It’s synonymous with idyllic, luxury holidays but few would realise how troubled the Maldives is.
WE’VE been frightened away from Egypt, forced to rethink Turkey and absolutely banned from going anywhere near Syria.
These were destinations holiday-makers loved to visit until violence and political upheaval made them no-go zones.
But there are other, perhaps some surprising, spots around the world on the verge of erupting into a hell of their own, because trouble — or a new wave of trouble — is brewing in paradise.
THE MALDIVES
Protesters take to the streets in the Maldives in August.Source:Supplied
It’s a quintessential tropical paradise and a playground for the rich and famous, but the political situation is growing increasingly fragile in the Maldives.
The archipelago is facing more civil unrest as support for democratically-elected President Abdulla Yameen continued to plummet, and as more locals leave the Muslim country to fight in the Middle East with Islamic State and other militant groups.
Some 200 Maldivians are believed to have done this, making the Maldives the largest foreign contributor of fighters per-capita.
“It makes me very, very scared to see what is happening there,” said Azra Naseem, who was born in the Maldives and now specialises in researching Islamist radicalism at Dublin University.
In October, the Maldives announced it was leaving the Commonwealth.
About 7000 Australians travel to the Maldives every year. While the Australian government deems most of the country safe, it urges travellers to exercise a high degree of caution in the capital, Male Island, “due to the possibility of civil unrest and the threat of terrorist attack”.
“Australians in the Maldives should avoid all demonstrations, protests, and large public gatherings, particularly in Male, as they may turn violent,” the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said.
“Australia and Australians are viewed by IS and other terrorist groups as a target for terrorist attacks. Even in cases where attacks may not specifically target Australian interests, Australians could be harmed in indiscriminate attacks or attacks aimed at others.”
INDONESIA
Indonesian soldiers patrol at Monas, the national monument, in Jakarta, on Friday ahead of a much-hyped protest by Muslim hardliners against the city’s popular governor. Picture: AP/Achmad IbrahimSource:AP
Indonesia is one of Australia’s most-loved holiday destinations, but away from the boozy beaches of Bali, hard line religious groups are gaining momentum.
Large protests took place in Jakarta on Friday, after the city’s Christian governor told a fishing community they were “deceived” by a verse in the Koran barring Muslims from electing a non-Muslim leader. With almost 203 million people — or 87 per cent of the population — devoted to Islam, Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim country.
Thousands of police officers and soldiers were deployed across the capital this week amid fears of an attack by al-Qaeda-affiliated group Jemaah Islamiah. In August, a militant was arrested in the western island of Sumatra — suspected of plotting an attack in Bali. In July, terrorists attacked a police station in the central Javanese city of Solo.
“Extremists in Indonesia may seek to carry out small scale violent attacks with little or no warning,” DFAT advises. Since 2010, attacks have been foiled in many provinces on the major islands of Java, Sulawesi and Sumatra. The Australian government says gatherings of tourists at places of worship or on days such as Christmas can increase the likelihood of an attack.
Australians are exercise a high degree of caution across the country. They should reconsider the need to travel to provinces of West Papua and Sulawesi, both of which are popular with tourists for their idyllic coral reefs and well-preserved national parks.
MADAGASCAR
The political climate is fragile in Madagascar in the wake of a core-shaking coup in 2009.Source:istock
Madagascar is famous with travellers for its picturesque landscapes and unique wildlife, including lemurs and chameleons.
But behind its family-friendly facade, the island nation has been deeply troubled for decades and remains especially fragile after a 2009 coup that sparked five years of political deadlock and tough sanctions.
President Hery Rajaonarimampianina’s rise to office in 2013 was meant to bring fresh hope to Madagascar, but moves by the National Assembly to impeach him has left his supporters and opponents bitterly divided.
Tensions erupted in June when two people were killed and at least 50 others were injured in a grenade explosion during Independence Day celebrations in the capital Antananarivo.
Protests are ongoing, especially in central Antananarivo, and small explosives have been found throughout the city.
Violent confrontations between bandits and security forces have increased in the southern region of Anosy. In June, bandits attacked a bus in the south of Ankazoabo, killing 29 people.
The country’s main tourist magnet, Nosy Be island, is famous for its sandy white beaches as much as for its seedy underbelly of sex tourism and mob justice.
Last year, 37 people faced trial for lynching two European tourists and a local man wrongly accused of murdering a young boy on the island.
The Australian Government warns travellers to exercise caution in Madagascar and avoid violent Batterie Beach.
THE PHILIPPINES
Police examine the body of an alleged drug dealer who was executed on a Manila street as part of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. Picture: Dondi Tawatao/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
On the one hand, the Philippine destination of Boracay was named the best island in the world in October, confirming the country’s popularity among tourists.
In many other parts of the country, including the ever-popular hub of Manila, the threat of terror attack and crime remains high — and the Philippines government has responded by declaring a state of lawlessness.
Simmering tension in the Philippines erupted in chaos in September when 14 people were killed and more than 70 were injured in a terror attack at a night market in Davao City.
The shocking attack came as the country’s president and Davao City’s former mayor, Rodrigo “The Punisher” Duterte, carried on with his extraordinary crackdown on drug crime across the country. Almost 4000 people have been killed since Duterte called on authorities and citizens to kill drug users and dealers on sight.
Duterte made headlines recently for calling US president Barack Obama “a son of a wh*ore” and has been outspoken against his country’s former colonial power.
DFAT urges Australians to travel with caution across the Philippines but to reconsider travel to Eastern Mindanao due to the “very high levels” of violent crime and high threat of terrorist attack and kidnapping. Australians should avoid Central and western Mindanao, including the Zamboanga Peninsula, and the Sulu Archipelago and southern Sulu Sea area.
“The Philippines – especially Manila — can be dangerous in places, if you don’t know
where you’re going,” travel safety expert Phil Sylvester, from Travel Insurance Direct, told news.com.au.
“The far south has been dangerous for years now thanks to the kidnap-crazy rebels, but the beaches and tourist destinations remain relatively safe.”
THAILAND
Thailand faces an uncertain future without its beloved king, the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Picture: Paula Bronstein/Getty ImagesSource:Getty Images
Undoubtedly one of Australia’s favourite places for a holiday, Thailand has been plunged into an uncertain future following the October death of revered king Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The late monarch was a constant symbol of unity in a fractured kingdom wracked by tumultuous change, including a number of coups, during his seven-decade reign. His death has prompted a year of mourning in Thailand and muted revelry in tourist hot spots, including Bangkok.
Thailand’s military junta — which seized power in a 2014 coup — is expected to strengthen its strong grip on the country until King Bhumibol’s son, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, is confirmed as the new king in December.
The crown prince lacks the popularity of his father and has built a reputation among Thai people for his bizarre behaviour, violent temper, womanising and cruelty.
The king’s death comes at an already tumultuous time for Thailand, where DFAT considers the security situation to be “potentially volatile”. Anti-coup demonstrations have erupted in violence and clashes with authorities have turned deadly. The Australian government says travellers should “stay well clear of any demonstrations, political events, rallies, processions and large-scale public gatherings, as they may turn violent”.
The advice to Australians is to travel with caution across Thailand but avoid the southern provinces of Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla, where there is ongoing terror attacks and almost daily bombings.
Travel expert Phil Sylvester said: “The year-long period of mourning will probably keep a lid on simmering tensions between red shirts [originally supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra] and yellow shirts [opponents of Thaksin]… for now.
One reported dead in Jakarta protests0:51
Indonesian police say one person has died and 12 others injured after a Jakarta protest turned violent.