Archive for November, 2009

Photo of the Week: A Boy in the Countryside of Mongolia

  • Image/text by Batbold Ragchaa, whl.travel local connection in Mongolia
  • 29 November 2009

On the day this photo was taken in August 2007, our tour group was travelling from Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, to Dadal County through the whole of Khentii Province via Bereeven Monastery, Rashaan Khad Stones and the town of Binder.

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An Ever-Expanding Search for Authenticity: Connecting Travellers to Local Operators

  • Ben Colclough, Director of Tourdust Ltd.
  • 28 November 2009

There is a shift in Western societies that has its roots in travel. Social status has always traditionally been about flash badges of wealth, but nowadays, having a couple of wild and romantic stories up your sleeves from your travels is a far more impressive social differentiator. Whether this is the cause or result, it…

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High Culture at High Elevation: La Paz Is whl.travel’s First Destination in Bolivia

  • whl.travel
  • 27 November 2009

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE. After descending from the plains of El Alto to an elevation of 3,660 metres above sea level, intrepid travellers are treated to an unfolding view of the lovely city of La Paz.

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A Swazi River Delivers Water and Opportunity to a Rural African Community

  • Ethan Gelber
  • 26 November 2009

Since the 1990s, white-water rafting operators Swazi Trails, the whl.travel local connection in Swaziland, have voluntarily set aside a small amount of money for each person who joined one of their trips. Then, on 25 November 2009, in the spirit of responsible tourism, they contributed the latest amassed total of 80,880 South African rand (approximately US$11,000)…

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whl.travel Adds Enigmatic Oman to Its List of Destinations

  • whl.travel
  • 25 November 2009

Enigmatic, unspoiled and replete with smiling locals, Oman is an ideal destination for the intrepid traveller. Stretching across its perch at the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, the changing terrain of endless sand dunes, unique villages integrated into canyon walls and breathtaking beaches make Oman’s variety of attractions and distractions seem almost infinite. Even…

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Chilling out in Chiloé, whl.travel’s First Destination in Chile

  • whl.travel
  • 24 November 2009

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND PORTUGUESE. The Chilotes of Chiloé, an archipelago located off the coast of southern Chile, are renowned for their elaborate folk tales and mystical stories inspired by the epic forests and ocean tides that surround them.

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A Plunge into the Past at Historic Old Orhei, Moldova

  • Iana Malikovskaya and Ethan Gelber
  • 23 November 2009

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. Visiting the Past Moldova’s very rich history is perhaps best reflected in its historical…

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Photo of the Week: Eagle Spotted Rays off Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

  • Image/text by Pedro Paulo Godoy Capelossi
  • 22 November 2009

These eagle spotted rays were seen at Laje Dois Irmãos, a dive site off Fernando de Noronha, Brazil, famous for reef sharks encounters. Coming across rays like those pictured here is also very common. This kind of ray is normally seen in schools and is, for me, one of the most beautiful animals. Fortunately they…

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Los Roques Brings Venezuela to the whl.travel Network

  • whl.travel
  • 20 November 2009

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND 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.

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Sign A Petition to Stop Development in Brazil’s Ilha Grande and Emerald Coast

  • Ethan Gelber
  • 17 November 2009

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH AND PORTUGUESE. Some things make no sense at all, especially when it comes to politics and the environment. Far too often, years of careful consultative and democratic negotiation in favour of cultural and environmental conservation can be – and are too often – undone by the surreptitious and unilateral actions of a (perhaps) ill-informed and (sometimes) self-serving few.

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