Issue No. 1 | 26 March 2026 | asiaunmasked.com
Your insider guide to the latest developments in Southeast Asian travel
EDITOR’S NOTE
The cost of travelling to Southeast Asia just got more complicated. Conflict in the Gulf has pushed Brent crude past $100 a barrel this month, with jet fuel costs for some Asian carriers doubling in weeks. Cathay Pacific, AirAsia, and Thai Airways are among those raising fares, and IATA has described price increases as inevitable. More than 46,000 flights to and from the Middle East have been cancelled since late February, forcing reroutes that burn more fuel and add hours to journey times. Southeast Asia sits outside the conflict zone, but long-haul fares from Europe are already moving. If you are planning a trip in the coming months, it is worth revisiting your flight costs before assuming your budget still holds. We will be watching developments closely.
BORNEO IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS — AND IT’S DOING IT PROPERLY
Sabah has long been the kind of place that serious Southeast Asia travellers whisper about. Most visitors fly to Kota Kinabalu, spend a night, and head straight for Mount Kinabalu or the orangutans at Sepilok. The coastline at Kuala Penyu barely gets a mention. That’s about to change.
Club Med Borneo sustainable eco resort Kuala Penyu Sabah Malaysia is set to open in November 2026
Club Med Borneo opens reservations this week ahead of its November 2026 debut — and it arrives with more sustainability credentials than most resorts twice its size. The 17-hectare beachfront property is being built to BREEAM standards, making it the first large-scale resort in Asia Pacific to target this certification. It sits next to a protected mangrove reserve, uses a low-density footprint that leaves 90% of the site untouched, and is pursuing
Club Med Borneo opens reservations this week ahead of its November 2026 debut — and it arrives with more sustainability credentials than most resorts twice its size. The 17-hectare beachfront property is being built to BREEAM standards, making it the first large-scale resort in Asia Pacific to target this certification. It sits next to a protected mangrove reserve, uses a low-density footprint that leaves 90% of the site untouched, and is pursuing Green Globe certification once operational. Local architecture, local jobs, local food suppliers.
One honest caveat: BREEAM certifies how a building is constructed, not how a resort is run. Green Globe — the operational standard — is still pending. Watch that space. Based on what’s been committed to so far, this is the most credible eco-luxury opening in the region this year.
Early reservations (16 November 2026 – 3 January 2027) include a complimentary Deluxe room upgrade, subject to availability. Book direct at clubmed
HUẾ IS PUTTING ON A SHOW — AND YOU SHOULD BE THERE
Vietnam’s former imperial capital has a way of stopping people in their tracks. The crumbling yellow walls of the Citadel, the Perfume River at dusk, the relative quiet compared to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City — Huế rewards the traveller who slows down.
Imperial Citadel Huế lit with festival lanterns at night draw visitors from across the world
This week it gets considerably livelier. The Huế Festival 2026 runs from 25 March to 7 April, the biennial celebration of the city’s imperial heritage that draws performers, artisans, and visitors from across Vietnam and beyond. Expect royal court music, ao dai fashion shows, lantern-lit evenings along the river, and Nguyen Dynasty ceremony reenactments at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Summer Festival follows between April and June with international arts troupes and headline performances at the Imperial Citadel. If you’re in central Vietnam — or anywhere near it — this is the week to make the trip. Book accommodation now; the city fills fast and rates climb with it.
THAILAND’S TOURIST FEE IS COMING — HERE’S WHAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO KNOW
Thailand has been talking about a tourist entry fee for years. It’s finally close to happening — though “close” in Thai bureaucratic time is a flexible concept. Current indications point to a Q2 or Q3 2026 launch: 300 baht for air arrivals, 150 baht for land or sea entries. Of that, 70 baht covers medical and accident insurance from the moment you land. The remaining 230 baht goes toward tourism infrastructure, beach maintenance, and safety systems.
Suvarnabhumi Airport departure hall
Worth knowing: Thai authorities have also proposed cutting the current 60-day visa-free stay to 30 days for some nationalities, citing concerns about long-stay visa misuse in Phuket and Pattaya. That proposal is still under discussion. No final implementation date has been confirmed for either measure. For anyone planning a Thailand trip in the next six months, check the Tourism Authority of Thailand before you book — and factor in that the rules may look different by the time you arrive.
AN ASEAN VISA? STRANGER THINGS HAVE HAPPENED
At January’s ASEAN Tourism Forum in Cebu, tourism ministers agreed to formally revive discussions about a unified regional visa — a framework that would allow eligible travellers to enter multiple member states on a single authorisation. The Philippines, as ASEAN Chair for 2026, has made travel accessibility a stated priority, with Tourism Secretary Christina Frasco confirming the proposal would feature in upcoming ministerial meetings.
Row of ASEAN member state flags
There’s no timeline, no detail, and no guarantee this gets off the ground — ASEAN has been circling this idea for years. But the fact that it’s back on the table at ministerial level matters. For anyone who regularly moves between Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and beyond, a Schengen-style arrangement would change the economics and logistics of travel in this region entirely. Watch this one carefully. Further reading at Passport Index
THE PANGOLIN STORY YOU NEED TO READ
In late February, customs officers at Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok Port seized more than three tonnes of pangolin scales from a shipping container bound for Cambodia — one of the largest busts of its kind in the region in years. Each kilogram of scales represents the deaths of four to six animals. Do the maths on three tonnes.
Wildlife conservation ranger with rescued pangolin
Pangolin scales are made from keratin — the same protein as human fingernails — and carry no scientifically proven medicinal value. That doesn’t stop them commanding extraordinary prices in traditional medicine markets across Asia. The illegal wildlife trade is estimated at up to $23 billion annually, and pangolins are among its most trafficked victims.
The seizure signals stepped-up port surveillance, which is genuinely welcome. Conservation groups are careful not to overstate it: trafficking networks are well-organised and quick to adapt. The bust disrupted one shipment. The trade continues. The most direct action you can take is to support verified, regulated wildlife sanctuaries and avoid any wildlife experience that can’t account for where its animals came from. Read the full investigation at Mongabay
YOUR MONEY, YOUR QUESTION
Thailand’s entry fee isn’t the only one. Japan’s Kyoto introduced tiered hotel taxes in March 2026. Bali has charged a conservation levy for some time. The direction of travel across the region is clear: visiting comes with a growing contribution.
Beaches across Southeast Asia are increasingly displaying conservation signage
The principle is sound. Mass tourism has real costs — to infrastructure, natural environments, and local communities — and spreading those costs to visitors is reasonable. The question worth asking every time is simple: where does the money actually go? Tourist taxes only work when funds are ring-fenced, transparently reported, and visibly reinvested in the places they were collected. When they disappear into general revenue, they’re just a tax. Ask your hotel. Ask your tour operator. It’s a reasonable question, and the ones with good answers deserve your business.
WHAT’S ON
This Week (26 March – 2 April 2026)
Huế Festival 2026 — Spring Programme — Huế, Vietnam | 25 March – 7 April 2026 Vietnam’s biennial celebration of imperial heritage is running right now. Royal court music, ao dai fashion shows, Nguyen Dynasty reenactments, and lantern-lit evenings along the Perfume River at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you’re in central Vietnam this week, rearrange your plans accordingly.
Bangkok International Book Fair 2026 — Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok | 26 March – 6 April 2026 Thailand’s largest annual book event spans 30,000 square metres with over 1,000 booths representing publishers from across the region and beyond — Singapore, Vietnam, the UK, Japan, and South Korea among them. If you’re in Bangkok this week it’s worth an afternoon, and entry is free. A quieter, more interesting side of the city than most visitors ever find. thailandbookfair.com
Pattaya Music Festival 2026 — Pattaya Beach, Thailand | Final weekend 27–28 March 2026 The annual free beachfront festival wraps up this weekend with its final concerts across Pattaya Beach and Jomtien Beach. Top Thai artists, sea breezes, and absolutely no entry fee. Low-key, genuinely enjoyable, and worth an evening if you’re anywhere near the eastern seaboard.
Coming Up
Poy Sang Long — Novice Ordination Festival — Mae Hong Son & Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand | Late March – early April 2026 One of northern Thailand’s most visually striking cultural events. Young Shan boys aged seven to fourteen are ordained as novice monks, dressed in the elaborate costume of a Shan prince and carried through the streets in colourful processions. Deeply moving, rarely visited by tourists, and completely free to witness respectfully. Specific dates vary by temple — check locally before travelling.
Songkran — Thai New Year — Nationwide, Thailand | 13–15 April 2026 The world’s most famous water fight is also one of Southeast Asia’s most significant cultural celebrations. Bangkok’s Silom Road delivers the spectacle; Chiang Mai’s moat-side festivities carry the deeper cultural weight. Book accommodation now — rates double during festival week without exception.
Khmer New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey) — Nationwide, Cambodia | 13–15 April 2026 Cambodia’s three-day New Year fills streets with traditional games, music, temple ceremonies, and joyful community celebrations. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are the natural bases; smaller towns offer a more intimate experience. Coincides with Songkran — a rare opportunity to experience two New Year celebrations in the same week. tourismcambodia.com
BaliSpirit Festival — Ubud, Bali, Indonesia | 15–19 April 2026 The 17th edition returns to The Yoga Barn in Ubud — four days of yoga, breathwork, healing arts, world music, and cultural workshops rooted in Balinese Hindu tradition. One of the few events of its kind that takes sustainability and community impact seriously. Tickets available now — early booking advised. balispiritfestival.com
WORTH READING
This week’s newsletter covers the shifting economics of tourism across Southeast Asia — entry fees, tourist taxes, and the real cost of the illegal wildlife trade. This piece from the Asia Unmasked archive addresses wildlife conservation that readers may find interesting:
From Exploitation to Conservation: Finding Southeast Asia’s Ethical Wildlife Champions
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