Pulau Tioman - South Pacific in the South China Sea

Pulau Tioman (Tioman Island) lies 40km or so off the East coast of Malaysia and can be reached by high-speed ferry that runs several times a day from the port of Mersing. The West coast is inhabited for most of its length, and there are numerous small villages with very basic "chalet" type accommodation and also a couple of plush but not cheap resorts for those with deeper pockets. I stayed for a week and a bit in Salang Sayang in the North West of the island, in what I would call a shed-with-a-bed (with shower and aircon) for around £20 a night. Fan-only chalets can be had for around £15.



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The interior of the island is still relatively inpenetrable mountain and rain forest, except for a couple of recognised trek routes up and over from the West coast to Juara on the East. Even if treking through jungle is not your thing, the wildlife around the coast is interesting and accessible. Long-tailed macaque monkeys are everywhere. They can be entertaining and amusing but also mischievous and larcenous so care is needed. Monitor lizards are easy to spot in the many creeks that feed into the sea. Bird life abounds - around the coast I filmed white-bellied sea eagles and purple herons among others. The interior of the island is a haven for creepy-crawly lovers with fascinating  insect life and 25 species of snake - including pythons and the king cobra.

Roads less travelled in Cambodia

Cambodia's famed and much visited temple at Angkor Wat is becoming so clogged by tourists that many people report that they could not enjoy the visit there. But I have heard from fellow travellers that there are literally thousands of temples and other historical sites in Cambodia which are off the beaten tourist track and can be enjoyed in a much more relaxed way.

The BBC has a short video report on just this subject, which if you are planning a trip to Cambodia, is well worth a look. It could save you queuing up with thousands of other tourists and better still give you a glimpse of the yet unspoiled treasures of this country.

I feel sure that by choosing these "roads less travelled" you get to see a lot more of the "real" country and its people. This type of travel appeals to me far more than well-trodden tourist hot-spots. So I am now planning to get off the beaten track in Cambodia during March before making my way through the North of the country and into southern Thailand in time for the water celebrations of Songkran in April - but well away from the tourist traps of Phuket and the like!