By Paul Tavner

.

The Indian subcontinent, stretching from the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to the white sandy coves of Kanyakumari in the south, is one of world’s most popular destinations for travellers in search of diverse experiences. After all, South Asian countries have a distinct energy that combines the spiritual, natural, cultural and human.

Travellers make their way to a Himalayan destination on yak back, accompanied by local guides

The pace of life in South Asia, particularly some of the larger cities, can seem chaotic and disorienting, sometimes even overwhelming to newcomers. While this feeling is usually assuaged after a short period of acclimation, many people still prefer to plan a visit in advance, thereby minimising the sense of first-arrival confusion and dislocation. Fortunately, these people are finding recourse in the growing number of businesses offering their services online.
Read More…

Posted under General, India, Nepal, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

By Carmelina Ricciardello

.

This article was first published by our friends at The International Ecotourism Society, who have agreed to its republication here.
View the original article on their Your Travel Choice blog.

.

On the geographical map of Italy, at the bottom of the peninsula, lies the island of Sicily, which looks like a football being kicked away by the boot of the Italian peninsula. This might be the heartfelt wish of some Italians, mainly because of the island’s historic link with the mafia. I live in a quiet little village of Sant’Ambrogio, just five kilometres from a bustling tourist town. Founder of Sicilian Experience, I’m a firm believer that Sicily can become known as a haven for ecotourism and sustainable tourism opportunities, rather than for its Il Padrino (The Godfather) reputation.

Coastal view of Sant’Ambrogio e Rocca

Read More…

Posted under General, Italy, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

By Ashley Hiemenz

.

It is well known that animals are a powerful tourism catalyst throughout the world. However, after the tragic death of Dawn Brancheau at Orlando SeaWorld on February 22nd, many questions have again been raised about the exploitation of whales and dolphins as entertainment. SeaWorld, owned by Blackstone, is a profitable business that fills its stadiums day after day with thousands of viewers eager to watch animals do circus tricks. The animals live and perform in pools the conditions of which have been likened to a human spending the rest of his or her life in a bathtub.

The spinner dolphin is common to the waters of Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, and most famous for its acrobatic displays. Some have been seen completing 14 spinning jumps one after another.

Read More…

Posted under Estonia, General, Malaysia, South Africa, opinion, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

By Johnny Hogue

.

As perhaps the premier Mediterranean destination for diving, Kaş, located on the south coast of Turkey, frequently mesmerises first-time visitors. It seems to have a magical quality that people return to again and again. This is particularly true for scuba divers and snorkelers, who discover in Kaş’s waters its unusual shore formations, ancient and modern wrecks, reefs, canyons and large caves.

Around Kaş, Turkey, the crystal-clear turquoise Mediterranean Sea, purified by local currents, offers excellent diving conditions

In fact, the Turkish diver community has declared the nearby rocky reefs to be the country’s best. In the waters of Kaş, lucky divers can thrill to a swim alongside a gentle giant sea turtle or the rare Mediterranean monk seal, both carefully protected. Schools of dolphins sometimes race a dive boat out of the Kaş marina. Groupers appear on almost every dive, along with schools of calamari and small barracuda.
Read More…

Posted under General, Turkey, countries, local tips, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

This article was first published by our friends at Intrepid Travel, who have agreed to its republication here.
View the original article on their Intrepid Express Blog.

.

Faced with the daunting experience of landing in a strange city for the first time, sometimes it feels like our fate is in the hands of the gods. So these tips from Intrepid’s Danielle Jeffreson will help your Thailand holiday get off to a great start.

The floating markets of Bangkok draw both locals and tourists in Thailand (photo courtesy of Alison Agnew)

Read More…

Posted under General, Thailand, countries, local tips, responsible travel

By Ethan Gelber

.

A Local Travel movement is finding its legs. Strong legs. Last weekend, in a step to find good solid ground upon which to exercise those legs, I published two blog posts about it, one on Lonely Planet’s Travel Blog hosted by Yahoo!7 Travel in Australia and the other on The Brooklyn Nomad’s blog.

It’s true. Local Travel’s here. It’s a small new movement, but it’s gaining momentum. Stay tuned for more…

Lonely Planet’s Travel Blog (hosted by Yahoo!7 Travel in Australia)

On 17 December 2009, I wrote a post about the misunderstood merits of Local Travel on Lonely Planet’s Travel Blog hosted by Yahoo!7 Travel in Australia.

Judging by the glowingly supportive comments, I apparently tapped a rich vein of local travel enthusiasts eager to lend credence to a cause.

Given that, I was invited by Lonely Planet to write a follow-up post, digging a little deeper into the fertile earth I’d found. That text – Get Lost, Go Local – has again fielded some welcome input from readers.

Read More…

Posted under media, opinion, responsible organisations, responsible travel, responsible travel news, responsible traveller, whl.travel newsletter

By Ethan Gelber

.

The lion is one of the Big Five found in Kruger National Park, the country’s largest game reserve and a superb place for a safari (photo courtesy of South African Tourism)

The clock’s ticking. Every hour we move closer to 4pm South Africa time on 11 June 2010, when the World Cup 2010 kicks off in Johannesburg’s Soccer City Stadium. The anticipation is palpable, but so is the growing frustration and sometimes anger about the absurd room rates and out-of-focus travel opportunities in a country driven by high expectations.

So what are you to do? Are there reasonably priced accommodation options anywhere in South Africa? How can one find exciting and responsible travel options beyond the pomp of a month of games? And, as we’ve written about already, is there any way of ensuring that some of the money spent will be fairly distributed, so that the inflated profits benefit as wide a cross-section of people as possible, not just the already rich and powerful?
Read More…

Posted under General, South Africa, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, responsible travel news, whl.travel newsletter

By Maureen Valentine

.

The diamonds that were once harvested from the national park of the Chapada Diamantina (or Diamond Highlands) are only the tip of a precious natural resource iceberg in the northeast Brazilian state of Bahia. In fact, until recently, Chapada Diamantina was perhaps Brazil’s best-kept secret, trade from tourism having been on the rise only since it became an official national park in 1985.

Brazil's Chapada Diamantina landscape is known for the mesa-like features called 'tepuis'. In the Pati Valley (pictured here), hikers are rewarding to stunning vistas over the national park after a bit of serious legwork.

Read More…

Posted under Brazil, General, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter

Image/text by Navin Shrestha, whl.travel local connection
in Pokhara, Nepal

.

At a glance, it’s just a dragonfly, a fairly interesting insect not that hard to sight in late summer in several areas of Nepal. Caught on camera near the farther end of Lakeside area of Pokhara, this particular insect has a wonderful tale to tell. So let’s hear it, shall we?

Read More…

Posted under Nepal, Photo of the Week, countries, responsible travel

By Ethan Gelber

.

The Muğla Province of southwest of Turkey is much beloved for many reasons – its scenic beauty, historic sites and archaeological ruins, and the many, many attractions of its Turquoise Coast. The area including Köycegiz, Sarigerme, Marmaris, Göcek and Dalyan is particularly well reputed for its natural glory. Unfortunately, the pristine sanctity of this magnificent green cathedral is no longer sacrosanct, as on 13 December 2009, Akfen Energy, a Turkish company, began preparations to dam – some would say destroy – the Yuvarlakçay River, as a major step toward construction of a hydroelectric dam.

Locals visit the scene of logging along Turkey's Yuvarlakçay River to protest the destruction paving the way for a new hydroelectric power plant

However, this plan now faces strong opposition from the ‘Platform for the Protection of Yuvarlakçay,’ a growing consortium of local residents, businesses, organisations and municipalities calling for a stop to the project and new long-term safeguards for the riverbed.

(If you don’t care to read any further, but are willing to show support for the Platform for the Protection of Yuvarlakçay, please sign this online petition and/or donate to their cause and help spread the word.)
Read More…

Posted under General, Turkey, countries, opinion, responsible organisations, responsible travel, whl.travel newsletter