First-person accounts, guides, ethics debates, and stories from the places most travel writing refuses to cover honestly. Written by guides who actually live in these countries.
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The vast majority of our content is produced in-house, we are always on the look-out for guest bloggers and writers. Want to write for us? Then simply get in touch.
Welcome to the Young Pioneer Tours Blog, the place where we we keep you informed about everything YPT, from current tours, to future tours and a whole lot of eclectic stuff in between.
YPT first started blogging in 2008 and are considered the best North Korean Travel blog that there is.
But, as Young Pioneer Tours have expanded our locations, so have we expanded our blog. Now we have one of the best travel blogs in the world!
And while most of our content is about the numerous destinations we go, including travel guides and what to pack, we also delve into more serious subjects such as the safety of certain destinations, as well as how LGTBQ+ friendly the places we visit are.
By GARETH Johnson 17 APR 2026
How to get a whang od tattoo in 2026
Back in 2023 I wrote the quintessential guide for how to get a Whang Od tattoo, which involved driving a lot and then embarking on a hell on earth 3 hours each way (depending on fitness) hike. Well a lot has changed since then with not only a new bridge being built, but there also being perhaps the worlds least safe “cable car”…
Nauru is one of the least visited countries in the world, but its presence is far greater than the proportion it occupies on the world map. In 2026, the Republic
Goroka Airport is one of the best, least corrupt and most reliable in Papua New Guinea! This is though economies of scale and this does not mean it is perfect.
From ancient alleyways to modern waterfront elegance, Jakarta’s two Chinatowns tell a remarkable story. Most great cities have a Chinatown. Jakarta has two. One is steeped in centuries of history,
Two tourists were shot during the Baliem Valley Festival in West Papua on August 8, bringing the region’s biggest cultural festival to an early end and prompting a security operation
Nauru is one of the least visited countries in the world, but its presence is far greater than the proportion it occupies on the world map. In 2026, the Republic of Nauru officially changed its English name to the Republic of Naoero. This article will take you through the background
Goroka Airport is one of the best, least corrupt and most reliable in Papua New Guinea! This is though economies of scale and this does not mean it is perfect. In fact, there are a lot of idiosyncrasies related to flying in and out of Goroka, not least time of
From ancient alleyways to modern waterfront elegance, Jakarta’s two Chinatowns tell a remarkable story. Most great cities have a Chinatown. Jakarta has two. One is steeped in centuries of history, where incense drifts through ancient temples and narrow lanes overflow with traditional medicine shops, street food, and family-run businesses. The
Two tourists were shot during the Baliem Valley Festival in West Papua on August 8, bringing the region’s biggest cultural festival to an early end and prompting a security operation in the surrounding area. The shooting took place near the entrance to the festival in Walesi, Jayawijaya Regency, in Highland
While YPT have somewhat branched out from purely communist tours since our inception, we still offer some great trips for red tourists out there. The good news, though, is that you do not have to be a card-carrying member of the Bolshevik Party to join! Quite the contrary, in fact.
Turkish Airlines will resume flights from Istanbul (IST) – Minsk (MSQ) after they were cancelled in 2022 following the start of the so called Russian special military operation in Ukraine. The flights, which are due to resume on September 21st, 2026, will initially consist of 6 flights per week before
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EDITOR’S CHOICE
Every article on this blog is written by someone who has actually been to the place they are writing about. No armchair analysis. No speculative itineraries.
Founder • NK Guide
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C0-Founder • Leading Guide
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Norwegian-Vietnamese Traveller
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Founder • NK Guide
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