Weekly travel reads: The Cook Islands

[The Travel Wire #111] Busan, Malawi, a different view of the Canary Islands, and more travel reads.

Travel reads

• On this South Pacific island, there are no chains, no high-rises, and no McDonalds. And the locals want to keep it that way [Adventure]
“With no building higher than the tallest coconut tree, the Cook Islands’ ‘Mana Tiaki’ spirit has made its people natural guardians of culture, land and sea. But can it stay true to its values while balancing tourism and hungry developers?”

• How one of the world’s biggest ports rose to become Asia’s next great coastal city [CNN Travel]
“Busan is embracing urban planning and building new attractions to bring tourists to South Korea’s second city.”

• Travel is elitist. Social media pretends it isn’t [Fodor’s]
“Social media can make luxury travel seem normal, but most people don’t travel that way. Here’s why it’s time to rethink influencer-driven vacation culture.”

• A different view of the Canary Islands [Jack Montgomery Writer]
“The real Canaries are nothing like their mass tourism image.”

• Europe’s toughest trek? We put a notorious Corsican hike to the test. (archive) [NY Times Travel]
The GR20, a 112-mile hiking trail that bisects the craggy Mediterranean island, is often billed as the continent’s most demanding trek. Here’s an insider’s look.

• Malawi: East Africa’s best-kept secret – but not without its problems [Travel – the inside track]

• Lonely Planet sent us all to the same places. Now it’s worse (archive) [Traveller]

• The winter sun Spain alternative where you can visit Luke Skywalker’s childhood home [Independent]

• Must-visit places in Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s ‘cultural crown jewel’ on the old Silk Road [SCMP]
“A trip starting in the former Soviet state’s capital Tashkent reveals architecture, art and food shaped by centuries of cultural exchange.”

• Convenience stores, toilets and the allure of everyday Japan [The Japan Times]
“Tourists have turned everyday fixtures into destinations in their own right, but the idealized image of Japan they offer can obscure the strains facing locals.”