By Ashley Hiemenz

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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.

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

By Johnny Hogue

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

By Pedro Paulo Capelossi

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Every year, people travel to Fernando de Noronha, a group of islands off the coast of Brazil, to meet some of the archipelago’s most famous residents: spinner dolphins.

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

Image/text by Elsie C. Orabona, whl.travel local connection
in Ubatuba, Brazil

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That’s a hawksbill turtle. With its namesake hawk-like bill, it is considered one of the most beautiful of the five marine turtle species encountered in Brazilian waters. It is a superb animal and can live more than 60 years. Unfortunately, already critically endangered, it will one day be extinct if people continue to kill them for food or for their shells (used to manufacture combs and eyeglasses).

The encounter shown above happened in Ubatuba, Brazil, during a dive. Our region is blessed with a lot of algae, fish, sponges and crustaceans that most marine turtles love to eat, so it’s very common for us to see them on our beaches and swimming around our snorkelling and dive sites. They are so sweet and move so gracefully underwater that they enchant almost every diver.

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Posted under Brazil, Photo of the Week, countries, responsible organisations

By Maureen Valentine

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Off the Caribbean coast of Venezuela lies Los Roques, a remote paradise, where stretches of picturesque beach meet a crystal-clear sea teeming with schools of colourful fish. Over the centuries, this near-utopia archipelago has seduced many tourists into full-time residence with its isolation, charm and stark beauty. It was even once described by Christopher Columbus as ‘heaven on earth,’ and has continued to amaze Venezuelans and international holidaymakers alike as they take a break from the routine of everyday life.

The turquoise waters and marine wildlife diversity of the Los Roques archipelago make it an ideal location for diving and snorkelling. Close encounters with sea turtles are common.

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Posted under General, Venezuela, countries, local tips, responsible organisations, responsible travel, 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

Situated 156 kilometres off Venezuela’s central coast, the Los Roques Archipelago is a true Caribbean paradise, one with all the hallmarks of a Fantasy Island experience. Alongside bright white sands, translucent waters sparkle in shades from deep green to brilliant blue as they glide over marine plant life and through lush mangrove swamps.

Los Roques is a far-reaching archipelago located 11 degrees north of the equator. The majority of its keys - like the pictured atoll - are easily accessible to tourists who venture to a pier and request a boat ride from a local. The boat men are not only knowledgeable about the area, they can also handle the permit logistics.

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

By Ashley Hiemenz

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Elegant, mysterious and enormous, the humpback whale is utterly breathtaking when seen up close for the first time. With their enigmatic singing and endearing gentleness, these magnificent beasts have continued to perplex and allure travellers from around the globe, wishing to behold these nomadic mammals during their epic migrations.

The magnificent breach of a humpback whale off the Morro de São Paulo coast of Brazil

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Posted under Brazil, General, countries, responsible organisations, responsible travel

The coconut crab can weigh over five kilograms and measures one metre from claw to claw when fully grown

In April 2001, John and Silvana Nicholls, today owners and operators of Vanuatu Hotels, arrived in Vanuatu to launch and manage the new White Grass Ocean Resort on the island of Tanna. It was their intention to ensure that it would operate according to strict environmental guidelines, so they immediately declared it a bird sanctuary, protecting fowl from the indigenous practice of hunting and eating them. Although a parallel ‘turtle emergency rescue’ program of buying turtles captured by locals as a step in saving them from the cooking pot unfortunately had to be discontinued as it created a new industry – the
capture of released turtles in order to sell them back – the resort nevertheless became the island’s de facto animal refuge, even providing veterinary assistance when need.

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Posted under General, Vanuatu, countries, responsible organisations