The Better Traveller

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  How to appreciate but continue to protect tangible cultural heritage on our travels?
  • Tsen-Waye Tay  

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  For every famous site, there are usually lesser-known (but harder to access) options in the same country! For example, there are other Angkor-era ruins in Cambodia beyond the Angkor Wat complex, like Bantaey Chhmar. Visiting these ruins in a respectful way (as shared by Sharon above) also encourages nearby communities to take good care of the ruins, and in some cases, it even attracts funding for preservation and restoration, and creates demand for local community-based tourism initiatives.
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  Recommendation of charity/nonprofit/social enterprise food places in KL?
  • Sharon Lok  

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  Charlie's Cafe is awesome, and if you spot the owner Desonny, talk to him, he is very nice. You can also check out PichaEats to see if an Open House is on - these are communal dinners or lunches made by refugees from Afghanistan, Iran and elsewhere. They're incredibly insightful and the mood is amazing. Check TBT's Weekend of Good [guide to Kuala Lumpur](https://tbt-fe.kyanon.digital/travel-inspiration/weekend-good/stories) for more recommendations!
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  How do you look out for the environment as you travel?
  • lynnchan  

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  I think we can all start with the little things, such as bringing reusable cutlery (titanium spork, anyone?), a pouch for waste and of course, a water bottle. While hiking , always keep to the marked trails, respect the land and leave no traces of your adventure behind. Needless to say, don't feed the wild animals, even if they are oh so cute. This includes fruits, as they may not be part of their native diet. If you are camping overnight, particularly at a site without a toilet, do bring a small shovel to bury your waste responsibly. Note that toilet paper should not be buried but bagged away to be taken with you when you leave. When washing up (yourself or your cutlery), keep detergent/shampoo/soap out of water sources such as rivers/streams/lakes. Let's all do our part to look out for the environment!
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  When travelling, what could be in packing list to reduce our impact on the environment?
  • Rebecca Lim  

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  @Rebecca-Lim This is such a relatable question! When it comes to packing for my travels, I try to plan my outfits for each day, and pack them in a single Ziplock bag so that it’s easier to pull them out without having to unpack my entire luggage. I tried switching to cloth packing cubes, but found that it takes up more space than a Ziplock would, because of the air it packs into your luggage. I have reverted back to using Ziplock bags since. I try to reuse them during the trip by using them to pack my clothes at the end of my travels, but I still end up creating a lot of waste. What else can I do? Love to hear your suggestions if any, @Sharon-Lok! Thanks in advance
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  Gender inequality in the tourism industry?
  • Zah  

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  Travelling to Myanmar - what not to say?
  • Sharon Lok  

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  Any recommendations for a sustainable and ethical whale shark tour operator in the Philippines?
  • eileen_953  

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  Hey! Was planning for a similar trip to Cebu few years back and I had the same concern with you - should we swim with the whale sharks or not? My husband and I decided against the idea (and also we were running out of time) after reading about the state of whale sharks in Bohol, Cebu. I saw a recommendation from someone to swim with turtles on a neighbouring island though: https://www.dontforgettomove.com/swim-with-turtles-apo-island/ Perhaps that's something you can consider? All the best for your trip!
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  What can be done to prevent further pollution of fragile ecosystems (rural/urban)?
  • Tsen-Waye Tay  

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  How to ensure that indigenous peoples are not being exploited or harmed by irresponsible / unsustainable tourism?
  • Tsen-Waye Tay  

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