Compass
Most travel writing about Asia-Pacific stops at the postcard. Real destinations, real visas, real food culture — for travelers who want to actually understand where they’ve landed.
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Sep- 2026 -25 September
Japan lost half its Chinese tourists. Here’s how it’s rewiring inbound retail
With mainland Chinese arrivals down 60% to 418,000 in August, US visitors now outspend every other market, forcing Japanese retailers to build digital retention tools instead of chasing volume.
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16 September
Dubai’s recovery is real. The security warnings aren’t going away.
With 869,000 international visitors in August 2026 and hotel occupancy at 66%, the UAE is pushing Western governments to lift travel advisories—but insurance policies and corporate travel rules still key…
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14 September
Bali’s halted cliff lift left the unsafe path unchanged
A 29-year-old Australian tourist fell 180 metres at Kelingking Beach on September 12, the same site where a safety lift was demolished months earlier over planning breaches.
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9 September
Hong Kong’s helper shortage will outlast the Jakarta ash cloud
With 178 aircraft at Soekarno-Hatta requiring individual safety checks, employment agencies warn Western expat employers to expect week-long delays in domestic worker arrivals.
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7 September
Thailand just made itself harder to visit. Here’s what changed.
A new deportation regulation effective August 28 gives the interior minister broad power to banish any foreigner for conduct deemed contrary to public order—no conviction required—while visa-exempt stays for Western…
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7 September
Volcanic ash closed eight Indonesian airports. Here’s what changed for travelers.
Mount Anak Krakatau's eruption forced Jakarta's main hub offline on September 6, stranding 170,000 passengers and cancelling 1,558 flights across Qantas, Garuda, and Singapore Airlines routes to Australia and beyond.
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Aug- 2026 -21 August
Flores earthquake split tourism in two. Only the coast is open.
The Labuan Bajo–Komodo marine circuit is running with 2,000+ daily visitors, but inland destinations including Wae Rebo and Kelimutu remain closed through at least August 28 as aftershocks continue.
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18 August
Bali airport stays open as Flores earthquake death toll climbs to 68
A 7.7 magnitude quake on 15 August killed at least 68 people across East Nusa Tenggara, but Bali's main airport remains operational while five regional terminals face damage assessment and…
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13 August
Thailand is quietly winning the race for Chinese tourists from Japan
With 5.1 million Chinese arrivals projected for 2026, Thailand has overtaken Japan in the first half—a shift driven by airlift capacity, safety perceptions, and political friction between China and Tokyo.
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6 August
Japan’s stronger yen won’t fill hotels until next year’s bookings open
The yen has rallied from 164 to 155–157 against the dollar, but most 2026 travel packages are already sold. The real surge in Japanese tourists to Thailand begins when operators…
