This footage captures the moment hundreds of lanterns are released into the skies above Chiang Mai, Thailand. The ultra-light paper body fills with hot gas and sends each lantern soaring skyward, the suspended flame propelling its glowing form into the night. As the huge group lifts into the air, the breeze catches the lanterns and carries them peacefully into the night, each light gradually fading to a bright speck, one of many points of light in the evening sky.

The tradition is a major annual event in Chiang Mai as well as in other parts of Thailand. The release of lanterns is part of a festival known as Yi Peng, a holdover from the ancient kingdom of Lanna which used to cover most of what is now Northern Thailand. The ritual has Buddhist origins and the release of lanterns is believed to bring good luck to those who take part.

In addition, the timing of Yi Peng has come to coincide with another major Thai festival – Loi Krathong. The two are now often celebrated simultaneously at the start of November, leading to major celebrations. The festival of Loi Krathong involves the launching of small rafts as an offering. These rafts often contain flames of their own, so both the rivers and skies of Chiang Mai are filled with light during the festivities.

Amidst the hubbub, no matter what you do and where you go, one of the many knots you have to untangle is Bangkok transport, especially taxis: You’ll see a variety of options zipping down the road, including regular-vehicle taxis, motorbike taxis and the iconic tuk-tuks (three-wheeled motor carriages) with their ‘taxi’ signs all lit up.

As a foreigner, you’re sometimes an easy target for tourist price-gouging and other tricks used by shifty drivers. Many just think of you as a dumb tourist and the chances are slim that you’ll be able to convince them otherwise. However, you can arm yourself with some useful information from the local Thai ladies who are the whl.travel local connection in Bangkok. They offer you some little-known truths about tuk-tuks and taxis.

For 'farangs' (foreigners) in Bangkok, Thailand, the tuk-tuk moment of truth is negotiating prices with the driver. Stand your ground! Photo courtesy of flickr/To Uncertainty And Beyond

Car Taxis vs. Tuk-tuks

Local Thai people consider tuk-tuks to be somewhat less dignified than four-wheeled vehicle taxis, the latter with meters to measure distance and price. In a city like Bangkok, locals are only willing to take tuk-tuks for short trips where they know the exact distance to their destination and can calculate a fair price for themselves. The driver and passenger will both bargain hard to agree on a fair rate.

For foreigners, though, tuk-tuks can turn out to be even more expensive than vehicle taxis if you don’t know the going price and stand your ground on negotiations. Tuk-tuk drivers will try to charge fresh tourists 200 Thai baht (about US$6.50) for a distance they would quote 40 baht (US$1.50) to a Thai local.

Tuk-tuks in Bangkok are some of the most expensive in Thailand. This 'luxury' tuk-tuk shuttles its classy clients to and from an upscale condominium complex. Photo courtesy of flickr/Ian Fuller

Commissions and Tourist Traps

Watch out for tuk-tuk drivers who try to take you to their friends’ businesses. They do this in order to receive a commission. They’ll try to drop you at retailers, restaurants, hotels and even ping-pong shows where their buddies have something to sell you. Sometimes it can be worthwhile to just go with it – if you don’t play along, disreputable drivers might leave you somewhere half way to your destination.

Also, take note that the closer you are to a popular tourist attraction, the more a tuk-tuk driver will try to charge you. Walk a few blocks away from the roads adjacent to the major points of interest and that might save you a little on the tuk-tuk price. Watch out for car taxis in these areas, too – they’ll quote you a (very inflated) price and refuse to use their meters.

In the rush-hour traffic of Bangkok, Thailand, tuk-tuks are speedier than their car counterparts, but still not as fast and furious as motorbike taxis. Photo courtesy of flickr/Jody Art

Motorbike Taxis vs. Tuk-tuks

Bangkok tuk-tuks are more expensive than in most other Thai cities, and it may be the case that a car taxi is actually cheaper than a tuk-tuk. But in the thick of afternoon rush-hour traffic, tuk-tuks have the advantage of being able to squeeze through narrower passages and avoid some of the congestion.

Another option is the motorbike taxi, which is even speedier and more agile in heavy traffic than the tuk-tuk. But before you hop on a motor taxi, ask yourself what your mother would think. She’s right on this one – motorcycles are dangerous. Motorbike taxi drivers can be a whole new level of crazy, and you can spot motorbike accidents on a regular basis.

At night in Bangkok, Thailand, you might be lucky enough to find your very own little light show inside your tuk-tuk. Photo courtesy of flickr/victoriapeckham

Tuk-tuks at Night

Tuk-tuk rides at night might cost you even more than they would during the day. Since it’s nighttime, you’re a farang and you may have had a few drinks, drivers try to charge a premium. They’ll also be looking for a way to bring their bar-owner friends some business.

On the bright side, one thing to look forward to is the awesome glow-light décor that some tuk-tuk drivers have installed in their rides. In some cases, the tuk-tuk ride between bars and clubs will be the best light show of the night. It’s like a little rave party on wheels, speeding through the streets of Bangkok.

Four Thai students fill the back of a tuk-tuk to capacity. Two or three more could jump in and 'stuff' it to get more bang for their baht. Photo courtesy of flickr/pulfabio

Try the ‘Tuk-tuk Stuffing’ Trick

Since tuk-tuk taxi drivers have so many tricks up their sleeves, it’s only fair to pass along this little one that local Thai people (especially students) like to pull on tuk-tuks to get the most for their money. Usually, maximum capacity for a tuk-tuk is three or four passengers. If a driver sees that a bigger group wants a ride, he might refuse. So, you pull a bait-and-switch.

Step 1: Most of the group hides somewhere nearby (or acts like unrelated bystanders).
Step 2: Two or three people from the group hail the tuk-tuk and negotiate a price.
Step 3: The negotiators board the tuk-tuk and gesture to their hiding friends.
Step 4: Quickly, everyone jumps on board the tuk-tuk and stuffs themselves into it, using whatever acrobatics are necessary to stay on and hoping the driver also has a sense of humour.

Are you planning a trip to Bangkok, Thailand? Be sure to have the tuk-tuk experience at least once. And contact Teamworkz, the local connection in Thailand, to book an unforgettable trip.

Now imagine if you had a story about actually getting to drive a rickshaw. Yes, today it is possible to get your hands on the steering bar of this ever-popular mode of transport. In which case it’s game over: Your tale wins, hands down.

A good personal rickshaw report is important for two other reasons: First, ‘rickshaw’ is a cool word that’s fun to say. Try it. With conviction this time. Rickshaw. Second, rickshaws come in many varieties and are common transportation in many countries. If you’ve never encountered one, a small part of you hasn’t lived.

Even if you ride one daily, though, there are probably plenty of facts you may not have considered. For instance, the word ‘rickshaw’ is Japanese in origin (jinrickisha means ‘human-powered vehicle’) and refers to two-wheeled carts pulled by a person and often carrying a member of the social elite. Nowadays, the three-wheeled bicycle rickshaw or, more commonly, auto rickshaw has largely replaced the often-outlawed human-powered version. Also, there are many other names by which a rickshaw may be known: tuk-tuk, trishaw, tricycle, bajaj, motortaxi, auto-remorque…

Get ready to tell the best stories about your time as a rickshaw pilot, because we’ve found the top five rickshaws that you are actually allowed to drive.

On a Rickshaw Challenge in India, the first order of business is to decorate your vehicle (and yourselves) and think up a great name for your team. Photo courtesy of Rickshaw Challenge

Rickshaw Challenge in Southern India

Since 2006, the Rickshaw Challenge has been serving up rickshaw driving trips for adventure-seekers in India. The first route was from Chennai to Kanyakumari in southern India, crossing an area of the country somewhat off the trodden tourist trail. Since then, this route has been adapted into the Classic Run, which is one of four routes offered as a Rickshaw Challenge.

Get a group together and start planning an outrageous design for the customisation of the auto rickshaw that you (yes you!) will be driving. There is no limit to the amount of insane creativity and detail that participants put into pimping their rickshaw rides, but matching costumes are certainly recommended. Sign up for the 11-day Classic Run, the nine-day Malabar Rampage, the nine-day Deccan Odyssey or the 14-day Mumbai Xpress. Details about dates and prices are available on the Rickshaw Challenge website.

These two Lanka Challenge contestants are about to embark a raucous 12-day trishaw adventure of a lifetime in Sri Lanka, where their driving and tree-planting skills will be put to the test. Photo courtesy of Large Minority

The Lanka Challenge in Sri Lanka

The wildly successful 2011 Lanka Challenge came to an end earlier this month. Organised by LARGE minority as the first event of its kind in Sri Lanka, this race is as much about teamwork, mastering the trishaw (especially at its eye-watering speeds of 50 kph), dressing up in zany costumes and a race across breathtaking landscapes as it is about giving back and scoring points for the earth. In addition to funds raised for social projects (US$26,000 in 2011), each team faces cultural and ecological challenges along the way, such as planting fruit trees.

Check out the fun facts and amazing memories from 2011 as inspiration to start planning for the 2012. The 12-day ride ride (August 31 to September 11, 2012) is slated to be a bigger deal than ever before.

Cambo Challenge contestants are ready to race to the finish line on their decked-out auto-remorques, the Cambodian version of the motorised rickshaw. Photo courtesy of LARGE Minority

The Cambo Challenge in Southern Cambodia

In Cambodia, an auto rickshaw is called an auto-remorque, a ‘motorcycle-meets-carriage mishmash,’ as described by the people at LARGE minority, the organisation behind the Cambo Challenge adventure trip. What better, awkward, irrational and more absurd way could there be to try your hand at driving an auto-remorque than 11 days and 1,350 kilometres of non-stop rickshaw madness. Keen for a thrill? This year’s event is coming up, from November 6-17, 2011! It’s not too late to join.

As with the other LARGE minority initiatives, the Cambo Challenge is an awesome hybrid of fun and positive-impact travel. In 2011, funds are being raised to support a water-supply pipeline project for the Chambuk Eco-tourism Community. Help them reach their goal of US$20,000.

The Three Tinned Tigers are one of the lucky teams to compete in The Adventurists' famous Rickshaw Run adventures. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/MongolRally

The Rickshaw Run in India

From the same people who organise the fantastical Mongol Rally across the ‘stans of Central Asia and the Mototaxi Junket through South America comes perhaps the most well-known three-wheeled adventure out there: the Rickshaw Run in India. The Adventurists have gained such widespread fame and popularity for their extreme transportation trips that landing a spot on a tour takes some doing. They launch three Rickshaw Runs a year, all of which sell out within hours of opening registration.

The Adventurists established the elements of a good drive-your-own-rickshaw adventure as: customised vehicles, ridiculous costumes, big parties and good causes. This fun-loving bunch is also out to save the world. It has a network of charities that each adventure supports and teams that sign up for adventures are asked to raise £500 for their adventure’s Official Charity plus a further £500 for another charity of their choice.

In the highly anticipated Rickshaw Run Southeast Asia, which The Adventurists will be premiering this October 16, there will surely be the usual mix of tattooed tuk-tuks, parties, chaos, confusion, costumes, crises and top-shelf fun. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/MongolRally

The Rickshaw Run in Southeast Asia

The Adventurists describe their newest rickshaw tour through Southeast Asia as “the sweatier, junglier cousin of its Indian namesake.” Starting on October 16, 2011, this ambitious journey will take about two weeks to blaze a trail – by auto-rickshaw, of course – from Jakarta, Indonesia, to Bangkok, Thailand.

In this exclusive first expedition of the Southeast Asian Rickshaw Run, only 30 positions were available. They sold out in under a minute! Even though the number of participants who will make it to the finish line is yet to be seen, the next tour is already scheduled for March of next year and is sure to sell out just as quickly.

Kata also has much more of a village feel to it, with an enjoyable evening atmosphere. Nightlife in the area is fairly low-key, but the bright lights of Patong are only 20 minutes up the coast if you feel like dancing the night away.

The long-tail boat featured here is a super-sized version of what is now becoming a traditional means of water transport in Thailand. Long-tail boats are named for their unusual appearance, with the propeller mounted on a drive shaft that extends several metres beyond the rear of the boat, giving it a ‘long-tailed’ appearance.

It’s a great way to travel from bay to bay around Phuket or to explore the island from a different vantage point. Long-tail boats can be found off most beaches and can be hired by the hour or for tours. Smaller version of these boats ply the canals and waterways throughout Southeast Asia, a common mode of transport.

As the UN’s World Tourism Organization has acknowledged, tourism can play a vital role in promoting cultural understanding, tolerance and respect, which is why the theme “linking cultures” has been chosen for the 2011 World Tourism Day (to be celebrated on September 27). Often, in an area with indigenous populations, or people who are original to the land, one of the greatest assets is traditional culture. Through mindfully operated cultural tours, indigenous groups have something a great deal to offer – and to gain! – from exchanges with tourists.

Here we share a roundup of some of our favourite indigenous culture tours found in the whl.travel network of local tour operators.

In the Embera indigenous communities of Panama, women wear a traditional headpiece of tropical flowers and use corporal paint. Photo courtesy of Panama Tourism Authority

Visit the Embera Indigenous Community of Panama

In a world faced by rapidly paced globalisation, sometimes it becomes necessary to take a moment, close your eyes and just breathe. If you are searching for a place that lends itself to breaths of truly fresh air, a place where you can break from modernity and ‘progress’, you will have much to learn from contact with the traditional Embera indigenous tribes and their playful children. In Panama, the Embera maintain a careful distance from global influences and a deep respect for their environment. They use palm trees and natural fibres as construction material; they wear only simple multicoloured woven cloth garments; they practice corporal painting and have dances for all occasions. Complete with flowers in their hair, they are just as their ancestors before them were.

To start a memorable day with the Embera, your hosts paddle you down a river in a traditional dugout canoe to their community, where the village warmly welcomes you. During your day, you witness traditional dances, feast on typical foods and learn local crafts. A walk through the village and the botanical surroundings further helps you understand the wild diversity of their natural environment. At the end of the day, you leave with tender memories of a remarkable cultural exchange with the indigenous Embera, a uniquely beautiful community.

Two local girls on Malekula Island in Vanuatu greet visitors with shy smiles. Untouched by the forces of globalisation, their curiosity about foreign cultures matches outsider's intrigue about Makekula daily life. Photo courtesy of John Nicholls

Explore the Malekula Island People of Vanuatu

Visitors to the Malekula Island of Vanuatu are always intrigued by the history of cannibalism on the island. The belief system of the island’s indigenous Namba population included cannibalism until about 100 years ago, when the practice became obsolete (on the Malekula). These days, however, among the indigenous Namba, other tribal practices continue to thrive in full colour, such as matting, dancing, face painting and vibrant costumes.

As part of a special seven-day island safari, whl.travel local partners John and Silvana Nicholls include a visit to Malekula and a taste of life with the local Namba people. The tour begins in the capital city of Port Vila and then proceeds to Malekula, where you stay in the locally operated Nawori Seaview Bungalows for three nights. During that time, you follow local guides on excursions to nearby tribal villages and even take a canoe trip to ex-cannibal Rano Island. Another highlight is a visit to the Big Nambas tribe, which is distinct from all other tribes in Vanuatu; their red-dyed textiles are a highly prized and much photographed artifact of indigenous Vanuatu island life.

An Akha woman smiles warmly. The Akha are one of the five main indigenous hill tribes of northern Thailand. Photo courtesy of flickr/AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker

Trekking to the Hilltribes of Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai is the second-largest city in Thailand and part of the Golden Triangle travel loop of Southeast Asia. It is also the gateway for tours of the hilltribes of northern Thailand, fascinating encounters in sharp juxtaposition with the pace of contemporary urban life. On a trip into the lush scenery of rural northern Thailand, you reach the mountainous region near the border of Myanmar and encounter the small communities of several different tribes, like the Lahu, the Karen, the Hmong (or Meo), the Lisu and the Akha, each with its own distinct costumes, language, traditions and livelihoods.

You can arrange a trip to the hilltribes of northern Thailand through Hilltribe Holidays, a tour operator dedicated to exploring areas near Chiang Mai in a respectful, culturally sensitive and sustainable way that creates enriching and mutually beneficial exchanges for everyone. You can take in the scenic mountain passages, waterfalls, breathtaking views and local tribal ways of life. Sharing home-cooked meals and ancient customs with the local communities is one powerful way Hilltribe Holidays creates a safe and constructive context for cross-cultural understanding.

In Venezuela's Canaima Nationnal Park, an indigenous guide of the Pemon tribe leads tourists through the protected area of the park and to the main attraction: Angel Falls. Photo courtesy of flickr/whl.travel

Discover Angel Falls with a Pemon Guide in Canaima Park, Venezuela

As one of the highest waterfalls in the world, Angels Falls is the major attraction at Canaima National Park in Venezuela. The waters of Angels Falls plunge 2,648 feet (807 metres) from top to bottom, inspiring photographers and filmmakers alike with its roar and mists set against lush green forests and glistening gray rock faces. Because of its remote location, though, reaching the famous cataract takes some doing. One travel option is a five-hour upstream trip in a traditional dugout canoe.

If you’re looking to experience Canaima Park beyond a glimpse of Angel Falls, a two-day tour led by an aboriginal Pemon guide takes you deep into the natural wonders and everyday customs of the indigenous populations. (The local language of the Pemon people is Cariban, spoken only by an estimated 15,000 people.) During the tour, the Pemon guide explains the indigenous people’s symbiotic relationship to the land. Over dinner, he shares some of the myths and beliefs of the tribe before you retire to sleep in hammocks under a brilliantly starlit sky and within earshot of the roar of the Angel.

The Bassari people of Senegal practice subsistence farming in their remote villages and celebrate their rites of passage with decoration and fanfare. Photo courtesy of Association ACoSTE

Experiencing the ‘Teranga’ of the Bassari People of Senegal

In Senegal, the Wolof word teranga describes the warm welcome that Senegalese people are known to bestow upon their guests, something the whl.travel local partners in Senegal are determined to share. One way of doing so is to lead you outside the hustle and bustle of the country’s urban areas and head straight into the heart of its local villages, some of which are inhabited by people indigenous to the land.

Tours like the 12-day Great Unknown Senegal or the nine-day trip to Park Niokolo Koba  and the surrounding area take you inside the daily life of several villages in Bassari country near the border with Guinea. The Bassari are subsistence farmers who speak a local language from the Tenda family and adhere to a belief system that is, at its root, animist.

Both tours, run by Réalirêves, the whl.travel local partner in Senegal, spend several days in remote villages outside Niokolo Koba National Park. Lodging is taken in a village encampment and the daily activities focus on time spent with the people. Lucky visitors arrive in time for to witness an initiation ceremony, the most common kind of Bassari celebration. On the way out of the area, the tour passes through a Bedick village, home to another tribe similar to the Bassari.

Long long ago, most tribal groups were nomadic due to a lack of stable food supplies. These ancient itinerant practices exist to this today, especially in places like Kyrgyzstan, in Central Asia, where 'yurts' or transportable houses are still in use, like those seen below near Tash-Rabat. Photo courtesy of Dostuck-Trekking

To the well-intentioned traveler, though, ‘green’ labels can be a bit vague, a tinted title that has been taken to mean a host of things, not all of them positive. Faced with growing concerns about ‘greenwashing’ and tongue-twisting turns of phrase like ‘sustainable eco nature adventures,’ the average person is left wondering what a green leaf means on hotel pamphlets.

Similarly, tips for ‘green living’ can be found in most magazines nowadays, but not always with clear objectives. Does not washing your towels really make that much of a difference? Is switching off your lights really going to save the planet? What makes green hotels truly ‘green’?

To answer that, we first need to look at what it means to be sustainable.

How Do Things Look Today?

These days, green initiatives are usually taken to mean those where the practice either has a positive or neutral (anything except negative) effect on the natural environment. But while the protection of natural resources is a vital preoccupation, sustainability means a lot more than saving our planet’s trees.

Local and indigenous communities across the planet often suffer in the shadow of hard-impact mass-market tourism. While the proceeds from tourism may, generally speaking, bring in capital and sometimes even increase peace and stability, local people are sometimes hard pressed to see the benefits. The lion’s share of profits are shipped abroad to foreign stakeholders while local people are even frequently overlooked as staff, tour guides or regional experts. Those that do succeed in pushing through any obstacles are usually then not given the opportunity to rise to positions of higher-level (managerial or supervisory) responsibility, roles reserved for foreign nationals.

A favourite activity of many Solomon Islands visitors is a fishing trip guided by local people. With them, one can experience a way of life long forgotten in the modern word. Photo by Kerry Kennedy, courtesy of Flickr/whl.travel

With some bitterness, local people see their cultures bought and sold in front of them, often returned in with no resemblance to the centuries-old traditions that drew in tourists in the first place.

What Is Sustainability?

To me, sustainability is synonymous with responsible economic and social development, even as it is applied to tourism. Clearly there is no catch-all phrase able to determine whether the place in which you are staying deserves the title of being ‘green,’ but sustainability can certainly be measured in terms of an accommodation’s or tour’s effect on the health of the environment, energy consumption, the promotion of local culture and heritage, the distribution of profits, labour force vitality and even the quality and nature of building materials.

The list doesn’t stop there, especially since the notion of sustainability is one that evolves as quickly as new technologies and the circumstances through which they are brought to light.

Nevertheless I’ve tried to compile some basics to help add to a discussion about the definition of sustainable tourism. It is important to remember that each destination is unique and has different sustainability requirements. The following chart should therefore be looked at as a review of general trends in sustainable travel and ecotourism, not as a checklist.

Ecotourism Destinations

With these factors in mind, the question becomes: where to go? The following are some places that have made important strides toward sustainability and cultural immersion without compromising on comfort. Of course, travelling is all about forging your own path outside your daily routine, so always still keep make sure that your choice of accommodation fits your needs as well as those of the host country.

Green in the City
* Near Amsterdam, the Ilma Yoga House is located inside the Gaasperplas Nature Reserve just 20 minutes from the city centre by bicycle. On site you can enjoy host Ilma’s massage and yoga studios. She donates 10 percent of all her proceeds to charity.

* Located in the heart of Buenos Aires, the Eco Pampa Hostel was the city’s first ecologically friendly hostel, a model for others to follow. The managers have paid careful attention to keeping things green, from installing a rainwater tank, low-energy electrical appliances, solar panels and heating, and an organic rooftop garden to using recycled materials in the decoration of all the rooms.

Many city hostels and hotels are embracing the idea of emissions-free travel, whether it be by bicycle, foot, cart or even local animals. Amsterdam is one of the finest examples of this, where bicycles can be found for use at most accommodations. Photo courtesy of the European Centre for Eco Agro Tourism

Local Houses
* What better way to find out what it’s like to live as a nomad than actually to live like one? In Kyrgyzstan, a yurt stay is an increasingly popular way to see the vast undeveloped countryside. Because the camps move with the nomads and essentially leave no trace behind, it’s hard to imagine a way of making less impact.

* Transport yourself to 5th-century Turkey by staying deep inside the surreal cave-and-tunnel systems of the stony Cappadocian countryside. Cave hotels offer unique accommodations repurposed from ancient lodgings designed to support lifestyle without continuous access to water or outside trade. Today’s self-cooling hotel rooms, like those of the Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel, are surprisingly luxurious and full of light thanks to the innovative design of the early Turks.

* Village homestays are an increasingly popular way to directly finance traditional communities instead of parading them as tourist attractions. By living side by side with villagers in, tourists can actually take part in the perfect ecotourism model: natural materials and fibres are used for nearly every edifice and tool, water is sourced from nearby rivers and streams, and opportunities exist for fishing and hunting with locals. The Solomon Islands have some superb village stays, many of which were established in the late 1980s, when the practice boomed.

Luxury Ecolodges
* Run by a local naturalist (who discovered a new species of bird), the Hobatere Lodge in northern Namibia has leased the land around it from a local conservancy that encourages indigenous people and animals to live freely on and directly benefit from the land. Ongoing lodge projects range from the Kunene Lion Project and the Namibian Elephant and Giraffe Trust to the study of the black mongoose. Local Namibians make up 100 percent of the staff, and 80 percent of them have been working there for 10 years or more. A private generator powers the lodge and there’s a garden of indigenous plants used by the restaurant.

Many luxury ecolodges are built straight into wildlife conservancies as a way to help support efforts by local foundations and the people living off the land. Places like the Hobatere Lodge in Namibia work alongside the Kunene Lion Project, among others, to track and monitor local lion populations. Photo by Debbie Rowles, courtesy of Flickr/whl.travel

* Featured in the New York Times as the next hot ecolodge destination in Koh Kong, Cambodia, the 4 Rivers Floating Ecolodge is so remote that you need a private canoe to get there. Designed to immerse its guests in the surrounding wilderness at the convergence of four rivers, this destination proves that sustainability does not have to be at the expense of luxury.

* There’s nothing quite like the romance of the Arabian Desert, conjuring up images of starry nights, languid camels, warm campfires, embroidered throw rugs and the call of the Bedouin in the morning. At the famed Desert Nights Camp in Oman’s Wahiba Sands, guests are given the full experience of the ancient practice of the famed desert traders, all with minimal impact on the environment.

Community Projects
In Thailand, it’s easy to visit monasteries but few places allow lay people to live alongside monks and learn their practices. The 10-day silent retreat at the Suan Mokkh International Dhamma Hermitage gives outsiders a chance to experience monastic life. Expect to forsake all material pleasure, eat vegetarian food only twice a day, attend meditation and yoga classes, and maintain complete silence. The retreat is free, but participants must be committed to all aspects of the program.

Further Study
For more information about ecotourism, environmental tourism and how to go green, check out some of the links below.
* The International Ecotourism Society
* Tree Hugger
* Earth Summit

Bangkok Food Tours visit local eateries that have established themselves as neighbourhood bests. Famous specialties are spotlighted, like the best Royal-recipe green curry in town pictured above. Photo courtesy of Bangkok Food Tours

Promoting the Best in Bangkok

With so much to take in, there are many sightseeing tours in Bangkok through which to maximise your Bangkok holiday. However, if you are in Thailand with a hankering for authentic local experiences, a food tour guarantees something unforgettable. With that in mind, in March 2011, Bangkok Food Tours launched personal food-tasting tours to the city’s best-kept secret food spots.

The idea originated with three Thai friends who were studying in the United States. They would serve authentic Thai food at house parties and receive overwhelmingly positive feedback from their friends. They also observed that, despite the large number of Thai restaurants found in the US, there was still very limited knowledge about Thai food.

In Thailand, a meal is never completed without a delicious sweet. On the Historic Bangrak Food Tour, traditional Thai coconut ice cream is served. Photo courtesy of Bangkok Food Tours

The Bangkok Food Tours team therefore set out on a mission to show the world that Thai food is more than just pad thai, curries and chicken satay. They started a Facebook page called I love Thai Food through which to bring Thai food-lovers together. They also started a blog called the Thai Food Insider, on which they share local knowledge about Thailand’s best local dishes and the best places to eat in the country.

Local Tours for all Tastes

After travelling extensively and enjoying different cuisines from around the world, the thee Thai friends realised that no one offered comprehensive and truly local food tours in Bangkok. And so Bangkok Food Tours was born, to bring hungry travellers to the most delicious neighbourhoods of Bangkok and inspire them to taste a variety of dishes – from street food and kiosks to local restaurants and even fine dining.

The guided tours also educate travellers about the history behind the dishes, the regions from which they originate  and the local ingredients involved. Take, for example, the Historic Bangrak Food Tasting & Culture Tour. Bangrak is a district at the heart of Bangkok that is home to many old family-run restaurants that have been around for three or four generations. Travellers get to meet a few restaurant owners and learn more about them and their food.

On Bangkok Food Tours, a wireless radio earpiece is given to all participants so that they can hear the tour guide clearly even on noisy streets or if they lag behind a bit to take pictures. Photo courtesy of Bangkok Food Tours

Starting in May 2011, the Chinatown Foodie Walk & Culture Tour started exploring Thailand’s 200-year-old Chinatown, tasting the delicacies and visiting the cultural monuments along the way.

Bangkok Food Tours also offers private group tours for anyone who would like to design their own food trips.

Well aware of the kinds of scams to which travelers fall prey, Bangkok Food Tours is dedicated to quality tour experiences that are worth every penny. The price includes transport costs, the food you will be tasting and any other activity stated on the itinerary. Bangkok Food Tours hate hidden costs as much as everyone else.

Bangkok Food Tours participants have a chance to visit historical and cultural landmarks along the walking route, like this 200-year-old Buddhist temple. Photo courtesy of Bangkok Food Tours

Giving Back to the Food Community

While the whole Bangkok Food Tours team is happy to educate travellers about the culture and stories behind Thai food, they are also committed to bringing new customers to their favourite hidden food spots in Bangkok. Eventually they will also give part of their profits to local communities in Thailand.

“We started Bangkok Food Tours because in the long run, we would like to become a key player who helps to energise the Thai travel industry with the introduction of innovative travel experiences,” shared Chinawut Chinaprayoon, one of the three creative minds behind the business and a proud homegrown citizen of Bangkok. “We aim to connect local people and local values with travellers, and ultimately to help grow the sustainable tourism sector in the Thai market.”

Food Tours Outside of Bangkok?

While the diverse communities of Bangkok have inspired a wide variety of dishes around which to base tours, future plans include food trips to a other regions.

“We might start with Chiang Mai, as one of us hails from that city,” Chinawut revealed. Despite the excitement, for now they are focusing on building a larger following in Bangkok before branching out.

If you search on the Web for something like “best international food,” Thai cuisine is virtually guaranteed to appear in all top-10-best-foods lists. With the complexity of tastes, the reliance on fresh ingredients and a wide variety of dishes, eating never fails to be a highlight on anyone’s trip to Thailand. On your next trip to Bangkok, try stepping out of the malls and into the streets. Drop the guidebook and get the lowdown from the local food experts at Bangkok Food Tours.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Lee is a busy guy. He has been living and working in and around Laos for nearly 10 years, the last six of which as General Manager of Teamworkz, a travel agency and sustainable tourism and marketing consultancy recognised and trusted as local travel experts by a number of international organisations.

Lee Sheridan and his fiancée Pan play tour guides for Lee's visiting sister. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

On the side, Lee is also studying for a Masters in Responsible Tourism Management and working as a tourism consultant with organisations like the International Finance Corporation on their Stay Another Day project, with Dutch development organisation SNV at the provincial level to design long-term tourism development strategies with local stakeholders, and a few others such as the Asian Development Bank. He is also the local Tripbod connection in Laos.

WHL Group: Which is your favourite WHL Group destination and which would you most like to visit?
Lee: Without doubt, Laos is my favourite place, and I am not just saying that because we are whl.travel’s local connection here. Ten years ago, while backpacking in Laos, I fell in love with the country and decided to stay. Within Laos, Champasak Province would have to be my favourite destination. With a pre-Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site, the largest waterfalls in Southeast Asia, the very rare Irrawaddy dolphins, the best coffee in the world, and 4,000 idyllic islands in the middle of the Mekong River (which is up to 14 kilometres wide at this point) – how could this not be my favourite place?

In terms of where else to visit, I would love to get down to the Pacific Islands and visit some of our whl.travel local connections out there, like Fiji, Vanuatu, and Samoa. They sound and look fantastic! And with Laos being landlocked and mountainous, I would love to see the differences in cultural and biological diversity.

On the special occasion of his family visiting from the UK, Lee Sheridan chose for them the luxurious Luang Say Residence in Luang Prabang, Laos. It was one of the finest hotel experiences he can recall. Photo courtesy of Teamworkz

WHLG: What would you never travel without?
Lee: I don’t go anywhere without my laptop. I would be lost without it. I get withdrawal symptoms if I cannot connect check my emails every few hours. I even wake up in the night to check them!

WHLG: What do you miss most about home when travelling?
Lee: If my fiancée Pan is reading this, then most definitely her! If she’s not, then probably Beerlao (the national beer of Laos) and the great team I have in our Teamworkz office.

WHLG: What’s the most adventurous trip you’ve ever taken?
Lee: This would most likely have to be my first. When I was 17 I took part in a month-long World Challenge Expedition to Costa Rica. I remember erupting volcanoes, canoe trips through crocodile-infested waters, catching hypothermia climbing a mountain, village homestays in remote forests and giant turtles laying their eggs on golden beaches. Looking back, I can see how this trip inspired me toward a life of travel and adventure.

WHLG: What is your funniest travel experience?
Lee: I can’t think of one that doesn’t need censoring!

WHLG: What is your scariest travel experience?
Lee: Returning to the UK – each and every time.

Lee Sheridan sits down to a nice dinner in Luang Prabang, Laos, with his visiting mother and fiancée, Pan. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

WHLG: If you could go on holiday with anyone famous – living or dead – who would you take?
Lee: I would love to have travelled with some of the early explorers of this part of the world – people like Henri Mouhot or Dr. P. Neis for example. Can you imagine traipsing through the jungle and just stumbling upon Angkor Wat? Rather than just going on holiday with them though, I would much rather travel back in time and join their original expeditions. Now that would be an adventure!

WHLG: Describe the best and worst accommodation you’ve ever stayed in.
Lee: While I am not normally one of luxury, my mum and little sister came over to visit early in 2011 and we spent a wonderful few days in Luang Prabang. A few nights at the Luang Say Residence was followed by a night out in the forests at Lao Spirit and waking up early in the morning to bathe the elephants in the river. Both of these lodges are up there with the best I have stayed in.

The worst was 12 years ago in a US$2-per-night beachside bungalow in Koh Samui. It was a picturesque bamboo hut with a balcony and a hammock overlooking the ocean. I woke up in the morning with thousands of bites! I’d been attacked by bed bugs, mosquitos, sand flies and God only knows what else. I was left feeling extremely miserable and very uncomfortable for a week to follow.

WHLG: Describe your earliest travel memory.
Lee: As a child, buckled in to the back seat of the car arguing with my sister on road trips around the UK. Family holidays in the north of Wales arguing with my sister. Trips to southern France arguing with my sister. I am starting to understand why I love to travel on my own these days!

The Sala Don Khone Hotel is a guesthouse on Don Khone Island, which makes up one of the Four Thousand Islands in Champasak Province. Lee Sheridan believes it could benefit from travellers exploring beyond Vientiane and Luang Prabang. Photo courtesy of Teamworkz

WHLG: Please briefly explain what you think local travel is.
Local travel means more than just being based in the destination that we serve. Local travel means providing a kind of travel in which our guests can experience a place beyond the surface level. Living in tourism destinations, we often notice that tourists all do the same things at the same time in the same way as all the other tourists, and we wonder why. Local travel to us is about understanding the locality of a place and what makes it special. It’s about participation and positive interaction.

Local travel is a belief that nobody knows a place like the people who live there. Local travellers make the effort to seek out what locals recommend, what locals would do, and spend time enjoying and understanding the destination as a resident might, rather than staying in the isolation of the ‘tourism zone’. Teamworkz’ experienced staff are here to help you make this step – a step inside our destinations to understand why we love these places as much as we do.

WHLG: In what ways do you see local travel benefiting the country in which you live?
Laos is a culturally rich country with a lot to share with the world, especially travellers willing to spend the time and make the effort to look below the surface, to make a little extra effort in getting out of the main tourism centres. I believe local travel will bring great benefits to travellers.

In Laos, tourism is largely concentrated on Vientiane and Luang Prabang. For tourists to move to other areas of the country would mean a greater dispersal of tourism spending and more people benefiting from the growth of the tourism industry.

Having some family visitors who wanted to see it forced my hand though and off we went. We left early (around 6am) and were there by 8am – stopping along the way at a small coconut factory at a local house, where coconuts could be seen being made into pretty much everything from homemade sweets to bedside lamps.

A breakfast of noodle soup supplied on the canal-side from a woman floating by in her boat was delicious; we were happy to have gotten up early to avoid most of the crowds. We hired a small paddle boat (from which this photo was taken) and drifted slowly in between the stalls and boats.

As expected, by 10am the place had more farangs (foreigners) than locals, and with the locals already looking to pack up and go home, we bought as much fresh fruit as we could carry and headed off.

While the Damneon Saduak Floating Market is on the well-worn tourist path, it is still worth a visit. Some tips to improve your visit:

• Get there early, before 8am. By 9-10am it fills up with tourists and by 11am the market is shutting down.
• Don’t expect a ‘traditional market’ – this is a fun market to visit, but it has developed into a major tourist attraction.
• There is a lot of tacky souvenirs for sale – it is an experience to visit and explore – but not a place for high quality handicrafts.
• Try the food stalls – the local food is great!

Push biking in the outskirts of Ayutthaya is somewhat surreal, particularly if you’re used to life in the city. A wide range of smells, dust and potholes can all be expected. The scents of cooking as you pass through villages close to meal times will set stomachs rumbling, and you’re sure to have worked up a healthy appetite at the end of a day’s pedalling.

Local villagers are genuinely pleased to meet and greet outsiders, even though they may be slightly confused as to why on the earth you would hire a bike to ride around their village.

A bike tour through the Thai countryside guarantees great views, great people and the perfect excuse to get some exercise.

Like countries throughout Asia, China celebrates the New Year with a splash in some areas

Below are our picks for the top five New Year celebrations in some of the most beloved nations of Asia, each with its own unique traditions and festivities.

China

The Spring Festival, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most important annual celebration for the Chinese people. Apart from being a weeklong holiday mandated by the government, it is a time to honour the past, celebrate the present and gather good luck for the future. Prior to New Year, people flock to stores to buy ingredients for grand feasts, as well as various decorations for their homes, new clothes to wear when visiting ancestors and gifts for friends and family.

The Chinese people attach particularly great importance to the Spring Festival Eve. In recent years, a Spring Festival Party has been broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) – essential entertainment for the Chinese both at home and abroad. No matter where they are in the world, families stay up to see the New Year come.

In Lijang, China, elaborate decorations are placed with care as part of one of the biggest festivals of the year - the Spring Festival or Lunar New Year

Around the world, homes are also decorated to reflect the festive atmosphere. Door panels are pasted with Spring Festival couplets written, in Chinese calligraphy, with black characters on red paper, indicating the owners’ wishes for a bright future and good luck for the next year. Pictures of the gods are also posted to ward off evil spirits and welcome peace and happiness.

The lively atmosphere not only fills every household, but also permeates the streets in both China and Chinatowns everywhere. Lion dancing, dragon lantern dancing, lantern festivals and temple fairs take place for days. In the Chinese city of Lijiang, where tourism is a vital industry, travellers gather around a giant bonfire and enjoy the unique songs and dances performed by various ethnic minorities from around the region.

Vietnam

Tết Nguyên Đán, more commonly known as Tet, is the most important traditional festival in Vietnam and falls around the same time as the Chinese Lunar New Year – in 2011, February 3rd is the first day of the new lunar year, a date that is also the foundation ceremony day of the Vietnamese Communist Party. Everyone will be celebrating the Year of the Cat.

The flowers of the Han Market in Da Nang, Vietnam, are at their most vibrant during the New Year celebration of Tet. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Dragfyre

In the city of Da Nang and many other places, the streets become noisy and crowded with Tet preparations. Never hampered by the relatively cold weather, Han Market, the city’s biggest flower market, opens its doors and displays a wide range of colourful wares like apricot blossoms, peach blossoms, rosebushes, daisies, sunflowers, dahlias and marigolds. Families gather in their homes to worship the Kitchen God, who is said to fly to heaven to report all the events of the previous year.

On New Year’s Eve, families gather for lunch or dinner and pay tribute to their ancestors, welcoming them to the celebrations. Houses are cleaned and decorated. In the evening, people assemble by the nearest riverbanks to watch firecrackers at midnight. Then, they flock to biggest pagodas in the city to burn incense and pray for good luck for themselves, their families and their businesses.

Thailand

The Songkran festival is celebrated throughout Thailand as the traditional New Year, from the 13th to the 15th of April in 2011. On these days, the most noticeable practice is the throwing of water: Thais roam the streets with pitchers or water guns, or post themselves at the side of roads with a garden hose and drench each other and passersby.

The Songkran festival in Thailand is another annual New Year water-throwing free-for-all street party. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Love Krittaya

Traditionally, Songkran is a time to visit and pay respects to elders, family members, friends and neighbours. People go to a wat (temple) to pray and give food to monks. They may also gently cleanse the Buddha images in household shrines, as well as Buddha images in monasteries, using water mixed with a Thai fragrance. It is believed that doing this will bring good luck and prosperity for the New Year. In many cities, such as Chiang Mai, images of the Buddha from the city’s most important monasteries are paraded through the streets so that people can throw water at them, ritually ‘bathing’ the images as they pass by on ornately decorated floats.

Among young people the holiday has evolved to include dousing strangers with water as relief from the heat, since April is the hottest month in Thailand. Fun-filled water fights are basically an essential part of the fun.

Laos

What can best be described as a national water fight, Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) is celebrated annually in Laos, from the 14th to the 16th of April in 2011. Since it takes place during one of the country’s hottest seasons of the year, it is a welcome and refreshing event.

No generation is exempt from enjoying the large-scale water fights that break out in Laos as part of Pi Mai Lao, the annual New Year celebration. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

Like in Thailand, the festival is a time to visit temples, and pay respect to and bless friends and family before the start of the New Year. Many people visit a number of temples to wash Buddha images and hope for a good start to the New Year. Traditionally, the water used to wash the Buddha images is considered blessed as it drips off the Buddha. For this reason, it is collected and gently poured over loved ones to wash away the problems of the past and help them prepare for the start the New Year clean and full of optimism.

Today, this widely practiced tradition is celebrated with enthusiasm; if you are in Laos during Pi Mai Lao, be prepared to get wet! Vientiane and Luang Prabang are the two best places to enjoy the New Year celebrations, with Luang Prabang hosting a parade through the town centre, sand-castle building on the banks of the Mekong and a traditional beauty pageant. Beer Lao soon flows freely and there is music and dancing in the streets: tourists join merrily dressed locals, young and old, in the most jubilant of Lao festivals designed to bring the new year in with gusto!

Cambodia

Lasting three full days between the 13th and 16th of April in 2011, Khmer New Year is arguably the most popular festival and national holiday in Siem Reap and over Cambodia. Chaul Chnam Thmey, as it is called in Khmer, coincides with the end of the harvest season, so farmers celebrate the New Year with their families and enjoy some relaxation before the rainy season begins.

In Cambodia's Chol Chnam Thmey New Year celebration, water throwing is a common part of the widespread festivities and games. Photo courtesy of Lee Sheridan

People travel from near and far to meet with their relatives, visit temples and partake in the celebration that occur throughout the country. City and village streets are often packed revellers enjoying some time off with their friends and families, celebrating together by dancing and playing traditional games.

The throwing of water is also a notable feature in Cambodia during this special time of year, although it happens primarily limited in the main tourist areas.

Ang Thong National Marine Park was established in 1980 and, since then, has been a haven for wildlife protection efforts and research. As only a small fraction of the area of the park is on land, the majority of its wildlife includes sea-dwelling creatures such as butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish, stingray and sharks.

It is also home to important and diverse habitats including mangrove forests and coral reefs. All of these assets contribute to a fantastic visual beauty, but an environment that should not be interfered with directly.

Tours to the area often offer a combination of snorkelling, kayaking and sightseeing.  There is a small visitor centre located on one of the islands, and budget accommodation is also available here.

One major destination in the Golden Triangle is the historic city of Chiang Mai, Thailand. The second-largest city in the country, it is a vibrant gateway to the spectacular northern region. Sitting comfortably at 316 metres above sea level, it is also a vital hub at the heart of a mountainous territory perfect for anyone seeking a cooler climate and opportunities to experience the rich and diverse cultures of the many ethnic minorities who reside in these hills.

Bamboo rafts along the river are one of the many modes of transport offered on tours around Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hilltribe Holidays

As the number of visitors to the Chiang Mai region grows, though, the availability of responsible and sustainable travel options – those looking out for the welfare of local cultures and environments – is a growing concern. Fortunately, there is a broad selection of hotels and a number of tours in Chiang Mai available to conscientious travellers who really want to travel locally.

One such outfit, Thailand Hilltribe Holidays, was established in 2007 by partners Pat and Mel to meet the needs of mindful visitors keen to step into the lives of the tribes that have resided in the area since 300 AD… and to do so in a way that both is an enriching experience for the visitor and makes a beneficial contribution to the local communities.

Pat and Mel (centre), the cofounders of Thailand Hilltribe Holidays, pose with a couple of volunteers

The Thailand Hilltribe Holidays tour along the Mae Song Hon Loop, for example, is a five-day four-night journey that hits the highest point in Thailand and takes in the remote villages of the Lawa and Karen hill tribes. Other highlights include the ancient pagodas and sacred sites of Vispasana and Theravada Buddhism, home-cooked Thai meals, several waterfalls and breathtaking views of the region.

Alternatively, those with less time can indulge in a two-day Undiscovered Hilltribes of Chiang Mai tour, during which travellers live with a hill tribe and visit the amazing sites that form part of the culture.

For travellers passing through the northern Thai city of Chiang Rai, perhaps en route to Laos, the Real Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai tour covers the distance by 4WD, elephant, bamboo raft and ox-driven cart. In the span of only three days, journeyers make their way through scenic mountains, pause at an opium museum and learn about local culture during visits to the towns bordering Myanmar and at an Akha hill tribe community-based tourism project.

Beautiful sunsets like this are part of the daily routine in the mountain hills around Chiang Mai, Thailand

Sustainable Adventures

Just as important as the tours offered by Thailand Hilltribe Holidays is their proven commitment to giving back to the local communities. Care is taken to ensure that every trip makes a positive impact on the places they visit – purchasing locally made products and educating travellers about proper cultural and environmental practices – and several programs are now in place to support the tribes’ own sustainable tourism initiatives, all of which are important additional sources of income for the locals, the poorest of which have particularly enjoyed a marked increase in living standards as a direct result.

Through Hilltribe Homestays, for example, many village families now welcome visitors to stay with them. Their guests become truly immersed in their everyday lives as part of a cultural exchange that is immensely rewarding to both visitors and hosts. Pat and Mel of Thailand Hilltribe Holidays have also organised a Local Youth Tour Guide program through which young aspiring tour guides accompany experienced leaders and learn the values of responsible tourism.

A volunteer English teacher in northern Thailand has a great time at a local school with his eager students

On top of these worthwhile undertakings, Thailand Hilltribe Holidays can organise volunteer opportunities for travellers who wish to work as English teachers in local schools. The children benefit immensely from their exposure to other cultures and a chance to practice their English. Through the growing network of former volunteers and tour guests, the company has even raised funds for rural kids to continue their education.

When asked why they do all this, Mel simply says: “Because we have both experienced how tourism can negatively impact locals and communities. As tourism brings with it tourism dollars, the traditional values of once-peaceful communities started to erode. In particular Pat has seen these negative impacts on northern Thailand, his homeland, and this inspired him to try and change this. We saw how tourism, if managed responsibly, could be channelled in such a way that it would positively and directly help local communities. We are proud of northern Thailand and its beauty and aim to share with travellers this warm and friendly way of life.”

Visit the Thailand Hilltribe Holidays website for more information about their tours and sustainable travel programs in and around Chiang Mai. For accommodation and tour bookings, as well as more information about Chiang Mai, check out www.chiang-mai-hotel-link.com.

After months of site visits and very careful review of the final six candidates, the judging panel selected winners from Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, all of which were announced at a special ceremony during the 2010 ITB Asia conference.

Representatives from Heritance Kandalama and Sarinbuana Ecolodge accept their Wild Asia 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards

Making a positive impact on local communities and the environment is an increasingly important consideration to a growing number of the nearly one billion international tourists per year (as estimated by the UN World Tourism Organisation) that hit the road. Picked for their innovative programming and their commitment to high standards of environmental protection and socially responsible business practices, all six finalists in the 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards are among an elite group of mindful entrepreneurs helping to change the face of the travel business for good.

“The purpose of the Awards is not to give out ‘gold stars’ to candidates each year,” commented Dr Reza Azmi, Wild Asia founder and director. “Our intent is to share the best practices of responsible operators to a broader audience and seek out new operators engaging in innovative programmes.”

The WHL Group congratulates the following winners of Wild Asia’s 2010 Responsible Tourism Awards:

Heritance Kandalama: Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Winning the award in the Large Accommodation category is the Heritance Kandalama in Sri Lanka, a hotel that has received numerous accolades since it opened in 1992, including being the first LEED-certified hotel to be recognised outside of the USA.

Heritance Kandalama, Dambulla, Sri Lanka

Situated in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle and close to the town of Dambulla, the hotel idles blissfully in an area of rich biodiversity and breathtaking natural beauty. Blending seamlessly with its surroundings, Heritance Kandalama has a unique architectural design; it is built entirely upon a raised platform, which allows for minimal impact on the local ecosystem and lets water and wildlife flow beneath it.

Other innovative facilities include a waste separation centre, a sewage treatment plant, an indigenous plant nursery and an eco museum. There is even a wildlife rehabilitation centre, where rescued animals are cared for before being released into the wild.

Mr. Jeevaka Weerakone, General Manager of Heritance Kandalama, noted “It is a great honour to receive the Awards and will continually raise the game in making Heritance Kandalama an example in Sri Lanka and to the world, at the same time a learning centre for responsible tourism.”

Sarinbuana Ecolodge: Bali, Indonesia

Taking first place in the Mid-Sized to Small Accommodation category is the Sarinbuana Ecolodge, nestled in the stunning rainforests of northwest Bali, Indonesia. This remote ecolodge, which opened 10 years ago, offers guests a welcome retreat from Bali’s tourist trail and a refreshing experience that many people do not feel when visiting this island.

Sarinbuana Ecolodge, Bali, Indonesia

Although only a small lodge, with just four villas, Sarinbuana Ecolodge has had an enormous positive impact on the local village. Since their arrival in Sarinbuana village, the vant Hoff family has been dedicated to improving local livelihoods and establishing strong relationships with the local people, while also promoting and consulting other developers about strategies for sustainable development.

“Winning the Awards has helped us increase our profile thereby bringing in more conscious travellers and increasing revenue streams for the local community,” said Norm vant Hoff, owner of Sarinbuana Ecolodge.

At Sarinbuana Ecolodge, guests can embrace the lush tropical setting and rich Balinese culture. The ecolodge operates in a truly holistic manner, exemplifies sustainability environmentally, economically and socially, and provides comfortable and pristine surroundings for true peace of mind.

Making squid cages on an Andaman Discoveries tour in Phang Nga, Thailand

Andaman Discoveries: Phang Nga, Thailand

Coming in first in the Tour Operators category is Andaman Discoveries, a truly unique program that helps connect travellers with local guesthouses and homestays in Thailand.

Known previously as North Andaman Tsunami Relief (NATR), the successful project began with Bodhi Garrett, who lost his home, job, and many friends in the 2004 tsunami. After the initial rebuilding of homes, the organisation turned its attention to long-term post-tsunami development strategies. Community meetings sparked the idea of using tourism as a means for economic renewal, with villagers seeking to welcome tourists in a way that would positively impact communities hit hard by disaster.

Today, guests can choose from among six fishing villages where they will be offered a good night’s rest. Accommodations are simple and clean and usually include fans, mattresses and mosquito nets in a local family’s home. Guests often leave with more than just great memories and new friendships. Many even stay on to help out and volunteer.

A common sight in Thailand's Bangkok markets, this deep-fried insect food stall sells locusts, bamboo worms, moth larvae, crickets, scorpions, diving beetles and giant water beetles. Photos courtest of Wikimedia/Takoradee

We’ve rounded up a collection of some of the world’s most uncanny edibles, from fried spiders to local lizards and great big mouthwatering worms! Adventurous eaters beware: not everything tastes like chicken and one man’s pet may be another man’s delicacy.

Crunchy Crickets, Thailand

Visit the street markets in Thailand and you are certain to find all manner of ready-to-eat fried insects like locusts, dragonflies and even giant water bugs! In the northeast of the country, though, small crickets are the local delicacy, considered the perfect beer munchies and often compared to popcorn for their “buttery” taste and crispy texture.

Caught using light traps in the rice fields of Chiang Rai, the crickets are cleaned, dehydrated and seasoned to taste. Yum! Cricket husbandry is even catching on as a means for farmers to supplement their incomes. Of course breeding them means having to contend with the constant chirping, but luckily, these little guys only need to be fed twice a day. Cricket breeders can make up to 20,000 Thai baht (over US$600) per month!

Chicken feet and heads (affectionately known as walkie talkies) are a popular street food in South Africa, particularly in Durban and Soweto. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Maqi

Yummy Walkie-Talkies, South Africa

Don’t play fowl! Chicken thighs and breasts are positively tasty, but why throw away the rest of this otherwise appetising poultry? As any good cook from China, Jamaica or Peru will happily explain, some of the best bits of this bird include the liver, gizzard and feet!

In South Africa, “Walkie-Talkies” are a common traditional township delicacy. To prepare it, the feet – the “walkies” – and head – the “talkie” – are boiled to remove the tough outer layer of skin; they are then covered with seasonings and grilled. Explore the local food markets in Durban or Soweto and you are likely to stumble upon this classic savoury snack. Other regional specialities include mngqusho – a dish made from samp (cracked corn) and beans – and “smileys,” which are whole roasted sheep’s heads, each still bearing a gruesome toothy grin.

A bag of mopane worms - harvested and sun-dried and ready to eat! The dried worms tastes like dried fish and have surprisingly more protein than beef. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Hsuepfle

Mouthwatering Mopani Worms, South Africa and Botswana

In hot, dry, low-lying areas throughout Southern Africa, the Mopani worm (a type of caterpillar that metamorphoses into an Emperor moth, one of the world’s largest) lives on the Mopani tree. There it is hunted down by hungry locals!

Considered a tribal delicacy in many countries and a staple snack in northern Botswana, the harvesting and sale of Mopani worms is a multi-million rand industry in Southern Africa. South Africa alone does annual trade of roughly 1.6 million kilograms of Mopani worms, which are plucked off the trees by locals two times each year. Like long tubes of slimy green toothpaste, the worms are squeezed, gutted and then laid in the sun to dry. Southern Africans just can’t seem to get enough of this grub, whether eaten raw like crispy potato chips, or canned and packaged in tomato or chilli sauce.

Peruvians eat approximately 22 million of these cuddly guinea pigs each year. High in protein and low in fat, the healthy meat apparently tastes a bit like rabbit.

Guinea Pig Picante, Peru

The Andean delicacy of cuy, or guinea pig, has been a popular traditional food staple in Peru for literally thousands of years, even before the rise of the mighty Incan empire. Domestication of the cuy in the Peruvian Altiplano can be traced back to 5000 BCE, but it wasn’t until Queen Elizabeth I took one as a pet that these little critters became popular household animals. Today, though, while guinea pigs may be the “first pet” of choice for many European and Northern American kids, these tasty little fur balls continue to make mouths water in many Andean communities.

Peruvians consume more than 22 million guinea pigs per year – a number that might be startling were it not for the fact that cuy are, after all, rather lean and bony. Picante de cuy, a dish in which the guinea pig is fried and doused in spicy peanut sauce, is perhaps the most traditional recipe. Other variations include cuasa de cuy (guinea-pig stuffed potatoes), aguadita de cuy (a type of guinea pig soup) and escabeche de cuy, which is guinea pig served in a vinegar sauce with plenty of onions and potatoes.

A spiny sea urchin being dissected to get to the tasty orange roe inside. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Portum

Spiny Sea Urchins, Corfu

At first glance, ricci di mare, or sea urchins, don’t really resemble an edible treat. As any experienced scuba diver will explain, you certainly wouldn’t want to step on one of these small, spiky underwater animals that often inhabit the ocean’s rocky regions. Catching and eating them therefore requires some care, although when urchins pull across your palm, their spines merely tickle.

Considered a delicacy on the Greek island of Corfu and many other regions around the world, urchins are in fact rather meagre reward for the effort taken to catch and prepare them! With urchin in hand, take a seat right on the sand and begin: snip off those spines (carefully), split the urchin in half and then scoop out the raw insides. Urchin roe has a light consistency and complex salty taste. We’re told it’s best served raw with a nice glass of ouzo!

Barbecued green iguana (or bamboo chicken, as it's known) is a popular dish in Belize. Just season with salt and pepper, garlic, soy sauce and pepper sauce et voilà!

Braised Bamboo Chicken, Belize

Rest assured that you won’t be eating poultry if a local from Belize invites to dinner of bamboo chicken. This delicacy is none other than the great big green iguana, an animal commonly found throughout Central and South America. Catching these fellows is not always easy business, as some grow as large as two metres in length and have sharp tails (used for whipping) and an occasionally nasty bite. Nevertheless, this particular reptile does appear as bush meat on local menus, usually grilled or sautéed with seasonings such as garlic, pepper and teriyaki sauce.

While hunting green iguanas for food and sale as pets has unfortunately left their numbers rather sparse in certain areas, the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Centre manages to maintain a captive green iguana-breeding program to increase their populations.

Fried tarantula sellers on a street in Skuon, Cambodia. This market town is sometimes known as 'Spiderville' in the local lingo on account of its penchant for this unusual delicacy. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia/Thomas Schoch

Crispy Fried Tarantulas, Cambodia

Ever wondered what would be the scariest job in the world? If you’re afraid of arachnids, then being a spider-catcher in Cambodia would top that list! The spiders are dug out of their holes in the ground with a shovel and then collected by hand. Cambodian “tarantulas” (unrelated to the Western variety and by no means poisonous) are extremely slow and do not run quickly like their relatives on the other side of the world. This makes it relatively “easy” for the catcher to pick up the spider and prepare it for consumption.

For the bold, fried spiders are available at street stalls throughout Cambodia, especially around the town of Skuon (75 kilometres north of Phnom Penh. Jam-packed with protein – and flavoured with salt, sugar and garlic, these a-ping are the healthy snack food of choice for local Cambodians on the go! Many Khmer women also believe the furry arthropods have cosmetic properties which can enhance one’s natural beauty. Crunch and munch on the legs first, ladies, and feel your hair grow long and lustrous!