When we arrived in Chiang Mai there were a few things on our list we knew we had to do, from bathing elephants at the rescue centre to wandering the glistening temples this city has too much to offer! Being adrenaline junkies the idea of whizzing through the jungle tree tops on some of the worlds […]
backpacking
The temple town of Luang Prabang Laos: Buddhism, Monks, Rivers and Rich Culture!
After the combination of the chaos and beauty of the one time party town of Vang Vieng it was time for a very different atmosphere with Luang Prabang. This regal and sacred town on the banks of the mighty Mekong is home to 33 UNESCO listed temples and more bright orange clad monks than you […]
Riding up to the amazing Kuang Si Waterfall before hiking through the jungle to a tribal village with Grasshopper Bike tours!
After you have toured the temples of the royal city of Luang Prabang then the next must see spot is just a few km from the town. Heading up to the stunning milky turquoise waters of Kuang Si Waterfall we decided to do it a little different and instead rode a bike up the mountainous […]
Exploring the often overlooked karst landscape of Ninh Binh, A short ride from Hanoi but a world away from the city!
Sitting just 90km south of Hanoi the beautiful Karst region of Ninh Binh Vietnam is often described as Ha Long Bay without the water. Being so close to both the capital and the famous bay itself it often gets over looked by travellers either keen to make more ground up on the first leg of […]
A guide to Hoi An, Vietnam. The lovely town that tourism spoilt!
Hoi An Vietnam was one of those places that whilst travelling through Vietnam kept coming up time and time again, each person we spoke to seemed to come to the same conclusion, a nice place but actually quite horrible in many ways. Knowing how frustrated we get at being constantly shouted at to buy things, called […]
Exploring Vietnam’s Central Highlands on a Motorbike and Discovering the Amazing Dalat Waterfalls!
Heading up to DaLat from Mui Ne the real adventure on our motorbikes was to begin, after being underwhelmed with the touristy coastal town we were ready for a real look into what makes Vietnam so special. Taking the winding mountain roads across lush green landscapes, riding through tiny villages and of course enjoying the beautiful […]
Discovering the real Vietnam with Jack Tran tours. An insight into the lives of the Fishermen, Rice farmers and War veterans on an unforgettable day!
One of the things we love to do whilst travelling is interacting with local people, hearing their stories and getting to know their way of life. Sometimes though it can feel hard to break down the barriers of culture, language and suspicion that can prevent us from really getting below the surface of a country […]
Phnom Penh: The insane Cambodia capital full of surprising beauty and heartbreak!
Many people seem to skip out Phnom Penh when they visit Cambodia, scared by the stories of muggings, put off by tales of a dull and busy city or if they do visit they only come for the Killing Fields and never give the rest of the city chance. We will admit that all this […]
Stand Up Paddleboarding through the mangroves of Kampot on an extra ordinary Cambodian Boxing Day!
So there it was, Christmas Day done and dusted, our first abroad and one which left us with a whirling mixture of emotions as we lay our head down to sleep knowing our family and friends were still up celebrating. A day on the golden sands of the remote island of Koh Tonsay and insured […]
Leaping 36ft into a narrow cavern, ziplining over a turquoise lake and abseiling 100ft over a waterfall: Canyoning in Dalat, Vietnam!
In truth one of the main reasons we were excited to come to Vietnam was for the canyoning, mentioned by almost everyone who has visited as some of the best in the world. We made a beeline on our bikes into the central Highlands of Vietnam and towards the beautiful mountain town of Dalat to […]
Visiting the wonderful Pandas in Chengdu, a look into the lives of these beautiful, funny and charming endangered animals!
For years visiting this place has been on our bucket list. Seeing these wonderful and clumsy creatures in a place as close as possible to the wild was a dream. To see them being so well looked after, protected and eventually prepared for the wild was the most rewarding element of the day. But seeing […]
How to apply for a Chinese visa for UK passport holders!
When we began to plan out the next leg of our round the world adventure we decided on China as our first stopping point. Flying into the north of Eastern Asia before making our way down through the South East and to Australia and New Zealand. We had always wanted to visit China, for many […]
A guide to Beijing, the busy capital of China: From Communism to crazy Chinese culture!
Beijing is the crazy capital of China, landing here was like a whirlwind. The beeping, the noises, the spitting and the smog, it felt a world away from what we knew back home and despite the initial shock we were ready and excited for this adventure out east. The capital might not be the most […]
A guide to fairytale Tallinn, Estonia. The surprisingly Scandinavia Baltic capital!
For anyone who has visited the capital cities of the Baltics you can’t help but feel the similarities and yet their own personal uniqueness, and everyone will undoubtedly have their favourite! For us there was something about the chocolate box cobbled streets of Tallinn, the pastel shades punctuated by the ancient churches, the mixture of […]
How to survive the dreaded night bus! A necessary evil when backpacking!
Night buses are a nightmare, literally! Sitting in the stifling heat packed closely together with a bunch of strangers or shivering away clinging to your belongings… at no point is sleep even mentioned! 12 hours, 16 hours even 24 hours and longer spent sat on a bus. You can’t just get up and walk around […]