to check out a "hidden canyon" which, we guess, isn't going to be hidden much longer, David is off to Kanchanaburi west of Bangkok and Mark is going to start kicking Chiang Mai into shape. For premium members, new PDFs are in the library for Ranong, Ko Chang Noi, Ko Phayam and Tha Khaek, bringing us to a total of 178 titles available for download. And yes, more are coming soon. Not a premium member? It costs A$35 per year and [you can find out more here]. A January fad for travel publications is to list places you simply must go in the year to come, led by the New York Times ... who this year thinks the only place you must go to in the entirety of Southeast Asia is Chiang Mai. Ummmm, interesting. We thought we'd counter with our own take, naturally, which takes care of this week's theme: Where to visit in 2017. Tying in with this is this week's soapbox on overtourism, largely thanks to our experience at one particular destination in Japan where it seemed that, well, everyone was there. Thanks to everyone who has supported us throughout 2016 (and even earlier) and we hope you continue to get some enjoyment out of our weekly dispatches. Feel free, please, to forward it on to your friends, family, strangers in bars, bus drivers and somtam ladies. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish team Soap box Over tourism "It is, quite simply, one of the most impressive and memorable sights in all of Kyoto." So read our [Lonely Planet Japan guidebook]. At the end of the listing, they added, "During the first few days in January, thousands of believers visit the shrine as their hatsu-mode (first shrine visit of the New Year) to pray for good fortune." "Perhaps the single most impressive sight in all of Kyoto, bar none, Fushimi-Inari-Taisha Shrine is the most important shrine in the entire city. Don’t miss it!" said our online guide of choice, [Inside Kyoto]. [Slightly busy] We visited on January 3. The scene was nothing short of bedlam—though organised bedlam, as this was Japan, after all. Seemingly tens of thousands of people made their way from Fushimi-Inari train station up to the shrine complex and then walked through the famous red torii (shrine gates), which snake up and around a hill. If you've ever seen a photo of Japan, in all likelihood it will be of these gates—they're very close together and deliver a tunnel-like impression. The photo will be most likely devoid of other people. Japanese authorities had set up crowd control, trying to make the best of a bad situation, but the number of people was absurd. About a third of the way through, we angled out to go grab a coffee ([Vermillion] is excellent!), and went elsewhere. There was nothing pleasurable about the experience, perhaps other than the selection of festival food on sale (the kids loved the lolly selection). [Have you seen the light?] Of course, yes, this was to be expected going to one of the most popular attractions in all of Japan on one of the busiest days of the year. A few days later on a visit to the incredibly moving [Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum] in Hiroshima, likewise I cut my visit short due to the crowds. Trying to read descriptions of atrocities while being bumped into and barged out of the way by thoughtless tour groups was all wrong. This problem is only going to get worse. According to the [ASEAN Tourism Statistics Database] (PDF), total tourism in the region has grown from around 73 million people in 2010 to 105 million in 2015. Imagine 30% more people on your favourite beach hideaway... Dealing with this growth will make or break destinations. Destinations need to get more hard-nosed with how they manage numbers, by weighing the interests and needs of both locals and visitors from afar, so lets get started with some of the low hanging fruit. Popular museums and other enclosed points of interest could insist on travellers booking places beforehand, and allowing only a set number of people through per hour. These need not be fee-based (though they could be) but if a museum can responsibly handle say 500 visitors per hour, then you need to get a ticket in one of those slots. If you can't get in today, come tomorrow. Can't get in tomorrow, well, maybe you should have booked a bit earlier. Of the 500, the museum can set aside some portion for local visitors, so there's not a risk of not being about to visit and learn from your own heritage. The [Suntory Yamazaki Distillery] near Osaka does this really well, and you know what, we left it too late and missed out. Well there's another reason to return to Japan. What do you think? [Let us know on the Travelfish forum]. Good travels Stuart Travelfish partners We work with a number of partners on a commission basis and this helps keep us in business. Please consider using the following links to make any reservations as a commission may end up being paid to us, with no impact on what you pay. Thank you! Places to stay: [Agoda], [Booking] Tours and activities: [TourRadar], [GetYourGuide] Ground transport: [12Go Asia] (Thailand), [Camboticket] (Cambodia), [Baolau] (Vietnam) Travel insurance: [World Nomads] Featured Borobudur [Borobudur] Under the shadow of temperamental Gunung Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, the ancient Buddhist monument Borobudur emerges majestically from the surrounding jungle and farmland. ...[read more] Film of the week The shortest flight in the world? At 1 min 13 seconds, is this the world's shortest commercial flight? No risk of over-tourism here anytime soon! Film by IndoPilot...[read more] What we're reading In Transit: An Anthology In Transit: An Anthology, is a collection of short stories, essays and poetry using Singapore’s Changi airport as either their focus or launchpad. Zhang Ruihe and Yu-Mei Balasingamchow have edited a collection of snappy and intriguing pieces, from the whimsical, to the heart-wrenching, to the grim. [read more] Where to go in 2017 BURMA: Monywa [BURMA: Monywa] For a middle-of-nowhere kind of place, Monywa has some quite astonishing attractions. With what’s thought to be the world’s second-tallest Buddha (indeed the second tallest statue of any description), a monastery housing more than half a million Buddha images and some of the most unusual temples we’ve seen in Burma all lying within easy tuk tuk rides away, superlatives abound in what at first sight seems a nondescript town.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBODIA: Chi Phat [CAMBODIA: Chi Phat] An idyllic Cambodian village between a mountain and a river offers a relaxed, welcoming base from which to explore a special part of the world. Tucked into the southeastern front of the Cardamom Mountain range, Chi Phat is a pretty, prosperous two-street village. Dusty red roads are flanked by palms and sandalwood trees, handsome wooden houses perch on stilts and there’s a thriving community-based ecotourism (CBET) operation, established by conservation NGO Wildlife Alliance.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- INDONESIA: Sumba [INDONESIA: Sumba] Forgotten, lost, ignored. Perched near the bottom edge of the Indonesian archipelago, Sumba is the third island in the chain that stretches east of Bali and is just 700 kilometres from Australia. Sumba’s rich ancient culture and stunning landscapes will have you wondering why you’ve (till now!) never heard of it.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- ISLANDS: Ko Phayam [ISLANDS: Ko Phayam] Empty beaches, deep starry nights and hammocks strung to cheap bungalows are a few of the simple joys found on Ko Phayam. Since the late 2000s, this medium-size island in the Andaman Sea has added some cushy accommodation and become relatively easy to reach, all while preserving a mellow vibe favoured by artists, hippies and long-stayers.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- LAOS: Tha Khaek [LAOS: Tha Khaek] While Tha Khaek is not the most exciting town in Laos, it’s on the tourist map as the jumping-off point for explorations of the province’s mesmeric landscape and stirringly beautiful natural wonders, the highlight being Konglor Cave.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- MALAYSIA: Mantanani Islands [MALAYSIA: Mantanani Islands] Three little blips on the radar form the Mantanani Islands, laying about 40 kilometres northwest of Kota Belud. Mantanani Besar, Mantanani Kecil and Lungisan are your quintessential alabaster-fringed tropical archipelago, reef ringed and sitting in crystal-clear aquamarine waters.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- SINGAPORE: National Gallery [SINGAPORE: National Gallery] Opened in November 2015, Singapore’s National Gallery joins the ranks of the Asian Civilisations Museum and Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum as absolute must-sees in the city state. Boasting a growing art scene and spectacular architecture matched by the impressive views from the rooftop, the museum is well worth a few hours of your time.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND: Umphang [THAILAND: Umphang] Isolated Umphang district stretches south from the rest of Tak province like a giant thumb resting on the border with Burma. Adventurers who are brave enough to take on the “Death Highway” will discover breathtaking mountain scenery, sedate villages and some of Thailand’s most impressive waterfalls, all in an area that foreign travellers tend to overlook.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- VIETNAM: Phong Nha [VIETNAM: Phong Nha] Nestled at the foot of limestone cliffs that began formation 400 million years ago, Phong Nha is the gateway to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, home to a series of world record-breaking caves. Situated 40 kilometres northwest of the provincial capital of Dong Hoi and built along the Son River, the small village of Son Trach (also referred to as Phong Nha) is growing to meet the growing number of tourists flocking to explore these underground worlds.... [read more] News from the region BURMA: Yangon parkland: Going, going, gone "The amount of green space has shrunk in Yangon as a result of deals between the former regional government and businesses – but the full details of these contracts remain hidden from the public."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBODIA I: Burning down the house Deforestation in Cambodia. Yes, it is bad.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBODIA II: British conservationist fights to save seahorses in Cambodia "The 39-year-old Ferber, who underwent police training in Britain, said that before such cooperation began, he and his team confronted illegal fishermen alone, armed only with 'a slingshot and a bunch of rocks'. He said they were shot at with AK-47 rifles and even a spear gun, and one of their boats was rammed and sunk. Death threats continue."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- INDONESIA I: As shariah experiment becomes a model, Indonesia’s secular face slips "Now, he noted, there are no more discothèques in Banda Aceh, and men and women are told to sit apart during concerts. “Now Aceh is at its most Islamic,” he said. “It used to not be like this.”"... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND I: How can Thailand curb its appalling road fatality rate? "Last year, the World Health Organization reported that Thailand was second only to Libya in terms of per capita road fatalities with an estimated average of 66 deaths a day in 2012 — about 24,000 in total, far higher than the official figure of 14,059."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND II: What's really behind Thailand's hostility to Chinese tourism? "While tales of crass behaviour abound, the true roots of popular revulsion reach into the economics of Chinese tourism and Thailand’s history of immigration."... [read more] Travel writing Dear ageing backpacker, have you become a douchebag? "Travelling at 19 is wild and innocent. But one day you turn around and you're no longer 19. You're just travelling with people who are." This made us laugh. A lot.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- The Map of Literature The Map of Literature, which reviews writers of drama, poetry, nonfiction, and prose works, is one of 64 infographics featured in Vargic’s Miscellany of Curious Maps: Mapping Out the Modern World."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- NYT: 52 places to go in 2017 Just one spot in all of Southeast Asia! One does wonder just how some of these places are selected... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- Guardian: Where to go in 2017 Very peculiar list: general to the point of uselessness. Mandalika was an amusing insert.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CNN: Picks 17 spots On Thailand's northeast, we concur. Do check it out.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- The best things we read and ate this year What Lucky Peach writers loved consuming with their mouths and brains this year.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- Nine travel resolutions and how to keep them "New year, new you, right? Well, maybe. If experience has taught us anything, it’s that bad habits are hard to break and most diets don’t last past January... but our wanderlust is here to stay."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBODIA I: 3D print Angkor Own a 3D printer? Like Angkor? Print your own (kind of).... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- CAMBODIA II: Cambodia's experiment with responsible tourism To make sure that the 76 direct members Banteay Chhmar CBT is working with can all get to participate in the project, all of the tour guides, homestay owners, and cooks will take turns to welcome the visitors. ... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- HONG KONG: Where to eat "In this Hong Kong Travel Guide for Food Lovers you’ll find personal tips and recommendations about where to stay, things to do, and details about some of the best food to eat in Hong Kong." Marc invariably knows what he is on about, and the guide is free.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND I: Bangkok A very well put together video about Bangkok.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND II: Khao soi in Chiang Mai Stomach rumbles.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND III: Fighting restoration by clinging to remnants of the past " 'What we want is to stay on this land and develop together with the government,' said Tawatchai Woramahakun, 58, the head of a community organization at the fort. 'That way everybody wins.' "... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND IV: Chiang Mai is a great place for a winter cycling training camp "Chiang Mai strikes me as a great place to organize a winter training camp for yourself, do it on a budget, and have an adventure while you’re at it."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- THAILAND: 101 things to love about Bangkok "We could have easily written a piece entitled '1001 Things to Love About Bangkok' but 101 things seemed more fitting (and more manageable)."... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- VIETNAM: Da Nang then and now A quick collection of pics from then and today.... [read more] --------------------------------------------------------------- VIETNAM II: Vietnam by motorcycle: History and culture on two wheels "Over 37 million scooters snake their way from the Mekong Delta in the south to the snow-dusted peaks on the Chinese border. It's the favoured mode of transport for the 90 million people that call Vietnam home, and tourists are catching on."... [read more] Interesting site Camboticket One of our new business partners for 2017, Camboticket lets you book bus and ferry tickets throughout Cambodia. Use the following link and a small commission may be paid to us. [read more] Travelshot [When all else fails, lay down and throw arms around.] When all else fails, lay down and throw arms around. Till next time [Your hosts, 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 [ Travelfish.org 9 robinson close, hornsby heights, nsw 2077, AUSTRALIA 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.] [Unsubscribe] 9 robinson close, hornsby heights, nsw 2077, AUSTRALIA [Unsubscribe] | [Change Subscriber Options]