We’re compelled to ask: What is tourism in its worst form, environmentally? Even in its best form, can the cost to the earth of tourism ever really be offset?

These are the questions that drive the staff at the WHL Group, the largest local-travel company in the world. With decades of combined experience in the sustainable travel and tourism industry, our insight into the issues is impressive.

And here are our answers to the question “What is tourism’s greatest threat to the environment?”

Tourism poses a threat to the environment when local communities scramble to meet the inflated expectations of uninformed vacationers. Photo courtesy of flickr/vallartavelas

“I think the biggest threat tourism poses to the environment – beyond carbon emissions and natural resource wasting – is when people travel to a new country, a new city or a new community without an understanding of that area’s social and economic life. it’s when people travel to parts of the world where the currency is weaker simply because it’s ‘cheaper,’ bringing with them expectations of luxuries, resorts and vacation, and without thinking critically about how their expectations impact the local community and its necessity to meet those expectations in order to generate business.”
~ Jenna Makowski, Content Editor, whl.travel

In places like Vietnam, environmental consideration takes a back seat to economic growth. The tourism sector is a perfect example of that. Photo courtesy of flickr/staminajim

“One of the most noticeable threats to the environment is the construction of new mega resorts along undisturbed coastal areas. It’s a hard thing to stop, especially in some developing countries like Vietnam, where consideration for the environment takes a distant second place to growth as a priority. A good example is the once-untouched China Beach near Hoi An in central Vietnam, which is a developers paradise and now a construction site of luxury resorts. Unfortunately, tourism will continue to drive this sort of development at even more secluded locations around the world.”
~ Luke Ford, CEO, Gunyah

While on a tour of the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, I was struck by not only the exploitation of the local people, but also by the disrespect shown to the lake. This vital water resource is already in great jeopardy. This was the saddest tour I have ever been on. Photo courtesy of Maureen Valentine

“The pressure that tourism puts on already unstable local resources in many developing nations is the largest threat for the future of those destinations, combined with the pressure on lacking infrastructure systems like sewage and transport. Many destinations are in short supply of energy, water and food (which tourists generally take the best of). It is a real challenge as a tourist to truly tread lightly in vulnerable destinations.”
~ Maureen Valentine, Director, Hotel Link Solutions

“Tourism can be a powerful destructive force, particularly in the hands of those looking for short term gain. When ecologically sensitive areas are not well managed, the results can be dire. Although tourists are becoming more aware of their negative impact, few will actively try to reduce it unless prompted to do so. The rules of travel should be set by the destinations themselves. They need to lead the way by declaring what is and isn’t acceptable and then sticking to it. Tourists will respect natural attractions more if it’s clear that the local communities hold them in high regard.”
~ Jen Aston, Director, whl.travel Africa regional office

Carbon-neutral local transport like horseback riding is one way to address emissions from travel. For inevitable flights, surprisingly affordable carbon-offset programs are in place. Photo courtesy of Lindsay Young

“I think there are numerous tourism-initiated environmental threats, but perhaps the most pervasive is air travel and its associated emissions. Air travel has facilitated the growing accessibility of previously remote destinations, much to the delight of travellers and the chagrin of environmentalists and locals. The problem is that air travel isn’t going away. No matter how many travellers engage in slow travel and make the effort to travel by anything but planes, air travel remains the most time-efficient and generally most feasible mode of transportation. Also, non-air travel isn’t always environmentally friendly either.

Walking the fine line between use and exploitation in Boracay, Philippines, an eagle is kept strapped to a branch so tourists can take their holiday photo. They can have it on their shoulders for as long as they want, and of course, should give a small donation to keep the business alive. Photo courtesy of Andre Franchini

So what to do when there’s no easy answer? Do the best you can. We can’t always travel emission-free, like by horse or kayak, but we can at least travel carbon-neutral. Personally, I strive to travel as close to carbon-neutral as possible. I do this by purchasing Gold Standard carbon-offset credits, which go to support low-carbon projects all over the world. I’ve written more about it in my blog. The good news is that purchasing carbon offsets isn’t as costly as most people think. My five-ish hour flight to Panama and back was offset for about Canadian $40. It’s a small price to pay for having access to the magnificent places we can fly to.”
~ Lindsay Young , Digital Marketing Specialist, Urban Adventures

“The biggest threat is not only that tourism can damage the local environment and its species, but also that it inadvertently exploits natural resources as a tourist attraction. It comes down to mindset and striking a delicate balance. Since some practices are culturally accepted and have been part of local community traditions for centuries, the work to change the way people see their natural resources and empower them to capitalise on their home’s natural endowments through tourism (without exploiting them) is not an easy task.”
~ André Franchini, CEO, Hotel Link Solutions

This question reminded me of a visit to Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) in central Australia. Our Aboriginal guide appealed to us not to climb the rock, reminding us that doing so is as disgraceful and disrespectful to Aboriginal culture as climbing the altar at Saint Peter’s in Rome would be in Catholicism. Travellers’ defiance of the host culture’s preferences is now affecting the rock and the environment around it.

This is just one example of many in which visitors come with neither foreknowledge nor sensitivity enough to appreciate (and respect) the unique qualities of a place, both natural and manmade. It’s a process that includes, in the search for adventure, travellers’ pursuit of off-the-beaten-path destinations that are perhaps not entirely suitable as tourism attractions.

A universal travel ethic that includes education about cultural literacy is essential to sustainability. It means travellers police themselves, but also put a brake on irresponsible tourism destination development by host cultures trying to cash in on travellers’ ignrorance.
~ Ethan Gelber, Chief Communications Officer, WHL Group

Thousands of limestone karsts and islands draw tons of visitors to Ha Long Bay in Vietnam. But mangroves and seagrass beds have been cleared out to make room for tourist boats. What will be left for tourists of the future to see? Photo courtesy of Ashley Hiemenz

“Rapid growth in tourism has been staggering in many developing nations, where it is often the case that natural attractions serve as the main draw for travellers. When tourism in these ecologically sensitive areas is unregulated, the environment can be severely damaged, and development can ultimately destroy tourists’ main incentive to visit.”
~ Ashley Hiemenz Product Manager, Gunyah

Profit-driven overdevelopment for tourism can harm delicate ecosystems like beaches, wetlands, and rain forests.

“It’s hard not to notice the physical impacts of mass-market tourism and the destructive influence it can have on local environments. Poor development decisions such as extensive building on beaches or bulldozing over wetlands create irreversible damage here on planet earth and the big players who make these irresponsible decisions need to be held accountable. I’d say corporate greed is the most immediate threat to the environment, which is why it’s so important to get involved. It’s up to travellers like us to supply the checks and balances: write to your government or join a local non-profit to advocate for better and more sustainable land uses.”
~ Laurel Angrist , Editor, The Travel Word

“I think there are a lot of tourism’s threats that impact our planet negatively, but the good news is that each of us can help to reduce them and do our bits for the environment. Litter, for example. In Latvia there is a project driven by voluntary participation to keep our environment tidy, bring people together and see results. It’s called “The Big Clean-up.” Last April there were around 150,000 participants in 1,354 cleanup locations across the whole country. Hopefully this year (30th April) the turnout will be even better as this project has become very popular in Latvia. Foreigners, visitors and travellers welcome!
~ Anda Cirule, Director, whl.travel Europe and the Middle East regional office

"We need to change our demand so that the developers change what they supply. We need to demand sustainability as a standard." Photo courtesy of flickr/Jeff Croft

“In addition to the threats posed by the carbon emissions generated by international air travel, perhaps the most significant concern is the impact that opportunistic development has on destinations. We all love visiting beautiful places and we want those places to be as accessible to as many people as possible and for them to be cheap for us to visit. We’ve created the demand, so it’s hypocritical for us then to decry the developers who slap up blocks of apartments on stretches of pristine coastline. We wanted to see it and we didn’t want to pay much to go there.

What we need to realise is that sustainability has a cost attached to it, but also that sustainability is an inherently good thing – easily worth its price. It’s cheap to eat junk food all the time, but you don’t do it because it ruins your body! We need to change our demand so that the developers change what they supply. We need to demand sustainability as a standard.
~ Paul Tavner , Developer, The Travel Word

“In my experience the biggest problem is short-term thinking and greed. Although it’s not a problem confined to tourism, the best evidence of this in the tourism space is mass tourism, where the natural environment plays second fiddle to ‘development’ and ‘growth.’ The irony is that the very beauty of the place, which was the essence of why people came in the first place, is rapidly degraded, leaving a wasteland (culturally and environmentally) that is no longer of value to either the locals or the tourists.

As a model for tourism I like what is happening in Bhutan. Here the government has taken a measured view and wants to ensure tourism is run sustainably. Numbers of tourists are limited, tourism development is tightly controlled and an enormous effort is placed on win-win-win outcomes – for tourists, for local communities and for the environment. At the core of this is a belief that growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a poor measure for development’ and instead the country has focused on Gross Domestic Happiness (GDH). Prime Minister Jigmi Thinley of Bhutan is leading the way in defining a new economic paradigm.”
~ Len Cordiner, CEO, WHL Group

“In my opinion, the greatest threat provided by tourism to the environment is the lack of planning. When a tourism activity takes place without planning is when it becomes more dangerous to the environment and the local communities. There are several examples of this – resorts and tourist complexes of gigantic proportions that are completely changing the way of life in local communities. The lack of planning causes the misuse of resources, whether natural or human.”
~ Wallace Faria, Director, whl.travel Americas regional office

“For a country like the Philippines, where poverty is rampant and environmental policies aren’t implemented, tourism’s biggest threat to the environment is tourism itself. One immediate effect is trash. Oftentimes the local government gets so excited about the new influx of tourists (i.e. money) that the environment is ignored. The crowds arrive before systems are in place. In Boracay, for example, the island is developing faster than it can manage, which has lead to waste-management problems and depletion of the shoreline. Tourism also means an increase in demand for resources – more fish will have to be caught, more goods need to be delivered.

It’s always difficult to find that balance between opportunity and environment. What to do? Look at examples of success. In the simple town of Donsol, Sorsogon, whale-shark poaching was successfully converted into whale-shark watching, and what used to be a poor fishing village is now a thriving ecotourism destination visited by thousands every summer. And although they now take very good care of the gentle giants, their numbers have still depleted over the last 20 years. It is a constant battle for environmental conservation and proper environmental education.”
~ Mika Santos, Director, whl.travel Asia and the Pacific regional office

Emperor Shark Fin Soup: Local delicacy or endangered species? Photo courtesy of flikr/avlxyz

“I believe sheer weight of numbers of visitors is the biggest problem. With the explosion of budget airlines and a desire for people to visit ever more destinations, many places seem to struggle with issues such as rubbish, sewage, etc. People wishing to try local ‘delicacies,’ many of which are endangered, is also a concern.”
~ Adrian Cordiner, CEO, Green Path Transfers

As I saw during my year of tourism studies in Mallorca, Spain, cut-rate mass-tourism to beaches like Magaluf takes its toll on the landscape. Photo courtesy of flickr/lloydi

“I think the biggest environmental problem with global tourism is distribution. Cut-rate mass-travel such as Caribbean cruises and all-inclusive resorts tend to concentrate a lion’s share of international tourism in just a few destinations. For these mass-visited hot spots, the problems of land use and the stress on local infrastructure can turn the blessing of tourism into a curse. Places get loved to death.

For travellers, the challenge is creativity. Rather than looking for Walmart-style low prices and hot deals to sandy beaches, think a little more outside the box about where to go. With more and more of the world opening up to international tourism, it’s more possible than ever to find great new places where you can contribute to healthy local growth without overwhelming the natural environment.”
~ Cynthia Ord, Newsletter Editor, The Travel Word

Like ‘slow food’ and ‘slow media,’ ‘slow travel’ is a part of the movement. It’s a reclaiming of what has been lost in today’s hyper pace of life and travel. It’s a state of mind while travelling. It’s a personal approach.

Today, to launch a couple of weeks of focus on Slow Travel we’ve asked the WHL Group staff what their thoughts and experiences with slow travel have been. Their answers were varied yet unified. The common message is simple – when travelling, slow down.

After you’ve read what we think (you can also click on any picture to see it on our Slow Travel Pinterest pin board), please tell us your ideas in the comments space below.

The bamboo railway in Battambang, Cambodia, is a good lesson in slow travel. Photo courtesy of Len Cordiner

“To me, slow travel is less about the number of dots on your travel itinerary and more about the quality/size of those dots. I have been travelling the world for around 40 years now, and have lived for periods of between one and five years in places as diverse as Japan, the USA, Vietnam, Austria, Nigeria, Switzerland and the UK.

Living in all these countries taught me a few things. First was that in all cases my first impressions shifted quite significantly as I got to know the people and the country better. This is not so surprising, but what was a little surprising to me was that it usually took a full year (or more) to really start to get under the skin of a place and feel comfortable, getting to a point where I could call a place ‘home.’

Being a better slow traveller required experience in my case. It is a learned skill; it is a life skill, really. I’ve found that people who are best at slow travel have a lot of empathy, and are decent people (fair, honest generous and considerate). They relate well to others.”
~ Len Cordiner, CEO, WHL Group

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica, is great place to spot wildlife. With no roads leading here, it's only accessible by boat, slowly. Photo courtesy of Laurel Angrist

“Slow travel, to me, means slowing down your pace to appreciate the journey you take along the way – to see sights that travellers often bypass, to experience local culture far away from the tourist traps, to meet people and get a feeling for their lives while treading lightly on the local environment.”
~ Laurel Angrist, Editor, The Travel Word

A slow travel experience through Mai Chau, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Jen Aston

“To me slow travel is about developing a sense of belonging in the communities you visit. Learning your way around and finding the amazing bakery or the unusual market that never gets featured in guidebooks. It’s about cultural experiences and making memories. It’s not about the places you saw, but rather about the people you met and what they taught you along the way.”
~ Jen Aston, Director, whl.travel Africa regional office

In France, two wheels are the only way to go, to go slowly, to see the in-between treats. Of course, some cyclists may never get anywhere. Photo courtesy of Ethan Gelber

“My preferred form of travel is by bike. Whether I’m making a short hop as a commuter in my home city or spending weeks (and sometimes months) on the road covering hundreds or thousands of kilometres, I prefer the speed – or, relatively speaking, lack thereof – of self-propulsion. It gives me a sensory-rich sense of place. I feel the rain when it falls; I smell herbs and flowers when I roll by home gardens; I hear the braying of cattle or, better yet, a soothing depth of silence. I see the overlooked treasures between the points of departure and arrival.

Best of all, I meet the locals. It’s impossible and foolish not to, because they impart the true depth of experience that makes slow travel – travel at human speeds – so poignant. For as long as my body allows, and soon with the youthful vigour of my sons to help propel me, I intend to keep to my pedal-powered steed. And hope to continue to be able to claim that, true to this day, I have steered over more ground on two wheels than I have on four.”
~ Ethan Gelber, Chief Communications Officer, WHL Group

Can you do THIS on a plane? Photo courtesy of flickr/moyerphotos

“Does anything truly interesting ever happen on a plane? Watching a rerun of a movie you first saw 15 years ago is not interesting. Folding yourself into a bathroom mere feet from your fellow passengers is not interesting. Picking at a cube of reheated food matter as your elbows vie for space with those of your neighbour is certainly not interesting.

Slow travel may not always be fun, but it’s almost always interesting. If it’s a choice between a plane and a four-hour bus journey sitting next to a goat, give me the goat every time. You get the best views, you get the best price and you get the best stories. Even if you don’t enjoy it at the time, think about how good it’ll be when you get there.”
~ Paul Tavner, Developer, The Travel Word

When you've made it as far as Argentine Patagonia, what's the hurry? Photo courtesy of Cynthia Ord

“Slow travel is lingering somewhere rather than just passing through. It’s unpacking your bag and staying long enough to find a routine. To travel slowly is to leave your lodging without a camera sometimes, and to be able to say ‘I’m living here.’ It’s strolling, sitting, watching and absorbing the beauty in tiny details.”
~ Cynthia Ord, Newsletter Editor, The Travel Word

“Slow travel for me involves heading to a destination without a plan. In this way, instead of running around trying to hit all of the ‘major must-dos,’ I wander through neighbourhoods taking in the sights, smells and sounds of what life is like in a particular destination, giving myself permission to stop where I like and explore any street that beckons me.

Then of course there’s slow travel through slow transport. I’ve ridden through rice paddies on an elephant in Thailand, travelled calmly down waterways in India on a traditional houseboat and been pedalled through the madness of Hanoi traffic by an ultra-calm pedicab driver. When your means of transport changes, so does your perspective.”
~ Michael Franco, Chief Communications Officer, Lime&Tonic

Take a moment to stop and connect with the local people - these moments are what slow travel is made of. Photo courtesy of Klaudija Janzelj

“For me, slow travel is taking the time to hang out with local people. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to stay in one place for longer a period; it can be just a few hours, as long as you take the time and get to know a place through its locals. I would skip a sight or two for the opportunity to chat with locals, have a tea or coffee with them, and just talk about their lives, their families or even the weather.”
~ Klaudija Janzelj, Global Sales Manager, Urban Adventures

Part of a Polish backpacking adventure can involve crossing the border between Poland and Slovakia by bike, as there are no buses that take you across. Photo courtesy of Jenna Makowsky

“To me, slow travel means getting to know the vibe of a place by experiencing local, day-to-day life and its routine patterns. I love doing this by going to local coffee shops, eavesdropping on conversations (or even arguments!), taking public transportation, eating local food in local restaurants and listening to music that’s popular at the time. My favourite way to travel slowly, though, is by walking. Walking forces you to slow down and to pay attention to your surroundings. It’s a practice in observation. You catch the small details that are otherwise hard to see when you only spend a few days in a place, or only go to the main tourist attractions. Even little things, like the style of shoes that everyone seems to be wearing, can provide great insight into local trends and habits.

An example of slow travel? I recently spent a month backpacking across Poland by myself and without a car. My goal was to visit the villages that all of my great-grandparents came from. As many of these places were off of dirt roads, I was literally travelling ‘off the grid.’ I was forced to take local public transportation (and when that didn’t exist, to walk or hitchhike); I was forced to learn language skills; and I was forced to rely on the kindness of strangers to provide help. They always did. And I got to know rural Poland in a way that I never would have otherwise. I also learned a lot about myself and my ability to be self-reliant.
~ Jenna Makowski, Content Editor, whl.travel

Taking some time to get to know the locals in Varanasi, India. Photo courtesy of Maureen Valentine

“Slow travel to me is spending a solid amount of time in a place where you can see more than the Lonely Planet highlights, which usually throws the itinerary out the window. It’s about seeing the humanity in the eyes of the local people rather than crossing a destination off the bucket list. It’s about taking the time to step back and let it all sink in.”
~ Maureen Valentine, Director, whl.travel Asia and the Pacific regional office

From Varanasi to New Jalpaiguri, India, slowly, by train. Photo courtesy of Ashley Hiemenz

“Going slowly, travel is much more than ticking off a box on a list. It’s about taking time to meet the locals, learn their stories and, in return, leaving a little bit of your story behind. It’s about discovering every facet of a destination – beyond the major highlights – and taking the chance to discover a place with all your senses.

My slow travel experiences always make the best stories, even if they aren’t always the most pleasant situations! Last month, I decided to take the local train from Varanasi to New Jalpaiguri in India. The train was 12 hours delayed, so I had to spend the night in the cold train station with monkeys, dogs and cows. There weren’t any other foreign tourists there and we slept amongst other locals and families in the station. We met a lot of people during the delay and I’ve told this story at least a hundred times since I’ve returned. If things had run smoothly, then the experience wouldn’t have been nearly as interesting.”
~ Ashley Hiemenz, Product Manager, Gunyah

Slow travel is about long, lazy days and becoming the ultimate 'flâneur.' Photo courtesy of flickr/whltravel

“Slow travel is travelling without a strict schedule or itinerary. It is about staying longer and merging with the local scene, doing the regular things you would normally do in your own place: taking a bus, sending a correspondence, buying groceries. It is talking to a stranger for a long time and enjoying even the silent minutes of no talking. It is walking with your camera and realising that at the end of the day you took less than a handful of photos. It is entering an appliance shop and not buying anything, just to watch the people and their ways. It is about being the ultimate flâneur every time you walk down a street during your holiday.”
~ Andre Franchini, CEO, Hotel Link Solutions

“Slow travel to me means taking in the sights, sounds, smells and history of a destination, connecting with the locals and experiencing their culture, their cuisine and day-to-day lives, so you walk away with a real understanding of place and lasting memories of its people. The best way to do this is to take your time, being adventurous and using the slowest form of transport available, preferably ‘shanks’s pony.’”
~ Rob Shortland, CEO, whl.travel

A slow food market in Latvia. Latvia's new tourism slogan is "Best Enjoyed Slowly." Photo courtesy of Anda Cirule

“To me slow travel is about becoming a part of local life of the destination you visit. It’s about connecting to a place, its people and culture. It is something totally different from trips where you just follow the list of all ‘must-sees’ and after getting home you realise that you actually need a holiday to recover. Slow travel means to me that I can stay in one place long enough to have a favourite dish in the local restaurant.”
~ Anda Cirule, Director, whl.travel Europe and the Middle East regional office

Slow travel is straying from the postcard sites and creating your own picture-perfect moment. Photo courtesy of Wallace Faria

“Devagar se vai ao longe. This old Brazilian saying defines quite well what slow travel is to me. It means something like ‘slowly going further.’ In my opinion, haste is the enemy of the perfect trip. Rent an apartment instead of staying in a hotel. Read the local newspaper. Stray from the postcard sites and get lost!”
~ Wallace Faria, Director, whl.travel Americas regional office

Slow travel is about making local friends along the way, like here, in Yemen. Photo courtesy of Luke Ford

“Slow travel is about slowing down your travels to fully appreciate a place, its people and their culture… and making a few friends on the way.”
~ Luke Ford, CEO, Gunyah

Some transportation, like the Trans-Mongolian Express, lets you take a very long look at the world around you. Photo courtesy of Adrian Cordiner

“Slow travel is about the journey, not just the destination. Being excited about where you’re going, but being just as excited by how you get there, the people you meet, the sights you see and the experiences you have along the way. About slowing down to acknowledge that the journey you’re on allows, for the briefest moment, the chance to peer into someone else’s life and to share that moment in time with them.”
~ Adrian Cordiner, CEO, Green Path Transfers

Milky Way Rising from Australia

“I love this stop-motion clip of the Milky Way rising, filmed in Coonabarabran, New South Wales, Australia. This clip illustrates how much light pollution affects our ability to see the stars by showing us what’s visible without expensive equipment once you get out into the unpolluted Australian bush. On a personal note, I have regularly spent time in Coona throughout my life, and as an Aussie living in London it’s lovely to see the Milky Way and the Aussie scrub in a familiar context.”
~Jen Campbell, Social Media Specialist at WHL Group

The Playground Earth

“When I first saw the clip, I was simply inspired by it — the beauty of the images, the longing it created to see the places pictured. Now that I have two young sons, one of whom has started asking difficult questions about our place in the cosmos, I find the video even more entrancing. After reviewing with my son an astrology book that zoomed out from the earth to the solar system to the galaxy to the universe, this video let me zoom back in on the earth, so that we could talk about who we are, the terrestrial environment in which we exist and the responsibility we have for it.”
~Ethan Gelber, Director of Media and Communications at WHL Group

This is What Global Warming looks like.

“In this video that highlights how violently the earth ‘fought back’ in 2010, what I find most chilling is that it makes me think about the devastation that natural disasters have caused around the globe in the short few months that have followed the video. To me, it’s a haunting reminder of what to expect if we don’t take action.”
~Jennifer Aston, Africa Regional Office Director, whl.travel

Earth amazing sights

“There are many, but I like the entire series shown here. You cannot help but be overwhelmed by how truly awesome and versatile our planet earth is.”
~Rob Shortland, CEO at whl.travel

Saving the sea: Maldives cabinet meets underwater!

“This video inspires me as it is people like Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed who are leading the charge on climate change awareness. Through videos and novel ideas such as this to raise awareness, I hope that finally world leaders will act, and climate change will cease being a political issue, but rather something we must do, and do now.”
~Shaun Gilchrist, Urban Adventures associate and local partner

The Solar House

“This video captures the spirit of a new way of living – one which connects us with the earth and the communities in which we can live in joyous and fulfilling ways. The fact is that most still see anything “eco” as being uncomfortable, tasteless, boring, and something to be wary of. The reality is quite the opposite and this video is a celebration of that.”
~Len Cordiner, founder and CEO of WHL Group

‘Ice Skating’ Polar Bears – Nature’s Great Events

“I love this clip because it’s full of bittersweet ‘firsts.’ For this polar bear cub, it’s the first time venturing out onto the ice. It may be the first time that the mother has taken her young onto such thin ice, and the first time she’s had to spread her weight more widely. We can see the first signs of adaptation to the new conditions brought about by a warming planet. We’re learning that for the first time, humans have had a hand in climate change. This poignant ‘ice skating’ moment doubles as a call to action.”
~Cynthia Ord, managing editor of The Travel Word newsletter

Maya Lin – Unchopping a Tree

“I saw this video after it was shown at the Copenhagen Climate Summit and I guess it made an impression on me because I never forgot it. I think it really adds some perspective onto the damage we are doing to our planet. It has that inspirational punch that makes me want to get out there and chain myself to a tree!”
~Maureen Valentine, chief content editor at whl.travel

Female Elephants Rescue a Drowning Baby

“I love elephants, so my choice for an Earth Day moment had to be an elephant clip. See how the elephants use different techniques to pull and push the baby out. These great creatures are teaching us a few lessons here. We all can work together no matter how difficult the job. And no matter how little we are we all count and are important to somebody.”
~Sylvia Cordiner, admin support for WHL Group

Lontra Comendo Peixe | Parque Nacional do Iguaçu

“I like this video because it was a wonderful ending to our day at Iguazu National Park. This past Saturday, Wallace, Fabio (Foz do Iguaçu MPO) and I went to the park for a full day of activities. It was an amazing experience! The falls are incredible of course, but the park is also full of life. We had the chance to see a wide range of species, including Tufted Capuchin, Caiman, Common Agouti, Nasua and Toucan. The most exciting was the view of an otter having a dinner. We got really close, and I had the chance to record this cool video. Our guide, who has been working in the park for the past 7 years, said that he never managed to get so close to one for that long. It was definitely an inspiring nature experience.”
~André Franchini, Manager at Hotel Link Solutions

International year of Forests * 2011

“Forests have always fascinated me. My major interest is the trees. I used to spend hours reading about the different species, their reproduction, the seeds, flowering period, the use that the natives make of them, etc. I had the pleasure to travel widely in the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic Forest. It’s unexplainable the feeling you get near a tree that is 300 or even 500 years old.”
~Wallace Faria, Central and South America Project Manager, whl.travel

Earth Day: Give Earth a Hand

“I like this one because it shows a great concept of giving a hand to make the Earth greener. At the beginning, it expresses Human’s ambitions, focusing just on things (cars and machines) that might cause harm to the Earth and the living environment. The clip’s message, then, is that it’s time the Earth’s inhabitants should switch their needs to something more essential, without side effects like destruction and pollution.”
~Tuan Truong, content approval on the content team of WHL Group

SchoolHouse Rocks Energy

“I grew up watching Schoolhouse Rock videos and although “The Energy Blues” first aired in 1978, the video’s message remains relevant today. Energy: quit wasting it all, will ya?”
~Laura Fornadel, Asia and the Pacific Project Manager, whl.travel

Home

(embedding disabled — click title to view on YouTube)
“With breathtaking footage of earth juxtaposed with astonishing images of defilement, Home takes us on a journey through human history and our ever-changing relationship with our planet. Sit back and get comfortable. This is a full-length documentary.”
~Ashley Hiemenz, product development at Gunyah

We would love to hear about other inspiring video clips about our earth. Share your links and thoughts below in the comment section.

Young Hanoians show their pride by wearing 'I Love Hanoi' t-shirts on the opening night of Hanoi's 1000th birthday celebrations. Photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel

It was in the year 1010 that the Vietnamese Emperor Lý Thái Tổ moved the capital from Hoa Lu (in Ninh Bình province) to Hanoi, known at the time as Thanh Long, meaning ‘Flying Dragon’. Now, 1000 years later, Hanoi is still the administrative heart of Vietnam and also one of the oldest capitals in all of Asia.

And yesterday, the city was literally abuzz as thousands of locals and travellers joined together to kick off the first night of revelry with an impressive fireworks display and laser light show over Hoan Kiem Lake. “There was so much spirit and excitement in the air! People were taking millions of pictures to capture the moment,” said Hanoi expatriate Julia Plevin.

Among the other opening-ceremony events was a fashion show on the famous Red Bridge featuring different regional variations of ao dai, a form of  traditional Vietnamese dress, as worn by models and Miss World Viet Nam 2007, Ngo Phuong Lan.

Symbolic of the five gates of the ancient citadel were five stages set up around the lake displaying different historical times from Hanoi’s history, including the French occupation, revolutionary wars and contemporary Hanoi. One street looked as if it had been transported from an ancient era, complete with calligraphy painters, old bicycles and cyclo drivers.

Street vendors selling cotton candy were set up around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi, Vietnam on the occasion of the city's 1000th birthday. Photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel

For the next 10 days, there will be over over 200 shows by domestic and international artists throughout the city. Some program highlights include a food festival, photo exhibitions, marathon, kite festival and cultural workshops. The official anniversary is on October 10th, which will be marked by a grand parade in Ba Dinh square followed by a cultural night festival.

If you’re anywhere in Southeast Asia, now is the time to visit Hanoi and be part of a joyous commemoration of 1000 years of Hanoi’s unique culture and tradition.

While you’re in Hanoi, why not try something else a little different: book a local experiential day tour with Urban Adventures, including Hanoi highlights and Hanoi at sunrise, as well as trips to Halong Bay, nearby traditional villages and the area’s spectacular citadels and karst landscape.

For yet more local experience elsewhere in Vietnam, try reach out to your whl.travel local connections in Can Tho, Chau Doc, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, and Phu Quoc.

The question came as a bit of a jolt to the four vegetarians amongst the tour participants (myself included). However, this was a grand gesture. Killing a chicken is an honour in Vietnamese culture and, although not carnivorous, I couldn’t help but appreciate the sort of raw authenticity that I had never seen on any other tour in Vietnam.

On a special microfinance tour to a village outside of Hanoi, Vietnam, Ashley (the author) established a great friendship with a Vietnamese potbelly pig on one of the borrower's farms (photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel)

As a Hanoi resident, I have taken many a tour with visiting friends travelling on a shoestring. Accordingly, I have experienced my share of horrible tours. I’ve also seen the detrimental effects of tourism done wrong – a faulty sort of Reaganomics whereby the big guys get richer and little money trickles down to the local suppliers (leaving disgruntled staff members and consequently unhappy travellers). Over the years though, a few responsible tour operators have sprouted up in a sincere effort to offer better travel alternatives. However, every street corner in the Old Quarter continues to be dominated by the same open-tour agencies catering to penny-pinching backpackers, who, while well meaning, are too happy to pay bargain-basement prices for tours to Sapa and Halong Bay.

So when we noticed a humble poster hanging on the wall of our local watering hole that advertised a microfinance tour in Vietnam, we were definitely curious. What is a microfinance tour?

Microfinance and Beyond

Muhammad Yunus won a Nobel Peace Prize for breaking new ground with microfinance in Bangladesh. Now the idea has become a global cynosure – alleviating poverty throughout the world. The concept is actually quite straightforward: provide poverty-stricken people with the kind of very small loan that would normally be unattainable from traditional banks, who either don’t deal in such small amounts or would need some sort of collateral as security against larger amounts.

A microloan borrower in Vietnam looks out at her rice fields and explains the long back-breaking process of planting every seed by hand (photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel)

Unfortunately, due to scarce funds and wide-reaching poverty in the world, microfinance institutions are unable to provide for everyone in need. Which is where microfinance tours come in: they can reach deep into communities and help people that are generally too far on the periphery to have access even to microloans.

The tour that we attended visited the borrowers of the Microfinance and Community Development Institute (MACDI). The microloans are usually very small – just enough for someone to buy a few chickens or a pig – but providing people with vital boosts taking them from having nothing at all to being able to make substantial improvement in their lives. Each tour focuses on a group of five or six borrowers at a time; when sufficient funds for loans have been raised for that group, the tour moves on to fund loans for a new group. In this way, because the tour only goes enough times to meet loan requirements – for every tour participant, a large portion of the proceeds goes directly to MACDI, so it takes only two tours of 12 people each to meet a loan – it maintains the integrity of a destination (which doesn’t become touristic) and inherently provides a completely authentic experience for travellers.

Giong's House Pagoda, outside Hanoi, Vietnam, honours Saint Giong. Legend holds that his mother here immaculately conceived him by placing her foot in the footprint of a giant found in a field. Photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel

Of course, in keeping with the practice of microfinance, when a loan is repaid by one group of borrowers, it is used again for a new group. Importantly, it is a model that is completely scalable.

The Tour

Our first stop was Giong’s House, a beautiful complex with ancient pagodas. Even though it was pouring rain, the hazy fog made the place even more magical, and unlike at the Perfume Pagoda, there were no tourists. Inside, we were given a tour by a local monk, who told us the legend of Thanh Giong (Saint Giong), translated into English by one of the tour guides. The story was a perfect preface to time we would later spend at Soc Son, where Saint Giong flew back to heaven after defeating the An people.

After roaming about freely for a short while, we headed to Soc Son, where we helped prepare lunch with Ms. Tuyen, a microfinance success story. While sitting on her floor in traditional Vietnamese style and eating our fill of fresh vegetables, chicken, tofu and rice, she told us her story.

At the end of the day, everyone on the microfinance tour had a chance to try smoking tobacco with a traditional Vietnamese water pipe (photo courtesy of Laura Fornadel)

The initial loan she received was for only 500,000 Vietnamese Dong (roughly US$30), enough for her to purchase a few chickens. With this small leg up, she was able to sell eggs and chicks and eventually make enough money to buy other animals, including ducks and pigs, and then even some farmland. When we met her, she was self-sustaining and had even put her two children through school and university. Looking at everything that she had now, I was amazed at what such a small loan could do for her and her family.

After lunch, we met the other borrowers – all women. After greeting us with fresh guavas from her tree, one woman brought us out o her rice fields, where she explained to us the back-aching process of harvesting the rice by hand. We also met another woman who lived with her four children, while her husband worked far away from home. She only needed a loan to buy 50 chickens, for a total of about US$60.

As we headed back to Hanoi, we stopped at a small lacquer-ware and jewellery craft shop that employed disabled people who couldn’t normally get a job. Many of the products they created are now sold in a Fair-Trade shop in the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. To crown an already superb day, the owner invited us to drink rice wine and smoke tobacco out of a traditional water pipe.

We all agreed, Bloom Microventures was certainly the best Hanoi-area tour we have ever been on.

Ashley (right) and her friend Laura tinted orange at the bisket jatra celebration for the Nepalese New Year in Thimi, outside Kathmandu

A month later, after two flights and a turbulent landing, my longtime friend Laura and I arrived in Kathmandu. Unintentionally, we had arrived on the Nepalese New Year’s Day – the first day of 2067 according to their calendar – but we were still welcomed by our whl.travel local connections, Rajendra and Navin, who greeted us with a lei-like flower necklace and anointed our foreheads with the Nepalese tikka (a mixture of red dye and rice).

As they drove us to the center of the city past typical red-brick homes, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Kathmandu and other emerging South Asian cities. Once again, I saw the blatant dichotomy between the rich and poor, as well as the same traffic insanity. However, the distant mountains were refreshingly different and imparted a sense of preserved isolation that I hadn’t felt before.

It wasn’t long before we were relaxing in the private office of Rajendra, seated at his large desk, that of the managing director and founder of Outdoor Himalayan Treks, our whl.travel local partner in Nepal. Looking at his crisp white shirt, one could easily be forgiven for not realizing that he’s actually an expert in Himalayan trekking routes. Orphaned when he was just eight years old, Raj independently took odd jobs to make ends meet and put himself through school. Afterward, he landed a position as a porter and then became a certified guide, the means by which he learned the various treks and finally opened his own company. It was in him that we put our trust as he knowledgeably designed one of the most incredible adventures of my lifetime.

Nepali men covered in orange powder and playing traditional drums at the bisket jatra in Thimi, near Kathmandu, Nepal

Kathmandu Valley

At 6:30am the very next day, we left Hotel Utse in a rush to catch celebrations in the adjacent municipality of Thimi. As I whirred through the city on the back of Navin’s motorbike, I realized that Navin is a walking encyclopedia of information about Nepal. In Nepali, navin means ‘new,’ and, standing slightly shorter than me with kind eyes and a handsome face, Navin certainly brought a fresh, boyish and contagious desire to discover and learn new things. The early morning roads were clear as we neared Thimi. Along the way, Navin pointed out the industrial plants where the city’s ubiquitous red brick was processed, explaining that due to little regulation, the factories were now emitting vast amounts of pollution.

We arrived to Thimi just in time for the first New Year jatra, or celebration. Thimi, famous for its pottery, is a medieval city only eight kilometers from the capital. Around every corner, it has majestic architecture and temples dating from Kathmandu’s Newari Golden Age (16th to 18th centuries). However, this was no ordinary day in Thimi. At nearly 7am, the narrow streets were already full of hundreds of people ready to celebrate the famous bisket jatra – a procession of revelers throwing orange powder, carrying palanquins covered in Hindu deities and playing traditional cymbals and drums. Within minutes, Laura and I were tinted orange and indulging small children’s hunger to have their photos taken.

A short time later, after enjoying masala tea in a local spot, we mounted the motorbikes again and headed toward the famous adjacent city of Bhaktapur. A World Heritage Site and an old capital of Nepal, Bhaktapur has two faces. The majestic square with domineering architecture is breathtaking, yet undeniably touristic. But the back alleys, teeming with local life, are the real heart of the city. We listened to its rhythm as we watched women in traditional Newari dress line up at the wells to fill their canteens.

In Patan, men and women line up to fill up their canteens at a well with government-provided water

From Bhaktapur, we turned to Patan, another grand city dating from the Golden Age. At the Patan Museum, we encountered one of the best collections I’ve seen in South Asia, abounding with statues and paintings of gods and goddesses from ancient cultures. As we listened to Navin’s friend Rajkiran describe the various faces of Shiva, I realized that my college mythology course hadn’t even scratched the surface of the complexity of Hinduism.

“It is said that there are more gods in Kathmandu than people,” Navin said as we sat at a rooftop café drinking more masala tea and watching the sun set behind the Himalayas. As we looked out over the mass of overcrowded houses that was slowly swallowing the ancient temples, I couldn’t help but imagine the devastation that might occur here during a natural disaster.

A Leap of Faith

Back in Katmandu, Swoyamber, another friend and colleague of Navin’s, said “There is one more place I want you to see.” He took us down a side street away from the roar of motorized traffic and stopped in front of a large colorful relief of Shiva. Illuminated by candles, the statue represented Bhairava, the terrible manifestation of Shiva the destroyer. As people lit candles and laid their offerings before him, I realized from all the rituals and tradition in this country that the Nepalese people – the last census of whom reported 83% as Hindu – were truly god-fearing.

This thought resonated the next day as we travelled by early-morning bus to the border of Tibet to go bungee jumping. As we wound along the mountain roads, Navin pointed out a newly constructed statue of Shiva that, at over 43 meters in height, towers above the terraced rice paddies below.

A view of the Bhote Khosi River Gorge. The bungee-jumping bridge is the third highest in the world and also has the largest canyon swing in the world.

The scenery began to change as we neared our destination and paralleled the Bhote Kosi River, which turned from a muddy brown to a light blue as we ascended further into the mountains. Navin told me about the massive hydroelectric power potential of Nepal as we passed a modern power plant. But in a country that falls behind Honduras and Senegal in terms of GDP, parts of Nepal suffer at least two hours of power outages a day.

After stopping for a lunch of the dal bat – the national dish of lentils and rice – we continued our climb southeast towards Dhulikhel. Clear blue skies were the backdrop of the verdant mountains ornamented with pristine waterfalls as the road coiled around and above a gorge.

In his song ‘Ma Marepani Malai Mero Deshko Maya Chha’ (Even If I Die, I’ll Still Be Loving My Motherland), Narayan Gopal, the most prolific and beloved Nepalese musician, wrote:

In and around this country of mine, the love for my homeland endures
Sons of the brave, my Nepali folks, the love for our ancestors endures
The love for our ancestors endures
Even if I die, I’ll still be loving my motherland
This heart is filled with a lot of love for Nepal

Seeing the pride in Navin’s eyes as we drove along gawking at the dramatic beauty, I was overcome by this beautiful country.

We pulled into the Last Resort – an ominous name for a bungee-jumping outfit. In almost no time, I was standing at the edge of a bridge over 160 meters above a vigorous river and staring out into the distance of the high-cliff gorge. After a nerve-wracking count to three, I leapt, and, after briefly flailing my arms in useless resistance, conceded and relaxed. Jumping off a bridge is a lot like walking out of your door each morning. You can’t control what’s going to happen and it’s a lot more fun to give in and have faith that a bungee will catch you before you hit the rocks below.

For more information about Nepal, including accommodations, tours and activities, and lots of insider tips, contact Outdoor Himalayan Treks, your whl.travel local connection, at www.kathmanduhotel-link.com. Also read about their strong and generous connection to underprivileged children in their community.

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.

And where do these animals come from? Tilikum, the orca responsible for the death of Brancheau, was taken from the wild off the coast of Iceland to live out the rest of his life in captivity. And as revealed in Louie Psihoyos’ heart-wrenching Oscar-nominated documentary, The Cove, many dolphins are also removed from their families in the wild – separating mother and calf – and then distributed to marine parks throughout the world. What happens to those who don’t get picked for marine-park training is yet another story altogether.

A Better Alternative

Many people argue that the current awareness and love for orcas and dolphins wouldn’t exist without parks like SeaWorld. Do I agree? Yes. But do I think there are better alternatives? Most decisively.

The most obvious problem with SeaWorld and other voyeuristic venues is that cash seems to come before conservation. Tilikum fathered 17 calves; those that survived were not set free, but kept in confinement. It is certainly true that the wild is not what it used to be; there are many more threats to wildlife survival. But is it in Ringling Bros. cages that we propose to preserve the future of the animals of this planet?

No. There are better options and better places to put your dollar. Brazil has led the way in promoting marine conservation by creating coastal sanctuaries that allow these animals to return to the wild, where they can swim up to 100 miles a day, as intended. Supporting local efforts like this result in conservation and awareness that create win-win situations for whales, dolphins and other sea animals, and those who admire them.

The grey wolf can now live protected from hunters in Estonia's Soomaa National Park (photo by Jarek Joepara)

Of course careful conservation efforts aren’t limited to targeting marine life. For land animals, numerous sanctuaries have been developed that offer a better alternative to stressful and limited life in a zoo. Addo National Park of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, is refuge to massive herds of elephants that can live peacefully in a protected environment. In Sandakan of Malaysian Borneo, the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre saves orphaned orangutans and eventually releases them back into the open forest reserve, where they can roam safely free. Soomaa National Park of Estonia is a protected area where wolves, bears, lynx and beavers can live without fearing the crosshairs of hunters.

These are just a few examples of the efforts taken around the world to protect local wildlife. With so many better alternatives, why not support endeavours that primarily promote conservation and education, rather than shameless profit at the expense of animals?

Animals can’t speak for themselves. We must speak for them. Use your dollar positively. Think before you spend.

As seen from the Botanical Park that helps make it one of the Europe's greenest cities, these 'main gates' of Chisinau are often the first vision visitors see as they arrive from the airport

Bunches of Grapes

With a geographical outline that some say bears a resemblance to a bunch of grapes, Moldova is a famous wine country – in 2005 it ranked seventh in the world for wine exportation – with hundreds of wine-producing companies. In fact, just 30 minutes from Chisinau (Moldova’s capital city) is the world’s largest underground wine complex of Mileşti Mici, even titleholder in the Guinness World Records as the largest wine collection in the world! Composed of 250 kilometres of subterranean galleries (only 120 kilometres of which are used) that reach as far as the edge of Chisinau, Mileşti Mici contains over 1.5 million bottles of wine.

Moldova’s second largest wine cellar is the Cricova Winery, located in a village of the same name 15km north of Chisinau. Set in limestone tunnels from which rock was extracted for the development of Chisinau, the mines were converted in the 1950s to the storage of wines. Famous for fine vintages (including a true méthode champenoise sparkling wine), Cricova is just as legendary for its underground labyrinth, albeit at 120 kilometres a bit less extensive than at Mileşti Mici. Both are like underground cities where you amble along avenues named after wines or even drive your car down the oak barrel boulevards.

Barrels border the boulevards in a subterranean passage of Mileşti Mici, storage for the largest wine collection in the world - over 1.5 million bottles

For wine lovers, a particularly excellent time to visit Moldova is the autumn (October) Wine Festival. This celebration brings all the wine families together to mark the end of the year’s grape harvest. Throughout the country, the villages’ small houses transform their courtyards into tiny wineries, where everyone is invited to join in wine tasting and a traditional ‘hora’ dance.

In Chisinau, although there are wine shops on every corner, the only one that features all of the Moldavian wines is the Casa Vinului, where you can taste before purchasing. More about Moldavian wines can also be found on the websites for Mileşti Mici and the Cricova Winery.

Agritourism near Prime Attractions

A seeker of true Moldova rustic authenticity must visit the village of Lalova on the Nistru River, 100 kilometres north-northeast of Chisinau. Travellers can stay at the Hanul lui Hanganu Guesthouse, which offers unique accommodation options ranging from an actual hayloft to a cellar with a fireplace. Here, travellers can relax and engage in traditional activities, such as fishing, tasting honey in the beekeeper’s house, boat rides or visiting a handicraft workshop. Conveniently, the Tipova complex, one of the country’s top attractions, with an 11th-century cave monastery and many beautiful waterfalls and springs, is only two kilometres away.

The 11th-century cave monasteries of Tipova are one of Moldova's top attractions

Ten kilometres away is another appealing site: Saharna village. Set in incredible natural surroundings, it boasts the 18th-century Holy Trinity Monastery, as well as a small chapel built on Grimidon, the high rock on top of which a monk had a vision of St Maria and then subsequently found her footprint. Saharna is a great place for trekking to waterfalls, archaeological sites and exceptional panoramic views of the immaculate landscape.

For a different taste of Moldavian country life, another option is a trip to the rural boarding house of Casa din Lunca, located in Trebujeni village, 47 kilometres north-northeast of Chisinau. Owned by the Benzin family, this house is set within a natural park, where visitors can participate in horseback riding, milking sheep and cows and cooking traditional Moldavians dishes, as well as enjoy the traditional songs and dances of Moldova.

.

For more information about Moldova, including Chisinau hotels, Chisinau tours and lots of insider tips, contact your local whl.travel connection: Olga and the Uniglobe Slavion Travel team at www.travel-chisinau.com.

.

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

Marine experts estimate that a humpback whale travels an average of 25,000 kilometres each year on a regular migration route that begins with feeding in cold polar waters and ends with summer breeding in subtropical climates. In the southern hemisphere, humpback whales travel from Antarctica to the northern Brazilian coast of Bahia, where visitors regularly gather to witness whale mothers and calves up close.

Hunters’ Deadly Harpoons

There was, however, a time in our history when humpback whales teetered perilously close to extinction, with only 10% of the original population left in the world. Although several factors led to the depreciation in their numbers, the most severe was beyond doubt that of hunting. The humpback whale’s close-to-shore activities and unhurried pace have made it an easy mark for commerical hunters for centuries.

Slow-moving adult humpback whales, which can grow over 50 feet in length, have long been easy marks for hunters

Commerical whale hunting in Brazil was introduced at the beginning of the 17th century. In the 20th century, Japanese factories were often busy in Brazilian waters until whaling was finally prohibited in 1987. In the 87 years prior to that, according to the Instituto Baleia Jubarte it is estimated that over 200,000 humpback whales were killed in the southern hemisphere alone.

Whales continue to be endangered even though significant changes have been made to sea-harvesting practices. The primary threats include over-fishing, pollution, commercial fishing nets and climate change. The result is a whale population about one-third of what it was once thought to be.

Instituto Baleia Jubarte

“The idea that whales are saved from human aggression is not true, and in this new century we should strive to make sure our actions do not once again lead them down the path of distinction.” – Instituto Baleia Jubarte

Before embarking on a whalewatching trip, participants are given some information about humpback whales

With the end of whale hunting in Brazil, interest in whalewatching has grown rapidly in coastal areas, where visitors flock to catch a glimpse of these incredible animals. Besides the obvious advantages of not killing whales and promoting cetacean awareness and conservation, the incidental effects of whale tourism have been positive in other ways; this type of tourism produces over US$1 billion dollars annually across the globe, greatly impacting the local coastal communities who now depend on it. Compared to whale hunting, a practice where the economic advantages are centralized in the hands of a few at the expense of an entire species, whale tourism benefits a large number of people, local ventures like restaurants, tour operators and hotels, and, of course, the whales themselves.

One organisation very aware of this and now actively contributing to the peaceful coexistence of humans and whales – and ensuring the latter a better future today – is the Instituto Baleia Jubarte (IBJ), located in Praia do Forte, 90 kilometres northeast of Salvador. IBJ now works in partnership with Rota Tropical Turismo, who run whalewatching trips daily from July to October in the waters near Morro de São Paulo, where humpbacks gather to reproduce. On this day trip, participants can behold the acrobatic whales breaching and playing in the water, and sometimes even see mother whales with newborn calves. Taking a tour like this not only promotes awareness by connecting travellers with these remarkable animals, it also supports IBJ’s work in environmental education, scientific research and preservation of humpback whales.

.

For more information on whalewatching tours and any other local recommendations or advice about Morro de São Paulo hotels and Morro de São Paulo tours, contact the team of Rota Tropical, your whl.travel local connection.

.

A typical Turkish-village bread oven is the unlikely but excellent focus of a responsible-tourism project on the Datça Peninsula. Traditional bread is baked in these special stone ovens. Both oven-building and bread-baking are vanishing master crafts.

Going Local

There are nine traditional villages found on the peninsula, all inhabited by people whose livelihoods depend on local resources like almonds, olives, honey, fruit and vegetables, as well as, more recently, tourism. There are no large holiday resorts, however; here travellers turn to small, family-owned guesthouses and pensions, which, in an effort to preserve their natural environment, are pleasantly integrated into the surroundings. Many of these accommodations, like the Eski Datça Everli, even have their own gardens that provide for the meals served in the hotel.

A broad view of the Knidia Country Estate

Alternative travellers in the area seeking something truly different should consider staying at the Knidia Country Estate, a prime example of a responsible accommodation at the vanguard of efforts to respect the area’s environment and traditions. This 400-acre eco-farm welcomes guests to simple but comfortable huts and encourages them to learn directly about ecological agriculture. Far from the ‘civilized world’ in lodging without electricity, travellers discover starry nights, swim in pristine waters, relax to the sound of a watermill and partake of delicious organic food and wine.

Using What’s There

Grassroots projects are now also bringing travellers together with the local community, connections that are helping to preserve local traditions. One such initiative, the Village Bread-Baking Project, launched to help breathe life back into the local bread-baking customs slowly losing ground to so-called ‘city-bread’. Travellers are taken to a small village and engage with the local women in the social activity of baking bread, including gathering firewood, heating stones and preparing the dough. Although these women only speak Turkish, travellers communicate using ‘tarzanca’ – talking with a few words and lot of hand and feet gestures, much the way Tarzan and Jane did!

Experience is an important part of the bread-baking process. The colour of the bread changes gradually and only a practiced bread baker knows which loaves are ready or which ones need to be placed closer to the fire (out of sight on the left side of the pictured oven). The bread is flat with a hole in the middle to shorten the baking time and assure that it is well cooked on the inside. Each bread requires about 15 minutes of baking.

Unlike elsewhere in most of Turkey, agricultural methods in Datça are highly organic, making no use of pesticides or chemical fertilizer. With this in mind, the OWAHO Project came together as a means of attracting travellers to the area 12 months a year. Through this endeavour, travellers participate in the production of organic wine, almonds, honey and olive oil, working for either half or full days side by side with locals. On top of sharing ideas about green farming methods, travellers and locals live an incomparable experience of the cross-pollination of thoughts and culture.

Two Insider Tips

Local Ruins
Just 15 miles from Datça are the remains of a 200-year-old neo-classical church unknown even to locals of the peninsula. Visitors can stroll about freely and take pictures, but remember it’s a graveyard: no alcoholic beverages or picnicking on the graves. One special feature of the region is that people put long texts – often poems – on the gravestones.

The little-known Greek Orthodox church dating from about 1880. In the middle of the main doorway is a Muslim gravestone with a typical long text of the region. On some columns crucifixes have been scratched away. One may also wonder where the original graveyard was or how it completely disappeared.

Coming from Datça, take the road to Knidos. After passing Yakaköy, continue toward Knidos for 1km, until you see a sign for Çeşmeköy. This takes you to the village if Çesme, where you can stop for a tea in one of the teahouses and chat with the friendly locals who enjoy joking with visitors. Return to the main road to Knidos, where, after 50 metres, there is a small road going left. The church is on the left 100 metres ahead.

The Village of the Hundred Weeping Wells
Seekers of the archaic and untouched should head to the village of Taslica. Although the village is very dry, its inhabitants found it nearby in abundance and built hundreds of wells – at least one for each family. This is the ‘secret’ that accounts for the village’s survival. During sunrise or sunset, travellers can see the local women dressed in traditional clothing gather the water in this peaceful, yet rather social place. No different from a biblical scene, the women drop buckets on long lines into the wells and then pull them up again to fill plastic barrels strapped to their donkeys or mules.

Only two of the 100 Weeping Wells of Taslica

To get to Taslica from Marmaris turn to the left at Hisaronu from which you then follow the road to Bozburun, Selimiye and further to the south to Sogut and Taslica. From Taslica, head toward Sergeliman. After 500 metres, you’ll see the field filled with wells.

The ghost of recent violent times in the Balkans still haunts the region; few people give it priority consideration as a destination of choice for their next holidays, perhaps least of all places like post-war Bosnia and Herzegovina. The mere mention of Sarajevo and Mostar conjures up memories of the human and material devastation that occurred during the 1990s.

Hikers in the Bosnia and Herzegovina highlands above Trnovacko Lake

However, over the last decade or so, easing recriminations have allowed for significant developments and improvements to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s tourism infrastructure. Intrepid travellers tempted to try something new have been thrilled to discover an incredible country of stunning and pristine nature, a fascinating blend of cultures including some of the oldest traditional practices in Europe, friendly people, UNESCO World Heritage sites and world-famous Balkan cuisine. For city enthusiasts, Sarajevo, the capital, is a cosmopolitan centre with trendy bars and cafes, while nature mavens will find in the surrounding mountains and countryside countless escapes and excursions.

Where to Begin – Sarajevo and Surrounds

The Hotel Ada, located in the heart of Sarajevo’s Old Town, is a great little city base from which to stage urban explorations. Travellers come here to experience true Bosnian-style hospitality and try some of the locally grown organic food.

More delicious Bosnian cuisine is the highlight of Dveri, a restaurant in the Old Town with local specialties like goulash, stuffed eggplant, mukalica (pork chops covered in a spicy sauce) and warm homemade bread.

A Sarajevo city tour is an excellent way to get familiar with the town and its fascinating, yet poignant history. Highlights include 16th-century synagogues and churches and the Latin Bridge where Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated, triggering World War I.

To get out of the city and enjoy some beautiful Bosnian countryside, take a rafting trip on the Neretva River and brave some of the best rapids in Europe. The river’s high canyon walls and emerald-green water are not soon forgotten.

Green Visions and Lukomir Village

Green Visions is a Sarajevo-based tour operator that offers a variety of travel experiences emphasising the nature and unique culture of Bosnia and Herzegovina. “We founded our company on the principles of balance and harmony between man and nature,” says Thierry Joubert, a managing partner. “We’ve pioneered a movement in creating alternative means of sustainable development while maintaining an eco-friendly approach to all that we do.”

Given this unique orientation, Green Visions was selected by the International Finance Corporation (part of the World Bank Group) as the local partner in a programme to promote tours and small- and medium-sized guesthouses in and around Sarajevo.  In cooperation with whl.travel, the global grassroots network of travel websites, Green Visions now makes these services available online through a Sarajevo travel portal.

Visiting hikers near Lukomir Village with a view to Krvavac peak

One particularly meaningful tour is the Lukomir Village Highland Walk, a hike to a secluded Bosnian settlement. The residents of this highest village in Bosnia and Herzegovina maintain one of the oldest traditional lifestyles in Europe, wearing authentic dress and living without contemporary comforts like electricity or running-water. Sadly, the Balkan hostilities of the 1990s were devastating to remote highland communities like Lukomir and are in great need of sustainable support.

Working with the Ministry of Trade and Tourism, Green Vision has embarked on a programme to preserve traditional highland practices and the local environments on which the villagers depend. Through tours, awareness of the villagers’ plight is being increased and reason provided for several families in Lukomir to receive both support in equipping their homes with traditionally crafted guest beds and furniture, and basic hospitality training. Admiring old farming methods and a lifestyle long since forgotten in Europe, travellers can now rest in a unique environment while also providing economic support to the villagers. Lukomir tours are only run during summer months, outside of which snow can stymie road access.

Green Visions has been involved in other development projects throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, including starting Bosnia’s first ecotourism and environmental protection agency and leading ecotours (over 2,000 so far) to even the most remote areas of the country.

When considering where to go this summer, keep Bosnia and Herzegovina in mind and make a trip with a difference! For more information about Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, including accommodations, tours, activities and lots of insider tips, contact your local whl.travel connection: Thierry Joubert and the team from Green Visions at www.sarajevo-travel.ba.

.
Want to learn more SUMMER IN THE BALKANS? Read about Albania and Montenegro.