Asia Unmasked

Travel & Tourism news, views, and reviews. A closer look at developments in sustainable and eco-friendly travel across Southeast Asia and beyond

Explore Articles and Get Inside Information for Your Next Vacation

Latest South East Asia tourism news, events, and stories. From culture to cuisine, nature to nightlife, gain insights for your next adventure. Must see destinations and must stay accommodation. Helpful updates and articles to help you plan your perfect trip.

New administrative map of Vietnam showing the 34 consolidated provinces and cities with highlighted tourist destinations
Travel Tips

Vietnam’s 2025 Provincial Restructuring: What Travellers Need to Know

Vietnam merged 63 provinces into 34 in July 2025. Learn how this administrative restructuring affects your travel plans, transport bookings, and destination addresses for Vietnam trips. Something’s changed in Vietnam that’ll affect your travel plans, and it’s not another bridge closure or visa requirement. The country has just reorganised itself in the most dramatic way

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Image of Bali's Yeh Leh beach at low tide during sunset with hundreds of rocks in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Destinations

West Bali: Discovering Paradise Beyond the Crowds

The road less travelled leads to Bali’s most extraordinary secret I’ll confess something that might surprise you: after years of exploring Southeast Asia, I’d almost written off Bali entirely. The Instagram hordes descending on Tegallalang Rice Terraces, the traffic chaos choking Canggu’s once-pristine beach roads, the yoga retreats charging £200 ($250) a night for what

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Image is an aerial photograph showing turquoise waters and sandy beach, with wooden bungalows built in the surrounding forest in El Nido Palawan
Eco-tourism

Palawan: The Philippines’ Last Frontier

Discover Palawan’s best eco-luxury resorts, sustainable island-hopping tours, and marine conservation efforts in the Philippines’ Last Frontier. Complete 2025 travel guide with accommodation, transport, and responsible tourism tips. Maintaining my balance with a heavy backpack on a traditional bangka as it glides through the turquoise waters towards El Nido’s Big Lagoon, is a challenge. Arriving

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a young woman in traditional Buddhist dress, kneels at the feet of Buddhist monks clad in orange robes
Culture

Southeast Asian Cultural Etiquette: Your Complete Guide to Respectful Travel in 2025

Master essential customs across the region. Learn essential Southeast Asia etiquette and embrace local culture for respectful travel. Complete guide covering the region’s countries with practical tips for sustainable travel across the region. Picture this: you’re standing before the gleaming spires of Bangkok’s Grand Palace, camera in hand, when suddenly a gentle tap on your

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Image shows Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Twin Tower dominating the skyline at dusk
Destinations

Is Malaysia Southeast Asia’s Best-Kept Secret?

Discover Malaysia’s perfect blend of cultural heritage and sustainable luxury. From Kuala Lumpur’s iconic skyline to Penang’s UNESCO streets – the ultimate guide to responsible luxury travel. After exploring Southeast Asia’s capitals for almost three decades, I’ve rarely encountered a destination that balances cultural authenticity with genuine luxury as masterfully as Malaysia. From the colonial

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Image shows Singapore's Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay, which are a collection of iconic, tree-like vertical gardens that serve as both a visual landmark and a functional part of the gardens' sustainable ecosystem.
Eco-tourism

Singapore: The Conscious Traveller’s Guide to Southeast Asia’s Greenest City

Where cutting-edge sustainability meets uncompromising luxury in the Garden City I’ll confess something that might surprise seasoned Southeast Asia travellers: Singapore was never on my “must-see” list. The gleaming metropolis seemed too sanitised, too removed from the cultural authenticity I sought in places like Luang Prabang or Yogyakarta. “It has a great airport” was my

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Image shows the dramatic coastline of West Bali with cliffs overhanging a turquoise sea
Eco-tourism

Bali Unmasked: The Evolution of Responsible Tourism With An Eye On Luxury Travel

How Indonesia’s most beloved island is quietly revolutionising responsible tourism without sacrificing an ounce of indulgence The Bali I encountered on my latest visit bears little resemblance to the island I first explored thirty years ago, when a dog-eared copy of Lonely Planet’s “South East Asia on a Shoestring” was the backpacker’s bible. Yet surprisingly,

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Image shows a view of the ocean from the Ocean Front Deluxe Pool Villa at Six Senses Con Dao, with a bed in the foreground, a veranda with sun loungers in the mid ground and the sea and horizon in the far ground
Destinations

Vietnam’s Hidden Luxury Islands: Where Quiet Elegance Meets Untouched Paradise

Vietnam’s luxury islands represent the pinnacle of sophisticated Southeast Asian travel—destinations where pristine national park waters meet world-class hospitality, where thousand-year-old fishing traditions coexist with cutting-edge sustainability, and where true exclusivity emerges from respect rather than restriction. From Con Dao’s remarkable transformation from historical footnote to luxury sanctuary, to Phu Quy’s virtually undiscovered beaches where

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Photograph taken from inside an internet cafe or modern digital working hub, showing young people sat around working on laptops
Uncategorized

The Southeast Asia Digital Nomad Revolution: Where Paradise Meets Productivity (And Your Wallet Stays Happy)

Southeast Asia has quietly transformed into the world’s digital nomad capital, with governments rolling out dedicated visas whilst offering lifestyle arbitrage that makes London rent look like daylight robbery. From Thailand’s groundbreaking five-year DTV to Malaysia’s DE Rantau Pass, the region now provides legitimate long-term options for remote workers seeking cultural immersion, professional growth, and

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