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In China

What to do in Xinjiang – A guide to China’s far west

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Stunning views on the Karakoram Highway

Xinjiang – China’s final frontier Xinjiang, a gargantuan province making up one fifth of the Peoples Republic of China and bordering Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India is seen by may foreign travellers a China’s final frontier. A piece of land that signifies the end of China and the beginning of Central Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. Much has been written on the subject of Xinjiang, so I certainly cannot cover it in depth in such a short article. However I will do my best to give a very brief introduction. Xinjiang is very different to the rest of Chinas. The Uyghur community which makes up roughly 46% of Xinjiang’s population is culturally, linguistically and ethnically different from the Han Chinese, the most dominant of Chinas 56 ethnic groups and the second largest ethnic group in Xinjiang. Aside from this there are numerous other ethnic groups in…

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In Turkmenistan

What to do in Ashgabat – Disneyland on Steroids

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Welcome to Ashgabat Without a shadow of a doubt, Ashgabat is one of the strangest cities on the planet. Fashioned almost entirely of white marble it’s like Disneyland on steroids. A touch of roman style flair topped off with a healthy dose of communist architecture. In short it’s this mismatch of styles coupled with the genuine oddities that only exist in Turkmenistan that make this city what it is. Getting into Turkmenistan Getting into Turkmenistan is easy if you go with a tour, but its more expensive. The cheaper alternative is a transit visa which whilst being significantly cheaper has a rejection rate of around 60% (some sources suggest it’s even higher). We have more info on that here in our post on the Darvaza Crater in the middle of the Karakum Desert. The vast majority come with a guided tour. This will include at least a day around Ashgabat…

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In Turkmenistan

Exploring the Darvaza Crater – The gateway to hell

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Darvaza Crater at night

The Darvaza Crater – The Gateway to Hell Many people have heard of the Darvaza Crater, but very few people know where it is and how it came into being. Often referred to as the North Korea of Central Asia, Turkmenistan is one of the worlds last hermit kingdoms. The second largest country in Central Asia, it is made up of desert (covering 80% of the country no less), some of the worlds largest gas reserves, ancient ruins and some seriously bizarre sights. For evidence of the latter check out this article on Ashgabat. What is the Darvaza Crater Type Turkmenistan into a google image search and no doubt this is one of the images that will appear. It is basically a giant burning hole in the middle of the Karakum Desert. This stunning spectacle is the result of a slight error in judgement by a team of Soviet scientists…

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In Azerbaijan

What to do in Azerbaijan – Off The Beaten Track

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Old Soviet Truck Xinaliq

What to do in Azerbaijan Azerbaijan is the least visited of the three Caucasus countries. Partly due to the old complicated visa process and partly because of an underdeveloped tourist industry. However there some amazing things to do in Azerbaijan and since 2017 the government has introduced an e-visa system making getting a visa much easier. As a result Azerbaijan is becoming more accessible to tourists from countries other than Russia and Turkey. However, even with these increasing tourist numbers Azerbaijan still remains a country that is very much off the beaten track. Language Issues? At present English is not widely spoke outside of Baku with Russian still being widely spoken above people over 40. For more information about the language barrier in Azerbaijan check out article on the usage of Russian in the Caucasus. What to do in Azerbaijan, getting off the beaten track Ramana Castle Located out on…

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In Hong Kong

Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau

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Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau Hong Kong is so much more than Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, in fact Hong Kong is made up of 261 chunks of land jutting up out of the ocean. The largest of those islands being Lantau, which is filled with great stuff to do including the incredible Lantau Peak hike which you can read about here. However, Cheung Chau, Lamma and Peng Chau, three much smaller islands are very much off the beaten track. Each of these islands offer beaches, great walks, temples and seafood. With their close proximity to Hong Kong Island and Kowloon it makes them and easy day trip from the cities bigger and more illustrious destinations. Do be aware that during the summer months these places can be extremely popular with local Hong Konger’s hunting down a quieter alternative to the cities chaotic heart. How To Get There To…

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In Kyrgyzstan

What to do in Kochkor – Hiking to Kol Ukok

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Hiking to Kol Ukok: Welcome to one of Kyrgyzstan’s most breathtaking hikes. It’s usually done over two days with one of the day having vastly more walking than the other. Although there are trails that go beyond it, the lake of Kol Ukok is the highlight of the hike. We hiked up to our yurt camp on day 1 and planned on hiking up to the lake the next day. Weather forecasts said rain would be coming the afternoon of day 1. Sadly the weather forecasts weren’t entirely correct and it remained pretty clear until nightfall when it began to rain. Leaving us to wonder if we’d made a rather monumental cock up. However when our alarms went off at 5:30am we were greeted with a few clouds and no rain. We then hiked up to Kol Ukok and back down to the trail entrance where our wonderful hostel owner…

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In Kyrgyzstan

How useful is Russian in Central Asia?

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How useful is Russian in Central Asia: When planning a 6 week trip to Central Asia one of the most consistent topics on forums, blogs and guidebooks is the usefulness of Russian in the region. There is a mixed bag of information as everyones experience and language level will be different. As a result our experiences may not be the same as someone else. We can only write from our own perspective. Prior to entering Central Asia we had spent 6 weeks in the Caucuses where we found Russian to be extremely useful, you can read more about that here. Central Asia’s relationship with Russian: Today Central Asia’s relationship with the former Soviet Union is obvious. Wide tree lined boulevards are common in the regions capitals, Lenin statues are found lurking in parks, Lada’s trundle along highways and dirt roads and Russian is everywhere to be seen. The influence of…

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In Vietnam

Exploring the Mekong Delta on a scooter

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Exploring the Mekong Delta on a Scooter Vietnam is deservedly one of the most popular travel destinations in South East Asia, and has been for a number of years. However this popularity does mean that it can be full of tourists. One of the easiest ways to escape the crowds is by using a scooter or motorbike to explore. We hired a scooter and embarked on a two day trip down to the mekong delta from Ho Chi Minh City. Hiring a scooter: For longer trips its obviously much better to buy however we hired a bike for 2 days for $25. We found the company through a google search and then checked reviews on trip advisor. It’s usually better to choose an expat run company for hiring bikes as there a large number of scams that operate from local bike hire companies, especially those located in the backpacker area…

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In Taiwan

What to do in Taipei – Your ultimate guide

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Song Shan Ci You Temple Taipei

What to do in Taipei Welcome to one of Asia’s most dynamic and diverse capital cities. For many this is their point of entry into Taiwan, and it is certainly a fantastic place to start. The city centre itself is chock full of temples, historical buildings, museums and delicious food. However just an hour or so on the MTR or bus can have out in the middle of mountains feeling like you’re a million miles away from the 2.7 million people that call Taipei home. This wonderful mixture of city and nature is just one of the things that makes Taipei such an intoxicating place to visit. Getting there and away Most flights will land at Taipei’s Taoyuan airport which is about an hour or so from the city centre so plan accordingly. Do be aware that immigration can be a long wait if there are a lot of flights…

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In Japan

Is Japan expensive? Making your money go further

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Sake Jars at the Meiji Shrine

Is Japan really that expensive? Japan has had a reputation as being expensive for a very long time, people paying hundreds of dollars for a piece of Kobe beef or a sliver of the finest bluefin tuna. Prices of hotels can be among some of the most expensive in the world. Public travel, whilst incredibly reliable can also make your eyes water. Well, some of this is true and some of it is a little more than a rumour that we have all perpetuated. Many people are put off traveling in Japan for a long period of time because they believe it’s so expensive. This isn’t always the case. We spent two months in Japan and it is comfortably cheaper than Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe and in some cases in is even cheaper than China! It sounds crazy, but here are a few really simple tips that could save…

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In Japan

Visiting the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks

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Sunset over Lake Kussharo

Two of Hokkaido’s most beautiful National Parks Hokkaido is Japans last wilderness, here you will find dramatic mountain peaks, rugged coastline and maybe the odd higuma (brown bear). Very few people make it this far north, which is a blessing for those that do. Offering some of Japan’s most spectacular scenery the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks are well worth the time and effort. Although this article is full of great photos, we have another article of photos from Hokkaido. Getting There and Getting Around Renting a car is the best way to get around Hokkaido. The JR network, whilst being extremely reliable does not cover the entire island. Also public transport in and around the Shiretoko and Akan National Parks is very limited. The size of both National Parks also contributes to the necessity of a car. We have an article on renting a car in Japan with all…

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In Cambodia

2 Days in Phnom Penh

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Crowds at Wat Phnom

2 Days in Phnom Penh Cambodia may be famous for the stunning Temples of Angkor, the rolling highlands of Mondulkiri and Ratanikiri and souths gorgeous beaches. Sadly, its wonderful capital Phnom Penh does sometimes get overlooked. It may not have the lure of some of Asia’s other great capitals, but it definitely packs a punch and is well worth a couple of days. Where to Stay When I first visited Phnom Penh back in 2008, most accommodation was in the lakeside district. Budget guesthouses built on the edge of an extremely polluted man made lake. Nowadays the lakeside no longer exists. There are 2 clear areas to stay, the first is in the north of the city close to the river. Here you will find lots of bars, clubs and partying. This is not really our cup of tea, so as a result we stayed close to the Russian market…

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