Travelfish #516: The Take A Breath Edition

This week I’m leading with an interesting piece on a Stateside ski resort town that I think has plenty of parallels to destinations in Southeast Asia that are seeing a strong inflow of super high-end tourism. This week I’m leading with an interesting piece on a Stateside ski resort town that I think has plenty of parallels to destinations in Southeast Asia that are seeing a strong inflow of super high-end tourism. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ [Return to the Travelfish homepage](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/9xQPATpBYNnNKlbgU3H0esvqLJg=373) [alt_text] [Travelfish #516: The Take A Breath Edition](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F516/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/L6aufrX0X0CfZz-CK0UbHNjhSM4=373) Published: 13th May, 2024 Hi all, This week I’m leading with an interesting piece on a Stateside ski resort town that I think has plenty of parallels to destinations in Southeast Asia that are seeing a strong inflow of super high-end tourism. Give it a read and see what you think. Over on Couchfish, I had one free-to-read piece titled [“We Need Better Questions”](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fcouchfish%2Fnews%2Fcouchfish-better-questions-please/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/1tNoYN_6-90r18JiWRXMU5udZhk=373) that looks at the sort of questions the travel industry asks—and how they could be improved. Lastly, you probably noticed in the last few editions I ran a promo for a yoga retreat Sam (Mrs Travelfish!) was running. It finished this morning and even though I don’t have a yoga bone in my body, I tried, and more importantly perhaps, I found having a three day spread of not opening my email—not once—relaxing, reading, eating great veggie food and hanging out with an eclectic bunch of people, a great experience. Too bad it only took five minutes on Bali’s roads to lose that relaxation! Anyways, the retreat gives the newsletter its theme, and its photos—take a breath. See you next week. Stuart [[READ ONLINE](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F516/2/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/Lws36sUej-esRM8wGGCyZNC-y90=373)] [[UNSUBSCRIBE]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Did you order a beach view? [Salad hut.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fsaladhut/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/tANI54W5LJw9fv-ADCoDRYltxeo=373) [Ad: Salad Hut on Ko Pha Ngan’s beautiful west coast, from US$118 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fsaladhut/2/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/pKAzqWB4aKqP9NXbxfpIhOGl8Ms=373) --------------------------------------------------------------- Time to get hypnotised. [Now that’s a lightshade.] Now that’s a lightshade. Photo: Stuart McDonald. --------------------------------------------------------------- ⭐️ Story of the week - [Slippery Slope](%2F%2Fharpers.org%2Farchive%2F2024%2F05%2Fslippery-slope-nick-bowlin-big-sky-montana-ski-town-private-equity%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/wEzBYQ7fX72egPjQWBYJ9EPauaY=373) from Harpers Magazine 📚 What I’m reading - [Not the End of the World](%2F%2Fwww.nottheendoftheworld.co.uk%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/BEvL6fHRBf05ly9RzusBk3Mdu5E=373) by Hannah Ritchie 🇲🇲 Burma - [Myanmar’s Public Struggles With Inflation As Currency Tumbles](%2F%2Fasia.nikkei.com%2FSpotlight%2FMyanmar-Crisis%2FMyanmar-s-public-struggles-with-inflation-as-currency-tumbles/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/ZvXE-vxsJJfEA0X4kibMIiYsu8M=373) from Nikkei Asia ($) 🇰🇭 Cambodia - [Cambodia’s New Path For Prosthetic Care](%2F%2Fharvardpublichealth.org%2Fglobal-health%2Fas-cambodia-landmines-aid-dries-up-a-new-approach-is-proposed%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/-_Cimj5URr8ODFk0kyMskWtKkEg=373) from Harvard Public Health - [Drone Footage Shows Development Of Mines In Northern Cambodia](%2F%2Fwww.rfa.org%2Fenglish%2Fnews%2Fcambodia%2Fglobal-green-iron-mines-05022024144104.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/CBRoc2vaw3yonnRZoZZrD8hlf48=373) from RFA - [Cambodia’s US$16 Billion ‘Eco-City’ Raises Financial And Environmental Concerns](%2F%2Fwww.channelnewsasia.com%2Fasia%2Fcambodia-sihanoukville-bay-lights-eco-city-prince-group-4252091/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/NtHRJSiHS4AC0ku6PR76t2d9MtE=373) from RFA - [Workers Cleaning Up Dirt At 800-Year-Old Temple Uncover Dozens Of Ancient Statues](%2F%2Fwww.miamiherald.com%2Fnews%2Fnation-world%2Fworld%2Farticle288192595.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/cM-X4Q0eooDddXzraZUNK-EDvMg=373) from Miami Herald 🌴 Environment - [Private Equity Sees The Coral Crisis As An Investment Opportunity](%2F%2Fwww.thepost.co.nz%2Fworld-news%2F350263531%2Fprivate-equity-sees-coral-crisis-investment-opportunity/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/UEdAZzSMKQ502KDrhgBEWy1shHg=373) from The Post - [What Is Sustainable Aviation Fuel, And Will It Really Make Flying Greener?](%2F%2Fwww.afar.com%2Fmagazine%2Fwhat-is-sustainable-aviation-fuel/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/cFKsj6mJJe2VpcOLQ7PBZe5Tjks=373) from AFAR - [Greenwashing Concerns Investors](%2F%2Fwww.bangkokpost.com%2Fbusiness%2Fgeneral%2F2788975%2Fgreenwashing-concerns-investors/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/t5mJ18xojJbYFvnMu7tlnRtQr58=373) from Bangkok Post - [How To Spot And Avoid Greenwashing In Tourism](%2F%2Fsustainabletravel.org%2Fhow-to-spot-avoid-greenwashing-tourism%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/nSkjKJrD3SP_S43gI1d2zNDWtu8=373) from Sustainable Travel International - [Are Flight Offsets Worth It?](%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F06%2Fclimate%2Fnyt-questions-flight-offsets.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/pZLijdZfxnNgmLZndTd6zdlxW5M=373) from The New York Times ($) - [Leonardo Dicaprio’s ‘The Beach’ Suffers Water Shortages After Thai Heatwave](%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Fnews%2Fasia%2Fsoutheast-asia%2Farticle%2F3262040%2Fleonardo-dicaprios-beach-suffers-water-shortages-after-thai-heatwave/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/_nzHsPR8_RGOGdH_h2tu9kibQRg=373) from SCMP ($) - [The World Is Obsessed With Forests’ Climate Benefits. Here’s The Problem.](%2F%2Fgrist.org%2Fjustice%2Fforests-climate-benefits-problem-carbon-offsets%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/8Cof_66iSnZxYM0b7_yk91zXfrs=373) from Grist 🇮🇩 Indonesia - [Putting A Value On Indonesia’s Marine Resources: Interview With Annisya Rosdiana & Heidi Retnoningtyas](%2F%2Fnews.mongabay.com%2F2024%2F04%2Findonesia-marine-fisheries-ocean-account-sustainable-management-goap%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/ETjjLVvHM1ZpYF9EVZbXJiJHCRA=373) from Mongabay - [A New Tourism Model: How Indonesia’s Nglanggeran Village Is Run By Locals, Offering A Range Of Authentic Experiences](%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Flifestyle%2Ftravel-leisure%2Farticle%2F3261538%2Fnew-tourism-model-how-indonesias-nglanggeran-village-run-locals-offering-range-authentic-experiences/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/fFx49r53Z0GtnEo5EpMFuX4mvAI=373) from SCMP ($) - [Coffee’s “Third Wave” Gathers Pace In Jakarta](%2F%2Fasia.nikkei.com%2FLife-Arts%2FLife%2FCoffee-s-third-wave-gathers-pace-in-Jakarta/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/sAojFPJtwfuhfEeiCSGnNHrCUw8=373) from Nikkei Asia ($) 🇱🇦 Laos - [Is The Lao State Collapsing?](%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2F2024%2F05%2Fis-the-lao-state-collapsing%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/jGmPmBRs2DE50HfehkPuu4rV2o8=373) from The Diplomat - [Laos Launches Forest Carbon Credit Initiative To Combat Climate Change](%2F%2Flaotiantimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F09%2Flaos-launches-forest-carbon-credit-initiative-to-combat-climate-change%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/bcy9J1hEkcNDhZKif2wRde21Mvw=373) from The Laotion Times 🇲🇾 Malaysia - [Malaysia Plans To Give Orangutans To Countries That Buy Palm Oil](%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fworld%2Farticle%2F2024%2Fmay%2F09%2Fmalaysia-plans-give-orangutans-gifts-countries-buy-palm-oil/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/wUNDAW9X0rMYfc-redHUXuUN2Hw=373) from The Guardian - [A Shadow Lurks On KL’s Edge](%2F%2Fwww.thisissoutheastasia.com%2Fjinjang-new-village-rubbish-mountain-kuala-lumpur-outskirts%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/kN2Bn_7mEKID_b1DYlWsTL9u_M4=373) from This Is Southeast Asia 🇸🇬 Singapore - [Singapore’s Burnout Rate Shows The Price Of Success](%2F%2Fwww.bloomberg.com%2Fopinion%2Farticles%2F2024-04-29%2Fsingapore-s-burnout-rate-shows-the-price-of-success%3Fsrnd=homepage-asia/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/YCrkxKyMk39dOxBDC0xlx1Cz6qk=373) from Bloomberg ($) - [Writers And Publishers In Singapore Reject A Government Plan To Train AI On Their Work](%2F%2Frestofworld.org%2F2024%2Fsingapore-writers-reject-ai-training%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/Rost29uy8cjkSBykZ_x25zMuGq0=373) from Rest Of World - [Geraldine Kang Captures The Spaces We Provide For Migrant Domestic Helpers](%2F%2Fwww.ricemedia.co%2Fgeraldine-kang-captures-the-spaces-we-provide-for-migrant-domestic-helpers%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/udNAVoyqMBILfB-q1eqK3hutSWA=373) from Rice Media 🇹🇭 Thailand - [Spate Of Dugong Deaths Spurs Action](%2F%2Fwww.thephuketnews.com%2Fspate-of-dugong-deaths-spurs-action-92287.php/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/vW6oYahleQJzqwlPvIeze0sRQ8E=373) from The Phuket News - [Thai Singer Indicted For Royal Defamation](%2F%2Fprachataienglish.com%2Fnode%2F10926/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/nYe6TjRJDF8gX9qYGzmv91eFh-Q=373) from Prachatai - [Where Gentrification Comes For A Goddess](%2F%2Fwww.thisissoutheastasia.com%2Fchao-mae-thap-thim-shrine-student-gentrification-fight%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/sdwnxqgn1IaiOT8WslIidMfuTdc=373) from This Is Southeast Asia - [Thailand’s Blunt Reversal On Legal Cannabis Leaves Local Entrepreneurs At A Loss](%2F%2Fwww.scmp.com%2Fweek-asia%2Feconomics%2Farticle%2F3262158%2Fthailands-blunt-reversal-legal-weed-leaves-local-entrepreneurs-loss/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/KJSFXErZVZ73_V7ItOC-dE6-lIo=373) from SCMP ($) - [Entrepreneur Karo Iyash On Creating A Community And Championing Coffee Culture In Bangkok](%2F%2Froadbook.com%2Fbangkok%2Fpeople%2Fpeople%2Fkaro-iyash-coffee-culture-interview%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/ME355vRPUTrlA9FGFifPZ0txS6k=373) from Roadbook --------------------------------------------------------------- Looking for somewhere special in Penang? [Ad: Campbell House in Georgetown, Penang from US$72 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fcampbellhouse/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/7T8200s-XUR6WDW5u8qC-ZoYsZQ=373) [Ad: Campbell House in Georgetown, Penang from US$72 per night. Click here for the details.](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fcampbellhouse/2/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/m0zD5RUvmiOSOH2Vn8i7GAhQ2JM=373) --------------------------------------------------------------- 🇻🇳 Vietnam - [What to See, Taste, and Do on a Late-Afternoon Walk in Phú Mỹ Hưng](%2F%2Fsaigoneer.com%2Fsaigon-food-culture%2F27006-evening-stroll-phu-my-hung-d7-korea-town-saigon-south/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/XsCt6JNHNGS0Sw3FRzGTmSmTJvQ=373) from Saigoneer - [25 Years Of Clearing UXO In Central Vietnam](%2F%2Fopen.substack.com%2Fpub%2Fvietnamweekly%2Fp%2F25-years-of-clearing-uxo-in-central%3Fr=5fap%26utm_campaign=post%26utm_medium=web/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/litpwa1sNkCyZ8T86jMiQ34WYyk=373) from Vietnam Weekly (Podcast) - [Vietnam’s War Against Corruption Needs To Address Root Causes](%2F%2Ffulcrum.sg%2Fvietnams-war-against-corruption-needs-to-address-root-causes%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/r6tfRWf2SXEsCWx4Mlg5YvwfgIs=373) from Fulcrum - [Solutions For Vietnam’s Tourism Development In 2024](%2F%2Fhanoitimes.vn%2Fsolutions-for-vietnams-tourism-development-in-2024-326347.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/_KjEjd_QKHA4yL5DH-k_kejcKes=373) from Hanoi Times - [Mysterious “Floating” Lake Discovered In Quảng Bình](%2F%2Fvietnamnews.vn%2Flife-style%2F1655426%2Fmysterious-floating-lake-discovered-in-quang-binh.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/-iA7R7W5xwCqc2CuaolFak2Cmxc=373) from Vietnam News Random other stuff - [What Happens When A Happening Place Becomes Too Hot](%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F05%2F09%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Fmilan-nightlife-crowd-control.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/zGjALsw8Z-aATXmWs6ltcuFukew=373) from The New York Times ($) - [Meet Advon, The AI-powered Content Monster Infecting The Media Industry](%2F%2Ffuturism.com%2Fadvon-ai-content/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/f1_L7bhyBwSe93mZ6ZOAu0nCaG4=373) from Futurism - [In A New Light: How Behavior Change Can Shape Tourism’s Climate Shadow](%2F%2Fbehavior-smart.com%2Fhow-behavior-change-can-shape-tourisms-climate-shadow%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/kvjsUMRyxb7_V_NOkjtDH0Si_y0=373) from Be Smart - [Why You Should Expect To Pay More Tourist Taxes – Even Though The Evidence For Them Is Unclear](%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fwhy-you-should-expect-to-pay-more-tourist-taxes-even-though-the-evidence-for-them-is-unclear-229134/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/0WldZDp8EMPiOtfKt9XI2mpS4YA=373) from The Conversation - [Tourism Is Booming In Japan And The Country Is Not Handling It Well](%2F%2Fwww.smh.com.au%2Ftraveller%2Ftravel-news%2Ftourism-is-booming-in-japan-and-the-country-is-not-handling-it-well-20240507-p5fpik.html/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/uxUDMDxlnmCmtwVxS6noxDMXczk=373) from The Sydney Morning Herald ($) - [Bhutan’s Tourism Dilemma: Balancing Economy And Sustainability](%2F%2Fthediplomat.com%2F2024%2F05%2Fbhutans-tourism-dilemma-balancing-economy-and-sustainability%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/GjYe02wi9vEWVU-iIc5wGDljxs0=373) from The Diplomat ($) - [Why Southeast Asia Became A Spyware Hotspot](%2F%2Frestofworld.org%2F2024%2Fexporter-indonesia-spyware-amnesty%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/LE-KrGq-FQsobOnUFDuYenNm3Zk=373) from Rest Of World - [China’s Strategic Canal In Cambodia May Cause Regional Destabilization](%2F%2Fthegeopolitics.com%2Fchinas-strategic-canal-in-cambodia-may-cause-regional-destabilization%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/lX3eFnV8VrrmsVH6Xf4E7XbB6sI=373) from The Geopolitics - [Hiking Sacred Peaks: Spiritual Act Or Desecration?](%2F%2Fwww.noemamag.com%2Fthe-fight-for-australias-mountains%2F/1/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/GAKDP5X4emSchado2DY1hnRSKK8=373) from Noema Even yogis get up early [A dawn stroll into the hills behind Pemuteran where the retreat was held.] A dawn stroll into the hills behind Pemuteran where the retreat was held. Photo: Stuart McDonald. --------------------------------------------------------------- So that’s the wrap. I hope you are all in good health, and thanks for reading. Cheers! Stuart --------------------------------------------------------------- If you’d like to view this newsletter online, you can [do so here](%2F%2Fwww.travelfish.org%2Fnewsletter%2Fnews%2F516/3/0100018f7239cb15-24023c98-3e8c-4a81-801b-3bebfaa15174-000000/fO4wWgHz7lhzlYZmUr24TzMiz7U=373). This email was sent to {EMAIL} because you are subscribed to the Travelfish newsletter. If you no longer want to receive these emails, [you can unsubscribe at any time here](. Travelfish.org Bali, Indonesia & Sydney, Australia Copyright ©️ 2024 Travelfish.org. All rights reserved.