Four Months on a Bicycle in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi

Backpacker and travel writer Nathan Edgerton spent four months travelling on a cheap bicycle the entire length of Vietnam from the biggest city in the South to the capital in the North. In this article, Nathan gives you many reasons why travelling on two wheels is way cooler than four...

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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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Off the Beaten Track: Conquering Vietnam’s Highest Peak, Mount Fansipan!

There are many incredible opportunities for trekking in South East Asia, from Malaysia's mighty Kinabalu to Indonesia's steaming volcanoes. English backpacker, Selena Black climbs to the wild peak of Vietnam's highest mountain, the rugged Mount Fansipan, and lives to tell the tale...

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Stitched up in Hoi An! Welcome to Vietnam’s Fashion Capital…

London, Paris, New York, Milan... Hoi An! There's quaint little town on the central coast of Vietnam, home to a unique and extremely addictive shopping experience... Here you can have any item of clothing or footwear tailor made for a tiny fraction of what you’d pay in the West – is it even possible to resist at least a couple of small purchases (even if it means lugging them around the whole of South East Asia in your already overstuffed backpack)? S.E.A Backpacker Magazine Editor, Nikki Scott was up for the challenge!

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Backpacker Video of the Month: Six Months Walking in Asia

To discover the beauties of the planet and to make them immortal; to represent the spirit of every magical corner of the world and every culture... June's Backpacker Video of the Month is Marco Giovanelli's wonderful visual representation of his adventure through Asia. It kept all of us at the office captivated and smiling - you're gonna LOVE this..!

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Join the Flash Mob! The Lofi Inn & The Rise of Budget, Boutique Hostels in S. E. Asia

Swanky and elegant are not usually words synonymous with the backpacking world but ‘times they are a changing!’ Gone are the days of travellers-on-a-shoestring having to endure rat infested dorms and filthy beds as a new wave of hostels pops up all over South East Asia...

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Photo of the Month: Forgiven or Forgotten?

Our Photo of the Month for June appears insignificant at first glance - a middle-aged man in a bright shirt, posing for a picture in front of a pretty backdrop; what's so special about that? - but, what it represents could mean so much more...

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Notes From the Editor: Travel and a Simple Twist of Fate

Unencumbered by routine and responsibility, backpackers are free to make impulsive decisions that have the potential to change the next few days, weeks, even years of their lives. Have you ever wondered how differently your backpacking trip may have turned out if certain, seemingly insignificant events had gone differently? Retracing the steps of your journey it is possible to pinpoint those tiny instances that with hindsight literally changed everything, the course of your journey and even your life...

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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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TOP 10 Must Try Drinks in South East Asia

From Thailand's notorious 'Bucket' to Malaysia's beloved 'Teh Tarik' we pick the best backpacker beverages in South East Asia. Healthy and refreshing or devilishly alcoholic and mind-blowing (Have you risked a taste of Cambodia's Scorpion Whiskey yet!?) Here are the TOP 10 must try thirst quenchers! How many tipples have you tried?

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