Travelfish #304: Togean Islands + Ha Long Bay

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi all, We’re back! People are not kidding when they say the Togean Islands in Indonesia’s Sulawesi are still largely offline. Save occasionally drifting into range as I shuttled from one end of the archipelago to the other, or mid-trip when I needed to hit the mainland to get more dosh, we were totally and utterly offline. It was fantastic. The morning after arriving, I went to plug my phone into my laptop to charge it (there is only electricity from a generator a few hours in the evening). I caught myself and thought, hang on, what am I doing charging this? And so I let the phone go flat. It seems the world is slowly getting smaller and smaller as phone (and internet coverage) creeps into even the remotest nooks and crannies of the planet, but at least for now the Togean Islands remain blissfully offline. We got back last Sunday and have spent the week getting our new Togeans coverage onto the site, so that you too can experience an offline adventure. [Start your planning here](. Also new on the site, we have full updates to [Muang Khua]( and [Muang La]( in northern Laos. Coming next are Malang and Surabaya in Java, a couple more islands in eastern Thailand and more northern Laos—our holiday is over! 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](. Exclusive for Travelfish readers: Save an additional 7% at Agoda [Use promo code Tfishpromo »]( Soapbox It isn’t always a scam A few years ago, the Indonesian government decided to make the Togean Islands a national park. At the end of 2017, they started charging admission, ostensibly to raise money to help protect the park. Unfortunately, as with just about all national parks in Indonesia, the park is on a two-tier pricing system — 5,000 rupiah for Indonesians and 150,000 rupiah for foreigners. Ouch. At the primary access points of Ampana and Gorontalo, national park officers now approach tourists to invite them into the ticket booth to cough up the fee. I strongly disagree with double pricing, but I have no problem paying to enter a national park, even if it isn’t made clear exactly what the funds are being used to do. Once travelling around the archipelago, I twice had conversations with travellers who, believing the charge to be a scam, had refused to pay. Unfortunately the tickets are dated 2014 (I assume they didn’t use up all that year’s tickets—the Togeans is hardly Bali in the popularity stakes) but the people who asked me to pay took me into what was clearly an official office. I was given a receipt and, well, if it was a scam, it seemed to be a rather elaborate one. In both cases I explained to the travellers it is not in fact a scam—perhaps they’ll drop off the money when they leave. Rules change and just because something isn’t mentioned in your guidebook, doesn’t mean you are being swindled. I'm not saying all ticketing is above reproach, but use your common sense, look around, take note to see if others are being charged. Ask for an official receipt and if you're given one, more often than not, it is legit. These two Europeans were able to bluster their way through and the Indonesians, deferring to politeness (or perhaps just bored with their whining), let them through, but at the end of the day, it was the park that lost. Safe 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 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’re reading Miss Burma by Charmaine Craig An historical family saga in the classic sense, Charmaine Craig’s Miss Burma puts a twist on things by setting the book in the tumultuous Burma of the 20th century, from the time of British colonialism, through to independence and Ne Win’s seizure of power. It focuses on the shifting fortunes of a non-Burman family swept up in the turmoil, [as they take advantage of the good times and face tragedy during the bad](. Thank you Just a few quick words of thanks to businesses who have decided to advertise direct with us on Travelfish recently. If you know a business, small or large, who may be interested in advertising on the site, please send them our [One Page Media Kit!]( Other advertisers include [Asia Highlights]( offer tailor made travel through Vietnam, [Take Me Tour]( offer experiences with locals out of Chiang Mai, [Akha Kitchen]( offer Thai cooking classes in Chiang Rai, WWOOF Thailand [connect hosts and organic farm volunteers]( and VD Travel offer [trending itineraries across the region](. Featured Ha Long Bay: Which tour is right for you? Walking the streets of Hanoi it can seem like every man and his dog is an agent for some random boat operating in [Ha Long Bay](. Invariably when you pop into an agent and ask what is good, you’ll be told ”you get what you pay for” and sure enough, that is pretty much the case. But what do you get? How is a $50 experience different to a $120 one? Is it worth the extra money? What are you looking for? So many questions! On a recent visit to Hanoi when we enquired about buying tickets for a specific boat, we were told “Oh no, that isn”t possible!” Oh Hanoi. In this revised story, we tried out three different priced tours ex-Hanoi and took a look at just what you get for your bucks. While it may not point you to a specific operator it will [give you an idea of what you can expect to get for your money](. Travelfish partners Want to head to Ha Long Bay but don’t want to spend the earth? Get Your Guide offer tours ex Hanoi for under US$50 per person. [Halong Bay Islands and Caves: Full-Day Tour from Hanoi from US$47]( News from the region CAMBODIA I: This Cambodian city is turning into a Chinese enclave, and not everyone is happy “We’re not going to be able to feed ourselves soon. [Our business is about to die]( said Doung Sokly, a 30-year-old woman who has been selling drinks, snacks and cigarettes from a cart on Independence Beach for eight years. CAMBODIA II: Patriot, lucky spirit, villain: Pol Pot Remembered “In a similar narrative peddled by Pol Pot’s deputy Nuon Chea at the Khmer Rouge tribunal, Khen blamed the killings on lower level officials [straying from the party line]( INDONESIA: Indonesia alcohol deaths exceed 100 as police vow crackdown “Potentially lethal methanol can be a byproduct of bootleg distilling and the tainted alcohol is also sometimes mixed with soft drinks. In the recent spate of deaths, police said pure alcohol was [sometimes combined with ingredients such as cough mixture and insect repellant]( OVERTOURISM: Tourism surge lashes Southeast Asia's beaches “But governments are wary of curtailing an industry that [creates jobs and buoys economies]( THAILAND I: Chao Phraya boardwalk plan dead in the water “The project became [controversial]( almost as soon as it was announced almost three years ago.” THAILAND II: Thailand faces challenges to become 'rabies-free' by 2020 “So far, thirty-five of Thailand's 77 provinces have been [declared as red-zones]( places where the rabies virus has been discovered and under tighter surveillance.” THAILAND III: The Beach's Maya Bay on Phi Phi to shut down “The tiny beach has become popular over the decades after the movie The Beach was filmed there. Currently, it welcomes [more than 4,000 tourists per day]( which is above its carrying capacity.” VIETNAM: Backed by banks, Vietnam embraces dirty coal “This controversial power plant is emblematic of Vietnam’s energy production strategy over the next decade, a period during which electricity consumption is expected to triple. While many countries around the world are focused on phasing out coal-fired plants, [Vietnam is going in the opposite direction]( Travel writing BURMA: Exploring Myanmar’s vast network of limestone caves “Since then, the team has conducted [16 expeditions in Myanmar]( and surveyed caves in 11 areas. Their surveys have unveiled a fairyland-like subterranean environment; forests of stalactites and stalagmites formed over thousands of years; huge caverns up to 100 metres high; narrow shafts 100m deep.” INDONESIA I: Falling in love With Indonesian buses [This doesn’t strike us as a fun trip](. INDONESIA II: In over my head: Ocean life in the Togean Islands “The thing to do in the Togean Islands is island hop. You cannot really go wrong wherever you choose so check out the ferry schedule (or charter a local boat) and head out to check on [another blissful view]( THAILAND I: Where to find Bangkok’s best street food while you can “Pretty much immediately, I learned that [street food was a term with many definitions]( THAILAND II: Chaiyaphum Dok Krachiao Blooming Festival 2018 from June to September “This year, the TAT and Chaiyaphum province have scheduled to host the [Krachiao Blooming Festival]( for four months, from 1 June to 30 September.” THAILAND III: Taking to the river in Thailand As we feasted on those and drank local Chang beer, Thai songs floated from a karaoke setup across the water. [Long-tails growled slowly along]( stuffed with tourists in orange life jackets. VIETNAM: Travel to Vietnam's beach paradise Quy Nhon like a pro “Lying on the central coast of Vietnam, Quy Nhon boasts [long, broad, sandy beaches and turquoise sea]( what’s left of a Cham empire, a paradise of food, and much more.” Interesting site Dr Ating Foundation The Dr Ating Foundation is a non-profit organisation launched on Malenge in 2011. Led by Dr Ating Solihin, it [works to protect vulnerable species]( including the tarsier, babirusa, macaques, hornbills and cuscus. The foundation has also worked to educate local adults and children about the importance of protecting both these species and the underwater environment. The foundation welcomes volunteers and donations are welcome (and appreciated). Travel shot [Hello Ngam Kho. Photo: Stuart McDonald] No shortage of sand on the Togean Islands. Photo: Stuart McDonald 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](