Latest Central Asia Headlines

Lee Ruddin finds many of Sri Lanka’s famous highlights overrun with travellers and spoiled. The overlooked town of Matara is much more to his liking.

Back in the 70’s the surf scene in Sri Lanka is pretty much a paradise, according to Devika A Rosamund. It probably still is.

Charlie Walker tracks the border between Russia and Asia. It’s cold up there but Cally helps him travel a route with absolutely no transport infrastructure.

Adventurer par excellence Charlie Walker runs into legal problems as he fights his way through a forgotten corner of the Soviet Empire. Who knew tourism was so illegal.

Years before Mother Teresa was sainted there was another philanthropist handing out food to Calcutta’s poor, Devika A Rosamund was in India when Major Gardener of the Salvation Army was equally famous.

Adam Jacot de Boinod tours the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius, discovering plenty of luxurious hotels but – strangely – not much else.

Goden Kerr is the master of explaining complex subjects concisely and clearly. In this extract from his latest book, ‘A short History of India’, he explains the birth of one of the world’s greatest religions in 500 words.

These days the Swat Valley’s always in the news for the wrong reasons. Back in the 70’s it was very different, as Devika A Rosamund discovers as she peels off the ‘Hippy Trail’.

Charlie Walker’s latest expedition is tracing the border between Europe and Asia. His start, in the wintry tundra of northern Russia, makes it clear just what a task he’s undertaken.

Sankar Chatterjee flies into Burma and visits its most famous temple, the Schwedagon Pagoda in the largest city, Yangon.

Every traveller has experienced that moment when an unfamiliar environment feels overwhelming and threatening. Back in the 70’s Devika A Rosamund has a wobble on her journey to India.

On her slow journey East towards India in the 70’s, Devika A Rosamund finds Afghanistan provides a vivid experience of a medieval way of life.

Trains are notoriously inexpensive in India, but air flights are also the cheapest in the world. Lopa Mohanty has her head around all the terms and conditions.

On a study course in China, Chris Brauer realises that Chinese students eat to live rather than live to eat. A trip to the Hutongs gives a rare opportunity to find food that doesn’t taste of cardboard.

Devika A Rosamund takes the legendary ‘Magic Bus’ to India in the 70’s, but breaks away in Teheran to continue independently. Her journey suddenly gets a whole lot slower.

The Indian Himalayas are pretty unforgiving, even in summer. So it’s a brave move for Sankar Chatterjee to take his wife and nephew on what he probably thinks is just a winter walk.

On a Beijing to Tehran bike ride, Charles Stevens makes some extended stops in the Steppe around Ulaangom. Here he pays homage to that symbol of nomadic life: the not-so-humble yurt.

In Afghanistan Devika A Rosamund, who’s only ridden once, rents a horse. Perhaps central Herat wasn’t the best place to do this as small boys gleefully send it bolting through the streets.

In an age where Europe was ruled by powerful regional Kings, trade was opening up to Tsarist Russia. Kit Mayers recounts the story of Jenkinson’s Map, one of the first attempts to define the Russian nation.

When Mat Ward decided to use alcoholics anonymous to help kick the habit, he decided to travel the world visiting the worldwide network of this self-help movement. In the province of Tamil Nadu he finds recovering drinkers energised and active.

Adam Jacot de Boinod takes a seasonal tour of Sri Lanka, dangling like a pendant in the warm clear waters of the Indian Ocean.

Kit Mayers follows early explorer Anthony Jenkinson as he travels from Russia’s northern coast to Moscow, deep in the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

Myanmar might have problems accepting its Muslims, but it’s not widely known there are also Jews in Burma. Sankar Chatterjee explores Yangon’s (once Rangoon) only synagogue.

With little spoken Russian but a native taste for local wines, Gabi Gimson travels from Tiblisi to Yerevan, taking in the sights, sounds – and plenty of experiences – along the way.

India’s infamous traffic holds no fear for Jacob Laukaitis as he travels, with a friend, by motorbike through the world’s most chaotic traffic.

Paul Michelson finds his first sight of Pamukkale, Turkey’s famous postcard highlight, something of a disappointment. But he gives it time and finds plenty to appreciate,

A gentle hike through the Bhutanese Himalaya proves a rewarding challenge for Sankar Chatterjee as he makes a pilgrimage to the world’s most remote and enchanting Buddhist Monastery, Taktsang.

Spas are often seen as female domains, perhaps because the process is so dull. But Adam Jacot de Boinod says all that should change as he tries Thailand’s finest.

“It’s a good game, hey.” Christian Cummins finds that cricket has come to symbolize the pride and resilience of India’s southern off-shoot, the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, Ceylon.

Brian W Fisher takes a tour of Southeast Asia’s most reclusive country, tiny landlocked Laos. Distressingly he observes, in the end, it’s a ‘Land of Linear Litter’.

A new travel book by John Gimlette is always quite an event. Despite being possibly the best of Britain’s travel writers he still has to keep his day job (shame) so only writes when he can. His new title describes his travels through Sri Lanka.

Anyone who thinks China is modern and dull should check out the Songtsam region in the Chinese Himalayas. David Abram comes back with this captivating video.

Deep in the jungles of the Chitwan National Park, Alex Jones tracks a rhino by elephant, jeep and finally foot, braving the area’s tigers and snakes. Success, hard-won, is all the more valued.

Myanmar’s photogenic highlight lures Brian Fisher to its shores. But a chartered boat trip becomes a nightmare when the weather turns.

Leon Harwood shows a video where a Jaguar XJ competes with public transport to deliver a lunch to India’s elite. The car wins, but at a cost.

When Brian Fisher decides to travel to Myanmar, he plans carefully. He seems to find Burma without any trouble, and books himself a private tour.

So long sheltered from the outside world, Burma is shyly emerging onto the travel scene. Thomas Dowling says now is a great time to visit Myanmar.

Rails and fast trains make easy work of the great distances involved in travelling through China. Anna Rugg has some tips for travelling on the Chinese rail network.