Five Popular Ecotourism Destinations in Southeast Asia

Five Popular Ecotourism Destinations in Southeast Asia

Ecotourism or ecotourism is now a mainstay commodity of a number of local governments to boost their revenues. Ecotourism is not just selling natural beauty, but in it, there are also aspects of education and conservation of nature on an ongoing basis.

Visitors not only throw away their eyes to admire the mountains, forests, beaches, to the ocean but also respect the local population and participate in preserving its culture.

If you intend to do ecotourism, don’t forget to bring your smartphone. In addition to capturing photos of nature, you can also play poker online or even place bets on judi bola to provide support to your favorite team. This moment is very fitting when you are on your way to these tourist attractions. Usually, there are various promos that they offer to the players. Your trip will be very fortunate if you win it, and the cost of accommodation can return on investment.

Here are the top five most popular ecotourism destinations in Southeast Asia.

KomodoNationalPark

Komodo National Park

Komodo Island is the only Komodo habitat in the whole world. Besides being able to witness the three-meter long ancient animal, visitors can explore the beauty of the underwater world by diving or snorkeling. For matters of the place to stay to tour around the island of Komodo, a number of local tour agencies already have a variety of packages that can be adjusted to the budget.

Taman Nagara National

Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia

Taman Negara National Park is Malaysia’s proud conservation forest area. Since it was founded in 1938, the ecotourism area has been developed as the most prominent tourist destination in the neighboring country. One of the most famous spots in the 530-meter long canopy, which is the longest in the world and hangs above a height of 45 meters. In addition, Taman Negara is listed as one of the oldest wet forests in the world with an age of 130 million years. In accordance with the topography, Taman Negara is very suitable for nature adventurers. In this place also available tour services for jungle safaris, hiking, to rafting.

Luang Namtha

Luang Namtha, Laos

Luang Namtha is the name of a province in Laos that is located in the northwest, which has a protected area of ​​Nam Ha, Namtha River, and a village where ethnic Lao. The most interesting object in Luang Namta, besides its natural scenery, is the hospitality of the local residents and its natural wealth. Visitors can also take part in activities such as rafting, hiking, and cycling around the village to increase the income of local residents. The presence of tourists also gave a strong message to ethnic Lao villages, that their forests need to be preserved and preserved as priceless natural resources.

CameronHighlands

Cameron Highlands, Penang, Malaysia

Cameron Highlands, located in West Malaysia, has natural views of the tea garden like a green rug with cool temperatures between 17-23C in the afternoon and 17C at night. If you ever have the chance to visit this place, spend your morning in the Palas River, which is the highest spot to look at the hills of tea. After that, you can take a tour to explore Mossy Forest, wet forest with trees that are still covered in moss. This place will take you away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Tatai River and Cardamom Mountains

Tatai River and Cardamom Mountains, Cambodia

The Tatai River and the Cardamom Mountains are one of the largest and virgin forest areas in Southeast Asia. Its location is in Koh Kang Province near the border with Thailand. This area presents natural landscapes that are rarely touched by humans, ranging from beaches, rivers, to fauna which is included in protected categories such as the Asian Elephant and Tiger. Almost all lodging in this tourist location carries the concept of local wisdom, namely the harmonization of humans with nature.

Read More
Various Wildlife Conservation Efforts in Thailand

Various Wildlife Conservation Efforts in Thailand

The increasing global population uses up resources and exploits land.

That is why wild conservation becomes an important agenda to save and preserve habitats that need shelter.

In Thailand, major steps have been made to improve through improvement efforts. This effort is carried out jointly by independent organizations, governments, and individuals. The priority agenda is to preserve the remaining forests of Thailand and return some of the developed areas to liars.

Caring for national symbols

Elephants are the national symbol of Thailand. To deal with liar liars, the government plans to create a database of every tame elephant genetic information. This effort is to overturn hunters who take baby liars and sue them as tame elephant winners. The government is also considering elephant camps for any poor handling of these thick-skinned animals.

The following are some efforts to care for elephants as a national symbol that has been carried out by various parties:

  1. Elephant hospitals and clinics, conducted by the Elephant Conservation Center of Thailand (TECC) in southern Chiang Mai since 1993. TECC has also participated in knowledge about the elephant library at the National Elephant Institute of Thailand.
  2. Phang Nga Elephant Park, an eco-friendly business run by a family in northern Phuket. This place offers a unique experience for visitors because it can talk about elephants.
  3. World of Elephants in Kanchanaburi to raise awareness and needs for Thai elephants.
  4. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), established in 2001 to help animals in captivity. It is wrong to free them by returning them to the realm of liars, if possible. Since 2006, WFFT has also tried to reforest so that liars have habitat.

Bird conservation

Bird conservation

The Bird Conservation Society was founded in 1953 by an approved NGO in Thailand. One of the agendas approved by these animals is field trips and projects approved for bird conservation, including bird sanctuaries.

Marine conservation

The UN reports that two-thirds of the global marine environment has been affected by humans. That is why marine conservation is carried out to reduce plastic waste, coral conservation, garbage cleaning, and invasive species control.

The Marine Conservation Project also helps volunteers to assist with this support.

Live dog conservation

The Soi Dog Foundation was started in Phuket in 2003 to help dogs and cats on the island. The agenda includes rescue, protection, medical care, and vaccination of stray animals.

The Foundation also helps find homes and sterilize animals found on the streets. In addition, the Turkey Foundation is campaigning for the improvement of animal welfare throughout Asia.

Other Conservation

The World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), Greenpeace, and other organizations are also working to preserve Thailand’s nature.

WWF was founded in 1961 and had been operating in Thailand since 1995. This organization builds a future where humans live in harmony with nature. These efforts include conserving biological pools, using renewed natural resources, agreeing to wasteful consumption, and releasing ties.

Read More
These Amazing Species Are Found in Greater Mekong

These Amazing Species Are Found in Greater Mekong

There are still many species that have not been revealed on earth, including in the Greater Mekong.

River delta stretches along Southeast Asia, which is tipped in the Himalayan highlands.

Since 2010, researchers who have explored forests, rivers, wetlands, and islands in ecosystems that have disappeared from the Mekong Delta have uncovered surprising discoveries of 208 new species.

[caption id="attachment_8" align="aligncenter" width="271"]Cnemaspis psychedelica Found on an island in Rach Gia Bay, Vietnam, this new wild gecko is named Cnemaspis psychedelica[/caption]

A report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) highlights a number of species, from snub-nosed monkeys, carnivorous plants, to cloned lizards, all of which are female. The report also reminds us that much of the wildlife might soon disappear because the Mekong Delta is experiencing massive deforestation, hunting, development projects, mangrove damage, pollution, climate change, and rapid population growth.

The Greater Mekong region includes five countries in Southeast Asia; Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar- and Yunnan Province (China); the region is very rich in wildlife and habitat for Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), Indochina tigers (Panthera tigris corbetti), and giant Mekong catfish (Pangasianodon gigas). Scientists recently discovered more than 17 new species each month, consisting of 28 reptiles, 25 fish, 145 new plants, 2 mammals, 7 amphibians, and 1 bird in 2010.

[caption id="attachment_27" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Tylototriton notialis Tylototriton notialis is a new lizard species found in Laos, the first of the genus in this country[/caption]

Rebecca Ng from WWF’s Greater Mekong Program WWF said, “This report is also a confirmation of what we already know, that the Great Mekong has extraordinary natural diversity, and what needs to be done to save them,” “This extraordinary diversity and wealth can be lost if the government does not want to realize and understand that protecting biodiversity is a long-term investment. Especially in the face of changes in the global environment. ”

Although forests and wetlands in the Mekong Delta provide fresh water and food for hundreds of millions of people, destruction and threats to biodiversity and ecosystems continue. Forests are converted for plantations, mangroves are destroyed for aquaculture, dams are built on rivers, and wildlife is exploited for meat and traditional medicine.

[caption id="attachment_9" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Schistura udomritthiruji In all the Mekong regions, it is the highest diversity of freshwater fish in the world, with more than 850 known species. One of them is this freshwater fish and is a species of loach (Schistura udomritthiruji).[/caption]

One sign of the extinction of animals here is the extinction of the Vietnamese rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus), subspecies of the Javan rhino, the last rhino in mainland Southeast Asia. The death of the rhino by hunters also marks the end of one of the region’s last megafauna, and it may be a sign that Indochinese tigers and giant Mekong catfish may soon become extinct.

The report also highlights changes in the region due to climate change, which shifts rainfall patterns, causing more extreme floods and also drought.

“Only intact, healthy and diverse natural ecosystems can provide resilience to climate change while ensuring sustainable access to water, energy, food, commodities, and livelihoods for more than 300 million people,” the report writes.

[caption id="attachment_12" align="aligncenter" width="300"]Dendrobium daklakense Dendrobium daklakense is a new orchid from one of 16 new orchids found in the Mekong region.[/caption]

Indo-Burmese forests, listed as the most threatened forest hotspot in the world, including the Great Mekong, this was stated in 2009 by Conservation International (CI). According to the organization, only five percent of the forests in the region are intact.

Read More
What is WWF’s Position on Various Countries and IGO?

What is WWF’s Position on Various Countries and IGO?

International relations and interactions between trans-states are usually more likely to prioritize state actors and ignore non-state actors.

This is because state actors have the desire to be able to protect the sovereignty of their own countries in the aspect of the interaction between countries so that policies and decisions that will be taken next will not be influenced by non-state actors (Lewis, 2009: 1 ). The presence of the International Non-Governmental Organization or INGO then opens wider access for actors in international relations especially non-state actors to be able to have a role and can be further involved in relations and also international interactions in any aspect such as political, social, security, economic, environmental, human rights aspects and so on. INGO, which became an independent organization in its formation INGO besides acting as a ‘friend’ of state actors in helping to resolve certain issues, in fact, INGO was also able to be an opponent who had opposing views on state actors. For example, INGO, which has a focus on human rights issues, often becomes an organization that opposes the state government because it considers that the government within the country is unable to protect the human rights of its citizens because its citizens tend to experience frequent exploitation and conflict. Threaten their human rights. Another example is INGO, which operates in the field of the environment, such as Greenpeace, which quite often criticizes policies taken by the government in a country that is considered to industrialist and does not pay attention to its influence on the surrounding environment both now and in the future. INGO’s opinions and thoughts that are contrary to the state government are then made by INGO as an effort to be able to influence the actions of other actors, especially state actors in the realization of INGO’s main interests and objectives in fighting for the social welfare of the international community (Karnst & Mingst, 2004).

Based on its membership, WWF consists of members who are not part of the government in a particular country. Membership in WWF consists of groups, associations, organizations, and individuals therein (WWF Indonesia, t.t). Looking at membership in WWF, this means that WWF provides a place and also opportunities for individuals and communities from various elements to be able to participate in the realization of the goals, functions, and also the role of WWF as an INGO. WWF also then participated in the process of development and also social change, especially regarding issues of conservation, research and environmental restoration that cannot be carried out by the government or state actors. INGO itself has an important role in the country, and also IGO, among others, is as implementers, catalysts, and partners (Lewis, 2009: 2). INGO’s role as an implementer focuses on mobilizing resources to be able to provide goods and services for the people who really need them. The supply of goods and services includes medical equipment, agriculture, microfinance, disaster management, and others (Lewis, 2009: 2). INGO, as a catalyst, is that INGO has the ability to express opinions and provide facilities and also contribute ideas for the country and also IGO in the realization of social transformation. INGO, as a partner, means that INGO with the country and IGO can work together on certain aspects of specific issues to be able to realize the goals and functions that have been determined previously.

WWF, in its role as an implementer, provides assistance in the form of monitoring and supervision of various conservation and environmental restoration as well as supervision of the exploitation and trade of wild animals in a country through the TRAFFIC program. The TRAFFIC program is a program that monitors wildlife trade and ensures that trade in animals and flora does not pose a threat to the nature conservation program. WWF, in its role as a catalyst, seeks to develop country policies and priorities regarding environmental conservation, research, and restoration. WWF ensures that natural values ​​can be reflected in decisions made by individuals, communities, and governments and make efforts to reduce the dependence of local communities on the use of natural resources (WWF, 2015). For example, WWF encourages governments to continue to develop programs on the Heart of Borneo and Save Sumatra in an effort to protect the conservation of national parks and the ecosystems of the island of Sumatra and Kalimantan, Indonesia (WWF Indonesia, t.t). WWF, in its role as a state partner, supports decisions and also state policies in the aspects of conservation, research, and environmental restoration, especially regarding the protection of wild animals in a country. For example, WWF encourages the development of a biodiversity vision for endangered species in Indonesia, such as the Sumatran Rhino, Orangutan, Sumatran Tiger, and Elephant. The vision was previously adopted in the Indonesian government document, namely the Sumatra-Ecosystem Rescue Road Map-Vision 2010 (WWF Indonesia, t.t).

Read More
A Brief Explanation of WWF You Need to Know

A Brief Explanation of WWF You Need to Know

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the INGOs engaged in environmental aspects and wildlife life that was formed in 1961.

As a leading conservation organization in the world, WWF works in 100 countries in the world and has been supported by 1.2 million members in America, The Union, and nearly 5 million members globally. With the basics of science as the basis for combining global reach, the way WWF works are known to be unique. In addition, they also involve actions at every level from local to global and to meet their human and natural needs ensuring the delivery of innovative solutions. Judging from history, the background of the formation of WWF is inseparable from the constraints experienced by conservation organizations in the 1961s, such as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and The Conservation Foundation, in obtaining funding for run the program (WWF, 2015). So then in the same year, around 16 of the world’s leading conservationists, such as biologists and African wildlife enthusiasts Sir Julian Huxley, IUCN vice president Sir Peter Scott and British director of nature conservation EM Nicholson, signed a manifesto called with the Morges Manifesto. In the manifesto stated that besides the existence and function of protecting the world environment, financial support is needed, which is also an effort to support the operation of conservation activities (WWF, 2015). The next step was to establish the World Wildlife Fund in April 1961 as an international fundraising organization that collaborates with other conservation organizations and is expected to bring substantial financial support for conservation activities on a global scale (WWF, 2015).

From the background of the formation of WWF, it can also indirectly know the purpose of the formation of WWF, and to be more detailed about the objectives of this WWF can be seen from the mission carried, which includes several things. Firstly, WWF’s mission is to build a future where humans can live in harmony with nature (WWF, 2015). Harmonization of nature is emphasized because between humans, the environment, and wildlife, and life is so connected and inseparable, so that further WWF takes an integrated approach in its activities. Second is that WWF strives to preserve nature, create sustainable human life, and take action against climate change (WWF, 2015). The third is to make a big difference, in the sense of a good difference. In this case, the projects created are innovative and, of course, have to collaborate or based on scientific evidence (WWF, 2015).

World Wildlife Fund

Furthermore, regarding the activities or programs carried out by WWF. The activity covers several scopes, including forest, sea, freshwater, wildlife, food, and climate (WWF, 2015). First is forests; in this case, WWF is very focused on conserving the most important forests in the world. In the forest sphere, WWF’s performance is mostly carried out on rain forests, such as rain forests in the Amazon, the Congo Basin, the Mekong, and other areas near the equator, as well as in temperate regions, such as Eastern Russia, to the United States (WWF, 2015). Secondly, for the sea itself, WWF strives to maintain the natural condition of the sea, preserve abundant marine biodiversity, and is also related to livelihoods in the sea so that it is always sustainable so that it can support the economy (WWF, 2015). WWF’s concentration on the life of the Arctic Sea can then be used as one example related to the marine aspect. The third is about freshwater, where related activities aim to create safe water for humans and nature (WWF, 2015). One example of this is the effort to protect the major rivers in South America and cooperation with institutions in the area, such as universities.

Fourth is its focus on wildlife, which seeks to protect the most important species and steps in the world (WWF, 2015). One of the successful efforts related to this wildlife is the restoration of wildlife, such as the black rhino of South Africa, to the black male deer in the Himalayas. The fifth is about food, where the purpose of activities in this field is to maintain food availability and increase efficiency in food production, so as to minimize wasted food and prepare food supplies in the future (WWF, 2015). One form of the WWF program, in this case, is to design a game called the Food Chain Reaction in America in order to help governments and other institutions, as well as companies that might interact during the global food crisis in the future. Sixth, regarding climate, its activities aim to create a zero-carbon climate-resilient world, as well as the use of renewable energy (WWF, 2015). An example of the efforts made on this aspect is the existence of a special program that then aims to encourage millions of Americans, leading businesses and leaders in government, to realize the importance of protecting ecosystems so as to avoid worse climate change.

Read More