Chop Chop! Make Sure you Know your Chopstick Etiquette Before you Travel

A lesson in chopstick history and etiquette for all fumbling foreigners. From Confucius to Bill Bryson, we explore the oldest, longest and unluckiest pair of chopsticks! If you're concerned that you might starve rather than master the skill of the chopsticks, don't fear, we're here to help with all the chopstick dos and don'ts!

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As Lonely Planet are sold for a massive loss, we question the future of the travel guidebook…

With Lonely Planet being sold by the BBC this week for a shocking £55 million loss, does this put the future of guidebooks into question? This happens in the same week that we hear Frommers guidebooks, born in 1957 with the groundbreaking ‘Europe on 5 dollars a day’, announce the decision that they will publish no more titles. So what do you think? What is the future of Lonely Planet and the travel guidebook in general? Is there still a place for the guidebook when you are planning your trip?

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Going Back to Nature: The Gibbon Experience, Laos

Just like out of a storybook. It was flying among the trees of the rainforest during the day and seeking shelter in our tree house at canopy level come night. Even the images I saw before embarking on this experience couldn’t do it justice. It was an experience I will forever try to match. An experience I don’t know if I can ever quite match. A journey they call, 'The Gibbon Experience'...

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Newsflash Laos! Is this the END of Tubing, Vang Vieng?

You’ve heard the rumours filtering from the Banana Pancake Trail and you don’t quite want to believe it. What’s that? Noooo! Frame and mount that ‘In the Tubing’ vest of yours... is ‘Tubing’ really over? We spoke to bar owner, Greg Haywood of Fluid Bar and the local Laos government to find out what the hell is going on? What lies in store for the future of South East Asia's most popular party spot? This is the absolute latest news, November 2012!

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S.E.A Faces & Places: Interview with Vang Vieng Entrepreneurs, Greg & Owen

Undoubtedly the star attraction of Vang Vieng, a town on highway 13 between Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos, is the Nam Song River lined with rope swings, zip wires and a multitude of cool bars - a veritable playground for backpackers! Karen Farini catches up with Greg and Owen, 27 year old UK twins, who own the coolest and quirkiest entertainment space in town to get the low down on running a business on a river bank prone to annual flooding, the locals' view of the abrupt change in culture and of course the crazy and controversial phenomenon known as tubing...

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Volunteering at Mr T’s Organic Farm in Vang Vieng, Laos

If you’ve been to Vang Vieng’s town centre you’ll be familiar with the alcohol buckets, 24 hours ‘Friends’ marathons and souvenir shops that compose the backpacker enclave. You’ll definitely be familiar with the popular 'Tubing' scene. You may not, however, have heard of Mr T’s organic farm. It’s only 4km away from Vang Vieng’s town centre, but feels another world away from the hedonistic tubing and party culture that the small Laotion town has become so famous for in recent years. Traveller, teacher and writer, Penny Atkinson describes a very different side to the popular Laotion party destination...

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Joma Fair Trade Coffee: Helping Communities & The Environment in Laos

Joma Bakery is leading the way in Fair Trade, organic coffee in Laos and Vietnam. Working with the Jhai Coffee Farmers Co-operative (JCFC) to cultivate the unique 'arabica' coffee bean, Joma is able to serve coffee that is delicious, ethical and environmentally conscious. The local ethnic groups who work in the Bolaven Plateau coffee growing area are ensured a fair sale price and the plants are grown in an eco-friendly way. Learn more about where coffee comes from in Laos and why it is important to be aware of where your food and drink comes from!

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Off The Beaten Track In Laos: The Bolaven Plateau

The Bolaven Plateau, Laos, home to a cluster of small villages, is less prominent on the standard backpacker itinerary and, despite being only a stones throw away from Four Thousand Islands, has only been lightly grazed by the hand of tourism. Visitors will experience authentic village life amongst friendly chain-smoking locals and discover a magical and hidden watery world of natural jacuzzi's and waterfalls...

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12 Most Popular Islands for Backpackers in South East Asia

Indonesia has an estimated 17,508, The Philippines 7107, (7100 at low tide), and Thailand’s not doing badly either with a tropical paradise to suit every taste. There’s no doubt that South East Asia’s got more than its fair share of beautiful tropical islands. Beaches, jungle, mountains, diving, partying, even dolphin spotting... each sparkling gem seems to offer something just a bit different from the next. We take a look at some of the most popular islands amongst backpackers in South East Asia. Where will you find your tropical island paradise?

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7 Epic Journeys in South East Asia

Some involve arduous days on a hot, cramped bus, some consist of a five minute breezy ride on the turquoise sea... no matter how long or short, there are some journeys from your backpacking adventure that you will never forget! We spoke to backpackers to find out the most memorable trips in South East Asia. From the famous 27 hour Laos-Vietnam bus, to the infamous tuk tuks of Bangkok, how many journeys can you tick off?

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