Travelfish #249: Spend more not less + Mask

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, We're a bit late this week due to prolonged outages of our Balinese internet access hamsters. Sorry. Online we have some more southern Laos and Bali content, a film on ogoh-ogoh's and a soapbox on spending more not less. Travelfish premium members are growing like mushrooms in the wet season. [Learn how you can become one now! »] The week that was This week we have new southern Laos material online for [Champasak] (home to stunning Wat Phu) and to the laidback hideaway of [Tad Lo]. We've also got a complete revamp to our [sights section in Ubud], and if you're headed that way, you're about to realise you may well need a lot longer there than you had originally planned. For premium members, new PDFs are in the library for above-mentioned Tad Lo and Champasak. These additions brings us to a total of 182 titles available for download. And of course, more soon. Not a premium member? It costs A$35 per year and [you can find out more here]. The more members we have, the more we can keep up-to-date on the site. Coming onto the site this week we have Takeo in Cambodia, Sanur in Bali and Kanchanaburi in Thailand. This week's soap box is about spending more, not less and about considering making a donation to people doing good work in the region. Why not use your extra spending power to make a small difference to somebody's life? This week’s theme is “mask”, inspired by the spectacular [Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets in Ubud]. Not heard of it? We reckon it could be the best museum in Bali, if not Indonesia. As always, please feel free to forward this email on to your friends, family, strangers in bars, bus drivers and somtam ladies. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish team PS Our tours partner Tourradar has a massive sale going at the moment, [with discounts of up to 65%] on tours from all major brands. The sale finishes on February 2. Soapbox Spending more not less There's no shortage of thinkpieces online on how to stretch your money further while travelling and, no doubt, we've been responsible for more than our fair share of them. It's true that Southeast Asia offers remarkably great value for inbound foreign travellers and that cutting back from three to two decaf soy milk extra large lattes back home each day for a month may well get you another month in a beach shack on Ko Pha Ngan. The flipside of your money going further for yourself is that it can also go a lot further when it comes to donating to NGOs and charities who are working with those in need in the countries you are travelling through. In the past we've donated to various organisations, from those [assisting transient workers in Singapore], to [teaching swimming to kids in Vietnam], to [caring for bears in Laos] to [getting kids to university in Thailand]. Our donation of $100 a pop is a drop in the ocean, but the drops do accumulate (as anyone with a leaking air-con unit knows). So when you're budgeting for your next trip, please consider putting aside some portion to donate to a cause that will directly benefit those in need. If you are already in the habit of doing this, please consider letting us know who and why, as we'd like to put together a wider list of organisations doing effective and responsible work in the region. 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 Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets [Facebook] [Twitter] In Bali, it’s believed when masks are worn, [dancers embody the spirits of the gods] and Setia Darma House of Masks and Puppets aims to preserve and showcase its extensive collection from Bali, other parts of the Indonesian archipelago and the world. Film of the week Ogoh-ogoh The night before Nyepi, Ogoh-Ogoh parades happen across the island. Each puppet has its own story line and all stories tell about how good and bad collide in our life, with dances and traditional music and about [how so many people can work together in harmony]. Film by ichsanwahyudi. What we're reading Two Cities: Hanoi and Saigon Two Cities: Hanoi and Saigon is a slim, elegant book by Neil Sheehan about Vietnam in 1989. Sheehan was a correspondent in the South during the American War in Vietnam, and wrote the incredible A Bright Shining Lie, essential reading for anyone interested in this period, or indeed simply in journalism. Fifteen years after the war ended, Sheehan returns to Vietnam to visit Hanoi and Saigon as the nation embraces doi moi, or “renovation”, [the gradual opening up of its economy to the world]. Where to go in 2017 BURMA: Thanaka mask [Thanaka mask] [Facebook] [Twitter] The beige-yellow splodges, swirls and spots on cheeks and foreheads means one thing: [you can only be in Burma]. CAMBODIA: Dancing mask [CAMBODIA: Dancing mask] [Facebook] [Twitter] The Children of the Bassac performance includes a buffalo blessing from the Phnong tribe of Ratanakiri; a lively fishing dance in which fish are not the only catch; the much-loved monkey dance from the Khmer version of the Ramayana story; [and a captivating apsara dance]. INDONESIA: Need a mask [Need a mask] [Facebook] [Twitter] [But the conditions are hellish]. Some men report that once they commence work they find it very difficult to stop, as they are prone to sickness when inactive. Most men rarely take a break and when they do, it’s a slow process to build up enough strength again to carry the incredible weights they are capable of at their peak. ISLANDS: Masks for marrying [Masks for marrying] [Facebook] [Twitter] One way to ensure that you can dive right off Kradan is to take part in the underwater wedding ceremonies held annually around Valentine's Day. If wearing an oxygen mask for that first “kiss” as a married couple sounds utterly romantic to you, [then Ko Kradan might be the place]. LAOS: Dust masks [Dust masks] [Facebook] [Twitter] Looking for a scenic motorbike or challenging cycling trip in Luang Prabang? Just across the Mekong River from town is Chomphet district with a 23 kilometre dirt road loop that will take you through the countryside, past [small villages, beautiful rice paddies and mountains]. MALAYSIA: A natural mask [A natural mask] [Facebook] [Twitter] Proboscis monkeys (nasalis larvatus) are endemic to Borneo. They are one of the largest monkey species native to Asia and are listed as endangered due to the decline of their mangrove forest habitat. Known for the males’ distinctive large nose, which hangs below its mouth (and a small pointy one for females), they have an orange and white coat and a rather large pot-belly. All of these have given them the local name of monyet Belanda (Dutch monkey) with reference to Borneo’s colonial past ([or possibly some modern-day tourists]). THAILAND I: Masks for the ghoulish [Masks for the ghoulish] [Facebook] [Twitter] A substantial collection of Phi Ta Khon masks and costume are set up to look just like they would when strolling around the festival, making it easy to [snap a selfie next to the ghoulishly grinning goblins]. One display highlights the steps involved in crafting the masks, which consist of hollowed out coconut tree trunks topped by baskets normally used for steaming sticky rice. All of the above is decorated beyond the point of recognition. THAILAND II: Khlong Bang Luang artist village [Khlong Bang Luang artist village] [Facebook] [Twitter] Dressed in jet black costumes with expressionless masks covering their faces, performers masterfully [bring their khon puppets to life in thrilling and humorous shows]. VIETNAM: Masks for puppets [Masks for puppets] [Facebook] [Twitter] Thanh Long Water Puppet Theatre may not be a traditional puppet theatre but the show is authentic and it’s well located in Hanoi’s Old Quarter for [an enjoyable afternoon or evening excursion]. News from the region BURMA: Myanmar ruling party lawyer shot dead at Yangon airport "The apparent assassination comes [amid heightened tensions in Buddhist-majority Myanmar], where leader Aung San Suu Kyi is under pressure over a heavy-handed security operation in an area of the country's northwest that is populated mostly by Muslims." CAMBODIA I: Top beach ... but It may be tucked away in a remote part of Cambodia, but the tiny resort of Lazy Beach on Koh Rong Samloem island has now made it onto a list of the 21 best beaches in the world. Net Geo failed to mention the beach is actually "[private property]". CAMBODIA II: Angkor revisited: how master craftsmen are forging Khmer antiquities Several workshops near Siem Reap are masterfully replicating Angkorian-era sculptures. Many end up on the international market. [But are their forgeries a crime?] INDONESIA I: In Bali, Trump’s planned six-star hotel risks angering the Gods “I would strongly recommend against any new developments [that impact the temple],” said I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, the local chief of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia, the country’s peak Hindu organization. INDONESIA II: Politician’s son named a suspect over illegal land clearing in Leuser Ecosystem The son of a local parliament chief [has been named a suspect] over illegal land clearing in the Singkil Swamp Wildlife Reserve, a heavily protected area home to the densest population of Sumatran orangutans. INDONESIA III: The politics of Imlek "However, the increased visibility of Chinese cultural products – and the consumption of them by non-Chinese Indonesians – [should not be naïvely read as heralding a new acceptance of the ethnic Chinese]." LAOS: Lao province issues banana ban “It has been a problem for the environment as the Chinese companies destroy the environment [with their heavy use of chemicals],” a provincial official told RFA’s Lao Service. MALAYSIA: Boat carrying 28 Chinese tourists reported missing off Malaysia "A boat carrying 31 people, including 28 Chinese tourists, [is missing off the coast of Borneo], Malaysian maritime authorities said on Sunday." THAILAND I: When Chinatown is no longer Chinese Demographic changes and urban development have [remodelled the face of Yaowarat altogether]. Today, the neighbourhood that seems busy to visitors appears deserted, especially at night, in comparison with the one Somchai was born into. THAILAND II: State of denial "Just as the impending death of the king was the unspoken justification for the coup, Bhumibol’s funeral and Vajiralongkorn’s coronation [are being used to delay any election]." THAILAND III: Blasting the rapids Thailand, after suspending action for more than a decade, has decided to support China’s blasting of rapids in the Mekong River. China wants to remove rocks and islets in the Mekong in order to clear the way for large cargo ships, [effectively turning Southeast Asia’s longest river into a Chinese trade and shipping lane]. THAILAND IV: Activist jailed for 11 years for online comments defaming monarchy "Burin Intin, 28, was sentenced after pleading guilty to insulting the monarchy in two messages posted online, one in a comment to a video and another in a private chat with another person. [He was sentenced to 11 years and four months in prison], according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights." THAILAND V: Australian tourist stuck in Thai hospital after head-on collision, owing $56,000 in medical bills "Ms Weldon's comprehensive travel insurance was void [because she did not hold an Australian driver's licence for a motorcycle]." VIETNAM: Vietnam to launch e-visas for visitors from 40 countries Under a government directive released on Wednesday, citizens from 40 countries will be eligible [to apply for the e-visas starting on February 1]. Included on the list are China, Japan, South Korea, the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Sweden, all major target markets for Vietnam’s tourism sector. Travel writing BURMA: State counsellor in favour of axing Bagan temple climbing “I have a lot of experience viewing sunsets and sunrises but nowhere is it better than in Bagan. But visitors watching on top of ancient pagodas will have a negative impact on the long-term sustainability. [That is why we need to find a substitute],” she said. THAILAND I: Peak tourism in the pink "The communities of Phu Lom Lo and Phu Bak Dai are reaping the rewards of their [low-key, eco-friendly handling of visitors]." VIETNAM: Trash Talk: Litter in Vietnam’s beauty spots "Vietnam has no shortage of scenic spots, many of which are ideal for picnics. New roads are constantly being opened, easing access to more and more remote, beautiful parts of the country. But this means easier access to more potential picnic spots and, if the current trend doesn’t change soon, [that means more trash covering the countryside]." Interesting site Begbugs.net [Taking a bite out of the bed bug problem.]. Travel shot [One more mask.] One more mask. 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] 9 robinson close, hornsby heights, nsw 2077, AUSTRALIA [Unsubscribe] | [Change Subscriber Options]