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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10 Alternative and Free Things To Do in Chiang Mai, Thailand

You always hear about the trekking, the night markets, the cooking courses and the street stalls of Chiang Mai, but take a second look and you’ll see so much more in this northern Thai town. Want to get away from the crowd at the Sunday Walking Street or blaring reggae and hip hop beats of Babylon Bar? Guest writer, Alana Morgan, takes a very different look at one of Thailand's most popular cities...

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Hostel Bookers – Awards for Excellence 2013: Thailand Scoops Up!

Planning a backpacking trip around South East Asia but worried about cockroach-infested hostels, rickety bamboo huts and crowded, noisy dorm rooms? Never fear! Times have certainly changed in South East Asia… and there are a variety of excellent accommodation options to suit every taste and budget! Every year, HostelBookers showcases the top hostels available, as judged by their customer ratings and feedback, and we have the results right here! Make sure you stay in one of these hostels during your trip...

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Tantra, Karma & Reincarnation! Amazing Interview with Swami Vivekananda Saraswati at Agama Yoga, Koh Phangan

The island of Koh Phangan in southern Thailand is notorious for the Full Moon Party and a hedonistic destination for young backpackers! However, there's so much more to the island than meets the eye. In recent years, it has become a hub for yoga and spirituality and draws thousands of 'soul-searching' travelers who are looking for more than just buckets and beaches. After the New Year's Eve celebrations died down this year, we made our way to Agama Yoga on the beautiful West coast of the island to meet one of the most interesting characters we've come across, the legendary Swami Vivekananda Saraswati. In a mind-blowing encounter we discuss yin and yang, the laws of karma, tantric sex, God and reincarnation!

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Party Hotspots: Koh Phangan – Don’t Miss Rhythm & Sands Festival, 24th January

Spending the festive season on Koh Phangan was never going to be your average chill-out affair, but even for party-fiends like us, the mere thought of a massive three-stage rave-up on the January 2nd (yes, the second of January) seemed… well. A bit… much? Could we handle it? Well, just a tiny peek at the lineup of Rhythm and Sands gave us our answer pretty sharpish: Hell, yes – we could. And was it worth it? Travel writer, Karen Farini finds out...

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The Gap Year Fear! Taking the plunge into the unknown. In need of a safety net?

Deep in your heart you know that taking a gap year is the thing you want to do most in the world – yet you can’t quite bring yourself to make the jump. What if you never do? Can you imagine if you’d never had that first driving lesson or very first date? Sometimes, all you need is a gentle push, a helping hand; support; a good safety net, something to set you on the path to an experience of a lifetime…

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Deserted Island Paradise with No 7-11′s! Koh Phayam, Thailand

A while ago we heard a whisper about a beautiful little island. It’s the ubiquitous backpacker-trail search for the beach that everyone seems to be drawn to. Do deserted white sandy beaches still exist? We decided to check out this hidden isle called Koh Phayam for ourselves.

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A Quirky Side to Thailand… 10 Unexpected Highlights Overlooked by Backpackers

A glo-paint smeared body, bucket in each hand and a night of dancing and debauchery? A perfect palm-fringed, white sandy beach, waves lapping into shore as you sip a fresh coconut juice? Or perhaps, it's the chaos of Bangkok; the colourful markets, bustling streets and glitzy shopping malls? What does Thailand mean to you? Here we present to you a different side of Thailand, a quirky side and 10 unexpected and unusual places that are often overlooked by backpackers...

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Don’t Miss! Culture ONE 2012: Bangkok’s International Outdoor Dance Music Festival

Here at S.E.A Backpacker, we love to tell backpackers about events and festivals that you won't find in your Guide Book. Events that your average tourist can only dream about! Far away from the noodle stalls and tuk tuks, witness an ultra modern edge of Thai culture where the new generation of music lovers are expressing themselves. Forget your phrase book. All nationalities mingle here through the universal language of music and dance. With more than 30 artists in the line-up, blasting out everything from House to Trance, Electro to Dubstep, Indie Pop to Rock, this festival is not to be missed...

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S.E.A Faces & Places: Interview with Ayurvedic Practitioner, Kimmana

As conversations between backpackers begin to include Ayurvedic buzzwords such as "dosha", "five elements" and - heaven forbid - "fasting", we catch up with an Ayurvedic practitioner, to unscramble the mystery of this ancient Eastern tradition of medicine...

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