TAZAMA HAPA CHINI UJUMBE HUU KWA KISWAHILI / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN SWAHILI

Adoringly known as ‘Dar’ by enthusiasts, Dar es Salaam, the former capital but still premier city of Tanzania, borders the warm Indian Ocean. Once a small, Swahili fishing village located in the centre of the East African coastline, Dar now leads Tanzanian access to one of the world’s most important sea routes.

A fisherman floats on the warm Indian Ocean near Mafia Island along Tanzania’s southern coast

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Posted under General, Tanzania, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news

The affable cities of Kampala and Entebbe, Uganda, lie a mere 37km apart. Kampala, the country’s capital and largest city, has maintained its unique cultural heritage and spirit despite the march of modernisation, while Entebbe is Kampala’s peaceful neighbour and sits on the north shore of Lake Victoria, the African continent’s largest lake.

A look at downtown Kampala and its jam of boda-bodas (bicycle and moped taxis) (photo by Rob Brierley)

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Posted under General, Uganda, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news

By Ethan Gelber

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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.

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

By Maureen Valentine

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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.

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

By Anda Cirule

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Although small, the Baltic country of Latvia attracts oversize attention, luring in travellers with a richness of culture and traditions, green and pure nature and a history dating back to early 9000 BC.

Detail from an Art Nouveau building in Riga, Latvia, which famous as a centre for this style of architecture

Latvia’s capital city, Riga, is the largest metropolis in the Baltic states, an urban spread particularly well known for its fantastic integration of historic and contemporary architecture. In fact, Riga, sometimes called the Eastern Paris, is considered by many to be the world’s best epicentre of Art Nouveau, particularly Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau).

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Posted under Latvia, countries, local tips, whl.travel newsletter

* MIRAR DEBAJO POR ESTE MENSAJE EN ESPAÑOL / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN SPANISH
* LEIA LOGO ABAIXO ESTA NOTICIA EM PORTUGUÊS / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN PORTUGUESE
* ZIE HIERONDER VOOR DIT BERICHT IN HET NEDERLANDS / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN DUTCH

For good reason, the antique city of Cusco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Peru. Once the capital of the Inca Empire – and officially designated the Historical Capital of Peru by the Constitution of Peru – Cusco is the oldest still-inhabited city in all of South America. It is perhaps best known as a hub for travellers venturing off to other targets in the southeast of the country, not the least of which is the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, but it also shines with enough of its own beauty and charisma to warrant a longer stay. Very few leave disappointed by this World Heritage Site’s bustling marketplaces, impressive architecture, vivacious nightlife and world-class restaurants, all just part of an immersion in the fascinating culture of the Andes.

Dating back Incan times when it was believed to have been the most important ceremonial place in the city, the main Plaza de Armas of Cuscu, Peru, today boasts two impressive cathedrals that have certainly withstood the test of time

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Posted under General, Peru, countries, new local connections, responsible organisations, whl.travel news

SILAKAN LIHAT DI BAWAH INI UNTUK ARTIKEL INI DALAM BAHASA INDONESIA / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN INDONESIAN

Located in the special region which shares its name, the city of Jogjakarta, also known as ‘Jogja’, ‘Yogya’ or Yogyakarta, is one of the most important tourist destinations on the island of Java. Nestled at the foot of the active Merapi Volcano, it is also one of Indonesia’s centres of higher education and famous for its fine art and culture. It truly exudes a cosmopolitan charm appealing to global travellers.

The World Heritage Site of Borobudur is a ninth-century Buddhist monument located in central Java. Its nine platforms (six square and three circular) tell the life story of Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Lord Buddha. It is a major pilgrimage site during Vesak and Indonesia's most visited tourist attraction.

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Posted under General, Indonesia, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news

By Ethan Gelber

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Most travellers first learn of Siem Reap when they start planning a visit to the famous Cambodian World Heritage Site that includes Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is, of course, a stunning 12th-century temple and the best-preserved structure of the Angkor Group, a wide-reaching jungle-thick area of hundreds of incredible monuments. It is, for many, a highlight of any trip through Southeast Asia. And on 5 December 2009, it will be centre stage for the fourth annual Angkor Wat Bike Race and Rally. [Editor's note: Don't miss our postscript and fundraising update following the events of the day.]

Angkor Wat, the largest religious monument ever built, is the backdrop for Siem Reap's fourth annual Angkor Wat Bike Race and Rally

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

LEIA LOGO ABAIXO ESTA NOTICIA EM PORTUGUÊS / SEE BELOW FOR THIS MESSAGE IN PORTUGUESE

A visit to Ouro Preto, which means ‘Black Gold’ in Portuguese, is a journey back in time to the colonial period of Brazil that helped make it the country it is today. From the high slopes of the historic city, travellers look out over the magnificent features of its baroque architecture in the churches and mansions below. Visitors can also meander through massive mines and browse around the museums that function as complete archives of the region’s history.

This lovely view of the historic centre of Ouro Preto, Brazil, was taken from one of several places that offer stunning panoramic vistas of town and the surrounding country

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Posted under Brazil, General, countries, new local connections, whl.travel news

By Iana Malikovskaya and Ethan Gelber

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Moldova doesn’t quite have the prominent profile of the big and magnificent European republics. However, despite its more modest stature and reputation, it is well known for its calm, nature, hospitability and the preserved ancient traditions kept in nearly every home.

Moldova's Old Orhei is dominated by impressive limestone promontories chiselled into place by a sweeping S-curve of the Răut River

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Posted under General, Moldova, countries, local tips, whl.travel newsletter