‘I ordered Beer Lao. Then he said “I have lady for you”, I said “sure”. That’s how easy it was.. I only paid about $20-$25 a day to the lady!’ 

Sex tourism is the act of travelling to procure sexual services. It involves a lot of different scenarios, countries, nationalities, ages, and sexual preferences. However it has one common denominator. It, without question, subjects a huge number of people to intolerable abuse, the vast majority of them women and children. It is inextricably linked to trafficking of persons, physical and mental abuse, specifically child abuse, slavery and organised crime. It can be generally divided, but by no means isolated, into two types, adult sex tourism and child sex tourism. These activities are carried out by the same people and organisations. By engaging in either ‘type’ you are directly economically and culturally reinforcing the perpetuation of all of the evils listed above.   

There are few activities older and more universally ingrained in industrialised society than the demand for commercial sex. Globalisation has played its part in the massive increase in the age old profession of prostitution and countries in South East Asia (S.E.A hereafter) are cashing in. We must clarify that when we talk of S.E.A here we are referring to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma inclusively as these countries host a large amount of sex tourists.  

What is child sex tourism?

Child sex tourism as you may have guessed is the act of travelling to procure the sexual services of children. Over 2 million children globally are involved in the sex industry. It strikes a particular nerve as the exploitation of children in especially repulsive to main stream society. The fact that children are more easily manipulated, mentally and physically controlled, innocent and vulnerable magnifies the horrendousness of their use in the sex industry. 

Why does it take place?

There are numerous reasons as to why sex tourism occurs and they subsist on different levels. At an anthropological level they include global wealth imbalance, patriarchal tradition, increasing sexualisation of women in popular culture, and a loosening of sexual ethics. 

At an economic level prostitution is essentially a poverty trap. Little education, no prospects in other forms of employment, a family to sustain, homelessness and the thought of outright destitution, forces most women into the sex industry. Some women are given to money lenders as payment of a family’s debt; they are then taken to a city to work. Thailand’s northern regions are particular notorious for these deals. Global Breakthrough, an NGO working in the area, state that ‘two thirds of families who had sold a daughter could afford not to do so, but instead wanted colour TV and video equipment’. 

Other economic factors perpetuate the sex industry; the sheer scale of profit to be extracted through the abuse of women and children provides enough for even governments and their agents to become interested in enriching themselves by it. This takes place in two main ways, the first is supposedly legitimate tax revenue achieved through legalising the industry, and the second is clandestine payment of bribes to local police or government officials.

At a more base level, sex tourism takes place because there is a demand from men to have relatively cheap, no strings attached sex, and travelling to a poorer country is a way to satisfy their demand. It has always been a demand-supply phenomenon with the former outweighing the latter. It is the desire of men to engage in commercial sex that causes the industry to exist.

What is trafficking?

The recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of a person for the purpose of exploitation. (UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime)

Sex trafficking is the process that delivers victims into prostitution. It includes the recruitment, harbouring, movement, and methods by which victims are compelled to stay in prostitution, whether by violence, coercion, threat, debt, or cultural manipulation.

Who is involved?

Those who procure sex, prostitutes, exploiters, including traffickers (those who deal in the movement of people), pimps, brothel owners, organized crime members, and corrupt official’s make-up what is known as the sex industry.

Estimates as to how many sex tourist visit Thailand each year (the most popular S.E.A sex tourism destination) are around 5 million. Official estimates put the number of prostitutes in Thailand to be at least half a million, while 1 in 20 is enslaved.  In Cambodia around 40% of prostitutes are under 18, Vietnam estimates its prostitute population to be around 70,000. It is estimated that around 20 to 30 thousand Burmese prostitutes operate in Thailand.   The total estimated number of adult prostitutes in S.E.A  is around 1 million.  

An importation of sex workers from other countries takes place, with women and children coming to Thailand specifically from Uzbekistan, China and the other S.E.A states.  Women are also exported from Thailand to Australia and the Middle East to work in the sex industry.

It must be stressed that nationals of S.E.A countries make up the vast majority of those engaging as customers in their domestic sex industries. For example 80% of sex industry customers in Thailand are Thai men. The use of prostitutes in Thailand is customary, one study by Yayori, Women in the New Asia, found that 90 % of Thai male University students had used prostitutes.  

Who benefits?

Those who benefit economically from the sex industry in S.E.A are the traffickers, pimps, bar owners, the police and government. There are also those who benefit from the often unbelievably cheap services (as little as £4 for intercourse): the customers. 

Who is exploited?

Those who provide sexual services are, almost without exception, those who concede the largest disadvantage. It is a much heralded myth touted by those who pay for sex that women in the sex industry are acting upon free will, that they choose with some consideration to perform sex acts for money. The actual situation is that a small minority are enslaved, meaning that they will be beaten or killed if they try to escape a bar or brothel in which they are employed. The large majority of sex workers are economically trapped, needing the money to pay for often large families in rural areas. Girls are sold to brothels for an average of $2,000.

The prevalence of AIDS in the S.E.A sex industry is alarming, for example in Burma 32% of prostitutes are infected. Thailand and Cambodia have initiated safe sex programs in their sex industries so rates are lower but still generally high.

What’s being done to stop it?

In most countries in S.E.A prostitution is illegal, yet the act of prostitution is largely tolerated. The vast wealth that can be extracted from those exploited demotivates any real efforts to outlaw it. Failures in successfully prosecuting cases of abuse are also too common Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism (ECTWT) reported in 2003 that ‘an in-depth documentation of 65 cases

found that only 25% of the offenders were actually imprisoned for the crimes that they committed, another 25% received suspended sentences, 18% jumped bail, 12% were dismissed and 15% were excused on non-prosecution orders’

Western countries have over the last decade moved to create law which allows child sex tourists to be prosecuted in their home country thought extradition treaties. The US government has been especially active in hunting child sex tourists in Cambodia, prosecuting 85 offenders in the last ten years.

NGOs play a big role in rescuing women from enforced prostitution. Ecumenical Coalition on Third World Tourism (ECTWT) has been pivotal in Thailand’s organised tourism response. A voluntary code of conduct has been developed to give support to those businesses comprising tourist infrastructure.  Those involved in the code of conduct for tourism related industries includes International Hotel and Restaurant Association, Federation of International Youth Travel Organizations, Tour Operators’ Initiative for Sustainable Tourism Development,  but these institutions and business groups generally work outside of the world of organised child or adult sex tourism, so there impact can only be limited. 

Small initiatives from ECPAT, World Vision and international governments created films and posters that have been shown on flights to S.E.A reminding people to be vigilant for child sex tourists and provide points of contact for those who wish to report suspected abuse. 

Our experience of the sex industry is minimal in that we have watched old men grope young Asian women as they buy them trinkets and desperately hold on to the falsified feeling of a blossoming relationship. We attended an infamous ‘ping-pong’ show in Bangkok that brought home the reality of a much hyped, rose tinted sex industry. As the last punters of the night we sat alone, isolated as women degraded themselves with blow darts and razor blades. As their ‘piece’ finished they would leave the stage and sit, dormant, dejected. There were no howling crowds, no chauvinism, only dead eyes and broken dreams.

When the smoke screen of tourists having a good time, women earning good money for work they ‘enjoy’ and win-win situations is removed you are left with a grim reality:  women and children are abused for a good time and a profit. 

What can we do as tourists?

The change starts with tourists, we should not engage in sex tourism of any kind from a moral standpoint. By using these often illegal services we create a demand which is filled by trafficking women and children. It is largely understood by all international organisations working in the area that prostitution cannot be separated, they are inextricably linked.

As tourists we should be aware that child sex tourism is taking place in the destinations we visit and  be prepared to take action against it when we are aware of it. Below are some actions you can take:

• Be vigilant when you travel to high risk countries. Avoid bars and hotels and other places where you suspect child sexual exploitation might be happening
• Don’t visit red light districts. This encourages the proliferation of child sexual exploitation. Even the most innocent of purchases provides indirect financial support for this crime.
• If you suspect child sex tourism when you are abroad, report it to the local police inform the nearest  or access www.cybertip.ca to report it. Tell your tour guide and hoteliers. Encourage them to inform tourists that sex tourism is a crime.
• When you return home, let your travel agent and tour operator know of your observations and encourage them to take action.
• Visit http://www.thecode.org/ to find out the tour operators and travel agencies that have committed to fight against child sex tourism by signing on to an international code of conduct for the tourism industry. if you can use their services, then do.
•  

  

There are still 78 million active cluster bombs in Laos, injuring and killing several hundred people each year. 

The COPE visitor center in Vientiane is definately worth visiting – put it on top of your list, if going to Laos.

For more information visit: www.copelaos.org

The Si Phan Don, a group of 4000 islands is a riverine archipelago located in southern Laos. Si Phan Don is characterized by numerous islands, half of which are submerged when the Mekong River is in flood. There are 3 principle islands: Don Khong, and Don Det and Don Khon. All of them are home to several guesthouses and boat services. The unique freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins can be viewed off Don Khon Island. They are considered highly endangered. The Khone Falls are the largest waterfalls in Southeast Asia and they are the main reason that the Mekong is not fully navigable into China.

The Thai visa is stamped and simultaneously confirms our Thai departure. In front of us lies the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge, built by the Thai government in 1995 and opened in 1997, which functions as border crossing.This friendship has proved most rewarding to Thai traders who are supposed to make as much as 40 Million Baht (€1 million) per day by transporting mainly illegal goods over the border. During the 10-minute walk, we recall in disbelief the visa application process in Bangkok – how surprisingly easy it had been to get the visas for such a closed country. We take a last look back at Mae Sot, the border town which has been growing tremendously during the last years, wondering about the more than 200,000 Burmese refugees (100,000 are officially registered) who would one day like to make the same crossing.  

We are approaching three “checkpoints” – desks under the open sky – manned by 2 to 3 officers each. Hastily, we are redirected. We are brought into the main office – the only real building – and take a seat. Four officers go about their work, one to whom we cheerfully hand over our passports. He flips enthusiastically through the pages … “1 day – only this village” is the only comment. Quickly, we refer to our visa: we came to stay for 28 days – and hopefully to see many places. He just shakes his head, repeats his words and then continues to speak with us in Burmese. We stay calm, still confident that our visas would be the answer to the problem unfolding before us. Only when he apparently wants to stamp the passports, we start a discussion.  Hurriedly another officer is summoned, who introduces himself as a translator. In relatively good English, he tells us that the visa is valid only for entry by air – all borders are currently closed – with the exception of entry for a day into the border town – an easy option for many tourists in Thailand to renew their visas. The fact that we have travelled two days, desperately want to see his country and have been ensured at the embassy in Bangkok that border crossing at Mae Sot was possible, having filled out the visa form correctly, simply doesn’t matter. There are clear instructions given.

Apparently shootings had occurred the previous day and crossing was too dangerous to consider. Our proposals are all met with scathing retorts: there is no phone that could call the Embassy in Thailand and travelling to a different border crossing would not make any sense. Even lucrative incentives directed to the officials bear no fruit. We are advised to travel back to where we came from – Bangkok – and book a flight. Then we could fly without problems directly to Yangon and visit certain parts of the country (a kind of prescribed “tourist route”, big parts of Burma are still totally closed). After almost two days of travelling to Mae Sot and a self-imposed flight ban this is a devastating result. The “translator” politely explains that his country has huge problems – that they welcome tourists – but that everything is not so simple at the moment … In the end, he expresses his sympathy and apologises for the inconvenience caused. Tears roll down my cheeks and in thoughts I express my sorrow for him – he is the one who has to live under military regime.

Burma – The rise of a military dictatorship, destruction of a country

In his book “Bad Lands – a tourist on the axis of evil” Tony Wheeler, co-founder of the Lonely Planet, asks himself the following question: “What makes a land bad?”

He answers the question as follows: “It`s got nothing to do with geography or topography. Rivers don`t invade, deserts don`t become corrupt and, while terrorists may hide out in a country`s mountains and valleys, the land itself will have had nothing to do with why a Bad Land turned to the dark side.(…) people, not nature, had made the wrong turns.”

After years of existing as a British colony, one of the most important protagonists in the independence movement was Bogyoke Aung San, who had travelled to London to negotiate with the British. He is still revered today by many Burmese as a state hero and father of the country. Unfortunately on 19th July 1947 Aung San was shot, precluding him from realising his dream of an independent Burma – his daughter, now Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, was 2 years old at the time. On 4th January of the following year Burma became officially independent, sparking nationwide clashes between rebel groups, communist cadres and US sponsored anti-communist troops (KTM). In 1958, the government asked for military intervention in the running of the country, initially for 15 months. This development brought relative peace and order. In 1960, a general election moved in favour of a restoration of the government which took place. No sooner had the power been restored than political rioting breaks out. From here on, everything changes. General Ne Win leads a military coup in 1962 and dismantled the democratically elected government, placing President U Nu and all his ministers in prison. Ne Win declared himself leader and ruled from 1962 to 1981, first as a military dictator, and later as a self-styled president of the country. In 1981, he officially went into retirement; however, he held the reins of power until 1988 as chairman of the party (he died in 2002). Ne Win was born Shu Maung (“eyeball“), but later felt that “brilliant like the sun” was a better fit. As a strong believer in astrology and fortune-telling – many political decisions were made according to prophecies. His successor, San Yu, and the Burmese Socialist Program Party (the only authorised party) took the country down the “Burma road to socialism“, which catapulted the economy into free fall. Money was devalued; freedom of expression was curtailed, and human rights violations in the form of forced labour and torture were commonplace. Pro-democracy demonstrations were brutally crushed in 1988 leaving 3000 dead.

General Saw Maung took control and empowered the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in order to govern the now renamed Myanmar, and democratic elections were supposedly announced for 1989. In response an opposition party called National League for Democracy (NLD) formed with Aung San Suu Kyi as its leader. In the spirit of all tyrannical regimes, the elections were postponed for one year, and Suu Kyi is, for the first, time placed under house arrest. 1990 arrives; and in anticipation of the ‘elections’ the military dictatorship is given a less-than-creative name revamp in a pathetic attempt at rebranding. Aung San Suu Kyi witnesses her NLD take a clear victory (392 of 485 seats). However General Saw Maung announced that the Constitution must be changed and only after these ammendments, will the election winner take power. Aung San Suu Kyi’s father had enshrined in law, that politicians who are married to foreigners may not be appointed to the presidency. It just so happened that Aung San Suu Kyi was married to the British Oxford professor Michael Aris. He died of cancer in England in 1999, shortly after the government denied him a visa for entry into Burma. Suu Kyi did not travel to England to attend the funeral for fear that re-entry would be denied and she would be forced into exile.

The military now spiced up its image, through the transformation of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) – with the help from a PR agency in Washington. The law was not changed, the 392 elected NLD members were put to re-education in prisons and were only to be released if all future political activity was renounced. Aung San Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest for the foreseeable future and goes on to survive several assassination attempts.

Tourism boycott?

Following a massacre in 1988 a trade sanction was enforced. This was then added to by calls from Aung San Suu Kyi herself, and many Western governments, for a boycott of all tourism to Burma. Nevertheless, some companies such as Premier Oil from the UK, Total of France and the US Uncoal helped powerfully to develop the gas fields situated off the coast of Burma. In July 2003, in response to the attack on Aung San Suu Kyi and her convoy, George W. Bush imposed a full embargo on Burma, including financial transactions. This is one of the reasons why there are no foreign banks in the region and supposedly only one functional ATM. The EU followed the boycott and threatened the denial of entry permits for parliamentarians from Myanmar. During the 2004 Olympic Games in Madrid, the Ministry of Sports, access is denied. In 2005 Tony Blair agrees to a tourism boycott. The country’s border with China, meanwhile, is wide open for business and illegal transactions, arms trade, and consumer goods were plentiful. The Chinese government recognized the Burmese government, but it’s difficult to criticise a country with human rights abuses to its name, when you own record is far from clean. Overall, 60% of Burma’s revenue comes from government-owned companies. Export partners exist in Thailand (nearly 40%), India, China and Japan.

A majority of tourism revenue supports the military regime. 1996 was officially declared the Year of Tourism by the regime with the supporting infrastructure been built utilising forced and child labour. The worldwide boycott had been effective: Burma recorded a minuscule number of tourists. A former tourism minister predicted that approximately 12% of government revenues come from tourism (182 million USD, 2007). There are some guide books that include Burma in their products- while others refuse to publish on it. In May 2011 Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD revised their opinion and stated that responsible tourism should be supported in Burma. We deliberately chose to visit Burma in light of the controversy that surrounds the choice, for one the country has an incredible potential for tourism: The Shweagon stupa in the former capital Rangoon is the largest and probably most precious stupa in the world. The old capital Bagan, with more than 2,000 religious buildings covering four centuries. The famous “Golden Rock”, which can’t help but captivate prospective travellers through the pages of brochures. Not to mention unspoiled nature and mountain tribes, secluded beaches and diving spots.

A stay in Burma should be a considered one, certain rules should be adhered to in order to limit the fair potential that a visit turns into a negative one. Tourists must be aware that more money than is necessary can go directly in the coffers of the corrupt government. Voices for Burma, a pro-democracy group state, ” small scale responsible tourism can bring more benefits than harm. As long as tourists are fully aware of the situation and minimize their negative impacts, while increasing the positive ones, we think that their visit can be beneficial overall. “

How exactly should responsible tourism in Burma look?

Tourism can bring money to small communities and many people supplement their extremely modest monthly salary with small tourism based economic activity. Due to visa and other entrance fees it is not possible to totally avoid monetary support to the military regime, and it’s important to be aware of this. All those who cross the border into Burma, only to renew their Thai visas (24 hours entries are allowed), should necessarily ask whether this is the right decision! Visa runs aside, prolonged stays can have a positive effect. The presence of foreigners in a country which is so oppressed and totalitarian can prevent the escalation of government violence against its people. It also offers the opportunity for outsiders to observe, document and publicize the current, under-reported situation. Tourists are also often a source of independent information which otherwise fails to penetrate into the country. All 5-star hotels are operated by the government and must therefore be avoided. Food should be consumed in small local restaurants. Many transportation companies and other companies owned by the government (foreign companies for example only work in partnership with the government) should be avoided. This also applies to the only mobile network in the country, which is government owned. Where possible money must fall into local hands and should not support the government.

Due to relatively low numbers of tourists cultural and religious sensitivity should be maintained carefully. This means that arms and legs should be covered – even when unbearably hot. When visiting temples the old rules apply: no shoes inside, no bare soles of feet facing towards the Buddha “Souvenirs” in the form of books, pens, toothbrushes and soap are certainly a welcome gift for deprived Burmese people. E-mail providers are mostly blocked and apparently there are screenshots taken every 5 seconds. Political conversations should be limited – especially because locals are threatened with heavy penalties for any involvement in sedition. It is recommended that you should steer clear of any controversial conversations, so as not to find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Visitors to Burma should be informed of the political and social sensitivities. Aung San Suu Kyi herself has published several books (‘Letters from Burma’, ‘The Voice of Hope’, etc.); Ghosh’s ‘The Glass Palace’ and Khoo Thwe’s ‘From the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey’ are just a few.

With all these preparations in mind the entry over land is unfortunately a hurdle to far. What is much worse, with our requirement for entrance and exit stamps at the border, we contributed an additional 20 USD to the government’s income, and caused more harm than good. Entering by air poses no problem, apply for your visa, pay for it and you will be touring Yangon before you know it. Despite our hypocrisy in this instance we never-the-less hope that only considered, sensitive, tourists visit the country. The last thing the Burmese people need is half naked, socially insensitive, government enriching tourists.

Burma today

The 52 million inhabitants still largely live in poverty, despite the countries seat on the supposedly biggest oil reserves in Asia. In 2010 Burma ranks 174 of 178 in the Reporters without Borders “press freedom” report. Parliamentary elections were held in November 2010 – these were boycotted by the NLD (Suu Kyi had been sent back to house arrest), while international observers condemned it to fail. 75% of all seats went, surprise, surprise, to the regimes Solidary and Development Party. In January 2011 the Parliament appointed Thein Sein as its President, and the overwhelming majority of its ministers are current or former military officers.

The next elections are due in April 2012. The New York Times reported in January 2012 that Suu Kyi, who is now free, has confirmed her participation in the election. Which means that after 22 years the NDL enters the political arena again. In the same month Hillary Clinton made her headline creating visit to Burma, re-establishing political relations. At the same time, 600, allegedly political prisoners were released. International analysts still share one opinion: The elections will most likely not be conducted under rules of fairness, but may serve to decentralize the power of the military.

It can only be hoped that the wrong decisions in the history of Burma are not repeated. Continuance however is hard to avoid when considering that approximately 1,500 political prisoners who are still in prison will probably have no chance to participate in the election.

“Malaysia, truly Asia“

Its tourist slogan is ‘Malaysia, truly Asia’, which apart from lacking a certain flair, unwittingly reveals the concerns of the tourism board who concocted it – they may as well have wrote, ‘It is Asian, honest!’
Why? Well for those who have travelled in Asia you will acknowledge that logic does not always win the day. Ridiculously busy, amazing restaurants will mix up food orders for 20 years rather than install a simple ticket system, busses will pick people up from 18 locations within 200 meters of the same street, and people will keep their houses immaculately clean by brushing rubbish onto their front step. But this is exactly why people love Asia, its different; they have an alternative out-look which defies and sometimes ridicules so called western ‘logic’. I once asked someone in ignorant disgust as to why they don’t use toilet paper, to which he asked with mirrored revulsion, ‘you don’t use water?’ We in the west don’t always have the correct answer and Asia’s tourist wealth sometimes subsists in these interesting differences.
Malaysia’s wealth is, in this very small way, its curse. The very well developed infrastructure, its quality, affordable housing, it’s flashy, clean cities and its educational standards lure you into thinking that you were somewhere other than Asia. ‘Malaysia, truly Asia’ is as much a reminder as it is a catchphrase. You are in Asia, and they can prove it…
The country is overwhelmingly Muslim but has a rich mixture of Chinese and Indians who ensure that taste buds are well catered for, the food forms a culinary assault which we surrender to instantly. It’s not only the cuisine that Malaysia has going for it, as an Asian Tiger economy with a growing tourist industry with around 22 million international visitors accounting for more than 7% of its economy. Its growth markets are the emerging Indian and Chinese middle classes. It offers beautiful beaches, pulsating cities, quaint colonial towns, and ancient rainforest.

Melacca
Our first experience of Malaysian tourism was impressive, Melacca. A port on the east coast of the Malay Peninsular had been a strategic holding point for the Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Its old town is predominantly Chinese and contains Malaysia’s oldest Buddhist temple and Mosque respectively. Their placement on the same narrow road is a testament to the diversity and harmony of Malaysian society.
Malacca plays host to a large influx of domestic tourists whose numbers are set to rise with the completion of Arab town, a resort built on reclaimed land on the east coast to cater to Muslim tourists at odds with the less conservative holiday options currently available.
Our time in Malacca is enjoyable, we spend the holidays with Malaysian families taking karaoke very seriously, marvelling at its old architecture by night and stuffing our faces with local delicacy. But it’s time for the next of Malaysia’s fabulous cities: Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur

The capital is world famous for its outrageously grandiose PETRONAS towers, which when built were the tallest in the world. But their dizzying height (452 meters) is only one of the many attractions. The bustle of little India, pirate goods in China town, the beautiful, Masjid Jamek mosque where Muslims pray at the traffic lights just outside when there is no space. Just outside the city are the impressive Batu caves, patronised by the Indian Hindu population. The city is a true melting pot, and we were lucky enough to have two competent chefs as our guide.
Our couchsurfing hosts like to party and we are instructed over the phone when we arrive that we are going out, and we must shower. Presumptions as to the state of our hygiene were abrupt, but non-the-less correct. We spend the next few days sight-seeing, drinking in Bukit Bintang, bringing in the new year at a pool party and developing a steadily increasing obsession for Roti, an Indian, hot bread served with curry. Malaysian culture, in honour to its mastery of food, makes sure that you can buy it at any time of the day or night, ‘coffee houses’ selling Indian and Chinese food work around the clock and are busy at 3:00 am on a Tuesday!

Taman Negara
Our time partying must come to an end, its detox time, and there is no better place to go than the jungle: Taman Negara. A 130 million year old rainforest in the centre of the Malaysian peninsular, it’s a top tourist attraction with numerous resorts and the world’s longest canopy walkway. But first we have to get there…
Hitchhiking is not a common activity in Malaysian society, causing most of them to be at total odds with the concept.

Hitchhiking through Malaysia

The Oxford Dictionary defines hitchhiking as “travel by getting free lifts in passing vehicles“.
A definition we have to apply several times while making our way through from Kuala Lumpur to Taman Negara. Our first ride was with an Indian truck driver who ‘doesn’t usually pick up hitchhikers’ because they seem to stand in large groups. He was clearly mistaking hitchhikers with prospective bus passengers; we didn’t have the heart to tell him.

Next, the Chinese rally driver. Maybe it was the fact that he finally had a German in his immaculate 1981 SL 500 Mercedes, maybe he was just unhinged. 150 kmph was the average as he swerved out on oncoming trucks, simultaneously demonstrating early 80`s automatic seat technology with a huge grin on his face.
Once out of the maniacs Mercedes the subsequent hour is spent answering some awkward questions: “where’s your car, is this your car?” Asks a young Muslim woman pointing to a huge Land-Cruiser parked next to us.
“Do you want to rent a car” asks a guy as he steps out of his max-power style eco-mini.
“Err, no we are trying to hitchhike.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s when strangers give us a ride for free”
“For free? Hahahahah” he jumps back in his pimp mobile, turns up the tunes and departs.
A lovely old Muslim school teacher, who incidentally has ten children, takes us the final leg and we reach our coverted destination, exhausted but happy.
Taman Negara requires more time than we had to really enjoy it, the initial part of the park is fun, it has the world’s largest canopy walkway, which we would love to say ‘puts you up there with the nature of the rainforest’ but the animals have long departed from the glare of the tourists camera. Longer stays permit further travel into the jungle and inevitably are more rewarding in terms of rainforest experience. The park is well maintained with a deposit system in place for food packaging to prevent littering and lots of information about the environment and its fragility.
We depart our jungle retreat and head to our next, greatly anticipated, border crossing: Thailand, 19 million people visited last year, we wanted to find out why.

Thailand - the Beach
Our first port of call in the hotbed of South East Asian tourism is Trang. After an unusual night’s sleep in a police station we take a bus to the tropical island paradise of Ko Lanta, on the Andaman Sea, West of Thailand. Miles of white sand beaches and a multitude of scuba-dive sites surround us as we zip around the Muslim inhabited island on a rented scooter. It is paradise, but there is a lot of paradise to see along the west coast, we take a boat to the famous Phi Phi Island.
The islands fame is well deserved; it is an epitome of holiday utopia, or rather ironically it would be if it wasn’t for all the holiday makers and within its cluster sits Maya beach, the idyllic cove where ‘The Beach’ was filmed. Despite the overbearing crowds of scantily clad, porn-star posing Russian women, sunburned Brits and snap-happy Germans it is outstandingly beautiful. Unfortunate examples of negative tourism are evident however in the build-up of discarded cigarette butts and roar of huge speed boats.

Phi Phi was devastated by the Tsunami in 2004 but has been rebuilt with vengeance akin to that of London after the great fire. A spectacular view point with a pre-tsunami photograph brings home just how much development has took place, and it’s by no means finished.

Railay Beach – A climber`s paradies

Deciding to escape that particular brand of intense tourism we head to the much quieter Railay beach in Krabi a peninsular of the mainland with a distinct isolated, island feel thanks to the lack of an access road. It’s a climber’s nirvana which defies belief. Beautiful beaches are shaded by looming limestone cliff formations, as massive towers complete with perilous looking stalagmites raise from the middle of the sea. Accommodation here ranges from 5* luxury to £4 a night bamboo huts depending on which beach you choose. Ton Sai was the most rustic, no cars, very few permanent buildings, simple but delicious shack restaurants and of course, climbing on the beach.
Unfortunately we had to leave the idyll and swap it for something seemingly from another planet: Bangkok.

Bangkok
The Kao San road is backpacker central, lined with bars, massage parlours, fake goods and inevitably prostitutes. But the seedy side of the Thai capital is thankfully only one side of a multi-faceted tourist destination. We visit the Temple of Emerald Buddha which is the most important Buddhist temple in Thailand and includes a Buddha image meticulously carved from a single block of jade. Next we wandered to the largest Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Wat Pho the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, a surreal 46 meter long, gold Buddha is lying down serenely as vast amounts of money are donated just below his buttocks. After a few days sightseeing in the city we jump on a train to the Burmese border, on the way we stop at Sukhothai, the first capital of Siam where the 13th century ruins of giant Buddha’s crumble away in beautiful surroundings.

Our time in Thailand was been extremely interesting from a responsible tourism perspective; some of the topics deserve their own articles which will be posted soon. The ease of touring the country combined with the outstanding beauty and value for money makes it an ideal introduction to South East Asia.

…Burma our next destination poses many more challenges for us…

It was time for a revolution!

In 1999, Casey Fenton created a web-site based on the ancient notion of hospitality, the concept was simple: allow people to offer their hospitality to strangers around the world, for free. Capitalism shuddered at the thought, ‘reserve’ recoiled in horror, close-mindedness panicked and the people said YES!!!!

Couchsurfing was born.

What is it?

Essentially it’s a member based website which allows users to offer their hospitality to other members. This may consist of just meeting up for a drink, staying at a person’s place or offering people to stay at your place. Each member has a public profile with a self-description, a rationale for taking part and information about the extent of their involvement (whether they have a place for you to stay or ‘surf’). Requests are sent by those who wish to ‘surf’ and the prospective host decides to accept or reject the request.

There is no obligation to do anything, you don’t have to host to be able to surf or vice-versa. Your involvement is totally optional and you are in control of it. Some people give couchsurfers free reign in their homes, some are more restrictive with certain rules, some engage heavily with their guests while some prefer a more relaxed approach. Your hospitality and thus your particular brand of couchsurfing, is entirely up to you. The beauty and skill of optimum couchsurfing is therefore to match yourself up with people you are more likely to connect with.

To enable the meeting of similar minds Couchsurfing uses a reference system. It allows those taking part to comment on the behavior of other members they come into contact with. In this way a self-regulating culture exists to ensure security.

The typical practice of couchsurfing is that no money changes hands, it is hospitality based upon a culture of exchange, friendship, trust and mutual enjoyment. Hence the organizations tag line ‘Participate in Creating a Better World, One Couch at a Time.’

Couchsurfing is a type B corporation registered in the United States, which receives the vast majority of its funding via donations. The last public accounts in 2009 revealed that they recieved $1,168,642.45 from their membership base of more than 3.5 million people. Throughout more than 84,000 cities, during its 12 year existence Couchsurfing has enabled over 4 million ‘couchsurfs’, 6.5 million positive experiences and 4 million friendships.

Every week around 20,000 people sign up to Couchsurfing (some weeks its 40,000), the countries most represented are (in order) United States, Germany, France, Canada and the UK. Men form a very slim majority of couchsurfers and the average age is 28.

Why do it?

Couchsurfing introduces its concept like this :

“CouchSurfing is not about the furniture, not just about finding free accommodations around the world; it’s about making connections worldwide. We make the world a better place by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available. We create deep and meaningful connections that cross oceans, continents and cultures. CouchSurfing wants to change not only the way we travel, but how we relate to the world!”

The reasons to take part are as varied as the people who participate, but a few main reasons are usually cited…

Cultural exchange, you get to meet people from all over the world share stories, opinions and learn from them, sometime without leaving your living room!

Local knowledge, staying in a strange place can be daunting, but with a local on hand to help it’s a lot easier, plus you may get to experience things above and beyond the remit of a regular tourist.

Friendship, likeminded people can connect around a love of travel, or virtually any other shared interest.

Free accommodation, a controversial benefit amongst Couchsurfers as it can be viewed as cynical, however there is no escaping the fact, for the massive majority of Couchsurfers, it’s free.

Our experience

As Couchsurfers we have hosted and ‘surfed’, and can honestly say that we are yet to have a less than positive experience. Over a one year period we shared our home with 32 people from 15 different countries. From a couch in Liverpool we were introduced to masses of new music, Iranian confectionary, French cuisine, Italian politics, slam poetry and great travel stories. We found a new trust in strangers and learned to relax our stuffy northern European outlook on meeting new people.

‘Surfing’ it’s a bit more adventurous, you are out of your comfort zone, more vulnerable but at the same time it’s much more exciting. From the outset of the Travel4more tour we intended to use Couchsurfing as a tool to open up the places we travel to, allowing us behind the scenes of tourist towns and enabling us to visit those places off the beaten travelers track. We have been incredibly lucky enough to have stayed with great people in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia where we were invited to family parties, karaoke bars and nightclubs, taken out to sample amazing local food, explored cities, were given access to swimming pools and gyms and above all made to feel welcome. We have slept on the floor, on couches and beds, stayed in swanky high-rise apartments and humble homes, cities have been swapped for swamps, Christians for Muslims and men for women. All of these differences have been interesting, but never material. There have been no barriers, only doors.

On our ‘Thank you to our hosts’ – page, we would like to thank all people who kindly let us stay with them, who welcomed us as friends and who showed us their city.

A word of warning

Of course the overwhelming success of Couchsurfing does not preclude instances of abuse; the rare horror stories that crop up as we meet more surfers include wrestling in spandex, projectile vomit, long over-stays and even theft. However these are exceptional and unfortunately come with the territory, the reference based system in use is a practical check against unsavory use, but by no means water-tight. Reasonable caution should always be exercised and certain precautions taken (see our good couchsufers’ guide below).

The Joys

Discovering the warm-heartedness of strangers is the enduring benefit taken from this travelling revolution. Leaving the key to your home with someone you have just met is a liberating experience because it flies in the face of an increasingly paranoid fear culture. Learning that there are literally millions of honest, trustworthy people is a priceless realization which is had for free. We think it’s time for you to invest.

Want to give Couchsurfing a try? Here are some tips:

Your Profile: be honest and comprehensive, trust is the key element so make sure your profile reflects this. People are going to open their homes, or choose to stay with you, it’s only fair that you give them enough information to make a considered decision. Any weird and wonderful circumstances you may have which will affect the other people you interact with should be included here.

Requests to surf: copy and paste requests are frowned upon as they sometimes lack a personal connection to the person you are hoping to stay with. Make sure you read the persons profile (lots have passwords they want you to include) and tailor your request accordingly.

Hosts: surfers have a right to know the sleeping arrangements and any other information which may affect them if they stay with you. This should be in your profile to prevent any awkward surprises.

Safety: references are used to keep people safe, if a host or surfer has acted inappropriately it will usually be highlighted on their profile. Reading references gives you the opportunity to make sure a person is genuine (although risks still exist). You should always let others know when and where you are surfing, especially when doing it alone.

Why not sign up now at www.couchsurfing.org

Still not convinced? Read these Couchsurfing Testimonials taken from the site:

“CS takes the edge off of your everyday routine. Each CSr brings something new to the table whether s/he is a first time traveler or a seasoned traveler. We have the opportunity to attain fresh ideas/ experiences/ look at where you live through another person’s point of view. Highly recommend getting involved.” Nate Oski (South Korea)

“CS has help me create a bond, a network and a family that my imagination could not have created, it enables us to see others and others to experience us… with CS: “it´s a small world after all.” Clement Matorwmasen (Ghana)

“The best invention after the compass. Next comes the time machine.” Jonathan Schermuly (Switzerland)

“CouchSurfing is just an amazing way of traveling on a budget, sharing a bit of what you have, making new friends, learning, passing around good energy and showing others that there is still a lot of goodwill and trustworthy people in this world! It helps me to “be the change I want to see in the world” and to contribute to the world becoming a smaller and better place.” Carina Alves (Brazil)

“Like most of the best revolutions, the idea of CS is so simple and obvious (once you hear it). It’s a privilege to be part of something that is working against the fear, suspicion, and selfishness that seems to be taking over the world. Every CS experience is unique but they share the belief that people are good and that we can help and be helped a million miles from corporate profit motives. What could be better?” John Couper (Kazakhstan)

“CS changed my life. I know many people can say that, but believe me. Before I discovered this website I was shy girl who barely could speak English and was afraid of learning new things. Now I host and travel with CS a lot, I love organising events and meeting new people. I’ve seen places I would never visit as a “normal” tourist. I have some really good friends I met on this website and I learn a lot about cultures, languages and people and I have a lot more courage than before.” Gosia Drewa