50% travel, 50% charity, 100% meaningful
50% travel, 50% charity, 100% meaning March/April 2022 ISSUE 9
You've got this
Discover 12 ways to make your holiday count, from getting on your bike to assisting with scientific research
LUXURY SPA RESORTS
Come back from your holiday feeling rested and revived
LOW SEASON TRAVEL
Beat the crowds, help the locals & get a new perspective
GET TO KNOW EFTELING Find your fairy tale at this quirky Dutch theme park
Keep the FAITH
FROM THE EDITOR
Laura Gelder
It’s hard to know what to think when the unthinkable occurs. But as I write this, a war is raging on our doorstep in Europe. It’s only days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but many casualties have been reported, including civilians – including children. Like all conflicts, the situation is complicated but the outcome if war continues is clear and that is more tragedy. Whatever happens, the people of Ukraine need support and that can be given by individuals, no matter how impotent we may feel, in the form of charitable giving. Organisations including The British Red Cross, Unicef and British Ukrainian Aid are working to provide support to Ukrainians so please give if you can. The Ukrainian conflict has raised our attention to the plight of refugees and this month we feature a story about Sarah, who volunteers for a charity that helps them in her city. For a reminder of good things occuring in the world, read more about this on page 27.
Ukrainians need support and that can be given by individuals, no matter how impotent we feel, in the form of charitable giving And on a happier note, watching the first planes of tourists arrive in Australia bought a tear to my eye. The world continues to open after Covid and there will be more happy tears shed as people reunite. If you’re planning your holidays then you’ll find lots of inspiration in this issue. Read about an arty Spanish town where Salvador Dali lived, the quirky Dutch theme park Efteling and why you might want to travel in low season. And don’t miss our big feature on how to make travel count this year – from counting penguins to cutting your carbon footprint, holidays can make a difference in the world.
©CHARITABLE TRAVEL 2022. CHARITABLE TRAVELLER is part of CHARITABLE TRAVEL, Fundraising Futures Community Interest Company, Contingent Works, Broadway Buildings, Elmfield Road, Bromley, BR1 1LW, UK. Putting our profit to work supporting the work of charitable causes. T: 020 3092 1288 E: bookings@charitable.travel W: charitable.travel Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, CHARITABLE TRAVEL cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. FRONT COVER: istockphoto.com. ICONS: flaticon.com. CEO: Melissa Tilling; MARKETING: Rosie Buddell, Ally Ware & Adam Pedley; SALES: Ali Nicholls; MAGAZINE EDITOR: Laura Gelder; MAGAZINE DESIGNER: Louisa Horton (louisacreative@outlook.com)
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MARCH/APRIL 2022
INSIDE
this issue 4 9 10
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Get the picture Armchair travel Make travel count: Ideas for holidays which do the world some good Five... biodiverse places in Africa Get to know: Efteling Why I volunteer: All about a West Sussex charity helping refugees In numbers: Stalking with The Suzy Lamplugh Trust
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Travel talk: Mark Bibby Jackson on Cambodia 35 Postcard from: McLeod Ganj, India 36 Q&A with: CEO & Founder of TheGivingMachine 38 Low season travel: Why holidaying out of season rewards everyone 45 Postcard from: Cadaques 46 A day in the life of... George from the Matt Hampson Foundation
47 50
Four views of... Brazil 48 hours in... Northumberland 52 Get to know: Bali 55 Five... worldwide animal issues that charity Four Paws is fighting 56 Top ten: Luxury spa and wellness resorts 60 Global good news
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GET THE
picture
Reach for the skies of New Zealand
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As its neighbour Australia opened up to tourists this February, New Zealand unveiled plans to open its own borders and British passport holders will be able to visit from July. In other news, this June will be the first time that Kiwis celebrate Matariki – the midwinter star constellation that marks the Māori New Year – as an official public holiday. It’s a time to remember loved ones who have died and look to the stars for inspiration. Thanks to a lack of light pollution, New Zealand boasts exceptional stargazing and is bidding to become the world’s first dark sky nation.
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get the picture
Europe’s hottest cultural hubs
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Three cities share the European Capital of Culture title for 2022: Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg, Kaunas in Lithuania (pictured) and Novi Sad in Serbia. The initiative sees the cities receive support for a year-long celebration of art and culture so it’s a great time to visit. Kaunas is Lithuania’s second city but between 1920 and 1939 it was the capital, nicknamed ‘Little Paris’ because of its rich cultural life. Highlights include the pretty treelined Laisves Avenue, funky street art, beautiful architecture including Art Deco and Germanic styles, Kaunas Fortress, (one of the largest in Europe) and a striking holocaust monument and museum.
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get the picture
New routes into America
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British Airways has a host of new flights kicking off this year, including two to the U.S. Its new route to Portland in Oregon (pictured), which was originally supposed to start in 2020, and the returning service to Pittsburgh, both launch in June. Sitting beneath the snow-capped Mount Hood, hipster Portland is famous for great coffee, independent shops and being one of America’s most walkable and eco-friendly cities. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is known for its pierogies (filled Polish dumplings), thriving arts scene (including the Andy Warhol Museum) and high-energy night life and music scene.
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THE WEEKEND AWAY
This Netflix film is based on a best-selling novel and stars Leighton Meester (Gossip Girl) as Beth, one of two friends on a girl’s get away in Croatia. Events take a dark turn when Kate is found dead after a big night out and Beth is the prime suspect. The twisting tale sees her try to piece together what happened and clear her name, befriending a local man in the process. As secrets are revealed and a gang enter the mix, you’ll wonder who can be trusted. Filmed on location in Split, this gripping thriller will have you lusting after Croatia.
Film
THE BEST BRITISH TRAVEL WRITING OF THE 21ST CENTURY
A celebration of outstanding travel storytelling from around the world, this hardback anthology of traveller’s tales was also compiled by respected travel writers, Levison Wood, Monisha Rajesh, Jessica Vincent and Simon Willmore. The book is an ode to the beauty of travel and its power to encourage empathy and inspire change. Through the eyes of several talented travel writers you’ll face adversity along the Congo’s raging River Lulua, make friends aboard Iraq’s night train and embark on life-changing pilgrimages from India to Saudi Arabia.
Book
ARMCHAIR
travel
A thriller set in Croatia, the world’s best travel writing, an Arctic survival epic and a journey into Morocco and the world of the Nomad
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AGAINST THE ICE
Film
This Arctic survival film stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones) and Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders) as two Danish explorers. Based on a true story, it’s set in 1909 and is about their expedition to disprove the United States’ argument that Greenland is two islands and stop their claim to half of it. A captain sets off across the ice with his young, green crew mate and, although they find the evidence they need, they battle hunger, fatigue and a polar bear and return to find their ship crushed in the ice and the camp abandoned. As the days grow longer, breeding mistrust and paranoia, they fight to survive in this harsh place.
WALKING WITH NOMADS By Alice Morrison
Encountering dinosaur footprints and lost cities, TV presenter Alice Morrison embarks on three treks across Morocco with three Muslim men and their camels. From the arid Sahara to the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, Morrison balances stark evidence of climate change with the humour that comes from eating goat’s trachea sausages, all while trying to avoid landmines, quicksand and horned vipers. Encounters along the way show how the ancient world of the nomad is under threat
Book
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meaningful holidays
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meaningful holidays
Make it
count If you promised yourself you would never again take travel for granted, take it one step further and book a trip that has a positive impact. finds 12 ready-made holidays that make it count
Lauren Jarvis
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DON’T ABANDON THE STAYCATION
The last two years has definitely helped us appreciate the beautiful British Isles more. During the pandemic our national parks, exciting cities and stunning coastline more than stepped up to the challenge of providing much-needed restorative escapes when the rest of the world was out of bounds. So, as international borders reopen, let’s keep the staycation love going, and ensure our home-grown attractions, rural communities and native wildlife continue to thrive.
Book it: Just Go Holidays’ five-day North Devon Delights
and a Taste of Cornwall trip includes four nights in traditional comfort at the Durrant House Hotel in Bideford, excursions to the pretty seaside towns of Ilfracombe, Bude and the historic house and flower-filled gardens of Hartland Abbey and an Exmoor cliffs and waterfall cruise.
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wilder
Picture credit: Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION
Whether it's reducing your carbon footprint, creating your own wildflower garden patch, volunteering with us or changing how you travel - discover how you can get involved on our website.
Sc
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Registered Charity Number 232580
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STAND WITH HARD-HIT COMMUNITIES
The global pandemic’s travel restrictions have hit local communities in tourist-reliant destinations hard, so travelling with a company that actively benefits local people and businesses will make a world of difference. Book responsible tour operators which fund social projects, employ local guides, and work with locally-run businesses.
Adventures has a non-profit arm, Planeterra, which uses community tourism to change lives, and departures on its exciting new Trans Bhutan Trail tours will start in May. This reopened ancient trade route connects remote communities, generating income and offering the chance to stay in local homesteads and experience Bhutan’s unique customs and traditions. The 12-day Highlights of The Trans Bhutan Trail crosses spectacular mountain passes and visits remote yak herding communities and ancient mountain fortresses.
Canada’s mystical Haida Gwaii
The K ingdom of Bhutan
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SUPPORT THE WORLD’S INDIGENOUS TOURISM INDUSTRIES
Who better to show you the real beauty of a destination than its indigenous people who have lived off the land for thousands of years? Seeking out trips which incorporate tours and experiences with First Nations peoples helps to keep their ancient customs and traditions alive, supports often marginalised communities, and deepens your understanding of a place’s history and heritage.
Book it: First Class Holidays has a five-day package from Vancouver which will whisk you away from the big city to the remote islands of Haida Gwaii. This pristine archipelago, off the north coast of British Columbia, is the homeland of the Haida Nation. Immerse yourself in nature and culture, exploring wild beaches, rivers and rainforest and discovering the tribe’s rich traditions.
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Book it: Adventure travel specialist G
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PICK A RESORT THAT RESPECTS THE OCEAN
An escape in, on or near the water brings endless pleasure, so it’s fantastic to see so many travel companies and resorts introducing initiatives to improve the heath of our seas, rivers and lakes. From beach clean-ups to coral regeneration; marine-life monitoring to choosing plant-based meals, there are now plenty of ways for travellers to get involved and help protect our oceans.
Book it: Sun and ski holiday specialist Club Med has banned single-use plastics and 80% of
its resorts are now Green Globe-certified for sustainable tourism. Guests staying at Club Med’s Cherating Beach in Malaysia can take part in turtle release sessions at the neighbouring nonprofit Cherating Turtle Sanctuary from June to October. The resort sits between a golden beach and a forest which echoes with the hoots of macaques and gibbons.
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Malaysia is a turtle hot-spot
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The Azores: a model for green tourism
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VOTE FOR SUSTAINABLE DESTINATIONS WITH YOUR FEET
Many countries around the world are rising to meet the challenge of climate change, reducing their dependency on single-use plastics, and implementing strategies to protect and restore biodiversity. Lying in the North Atlantic, the Azores is the first archipelago in the world to achieve international certification for being a sustainable destination accredited by the Global Council for Sustainable Tourism.
Book it: The Azores is one of the best
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places in the world to see dolphins and whales in the wild (27 of the planet’s 80 cetaceans have been seen here) and has applied for Whale Heritage Status. Responsible wildlife watching brings economic benefits and helps to keep species protections in place. Sunvil offers eco-conscious trips to the Azores, including its seven-night Whale & Dolphin Watching Holiday which uses an operator that’s aiding vital cetacean research.
The best of Italy unlocked. Tour Differently. Italy Bellissimo 11 Days from £2,025*
12 Cities Flexible bookings, risk-free deposits & free changes
15 Meals Just £100 deposit
If toasting epic Tuscan sunsets, soaking up the sun-kissed sophistication of Italy’s most popular cities and olive oil tasting in a real Italian borgo with new friends sound like your idea of perfection, this trip is for you. We also have two very special Make Travel Matter® experiences on this trip. We meet the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise in Perugia and learn about Italian hand-weaving during a private demonstration. Plus, take in the history and ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing while you witness this exquisite craft. Both visits help preserve these traditional crafts. For more information visit www.charitable.travel/trafalgar or call 020 3092 1288. *Per person twin share, based on 8 Dec 2022 departure. Prices may change. Ask your travel agent for more information.
meaningful holidays
The Great Wall o f China took around 2,000 years to build
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RAISE MONEY WHILE YOU HOLIDAY
There’s nothing quite like a charity challenge to push your limits and spur you to new heights. Knowing that completing a trek, bicycle ride, or canoe expedition will not only raise your fitness levels, but raise vital funds for organisations that really make a difference is massively motivational. And of course, you’ll also get to see some incredible sights and meet likeminded people along the way.
Book it: Charitable Travel’s Great
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Wall Charity Trek is an epic nine-day adventure along one of the world’s most iconic attractions, the Great Wall of China, raising money for the charity of your choice. Departing on September 16, the guided hike also takes in the Temple of Heaven, the Forbidden City, and the Hutong district of Beijing.
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CRUISE IN CLIMATEFRIENDLY STYLE
Cruising has historically not been the most planet-friendly way to travel, but cruise companies are pulling out all the stops to clean up, and many of the leading companies’ sustainability initiatives are finally starting to look ship-shape. Greener, fuel-efficient vessels, a reduction in single-use plastics and support for local initiatives in port destinations are all things to look out for before you sail into the sunset.
Carbon-neutral Virgin Voyages
Book it: One of the world’s newest
cruise companies, Virgin Voyages has been carbon-neutral since launch and saw its first ship, Scarlet Lady, set sail in October 2021. The Southeastern Caribbean Isles Cruise on its new ship, Resilient Lady, is a ten-night voyage departing from the American outpost of Puerto Rico and stopping in the British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Barbados, Saint Lucia and Antigua.
BRITAIN & IRELA ND
By Coach
& Air 2022
England’s Coast · Heritage & Scotland · Countryside UK Islands · Wales · Ireland · Short Break Events & Enter s · JG Prem tainment ium
Explore the British Isles & Ireland in 2022 with us! We have a fantastic collection of great value getaways across a range of spectacular destinations in the British Isles. Your customers can makeup for lost time and treat themselves to a wonderful Just Go! Holiday this year! BOOK NOW WITH CHARITABLE TRAVEL on
020 3092 1288 or visit our
website charitable.travel
GARDEN ROUTE BUSH WALKS SUNSHINE ADVENTURE HISTORY
BO KAAP ARTS HERITAGE INDULGENCE
CAPE TOWN COSMOPOLITAN KRUGER PENGUINS CLIFFS HIKING NATIONAL PARKS LUXURY RHINOS BEACHES
SAFARI CAPES WINELANDS DIVING MOUNTAINS CULTUR
GET BACK OUT THERE
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OFFSET YOUR CARBON EMISSIONS
As the world moves towards green energy solutions and achieving net zero by 2050, various schemes allow companies or individuals to contribute to carbon-offset projects, which help to balance their carbon footprint now. Seek out travel companies that have a green energy policy, or which contribute to recognised offsetting schemes, and ensure your travels are ‘carbon-neutral’ in 2022.
Book it: Cruise the world’s great rivers with Cosmos or its sister
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company, Avalon Waterways, and they will offset your carbon emissions through donations to Trees4Travel, which is planting forests in Haiti, and The Ocean Cleanup organisation. Cosmos’ eight-day Edelweiss: The Natural Beauty Of The Rhine cruise starts in the Swiss city of Basel and also stops at Strasbourg in France, Koblenz in Germany and the Dutch capital, Amsterdam.
Antarctica, the last frontier?
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DRIVE VITAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
With the natural world facing so many challenges, we need scientists and researchers more than ever. Many travel companies are now helping to fund essential research and science in the countries where they operate, including the Polar regions, which are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Book it: Intrepid runs a variety of Antarctica tours between November and March each year. You’ll experience this virtually untouched part of the world in a way that supports local communities and respects the environment. Intrepid have a range of specialists onboard for every polar journey, from historians to marine biologists and hiking guides. You can be assured that no question will be left unanswered as you venture into icefilled bays to spot penguin colonies, scout for seals and maybe spy a whale breaching from the blue. All trips are carbon-offset and serve only sustainable seafood.
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Colourful Cuba
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GET ON YOUR BIKE
After so many hours sitting down to binge watch on Netflix or Zoom our colleagues, we could all do with moving a little more, and nothing is better for getting in shape – while exploring some stunning natural landscapes – than cycling. A pedalpowered holiday is also better for your carbon foot-print and a great way to meet new people and locals, too.
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Book it: With tours in Cuba ranging
from easy to moderate, adventure tour operator Explore can ease you in to sightseeing on two wheels. The island’s quiet roads make it ideal for a cycling trip and the eight-day Highlights of Cuba By Bicycle tour will see you sail through the stunning Sierra Escambray Mountains and stay in locally-run homestays in the crumbling colonial city of Trinidad.
TRAVEL LIGHTER BY TRAIN
As our world stood still in 2020, clearer skies and cleaner air gave everyone who loves to travel food for thought, and now even frequent fliers are reassessing how often – and how – they travel. A rail trip is a less carbon-intensive way to explore, and also allows the opportunity to see more of the country. Instead of flying over less-visited sights you can trundle through them and maybe even stop. It’s a pretty romantic way to travel, too.
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spot o ka oo
Book it: RailBookers offers rail journeys across the world
but its USA and Canada Grand Rail Experience is a 23-day epic. Travelling on Amtrak and VIA Rail trains, you’ll start in the movie capital of Los Angeles before rumbling into New Orleans, Washington DC, New York City, Toronto (plus Niagara Falls), Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco.
Joali Maldives has its own glass bottling plant and uses bio-waste to make the natural fertilisers
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REWILD OUR WORLD
Development and agricultural practices have left many countries naturedepleted, and ecosystems out of balance. In 2020, WWF’s Living Nature Report revealed that the population sizes of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles have seen an alarming average drop of 68% since 1970. ‘Rewilding’ – the act of restoring landscapes to their natural state – is crucial if we are to turn the tide.
Eco-conscious Joali Maldives
Book it: Many travel companies are now offering
guests the opportunity to get involved in rewilding activities. The five-star luxury resort Joali, located on Muravandhoo Island in the Maldives, was built in and around the island’s 1,000 palm trees, and guests can get involved with reef restoration projects. Joali also funds mangrove tree-planting schemes to restore coastal environments and offset emissions. Stay in an over-water or beach villa and explore the island by bicycle, including its nature-influenced art installations crafted by global and local artists.
Joali
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America on rails with Amtrak
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Extinction Means Forever Let's Make a Difference Today
Visit charitable.travel/how-many-elephants
How Many Elephants is a registered NGO supporting African elephants and front line rangers.
Image: James Eades
n Book a
lash.com Elliot Paris/unsp
Along Africa’s Indian Ocean coast lies a tropical forest region that stretches from Somalia to Mozambique and includes parts of coastal Kenya and Tanzania, including islands like Zanzibar. The rich and complex vegetation includes dry forests and mangroves and interestingly the 40,000 varieties of African violet which form the basis of a multi-million dollar global houseplant trade, are all derived from a few species found here. The forests are home to a variety of primate species including the critically endangered Tana River red colobus.
Five biodiverse places IN AFRICA
Africa is home to one fifth of all mammal, bird and plant species. find the continent’s biodiversity hotspots
Laura Gelder
LAKE MALAWI
The world’s ninth largest freshwater lake, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania, has more species of fish than any other lake in the world and of these 90% are endemic. Perhaps its most fascinating inhabitant is the cichlid, a colourful fish that’s found all around the world but comes in 600 species here. Biologists think Cichlids are vital to our understanding of evolution because of the mind-boggling rate at which they generate new species – a new one is produced every 20 generations!
rican safa
EAST AFRICA’S COASTAL FORESTS
Erik Hathaway/u nsplash.com
THE INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS
Between them, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Comoros and the Seychelles are home to 11,200 endemic plant species, ranging from the bottom-shaped coco de mer from the Seychelles (which produces the world’s largest and heaviest seeds) to the spiny octopus trees of Madagascar. More than 80% of the flora and fauna on Madagascar can only be found on the island, including its cute lemurs, of which there are around 100 different species in wildly varying shapes and colours.
SOUTH AFRICA’S CAPE FLORISTIC REGION
Laker/pexels.com
This is one of the world’s six floral kingdoms. Located near South Africa’s south-western tip and encompassing Table Mountain National Park, it’s home to the highest concentration of plant species on the planet. Here there are three times as many plant varieties as in the Amazon and 70% are endemic. The majority of the flora is classed as fynbos, the low and dry shrubs which yield spectacular flowers including vivid orchids and the huge king protea.
unsplash.com Graphic Node/
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Shaped like the horn of the rhino, this region inside Africa’s north-eastern peninsula encompasses the countries of Somalia, Eritrea, Djibouti and Ethiopia. It’s one of only two biodiversity hotspots that is classed as arid but is still home to around 220 species of mammal alone, including the critically endangered Somalian wild ass, the desert warthog and the silver dikdik, a tiny antelope that weighs less than most cats and stands just 30cm high.
Af
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THE HORN OF AFRICA
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Get to know EFTELING SYMBOLICA
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What’s it all about?
This Dutch theme park is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2022, making it four years older than Disneyland. It’s impossible not to compare it the mouse’s house, but Efteling is unique. Combining charming fairy tales with thrilling rides, this distinctly European park will surprise and entertain all ages.
Themed family fun
Amsterdam Efteling
The majority of the rides and attractions in Efteling are very family-friendly and can be enjoyed by young kids. Although, like Disneyland, the park is something of an institution so you’ll see adult couples enjoying nostalgic days out too. Classic dark rides include Fata Morgana, a boat ride through a sinister Sultan’s palace, and Droomvlucht, a chairlift through an enchanting flowery world of fairies, elves and trolls. The star attraction is the magic-themed Symbolica, located in the park’s fairy tale castle and featuring Efteling’s official mascot Pardoes the jester. There’s also plenty of playgrounds and longer rides, like the steam train or the gondolas.
Thrills & spillls
BARON 1898
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Efteling isn’t out to attract adrenaline addicts, but it does offer some thrills. The most extreme ride is Baron 1898, a rollercoaster themed around the story of an evil mine owner with a 40-metre free fall drop at a speed of 55mph. There’s also a water rollercoaster themed around the story of ghost pirate ship The Flying Dutchman.
LITTLE RED RI
DING HOOD
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SYMBOLICA CA ST
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Welcome to the weird & wonderful Efteling.. THE BIN PEOPLE Slightly grotesque but hilariously entertaining, the Gijs family of talking rubbish bins call out ‘paper hier’ as you pass by and make satisfied gobbling noises when you stuff some rubbish in their mouthes. LAAFLAND Catch the snail monorail around the people of the Laaf’s village. Animatronic scenes show these odd, jolly little people living their lives and feeding their babies wine... FLYING POOP The Brothers Grimm tale, The Table, the Ass and the Stick stars a donkey that poops gold and for €1 you can make it happen (watch out, it flies!)
Stay for story time
The Efteling Hotel, a slightly dated looking floating castle, is nicely decorated inside, with spacious rooms and suites – some themed. There’s also Loonsche Land, a village of cosy grass-roof wood cabins set amongst trees and sand dunes, plus a hotel. The Bosrijk village has self-catering houses (some with saunas) for groups of up to 24 people and is set around a lake.
MASCOTS PARDOES & PARDIJN
The fairy tale forest
Originally 10 tableaus depicting famous fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty, Efteling’s original attraction has mushroomed into 30 storybook scenes tucked amongst 15 acres of woodland. As you wander winding paths you’ll stumble upon familiar settings, like the candy-studded cottage in Hansel and Gretel, all complete with life-size figures laid out in detailed, partly animatronic scenes. You’ll find some less familiar tales too, like The Six Servants, featuring a long-necked man who is a beloved park mascot. The commentary is in Dutch, but there’s always a book where you can read an abridged version of the story in English. Plus, hearing a tree talk in a language you don’t understand somehow makes it more magical! The slow-moving tableaus are oldfashioned but it just adds to the charm. What’s also notable is how unsanitized the stories are. Tales like The Little Match Girl have no happy ending added for the kids but are sensitively done.
All around the park you can meet and chat to ‘real’ fairy tale characters like Little Red Riding Hood
Food, glorious food
There are kiosks offering takeaway items like hotdogs, ice cream and coffee, along with self-service cafes, fast food joints and themed a la carte restaurants. Polles Keuken is a cosy pancake house set in a fantasy royal kitchen where pots and ladles whirl around you and a ‘magic’ tap turns kids’ water into sparkling colours. Efteling’s dining is better value than most parks, there are lots of healthy options and alcohol is served on-site.
THE PIRANA RIVER RAPIDS POLLES KEUKEN
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CAN WE GIVE YOU A
? P I T
Charitable Travel’s new Travel Insider Podcasts (TIPs) will take your ears on a 30-minute holiday and let you in on some of travel’s best-kept secrets… Hosted by the Editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine, Laura Gelder, each episode aims to get under the skin of a holiday destination as Laura chats to two people in the know. The guests will share their insider knowledge, from personal recommendations on where to dine or dance the night away, to exclusive tip-offs about the best beaches or sunset spots.
To the Med
In our first episode we journey to the sundrenched Mediterranean islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino. Laura talks to the Malta-born but
UK-based Louise Zammit from the Malta Tourism Authority and Clive Cortis, a Maltese tourist guide who has 17 years’ experience in guiding international visitors around his home and sharing his vast knowledge of its history and culture. On this podcast you will discover which diverse cultures have influenced Malta’s mouth-watering cuisine, what happens at a Maltese village feast and which historic attraction on Gozo is older than Stonehenge, plus much more.
Next departure
Keep an eye out for our next TIPs episode which will whisk you away to the bright lights of Atlantic City and reveal some of its more surprising attractions, from a giant elephant to an impressive selection of vineyards and wineries.
Listen, follow and subscribe - wherever you get your podcasts charitable.travel/travel-insider-podcast
WHY I
volunteer
Sarah Kiddle volunteers as a befriender for Sanctuary in Chichester,
*not their real names Icons from www.flaticon.com - Heart charity by Freepik
helping an asylum-seeking family to adjust to life in her home city I had always wanted to work with refugees. Watching the news it was hard not to be humbled and inspired by the widely reported refugee crisis, and the tragic stories of people perishing in their attempts to find a safe home. When a friend of mine said she was volunteering at Sanctuary in Chichester (SiC), I was excited that there was an opportunity to get involved in my own small city. SiC is committed to welcoming and supporting newly-arrived asylumseeking families and individuals, as well as refugee families. Often people arrive having lost everything and suffered great trauma. Yakub and Salima’s* family, for example, had already been through so much by the time they had fled the Syrian civil war. Yakub was imprisoned in terrible conditions for 11 years for refusing to betray his brother-in-law, who had protested against the Syrian leader, Assad. They became one of the first families supported by SiC when it started in 2016. As well as helping the family to integrate within the community, SiC helped Ahmed, their youngest son, to fund his medical studies in Cairo. He now works as a doctor in a UK hospital, giving back to the
community – as do his parents, who help other newly arrived families. As an English teacher, I could have been one of the charity’s tutors, who do vital work helping people to adjust and find work. However, I wanted to really get to know a family, so I became a befriender. This involves keeping in regular contact and helping out with everyday needs like navigating UK supermarkets, budgeting (although in my experience, they’re more savvy than me!), making and getting to appointments, and finding social opportunities like mother and baby groups – as well as building a rapport. Most of the refugees supported by SIC are here on the government’s resettlement schemes for Syrian and Afghan people and volunteers help them to rebuild their lives. For asylum-seeking families (such as the Kurdish family I support), things are a bit trickier because until they are granted asylum they cannot work. Others are vulnerable unaccompanied children, who have often travelled
alone for years through dangerous places before arriving here. SiC provides holistic care and this includes the Nations United football team it supported a young refugee to set up, which is made up of young refugees and asylum-seekers from countries including Sudan, Eritrea and Iran. A cricket team is now being developed after requests from Afghan arrivals and SiC is working on providing other holistic support that is more inclusive of girls, who are more at risk of trafficking in the UK. I love working with my current family and look forward to seeing them continue to flourish. With 65 million people forced to flee their homes in recent years, more than half of them children, SiC does vital work, and I’m proud to be a tiny piece of the support network they’ve created.
Providing sanctuary Sanctuary in Chichester is part of the wider City of Sanctuary movement, and offers a range of support to refugees and asylum seekers in the West Sussex city. sanctuaryinchichester.org
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sponsored feature
New York State OF MIND New York City is an urban icon, but did you know that it’s the smallest of New York State’s 11 regions? Beyond the city that never sleeps are millions of acres of spectacular nature-filled spaces,
NEW YORK CITY’S FAMOUS SKYLINE
ranging from mountains and lakes to beaches and vineyards. With 2,000 miles of hiking and biking trails, more than 200 charming small towns and fascinating cities brimming with cultural attractions, New York State has plenty to reward those who set their sights beyond the
GEORGE EASTMAN MUSEUM, ROCHESTER
skyscrapers of Manhattan.
Map - Ery Prihananto/vecteezy.com
Niagara Falls
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Albany
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state parks and historic sites, countless
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M
SAVOUR THE SEASIDE
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Kevin P. Coughlin/State of New York
When the sun is shining, New York City heads to Long Island to soak it up on the sandy beaches. You’ll be spoilt for choice so which sandy stretch you pick all depends on the vibe you’re chasing. Looking for classic Americana? Jones Beach State Park has six miles of sandy shores to explore as well as a dizzying array of restaurants, bars and games venues along its allAmerican boardwalk and a 15,000seat amphitheatre hosting major acts, from musicians to magicians. If you fancy going upmarket, stop at Coopers Beach in Southampton (part of the swanky Hamptons) where the quartz sand is backed by rolling dunes and historic Gatsbystyle mansions. Car-free Fire Island is part-LGBTQfriendly party place, part-nature lover’s paradise, where you’ll see deer grazing in the grassy dunes and you can explore a boardwalk that snakes through a unique sunken forest of American holly. Let us help you create the If you want to catch perfect New York itinerary, some waves, or watch whether that’s a city and the professional beach break in the summer, surfers doing it, Ditch or an upstate fly-drive in the Plains Beach boasts spectacular fall season. charitable.travel/ impressive swells new-york beneath its handsome orange cliffs.
EAST HAMPTON, LONG ISLAND
Book it
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FRESHWATER FUN
Step away from the seaside and you’ll still find beaches, on New York’s lakes and rivers. There are more than 6,700 natural bodies of water in New York, around 3,000 in the Adirondacks alone. Lake Placid Public Beach is a sandy one complete with a pier and a launch site for those exploring by canoe. Cutting across almost the entire state is the Erie Canal, a 363-mile
NYSDED/ Darren McGee
illions of Brits fly to New York every year, but most of them explore just a fraction of the Empire State. Try combining a city break in the bustling Big Apple with a trip into the state’s truly great outdoors...
NIAGARA FALLS
feat of engineering, including 18 aqueducts and 83 locks, that connects Albany and the Hudson River to Buffalo on Lake Erie. You can hike the towpath or take to water on a boat or kayak. You’d be forgiven for thinking you’re back at the seaside when you see the silky sands of Sylvan Beach on Lake Oneida, but it’s smack bang in Central New York. The resort is even home to a traditional amusement park, complete with vintage roller coaster, arcade games and old-fashioned pretzel carts. In the Finger Lakes you can explore 11 distinct lakes and the unique communities that have sprung up around them. Pretty Lake Owasco’s warm waters make it popular for swimming and water-skiing. The Thousand Islands-Seaway comprises hundreds of miles of picturesque coastline trailing along the shores of Great Lake Ontario and the mighty St. Lawrence River. There are 1,800 islands to explore, from Dark Island, home to the grand Singer Castle, to the smallest inhabited isle in the world. Just Room Enough Island is home to only a tiny cottage, a few chairs and a tree. On the water you can hire an antique speed boat, scuba dive down to shipwrecks or partake in some world-class fishing.
TRAILS INTO THE WILD
If you’re into hiking or cycling you’ve come to the right place. You can even set off from the Big Apple, the starting point for the epic but largely flat Empire State Trail. This new 750-mile-long route runs along
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GRAND SPECTACLES
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You can’t visit upstate New York without seeing the spectacular Niagara Falls, a thundering spectacle of nature’s sheer power. Around 3,000 tonnes of water pass over the falls every second and there are multiple ways to view it, from the Maid of the Mist boat which will take you as close to the foaming curtain
THE CAPITOL, ALBANY
as you dare, to the Whirlpool Jet Boat tour which whisks you upriver into the Niagara Gorge, through the Devil’s Hole Rapids and to the edge of a natural whirlpool. There’s also the Cave of the Winds tour which passes behind the Bridal Veil Falls. Another icon of New York State is Letchworth State Park, known as the ‘Grand Canyon of the East’. Here, the Genesee River cuts through a lush forested landscape, vertiginous cliffs channelling it through three dramatic waterfalls. Activities include guided nature walks, whitewater rafting, kayaking and hot air ballooning.
FARM-TO-FORK FLAVOUR All that fresh air and exercise will make you hungry and luckily New York has plenty to sate even the most discerning of appetites. From Michelin-star restaurants and just about every nationality of cuisine you can think of in NYC and Long Island, to the birthplace of Buffalo chicken wings (in Buffalo, of course) and the famous smoked meats of Dinosaur BBQ in Syracuse, the variety of cuisine on offer is endless. You can even tour the hallowed and sweet-smelling halls of the Culinary Institute of America in the Hudson Valley. This revered chef school has five outstanding restaurants on site, or you can dine at Franklin D. Roosevelt’s favourite pub close by, the Beekman Arms. New York State is a proud producer and you can taste a bounty of fresh ingredients right at the source in many cases. See maple syrup being made, taste cheese and fresh yoghurt on a dairy farm or pick your own crisp apples from the orchard. There are six distinctive wine regions in New York State and the Finger Lakes region alone has four wine trails which combine bucolic scenery with award-winning Rieslings and more. Lenz Winery is one of Long Island’s oldest wineries and you can sip its famous merlot in the rustic barn tasting room. And in the Niagara region those with a sweet tooth can try ice wines, made using grapes frozen on the vine.
CAMPING AT LAKE DURANT, ADIRONDACKS
STORM KING HIGHWAY, HUDSON VALLEY
BOLDT CASTLE, THOUSAND ISLANDS
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the Hudson valley to Albany and from there you can either head west to Buffalo along the Eerie Canal or north to the Canadian border. Along the way you can camp under the stars or stay in historic inns and quaint B&Bs. The Adirondacks Park is the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous United States, covering an area larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and the Great Smokie national parks combined! Hike gentle forest trails, conquer the state’s tallest peak, Mount Marcy, or traverse the spectacular waterfalls along the base of Whiteface Mountain. Generations of artists, writers and naturalists have drawn inspiration from the Catskills’ tranquil forests and sweeping mountain vistas, while rich New York families flocked to its fancy resorts and hippies turned local farmland into the legendry Woodstock music festival in 1969. Today the vistas are unchanged but unique attractions include a Buddhist temple and North America’s tallest and longest zip line. The Forest Preserve here is carefully protected so about 143,000 acres are only accessible on foot.
Micro breweries and distilleries abound in New York too. The fourth generation family-run Saranac Brewery in Utica tells the story of how it switched to soda during the prohibition era, while Brewery Ommegang headlines the Cooperstown Beverage Trail in Central New York, crafting worldclass Belgian-style beers on a former hops farm and serving waffles and frites to go with them.
NYSDED/ Darren McGee
11 REGIONS, AT A GLANCE
NYSDED/ Darren McGee
NYSDED/ Darren McGee
ATHENAEUM HOTEL, LAKE CHAUTAUQUA
New York City: This cosmopolitan and creative hub has endless and ever-changing attractions. Explore hundreds of diverse neighbourhoods bursting with exciting restaurants, buzzing nightspots, arts venues galore and legendary shopping. Long Island: You might come for the white sandy beaches but you’ll return for the characterful seaside towns, rolling vineyards and farm-tofork temptations. Hudson Valley: Straight upriver from the Big Apple you’ll find the rural landscapes and traditional communities that inspired artist Edward Hopper, as well as the grand mansions that housed the rich and famous of America. The Catskills: Explore a wild landscape of forest preserves and soaring mountains in the home of the legendary music festival Woodstock. You can hike, bike or ski around this adventure playground. Capital Saratoga: Immerse yourself in history and culture in this region, which includes the artsy state capital, Albany. Beyond is idyllic countryside, iconic covered bridges and cute small towns with one-of-akind shops. Central New York: Rolling hills and farmland is criss-crossed by scenic roads and the Eerie Canal. Stay in country inns, feast on farm-fresh produce and discover magical caves and a spectacular underground waterfall. The Adirondacks: In this untamed region you can hike into the wilderness or stay in a luxury lakeside resort. The Adirondacks
NYSDED/ Darren McGee
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SARANAC BREWERY, UTICA
are home to the highest point in the state, the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics and thousands of lakes. Thousand Islands Seaway: Close to 2,000 islands are dotted along this scenic stretch of freshwater, as well as a smattering of fairy tale castles. Finger Lakes: As well as its 11 picturesque lakes and numerous state parks, this region is a great place for gastronomes thanks to its award-winning vineyards and foodie towns like Ithaca – birthplace of the ice cream sundae. Greater Niagara: As well as the world’s most iconic waterfall and the many attractions around it, the Niagara region is home to many vineyards and the city of Buffalo with its great museums and galleries Chautauqua-Allegheny: This rural idyll bordering Lake Eerie is a tranquil region of old fashioned pleasures, including the historic amusements at Midway State Park. Follow the Amish Trail to farms and shops with home-made food and hand-crafted gifts.
FIND OUT MORE
There are many more ways to appreciate New York’s diversity, whether you are a family looking for a fun-filled road trip or a group of friends in search of thrills. You might want to discover more of the state’s world-famous museums and galleries, or explore New York’s fascinating historical monuments, from the opulent homes of U.S presidents to the Underground Railroad used by escaping slaves Find more ideas and itineraries here: charitable.travel/new-york
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in numbers
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust is a personal safety charity and a leading authority on stalking, founded by the family of Suzy Lamplugh, who went missing in 1986 and was never found. Evidence suggests Suzy was targeted by a stalker and the trust also set up the National Stalking Helpline.
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Clockwise from top left: Calendar by Icon mania; Helpline by Smashicons; Search eye by Prosymbols Premium; Transport route by Freepik; Safety by iconmasadepan; Online training by Freepik; Female and male by Freepik; Legal hammer by fjstudio
cases resulted in a conviction in the year ending March 2020. Of those, only
26%
0
0.1% of stalking
00 5,
...YEARS SINCE SUZY LAMPLUGH, A 25 YEAR-OLD ESTATE AGENT, WENT TO MEET A CLIENT ALONE AND NEVER RETURNED. SADLY, SUZY’S BODY WAS NEVER FOUND AND SHE WAS DECLARED AS OFFICIALLY DECEASED, PRESUMED MURDERED, SEVEN YEARS AFTER HER DISAPPEARANCE IN 1993.
Cases of stalking are reported ever in England and W
4
35
1.5 MILLION
STALKING
The number of stalking victim contacted the National Stalk since its inception in 2010 and
80%
of stalking victims are women
(304 perpetrators) received an immediate custodial sentence 32
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88%
g ery year Wales.
THE PERCENTAGE OF RESPONDENTS IN A STUDY INTO AGGRESSIVE OR UNWANTED SEXUAL BEHAVIOURS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS WHO HAD EXPERIENCED NEGATIVE ATTENTION. THESE WERE THE MOST COMMON BEHAVIOURS REPORTED...
64% were stared at, 51% had
someone sitting or standing next to them, 42% experienced verbal abuse, 36% had someone pressing against them, 32% reported unwanted conversation that was aggressive/intimidating
ms that have king Helpline d received help.
1,000 organisations have been provided lone working and personal safety training from the Suzy Lamplugh Trust
250,000 JUST BETWEEN 2020 AND 2021 THE SUZY LAMPLUGH TRUST REACHED MORE THAN 250,000 PROFESSIONALS THROUGH ITS WEBINARS, TALKS AND TRAINING SESSIONS
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust’s campaigning has been pivotal to changes in law and practice nationally, including the Stalking Protection Act 2019, which introduced Stalking Protection Orders in 2020
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Travel talk
KingdomCOME
After a recent visit to his beloved Cambodia, Mark Bibby Jackson explains why you should
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Quote marks by Elias Bikbulatov
be heading there too, as soon as possible I fell in love with Cambodia the first time I visited, in 2004. In fact, I ended up living there for the best part of a decade, travelling around and writing about it for various magazines. This January I visited for 18 days and I returned convinced there will never be a better time to visit. Let me tell you why… Cambodia is open: The country is welcoming all vaccinated tourists who have proof of a negative PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their departure. On arrival you need to do a quick lateral flow test in the airport (I received my result in just 30 minutes) and then you are free to roam the country freely. You will have it to yourself: You will never find such optimum conditions for sightseeing as there are now. Even the iconic site of Angkor Wat is deserted. Despite the fact that I made the rookie error of visiting during Chinese New Year, I found most temples devoid of tourists, with
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just the occasional Khmer couple having their wedding photos taken. Even the tree-tangled temple of Ta Prohm was just as Angelina Jolie found it in Tomb Raider. There is room to breathe: There are still large swathes of Cambodia that are untouched. The Cardamom Mountains are one of the bestpreserved areas of rainforest in Southeast Asia, largely thanks to the Wildlife Alliance charity. Now you can stay here too, and in true eco-friendly style. Choose between a homestay, one of the many community-based ecotourism projects in the region; the upmarket Shinta Mani Wild resort; or the Cardamom Tented Camp, a remarkable place powered by solar panels and offering filtered water and locally-sourced food. Here you can enjoy peace and quiet because there is no noise pollution – apart from the jungle chatter that is. If it’s the beach you’re hankering after, you’ll find them blissfully quiet too.
There is a buzz: There is a reason why so many expats choose to live in Phnom Penh, and tourists love Siem Reap. Both cities have a laid-back lifestyle, buzzing atmosphere and welcoming people. Now is a great time to immerse yourself in the local culture and really get to know the locals for an enriched experience. The people need you: You think that we had it bad during the pandemic, but tourism businesses in Cambodia have had virtually no income for two years. Places like the excellent Jaya House Hotel in Siem Reap have tried hard to keep staff on through rough times but people are suffering. As my tuk tuk driver, Samoueng to Svay Ran (who also runs a homestay), said, they desperately need your business. charitable.travel/travel-beginsat-40
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a B o ok
Postcard from
p to India tri
MCLEOD GANJ Saksham Madaan/unsplash.com
Kalachakra temple
trekkers, here to head into the hills, there are those seeking enlightenment by volunteering with the Tibetan community or taking courses in yoga or meditation, and there are people who just come to soak up the relaxed vibe and take a break from the more hectic parts of India. I’ve met lots of Israelis, mostly fresh out of the army after their
Tibetan food includes momos, steamed or fried dumplings stuffed with hearty fillings
momos
compulsory service and embracing hippie culture in their yak hair socks and Hindi-patterned scarves.
a/unsplash.co
m
the path to Bhagsu
Spiritual & surreal
Tejashvi Verm
Have you ever arrived in a new town and felt like you’ve entered a different country? McLeod Ganj is in the Indian province of Himachal Pradesh but it’s nicknamed Little Lhasa because it’s the home of the exiled Dalai Lama and lots of other Tibetans, many who escaped over the mountains from Chinese-occupied Tibet just like their leader. The town clings to the forested Himalayan foothills at an altitude of 5,577 feet. The air is fresher here and during British rule it was a hill station where people came to escape the heat. Yesterday I went even higher, walking through cedar forests fluttering with prayer flags to Bhagsu Falls, a 20 metre-high waterfall which gushes down a lush, misty valley. Nearby was Bhagsunath Temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and surrounded by healing springs. The community here is mixed, to say the least. The town is full of Tibetans, including many monks and nuns, but it also attracts a hefty crowd of backpackers, who come for a mixture of reasons. There are lots of
McLeod Ganj is backpacker nirvana
While you’re in McLeod Ganj you can volunteer to help Tibetan refugees learn English
Palash Jain/unsplash.com
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Postcard by Freepik; Web by Pixel perfect
Little Lhasa
This place is always unexpected. I spent this morning in the Tsuglagkhang Temple Complex, spinning the red, blue, green and gold prayer wheels for good karma. Then I went to a games café and watched maroon-robed monks shooting pool. I’m now listening to Tibetan singing bowl music and eating vegan noodles. Sadly the Dalai Lama doesn’t make public appearances anymore – he is 86 – but tomorrow I’ll visit his temple and join the monks for their morning meditation and chanting.
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A numbers Chang Duong/Unsplash
GAME
Co-founder & CEO of TheGivingMachine, Richard Morris explains how its lottery is a lifeline for community causes WHAT IS THE GIVING MACHINE?
It’s a social enterprise and charity which has built a range of digital platforms that can be used by UK- based charities, schools and community groups to raise much needed funds.
TELL US HOW IT COME ABOUT Icons from www.flaticon.com - Charity by Freepik; Web by Pixel perfect
I launched TheGivingMachine in 2006 with three other Hertfordshirebased dads. At the time I was enjoying some time out from a successful career in the technology industry to be a dad. When your kids start school you become more involved in local issues. I was no longer commuting to the city and suddenly became aware of the many heroes in my own community, working just as hard as anyone and doing incredibly worthy things, but not getting the support, the recognition and sometimes the income that they deserved.
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Some friends and I got together to talk about how we could help small community organisations generate essential income to do the amazing things that they do, and that’s when TheGivingMachine was born. We agreed to use our various business skills – in finance, technology and marketing – to benefit charities and schools rather than raising profits for shareholders. We’ve now been going for 14 years, we support over 10,000 causes over the UK and we’ve raised £2 million.
WHAT ARE YOUR PLATFROMS?
The first product we launched was Shop&Give, an online shopping site similar to Quidco, except that the sales commissions go to a charity you want to support instead of back in your pocket. We also have GivingVoucher. The way this works is that you make a donation to us and receive a gift voucher to give to someone, but it’s
the recipient of the gift voucher who chooses which cause the money goes to. Two years ago we launched the GivingLottery, which allows charities to raise funds from ticket sales and players to do good and possibly win money at the same time.
HOW DOES THE GIVINGLOTTERY WORK?
A ticket costs £1 and you can select the charity you want to support, which will then bank 40% of that ticket price. The top prize for matching all six numbers is £25,000, if you match five numbers you win £2,000, for four numbers its £250 and for three it’s £25. Any charity can register on our lottery platform for no fee. They get their own web page, we deal with all the ticketing and the prize funds but of course they get that revenue from the tickets sold to their supporters. We also offer the lottery to companies, allowing them to
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ARE PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO DONATE IF THEY GET SOMETHING? I think that when you support a cause you are spreading happiness and it’s also joyful for you. Half the people who win £25 on the GivingLottery give it right back to their chosen charity rather than
e busin
ore m
Dylan Nolte/Unsplash
The lottery concept lowers the barrier to giving because there’s something in it for the person donating, and for the charities it’s easier than asking for a straight donation. What’s also great is that with our lottery, because it’s an independent platform, there’s no barrier to a charity’s own staff playing and giving to their employer in the process. The average person buys a couple of tickets a week but some people purchase more. You can sign up indefinitely or for a shorter period of time, like six months. The great thing about this is that it creates a sustainable and consistent income for charities, so it helps them to plan for the future.
g
Fin d
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO START A LOTTERY?
We have supported a charity that provides chilled cots for families who want to spend precious time with their stillborn baby, and another charity that helps people from war torn countries with PTSD heal through holistic therapy. We had a charity join this January – Mad about Schnauzers – and by mid-February they were already on track to raise £5,000 a year from 122 supporters. It might not seem like lots of money but these are life changing amounts to small organisations.
doing
d oo
support the charity of their choice in a corporate setting. But the best thing is that we are a national lottery platform where the players decide exactly where their money goes.
es ss
pocketing it, and that highlights not only that people are often just doing it for fun, but also that most people really want to make a difference. I don’t like guilt-based giving, for example when you’re asked if you’d like to add a donation to your shopping bill at the checkout. Because if you don’t do it you feel bad and if you do it then you are disconnected from the act of giving. I think it’s important that people make proactive choices about where, when and who they give to and that they feel good about it, because if they feel good they will likely give more – and not necessarily in the form of money, they might even decide to get involved and volunteer.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Our mission is to build an inclusive community where giving is a lifestyle choice for supporters, not a financial one. We want to enable companies to give back as part of their customer and staff engagement and help charities, schools and other community groups to access new and regular sources of income. We are currently investigating what our next platform or service will be so watch this space!
WHAT CHARITIES HAVE YOU HELPED SINCE YOU BEGAN?
All sorts! We have tended to focus on smaller community charities because that’s where we can make the biggest impact. Our beneficiaries range from community radio stations to nurseries, food banks to theatres, but we have several large national charities on our platform too. The variety of charities and great causes out there is incredible.
What’s your lucky number?
Play the GivingLottery for your chance to win up to £25,000 whilst supporting great causes. givinglottery.org.uk
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low season travel
Go your own way
Travelling to a destination in low season can offer great value and a unique experience for travellers, while also helping to lessen the negative impact of tourism and spread the benefits it brings more sensibly, says
Laura Gelder
W
hat if your travel agent told you that you could travel to your favourite holiday destination for half the price you usually pay and you’d be sharing your little slice of paradise with a fraction of the people you’d normally encounter there? You might hand over your credit card right away but I suspect, before you let go of it, you would ask, ‘what’s the catch?’ You’d be right to check. But although there is usually a good reason less people visit a destination in its low season, it’s well worth considering that reason against your own motivation to get away. Ged Brown, Founder and CEO of Low Season Traveller, is committed to showing the travelling public the benefits of travelling in low season, and he’s keen to point out that cheaper prices are not the only one. “The lower price is the icing on the cake,” Ged says. “The key benefits of low season travel are avoiding the crowds (which means less queues and stress and more chances to interact with the locals), knowing that you’re providing an economic lift to a community at a time when they really need it and the chance to have an experience which the majority of travellers will not have shared.” Brown started Low Season Traveller with
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the intention of alleviating over-tourism but ironically its launch coincided with the pandemic, when tourism numbers plummeted. However, not only did Covid-19 make crowd-free holidays more important to travellers, it made the destinations place more value on low season. “Suddenly, resorts in the Mediterranean, which do about 70% of their business between June to September, were facing up to the fact that they had lost their high season and desperately needed low season bookings,” says Brown. He also thinks that the pandemic bought sustainable travel to the forefront of more people’s minds. “We are living increasingly in an era of guilt, where we question our actions and our desire to be eco-friendly and support communities is genuinely informing our choices,” says Brown. Perhaps you’ve experienced a destination in low season already. I have fond memories of Thailand in low season: swimming in the Andaman Sea when the rain was sheeting down and the limestone islands around me were blurred into watercolour shapes, or rushing from the beach to a bar to enjoy a cold beer while the rain drummed on the roof. I’ve also experienced Barcelona in winter, when the Gothic Quarter is a pleasure instead of a scrum, Spanish rather than
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Jordan, without the crowds
The Maldives
seefromthesky/unsplash.com
low season travel
Grenada
Hugh Whyte/unsplash.com
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Iceland
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Florian Wehde/unsplash.com
T hailand
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Our MISSION We shine a light on the mental health impacts that follow a pregnancy loss and the long-term impact on the family. We engage in meaningful conversations in local communities, and work in partnership with other organizations to build awareness. We also empower and support families affected by this very personal tragedy and advocate for the care they need. The loss of a baby, whether through miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, neonatal death, or termination for medical reasons is devastating. Our goal is to break the culture of silence by awarenessraising and advocacy
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU
Speak up- To shed light on the mental health impacts that follow a pregnancy loss and the long-term impact on the family. Engage in meaningful conversations in local communities, working in partnership with other organizations to build awareness. Understanding, empathetic and supportive. (Attending meetings about your care with you) Person Centred Support. Supporting you to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to effectively manage and make informed decisions about your own health and care. Providing information to your support networks and other organisations and people involved in your care, if you request it; One to One Support - Talking to you in private about your concerns; Responsive to the issue you are facing through listening and then signposting accordingly. Training - We offer free SelfAdvocacy Training. Empowering you to participate in decisions about your health and care.
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low season travel
English voices ring out across the plazas and tapas bars, and the sun still shines. Admittedly, I may have been lucky on that last point and Brown concedes that if guaranteed sunshine is your main objective then you should probably stick to high season. But if you’re willing to risk it, he also points out, when the sun does shine it’s all the sweeter. Everyone likes to feel they’ve been lucky. We also like to feel as if we’ve experienced something unique. The great thing about low season travel is that, sometimes, you’ll be arriving in a place that’s almost unrecognisable from its high season persona. “Imagine seeing Petra dusted in snow,” says Brown. “Or visiting Athens and not having to queue at all for the Colosseum.” Imagine indeed. Here are our recommendations for low season travel.
January
They might be European, but the Canary Islands lie off the coast of Africa – not far from the Sahara Desert – so their weather is a tad more reliable than the Costa del Sol. Temperatures on Lanzarote reach an average high of 20 degrees in January and rain is scarce. Of course, especially with sea breezes taken into consideration, it’s not a sunbather’s ideal conditions. But if you merely wish to explore the island’s volcanic landscapes and Helping to raise support for enjoy the warmth of the sun on communities in destinations your face and the novelty of eating that depend on tourism revenue, the Charitable Travel al fresco, January will oblige.
Got their back
Fund’s support starts when tourism stops. charitabletravel.org
Lanzarote
Morocco
Zakariae Daoui/unsplash.com
THE CANARY ISLANDS
February
NORTH AFRICA
Moving east, North Africa is a great place to escape to during the UK’s dark and dank winter. In February, Morocco’s average high is 20 degrees and there is a 77% chance of sunshine. Wandering the atmospheric souks of Marrakesh can be infinitely more pleasant when it’s cooler and the crowds less crushing. It’s also a great time to explore the desert, which can be unbearably hot in summer. In the Atlas Mountains there is even the chance to ski – the resort of Oukaimeden is about 30 miles from Marrakesh.
ash.com Ferran Feixas/unspl
March
THE GREEK ISLANDS
Gerald Durrell’s classic autobiography, My Family and Other Animals, will make you yearn to see Greece in March. His descriptions of Corfu’s spring breaking, vibrating with life and bursting with flowers, are captivating. Further south,
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low season travel
April
AFRICAN SAFARI
Being so far north, spring hits the Nordic countries a little later but the locals appreciate it that little bit more too, which makes for a carnival atmosphere if the sun shines. As the days get longer, the climate is still cool so people will be thinner on the ground but there are increased chances of spotting wildlife as creatures (bears, lynx and wolves in Finland) emerge out of hibernation. Iceland’s spectacular waterfalls will be swelled by the spring melt and you have a good
May
Going on Safari in Kenya or Tanzania in May means you’re choosing the heaviest rain but, as animals give birth in the wet seasons, when food and water are plentiful, you could be gaining the opportunity to see spindly-legged fawns, foals and calves, and cute cubs and pups. Botswana is a safer bet in May. Its Okavango Delta is fully flooded, making for a stunning sight, yet rain is scarce, the weather mild and lodges are still in low season. Namibia is also at its lushest and not too hot and in Zimbabwe Victoria Falls is at peak flow.
Angela Pham/unsp
THE NORDIC COUNTRIES
Santor ini lash.com
chance of spotting migrating puffins and a great chance of seeing whales and dolphins from mid-April. You might also get to see the billowing green curtain of the Northern Lights at this time of year.
Kenya
A cornucopia of organic architecture in celebration of one of nature's most alluring settings
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Crete boasts one of the earliest springs in the Mediterranean, with average highs hovering around 20 degrees. And if you’re heading to Greece to appreciate its antiquities, you’ll wonder why you ever went in high season thanks to non-existent crowds and mild temperatures that are perfect for sightseeing.
low season travel
June
SOUTHEAST ASIA
J a pa n
Much of southeast Asia enters its rainy and humid season now and throughout the British summer. In June it’s not likely to ruin your holiday because the rain usually comes in short bursts followed by sunshine.In Thailand it’s classed as low season over most of the country but the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, like KohSamui, experience some of their finest weather and it’s just before the school holiday rush. If you’re in the region to sightsee, this can be a great time to avoid the crowds at big attractions like Angkor Wat.
Svetlana Gumerova/unsplash.com
July
CENTRAL AMERICA
THE CARIBBEAN
June to November is the official hurricane season in this tropical region, with September considered the most likely month for bad weather. The islands closest to South America typically see fewer hurricanes. Destinations including Aruba, Barbados, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago are considered to be outside the ‘hurricane belt’, although that is no guarantee. Rain during August tends to sweep in fast and hard and disappear as quickly as it arrived, leaving blue skies in its wake. Grenada’s Spicemas Festival is in August, bringing steel pan orchestras and colourful parades to the streets.
THE MIDDLE EAST
This region is undeniably scorching in the low season but come September the temperatures start to cool and the crowds are still low. In Jordan the heat is dry so it’s more bearable than you might think and for seeing Petra it’s worth avoiding peak season if you want that lost city feel. In Oman it’s peak turtle time at Ras al Jinz, the Salalah region is in its wet season and draws migratory birds and much of the country is reaping its autumn harvest of pomegranates, olives and grapes.
October
THE INDIAN OCEAN
As with many regions, the seasons vary wildly in the Indian Ocean. October is a peak time for Mauritius and the Seychelles but in the Maldives it’s low season. Although there’s a good chance of rain and storms, the temperatures are still warm, the sun shines and it’s a great time to see whale sharks and manta rays, which come to feed
There is a new way
Dedicated to ensuring that tourism has a positive impact, this charity works to combat over-development, reduce waste and much more. thetravelfoundation. org.uk
Mex ico nsplash.com
August
September
Marv Watson/u
This region varies hugely but July is generally in the middle of the rainy season so it can be a good time to avoid the crowds and in some cases maximise wildlife viewing opportunities. In Costa Rica, green sea turtles can be spotted on the beaches of Tortuguero National Park and the whale watching season begins in Dominical. In Mexico showers generally arrive in the afternoon and serve to cool the hot days if you’re sunning yourself on the beaches of the Mayan Riviera.
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ok a low Bo
November
JAPAN & KOREA
The most busy and expensive time to visit Japan and Korea is in spring, when the cherry blossoms bloom. But the autumn colours are equally as beautiful and in November, especially towards the end, the crowds are thinning as the weather cools. In Korea you can catch the two-week Seoul Lantern Festival when elaborate and colourful lanterns brighten up the darkening winter nights.
December Theodor Vasile/unsplash.com
SOUTHERN EUROPEAN CITIES
When northern Europe’s cities are thrumming with Christmas market crowds, escape south and enjoy a lower footfall. Navigating around Barcelona in summer can be stressful and sweaty but in December it’s easy and cool (although, look at it from another point of view and its positively balmy, with average highs of 15 degrees). Venice in summer is famously smelly but in December the air is fresh and the city is often bathed in an atmospheric fog that creeps in from the lagoon.
Active. Coastal. Lifestyle. charitable.travel/falkensteiner
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Web by Pixel perfect
Bar celona
in the plankton-rich waters. It’s also low season in Sri Lanka, but rain comes in short bursts so it won’t disturb your enjoyment of what is still a sunny time.
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CADAQUES
Saul Mercado/unsplash.com
Cadaques, topped by the church of Santa Maria
The mad house
We visited Dali’s house yesterday, in the little village of Port Lligat, next to Cadaques. Perched above a sandy bay, the tiny fishing shack he originally bought is now a huge angular white house of rambling passages with secret staircases and dead-ends. It gives you the sense you’re wandering through an octopus.
Discover the rocky coves dotted all along Cap de Creus and swim in gin-clear waters
nsplash.com
arros negro hector-j-rivas/u
After a two-hour bus ride from Barcelona, the last part along a twisting mountain road with the sea sparkling below, I arrived in Cadaques. This Costa Brava town is the easternmost in Spain and sits on the craggy Cap de Creus peninsula which stretches into the cobalt Mediterranean, just below the French border. Cadaques is a town of whitewashed houses hugging a natural harbour bobbing with fishing boats. The narrow, uneven streets of the old town are a maze, where vivid blue and green doors and shuttered windows contrast with the pink bougainvillea that spills down the walls. Cats snooze on the warm cobbles and Catalan flags flutter from balconies. Emerging on to the seafront, the dazzling Mediterranean light hits you. It’s this that attracted so many artists to the town, including Matisse, Picasso and Salvador Dali, whose statue stands nonchalantly on the beach, his back to the sea, legs crossed and a stick held like a jaunty fashion statement rather than a walking aid.
the old town
Ola Kucha/unsplash.com
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Head east
Cap de Creus
Walk the coast path from Cadaques to the lighthouse, stopping for lunch at the restaurant at the end of Spain
Just like his surrealist paintings, it’s full of weird perspectives, with angled floors and odd-shaped windows framing the forget-me-not sea. It’s also peppered with an eccentric collection of objects, ranging from a taxidermy polar bear to a PVC pink sofa shaped like lips, and several giant alabaster eggs which balance precariously on the terracotta-tiled roofs. I’m writing this from a restaurant, the French windows open onto the street so I can people watch and smell the flowers clinging to the balcony above. I must stop writing because my dinner is here – a classic Catalan dish called arros negro (black rice), made with prawns, squid and its ink.
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Find mo r
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A day in
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THE LIFE OF... George Thompson, a sports therapist at the Matt Hampson Foundation. He helps rehabilitate young people who have been seriously injured through sport
Some people come to us straight after being discharged from hospital, others have spent years living with their injury and come to us to improve their situation. Our beneficiaries have a range of disabilities, from people like our founder, Matt, who have severe spinal cord injuries and very little function from the neck down, to amputees.
A typical day...
Get busy living
The best bit...
...is helping people to make life changing improvements. On a daily basis I get to see people do things they never thought they would be able to do again. Some people come to us with specific goals so when you help
Ex-rugby player Matt Hampson was paralysed in a scrum accident in 2005 and set up his foundation to help young people like him to rebuild their lives. matthampsonfoundation.org
them achieve them it’s very satisfying. I have one beneficiary who was an avid horse rider until her accident and I helped her to get back on a horse. Another is now able to play with his daughters.
What ’s hard...
… is dealing with the mental side of rehabilitation. Many beneficiaries have been through a significant trauma and are re-evaluating their lives. We work very closely so they often confide in us. I might be with someone who tells me something upsetting but afterwards I’ll have a patient who needs me to be upbeat, so I have to switch from being calm and understanding to motivational.
But what ’s unique...
...is the environment the foundation has created, where beneficiaries help each other as much as we help them. Our Get Busy Living Centre allows people with similar mind sets to meet and support each other. After lunch recently, one of our new beneficiaries told me it was the first time in ten years that he’d not felt like the odd one out.
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Icons from www.flaticon.com - Web by Pixel perfect; Physiotherapy by Freepik
... starts with a team meeting. I see six patients a day and the first arrives at 9am. I work with physiotherapists and personal trainers to assist with developing the rehabilitation programmes our beneficiaries take on. I concentrate on bones, muscles and joints and do a lot of work on shoulder strength to help people adjust to using a wheelchair. At lunch the gym closes and the staff and beneficiaries sit down together to eat.
FERNANDO DE NORONHA
Four views of BRAZIL
CHAPADA DIAMANTINA NATIONAL PARK
Boasting a cinematic landscape of table mountains bursting out of forested lowlands, this vast inland park is the perfect place for hikers. As well as exploring the various trails and spotting cactuses, orchids and hummingbirds, you’ll find spectacular grottoes, waterfalls and iridescent lagoons. Poco Encantado is a subterranean pool hugged by limestone walls which turns a dramatic azure when the sunlight filters in.
You know Sugarloaf Mountain and the Amazon, now discover these lesser-known Brazilian wonders
Thiago Japyassu/unsplash.com
Undulating, pristine white sand dunes (the name means ‘bedsheets’ in Portuguese) interspersed with bright blue lakes make this park a surreal spectacle. Located in Brazil’s north-east, the dunes edge the wild Atlantic coast. The best time to visit is May to August, after the rainy season, when the lagoons are filled with royal blue fresh water perfect for a cooling swim. You can explore the dunes, lagoons and mangroves on a 4WD tour or on foot.
THE PANTANAL
The world’s largest tropical wetlands stretch over 42 million acres and into neighbouring Bolivia and Paraguay. The Pantanal is a mix of dry savannah, tangled forest and meandering rivers which flood into lily-paved pools, alongside cattle ranches farmed by cowboys, or peãos, on horseback. Fascinating residents of this unique habitat include some 10 million caimans, the world’s highest density of jaguar, the biggest parrot on the planet (the hyacinth macaw), anacondas, capybaras (large relatives of the guinea pig), the pig-like long-snouted tapir and giant anteaters.
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Fabio Hanashiro/unsplash.com
LENCOIS MARANHENSES NATIONAL PARK
This Atlantic archipelago is around 220 miles off the coast of Brazil and home to just 5,000 people, along with a diverse collection of birds, reptiles and marine life including dolphins, rays, sharks and turtles. Characterised by its dramatic black volcanic rocks, banana-hued beaches, turquoise seas and lush vegetation, the island is a UNESCO World Heritage site and something of an exclusive retreat where you’ll be charged an eco tax for the sublime privilege of visiting.
e k i l s s e l e r a s l i p u p d e g a t n a v d a Dis . l a i t n e t o p c i m e d a c a r i achieve the h t g n i g n a h c o t d e t t i m We're com
s u n i o j u o y Will
Action Tutoring tackles educational inequality by offering free maths and English tutoring to disadvantaged pupils. By volunteering as a tutor for just one hour a week at a school near you, or online, you can give support to pupils whose families couldn't otherwise afford this help.
Interested? Find out more cha
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aritable.travel/action-tutoring
Visit Britain/Andrew
Pickett
Visit Britain/Andrew Pickett
Visit Britain/Ashliegh Wick
FISH IS ALWAYS ON THE MENU IN NORTHUMBERLAND
T HOUSESTEADS ROMAN FOR ON HADRIAN’S WALL
SYCAMORE GAP, HA DR
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48 HOURS IN
Northumberland Picturesque towns, living history, rolling countryside and a coastline that’s an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty make Northumberland a crowd pleaser, says
Beth Wardell
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Time by Ilham Fitrotul Hayat. Images courtesy of Visit Britain.
Welcome to the North of England, truly. Northumberland borders Scotland as well as County Durham, Cumbria and Tyneside, is the sparsest populated county in England and has no cities, although Newcastle Upon Tyne is close by. Not only is Northumberland the home of Earl Grey tea but it has more castles than any other county in England (over 70) and sits under the largest protected area of night sky in Europe.
Friday afternoon
Just 16 miles west of Newcastle is the pretty village of Corbridge where you can explore an impressive array of independent shops and cafes. The Watling Coffee House is the perfect place to fuel up on tasty cakes. From here it’s a 25-minute drive to Vindolanda, a Roman fort and museum just south of Hadrian’s Wall. Take your time to appreciate the well-preserved artefacts, excavated bones and pretty gardens. If you have time, take a walk into the stunning surrounding countryside. Closeby is Sycamore Gap, a pretty part of Hadrian’s Wall that has a single tree growing out of it and starred in the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Head to the Langley Castle Hotel to give yourself
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time to enjoy your four-poster bed and spa bath and soak up the atmosphere in its grand halls, complete with suits of armour.
Saturday morning
After breakfast, hit the road and make sure you make time for plenty of photo stops along the stunning A68 towards Alnwick. There is ample free parking in the centre of town so drive on in. Pay a visit to Barter Books, one of Britain’s largest second hand book stores. This enchanting treasure trove of tomes is housed in an old railway station and as you browse the shelves you’ll notice tiny trains passing over your head on a model railway. From here, wander to the Playhouse. This arts centre is home to the Alnwick library, a coffee shop and a cinema, as well as hosting plays and gigs. Go to The Dirty Bottles for lunch, a purportedly haunted pub that’s had a stylish makeover and offers English Free to join, this allclassics like fish and chips with club and travel co American favourites like beef brisket.
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PUFFIN SPOTTIN
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’S WALL AT SUNSET
IAN VIEW ALONG HADR
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Harry Potter films, replicating the grounds of Hogwarts. You can expect plenty of Potter references as you explore and you can even try your hand at a broomstick lesson! The palatial interiors of the staterooms in the castle keep, with their gilded ceilings, silk wall hangings and Old Master paintings, are a highlight. Next to the castle are the Alnwick Gardens, which you will need a separate ticket for. Originally designed by Capability Brown, the gardens were revived from a state of disrepair at the turn of the 21st century and now have modern, quirky features including a bamboo labyrinth, a garden of poisonous plants and one of the world’s largest treehouses.
Sunday morning
Saturday evening
Sunday afternoon
It’s just five minutes up the coast to the village of Bamburgh, where you can either head to the beach for a bracing morning walk or straight to the castle which sits above the windswept sands. Bamburgh has been home to many kings, from Henry VI to James I, and is stuffed full of fascinating artefacts and atmospheric rooms. You’ll find a collection of battle-scarred weapons in the armoury and a fascinating collection of heirlooms and gifts from famous guests in the state rooms.
Stock up on souvenirs from the independent shops and cafes in Bamburgh village and then drive up the coast towards the island of Lindisfarne, or Holy Island. You’ll need to check tide times before visiting as the island is cut off at high tide. Here you can see Lindisfarne Castle, the spooky ruins of Lindisfarne Priory, two beautiful gardens and the Lindisfarne Nature Reserve, with its picturesque dunes, mudflats and saltmarshes which are home to numerous sea birds, seals and unique orchids. Finally, toast your successful trip with a sample of the famous Lindisfarne Mead from St Aidan’s Winery.
Head up the coast towards Seahouses, a harbour village just south of Bamburgh castle. Park your car up overlooking the pretty harbour and across to the Farne Islands. If you take your binoculars with you might spot some dolphins or puffins. You can’t beat fish and chips at the -female members’ seaside so stop at Neptune’s Fish oncierge service Restaurant for a hearty dinner. If it’s a dream, plan and book nice evening, take a stroll along the an’t be googled. Run by harbour. Or head to your home for the t is a network of women night, The Bamburgh Castle Inn, and ce, travel guides, offers enjoy some drinks in the cosy bar which ble Travel is the official also looks over the sea..
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Get to know Guillaume Marques/unsplash.com
BALI
Dubbed ‘the island of the gods’, Bali is one of the smaller land masses in Indonesia’s vast archipelago, but its top tourism hub. With its surf-flecked beaches, lush rice terraces and unique culture, Bali attracts party animals, thrill seekers, romantics, spiritual types, culture vultures and art lovers alike.
Ubud
Indonesia has the world’s largest Muslim Kuta population, but Bali is mainly Hindu. The island was also influenced by Buddhism and its religion is very different to the Techicolor Hinduism you may have seen in India. All over Bali you’ll see canang sari, religious offerings which sit outside every house or place of work – a tiny palm leaf basket carefully filled with a beautifully presented combination of flowers and food. Immerse yourself in Balinese culture by visiting some of its intricately-carved stone temples (there are 20,000), watching theatrical dances with dazzling costumes, or discovering its rich arts and crafts scene.
Scuba divers and snorkellers, prepare to be enthralled by coral gardens and vivid reefs. Highlights include great chances to see the weird and wonderful mola mola, the largest bony fish in the world (up to 14 metres from face to tail), and the Liberty wreck, a torpedoed U.S. Army ship now home to barracudas.
Mathis Jrdl/un
Underwater love
DIAMOND BEACH
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Ancient culture
Bali
splash.com
What’s it all about?
Alessio Roversi/unsplash.com
Icons from www.flaticon.com - Sourcing world by Freepik; Web by Pixel perfect; Map location by Stockes Design; Temple by Ranah Pixel Studio; Diving goggle by Thosre icons; Surf board by Freepik; Sign post by Pause08; Yoga by Freepik. Bali map from vecteezy.com - by dberandastudio
ULUN DANU BERATAN TEMPLE
BALINESE DANC
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The must-see sights...
ULAN DANU BERATAN The thatched 11-storey temple floats serenely on the west side of Beratan Lake. ULUWATU TEMPLE Staring out at the ocean, this cliff-top pagoda is a beautiful place to watch the sunset.
Surfers think that Bali is swell. Despite its diminutive size, there are around 60 breaks. Waves here cater for total beginners up to worldleading pros. If you want to join (or watch) the latter, head to the Padang Padang break, known as the ‘Balinese pipeline’ for its long and fast barrelling waves. And if you want to learn you’re in luck, there are scores of schools and surf camps.
Relax to the max
The pervasive vibe in Bali is relaxed. The laid-back surfer culture on the beaches and yogi lifestyle inland contribute to this but it really comes from the locals. They have an unhurried attitude and deeply spiritual culture – shrines are so ubiquitous that the air is perfumed with incense. Bali is a unique island because the resorts inland are just as appealing as those on the coast. The Hanging Gardens of Bali in Ubud has an extraordinary infinity pool clinging to a hill smothered in orchids and bamboo, dropping into a green abyss with river and temple views. The Ubud area is also renowned for its spas and wellness retreats. Don’t forget the beach though. Amankila resort’s thatched umbrellas sit on sparkling black-sand where waiters clad in white linen will attend to your cocktail needs. Bali beaches range from the buzzing bar-heavy Kuta to secluded Gunung Payung, a virgin stretch of white sand hugged by tall cliffs.
Take a wander around the Bali Botanic Garden, home to a giant banyan tree and a bamboo forest
Marvin Meyer/unsplash.com
UBUD MONKEY FOREST A holy site, this forest is home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques who are also considered sacred. Watch out for thieving monkey hands as you explore moss-covered temples.
Surf’s up
Niklas Weiss/unsplash.com
TEGALALANG RICE TERRACES These sculptured and impossibly green rice paddies curve and cascade around the natural hills and are dotted with palm trees.
Hit the turf as well as the surf
Hiking is the ultimate way to appreciate Bali’s natural beauty. The highest point on the island is the sacred peak of Gunung Agung, an active volcano reached via a challenging six hour hike but worth it for the views, which include the neighbouring island Lombok. Gentler walks include the Campuhan Ridge, with views of river gorges and tropical forest. There are also many cycling trails and you can white water raft on the Ayung River.
Pier Francesco Grizi/unsplash.com
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Sponsored
uerto
Book a tri
P to
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Postcard from
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PUERTO RICO Indigena de Caguana. Looking at the vivid petroglyphs I got a glimpse into the lives of the indigenous Taino that inhabited this region before the Spanish arrived.
San Juan & Castillo San Cristobal
Fun in the sun
Back in San Juan’s Old Town I had a sense of déjà vu as I wandered past the crumbling pastel casas. It had me recalling
Puerto Rico’s smaller islands include Culebra & Vieques, both pristine wildlife refuges
To the hills
Today I quite literally woke up and smelt the coffee, with a trip to the Utuado region and an eco-farm which belongs to a popular Puerto Rican singer. Sadly he wasn’t home but I got to join a horse ride tour through the forest and around the organic crops, taking in the fresh air before enjoying a sublime cup of coffee surrounded by the nature it was cultivated in. From here it was a short hop to the Caribbean’s most important archaeological site, the Centro Ceremonial
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Do you like pina coladas?
scenes from The Rum Diary, a movie set here, starring Johnny Depp as a hedonistic journalist in 1950s San Juan – and that made me crave a cocktail! The pina colada is the official drink of Puerto Rico and San Juan’s lively Barrachina restaurant and bar is the place that claims to have invented it. After a couple of these I needed dinner and Chocobar, where everything is made with a hint of chocolate, hit the spot. I even manged to work off the calories with a Salsa lesson after sunset.
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Puerto Rico means Rich Port in Spanish, but this American outpost in the tropical Caribbean is also known as La Isla del Encanto – the Island of Enchantment – and it’s certainly enchanted me. I’m not sure if it’s the history and culture here, most palpable amongst the cobblestone streets of old San Juan. Perhaps it’s the friendly people who are so keen to share their exotic food and rhythmic music. Or it could be the dreamy scenery – the lush mountains and fine white beaches. Whatever it is, I will find it hard to leave this Island.
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Worldwide
ANIMAL ISSUES Four Paws UK is working around the world to protect suffering animals. Here are just five of its campaigns that your donations can support
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CAPTIVE BEARS IN EUROPE
It’s estimated that hundreds of bears are still kept in captivity in Europe, many of them in appalling conditions in circuses, private homes and zoos. In Southeast Europe in particular, they are often held in squalid and tiny cages. Four Paws’ #SaddestBears initiative is working to end bear captivity in countries like Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Serbia and Ukraine and has already ended the cruel practice of keeping dancing bears in Bulgaria and Serbia.
THE BIG CAT TRADE IN SOUTH AFRICA
This includes indigenous species like lions and leopards as well as imported tigers and jaguars. Cats are intensively bred and sold legally for profit (for interactions, to be kept as pets, for trophy hunting or for entertainment) or illegally exported to Asia for use in traditional medicines. There are 300 breeding farms in South Africa, housing 10,000-12,000 lions alone, and they are contributing to the decline of cat species in the wild. Sign Four Paws’ petition to ban the commercial trade of big cats in South Africa.
THE FORCE FEEDING OF BIRDS IN EUROPE
The delicacy of foie gras has a dark side. Ducks and geese are force fed via a metal pipe which is rammed into their gullet three times a day to pump corn and fat into them for rapid weight gain. The bird’s livers can grow up to 10 times the normal size and their legs often can’t support their weight. Force-feeding is illegal in the UK but foie gras from France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain and Belgium is still sold here. It’s something Four Paws is campaigning to stop.
THE DOG & CAT MEAT TRADE IN ASIA
Every day in Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, pet dogs and cats are stolen from loving families and sold into the meat trade. Not only are owners left devastated but it poses serious human health risks, spreading deadly diseases. Dogs and cats experience horrific conditions before being slaughtered using cruel and barbaric methods. Four Paws is working to close slaughterhouses and rehome animals.
THE ILLEGAL PUPPY TRADE
The demand for puppies is higher than ever and unscrupulous dealers are profiting from selling puppies that have been bred in deplorable conditions. The European online trade in puppies is worth almost 1.5 billion Euros per year. Often sick and unvaccinated, puppies are transported hundreds of miles. Four Paws is campaigning to transform the online pet trade into a transparent and accountable one.
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Top ten luxury
SPA RESORTS Lizzi Trimble,
Song Saa
Charitable Travel’s luxury expert, reveals her ten favourite spa and wellness retreats across the world
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BAHIA DEL DUQUE, TENERIFE Lizzi says: “Great for a short pampering break, this palatial hotel is central for shopping too.” Nestled above Tenerife’s Del Duque Beach, this hotel sits in 16 acres of lush gardens. A cluster of colourful turreted buildings with palm-shaded patios are surrounded by cool swimming pools. Enjoy 21 bars and restaurants and a large range of watersports. Bahia Wellness Retreat is surrounded by aromatic gardens and boasts open-air treatment cabanas, an outdoor thalassotherapy circuit, a hammam and a huge gym.
MANDARIN ORIENTAL, CANOUAN Lizzi says: “This upmarket boutique hotel has a wonderful spa and is so worth the high price tag.” St. Vincent and The Grenadines’ Canouan Island is a magnet for the A-list, like this elegant resort. Colonial-style suites and Italian-style villas are strung along a powdery beach and there’s a championship golf course and marina. The spa’s treatment rooms are nestled into the hillside looking out to sea. Programmes combine meditation and yoga with activities like paddle boarding or hiking. There’s also tennis courts and a gym.
THE BODYHOLIDAY, SAINT LUCIA Lizzi says: “The ultimate spa and fitness resort. As part of the price of your stay in this luxury all-inclusive is one treatment a day and myriad activities.” ‘Give us your body for a week and we’ll give you back your mind’, is the promise here. The resort’s vast activity programme includes golf, tennis, archery and water skiing, plus classes like yoga and aerobics. There’s a Scuba Shop, Sailing Club and a WellFit Trail dotted with workout challenges. Enjoy Ayurvedic therapy using ancient Indian techniques or classic treatments from French spa brand Thalgo, plus a skin clinic and beauty salon.
HAMMOCK COVE ANTIGUA Lizzi says: “This adults-only allinclusive has 41 stunning white villas with private plunge pools, a threetier infinity pool, and an impressive spa” A new kid on Antigua’s northeast block, Hammock Cove is next to Devil’s Bridge National Park. The resort prides itself on gastronomy (Chef Marco Festini’s restaurant is Michelin-starred) and personalised service. Tranquility Spa Body and Soul has five treatment rooms offering pampering face and body therapies, a cold plunge pool, sauna and water-facing yoga pavilion. There’s also a salon with a blow dry bar.
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Luxury top ten
FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAURITIUS AT ANAHITA Lizzi says: “Thanks to the relaxing company of its resident giant tortoises, you won’t fail to slow down and rejuvenate at this lagoon-side oasis.” This secluded resort is set within acres of lush greenery and the stylish villas come with a private garden and pool. The spa has a plant-filled relaxation area looking over the lagoon, while exotic gardens house the healing plants used in signature treatments like the Let It Go Eight-Handed Massage. There’s also body scrubs, detox wraps, reiki and yoga, various beauty treatments and sports like tennis and boxing on offer.
FONTEVERDE, ITALY Lizzi says: “This palatial resort sits on a natural spring which gives it serious regenerating powers.” Nestled in the rolling hills and cypress woods of Tuscany’s Val d’Orcia, between Rome and Florence, this historic healing destination comprises a grand Italianate hotel filled with classic furniture and oil paintings and a modern wellness centre. As well as luxuriating in the thermal pools, you can enjoy facials, massages, a sauna, Turkish bath and a Kneipp circuit, where hot and cold water features boost circulation. Activities include Nordic walking and suspension training while food is rustic, nourishing Tuscan.
Jet away to an ultra-exclusive island hideaway.
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Carenage Bay, Canouan Island VC0450, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines For more information, visit www.charitable.travel/mandarinoriental
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Luxury top ten
TIA WELLNESS RESORT, VIETNAM Lizzi says: “Previously Fusion Maia Da Nang, TIA is a response to the pandemic and a shift in focus from relaxation to wellness.” Situated on a handsome beach in central Vietnam, the resort has private pool villas with courtyard gardens. Allinclusive plans incorporate elements like spa treatments, plant-based meal plans (but you don’t have to go vegan), activities like tai chi, a Breathwork Masterclass and a Creative Workshop where activities like collage-making aim to promote authentic expression.
SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY, OMAN Lizzi says: “It’s worth the hike to get to this well-kept secret - an oasis resort with stunning views.” Arrive by speedboat, 4WD car or paraglide in to this remote resort set between craggy mountains and the opal blue fjords of Oman’s Musandam Peninsula. Styled like a traditional village, the stone dwellings house villas and suites. Sandy paths lined with date palms and lime bushes lead to the serene spa which has an Arabic hammam and ice cave. Activities include guided hikes on mountain trails, kayaking and archery.
SONG SAA, CAMBODIA Lizzi says: “This spectacular private island is the perfect place to detach from the world.” Spread over two emerald isles in Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago, this eco-luxury bolthole established the country’s first marine refuge. Private open-air spa pavilions dot the islands and offer treatments like a coconut oil ritual or Khmer leaf herbal massage. Book a spa treatment under the stars or a personal training session. Experiences include paddle boarding, a Buddhist blessing or a Khmer cooking class using sustainable ingredients sourced from local communities.
W DUBAI THE PALM Lizzi says: “W hotels are quirky, trendy and for the young at heart and this funky resort is no exception.” Looking like a cluster of retro cruise ships shipwrecked on a sandbank, this resort’s unique selling points include celebrity chefs Massimo Bottura and Akira Back; pool cabanas, cocktails and DJ sets at the glamorous WET Deck and the SoBe rooftop bar, sporting wraparound views and Miami vibes. At the futuristic Away Spa you can be revived under neon lights or relax in a whirlpool bath. Book a massage, scrub, facial, manicure, pedicure or makeup service. Zany fitness classes include aerial yoga and pole training.
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THE CARIBBEAN ISLAND OF ARUBA
go
Find a
good news get involved
HAS LIFTED COVID
‘MAKE IT COUNT IN 2022’ CAMPAIGN TO CELEBRATE THE CHARITY HEROES OF TRAVEL
RESTRICTIONS,
and charity sectors via its new campaign – ‘Make It Count in 2022’.
INCLUDING A BAN
e
GLOBAL
cause he od r
Throughout this year, Charitable Travel is seeking to unite the travel The aim is to show how the two industries, which have experienced some of the worst financial impacts over the last two years, can
ON DANCING! HAD
help each other recover from the pandemic. Look out as we
YOUR BOOSTER?
many charitable activities they support across the world. In addition,
YOU CAN NOW VISIT
and initiatives connected to global issues such as the environment,
ARUBA WITHOUT
celebrate the unsung heroes of the travel industry by highlighting the each month Charitable Travel will be raising awareness of charities education, children’s welfare, LGBTQ+ causes and much more.
TESTING FOR COVID
gender equality
NEW WOMEN’S EXPEDITIONS Icons from www.flaticon.com - Megaphone speaker by Ayub Irawan; Web by Pixel perfect
Intrepid Travel is relaunching its range of Women’s Expeditions in time for International Women’s Day this March. The new and redesigned tours will support women in badly affected countries: Peru, India, Iran, Morocco and Jordan. Females in tourism are more affected by COVID-19 because they tend to work in low-skilled or informal jobs. Guided by local women, the tours include activities that wouldn’t be possible with men but give an insight into women’s lives in other cultures, such as visiting a beauty salon in Iran.
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global good news
Good for whales
Green places...
sustainable growth
FRENCH CITY TAKES ECO-CROWN Grenoble is this year’s European Green Capital. Located in the French Alps, the city is surrounded by three alpine massifs and this constraint has forced it to be creative with
new safari spot
growth. Not only has it transformed brownfield sites (derelict, usually exindustrial land) into econeighbourhoods, it has an
TANZANIA CAMP TO LEAD CONSERVATION EFFORTS Asilia Africa is opening the Usangu Expedition
ambitious tree planting
Camp in the wild Usangu wetlands of Tanzania’s
programme and makes
Ruaha National Park this June. The four-tent
unused areas available
camp will be the first in the area and gives
to residents to create
guests the chance assist with local efforts to stop
gardens. The city achieved
poaching, uplift communities and collect vital
a 25% reduction in
scientific data on biodiversity. The camp will play
greenhouse gas emissions between 2005 and 2016 and is working towards a 50% reduction by 2030.
lower emissions
a pivotal role in protecting the wetlands, which are a lifeblood for wildlife and communities, while guests can benefit from access to unique sights, like hundreds of ostrich congregating.
It looks like whaling could soon be a thing of the past in Iceland after its government has admitted there are no longer any social or economic advantages to the practice and no new licences will be granted for whaling once the existing ones expire next year
NET-ZERO FOR NORTHERN JAPAN Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido has announced that it aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Zero-Carbon Hokkaido
conservation
SEYCHELLES RESORT PROTECTS TORTOISES The Hilton Seychelles Labriz
project is planning a
Resort and Spa has opened
green economy that
a new sanctuary for its ten
makes use of Hokkaido’s
resident Aldabra giant tortoises.
abundant sources of
Their new home offers more
renewable energy
space to roam, a pool and an
and carbon-absorbing forests. The mountain resort of Niseko will be a sustainable model for the rest of Japan as it looks at how to solve the region’s housing crisis with new environmentallyfriendly housing.
environment mirroring the wild one of Silhouette Island until they are ready to be released. Guests at the resort can also join guided hikes to see wild tortoises, support adoption schemes and assist with releasing mature tortoises.
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global good news
Back to normal
Virgin Atlantic will reinstate its full roster of U.S destinations for the first time since the start of the pandemic, when flights to Seattle and Washington DC start in March. Flights to other cities will increase in frequency
sustainable Australia
SCIENCE & TOURISM UNITE FOR CORAL A four-year partnership between scientists and tourism operators around Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is aiming to increase coral cover and it’s working - sites are reportedly showing spectacular growth after two years of good growing conditions. The Coral Nurture Program has boasted 85% survival rates for coral planted. The scheme was devised by two marine biologists and co-owners of a cruise business after a coral bleaching event in 2016, and relies on staff from tourist boats to tend to coral nurseries while tourists enjoy the wonders of the reef.
MAKE IT
COUNT IN
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