A new certification scheme wants to separate genuine sustainability from the towel-reuse card on your pillow. I went looking for the detail behind the headline. [COVER IMAGE GOES HERE – set as WordPress Featured Image only, not embedded in body. Description: Dragon Bridge in Da Nang lit up at night during a fireworks display, editor-owned
A Few Words From Me The biggest story coming out of the region this week is the weather itself. Green season brings a wash of colour to the region yet it can also prove to be a wash out, with lives disrupted through incessant rain that brings flooding to low-lying areas. Laos is dealing with
A decade of peer-reviewed research and a protection law barely a year old point to two very different answers on how to see the world’s biggest fish responsibly. Ninety-three percent. That is the proportion of tourists at Oslob, in southern Cebu, who were found swimming closer to a whale shark than the town’s own ordinance
Around the Region Regular visitors to this region will understand that Southeast Asia’s natural environment is under more pressure than ever, yet the people working to protect it are making measurable progress. We attempt to champion the good, while recognising the bad. This week Thailand has announced a sustainable development plan for one of its
A new five-star resort opens on one of Vietnam’s south-central coast in September 2026. We wanted to give it an honest assessment of the property, the destination, and the questions readers should ask before booking. Cam Ranh Bay sits between Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City on Vietnam’s south-central coast, close enough to both
Around the Region Not everything that calls itself ethical always is. Operators and outlets across the region claim green credentials that don’t survive much scrutiny – and those of us seeking genuinely sustainable travel experiences know exactly what that looks like. The region is waking up to the reality that visitors don’t just want eco-friendly
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
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
Issue No. 4 | Thursday 16 April 2026 | asiaunmasked.com Your insider guide to Southeast Asia Vietnam’s national tourism masterplan places eco-tourism and community-based experiences at its core. Demand at the country’s largest travel fair this month confirmed that visitors are catching up. Your Week in Southeast Asia This week, Southeast Asia made several decisions
UNESCO World Heritage status alone cannot protect Luang Prabang from overtourism and Chinese tourism expansion. What the city actually needs—and what Laos is beginning to build—is strategic tourism management that prioritises local benefit and cultural preservation. Luang Prabang sits on the Mekong River surrounded by lush vegetation encased by a picturesque mountainous landscape which is
Da Nang Just Wrote a 219-Point Rulebook for What “Green” Actually Means. Here’s What’s in It.
Read More »
Thailand Built a Sustainable Tourism Model in Krabi. Now It’s Rolling It Out in Chiang Mai.
Read More »
