We Love Travel. Do You? Why Not Make a Living out of Doing What You Love?

As philosopher Confucius said 2,500 years ago, “Choose a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.” Today, the likes of Tim Ferris with his book ‘The Four Hour Work Week’ and a host of other ‘Digital Nomads’ have become famous for promoting the concept of pleasure over grind. But is it as easy as that? How do you fund your life of adventure? We check out the website, 'We Love Travel', which helps people turn their passion into a lifestyle...

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Exploring Phuket’s Little-Seen Old Quarter

Sip milky iced tea while listening to melodic jazz from a street café. Haggle over homemade batik at a Malay fabric shop. Just a few reasons, says travel journalist Leigh-Anne Hunter, to ditch the beach for a day and wander through Phuket’s fascinating, but little-seen Old Quarter...

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7 Unusual Delicacies in South East Asia!

It’s a test of manhood, there’s no going back now… Surrounded by your newly made travel buddies, you stare nervously at the morsel now on the plate in front of you. You just can’t wimp out now – or can you? Surely a buffalo’s anus is nutritious and delicious right? Err… As a backpacker in South East Asia, you're sure to come face to face with a bizarre and unusual dish or two. Here's our pick of South East Asia's strangest delicacies. Would you dare to tantalize your taste buds with the following exotic delicacies?

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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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Review: Bangkok’s Cool Hangout Hostel, Lub d – more than just a bunk bed!

Every now and again, we’re asked to review a hostel in South East Asia, which makes us nervous. Running S.E.A Backpacker Magazine for over three years, we’ve crossed the threshold of countless hostels and dumped our backpacks on more beds than we can remember. There’s a lot of trying and testing been done – WIFI, breakfasts, staff and their local knowledge... After all this time, what can we say? To tell you the truth, we’ve become rather fussy buggers! So will Lub d Hostels in Silom and Siam, Bangkok pass the test?

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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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