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It’s no great surprise that Myanmar would have beaches. Its neighbouring countries – like Thailand and Cambodia – have sandy coastlines that tourists have flocked to for years. But it’s not what you think of typically when you think of Myanmar. The closest beach to Yangon (and, incidentally, the easiest to get to) is called Chaung Tha. But just because it’s the easiest to get to, doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a comfortable journey. Like most travel in Myanmar, things are not designed for foreign tourists. The only bus from Yangon on leaves at six o’clock in the morning and unfortunately I missed that. That meant a different bus to a town called Pathein and then an extremely uncomfortable trip in a post-war Japanese bus clearly made for post-war Japanese legs. The dozens of bags of rice filling the aisle didn’t help. Discovered at Chaung Thar, Chaung Thar, Myanmar. See more at Trover

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How did I end up dancing in a yurt-shaped ballroom at an old Soviet hotel in Kazakhstan after a meal of horse meat and vodka?? This life is strange (but fun) sometimes!! More info on why I'm in Central Asia soon! (at Almaty, Kazakhstan)

Another action packed day filming here in Canada with @hellobc and @explorecanada! What a great crew I'm working with! About to jump on a helicopter around Whistler this morning - hopefully to land on a glacier!! #ExploreBC #ExploreCanada (at Blackcomb Helicopters)

#explorecanada #explorebc

Hello Whistler!! What a start to my stay in Canada's winter playground - it turns out it's amazing in the warmer months too! I hit the mountains to go ziplining through the forest this afternoon with @ziptrek. Big thanks to @hellobc for the recommendation! #ExploreBC #ExploreCanada (at Whistler, B.C. Canada)

#explorecanada #explorebc

What a view of the Sunshine Coast in @hellobc here in Canada! It's great on the ground, but even better from the air!! I jumped on a seaplane to head to Chatterbox Falls, which you can only access by boat or plane. Can't wait to show you a photo of that soon! #ExploreBC #ExploreCanada

#explorecanada #explorebc

Welcome to British Columbia - what a view from Pender Hill over the Sunshine Coast! It's worth the hike up to the top. I am very excited to announce that I'm in Canada to be the host of three videos about travelling in the country. The first one will be about what you can do on the Sunshine Coast in 48 hours! After this, I'll be off to Whistler and then to Quebec. It's a busy week but a fantastic project to be a part of! (at Pender Hill Trail)

My home for the next 15 hours - on the way to a very exciting project! If you spotted the maple leaf in the photo, you can probably guess I am on my way to Canada! My first time there ever - and I'll be around Vancouver and Quebec. I'll tell you more about this trip soon. It's pretty cool! (at Sydney Airport - International Terminal)

It’s known as the Ha Long Bay of the land. About 150 kilometres from the famous Vietnamese bay where hundreds of islands form a natural wonder is another equally as impressive landscape. This one, known as Trang An, is nowhere near the coast, though. The mountains are connected by rice paddies, not water. You can cycle to them, not sail. And – best of all – they are not full of foreign tourists. The Trang An Landscape Complex is dominated by the large limestone karst peaks which create steep vertical cliffs covered in plants. Unlike a traditional mountain range where the slopes connect to each other in a long undulating stretch, most of these peaks stand in isolation – making them even more dramatic in appearance. See more on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/trang-an-landscape-vietnam/ Discovered at Tràng An, Ninh Binh, Vietnam. See more at Trover

You won’t find this in the guidebooks but I found a street in Hanoi that I just absolutely love. It’s one of the prettiest streets around because of all the vendors selling flowers, plants, animals and colourful toys. It’s a great place to take a stroll with your camera and see all the activity going on. Not exactly a ‘tourist attraction’ but a nice little slice of local life. You can find it at the western end of Hoang Hoa Tham. You can see more of my photos from the street here: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/prettiest-street-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Hanoi, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

This ancient complex is the city’s only World Heritage Site but it is on the list more for its historical significance than for what you can see today. For centuries there has been a centre if political power here but most of the old buildings have been destroyed or drastically remodelled. The old gates and the steps to the old fortress are still there but most other buildings are modern. There is a large archaeological dig happening that will hopefully find some interesting artefacts. Perhaps the highlight are the war rooms and bunkers at the back of the complex that were used during the Vietnam War. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Thang Long Royal Citadel, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

One of the most important buildings in Hanoi is the mausoleum where the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh is displayed. He was the prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and played a key role in the early part of the Vietnam War. Visitors are allowed to go into the mausoleum in the morning between 9 and 12 but – be warned – there is often a long wait. There are also strict rules in place, including a dress code. You’ll also have to leave your camera at the security office before you’re allowed to go in. It’s an eerie but quick experience once it’s your turn to enter. You have to continue walking the whole way through as you go around the body and can’t stop for a proper look. Guards will hurry you along if it looks like you’re about to pause. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

This beautiful temple in the Old Town of Hanoi was built in 1070 and is one of the most important religious sites in the city. It is laid out in five courtyards which you can walk through as you make your way from one end to the other. The first part of the complex feels like a large shady garden while, at the other end, a two storey structure hold some of the most important altars and places of worship. The Temple of Literature is seen as an important site for education and during the graduation season there will be hundreds of students posing for photos and waiting for blessings. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Nhà bia Văn Miếu, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

The Hoa Lo Prison was used by two different groups during its history. Firstly, by the French colonists who held Vietnamese people here as political prisoners, and then by the Vietnamese who held American prisoners of war. The exhibitions on display try to give the impression that the French treated the Vietnamese terribly but the Vietnamese looked after the Americans. You’ll be able to see some of the holding cells and a few reconstructions of what life was like in Hoa Lo Prison over the years. Look out for the photos and flight suit of US presidential hopeful John McCain who was held captive here. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Hoa Lo Prison, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

This art gallery is often overlooked by tourists but it is actually very good with an excellent collection of work from Vietnamese artists. It has displays of historical art periods as well as a decent selection of modern art. The Vietnam Fine Arts Museum is considered to be the most important art gallery in the country and it would be easy to spend a couple of hours looking at all of the pieces. It could do with a bit more information on the best way to explore the building because the entrances to some of the rooms are not that clear. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, Hanoi, Vietnam. See more at Trover

The Museum of Ethnology is a little way out of the main parts of Hanoi and you’ll probably need to organise a taxi or some other transportation to get there. Although it has a good reputation and is well organised, all the information can be a little overwhelming. It is essentially a museum about the different ethnic groups in Vietnam but it can be hard to take it all in. It is much better to visit if you know which areas of the country you are planning (or have) visited, so it makes a bit more sense. The main building has lots of displays and information while the outside areas has reconstructions of traditional buildings used by the various ethnic groups. See more things to do in Hanoi on my blog: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2015/06/things-to-see-in-hanoi-vietnam/ Discovered at The Ethnographic Museum, Vietnam. See more at Trover

Is this the same city I last came to almost a decade ago? Honestly, if they hadn’t checked my boarding pass a couple of times before I got on the plane, I might be digging it out and checking it myself now. Did I really just fly into Saigon? What’s happened to the place? I remember Saigon (or Ho Chi Minh City as I probably should call it, but won’t) as an unbearably chaotic place. The noise and the crowds didn’t create vibrancy, it made it stifling and annoying. After the relative charm of Hanoi, Saigon seemed like it was designed to crush you, rather than welcome you. But that was ten years ago. Now, this time, I see that the city has changed. And maybe I have a bit too. Saigon has entered the age of modern Asia. Skyscrapers are going up in spaces where thin family homes would once have squeezed together above speciality shops. The most iconic of these tall buildings, affectionately known as the ‘shark fin’ by locals, can be seen from kilometres away. See more of my story here: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2016/02/new-saigon-vietnam/ Discovered at Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. See more at Trover

The standard trip for foreigners leaves from the central riverside in Can Tho early in the morning, not long after dawn (or even before) to go up to the famous floating markets. From there, the boats go off the main river and into some of the smaller canals. In total, the trip usually takes about three hours. While there’s nothing wrong with these trips (assuming you are on one of the smaller boats – not the large ones that can’t go off the river), I develop my own alternative. Looking at a map, I figure that I could actually walk to most of the places that the boats go. Sure, I won’t get the views from the water, but I am hoping to see a bit of the life on the shores instead. Read more about it here: http://www.timetravelturtle.com/2016/02/mekong-delta-can-tho-vietnam/ Discovered at Cai Rang Floating Market, Can Tho, Vietnam. See more at Trover

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