Tag: Malaysia

Dense tropical rainforest canopy with tree-top walkway in Southeast Asia with morning mist rising above the treetops
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 11 | 4 June 2026

Around the Region For those of us in Bangkok who found ourselves knee-deep in flood water this week, this is merely a sign of things to come. Briefly, messily, typically a storm can see the water table in Thailand’s capital rise quickly. And this is why you’ll find many older Bangkok residents seeking retirement in

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image of Auko Phong Nha canopy lodge exterior
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 9 | 21 May 2026

Your Insider Guide to Southeast Asia Around The Region That low season feel is upon us here in Bangkok. Heat, humidity and daily downpours is the norm as the monsoon sweeps Southeast Asia. A strange time then, one would have thought, for the government to announce it’s ending the 60-day visa exempt trial and increasing

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The Andaman coastline in Thailand showing a strip of sand adjacent to a forested area with limestone karsts in the background
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 8 | 14 May 2026

Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Around The Region Bangkok in May has a quieter quality to it. The crowds have thinned, the streets feel like they belong to the city again, and the afternoon downpours have become part of the daily rhythm. It is, for those of us who live here, one of

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Layered rice terraces on a misty mountainside in Mu Cang Chai, northern Vietnam, farmed by H'Mong communities
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 7  |  7 May 2026

Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Your Week in Southeast Asia This week, in what is possibly the region’s most progressive country, Vietnam’s northern highlands, the world’s largest bamboo resort has just opened inside a national heritage landscape – offering us a reminder that luxury and environmental responsibility don’t need to pull in opposite

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Asiatic black bear cubs rescued from illegal wildlife trade Laos sanctuary 2026
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 5 | 23 April 2026

Issue No. 5  |  Thursday 24 April 2026 Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Your Week in Southeast Asia This week the region produced a mix of wins and warnings worth paying attention to. Two bear cubs were pulled from a Facebook listing in Laos within 24 hours of it going live – a

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Mount Kinabalu Sabah Malaysia Borneo UNESCO World Heritage Site aerial view clouds
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly — Issue No. 1 | 26 March 2026

This week: Borneo’s first eco-certified resort opens bookings, Thailand’s tourist fee edges closer, flying to Southeast Asia just got more expensive, and a record pangolin bust in Jakarta. Plus what’s on across the region through April.

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Kuala Lumpur skyline at sunset with Petronas Towers and modern developments reflecting Malaysia's appeal for long-term luxury residency
News

Malaysia Without the Strings: How to Settle Long-Term Without the Visa Run Treadmill

Two new residency pathways make Malaysia an increasingly practical option for investors, business professionals, and anyone seeking long-term stability without administrative headaches. Long-term residency in Southeast Asia has traditionally meant choosing between limited options: tourist visas with constant renewal cycles, employment visas tied to specific companies, or expensive premium schemes with unclear benefits. For investors,

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image of a hiking trail through a dense Malaysian jungle setting with sunlight catching the fauna through the forest canopy
Destinations

How Southeast Asia’s Safest Country Is Leading the Sustainable Adventure Tourism Movement

Malaysia claims nine of Southeast Asia’s top ten hiking trails whilst pioneering eco-friendly adventure tourism that benefits local communities Malaysia has emerged as Southeast Asia’s unexpected champion of sustainable hiking tourism, claiming nine of the ten best hiking trails in the region and recently being named the safest country in Asia for travellers seeking peace

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nd them - source: Wikimedia Commons or Unsplash, search "Luang Prabang alms giving ceremony" - ALT text: Buddhist monks in orange robes walking in single file to receive morning alms from kneeling local women in Luang Prabang
Culture

Southeast Asian Cultural Etiquette: A Complete Guide to Respectful Travel

Eleven countries, one region, and the customs that actually matter once you’re on the ground I once watched a local outside Bangkok’s Grand Palace tap a traveller’s arm, not to scold them, but to point gently at their bare shoulders before they reached the gate. They hadn’t known. The local wasn’t annoyed, just letting them

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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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