Whether you’re visiting Leeds or a resident in the city, there is lots to see and do that you may not know about. Luckily for you, we’ve got the skinny and we’re ready and willing to let you into a few secrets in our super insiders’ guide to Leeds. But keep it to yourself, yeh?

Books, books, books
Looking for something with tonnes of history that will look awesome on your Instagram? Look no further than The Leeds Library. Hidden above The Co-operative Bank and Paperchase on Commercial Street (the main shopping street), the little library is more like a little TARDIS (see Doctor Who) of culture. It’s open to the public between 5-7pm on a Thursday so it’s your prime opportunity to pay a visit. Find out more, here.

Down on Dock Street
One of Leeds’ most beautiful streets can be found at the bottom of the city. Head over the bridge to Brewery Wharf, turn right and you’ll find yourself on this lovely little “snicket”, with cobbles and beautiful bricks to boot. Cha Lounge is the best spot for a coffee or a spot of lunch and you can get your beer on at the Adelphi which is just a hop, skip and a jump away.

While you’re there, make sure you get a few snaps in the Monet Garden and the Mene Mene signpost. You may well spot one of the famous yellow Water Taxi’s too!

A City Less Grey
Fancy going on a bit of a public art hunt? You won’t have to wander far to see some excellent examples. The award winning project, A City Less Grey, comes from East Street Arts and LeedsBID. The collaboration commissioned some talented artists to create public artwork to bring the city to life! Head up Kirkgate (home of the hostel) and you’ll see Joe Dickinson’s piece on the hoarding at the top of the road. Find out where the others are, here.

Getting around
We’ve mentioned it once, but we’ll say it again…the Water Taxi! It’s free! It’s yellow! It’s fantastic! What else could you want? Hop on at Granary Wharf and head down to Leeds Dock to visit the Royal Armouries (also free) and have a coffee at North Star.

Our other little tip will help you getting to and from the airport. Don’t stand in the taxi queue once you’ve made your way through arrivals. Order an Uber to the nearby Travelodge or catch the 757 bus. The latter will get you into town on a budget and the former will save you a quid or two. It may even boost your star rating as well!

Found Fiction
Started in Leeds, Found Fiction is an underground literary phenomenon. If you spot a little brown envelope in an unusual public spot and it has the words “read me” or “confidential” on there with two red “F”s, you’re in for a treat! Short fiction left around the city for people to find, read and pass on; what could be better? We suggest you keep your eyes peeled!

Hiding in Hyde Park
If you’re into film then you really should head across the Hyde Park to visit the beautiful Picture House. It’s like stepping back in time and you can get popcorn as a reasonable price too. In November, the little cinema hosts a large amount of the International Film Festival programme but there’s loads of events on during the year which you can enjoy too. It rains quite a lot in Leeds, so it’s one to keep up your sleeve for sure.

That’s just a whistle stop tour of some of our favourite things about Leeds. What’s your insiders’ guide suggestion?

One of our former volunteers, Thea Flindall, is no stranger to travel. Having stayed in hostels across the world, here she shares her top travel tips and hostel hacks to help you find your feet if you’re taking a trip.

1. Do your homework

Make sure you’ve read up on where you’re heading. Knowing a bit about the history and politics of a place while you’re there means you’ll probably get a lot more out of it and avoid a Jeremy Clarkson-esque blunder of ignorance.

2. Keep a diary

Maybe this point is true of life in general and not just a suggestion for the wandering folk, but a lot can happen in the space of a few days when you’re on the road and the places and faces will inevitably blur together in the recesses of your brain.

I’ve never been one for capturing every emotional detail but making a note of the city, the hostel and the people you met, can be enough to trigger the stories and momentary occurrences that will make you smile with nostalgia years down the line. Using Instagram or Twitter to purposefully capture clips of where you are can have the same effect and creates a breadcrumb trail back through your journey.

3. Get your disposable cameras on

Unless your trip has a genuine artistic aim, why not leave the DSLR behind? Disposable cameras are cheap, light and will encourage you to take only the pictures you really want to capture, instead of a stream of identical shots you’ll never look at again. They’ll also cheer you up when they come back from the darkroom just as post holiday blues set in. It also means you’re less of a target for thieves.

4. Make friends with the hostel staff

Since they live in the area they’re likely to know the cheapest and most original places to go, eat, drink, and will be able to nudge you in the right direction to avoid tourist traps. They’ll also be the ones you have to turn to when your passport has disappeared into a watery abyss or whatever other disaster strikes. So, however tired, hungry and sweaty you are when you turn up remember that a smile can go a long way.

5. Be nice to everyone

Even the people who make it really hard. You never know who’s going to catch up with you in the same hostel a couple of weeks down the line and no one needs bad vibes following them from town to town. Travelling can bring out someone’s deepest insecurities, as they’re constantly confronted with new people and challenges, so breathe deep and take the high road.

6. Pack light

If you’re doing a long trip, anything you take will be in tatters by the end. If it’s a quick one, then you don’t need to take much anyway! The lighter your luggage, the more freedom you have to chase an adventure, if one happens to present itself, with no bulky cases to lug around or piles of clothes to pack up. Shocking as it may seem, most countries do sell the essentials and probably much cheaper than back home, so leave the year’s supply of Herbal Essences at home.

7. Always take the cheap route

Occasionally it’s worth spending a little bit extra (meals involving seafood spring to mind as an example although I imagine that’s not a foolproof rule…) but for the most part the cheapest dorms are where the best people will stay; the budget bus is where you’ll have time to see all the views; and the tiny corner bar down a side street is where you’ll eat some proper local food. You’ll end up more patient, appreciative and will generally find yourself with a more down to earth understanding of the culture you’re visiting.

8. Be comfortable being on your own

Sitting alone in restaurants or walking around museums can feel really uncomfortable when you’re not used to being on your “todd”. As you get used to flying solo it can be really liberating so try not to scroll endlessly through your phone in an attempt to appear less alone. Independent and lonely are two very different things!

9. Download Duo Lingo

Learning languages can be difficult if your brain doesn’t work that way. There are so many apps available that can help you pick up at least a couple of phrases while you’re sat on a bus or in a hammock with nothing to do. You can make friends with locals more easily and even chat people up with (hopefully) more success too!

10. Learn to make friendship bracelets

They start conversations, give you a purpose when you don’t know anyone at the bar and are a nice thing to be able to give people you meet.

11. Make few plans

Have an idea of the general direction you might go is useful but if you can avoid it, don’t pre-book buses and hostels. Just wake up every morning and decide if you’re staying or going. If you confine yourself to too rigid a schedule you leave no time for spontaneous trips with new friends, an extra night with the love of your life or that monster hangover that was the result of clearly and definitively assuring everyone that you were ‘definitely having a night off from drinking’.

What are your biggest travel tips? Share them in the comments below.

Islands, full moon parties and beer… that’s all there is to Thailand, right? Wrong.

Before reaching the well trodden Thai backpacker path, I had been a little dubious about what type of culture I’d encounter. I am guilty of being that Western traveler who feared that all Thailand held for me was your typical tourist trail – just more beaches, beer and memorabilia. This image I’d conjured completely dissipated the moment I arrived in Pai.

“If you go anywhere in Thailand, make it Pai” – the wise words of fellow backpacker, Beth. So here I am, in the hippy highland town of northern Thailand. A place that is hundreds of miles from the coastal cries of “massage, massage”, far from buckets of cocktails and views of sunburnt Brits. Instead, I am surrounded by lush green fields, hoards of tie dye and heads of dreadlocks.

We are staying at Easy Guesthouse which, unbeknownst to us, is a hostel-come-gallery. The hosts are artists and musicians -their hostel, in turn, has become an extension of their creativity. The lounge is a space filled with futons, walls adorned with artwork and the sounds of guitar strumming. Since opening, Easy Guesthouse has also become a location for workshops that promote indigenous skills. The hostel oozes a relaxed, creative energy – an energy that is so at home in the hippy haven of Pai.

Backpackers often come here for a matter of days, yet manage to find themselves lost in the magic of the place weeks later. It was only when I was riding my bike through the rolling hills of Pai’s countryside that I began to understand why.

A typical day in Pai could begin with a meditation session, followed by a trip out to the Strawberry cafe, ending at a smoky acoustic night in the town centre. Even a trip to Boon Ko Ku So – a memorial bridge, and one of the most historic of sights in Pai – entails watching a Captain Jack Sparrow lookalike chasing across the wooden slats armed with a sword and face full of black eyeliner.

The quirky character of the town emanates a contagiously relaxed atmosphere. Charming little eateries – decorated with wall hangings, fairy lights and futon booths – invite you to join in the bohemian way of life as you sit cross-legged to enjoy vegan-themed Thai food. Whilst a walk through the night market could see buying hand crafted jewellery, rummaging through heaps of tie dye and tasseled clothing, or even sitting to get dreadlocks…

I finally managed to pry myself away from Pai and I thought my days of eccentric Thai arts and culture were over. I was wrong. It seems its creative ambience is infectious – spreading through the hills of northern Thailand, reaching the towns of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai.

Touring Thailand can, at times, feel like a continual temple trail. But there was something rather unique about Chiang Rai’s many Wat’s, which seem to blend the importance of religion here in Thailand, with art and creativity. Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple), is a contemporary art exhibition that has been completed in the style of a Buddhist temple. The design completed by local artist, Chalermchai Kositpipat, is rich with symbolism.

The main building features a bridge that crosses over a lake of outreaching hands, intended to show unrestrained desire. The bridge teaches the way to happiness is to forego temptation. This creative display holds religious significance – whilst the site is also home to a meditation hall, an art gallery and living space for monks. The White Temple is an example of how Thai culture and faith have blended seamlessly with artistic talent and creation.

The newest addition to Chiang Rai’s exhibition temples, and my favourite, is Wat Rong Sear Tean (The Blue Temple). Designed by the student of Kositpitpat, the lesser known temple is adorned with yes, you guessed it, blue artwork. This artistic impression of a Buddhist temple displayed a truly unique style. Vivid blues and golds of the exterior are matched by the blue and pink hues of the psychedelic-style paintings inside, which frame a great white Buddha.

The finale was perhaps the most famous artistic museum in northern Thailand – Baan Dam, also known as The Black House. The grounds of the museum-come art studio is also the home of its creator, Thawan Duchanee. Nothing could really prepare me for the ‘Black House experience’. An eclectic mix of dark wooden outhouses and eccentric domes display an array of the local artist’s work. He explores themes surrounding Buddhist philosophy, including human desire, sickness and suffering, in a unique way – with the controversial use of animal skins, bones and furs. This dark imagery is paired with eerie atmospheric music to create a surreal and unconventional experience of Thai art.

The temples of Chiang Rai bring a creative element to the spiritual side of Thailand. Symbolism and artistic interpretation has led to a new wave of tourism – an innovative, creative and captivating temple trail experience. It’s this, along with the uniquely bohemian vibe of Pai, that has introduced me to the other side of Thailand – to its hippy haven of the north.

Words and images by Emily Baldwin.

Until now, all I’d seen of Kuala Lumpur was the inside of an airport. As for the Malaysian arts well, my knowledge stretched about as far as the street art shots of my Instagram feed. It was time to rectify that.

It was in at the deep end as, in typical South East Asian fashion, my bus from Singapore stopped and piled us out onto the pavement with little more than a nod. I stood, in the dark of night – between the shadows of towering blocks, amongst the flashing lights of passing traffic – without direction and without trusty wifi…

It would be easy to miss the creative spark of Kuala Lumpur. Every road sign and each transport link leads you to the bright lights of the city centre – to the Petronas Towers, manicured gardens and sparkling shopping centres. As I was exploring the city, I stumbled across Moutou, an an arts collective modestly housed in an old terraced building. I climbed a winding staircase – passing elaborate wall art and studio spaces, before reaching their rooftop bar and urban garden. The entirety of the space was built using reclaimed wood from the surrounding community – its design blending seamlessly with the gritty, urban edge of the cityscape it overlooks.

I spent the afternoon with the artists who created this space. Although some did have a background in fine arts, many spoke of their diverging creative interests – including tattoo and street art. What they did share, however, was their mutual passion for making the arts inclusive for everyone.

It was said that galleries instill a degree of formality and, speaking as someone without an artistic education or background, the white wash walls can create the feeling of a closed space – open only to those individuals who have the knowledge to share in high arts culture. Moutou is trying to overcome these exclusions by providing a space where creative energy grows organically, away from the constraints of the canvas.

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The artists of Moutou felt that the self censorship associated with exhibition artwork has slowly ebbed away at its relevance. This is where they raised the all important question, “why shouldn’t we bring art back to what matters?”. The answer? Well, we should be able to express ourselves in ways that extend beyond the boundaries of a frame – allowing our creativity to spread on to the walls, spill on to the floors and the land that surrounds us. Rather than being closed away to the confines of galleries, our creativity should become a part of the smell, feel and sound of the world we live in.

Moutou provides a space for this – where the bricks are decorated with spontaneous designs, patterns and tags. With events held every week, it is becoming a place to see the artists behind the art, to share in creative energy, or simply appreciate talent with a drink and good food.

These principles extend beyond the walls of Moutou itself. Artist, Aisya Baharuddin, runs a street art festival in her village where workshops are held for children who come to learn about the spontaneity of expression. The annual event serves as a reminder that art is everywhere and that everyone is entitled to artistic freedom. The streets of Padang Jawa have become a unique public display of the community’s collective identity.

This isn’t solely a feature of Kuala Lumpur. In fact, if you find your way to Penang, your eyes will be opened to the official commissioned street art of George Town. The city walls became an open canvas in 2012 when Lithuanian artist, Ernest Zacharevic, was invited to design giant urban designs to capture the culture and heritage of the region. Today, tourists can be seen scouring the streets in a bid to find the original pieces – engaging with artwork to capture creativity on camera.

These pieces of artwork created a snowball effect for the colonial George Town. Local artists were encouraged to join in decorating the great urban canvas, reclaiming a sense of ownership over the streets and adding to the creativity that has since become an international attraction. The old bus depot has to be my favourite spot in the city – where the run down urban jungle provides the perfect backdrop for innovative artwork, which blends seamlessly with the shapes created by surrounding bricks and rubble.

It was more than just the streets of George Town that I’d come to see. I arrived during the buzz of its annual culture month – a 30 day celebration of all things creative in the city. I spent my days walking between tribal photography exhibitions, aboriginal weaving displays and quirky pop up galleries.

Grand old-English buildings line quaint streets, where paint peels from the walls and lanterns hang high above your head. This colonial charm – much like the urban edge of Kuala Lumpur – has become a hub for creative energy. Alternative forms of artwork have made George Town the tourist attraction it is today. A place where people come from far and wide to see some of the world’s most famous examples of street art – all hoping to capture that perfect instagram of them becoming a part of the scenes created by Zacharevic.

Words and images by Emily Baldwin.

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My Indonesian travels have brought me here, to Ubud – a spiritual hub in the central highlands of Bali. If people could have towns for soulmates, Ubud would almost certainly be mine. It seems to ooze a contagious culturally creative energy. An energy that is beautifully framed by terraced rice paddies, tropical jungles and volcanic silhouettes.

Far from the island’s world renowned beaches, Ubud seems to attract a different kind of tourist – those who choose to explore humid jungle temples and sit cross legged to watch an ancient Hindu ceremony over sipping cocktails on the sun loungers of Bali’s idyllic beaches. Ambling aimlessly through the town’s quaint streets you soon become consumed by the vivid colours of the traditional dress, the ringing and chanting of ceremonial prayer and the pungent spiritual scents of incense. The ornate, dark stone carvings of traditional family temples stand tightly between modest boutique shops and quirky vegan eateries – a beautiful juxtaposition of the historical and modern faces that cultural Ubud holds dear.

The streets are filled with make-shift art studios, side streets-come galleries and rabbit warrens laiden with ornate handicrafts. As you drive away from central Ubud, stall after stall flashes past the car window, each adorned with specialist wooden carvings, intricate paintings, traditional Balinese kites and decorative lanterns. Even as you make your way out of town by foot for a wander through Ubud’s rustic surroundings, you may find yourself stumbling across some innovative displays of local artwork. A walk along one of its many winding trails through paddie fields led me to admire a haphazard presentation of abstract illustrations. A number of canvases had been mounted on poles and left dotted along the seemingly remote pathway, almost as if they were road signs warning of upcoming danger rather than someone’s inspired work. It feels as though the streets themselves have become a form of gallery, where artwork is displayed on the only stage it’s creator can access – the dramatic Indonesian landscape that surrounds them – and that is, in many cases, also their muse.

One afternoon, when taking a walk through the rural hills that surround Ubud, I found myself stuck in a sudden tropical downpour. I ran to take cover under a nearby drooping canopy that turned out to be the humble workshop of Kadek, a young sculptor. In typical Balinese fashion, he warmly invited me to sit with him and watch the passing storm. The artist spoke with me about his craft as he sat cross legged, using his toes to balance the chunk of crocodile wood that he was whittling away at with ease. The make-shift studio displayed Kadek’s handiwork – from dainty and delicate Hindu statues that stood by my feet, to great masks that adorned wooden walls. I left the studio to brave the elements once more and found myself running further through the now misty fields, only to see the shadow of another hut in the distance. This time a painter, perched on a tiled floor smiled up at me, then back to his canvas as he blotted at the paint pallet he’d created on his wrinkled hand. I was in awe of the ability these artists had to create raw beauty in such a humble setting, yet it almost felt more special that I had stumbled upon their work by chance rather than in a formal exhibition or gallery. I was able to watch the craftsmen at work and revel in their talent as the sole member of their audience, even if only for a few minutes.

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Authentic Balinese culture is celebrated every day in Ubud through ritualistic Kecak performances. Candles and flames are lit before the dramatic Pura Dalem temple, where the Hindu story of Ramayana is relayed in the form of a traditional monkey chant dance. A chorus of over 100 sarong-adorned men sit encircling the performers, chanting a hypnotic trance and building tension. Bold costumes and theatrical make-up compliment the dark temple backdrop in effectively transporting the audience far from the honking horns of Ubud’s traffic lined streets. It is easy to lose yourself in your imagination when visiting this tranquil town – whether that is during a mesmerising dance performance, somehow finding yourself in amongst a lavish festival or in the simple art created by a scattering of colourful offerings.

Arts in Bali are very much a celebration of local Indonesian culture – paintings illustrate paddie farmers dotted in amongst their crops, whilst carvings depict Hindu deities and textiles display the traditional symbolism of Batik weaving. During our stay in Ubud, we discovered ‘Threads of Life’ – a fairtrade business that has created independent collectives with over 1,000 weavers in the remote villages of Indonesia. The shop-come-museum sheds a light on cultural techniques which have been handed down from generation to generation – whilst empowering the skilled artists behind this traditional art form, in what has become a competitive contemporary market. The wonderfully niche pieces each tell the story of a Balinese legend. It’s stories like this, of the archipelagos rich heritage, that seem to come hand in hand with so many of the individually crafted pieces adorning the market stalls and galleries. This, in turn, creates a unique and distinct Ubud experience.

If you venture from the highlands down to Bali’s south-easterly coasts, you will find yourself in Sanur. The former tourist hub has quietened in recent years, bringing a subtle serenity to its sandy beaches – where wooden fishing boats sway in the lapping tide and traditional Indonesian kites litter the peaceful skies.

It is here that the Artotel can be found, a modest but growing venture that is dedicated to showcasing local artwork in its 3 Indonesian venues (the others are based in Jakarta and East Java). The contemporary hotel in Sanur takes its guests on a creative Balinese journey – from the more conventional rotating gallery in the hotel foyer, to the extraordinary bold illustrations that adorn the hotel walls and the giant sculptures that hang suspended above our heads.

The original design of this Sanur based hotel was inspired by the region’s heritage in crafted kites and its famous kite festival. The full effect of this can be felt as you look from the gallery space to the triangular wooden framing of the walls that seems to flow, almost in waves, as you raise your field of vision up to the great expanse above. This theme is carried through to the canvas canopies of the open roof terrace – akin to the billowing fabric of the traditional Indonesian flag – where you can enjoy the coastal breeze as you take in panoramic views across the ocean.

Local artists were commissioned to design and decorate each of the hotel’s bedrooms. This method has been carried across all Artotel venues, subsequently giving them each a very different artistic feel – one that is representative of that particular creative scene. Their next venture is planned to be in Ubud – a project I’m looking forward to following – where they believe the natural cultural individuality will feed the unique aims of the brand. Much like the Art Hostel in Leeds, Artotel isn’t just about creating a hotel experience, but also about fostering a space for the meeting of similar minds. To encourage not only the sharing of ideas but also building a platform for local artists. One particular creative, backed by Artotel, whose work features in their Jakarta venue, later went on to achieve commissioned work for renowned international brands including Nike.

Artotel provides more than simply somewhere to sleep – using art space to hold events, such as the recent ‘Love is Blind, Huh!’ exhibition. The hotel’s art curator, Safrie Effendi, invited 3 young and emerging artists to interpret this theme and illustrate feelings of love in their own style. Space and time were provided for these local creatives to showcase their talent and to interact with an audience, where they had a platform to share their vision and inspiration. The urban concept of Artotel has been centred around celebrating art in all its forms, of making use of the space within the hotel to share what creativity lies in Indonesia – in this case, Sanur.

The cultural heritage of Bali is emblematic of its arts – whether that be displayed in its art galleries or in its serene temples, through choreographed performances or spiritual daily rituals. Sleepy Sanur stands as a celebration of Balinese tradition. And yet, the urban platform appears, seamlessly, to blend its heritage with the independent and unique face of contemporary Balinese art – where emerging young creatives are encouraged to flex their imagination in new ways.

Whilst Ubud just seems to exhume a kind of spiritual creativity – from grand architecture and extravagantly decorated temples down to the ornate hand-carved patterns of its dark wooden doorways. Ubud is a town where the market stalls display delicate artwork and handicrafts – not just traveling pants and Bintang merchandise – and where the air of the evening streets are filled with the warm tones of live reggae and the rich smell of incense. The urban buzz of Ubud has brought with it a unique artistic energy – which has, much like in Sanur, organically developed to become a creative hub. These Balinese towns have generated the perfect environment fostering imaginative growth and, in turn, have started to act like magnets – drawing in traveling and local artistic minds alike to share in this innovative aura.

Words and images by Emily Baldwin.