Tag: Vietnam

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

Read More »
Limestone karst peaks and waterways of the Trang An Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh, northern Vietnam
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 10 | 28 May 2026

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

Read More »
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

Read More »
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

Read More »
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

Read More »
Lagen Island Resort water villas limestone cliffs El Nido Palawan Philippines eco-luxury 2026
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 6 | 30 April 2026

Issue No. 6  |  Thursday 30 April 2026 Your insider guide to Southeast Asia asiaunmasked.com Your Week in Southeast Asia This week we’ve covered developments across the region, including a resort on Palawan Island that has received a full eco-luxury make-over, which bodes well for the future of The Philippines – a country that has

Read More »
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

Read More »
Vietnam Sa Pa a local guide from a eco-tourism community homestay trek through Sapa
Newsletter

Unmasked Weekly – Issue No. 4 | 16 April 2026

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

Read More »
Opinion

Vietnam’s New Talent Visas: What They Mean – and Who They Actually Apply To

From July 2026, Vietnam introduces two new long-stay visa categories for skilled professionals and their families. The headlines have been generous with the enthusiasm. I’ve read between the lines and here’s the honest version. Vietnam has been quietly rewriting its immigration story – and for those considering a longer stay, the latest chapter is worth

Read More »
Scroll to Top