If you’ve been watching Our Planet on Netflix then you’ll know about the impact of overfishing on the diversity of our precious oceans, but you’ll also see it for yourself by walking down the street in a Vietnamese beach town….
How to visit the Plain of Jars in Laos on a budget
The Plain of Jars in Laos is one of Asia’s more mysterious and less-visited attractions so it is ideally placed for losing the crowds. The exciting news is that it’s on track to receive UNESCO heritage status in the summer…
What does the Cat Ba langur’s fate tell us about Vietnam’s extinction rate?
When I visited Cat Ba Island to see Vietnam’s famous Halong Bay, I was excited to see not only its incredible beauty, but it’s blonde-haired endemic langur population too. The Cat Ba langur lives in the karst hills of the…
Visiting Hue’s abandoned water park of Thuy Tien in 2019
Visiting Central Vietnam’s abandoned water park of Thuy Tien in 2019 was a highlight of Hue for me. I’ve written this post for all those visiting Thuy Tien in 2019 as some of the information about coming here is out…
Visiting the beautiful Kong Lor Cave in Laos on a budget
Kong Lor Cave (or Tham Kong Lor) is a karst limestone cave in Phu Hin Bun National Park in Laos that has the Nam Hin Bun River running through it and it was one of my favourite places in Laos….
7 très bien cheap or free things to do in Vientiane
Vientiane is one of the sleepiest capital cities that I’ve ever visited, and some travellers do complain that it’s boring. Laos in general, is a deeply relaxed country and its towns and cities tend to quite compact so they’re very…
The reality of visiting Northern Thailand during the ‘burning season’
We visited Chiang Mai in April, just before the Songkran Festival and the air was so hazardous that the authorities were considering cancelling the festival. It definitely tarred the experience of Northern Thailand for me and I’ve had bad times…
Your guide to watching a traditional water puppet show in Vietnam
Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital as well as one of its most happening cities and it’s a great place to engage in the culture, including traditional shows like the water puppet show which I absolutely loved and would be great for…
11 top tips for dealing with monkeys while travelling in Asia and beyond
I’ve always been a big fan of monkeys and I’ve even worked with them, but travelling in South Asia really tested that love at times! While in South Asia I encountered moments of aggression or harassment in Nepal, India and…
War, Gill Nets and Dams: The Devastating Plight of the Mekong River Dolphins
The Mekong River in Laos is undoubtedly beautiful, but beyond the gorgeous sunsets, happy pizza parlours and sedate stilt houses, lies the irreparable threat of extinction. I came to Don Det in the 4,000 islands after reading the blogs, seeing…
5 tips for dealing with stray dogs while travelling
I absolutely love dogs but stray dogs can be a nuisance when travelling, especially if you don’t encounter unfriendly dogs at home. I’ve had wonderful experiences with dogs on my various trips, but I’ve also encountered aggressive dogs, especially in…
Backpacker Confessions: The worst journey that I ever went on in India
People react in different ways when you tell them that you’re going to India as the perception of this country is so polarised. They assume that you’ll either find yourself or that you’ll spend the trip in abject misery. If…