Travelfish #265: Karimunjawa + Fish, bags and bottles + Take a stroll

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, This week we have Karimunjawa all new and sparkling for you, on the bookshelf we look at Eaves of Heaven, and we highlight a short film popping through some of Southeast Asia. More below the fold. 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 Indonesia's [Karimunjawa all updated]( with Jepara and Semarang coming this week. Also updated is a comprehensive rewrite and reorganisation of our [Bangkok travel section]( hope it makes more sense for you now. As I write this, Sally is finishing Semarang, Sam is cooling her heels at the airport for a flight to Bangkok (we've had to rejig some travel plans and her Hanoi trip has been pushed back), where she'll be taking a look at shopping, massage and yoga—David is gutted he'll miss out on updating our piece on where to find Western-size women's clothes shopping in Bangkok... Elsewhere, David is back in Bangkok after covering Thailand's largest national park, Kaeng Krachan, Cindy has been busy getting drenched in Saigon (good for hangovers though we hear) and Mark has his share of rain temple re-covering the temples in Chiang Mai. Stuart is off to Sydney shortly. For premium Travelfish members, Karimunjawa is the new guide this week. We have more than 200 guides available for download (216 to be exact). Not a premium member? It costs a very reasonable A$35 per year (please note: Australian not US dollars!) for access. [Find out more here](. This week's soap box is about Fish, bags and bottles—the little changes you can make that may make a big difference. The newsletter theme is Take a Stroll, as that's a great way to clear the mind. Please forward this newsletter on to any friends, family, strangers in bars, bus drivers, som tam ladies and massage men you think might be interested to receive it. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish team Soapbox Fish, bags and bottles While entering Sally's recent Karimunjawa update I saw she'd unearthed a very handy factsheet produced by WWF Indonesia. It is a one-page, Indonesian-language printable list of which fish are considered sustainable as a food source. Of course, you'll need to know what a Surgeon Fish actually looks like to know not to eat it, but that's an easily remedied problem ([it looks like this](. [You can grab the PDF here]( print a few copies off and share them on your travels. We're not saying that you alone knowing not to eat surgeon fish will save the species, but every drop counts—and what is the ocean but a multitude of drops? (They do say no raindrop alone thinks it's responsible for a flood, either.) Walk into a minimart in Indonesia and buy three items, and you're almost as likely to walk out with three plastic bags. Buying cut pineapple from a street stall in Bangkok invariable leaves us with two if not three plastic bags. Reduce your impact by taking a simple canvas bag with you. We're not suggesting pouring your sliced pineapple and green curry straight into your tote bag (though hey, if you're a keen street food eater, perhaps consider leading by example and taking a small Tupperware set with you?), but with your own carry bag, you're reducing your plastic bag use by at least one or two bags for every takeaway meal. Likewise, before you start your travels, buy a refillable water bottle (there are a million versions of these [on sale at Amazon]( and refill it daily. Is it really that much of a challenge to not purchase a single plastic bottle of water on your travels? Try it. And, like our friendly surgeon fish, one plastic bottle less is, well, one plastic bottle less, and that's got to be a good thing. (And if you fall down, as we all some times do. No matter. Try again tomorrow. Resuse that plastic bottle a few times and recycle it properly.) Small things add up. One person reducing their use of disposable minimart plastic bags by 50% and their plastic water bottle consumption by 90% over a two-week trip in Thailand may not sound like much, but when you consider Thailand gets north of 30 million tourists a year, those drops add up. Want to make an effort while you're in-country to clean up after others? [Check out regional charity Trash Hero](. Safe 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]( Travel insurance: [World Nomads]( Featured Karimunjawa Think of your ideal tropical paradise. Once you have that in mind, if it includes white-sand beaches fringed by palm trees, turquoise water so bright it stings your eyes, warm weather all year round, few tourists (for now) and just enough decent accommodation to ensure you don’t have to pitch a tent (although that’s an option too), [then the islands of Karimunjawa could be your paradise](. Film of the week Travel Diary - Southeast Asia Travels from my [two month backpacking trip]( to Vietnam, Laos and the South of Thailand. Filmed on an iPhone 5S. Film by Sean Usher. What we're reading Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars by Andrew X. Pham Eaves of Heaven: A Life in Three Wars is [the extraordinary part-life story]( of author Andrew X. Pham’s Vietnamese father, Thong Van Pham. Off the forum Can you help with advice on any of these questions? [Vietnam (wet season) in 12 days?]( [Suggestions for a 3-week Kalimantan trip]( [Vigilance with belongings]( [10 Days in Bali- The Western side?]( Notes from the road BURMA: A walking tour to Mawlamyine's places of worship [BURMA: A walking tour to Mawlamyine's places of worship]( Starting from Mahamuni, a winding and up and down road links all the major, plus several minor, hilltop pagodas together, [making for a great late afternoon stroll](. CAMBODIA: Trekking around Pailin [CAMBODIA: Trekking around Pailin]( Green hills, thick with forests made lush by the humid environment and rich soils, a strong agricultural tradition, the delicious — if highly improbable — possibility that you might just trip over a priceless gem to take home from your travels, and a remoteness confirmed by the fascinated stares of the locals working the fields that you pass, [all combine to add to the sense that Pailin is special](. INDONESIA: Take a stroll around Candi Dasa [INDONESIA: Take a stroll around Candi Dasa]( The picturesque hills and villages surrounding Candi Dasa offer a range of short or longer treks for when you have that, “I just want to get off my lazy…” kind of mood and they can make [for an ideal diversion]( away from just gazing out over the sea. ISLANDS: Exploring Ko Bulon Lae on foot [ISLANDS: Exploring Ko Bulon Lae on foot]( Home to sea gypsies, monitor lizards, longtail boats, rubber trees, white-bellied eagles, ocean treasures, butterflies, quiet bays, beautiful beaches and thick jungle where terrestrial spirits are said to whisper in the sea breeze, Ko Bulon Lae is a magical place. [All it takes is a stroll to be enchanted](. LAOS: How about a water stroll? [LAOS: How about a water stroll?]( We think the absolute highlight is the [boat trip through Xe Pian’s serene wetlands]( and by boat trip we mean a dugout canoe pushed through the marshes by a man using a bamboo pole, a man who defies every wobble like a pro surfer. MALAYSIA: A stroll through a Malaysian Chinatown? [MALAYSIA: A stroll through a Malaysian Chinatown?]( The streets and alleyways of Chinatown on the west bank of the Melaka River are the nerve centre of Melaka and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city’s most [fascinating area for a wander](. SINGAPORE: Or perhaps a Singaporean one [SINGAPORE: Or perhaps a Singaporean one]( With its bustling markets, fascinating architecture and mouthwatering food, [Singapore’s Chinatown]( is not to be missed. THAILAND: Chanthaboon Old Town [THAILAND: Chanthaboon Old Town]( Bursting with history and a distinct mix of cultures, the small eastern Thai city of Chanthaburi is [among the country’s most precious undervisited gems](. VIETNAM: Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake [VIETNAM: Truc Lam Pagoda and Tuyen Lam Lake]( Truc Lam Pagoda is a Zen Buddhist monastery six kilometres south of Da Lat city centre. Set on top of a hill shrouded in pine forest, it’s a pleasure [to take a quiet stroll]( through the grounds which are full of exceptionally pretty gardens. News from the region BURMA: Billboards blocking Bagan pagodas to be out "U Soe Win, a Nyaung-U resident, said, “People come here to pay respects at the pagodas. If the billboards are obstructing the view, this is not good. So, these billboards should be removed as soon as possible.”" [Duh](. INDONESIA I: No place to hide for LGBT people in Indonesia's Aceh province "At the time, Acehnese political leaders promised the law would not affect religious minorities and would respect international human rights, but it has become an increasingly strict code." [Extremely concerning](. INDONESIA II: Bali’s ‘waste warriors’ work against the clock to save island “Even Coca Cola doesn’t have a recycling platform in Indonesia,” O’Leary said. “[Indonesia is probably 30-50 years behind in waste management](. It’s really old technology, old machinery, everything.” INDONESIA III: Suspected suicide bombers kill 3 police officers, wound 10 in Jakarta "National Police spokesman Setyo Wasisto said three officers had been killed, and that examination of the scene had shown that there appeared to have been two suicide bombers, [not one as originally thought]( INDONESIA IV: A land without readers "The figures show [how little interest the country has in books]( approximately 1,400 Indonesian publishing houses bring out an average of 24,000 titles per year. By way of comparison, Germany has more publishers, more titles – and significantly fewer inhabitants. Some 12 times as many books are published per capita in Germany every year." INDONESIA V: Indonesia names Islamist leader a suspect in pornography case [Glass houses etc.]( LAOS: On the Borders of the Empire "Any overseas visitors dropping in to Ton Pheung could be excused for thinking themselves in China - albeit a slightly raunchy theme-park version with an [unusual preponderance]( of massage parlours and nightclubs along its streets." THAILAND I: Officials ground Koh Phangan private airport project "According to an initial inspection, the Nor Sor 3 Kor is suspected of being unlawfully issued for 81 rai of land while another 40 rai in the project has been allegedly occupied without permission." [Shocked I say!]( THAILAND II: Parks Dept orders dugong project to be revised "The three-month project started in April. Satellite tracking tools have been attached to [three dugongs]( in the area as scientists study their behaviour and habitat. " Travel writing BURMA: Myanmar's monument to myth "Like its infamous counterpart the Drug Elimination Museum, opened a year earlier on the other side of the city, it is an exercise in the [national mythmaking]( common to the era of junta rule." MALAYSIA: The allure of Joget Gamelan "And yet the most significant aspect of the Joget Gamelan is that [the music and dance were created in tandem]( with much of its allure evoked by the music being performed live. " THAILAND: Thailand's nafarious island paradise "Tarutao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, but its white-sand beaches and lush rainforests were once [home to hardened criminals]( TRAVEL I: Why Do We Have Borders, Anyway? A question I ask [every time I change countries](. TRAVEL II: Route to Air Travel Discomfort Starts on Wall Street "“The great irony is that most C.E.O.s would love to compete on product and experience,” he added. “It’s much more fun. The problem is that [customers aren’t paying attention to that]( VIETNAM I: How to love rainy season in Saigon "[Bring a bag](. In that bag, pack all of your preferred tools for whiling away time: a book or a magazine; a notepad or sketchbook and pens; and most importantly, rechargers for your smartphone, tablet and/or laptop." VIETNAM II: The humaniser "One of Nguyen’s first memories is of what happened after his family arrived at the camp in Pennsylvania. In order to leave, his family needed an American sponsor; however, [no sponsor would take in a family of four](. The family was split among three different sponsors: his parents went to live with one sponsor, his brother went to live with another, and Nguyen went to the third. " Interesting site Beer Travelist Beer meets travel on this new site by our friend Brian Spencer—[a man who knows his way around a keg](. Travel shot [Make some new friends. Photo: Sally Arnold] Make some new friends. Photo: Sally Arnold 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](