Young Pioneer Tours
Blog
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.
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The Wamena Guide 2025
30 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
If you go in search of trekking and tribes in West Papua then you pretty much all roads, or rather flights, lead to Wamena. Located deep in the highlands of Papua not only does the area offer sublime beauty, but also the chance to interact with the tru …
The Jayapura Guide 2025
30 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Jayapura, the beating heart of life in West Papua, is equally as stunning as it is controversial. Surrounded by beautiful beaches, islands, and lakes, this would be the capital of an independent West Papua, but politics means it is not. It is, though, …
Asei Island: The Hidden Gem of Lake Sentani, West Papua
30 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Jayapura, capital of Indonesia’s Papua province, might be your entry point into this wild and underexplored corner of the country, but it’s Sentani where the magic really begins. Nestled along the shores of the breathtaking Lake Sentani lies Asei Islan …
Cambodia and Thailand Are Shooting Again — Is Travel the Next Casualty?
30 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Things have gone south between Cambodia and Thailand. Again. This time, it wasn’t just diplomatic back-and-forth or vague threats on state media. On May 27, a Cambodian soldier was shot and killed in a brief firefight near the Dangrek Mountains, an are …
Shenzhen Guide 2025
30 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Shenzhen, a fast-paced megacity on China’s southern coast right next to Hong Kong, is where skyscrapers race the clouds and innovation hums in every corner. What started as a humble fishing village turned into China’s first Special Economic Zone, now o …
Visiting Teletubbies Hill in West Papua
29 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
Landing at Sentani Airport in West Papua, most people assume they’ve arrived in Jayapura. In reality, they’re in Sentani, a smaller and more scenic town that sits on the edge of Lake Sentani and serves as the real gateway to the region. This is where y …
Ultimate Dushan Guide 2025
28 May 2025 / by Steven Zhang
Dushan County is probably a place you’ve never heard of, let alone considered visiting. Tucked away in the karst mountains of southwest China’s Guizhou province, this small county town is home to a surreal, semi-abandoned “ghost city”. It’s an ideal de …
Trekking With The Dani People In West Papua
28 May 2025 / by Gareth Johnson
While the island of Papua and its surrounding areas are filled with fascinating tribes, one of the most notable and prominent is the Dani tribe. Famous for their warrior-like spirit and of course their penis-gourds, they are much more than just a draw …
Tracking Nuclear Tests from Tristan da Cunha: Inside the CTBTO Radionuclide Station
27 May 2025 / by Morgan Bourven
During our recent voyage to the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, the most isolated inhabited places on Earth, we had the rare opportunity to visit something few outsiders ever see: the CTBTO radionuclide monitoring station, officially known as RN68, …
