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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20 Tips for Travellers to Myanmar (Burma)

Over the past year, Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been opening up to tourism and has seen a huge increase in backpackers recently, with the small amount of guesthouses barely able to accommodate them! Asia's last frontier, the 'real Asia' and the 'land that time forgot', it's easy to see why Myanmar is so captivating to the adventurous traveller. If you're planning a trip to Myanmar, read our 20 essential tips, covering everything from visas, flights and crispy US Dollar bills to wearing your longyi and embracing thanaka bark!

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What’s in This Issue? The Best of S.E.A Backpacker Mag, Issue 18: May / June

They're as precious as a Tibetan visa, as treasured as a passport full of stamps and as priceless as a a love letter scrawled on the back of a Singha beer mat... S.E.A Backpacker Magazine is officially the BEST souvenir you can take from your travels in South East Asia. And with 20,000 copies printed every two months, you can grab a copy at hostels, guesthouses, adventure centers, travel agents and cafes all along the backpacker trail. Here's a mouthwatering taster of what you will find in our current issue (Issue 18: May / June) Have you picked up your copy yet?

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Burma: Stepping Back in Time

Isolated from the rest of the world, Burma retains a sensual, sultry charm. In the summer months the heat hangs low and hazy, trapping the smoke of cheroots, traffic fumes and the heady sweetness of incense. Men dress in longyis (long sarong style skirts). Women’s faces are smeared with thanaka (tree bark). Down on the banks of the Irrawaddy in Yangon, men ferry back and forth loading up dilapidated 1940s flotilla ships with an assortment of wares. Ox-drawn carts clatter through narrow streets leaving plumes of dust. Entering Burma is like stepping back in time...

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Backpacker Visa Guide to Southeast Asia

As a backpacker in South East Asia crossing borders becomes a regular undertaking. Each country has a different rule of entry and some countries will require you to apply for a visa before you travel. As visa requirements often change, for travellers it can be difficult to plan things like budget and duration of travel. Here, we've done our best to compile the latest visa information in South East Asia to make it easier to plan your trip!

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