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.
While 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.
You can also check out our sister publication YPT Life.
Check out and subscribe to the YPT Blog and travel magazine
31 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
As main part of Bosnia and indeed of the old Yugoslavia there are a lot of cool things to do in Mostar. Therefore YPT have curated our list of the best “things” to do in Mostar, as well as some check food and drink recommendations. So, in classic YPT s …
31 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
If you’re trying to get from Siliguri to New Delhi by train, you’re not alone. This is one of the more essential overland routes in India, connecting the eastern edge of the country near the Himalayan foothills to the chaos and sprawl of the capital. A …
31 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Although mostly famous for its tea, this engaging city up in the Indian mountains is also a huge local, as well as international tourist draw. And seeing as we just went here, we decided to put together the Ultimate Darjeeling Guide! Why? Quite simply …
31 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Everyone knows about Ukraine and Gaza. Those two wars dominate headlines, CNN screens, and Twitter feeds. But the reality is there are plenty more active conflicts burning all over the planet that barely get a mention or have slipped off the global rad …
28 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
The YPT Xian Guide! Xian, (or Xi’an, depending on how much you like to confuse yourself) is one of China’s oldest cities and its original capital. For over a thousand years, it was the seat of multiple dynasties, a hub on the Silk Road, and home to one …
25 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
After decades of war peace was achieved and a new autonomous political system of Banda Aceh was set up. Most importantly this has led to Sharia Law and to a degree peace. What though exactly is the “system” and is Banda Aceh now the most Islamic State …
23 July 2025 / by Will Martin
You might be wondering what languages do residents of Banda Aceh speak? Well as the name suggest, locals speak Acehnese (Basa Acèh) as well as Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). In formal settings, i.e government education, news etc Indonesian is spoken. I …
23 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Lasting for almost 30 years the Banda Aceh conflict saw the local Acehnese population fight a bitter war for independence or at the very least some form of autonomy. This carried on alongside the many other conflicts in Indonesia until the 2006 tsunami …
23 July 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
While unlikely to be taking the world by storm any time soon, the food in Banda Aceh fits nice and snuggly within the broader Indonesian cuisine genre, while also offering some choice local specialities. This means that while Banda Aceh cuisine might n …