Travel Newsletter: 16 July 2021

The largest railway station in Southeast Asia, Medellín's thriving arts and cultural centre, Giza from above, and more travel reads.

Hello from Ho Chi Minh City, where we are entering our second week of hard lockdown. The highlight of my outside time is the visit to the local Family Mart convenience store.

In normal times I try and publish one destination article a week, and to keep my other sites operational I like to get the post done within one day. With more time on my hands, I’m working on some big resource pages. The one I’m working on now is taking me ages, and I would never have got it done while travelling around. Hopefully, it goes live next week.

Here is this week’s assorted travel reads.

Travel and COVID-19

Back in Europe after Covid

Immunized but banned: EU says not all COVID vaccines equal

For post-pandemic travel it won’t be budget travellers bad, rich tourists good – backpackers bring unique benefits to the places they visit

Assorted travel reads

Bang Sue Grand Station – The largest railway station in Southeast Asia

Bangkok’s new railway station is set to open in November. When normal travel resumes you will be able to get the train to Luang Prabang and Phnom Penh from here, and there are new high-speed railways that will serve the station.

Moravia: Colombia's unexpected green oasis

“For years, the Moravia neighbourhood of Medellín was the city's rubbish dump. But in recent years, this former landfill has blossomed into a thriving arts and cultural centre.”

The cure for overtourism? Try Viljandi.

“Doubly off the beaten track, the Estonian town is full of life and culture, especially music. And if travel is going to change its ways, it’s a good place to start.”

Spectacular drone views of Giza present the pyramid in an unusual perspective

The best place to swim with whale sharks? Saleh Bay, in Indonesia’s Sumbawa island, provides an awesome, ethical experience – for now

A day in the life of Madame Xuân, Hoi An's 85-year-old vegetable vendor

World's deepest pool for diving opens in Dubai

Hotel phone in Iceland has a button for a wake up call when the Northern Lights are visible in the sky

Landscape hunting at 18,000 feet: photos of North Sikkim, India

Glass-bottomed panda train debuts in China

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The Nomadic Notes Travel Newsletter is a weekly newsletter of the best travel reads and interesting travel news from around the web, and random ramblings by the editor.

- James Clark