For centuries European artists, especially painters, have been coming to Bali to soak in the heady air of complete artistic dedication that is the unique character of the Balinese people. Nowhere else will you find such a diversity of creative skills expressed by so few -- and the "Island of the Gods" could not be a more conducive location.

Northern Laos especially presents many great trekking opportunities. Not only is the terrain very mountainous and largely swathed in forest, it is also home to a dazzling array of highly colourful minority tribal people who still pursue the traditional slash and burn (swidden) farming methods, unchanged for a thousand years.

Koh Yao Noi (Little Long Island) and Koh Yao Yai (Big Long Island) are two sleepy islands still enjoying a slow pace of life located in Phang Nga Bay, only 1 hour's boat ride away from the international resort island of Phuket.

The Mekong Explorer is a sample bike, boat and kayak adventure following the mighty Mekong River from southern Laos into northern Cambodia, including the ancient World heritage site of Wat Phu, the 4,000 Islands, where the Mekong is at it widest, and the Ramsar flooded forests in Cambodia's Stoeung Treng (Stung Treng) Province.