Travelfish #279: Nusa Ceningan + What were you thinking? + leafy

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi everyone, This week we’re all about "leafy". We’ve got a review of The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza and a soapbox on "What were you thinking?". 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 Last week we updated Nusa Lembongan and this week we have a rewrite of its baby sister, cute little [Nusa Ceningan](. The island remains one of our favourite getaways in the area. Also for Indonesia we have an almost completed update of our [food coverage for Jakarta](. Sticking with capital cities, we also have still more Bangkok sights and attractions updated, along with [three]( [fantastic]( [walks]( to do in the city, and [a new PDF guide for art lovers]( heading to the Thai capital. You’re able to access all this information via our website. But if you'd like another way to support independent, informed coverage of how to travel around and what to see in Southeast Asia, we'd love for you to chip in: It costs a very reasonable A$35 per year to become a premium member (please note: Australian not US dollars!). Membership gives you access to our forum plus more than 200 downloadable guides (231 to be exact) and a special deal with both [roundtheworldflights.com]( and [All Points East](. [Find out more here]( This week's soapbox is on “What were you thinking?” We've also got a review of Cyril Wong's novel The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza and we're highlighting a film on Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. Meanwhile, Mark has submitted an update of Sihanoukville's accommodation, Sally is writing up her Penang research, we're polishing off Cindy's Ho Chi Minh City research into a new and massive PDF, David is off to the US for his annual break, and Stuart is heading to Japan to sit on trains and finish a writing project. Please forward this newsletter on to any friends, family, strangers in bars, bus drivers, som tam ladies or massage men you think might be interested to receive it. Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish team 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 »]( Soapbox What were you thinking? Years ago I travelled to Morocco with a couple of Canadian friends. We took a train heading south, but some locals befriended us on the train and convinced us to jump off at Asilah, a smallish town along the way. They seemed friendly enough and we spent a couple of days in their “care”—we met their families and the hospitality seemed great and authentic. On the third day we were invited into another friend’s house. Four men whom we hadn’t met before led us up through a maze of stairs and connecting rooms. Doors were closed behind us as we went, and eventually we settled into a room, which I think was on the third floor, with a huge pile of carpets. Tea was offered, but unlike the other days, the setting just felt iffy. There was a bad vibe and all three of us felt it. Sitting there sipping tea, we looked at one another out of the corner of our eyes, waiting for one of us to say something. Of course, none of us did. One of the original local friends appeared, with yet another guy, and they started to roll the carpets out before us. We explained that we didn't want a carpet, yes they were beautiful and all that, but we had no money, and so on. Blah blah blah. The only carpet any of us were in the market for was a flying one to get us out of there. Long story short, things got heated, but not physical. We were able to get out of the room, and eventually out onto the street. We left Asilah within the hour to howls of abuse from not just our new friends, but a whole bunch of their friends. It could have been very different. Travelling in Southeast Asia, it can sometimes be difficult to ascertain what is really going on. Generally, hospitality is authentic—we’ve been invited into a number of homes over the years and visited without problem. We’re not suggesting that you should treat everyone with an ounce of caution, but a pinch goes a long way. Do pay attention to your environment. And if you’re in Saigon or Phnom Penh and get invited to go play cards, do what we should have done in Asilah: Walk the other way. Good travels Stuart Featured Parks in Saigon Ho Chi Minh City is a sprawling, dense concrete jungle so locals relish in the city’s remaining green spaces and communal areas. If you happen to be in the mood for a shaded sit or a quiet stroll, [here are a few parks to find it](. What we're watching Hanoi Hungry In the summer of 2016 my girlfriend and I embarked on a week long trip to Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. When we weren't busy eating incredible street food, [we filmed some stuff](. Film by Alex Schiller. What we're reading The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza The Last Lesson of Mrs de Souza is the somewhat poignant tale of Singaporean teacher Rose de Souza, who recounts her last day as a school teacher before retirement. Cyril Wong’s short, elegant novel, published in 2013, peers into Singaporean school life, which can [naturally be seen as a microcosm of Singaporean society](. Notes from the road BURMA: Leafy lake [BURMA: Leafy lake]( Any Inle Lake visit will include stops at some of the numerous and still largely traditional lakeside villages and their [special floating gardens](. CAMBODIA: Leafy ruins [CAMBODIA: Leafy ruins]( A site older than Angkor lost in tranquil forests, Sambor Prei Kuk is even more mysterious (and to some, lovely) than the more famous temples to the west. In a cool and peacefully leafy setting, beautiful 1,200-year-old brick temples combine with nature to create an environment [that showcases the best of both worlds](. INDONESIA: Leafy laze [INDONESIA: Leafy laze]( Alor is the largest island in the Alor Archipelago. This is Indonesia at its rawest, and this island will appeal to independent travellers comfortable getting a little more [off the beaten track](. ISLANDS: Leafy tranquility [ISLANDS: Leafy tranquility]( Very tempting Nusa Lembongan's [Tropica Tranquility]( is not exactly on the beach, but across the road at Jungut Batu as it turns the corner to Mangrove Beach. LAOS: Leafy trekking [LAOS: Leafy trekking]( A trek or homestay is a good way to get away from other tourists, to delight in nature and learn about village life. It can be enjoyable — so long as travellers have [realistic expectations]( of the experience. MALAYSIA: Leafy itinerary [MALAYSIA: Leafy itinerary]( Getting up close to wildlife, conquering high peaks or just embracing your inner beach bum, Sabah offers all kinds of adventures to all kinds of adventurers. Here's how we'd spend [four weeks exploring](. SINGAPORE: Leafy walk [SINGAPORE: Leafy walk]( Tampines Eco Green is a 36-hectare park in Singapore’s east, boasting grasslands,[freshwater wetlands and secondary rainforest]( — right in the midst of a high-rise, high-density township. THAILAND: Leafy food [THAILAND: Leafy food]( Anothai Restaurant stands at the pinnacle of [Bangkok’s vegetarian food scene](. Named after its Cordon-Bleu schooled chef, it offers a mix of tasty Thai veggie dishes with flourishes of Japanese and Italian to go with a great bakery, huge tea selection and soothing atmosphere. VIETNAM: Leafy backpacker joint [VIETNAM: Leafy backpacker joint]( A friendly international mob run Big Tree Backpackers and within a few minutes of arriving, travellers will find themselves slipping into [the rhythms of beach life](. Just ensure you have some time to spare—this is the kind of place people book for a few nights and end up staying a month. It’s a terrific place to get stuck. 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! Flights: [roundtheworldflights.com]( Places to stay: [Agoda]( [Booking]( Tours and activities: [TourRadar]( [GetYourGuide]( Ground transport: [12Go Asia]( Travel insurance: [World Nomads]( News from the region BURMA I: 270,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar, UN says Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, also a Nobel laureate, wrote in a letter Thursday that it was “incongruous for a symbol of righteousness to lead such a country” that “is not at peace with itself, that fails to acknowledge and protect the dignity and worth [of all its people]( BURMA II: Self-fulfilling lethal prophecies in Myanmar "Rohingya leaders have for years advocated non-violent strategies to regain their people’s rights, fully aware that taking weapons against the Tatmadaw would unleash [a terrible backlash]( against their own people." BURMA III: BBC reporter in Rakhine: 'A Muslim village was burning' "However, my Myanmar colleagues did speak to them away from the cameras and they said they were Rakhine Buddhists. One of them admitted he had lit the fires, [and said he had help from the police]( BURMA IV: ET, famed astrologer to the elite, dies of natural causes "Daw Swe Swe Win, who was known as ET because her gnarled appearance resembled that of the titular character in ET the Extraterrestrial, was [sought out by many rich and powerful figures]( for advice over the years." CAMBODIA I: Why the Cambodian government arrested our father in the middle of the night "Everyone in Cambodia has heard stories like this from the 1970s. Our own grandfather was taken from his home by the Khmer Rouge in 1975 and never returned. [But this is September 2017]( CAMBODIA II: Cambodia’s young female skaters ready to spark a cultural revolution "My message to girls is: don't be scared. [Make the best of your life](. You never know what you might be good at, just practice and be confident in yourself!" CAMBODIA III: Between 2008 and 2012, a vast lake in Phnom Penh was made to vanish. The resulting protests changed Cambodia "The problem, he explains, is that “the land is so valuable these settlements are very quickly pushed out of the city and people are being relocated out onto the fringes. And they attempt to come back in again, resulting in this [unsustainable cycle of poverty, exploitation and displacement]( INDONESIA I: Horrific case of abuse in Bali "Not only is this one of the most vile and vindictive acts of violence I've ever witnessed" An absolutely horrific crime—[please read and consider making a donation](. INDONESIA II: Here’s why Yogyakarta’s tourism boom is a double-edged sword "However, Yogyakarta’s booming tourism industry has created challenges that potentially threaten the very characteristics that made Yogyakarta so appealing in the first place. Of particular concern are increasing pressures on tourism infrastructure, and [the possibility of cultural clashes]( as the presence of international tourism is felt more widely and pervasively throughout Yogyakarta." INDONESIA III; Indonesia starts to confront China’s territorial claims "The dispute largely centres on the [Natuna Sea]( a resource-rich waterway north of Indonesia that also lies close to Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone." SOUTHEAST ASIA: It’s not just Burma: Human rights are under attack across Southeast Asia, advocates say "The region's 10 countries have widely varied political system, yet things have gotten worse from a human rights standpoint in nearly all of them. Ask advocates where the landscape has improved, [and the result is silence]( THAILAND I: The permanent coup "And so when the 2014 coup took place, it was people like Mahawon—locally influential, articulate, and resourceful—[who attracted the attention of the new military authorities](. " (Extract, full story is paywalled). THAILAND II: Thailand steps up preparations for royal cremation ceremony in Oct "As the date for the historic ceremony approaches, officials have stepped up their final preparations to ensure that the elaborate event, which will be steeped in Buddhist practices and royal traditions, [will proceed smoothly]( THAILAND III: Govt sets B3 trillion tourism target "The government aims to achieve 10% growth in tourism income, or roughly 3 trillion baht, next year, by rolling out [various tourism promotion packages]( VIETNAM: Vietnam floating market struggles to stay above water "Surrounded by dusty old scales on his cluttered houseboat, Nguyen Van Ut says [vendors are giving up their boats]( for better lives on terra firma where supermarkets draw the traders who once thronged the waterway." Travel writing BURMA: In a fragile partnership, dolphins help catch fish in Myanmar "Mr. Thin Myu is one of a few dozen fishermen left in Myanmar who know how to [cooperate with Irrawaddy dolphins]( to fill their nets." INDIA: Forty names of clouds "The reverence for landscapes, the knowledge of land as the creature that sustains us, [is eroding]( INDONESIA: In search of Javan rhinos in Ujung Kulon, Indonesia "Suleman replied that the Ujung Kulong National Park authority is considering the possibility of finding an [alternative habitat]( for the rhinos." VIETNAM: Saigon to Hanoi by Motorbike: 5 suggested routes "Riding from Saigon to Hanoi by motorbike is probably the most popular road trip in Vietnam, and it’s unquestionably one of the [best ways]( to experience the country. " Yes we agree, but do check your travel insurance situation beforehand so you understand the risks. Interesting site Nusa Penida There is exhaustive detail and there is exhaustive detail. Heading to [Nusa Penida]( Set aside a month to read this site. Travel shot [Be sure to catch a sunset. Photo: Stuart McDonald] Be sure to catch a sunset. 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. 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