The hotel has decent air-con rooms for a reasonable price (I got 50% off the ratecard so barter hard) - nothing special, but better than many. The reason I am recommending it is the staff, who were absolutely fantastic. I arrived in a bit of a state and they took care of me, and went far above and beyond the call of duty in trying to re-arrange my flight home. They could not have been more kind and that makes a big difference when you're travelling alone so I highly recommend this hotel (at least in the immediate future, presuming that the staff don't change!).

Pahar Ganj, on the left-hand side as you walk away from New Delhi station (about 100m down).

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This shop sells a wide range of handicrafts and textiles from its two branches, and is run by a very nice family. Whilst it is very difficult to gauge honesty and fair prices in India, I really believe that I got quality goods at a fair price. They also organised a courier for me, and packaged all my goods up to post (even those that I had bought elsewhere) and did all this for free. Everything arrived back in the UK with no issues, and I know that they got me a good price for the courier as I checked it with my hotel. Highly recommended.

One branch is on the main road leading away from the centre near the clock-tower, and the other is to the left of the clock-tower through the market.

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Don't let the disappointing City Palace in Jaipur put you off visiting the Amber Palace which is perched on a hill-top about 15 minutes' drive out of town. It is beautiful and huge, and full of interesting things to see. I hired a guide instead of the audio tour (but ignore the fake guides at the bottom of the hill, and make sure you talk to any potential guide for a while first to get a sense of how good they'll be) and it was one of my best experiences in Rajasthan.

Hire a taxi in Jaipur to take you.

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The scenery at this inland version of Ha Long Bay is possibly even better. The same limestone karst structures rise up out of bright green rice paddies and you get rowed through on a little boat. It is quite touristy, but much less so than Ha Long Bay - make sure you get there first thing in the morning though, before the big coaches arrive. The best way to visit is to rent a bicycle in Ninh Binh and get them to show you the lovely backroads around the area.

Near Ninh Binh, about an hour south of Hanoi on main highway (buses will drop you there).

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As a tourist, I got a lot of hassle in India from rickshaw drivers, shopkeepers, hotel owners and general touts. The best thing I ever did was to learn to say 'I don't want it', 'Go away' and 'That's too expensive' in Hindi. It makes people stop hassling you faster than anything you could say in English, possibly because it shows that you're not a brand-new arrival to India. Also good is to learn 'my name is...' which gets a great response from local people rather than just replying in English.

Get a phrase book or (better) get someone to teach you when you arrive.

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Instead of trekking accompanied by 50 ponies plus handlers, guides and cooks (which somewhat destroys the peace and quiet of the Himalayas), stay in local homestays instead. It means that you only need a small bag to carry clothes etc, as all food plus water refills and bedding is provided. We didn't even have a guide but used a good map and compass, and it was so much better to be able to go where we wanted, when we wanted, rather than being constrained by a guide's plan. The homestays were fantastic and a great way to meet local people and eat local food. We even learnt a bit of Ladakhi and helped people learn some more English. The company which started the homestay is also a charity which works with villagers to preserve the local environment and wildlife, so you're actually doing some good too. The whole thing felt like a really valid exchange, with everyone benefitting.

Himalayan Homestays - several of the tour operators in Leh will help you book this, but you have to ask as they would prefer to sell you an expensive guided trek (of course). You can buy a map of the homestays, with suggested routes (choice of three) for 150Rs.

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Uncle Tan's is a very basic camp located in the heart of the rainforest near Sandakan. It can be quite tough - squat toilets, lots and lots of mosquitos and mud, long walks through jungle - but the chance to see the wildlife is unbeatable. I saw a dominant male orangutan from about 5m away, plus a reticulated snake, tarantula, scorpion, lots of proboscis monkeys, bearded pigs, hornbills etc. Fantastic place with brilliant fun staff and a lovely communual atmosphere.

On the main road to Semporna, a few miles outside Sandakan (quite near airport) - any bus will drop you off if you tell them where you're going. Make sure you get cash out first though, as there are no ATMs for miles.
www.uncletan.com/

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Sipadan and nearby Mabul offer some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling in the world. I stayed at Uncle Chang's which is actually on Mabul, so you can dive in and snorkel straight off the front of the dining room.

The dorms are basic, but there's a fantastic open-sided dining room/common area with the sea lapping against the supports. The food is good and plentiful, and the price is really good value (50 ringgit per night, full board). Make sure you book in advance though, and tell them that you want to dive at Sipadan, as there are only limited spots on the trip each day and people had to wait a few days if they had just turned up.

You can fly to Tawau from Kuala Lumpur, then a fairly expensive taxi ride to Semporna. The mainland office is next to the large Dragon Hotel on the sea-front, and the boat leaves for Mabul every morning. www.sipadanbackpackers.com/

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