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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
SHOWING 9 OF 200 ARTICLES
Ghazni is a major city less than 200km south of Kabul and is an excellent candidate for a day trip from the capital! Ghazni has a population of around 200,000 people and is the capital of the Ghazni province. It is also between Kabul and Kandahar, the capital and default
My name is Caitlin and I have been a tour leader at YPT for three years. One of the highlights of my career has been leading 3 of our Women’s Only Tour to Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been a country I have loved for many years, having a history of collaboration
Imagine planning a trip to one of the world’s least-visited countries only to discover it has a new name. The Pacific island nation once known as Nauru has officially reclaimed its traditional indigenous name – Naoero [pronounced “nah-oh-EH-roh” (or na-O-eh-ro)]. More than a simple change of spelling, it marks a
If you were ever to sit and ponder where the world’s biggest red light districts were, then you may think of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bangkok, or Mexico. The reality, though, is that by far the biggest is Sonagachi in West Bengal, Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Why is this? Well, it turns out
Hotels in India, and Calcutta in particular, can be extremely hit and miss, as well as way too often overpriced. Calcutta Bungalows, though, seems to have bucked both of these trends by not just being extremely good value, but also offering a genuinely unique boutique hotel experience. Located in Northern
Ghazni is a major city less than 200km south of Kabul and is an excellent candidate for a day trip from the capital! Ghazni has a population of around 200,000 people and is the capital of the Ghazni province. It is also between Kabul and Kandahar, the capital and default
My name is Caitlin and I have been a tour leader at YPT for three years. One of the highlights of my career has been leading 3 of our Women’s Only Tour to Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been a country I have loved for many years, having a history of collaboration
Imagine planning a trip to one of the world’s least-visited countries only to discover it has a new name. The Pacific island nation once known as Nauru has officially reclaimed its traditional indigenous name – Naoero [pronounced “nah-oh-EH-roh” (or na-O-eh-ro)]. More than a simple change of spelling, it marks a
If you were ever to sit and ponder where the world’s biggest red light districts were, then you may think of Amsterdam, Hamburg, Bangkok, or Mexico. The reality, though, is that by far the biggest is Sonagachi in West Bengal, Calcutta (Kolkata), India. Why is this? Well, it turns out
Hotels in India, and Calcutta in particular, can be extremely hit and miss, as well as way too often overpriced. Calcutta Bungalows, though, seems to have bucked both of these trends by not just being extremely good value, but also offering a genuinely unique boutique hotel experience. Located in Northern
The current government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has just launched, for the first time in the nations history an eVisa platform. The New eVisa platform removes the need to attend a consulate in person (such as Peshawar in Pakistan or Dubai in the United Arab Emirates). 1. Afghanistan
Pakistan suspends Visa On Arrival (VOA) for nationalities on January 1 2026, making tourists revert to the older Evisa system. Travelers are now required to use updated online application procedures, despite a more liberal visa policy introduced in mid-2024 for many nationalities, including Gulf residents. Although authorities initially moved toward
Following the recent exciting news that sanctions from the US against Syria will be dropped, Fly Dubai is commencing flights to Syria via the Damascus International Airport. Fly Dubai joins a growing number of airlines in favor of recommencing flights to Syria’s capital. Fly Dubai is commencing flights to Syria,
After a short hiatus due to the fall of the Assad regime and the new transitional government taking over, YPT has announced we are recommencing our Syria tours in May 2025. Our tours will now include sites that were previously restricted by the Assad government, including Mount Qasion, Sednaya Prison
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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.
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