Getting off the beaten track when travelling is routinely touted as a good and worthy thing, but it almost always requires extra effort and sometimes a little discomfort. Many would argue that any country or region's most popular tourist targets (think Angkor Wat, Machu Picchu, the Taj…

How often have you been watching a film and been awestruck by the location? 'Where did they shoot that?', you wonder, and start plotting your own visit. Memorable locations for me included The Grand Canyon in Thelma & Louise (the final scene was actually shot in Utah!), the mountain…

South East Asia is well known for its jagged karst landscapes, and many people will recognise images of the vertiginous peaks rising from the sea at Krabi and Halong Bay, or the wonderful limestone formations around Vang Vieng in Laos. But while these destinations share fabulous scenery,…