I "follow your boat" regularly and I love the remarks that you made about how we are influenced by other countries political viewpoints. I have worked in TV News for over 30 years now and know how correct you are in your views on how Asia is and how non-Asian countries perceive them to be. We (in the west) are so controlled by what the western governments wish us to think that we we believe it without question. This is not good. I have travelled to more than 72 countries to see this for myself. You are SOoo correct in your perception of our views verses others nations views. If more people viewed things in this way, then there may be a better world ????
So, so great to read this comment. We can't say it enough, but seldom seem to get the message across. And it's the same here, with the news services shaping their readers' opinions. J and I have got into some of the YT independent sources like Politics Joe, Novara, Double Down, Vice for a different perspective on life. Cheers! 🙏👌 Liz
Definately one of best 60 minutes discussions I've seen for a while. I've been following your channel and totally agree with your assessments. I was originally from Malaysia but grew up in Australia. I've been a regular visitor to South East Asia all my adult life. You are absolutely spot on with your comments with respect to safety, security, the mozzies and the sometimes inaccurate portrayal of this region in the media. Yes, there are ethnic and religious tensions from time to time but these are largely driven by the local politicians to garner votes. As a child, I used to visit the islands off Sabah & Pahang (Redang Island). Obsolutely breathtaking areas with pristine water, friendly locals and a wide variety of wildlife. Will be great to know what other boatyards with haul out facilities there are in the region, skills and competency of shipwrights and repair & upgrade facilities. Will be grateful if you're able to dive into the more detailed discussions on these topics in view that you've now done the 'high level' discussion?
Thank you, great information. Loved the comment "you never feel cold here" - had never thought about that, but highlights just one aspect of living/staying in a certain latitude.
That top/shirt Liz... I think you were having a giraffe! 🤣 But I know what you mean about judging a place by the number of TH-camrs. UK & Ireland have thousands of boats and sailors but very few YT channels. As a metric the density of TH-camrs in an area is not a lot of use...
What keeps me from sailing in Southeast Asia is the distance. I am unlikely to sail my boat that far. Never say never, but it's pretty low on my bucket list (though higher than it was since seeing all the sights in your videos). As for money, I was surprised, when I was in England last fall, that there were many places that simply would not take cash. They wanted you to pay with a card or phone (which is really putting it on your card). My cards all charged me a foreign transaction fee, so that drove up the cost of everything for me (and prevented me from buying a few things). I have since remedied that situation, so I won't have that problem next time.
Yes, and things are expensive enough in the UK already without the additional transaction charges. It's weird going back to the UK now as it's pretty much a cashless society. Even in pubs you'll rarely see money exchanging hands.
Consider Indonesia a light wind area and have sails on board with this in mind (big). Sail closer to land where you have a chance for sea breezes (morning and later afternoon). Of course, there's often good winds. Be aware there's very little info from governments, so watching youtube sailors like followtheboat is your best bet.
Are there areas where you would suggest avoiding because of piracy in particular? I have no issue with cultural differences, in fact I find them beautiful and one of the best parts of travel. My only concern is, as you mentioned, you hear so much about how it’s “unsafe” to sail Indonesia and surrounding areas, so I don’t know where to find the real/truthful information and what is exaggerated and what I should actually concern myself with. Thanks for sharing such great info! I dream of sailing my boat there one day ❤❤
Yes, Lazada! I was also using Carousell for second hand stuff. In Indonesia the main online shop is Tokopedia, but that is only in Bahasa. Cheers, Jamie.
Love these sessions .where us channel watchers can learn from your real life experiences ,thank you both....10 years in the area.,WOW..I'm sure your personal digital maps must be extensive with hardly known places and underwater obstacles and wonders....Q I do notice in most of your episodes how calm the water is...definitly my kind of anchorage enviromental conditions...I'm of course comparing to other YT channels anchorage conditions...does this increase any danger of petty theft or visitors trying to sell goods to those on board?
We choose our anchorages wisely, and especially for when we do our podcasts! If it's too rough, we don't record, but we have plenty of footage in our episodes of appalling anchorage conditions!
Thanks so much for fielding my question. Maybe a 2 week charter from Phuket is a great start now that you mentioned it has good sailing infrastructure. ❤
Jamie:. We could talk about this for hours... Me: And I could listen for hours... Wonderful talk, guys. Watching and listening I, as always, made several mental notes on a possible comment -- here there was too much for my poor brain to handle! And to the call to prayer: I grew to love it, especially during Ramadan when a rhāita -- a North African, reedy reed instrument -- is played. To any Western urbanite who complains about the call to prayer I think the logical response would be: How do you feel about police sirens? Great show and always! Regards.
Yes, we hear so many complaints about the call to prayer from cruisers. Pointless, just embrace it and learn to love it. In Turkey we were moored about 200m from the loudest speaker anywhere (they do loud there very well), so when the call to prayer rang out you had to hang on to your hat (bit like when the Admiral let off his canon in Mary Poppins)! But we didn't notice after a few days. Cheers! Liz x
We cart 25L water bottles to fill our water tank (only a 5 minute dingy trip each way) and still looking forward to being able to install and use our water maker, carting water/fuel is a pain in the stern😂
Did it a couple of times in the yard when we couldn't run the watermaker and it killed me! Not for me, thanks. Let us know how you get on with the watermaker.
@@followtheboat I will do, it was low on the priority list but we are talking about heading off a season earlier than originally planned so it may just have to move up the list
The next window for us is coming in about a week I will be sailing from Puerta Vallarta Mexico straight over to Thailand with stops in between I would like to thank you for this information I cant wait to be over there.
We have been aboard in Malaysia & Thailand for 2 years now.. Safety concerns thus far.. Dont anchor to close to popular beaches on the west coast of phuket.. Eastern European tourists will swim out and board your boat.. We had numerous incidents this year before deciding that the only way to prevent it was to anchor further away from the beach. Thai tourist boats, very freindly folks and some will play chicken with you, right of way just doesn't exist here.. Just get out of their way and regardless of any close calls, definitely don't get emotional about it.. You will loose.
Blimey, we never had the Eastern European problem, nasty. I think the best bet is to steer well clear of those rip-off tourist destinations altogether. And to always anchor way out, if only to be away from other boats making a noise and dragging when the wind gets up. Further north along that coast near to the Myanmar border, it's much more peaceful. Koh Phayam, or even better get to Koh Chang, for some of Thailand's best destinations. You can gaze across the Mergui archipelago from there and dream. ♥️ Thailand is lovely, but crowded. Malaysia's a little less crowded and altogether tranquil once you get to the Perhentians, Tioman etc, but the best is Sabah. You can't beat Indonesia for getting away from it all: west coast Sumatra's Indian Ocean islands, Anambas islands and Sulawesi to name just a few. 👌🙏 Liz
Damn loved that you mentioned if you don't like how things are going come over and join a non profit! Man good point. Something I thought of myself. I want to cruise. I know if I got involved with animals it be a never ending story
Thanks guys! Very informative. We are considering a boat purchase in Lombok and this makes us more comfortable with the location. My biggest concern is safe storage on the hard as we will be seasonal.
The rallies around Australia Perth upwards to Asia or over the top was due to the pirates and foreign vessels attacking, I was in Customs looking after small craft in the Asia pacific region and we organised rallies when we noted possible cause. That was 30 years ago 😊
Hi Ron. I didn't know about piracy issues in this area. I assume these have now passed as we've not heard of anything in that area, except unforgiving seas 😃
I both participated in and chaired several rallies out of the west coast of Australia (Fremantle) sailing north (Indonesia). This was in the period 2011 to 2015. The rallies had been halted due to concerns, mainly political uncertainty. As part of our due diligence process, we reviewed piracy and couldn't identify any incidents (going back 20 years) in the areas our rally would be sailing.
I live on the coast in Thailand, Rayong and am thinking about buying a live on sailing boat here. Any thoughts on sailing in the area? I would love to visit Indonesia in a few years.
TBH it was quite difficult not to smile. I'm relieved to say we've never lost a worker over here. Sometimes the patronising tones used by cruisers are difficult to listen to. Telling a carpenter (whose entire family are carpenters and who was born with a chisel in his hand) how to cut wood is embarrassing. I'd have walked off too! 😃 Liz
With culture and language issues, could it be that an American could make money, cleaning, and working on boats from anchor? I am working on learning to do cushions, sail covers, and detailing boats in the states. Hope it will make me money to get by and keep the boat afloat.
When I was working in Mumbi, India, I worked elbow to elbow (literally) with Christians, Muslims, Hindus and we all got along just fine. We worked together, ate together and had civilized conversations about many topics. When I went to the Hindu temples, I respected their beliefs and followed their rules. I was well treated, asked questions, took pictures (where allowed) and had a nice time. I Never felt in any danger, was decently treated by all, and had lots of good local food. I'd go again, for a longer visit next time. 😃👍🐻 Avon Skin So Soft keeps mosquitoes at bay.
Damn, we loved Mumbai! Pretty much for all the reasons you mentioned, but with food being top of the list! It's interesting talking to the locals here about religion. While many may be dedicated to their own religion, they don't seem to hold grudges against other religions, at least not from what they tell us and what we see. I guess what I mean is, their own religion is a big deal to themselves, but other people's religions aren't a problem... as it should be.
Nice one, you hit every nail on the head! Top tip: For animal lovers who want to reduce unnecessary animal suffering and cruelty, simply stop eating them! :)
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." Mark Twain
@followtheboat sailing and travel i note you are waiting for the SE Trades. Suggests you are travelling west later in the piece. Not sure if you have been to these places before but Banyuwedang is a delighful anchorage on the NW corner of Bali. Banyuwangi is the home of a beautiful yacht club, marina and haul out facility. Highly recommended despite being slightly out of the way. We sailed around the bottom of Bali for a change and thoroughly enjoyed the change.
My dream is to win a jackpot of some sort first, then buy that nice Nauticat or Gozzard I have been eyeing up, and heading across the Pacific on my tour of sea turtle, sea snake, crocodiles, and large water bird conservation efforts and my own benefit of the peace. forever jealous, thanks again.
I "follow your boat" regularly and I love the remarks that you made about how we are influenced by other countries political viewpoints.
I have worked in TV News for over 30 years now and know how correct you are in your views on how Asia is and how non-Asian countries perceive them to be. We (in the west) are so controlled by what the western governments wish us to think that we we believe it without question. This is not good. I have travelled to more than 72 countries to see this for myself.
You are SOoo correct in your perception of our views verses others nations views. If more people viewed things in this way, then there may be a better world ????
So, so great to read this comment. We can't say it enough, but seldom seem to get the message across.
And it's the same here, with the news services shaping their readers' opinions. J and I have got into some of the YT independent sources like Politics Joe, Novara, Double Down, Vice for a different perspective on life.
Cheers! 🙏👌 Liz
Definately one of best 60 minutes discussions I've seen for a while. I've been following your channel and totally agree with your assessments. I was originally from Malaysia but grew up in Australia. I've been a regular visitor to South East Asia all my adult life. You are absolutely spot on with your comments with respect to safety, security, the mozzies and the sometimes inaccurate portrayal of this region in the media. Yes, there are ethnic and religious tensions from time to time but these are largely driven by the local politicians to garner votes. As a child, I used to visit the islands off Sabah & Pahang (Redang Island). Obsolutely breathtaking areas with pristine water, friendly locals and a wide variety of wildlife. Will be great to know what other boatyards with haul out facilities there are in the region, skills and competency of shipwrights and repair & upgrade facilities. Will be grateful if you're able to dive into the more detailed discussions on these topics in view that you've now done the 'high level' discussion?
Your right! I never see anything about sailing in south east asia on TH-cam!! It drives me nuts. It's all the Caribbean
Thank you, great information. Loved the comment "you never feel cold here" - had never thought about that, but highlights just one aspect of living/staying in a certain latitude.
Hey Jon. It's one of the pleasures of these parts, always wearing just shirts and flip flops, but as Liz says, it can be insufferable for some.
That top/shirt Liz... I think you were having a giraffe! 🤣 But I know what you mean about judging a place by the number of TH-camrs. UK & Ireland have thousands of boats and sailors but very few YT channels. As a metric the density of TH-camrs in an area is not a lot of use...
Haha! I love your metric, think I'll have to use it myself. 😃
I love that shirt too, coupla quid in a charity shop last time we were back in UK. 😊 Liz
What keeps me from sailing in Southeast Asia is the distance. I am unlikely to sail my boat that far. Never say never, but it's pretty low on my bucket list (though higher than it was since seeing all the sights in your videos).
As for money, I was surprised, when I was in England last fall, that there were many places that simply would not take cash. They wanted you to pay with a card or phone (which is really putting it on your card). My cards all charged me a foreign transaction fee, so that drove up the cost of everything for me (and prevented me from buying a few things). I have since remedied that situation, so I won't have that problem next time.
Yes, and things are expensive enough in the UK already without the additional transaction charges. It's weird going back to the UK now as it's pretty much a cashless society. Even in pubs you'll rarely see money exchanging hands.
In the wet season there are many days when there is more than enough wind for anybody.
Consider Indonesia a light wind area and have sails on board with this in mind (big). Sail closer to land where you have a chance for sea breezes (morning and later afternoon). Of course, there's often good winds. Be aware there's very little info from governments, so watching youtube sailors like followtheboat is your best bet.
Well said, thank you. Plenty of afternoon breezes around the southern islands at the moment.
Thanks so much for sharing this information here. I have my own dreams of sailing that area. 🌞🌴⛵️
Don't let anyone out you off. We didn't even touch on the wildlife, diving and geological marvels! Liz 👌
Really love your attitude
Are there areas where you would suggest avoiding because of piracy in particular? I have no issue with cultural differences, in fact I find them beautiful and one of the best parts of travel. My only concern is, as you mentioned, you hear so much about how it’s “unsafe” to sail Indonesia and surrounding areas, so I don’t know where to find the real/truthful information and what is exaggerated and what I should actually concern myself with. Thanks for sharing such great info! I dream of sailing my boat there one day ❤❤
Wonderfull podcast. Thank you very much! Lazada was the other shopping plattform. ☺
Yes! Thanks for commenting. 🙏 Liz
Yes, Lazada! I was also using Carousell for second hand stuff. In Indonesia the main online shop is Tokopedia, but that is only in Bahasa. Cheers, Jamie.
Love these sessions .where us channel watchers can learn from your real life experiences ,thank you both....10 years in the area.,WOW..I'm sure your personal digital maps must be extensive with hardly known places and underwater obstacles and wonders....Q I do notice in most of your episodes how calm the water is...definitly my kind of anchorage enviromental conditions...I'm of course comparing to other YT channels anchorage conditions...does this increase any danger of petty theft or visitors trying to sell goods to those on board?
We choose our anchorages wisely, and especially for when we do our podcasts! If it's too rough, we don't record, but we have plenty of footage in our episodes of appalling anchorage conditions!
Thanks so much for fielding my question. Maybe a 2 week charter from Phuket is a great start now that you mentioned it has good sailing infrastructure. ❤
That's a great idea. Get yourself to Phang Nah bay. It's stunning around there.
Jamie:. We could talk about this for hours...
Me: And I could listen for hours...
Wonderful talk, guys. Watching and listening I, as always, made several mental notes on a possible comment -- here there was too much for my poor brain to handle! And to the call to prayer: I grew to love it, especially during Ramadan when a rhāita -- a North African, reedy reed instrument -- is played. To any Western urbanite who complains about the call to prayer I think the logical response would be: How do you feel about police sirens?
Great show and always! Regards.
Yes, we hear so many complaints about the call to prayer from cruisers. Pointless, just embrace it and learn to love it. In Turkey we were moored about 200m from the loudest speaker anywhere (they do loud there very well), so when the call to prayer rang out you had to hang on to your hat (bit like when the Admiral let off his canon in Mary Poppins)! But we didn't notice after a few days. Cheers! Liz x
" (they do loud there very well)". 😀😅😂
We cart 25L water bottles to fill our water tank (only a 5 minute dingy trip each way) and still looking forward to being able to install and use our water maker, carting water/fuel is a pain in the stern😂
Did it a couple of times in the yard when we couldn't run the watermaker and it killed me! Not for me, thanks. Let us know how you get on with the watermaker.
@@followtheboat I will do, it was low on the priority list but we are talking about heading off a season earlier than originally planned so it may just have to move up the list
The next window for us is coming in about a week I will be sailing from Puerta Vallarta Mexico straight over to Thailand with stops in between I would like to thank you for this information I cant wait to be over there.
Hey! Enjoy the sail and look forward to excellent food and hospitality in SE Asia! Fair winds to you and your crew.
We have been aboard in Malaysia & Thailand for 2 years now.. Safety concerns thus far.. Dont anchor to close to popular beaches on the west coast of phuket.. Eastern European tourists will swim out and board your boat.. We had numerous incidents this year before deciding that the only way to prevent it was to anchor further away from the beach. Thai tourist boats, very freindly folks and some will play chicken with you, right of way just doesn't exist here.. Just get out of their way and regardless of any close calls, definitely don't get emotional about it.. You will loose.
Blimey, we never had the Eastern European problem, nasty. I think the best bet is to steer well clear of those rip-off tourist destinations altogether. And to always anchor way out, if only to be away from other boats making a noise and dragging when the wind gets up. Further north along that coast near to the Myanmar border, it's much more peaceful. Koh Phayam, or even better get to Koh Chang, for some of Thailand's best destinations. You can gaze across the Mergui archipelago from there and dream. ♥️
Thailand is lovely, but crowded.
Malaysia's a little less crowded and altogether tranquil once you get to the Perhentians, Tioman etc, but the best is Sabah.
You can't beat Indonesia for getting away from it all: west coast Sumatra's Indian Ocean islands, Anambas islands and Sulawesi to name just a few. 👌🙏 Liz
Whoo hoo!! I got a name check!!
Hehe! Great question too, Bryan.
Damn loved that you mentioned if you don't like how things are going come over and join a non profit! Man good point. Something I thought of myself. I want to cruise. I know if I got involved with animals it be a never ending story
Thanks guys! Very informative. We are considering a boat purchase in Lombok and this makes us more comfortable with the location. My biggest concern is safe storage on the hard as we will be seasonal.
Please drop me a private message by email, you'll find the address in the 'About' tab on our homepage. 👌 Liz
Great episode thanks
Cheers, Philip 👍
Excellent information. Does these countries require boat insurance or liability in marinas? This is always a question people think of as well.
Answered in our previous podcast, John! Check the video description of that podcast to jump to the answer.
I have lived in Asia for ten years and still have next to no understanding of the local culture.
😅😅
The rallies around Australia Perth upwards to Asia or over the top was due to the pirates and foreign vessels attacking, I was in Customs looking after small craft in the Asia pacific region and we organised rallies when we noted possible cause. That was 30 years ago 😊
Hi Ron. I didn't know about piracy issues in this area. I assume these have now passed as we've not heard of anything in that area, except unforgiving seas 😃
@@followtheboat east papua area Lizzy
I both participated in and chaired several rallies out of the west coast of Australia (Fremantle) sailing north (Indonesia). This was in the period 2011 to 2015. The rallies had been halted due to concerns, mainly political uncertainty. As part of our due diligence process, we reviewed piracy and couldn't identify any incidents (going back 20 years) in the areas our rally would be sailing.
Good stuff!
Thank you
Thanks for letting us know! 🙏👌 Liz
I live on the coast in Thailand, Rayong and am thinking about buying a live on sailing boat here. Any thoughts on sailing in the area? I would love to visit Indonesia in a few years.
i don't like how they clearcut habitats so they can create palm oil plantations but i'd still jump at the chance to spend time there
I liked the description of owners yelling at refit laborers and as a result all quit working on the boat.
TBH it was quite difficult not to smile. I'm relieved to say we've never lost a worker over here. Sometimes the patronising tones used by cruisers are difficult to listen to. Telling a carpenter (whose entire family are carpenters and who was born with a chisel in his hand) how to cut wood is embarrassing. I'd have walked off too! 😃 Liz
With culture and language issues, could it be that an American could make money, cleaning, and working on boats from anchor? I am working on learning to do cushions, sail covers, and detailing boats in the states. Hope it will make me money to get by and keep the boat afloat.
When I was working in Mumbi, India, I worked elbow to elbow (literally) with Christians, Muslims, Hindus and we all got along just fine. We worked together, ate together and had civilized conversations about many topics. When I went to the Hindu temples, I respected their beliefs and followed their rules. I was well treated, asked questions, took pictures (where allowed) and had a nice time. I Never felt in any danger, was decently treated by all, and had lots of good local food. I'd go again, for a longer visit next time. 😃👍🐻
Avon Skin So Soft keeps mosquitoes at bay.
Damn, we loved Mumbai! Pretty much for all the reasons you mentioned, but with food being top of the list! It's interesting talking to the locals here about religion. While many may be dedicated to their own religion, they don't seem to hold grudges against other religions, at least not from what they tell us and what we see. I guess what I mean is, their own religion is a big deal to themselves, but other people's religions aren't a problem... as it should be.
Nice one, you hit every nail on the head! Top tip: For animal lovers who want to reduce unnecessary animal suffering and cruelty, simply stop eating them! :)
Oh so true. ♥️ Liz
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime." Mark Twain
A classic quote that hits the nail on the head, Terry. What a shame more people don't (or can't) travel.
@followtheboat sailing and travel i note you are waiting for the SE Trades. Suggests you are travelling west later in the piece. Not sure if you have been to these places before but Banyuwedang is a delighful anchorage on the NW corner of Bali. Banyuwangi is the home of a beautiful yacht club, marina and haul out facility. Highly recommended despite being slightly out of the way. We sailed around the bottom of Bali for a change and thoroughly enjoyed the change.
Anybody have any experience of the Gulf of Thailand?
My dream is to win a jackpot of some sort first, then buy that nice Nauticat or Gozzard I have been eyeing up, and heading across the Pacific on my tour of sea turtle, sea snake, crocodiles, and large water bird conservation efforts and my own benefit of the peace. forever jealous, thanks again.
Why is it all I can find are videos of the Caribbean?? Lol I want to be in south east Asia, way cooler stuff to do On land