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TRAVELLER LOW S E A SON

Issue 1 April 2022

THE HIDDEN GEMS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

M AGA Z INE

TRAVEL CHOICES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Add our under-the-radar cultural heritage places and experiences to your bucket list.

Get sustainability tips from a leader in responsible tourism.

TAKING AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS

FEATURED DESTINATIONS: INDIA JORDAN TENERIFE CAPE TOWN VIETNAM AND MUCH MORE...

Learn tips and tricks to take great photos, whatever the weather.

Low Season Traveller

Low Season Journeys: Northern Thailand

Travelling through Thailand with The Tuk Tuk Club – and Jen

Mark Bibby Jackson spends ten days on a tuk tuk travelling around the hills of northern Thailand with The Tuk Tuk Club and receives a hospitality he has seldom encountered. By Mark Bibby Jackson

If you have not gathered it already, Jen is a tuk tuk, one of the troupe that The Tuk Tuk Club drives around the hills of northern Thailand from their base just outside of Chiang Mai. I don’t know why this memory stands out so clearly in my mind above all the others on our tuk tuk travels. It could have equally have been the time we stopped for lunch at Mae Chaem, only to discover all the restaurant staff standing beside Jen taking photos of themselves next to her. Or equally at the eclectic Ching Ching bar in Mae Sariang, where our guide Smithy struck up a conversation with a group of young Thais who had seen our small convoy – two bright orange tuk tuks and a support 4VD – entering the border town, and explained how they just loved what we were doing. Or the numerous occasions that local Thais smiled at the crazy foreigners driving their tuk tuks up and down the sweeping mountain roads to Doi Thannon, at 2,565 metres above sea level the highest point in Thailand, and beyond. This is the Thailand they sell in tourism brochures and on videos – the real Land of Smiles. Not the modern-day Thailand you encounter in Bangkok where people sit on the Skytrain, their faces buried in their mobile phones just like their distant Visiting the Mae Vang Elephant home

cousins do on the London Underground, the New York Subway or Paris Metro. Our trip started with an hour’s drive from Chiang Mai to the tiny village of Maewang where our training took place. At first Jen and I don’t exactly hit it off. Quite understandably she takes umbrage at my cumbersome use of the gear with only passing reference to the clutch. And as for the break, the least said of my heavy right foot, the better. Jen repeatedly judders to a halt on the small basketball court that is our training circuit, in the middle of which a family of Karen farmers are drying some rice. “Maybe, you can try reverse,” Smithy, who is also my driving instructor, suggests. With little faith, I turn the ignition again and release the clutch, only for the vehicle to ease its way backwards, slowly. Like Tony Curtis steering the motor boat in Some Like It Hot, I have found my metier – driving a tuk tuk in reverse. After all, nobody is perfect. “Perhaps I can drive backwards on the tour,” I suggest to Smithy. “That would take 30 days,” he says, a broad smile sweeping across his face. He is right, our tuk tuk adventure is only scheduled for ten. After receiving a blessing for the journey ahead at nearby Wat Tham Nam Hoo, we drive the following day to the Maevang Elephant Home. Until recently, Maevang was very much like many other places around Chiang Mai providing elephant rides for ill-informed tourists. However, now people come to feed the mammoths and walk beside them to the river where they have their bath .

Low Season Traveller

A crowd has gathered around Jen. I am used to this by now for she has up-staged me throughout my tuk tuk travels. Never act with children and animals, they say. Well, don’t travel with a tuk tuk either. All the staff of the Fern Resort have congregated in the car park, two of them pause by Jen as I get behind the wheel and pretend to drive away with them as my passengers, while the smartphone cameras silently click. Then the rest of the staff line up beside the tuk tuks and more photos are taken. Everyone is smiling. It feels good.

SLOW TRAVEL IN KERALA 8th – 24th September 2022 – £1,999 (Includes £100 donation to the Community Environment Resource Centre)

We have worked with our friends at Sita India to design this relaxed 17 day journey through the green state of Kerala during low season. Kerala is different to any other state in India – its lush interior is a haven for wildlife, there are fabulous tea plantations, and not forgetting the blissful backwaters. This tour will give you a taste of India you might not expect, from slow local life, to lightly spiced seafood and cool tea estates. We have designed this tour specifically to give you more free time in each place, combined with sightseeing tours with local guides. You will be accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers and the accommodation is all superb. Contact us to find out more:

ged@lowseasontraveller.com

+44 7572 612 602

www.lowseasontraveller.com NO

SPLENDOURS OF SRI LANKA 14th – 25th September 2022 – £1,999 (Includes £100 donation to Sarvodaya supporting a local school)

We have designed this beautiful 13 day journey through Sri Lanka’s lush interior during low season. As an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka’s low season moves around the country throughout the year – so wherever you go, you have a chance of showers and also a chance of sunshine! Either way, we guarantee you will love this friendly and fantastically varied country. Ancient capitals, delicious street food, herds of wild elephants, games with locals, cycling, tea country and golden beaches all await you as you are driven through the island by a highly experienced driver guide, and accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers. Contact us to find out more:

ged@lowseasontraveller.com

+44 7572 612 602

www.lowseasontraveller.com

Cultural heritage

under-the-radar cultural heritage icons You might’ve elbowed your way through the crowds at the colosseum in Rome or marvelled at the scaffolding that is forever outside Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, but have you experienced the epic Nazca lines in Peru or gawked at the Green Stone of Hattusa in Central Turkey?! We’ve teamed up with World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) Executive Chairman Chris Flynn, who has shared a selection of his favourite cultural heritage artefacts, traditions and landmarks to add to your next itinerary! THE SACRED GREEN STONE OF HATTUSHA, CENTRAL TURKEY

TThe mystery of a giant green rock in the capital of the Hittite Empire has baffled archaeologists and visitors alike ever since it was discovered in what was originally an ancient storeroom. Known to locals as the “wish stone”, the huge jade cube stands almost a staggering metre high. Hattusha at its peak homed a 50,000 strong population and is famed for the Kadesh Peace Treaty, the world’s first such agreement of concord, signed between the Hittites and Egyptians in 1280BC. Theories suggest that the stone was a gift from Egypt to mark this historic occasion, or it could be an icon thought to hold religious significance. Come and see the beautiful piece, and put forward your own alternative. Hattusha was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1986.

CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS OF PALERMO, SICILY

The macabre remains, which are on display deep below the ground, have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Palermo. This is due not least to ‘Rosalia Lombardo’, the most famous of the child corpses, who died of pneumonia at the age of two. Due to her remarkable preservation, she is now cherished to as the “world’s most beautiful mummy.” The child mummies form part of a wider group of thousands of dehydrated bodies which date from the 16th century.

Low Season Traveller

An exciting research project is about to shed new light on the mummified bodies of the 160 children entombed in the eerie Capuchin crypts of Palermo, Sicily.

The low down

THE LOW DOWN PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PETER GUTTMAN This ongoing section for readers will be providing top travel tips for low season travel, gathered from experts around the world. Photographs have become a core part of how we experience, share, and remember our travels. To give you some of the best low down on getting high results in the sometimes challenging conditions of low season travel, our Editor-at-Large asked a renowned, award-winning photographer to share some of his tales and tips. Peter Guttman has travelled in over 240 countries in all kinds of weather.

The visual high of low season travel Seasons often fuel the driving engine for travel. In order to survey earth’s amazing diversity and fragile beauty, I’ll often seek out travel’s low season to visit many of our globe’s remote and magical corners. With a tireless passion for exploration, I dedicated much of my life to travel photography and toward discovering the wonders of our planet, which I’ve tried to capture visually within the eight hardcover books I’ve written. In doing so, it became apparent that sojourning during less busy times can provide a soul-soothing, almost spiritual sense of wonder and discovery. Very fortunately for me, the rhythmic flow of mother nature’s elemental forces doesn’t always coincide with the desire for comfort and climate-controlled imperatives sought by mass tourism’s pleasure-seeking hordes. As such, I often deliberately schedule my travels in direct contradiction to the usual patterns of vacationing tourists. This has enabled me to take valuable advantage of pristine landscapes and intimate wildlife encounters, while spending quality time with local culture, providing a deeper dive toward understanding and investigating remote societies.

Low Season Traveller

Privileged access created by low season travel has, for me, served as a backstage pass to our global theatre, and in turn has greatly enhanced the photography for my iPad travel app, Beautiful Planet HD. The images in that collection depict our astonishing planetary diversity by featuring lightly-populated scenes of pre-digital cultures and landscapes.

For example, when investigating Fez, Morocco, the world’s largest non-motorised city, I journeyed there in the very early spring. This enabled me to sidestep a relentless crush of foreign visitors mobbing the labyrinthine lanes of the medina. Its narrow walls now echoed hauntingly with clip-clopping donkey carts, while strolling djellaba-clad falconers and water vendors served as vivid avatars of the mysterious atmosphere pervading this medieval quarter. I made my way down to Venezuela, not during the mostly preferred dry season, but rather deep within its July rainy season to paddle through tropical jungle by dugout canoe

A sauna building in Lapland in the glow of the Northern Lights, Ahvenjärvi in Finland

The low down

Exploring the narrow lanes of the Medina of Fez, Morocco

November might seem an unwelcome month to explore the natural splendors of Canada, but one of my most memorable engagements with nature occurred around that time in Manitoba. One can then experience a close encounter with the world’s largest land carnivore, just when Hudson Bay begins to freeze up. At that time, starving polar bears hope to attend the grand reopening of their frozen cafeteria, stationing themselves next to newly formed breathing holes, where ringed seals will emerge for a gulp of fresh air and wind up as the main entree. As winter slowly begins to close in, this dramatic gathering of ferocious snow-white mammals may

be viewed from platforms on a rather unique tundra buggy, which makes its way to this remote spot during this brief transition between seasons. To capture many distinctive low season experiences, I’ve had to develop numerous strategies to accompany my photographic activities, especially when shooting in unexpected or difficult weather conditions. My global exploits have found me photographing raucous emperor penguin colonies in bone-chilling Antarctic blizzards and battling heat stroke while attempting to photograph camel caravans lumbering through scorching oven-like desert canyons in Djibouti, the world’s hottest nation. I’ve documented a steep ascent through painfully thin atmosphere to summit Mount Kilimanjaro as my exhausted lungs screamed for more oxygen, and I’ve endured numerous waterlogged stakeouts awaiting an appearance by the mystical spirit bear in a drenching British Columbian rainforest.

Low Season Traveller

to the base of Angel Falls. As high as three Empire State Buildings stacked one upon another, the world’s tallest waterfall can often appear as a small trickle of water drooling down from a towering limestone tepui. However, by arriving at the falls during rainy season, the heavens seemed to cry a misty bridal veil impressively gushing out of the firmament.

The low down

Top tips for photography, whatever the weather

A polar bear roaming through the tundra in Manitoba, Canada

While your own journeys will hopefully not be as physically daunting, below are a few points to consider while braving the elements with a camera.

overly white background can usually fool your camera meter.

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COLD

Low Season Traveller

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The cold can drain your batteries more quickly. Carry many spare ones and fully charge everything before heading out. Consider rubber-banding hand warmers to your camera, or keep it near your own body heat when not in use.

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There’s no such thing as poor weather, only poor clothing choices. Avoid cotton. Dress in layers for flexible adjustments to your body’s natural thermostat. Employ moisture-wicking, synthetic layers as a base, and an outer, waterproof, wind-resisting shell is a must. No jeans. Wool socks. Gloves should include a thin synthetic layer beneath woollen mittens. Boots best include waterproof Gore-Tex and heat trapping Thinsulate.

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If you happen to be utilising a tripod with aluminium legs, consider insulating its surfaces with foam. That helps toward preventing frostbite-inducing contact.

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Be aware that white, snowy backgrounds require an additional stop of light to prevent under exposure, as an

Unless deliberately shooting silhouettes, avoid sun reflections off the snow and ice by repositioning your direction of focus. Hope for cloudy skies to reduce unwanted contrast, or alternatively, at the margins of the day, take advantage of the sun’s lower angle during winter, which produces much more dramatic lighting effects.

HEAT •

One of the most common challenges when shooting in hot weather is the aggravating effect of condensation. Your lens clouds up and crystalline views may turn into a soupy fog. Avoid this by never exposing your camera to whatever cooled spaces you’ve emerged from. Leave your camera overnight beneath blankets, out on a balcony, or in a bathroom, always shielded away from direct air conditioning.

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Consider wearing a fitness headband to mop up any excessive facial sweat that can fog up your viewfinder. Carrying a small, light-coloured towel can help shade your camera if temperature build-up becomes extreme.

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Don’t leave your camera in a parked vehicle. Increasing heat can sometimes wreak havoc with electronics within

The low down the avid photographer, this visual phenomenon can be a life saver during time-restricted visits to amazing destinations.

the equipment and prove even more detrimental for those still shooting with film in their camera.

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Scout out cooler, shady spots that might prove useful for your photographic efforts. Shade also provides a much more pleasing context for shooting portraits of any kind, eliminating unflattering facial shadows and contrast. Shady spots will, as well, offer a retreat for smartphones, whose cameras may automatically shut down when exposed to excessive sun and heat.

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Polarising filters may be very useful, particularly on wideangle lenses, when shooting shoreline or sun-bleached scenes, by subtly reducing reflection while enhancing eyepleasing saturation of colours. Whether at beachfronts or deserts, be mindful and protective about blowing sand, which can infiltrate your camera equipment and jam its operation or scratch rolls of film.

RAIN •

Travel with a generous supply of towels, cloth wipes and lens tissue and keep aware of raindrops on your lens glass which can easily mar the final image. An ultraviolet filter helps protect the glass. Small silica packets may assist in reducing moisture.

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Use a lens hood. Purchase a dedicated rain sleeve for your lens, or improvise one by rubber-banding a plastic bag with a cut-out viewing hole.

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Scout out sheltering spots that might be useful for your photographic efforts. Shoot from porches, bus shelters or open car windows. A variety of coloured umbrellas may provide both rain protection and serve as a useful photographic prop to lend scale and atmosphere for subjects inhabiting a scene.

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Find particularly colourful elements to play a prominent role in the photograph, which helps reduce dreariness and enlivens an image.

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Make lemonade from lemons by exploiting rainy conditions. Use reflections to create memorable images. Puddles may yield surprisingly stunning photographic conditions. In urban situations, shooting extremely low right next to a puddle may yield startling mirror-like images that appear precisely the same by turning the photograph upside down. To maximise the drama of the scene, locate an intriguing background structure lit additionally by manmade light. That will prove particularly effective when shooting during blue light.

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As it begins to get darker, utilise the growing glow of man-made light, whether amber tones emanating from lit windows, a string of light bulbs, or colourfully blazing neon signs. In contrast with the deepening blue in the skies, a dramatic scene may continue to develop and evolve into a romantically poetic image.

BE PREPARED •

Don’t forget your own needs—carry and drink lots of water!

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Do advance research and familiarise yourself with weather predictions, highway routings, event schedules and safety precautions.

Want to learn more about the art of photography in all conditions? Take a look at Peter Guttman’s award-winning photography and find more top tips at peterguttman.com or follow him on Instagram at @peterguttman. Images in this article have been shot by Peter Guttman during his many travels.

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Applicable for all seasons and conditions, but particularly rewarding during rainy conditions, be on the lookout for blue light conditions. This usually occurs just after sunset and lasts until total darkness. The reverse phenomenon appears at dawn.

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A phenomenon unbeknown to most is that even when a grey, dreary day transitions to night-time’s complete darkness, the sky will temporarily appear blue. For

Angel Falls, Venezuela

Low Season Traveller

BLUE LIGHT

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Jordan

Jordan

Featured Destination: Jordan

Bustling souks, mineral bathing and lost citadels

When to go: December, January, February, June, July, August By Claire French

Visitors have long been drawn to this hospitable land, seen as one of the most secure places to travel in the Middle East, multi-cultural, and extremely welcoming. An established tourist infrastructure allows thrill seekers to explore safely while still experiencing an authentic wildness, indulging in stays in some truly unique venues like a tented Bedouin camp or an eco-lodge in a nature reserve.

Night skies above the Wadi Rum Desert of its kind, and host to July’s Festival of Culture and Arts. Travel the scenic King’s Highway dotted with UNESCO sites, arriving into Petra, the phenomenal 2,000 year old pristinely carved red rose lost city. Many images focus on the stunning treasury, but you can actually spend days exploring. A highlight is the thrice weekly Petra by Night experience, when thousands of lights illuminate the path to Treasury, accompanied by Bedouin musicians. Summer travellers should plan early or late visits to avoid the heat of midday, while in winter there’s chance to see Petra with a dusting of snow, a truly magical experience.

Even the most intrepid explorers do need to consider Jordan’s ranging climatic conditions. The fairly tight windows of spring and autumn are the peak travel times while summer temps can hit highs of 40°C and winter is much colder with rain possible. With a little forethought though, a low season trip in June to August or December to February can offer a magical experience without the crowds and at bargain prices. Keep in mind also that for a small destination, the weather is diverse. So in summer you might find the desert dry and hot, but it’s cooler in the north and around the capital Amman; and in winter, the Red Sea resorts of Aqaba remaining balmy with locals on the beach year-round. Some restaurants and shops may close in low season for a well-earned break, but plenty of options remain, not least the Swiss Christmas Market at the Amman Rotana.

Desert dunes

Lost cities

Beach life

Arrive into busy capital Amman and explore the magnificent Roman Temple of Hercules and stunning 6,000 seat amphitheatre, before driving north just 45 minutes to Jerash and its Roman city, said to be the most well preserved site Siq Trail at Wadi Mujib, Jordan

An incredible 9/10th of Jordan is desert, with protected Wadi Rum in the nation’s south proving a fascinating area to immerse yourself. Explore by horseback, by 4x4, microlight, a century old steam train, or even in a hot air balloon. You’ve likely seen glimpses of the dramatic red and gold landscapes in Hollywood’s ‘Star Wars Rogue One’, ‘The Martian’ and ‘Prometheus’ but there is nothing like spending a night in a Bedouin camp and learning about this unique lifestyle. Wrap up in winter although temperatures don’t fall too low and the chance of rain is small. Summer is hot for sure, but touring takes place early and late with a siesta to accommodate. Ravers will love the Wadi Rum Distant Heat cultural and electronic music festival in July. 10 times more salty than regular ocean water and 431 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is a haven of warmth even in Jordan’s winter. Float in the mineral rich waters and in summer, cool off among the rivers and waterfalls of Wadi

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How much have you ever fancied yourself as a Lawrence of Arabia or Indiana Jones type? The desert sand stinging your tanned face while you sport a vibrant head scarf fluttering gently in the evening breeze. Welcome to Jordan, a crossroads between east and west, a valuable trade route where iconic ancient sites and remarkable landscapes form a backdrop for adventures of all kinds. In a country no bigger than say Portugal or Austria, you’ll find a fascinating fusion of historic and modern, a rich culture, lush natural beauty and stunning desert sunsets.

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Vietnam

Vietnam

Colonial and military history giving way to a vibrant street culture and sophisticated nightlife. When to go: May through October By Claire French

Amidst the nation’s infamously chaotic streets, you’ll find your own haven of calm, but with traveller numbers increasing, it pays to be a bit smart and consider a low season adventure to avoid the crowds and maximise your dong. If you’re looking to take in the whole country, the low season period covers May through to October. However, the skinny elongated geography leaves visitors facing three distinct weather patterns and two monsoons which impact on regional seasonality. That doesn’t mean there isn’t fun to had, just be aware and keep your plans flexible if you can.

Hanoi & The North

Seat of Communist power and home to exquisite French colonial architecture, the capital is a fine starting point to tour the karst formations of Halong Bay and Ninh Binh or trek the Sapa rice terraces. The region has two main Hoi An, Vietnam

seasons, the very hot and humid summer which runs from May to September accompanied by heavy rainfall which marks the low season period, whereas a cold dry winter characterises November to March. In between, catch the lovely but short, blink and you’ll miss it, spring and autumn.

Central Vietnam

Travel mountainous passes with roadside cliffs falling away to the beaches below. The imperial city of Hue and the charming port town of Hoi An are the main draws, but the ancient Cham ruins, DMZ wartime landmarks and beaches around Danang are also worthy. This area is somewhat protected from early rains by the mountains leaving it overly hot in May and June and subject to later rains from September to December when flooding can be an issue.

Ho Chi Minh City & The South

Still known locally as Saigon, the bustling hub of the south has a laid back vibe despite its huge population, most of which seem to take to the streets by motorbike at all times of the day and night. Hot throughout the year, the south gets most humid and sticky in April to October when rain is frequent, especially in the afternoons. Take local advice if travelling to the Mekong Delta where flooding poses a real danger. Otherwise, dodge the showers in fascinating museums and wonderful boutiques and coffee shops.

TOP EXPERIENCES Hoi An

This historic port town in the central region is a perfect place to unwind and discover Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese past, fascinating architecture, full moon lantern festivals, and vehicle free zones. Hire a bike and explore the nearby rice paddies and the beach.

Tam Coc, Ninh Binh Province

Low season Halong Bay cruises can be cancelled at short notice, so try Tam Coc instead. Less frequented, and just as stunning, you’ll see limestone karst monoliths protruding mystically from the rice paddies. A sampan cruise with local rowers takes about two hours.

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“Dua hau…dua hau…dua hau!! “ I am not a late riser but for three days in a row, I was woken early by this alarming cry from far below my otherwise delightful fourth storey Hanoi guest house balcony in the winding streets of the city’s Old Quarter. Convinced the shrieking lady was being beaten or worse, I enquired with my host what all the yelling was about. “Watermelon madam,” came the smiling reply. Yes, that was all, Vietnamese marketing at its very best. If you’ve got something to sell, just go on and shout it out. Next day as I sunk my teeth into the delicious fruity pink flesh, I thought about this amazing destination, and how it totally overwhelms the senses. The noise, the smells, the colours, and the wonderful tales told by this unique population. I’d recommend Vietnam at any time of year and suggest you stay as long as you can.