Travelfish #270: Travelfish turns 14 + Seminyak & Lembata + traditional

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, This week we have a Seminyak accommodation update online plus completely new coverage from us on the Indonesian island of Lembata, a book review on an excellent Indonesian potted history wrap and a soapbox on traditional cultural practices. 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 On Wednesday Travelfish turns 14 (and Stuart a year or so older). We'd like to interrupt this broadcast for a moment to thank you all for being a part of the journey. A special THANKS! to our team of hard-working writers (past and present) who have all worked to make Travelfish what it is. New on the site this week we have two sides of Indonesia. A complete update to our choice of places to stay in [Seminyak on Bali]( and, from the other end of the spectrum, new material on under-visited [Lembata]( in eastern Indonesia Offline in the real world, Sally is just about done updating our coverage of Bali's Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan—massive changes there include, sadly, the disappearance of the seaweed trade. Stuart is back from Lembata, with that research online, and David is working through more Bangkok material. In the north, Mark is back in Chiang Mai and will be heading to Pai and Mae Hong Son shortly, while Cindy is on her way home to write up her Ho Chi Minh City coverage. Premium Travelfish members now have access to more than 200 downloadable guides (222 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 soapbox is on “traditional”. The newsletter theme is “horizons”; why don't we all broaden ours? 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 “Traditional” Last week I was on Lembata, a curiously shaped island towards the eastern extent of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The island is known for two main things—a relatively easy-to-climb volcano, Ile Api, and a “traditional” whaling village on the south coast named [Lamalera](. The International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling allows some indigenous people to hunt whales and as the village is using largely traditional fishing methods the villagers are exempt (not that Indonesia has actually signed the treaty). While there is a specific season, the villagers will hunt whale any time they see one. They also hunt manta rays, sharks, dolphins and whale sharks—if you can harpoon it, they’ll give it a go ... from their outboard engine-powered wooden boats. The day I arrived, the beach had five pilot whales (a type of dolphin), a fair-sized whale shark and, later in the day, a pregnant hammerhead shark. The latter two are both endangered species. Everything was butchered and, to be fair, just about everything is used—everything (even baby hammerheads) is divvied up according to a complex sharing system followed by the villagers. Fishermen offered two other travellers in the village the opportunity to join him for a dolphin-hunting trip the next morning: just 200,000 rupiah per person. A dolphin-hunting tour. The villagers have resisted pressure from conservationists and the Indonesian government to alter their practices, say by adhering to a quota system for example. They rightly point out that they have little arable land, the fishing grounds out front are mediocre and, well, when you’ve got lights of Taiwanese long-liners trailing by every night, who's to complain about a few dolphins? Lamalera is hardly overrun with tourists. My homestay had seen 23 guests in the first five months of the year—so the switch from whale and dolphin hunting to whale and dolphin watching, at least for now, is not going to be a lucrative one. That said, the roads are improving and a trip to the village is not as arduous as it apparently once was. In 2014, Indonesia declared its national boundaries to be the world’s largest manta ray sanctuary. Yet here (and elsewhere, such as eastern Lombok), local fishing folk make a mockery of that announcement. If Indonesia is going to get out on the world stage to brag about their conservation efforts, they need to, well, make those efforts properly. That Indonesia's tourism board [continues to promote manta ray hunting at Lamalera is a disgrace](. Set a quota, ban the hunting of endangered species and Indonesian Tourism can pony up some cash as compensation. 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]( Travel insurance: [World Nomads]( Featured Climbing Ile Api Officially called Gunung Lewotolo, despite being only the third tallest peak on the island, impressive Ile Api (mountain of fire) dominates the landscape and geography of Lembata. [The outlook is right to the horizon](. What we're reading A Brief History of Indonesia. Sultans, spices and tsunamis: The Incredible Story of Southeast Asia's Largest Nation by Tim Hannigan In his introduction to A Brief History of Indonesia, Tim Hannigan says that he aimed to write in the pages ahead the book he was looking for years ago when he first came to Indonesia but failed to find: [an accessible history to explain something of the vast and diverse country]( to new visitors. Off the forum Can you help with advice on any of these questions? [Young Kids on a Thailand Island in July/August]( [Travel in SEA]( [Tay Trang Border crossing]( [Open jaw trip: 20 days flying into Bangkok and out from Ho Chi Minh.. Where to go?]( Notes from the road BURMA: Temple spires break the horizon at Amarapura [BURMA: Temple spires break the horizon at Amarapura]( Built by King Bodawpaya in 1783, the royal family resided at Amarapura for a mere 70 years before King Mindon dismantled the teak palace in 1859 and transferred it to its final resting place in Mandalay. Despite a short life, [the city is home to numerous sights]( such as Pahtodawgyi Pagoda and Maha Gandhayon Kyaung monastery as well as the world's longest teak bridge, the iconic U Bein. CAMBODIA: A different horizon [CAMBODIA: A different horizon]( A refined and romantic rural retreat that brings together the elegance of reconstructed Cambodian traditional villas with the luxury of a world class boutique hotel, [Sala Lodges can’t help but impress](. INDONESIA: Beaches run to the horizon [INDONESIA: Beaches run to the horizon]( The far western tip of Lembata is graced with a set of excellent beaches offering white sands, crystal waters and tremendous views across to Gunung Ile Boleng on Adonara. It makes for an excellent full-day excursion from Lewoleba and there are [plenty of horizon views](. ISLANDS: There’s another island on the horizon [ISLANDS: There’s another island on the horizon]( At just 627 metres in altitude, the highest point on Ko Pha Ngan isn't really all that high – you're certainly not going to risk altitude sickness – but [the views are great]( and climbing to the summit of Khao Ra makes for a fun half-day off-beach work-out. LAOS: The Living Land Organic Farm [LAOS: The Living Land Organic Farm]( Expand [your agricultural horizons]( by learning how to grow rice try your hand at every one of the 14 laborious steps to go from a single grain to the dinner table at the excellent Living Land Organic Farm. MALAYSIA: Horizon interrupted [MALAYSIA: Horizon interrupted]( There’s something about Mount Kinabalu — its awesomeness, its grace, its spirit — but it’s no wonder so many people are drawn to climbing [Malaysia's tallest mountain](. SINGAPORE: A Singaporean horizon [SINGAPORE: A Singaporean horizon]( We love a fairground ride, and a fairground ride with a view, what could be better? Well, a fairground ride with a view and Champagne of course! Ok, we’re getting carried away — [we didn’t do the Champagne ride]( but it’s an option. THAILAND: A June Horizon [THAILAND: A June Horizon]( An excellent choice for backpackers seeking a simple bungalow in a quiet setting, June Horizon embodies Ko Phayam’s quiet, artistic [and relaxing character](. VIETNAM: Beckoning over the horizon [VIETNAM: Beckoning over the horizon]( Many only pass through Phan Thiet – there’s no good reason for the foreign tourist to dally here when a prime beach town is [beckoning just over the horizon](. But to simply know Phan Thiet as the gateway to Mui Ne would be unfair. It has enough local charm and character to satisfy curious travellers for a day or two, if time allows. News from the region BURMA: Made in Myanmar: Designers put ethical twist on local fashion "Myanmar is [fiercely proud of its traditional garb]( which was largely protected from the influx of homogenous Western fashion now ubiquitous across Southeast Asia by the former military junta." CAMBODIA: Sambor Prei Kuk gets Unesco world heritage status The UN cultural organisation added [an ancient temple site in Cambodia]( to its world heritage list, bringing the number of heritage sites in the South-east Asian country to three. CAMBODIA II: Cambodia remembers Kem Ley "Kem Ley was killed a year ago today. [It was massive news]( but few could have predicted just how much it would matter to so many people." CAMBODIA III: Murder and black magic: Cambodia’s modern-day witch-hunts "Although Kouern maintained that her husband knew nothing of sorcery, the rumour that Sorn was preying upon the old and vulnerable spread through the village. After four years of the unexplained deaths that are all too common in rural Cambodia, someone decided to take matters into their own hands. [There were no witnesses]( INDONESIA: East Java's villagers hunt witches to put an end to nightmares and sickness "Orthodox Islam [disapproves of magic]( both as an idea and practice but many Javanese adhere to a religious tradition that syncretises animistic, Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu beliefs." INDONESIA II: The guiding women challenging tradition in Lombok “The first female mountain guide to take visitors to the summit of Mt Rinjani in 1995, [Katni now leads a team of female guides]( and has trained up to 50 women. Her company, Rinjani Women Adventure, provides trekking tours of Mt Rinjani as well as the panorama walk we are now doing through the foothills to the Sendang Gile Waterfall.” INDONESIA III: Indonesia second largest food waster "The high rate of food loss in Indonesia, an energy specialist says, could be due to [inadequate infrastructure]( between food producing regions and major population centres, which causes delays in food transportation." THAILAND I: Thailand leads the pack for Asia's abused tourist elephants "Their data showed pachyderm welfare routinely came [in second place to turning a fast profit]( with three-quarters of Asia's captive elephants kept in conditions that were rated poor or unacceptable." THAILAND II: Thailand's rebel nuns gain ground "By long tradition monks have dominated the religion, while the white-cloaked nuns, or maechi, were relegated to the lowest rung of the Buddhist hierarchy, often no better than menial monastery servants and with [no path open to higher spiritual status]( VIETNAM I: Why Vietnam’s motorbike ban makes no sense "Thus the proposed ban on motorbikes [makes little sense](. Such a ban belongs on cars. If anything, motorbikes need to be encouraged, alongside use of public transport and other quaint people movers like push bikes." VIETNAM II: The beginning of the end in Vietnam: An account of the Battle of Hue, by the author of ‘Black Hawk Down’ "If America learned nothing else in this searing experience, it was [that war is an innately human endeavour and not a science]( demonstrated by the fact that motivated, well-organized fighters sustained higher casualties for years and still prevailed." Travel writing BRUNEI: Is Brunei the most misunderstood destination in Southeast Asia? Have you been? Why? Was it for [a chicken burger at TatsyCafe]( BURMA I: Inside Naypyidaw: The truth about Myanmar’s ‘Ghost City’ capital "That single moment, at the Fountain Park in Naypyidaw, would stick with me as the truest glimpse I saw of modern Myanmar. These people were the privileged few, for sure; not every citizen of this still-problematic country is fortunate enough to live in Naypyidaw, just like Moscow is not remote Siberia, and Washington D.C. is not Detroit. But in Naypyidaw I saw more than a country of ruined temples and rustic, rural villages: the typical backpacker highlights of Myanmar." BURMA II: Myanmar has (once again) decided to ban temple climbing at Bagan "Though the intentions behind the ban are admirable, it will come as a blow to many tourists: watching the sunset from atop a pagoda [is considered an essential experience when visiting Myanmar]( CAMBODIA: The old Fish Market is back to life in Kampot "This architectural prowess also showcases a definitive revival for Kampot, once the main administrative and commercial hub along Cambodia’s coastal line. The Kampot Fish Market no longer hosts colourful and pungent fish stalls but jazz evenings, [happy hours on the roof terrace]( (one of the three historical vaults had to be disposed of and replaced with a concrete slab)..." INDONESIA: Swadaya: A TV series for Indonesia and beyond Our friend Photographer Rio Helmi has an Indiegogo campaign to help him explore Indonesia by motorbike [uncovering inspirational grassroots stories](. THAILAND I: In Thailand, a Buddhist artist is building the bizarre temple of his dreams "Known locally Wat Rong Khun, the White Temple is [a testament to Kositpipat’s devout Buddhism]( though also a reflection of the unconventional ways that localized religious traditions can mesh with hyper-modern, global culture." THAILAND II: Teaching in Thailand...while black "It’s not exactly a good ending but my experience here isn’t over yet. It has only been 2 months and [I have a long ways to go]( Interesting site The Bohemian Blog The Bohemian Blog is [an alternative travel journal]( dedicated to exploring the bizarre, the macabre and other secret wonders of the world. Travel shot [To get to the top, just keep walking. Photo: Stuart McDonald] To get to the top, just keep walking. 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]( 9 robinson close, hornsby heights, nsw 2077, AUSTRALIA [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](