What was Democratic Kampuchea? In short Democratic Kampuchea was the Khmer Rouge state that governed Cambodia from April 1975, until their overthrow in December of 1979. Despite its rather short tenure it is one of the most controversial states to have ever existed. And despite officially being overthrown in 1979, the “state” continued in some […]

Welcome to part three of YPT’s far-too-long history of the Khmer Rouge. It’s been something of a personal project that’s ballooned out of all proportion, but ah well, that’s the fun of it! If you haven’t read the first and second parts, I’d encourage you to do so! Or don’t, it’s up to you. Part […]

Dark tourism in Cambodia is a complex topic that often invites both intrigue and discomfort. It involves visiting sites associated with death, suffering, and the darker aspects of human history. While dark tourism can serve as a form of education, it also raises ethical questions regarding the exploitation of tragic events for commercial gain. This […]

Travel during the Cold War was not for the faint of heart. For those brave, curious, or politically aligned enough to cross into the communist world, it was a trip filled with red tape, strict regulations, and often, a hefty dose of propaganda. Despite the challenges, people did visit the Soviet Union, Eastern Bloc, and […]

When it comes to our travels around Cambodia, Battambang is undoubtedly a favorite of ours. This is for many reasons, such as the Bamboo Train and the Street Food, but we can now add the Battambang Killing Caves, as well its Bat Caves to the list. These two sites, while already well known have now […]

South Vietnam was a state that not only existed in the southern portion of Vietnam under a number of different names, but was also one of the most important in the world due to its role in the Vietnam war. The initial modern state that was known as South Vietnam came into being following the […]

Young Pioneer Tours have written extensively about the history of Cambodia, inclusive of Democratic Kampuchea to the Peoples Republic of Kampuchea and then back to the Kingdom of Cambodia. What many people do not realise though is that the country was very briefly known as the State of Cambodia. What’s in a name? Cambodia in […]

Our first port of call and a place we literally hike to from the mountain of Homhil National Park, Aher Beach is a great place to eat, drink, swim, hangout and climb a pretty damned amazing sand dune. To read about Homhil National Park click here. Aher Beach After hiking Homhil National Park downhill the […]

The 32nd SEA Games have kicked off in Cambodia, with the start of the tournament that matters the football. The games being marketed as 2023 Cambodia are being hosted in the county for the first time, so we went to check out day 1. Controversy at the 32nd SEA Games The start of the games […]

Unlike most places on gods green earth activities on Socotra are not based around the capital of Hadibu, but in the countryside. It is therefore on day 2 where we head to Homhil National Park and famous for its Dragon’s Blood trees. To read about Socotra being a haven from war click here. Homhil National […]