When I look at this photo I get a taste of what I experienced kayaking in Ang Thong National Marine Park. ‘The sublime’ is to feel our smallness in the natural world, to feel overwhelmed by its power and greatness. In turn, this feeling of wonder and humility grants us a connection to that world.

The province of Palawan is a spectacular untamed region found on the western fringes of the Philippine Archipelago. Almost nowhere else can one simultaneously encounter two such intriguing, dynamic and diverse habitats as reefs and tropical rainforests. Rich in teeming jungles, tousled mangrove swamps and vibrant coral reefs, Palawan is truly one of the best examples in Asia of a species-rich, biologically diverse ecosystem.

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed region of Cappadocia, Turkey, is well known for its magical lunar landscape and creative approaches to tourism like its cave hotels. Built straight into the rock or the facades of old manmade caves, cave hotels are everything from five-star caverns to brightly lit grottos for tourists on a budget. They’re positively primeval. And they’re just one part of an overall approach to travel that emphasises what’s local and sustainable.

This unprecedented and challenging trip is led by none other than Jumber Lezhava, a bicycle world traveller, multiple Guinness World Record holder and UNESCO World Sportsman and Citizen. Lezhava has put together an ideal route for visiting cyclists. Time on tough roads is combined with visits to cultural and historic sites, and opportunities to meet the locals in isolated, mountainous villages.

With the finalists of Wild Asia’s 2010 Responsible Tourism Award now announced, the honourable endeavours of six small- and medium-sized hotels and tour operators that champion responsible practices in the travel industry are being celebrated. The first of the finalists to have received a visit from the Wild Asia team was the Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa in Malaysia.