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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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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Off the Beaten Track: Motorbike Adventures in Central Laos

Luang Prabang, Vang Vieng, Vientiane. There's loads more to see in Laos than these three places! Backpacker Michael Alty describes his off the beaten track adventure on 'the loop' - a four day motorbike trip starting from the small village of Tha Kaek in Central Laos.

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Sumatra, Indonesia: The Forgotten Island

It’s a land that is often overlooked by backpackers on the well trodden South East Asian trail, yet Sumatra, the largest of Indonesia's 17,000 islands is an absolute gem. Located just hours away from the tourist laden shores of Thailand and Malaysia, it's people must be wondering what the other countries in Southeast Asia have that it doesn't. Amazing scenery, volcanoes, surf beaches, rainforests, enormous lakes, friendly locals and dirt cheap accommodation. What more could a backpacker ask for?

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