ZZZ T o explore Kolkata is to plunge into a state of perpetual overwhelm. The soulful yet chaotic one-time capital of the British Raj confounds expectations at every turn. This is due, in part at least, to its limited reputation. A whole generation know Kolkata — or Calcutta as it was called until 2001 — solely through the lens of Mother Teresa’s saintly work with destitute pavement-dwellers. But instead of a sprawling, dispiriting metropolis, Kolkata serves up a compact centre full of romantic relics of the British Raj, colourful riverfront ghats (wharfs) and a cosmopolitan party scene. It’s all easily navigated by the metro system — or old-fashioned rickshaw. One of the city’s charms is its countless anachronisms: its trams and eccentric guesthouses full of Victoriana. Delightful discoveries become as common as the clay chai cups that ill the city’s gutters; each as delicious as the Bengali confectionery sold on every street corner. “The essence of an old city is its secrets,” says my guide Anirban of Calcutta Walks, as we head into Grey Town, which ranges from Bowbazar to Burrabazar. The historic labyrinth of Portuguese, Chinese and Armenian communities (and many more besides) was founded around the mid-18th century when Bengal became the booming hub of the East India Company. The district is one of Kolkata’s more important albeit least celebrated sights: these immigrants contributed to the city’s economy and cultural makeup in myriad ways. While Kolkata postcards might carry the spectacular ediices of the Victoria Memorial (the British answer to the Taj Mahal) or the Marble Palace (the faded neoclassical folly of a wealthy Bengali merchant), Grey Town’s attraction is less easily captured. A tour, as Anirban explains, involves time travel. “This isn’t Delhi, where history has become a museum. In Kolkata, you can smell and taste and experience our past,” Anirban says with unconcealed civic pride, adding, “if you know where to look.” In the cool of early morning, we pound the uneven pavements to explore the old Taoist temples, former opium dens and squawking poultry market of Chinatown, where we chat with the descendants of early settlers while sharing steamed momo dumplings. Entering the Islamic quarter, its buildings luttering with Eid bunting, feels like stepping across continents. In a lane of halal butchers, men in white taqiyah caps and tunics lean against doorways and sip chai, while cats weave around their ankles hoping for meat scraps. One of our last stops is Ajmiri, an unassuming bakery founded generations ago by a Jewish family leeing persecution in Iraq, where we snack on coconut cookies — a recipe that’s remained unchanged through the decades. “This is where the Oberoi Grand hotel buys its Christmas fruitcake. Food in Kolkata is a great leveller,” Anirban explains. We end the tour in the Magen David Synagogue which, in a perfect distillation of the area’s tolerant, melting-pot heritage, shares a street with a Portuguese cathedral and an Armenian church. Nearby, a Parsi ire temple houses a sacred lame that’s been burning since 1912. “Today there are only 16 Jews in Kolkata. Once, the congregation in the area was 8,000,” my guide laments. “People say the city is dying, that it’s been dying for over a century. But that’s a lie. Nowhere with this much soul could ever die.” KOLKATA City life Look beyond Kolkata’s colonial past and you’ll ind the colourful street food stalls of Grey Town, the Hooghly’s buzzing riverbanks, and a cafe culture alive with spirited debate. he Bengali capital is no faded museum piece WORDS: Amelia Duggan PHOTOGRAPHS: Mark Seymour May 2019 151
SEE & DO VICTORIA MEMORIAL: Built to commemorate Queen Victoria, this towering monument was completed in 1921, a decade ater the capital of the British Raj was moved to Delhi. The white marble memorial combines Italianate columns and statuary with Mughal domes reminiscent of the Taj Mahal. Stroll the grounds and lake, and don’t miss the Calcutta Gallery inside, where old paintings and photographs document daily life, and the city’s independence struggles. Neighbouring St Paul’s Cathedral with its epitaphs to early Imperialists is worth a visit. MOTHER HOUSE: Albanian-born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, known to the world as Mother Teresa, earned her sainthood on Kolkata’s streets caring for the destitute and dying. Her simple tomb is housed in the headquarters of her organisation, the Missionaries of Charity, where there’s also a small museum to her life and work, as well as her humble bedroom-cum-study preserved for posterity. motherteresa.org MARBLE PALACE: This neoclassical mansion, built in 1835 by prosperous Raja Rajendra Mullick, still houses his descendants and their menagerie of exotic birds. A monument to the excesses that abounded in Kolkata’s heyday, its grandeur has faded with the city’s fortunes, but the sweeping staircase and mirrored ballrooms are still dripping with chandeliers, stufed with statues and hung with gilt-frame paintings, including works by such European Masters as Rubens and Reynolds. To visit, get a free pass from the tourism oice at 4 Shakespeare Sarani. THE GREY CITY WALKING TOUR: A walking tour is the best way to understand the melting pot of immigrant cultures that formed around Burrabazar during Calcutta’s trading heyday. The Grey City, as it was known under the Raj, was shaped by Chinese, Portuguese, Jewish, Parsi and Armenian settlers — to name but a few. Those communities are dwindling rapidly, but the grand synagogues, opium dens, decaying tenements and street food stalls linger on. calcuttawalks.com INDIAN MUSEUM: India’s oldest and largest museum is known as Jadu Ghar, meaning ‘house of magic’. Its 35 galleries, set around a colonnaded central garden, house a rare collection of curios, including fossils and meteorites, many encased in old-fashioned mahogany display cabinets, as well as impressive Mughal-era artwork and priceless Indian carvings. indianmuseumkolkata.org BOTANICAL GARDEN: Escape the hustle and bustle and head to the Hooghly’s west bank, where Kolkata’s 273-acre Botanical Garden ofers walks along the river promenade, an orchid house, a herbarium and fern house, plus plenty of bird watching opportunities. It’s also where you’ll ind the world’s largest banyan tree: 80t high and an astonishing 787t in circumference. bgci.org Noble pursuits // Home to Nobel laureates such as the poet Rabindranath Tagore and economist Amartya Sen, Bengalis consider their state the birthplace of the country’s most progressive thinkers. Kolkatans love to quote independence leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale’s aphorism: “What Bengal thinks today, India thinks tomorrow.” PREVIOUS PAGES: Workers at Kolkata Flower Market CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Victoria Memorial Hall; chai seller in Kolkata Flower Maket; green chillies and limes outside the Kalighat Kali Temple; delivery man on a rickshaw; entrance to Mullick Ghat Flower Market 152 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel KOLKATA
May 2019 153 KOLKATA
KOLKATA 154 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
BUY NEW MARKET: Founded in 1874 as a shopping quarter for British residents, and still known locally as Hogg Market ater Sir Stuart Hogg (a director of the East India Company), this sprawling, red-brick arcade with its gothic clock tower is now very much an Indian afair. Chaotic and overwhelming, and patrolled by locals looking to guide tourists, New Market sells everything under the Indian sun, from sarees to meat. If you can ind them in the maze, Tibetan curio shop Chamba Lama and the legendary Jewish confectioner Nahoum’s Bakery are well worth a visit. COLLEGE STREET: The world’s largest book market occupies the pavements of this thoroughfare at the heart of the University of Calcutta. Sellers perch upon stacks of literature — some new, some rare, some ancient; a joy for any bibliophile. FAB INDIA: This upmarket women’s clothing chain has a handful of branches in the city, where shop assistants are on hand to help foreigners learn their salwar kameez from their kurta. Clothes are hand-printed with natural dyes, and loose-itting cotton designs are recommended for the city’s tropical temperatures. fabindia.com ZZZ SLEEP SUNFLOWER GUEST HOUSE: This characterful heritage building ofers cheap rooms (some with air con) in the heart of the city — just a stone’s throw from the shopping area of Park Street. Rooms are clean, if a little dark, and it’s fun to ride up the heart of the stairwell in the antique cage elevator. sunflowerguesthouse.com THE ELGIN FAIRLAWN: Even if you’re not a guest, drop by for a sundowner in the garden. Poking around the memorabilia-illed halls of The Fairlawn is to get a taste for the grandeur and eccentricity that lingers on in Kolkata from its colonial days. This beloved Sudder Street institution, which opened in 1936 in a 19th-century manor, passed out of family hands to become an Elgin Hotels property last year, and has recently refreshed its pleasant guestrooms. fairlawnhotel.com OBEROI GRAND: One could quickly run out of superlatives when describing eastern India’s grandest hotel. The sumptuous neoclassical building occupies an entire city block, making it a island of sophistication and old-world luxury. If the ballroom walls could speak, they’d tell a century-worth of stories of about ilm stars, politicians and royalty. oberoihotels.com LIKE A LOCAL KUMARTULI: This low-rise neighbourhood of narrow lanes in the north of the city is home to the messy, fascinating workshops and storehouses of Kolkata’s kumars: traditional potters who sit out on the pavements and sculpt fearsome, multiarmed Hindu gods and goddesses from straw and river clay. It’s the place to start understanding Bengal’s strong tradition for arts, and its favoured Hindu gods. In the run up to Durga Puja (the state’s largest religious festival), the area is a hive of activity. EDEN GARDENS: One religion that’s common to the whole subcontinent is cricket, and few sporting experiences are as fevered and chaotic as a Test match in Kolkata’s ‘coliseum of cricket’. Eden Gardens seats about 68,000, making it the second-largest cricket stadium in the world by capacity. Check out the website of local team, the Kolkata Knight Riders, for ixtures. kkr.in/tickets STREET FOOD: The best of the city’s on-thego grub are paratha wraps illed with kebab meat, paneer cheese, egg and spiced potato, dressed with chili and lime, known as kathi rolls. Look for Kusum, a stall just of Park Street, where the lunchtime queues are a testament to the chef’s skills. Sweet thing // Bengalis have a notoriously sweet tooth. Try local specialities like sandesh, a round confectionery made with milk and sugar, or mishti doi, fermented yoghurt and jaggery (cane sugar) set in a disposable bhar clay pot CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Stall, College Street Book Market; poolside seating, Oberoi Grand; pastries, Nahoum’s Bakery; street in Kumartuli, northern Kolkata May 2019 155 KOLKATA
ESSENTIALS Getting there & around Emirates lies from Heathrow to Netaji Subhash Bose International Airport (known locally as Dum Dum) with a stopover in Dubai. Average light time: 15hr. emirates.com To travel into the city (a little over 10 miles south of the airport) by taxi, it’s better to pick up a ticket from the airport’s prepaid taxi booth rather than lagging a cab yourself. Kolkata has a clean, eficient and inexpensive metro system operated by tokens for single journeys or smart cards for multiday travel. A few tram routes are still in operation, a complicated bus network exists and overcrowded ferries operate on the Hooghly. Taxis are by far the easiest way to get around. Choose from yellow and black metered cabs, get an Uber or Ola car via their apps, or phone for a ‘radio taxi’ from reputable irms like Kolkata Cabs. kmrc.in calcuttaweb.com calcuttatramways.com kolkatacabs.com When to go Kolkata’s tropical climate is best during the short winter between November and February when the temperature rarely exceeds 27C. By May, the heat and humidity of summer are in full swing, with temperatures often exceeding 40C (although early mornings and dusk still offer pleasant temperatures to sightsee). Monsoon rains occur between June and October. More info incredibleindia.org How to do it INSPIRING TRAVEL COMPANY offers a three-night break in Kolkata from £1,349 per person based on two sharing, including return lights from the UK to Kolkata, three nights at the Oberoi Grand, B&B, sightseeing and transfers. inspiringtravelcompany.co.uk Maidan Victoria Memorial Hooghly Rive r Kolkata INDIA 500 yards Park Street Marble Palace Indian Botanical Museum Gardens 1/2 mile New Market Mother House CHINATOWN B-B-D BAGH COLLEGE STREET KUMARTULI KO L K ATA EAT INDIAN COFFEE HOUSE: Just of College Street, in the city’s academic heartland, this large upstairs hall has served as the meeting place for the city’s intelligentsia for generations. The cofee is famously terrible, but there’s nowhere better to get to grips with the Bengali culture of adda (spirited debate). 15 Bankim Chatterjee Street. KEWPIE’S:This is a bit like dining in someone’s home. The cosy Bengali restaurant is buried in a residential area, so is hard to ind and there’s no sign outside. Its thalas (platters) provide a tour through the region’s best-loved, home-cooked curries, and end with a roll of chewing paan. 2 Elgin Lane. THE PARK: This ive-star hotel has a well-deserved reputation for some of the inest dining in town. Join locals toasting special occasions over a rich Bengali rajbari feast at the recently revamped Safron, or check out Zen for contemporary Asian cuisine served with lare. theparkhotels.com AFTER HOURS THE PARK: This urban-chic, ive-star hotel has a famously funky underbelly. The wood-paneled Someplace Else bar draws in students and rockers with live music, while the city’s well-heeled crowd head to Tantra for international DJs or 1960s-themed cocktail club, Roxy, to dance and be seen. There’s also a poolside lounge space, Aqua, that’s perfect for those humid evenings. theparkhotels.com PETER CAT: This long-standing Park Street restaurant is famous for its Persian-style chelo kebabs and classy cocktail menu. Despite its suited waiters and smart decor, the vibe is decidedly relaxed. It’s one of Kolkata’s go-to watering holes. 18a Park Street. PHOENIX: This recent addition to the bar scene is packed out at the weekends with young professionals sipping whiskey sours. Bare brick walls and chic LED installations lend a modern, industrial vibe to the space inside the Victorian-era Astor hotel. astorkolkata.com A rickshaw is pulled along Sudder Street ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER 156 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel KOLKATA
BOOK ONLINE wendywutours.co.uk/japan CALL 0808 274 0268 or contact your local travel agent Explore tranquil temples, uncover vibrant cities and stroll through magical gardens on an extraordinary adventure from £1,190 Discover the wonders of Japan THE AWARD-WINNING TOUR SPECIALIST
Jumping into Lake Atitlan RIGHT, FROM TOP: Choco Museo, Antigua; carved masks for sale in Chichicastenango GUATEMALA Complex, diverse, unique: the central American country defi es expectation in many ways, not least in its ability to enamour travellers great and small. Festivals sizzling with street life, outdoorsy adventures, fascinating museums… Guatemala is a blast for families. Here’s a round-up of the highlights for families PARTNER CONTENT
IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY WHALE-WATCHING From December to April, humpback whales migrate along the Paciic coast, en route to warmer waters. It’s rare to spot them from land, so your best bet is Puerto Quetzal, a harbour town where whale-watching yachts set a course for the breeding grounds for heart-stopping close encounters. Along the way you may be joined by dolphins, manta rays and turtles. CHOCO MUSEO, ANTIGUA This museum is a must-visit for families and chocoholics alike. Here, you can learn about Guatemala’s rich chocolate heritage (the Mayans were the irst to cultivate cacao, so efectively invented it), pore over intriguing exhibits, take plantation tours and get stuck into tempting ‘bean to bar’ chocolate-making workshops. chocomuseo.com CHICHICASTENANGO Head approximately 35 miles north as you travel from Antigua to Lake Atitlán, and you’ll ind yourself in this atmospheric town in the Guatemalan Highlands. Its legendary markets — held on Thursdays and Sundays — will be a welcome sight: expect pottery, masks, textiles and piles of weird and wonderful merchandise. FINCA EL PARAÍSO Tucked away in the jungle on the north side of Lake Izabal, this hot spring-fed waterfall is essentially a secluded, natural spa. The thermal waters cascade 40t down a rock wall into a pool, creating a picture-perfect secret swimming spot. On a hot day, head to the cooler waters downstream, or climb to the top of the waterfall to bask in the mineralrich thermal pools and sunbathe on the warm rocks. PARTNER CONTENT To f ind out more, visit visitguatemala.com
PARQUE NATURAL IXPANPAJUL If you’re heading to Flores, this wildlife reserve in El Petén is the perfect place for outdoorsy kids to muck around in ater exploring the legendary archaeological site of Tikal. There’s horse riding and mountain biking, hopping onto tractors and zip-lining through the jungle canopy in the company of tropical birds and a rotating cast of monkeys. Its ace card, though, is the Skyway, a trail skirting through the tangle of branches. It includes a clutch of suspended bridges that sway lazily in the upper reaches of the jungle canopy — ideal for a real Indiana Jones-style adventure that the kids are sure to love. PARQUE CENTRAL, ANTIGUA This central square is a reassuringly handsome spot to take respite from the thrum of Antigua. Locals wind down in the shade, catching up over cofee, gardeners spruce up immaculate lower beds, and little ones will relish running in and around the Fountain of the Sirens. It’s worth waiting for one of the benches to become free so you can drink in the atmosphere, preferably while snacking on ice cream picked up from one of the cafes lining the plaza, as the children are entertained by energetic street performers. And for extra brownie points, cough up a few quetzals for a ride through the park in an ornate horsedrawn carriage. Early morning in Antigua’s central plaza Suspended bridges sway lazily in the jungle canopy — ideal for a real Indiana Jones-style adventure the kids will love PARTNER CONTENT
GETTING THERE Virgin Atlantic, Delta Air Lines, Air France and American Airlines fl y indirect from London Heathrow to La Aurora International Airport. virginatlantic.com delta.com airfrance.co.uk americanairlines.co.uk ESSENTIALS CANOPY TOURS It’s no secret Guatemala oozes adventurous appeal. And tweens and teens can catch an adrenalinfuelled thrill any of the zip-line parks that dot the country. One not to miss is the canopy tour at the Atitlan Nature Reserve, where the spectacular landscape is home to monkeys, waterfalls and volcanoes. The ascending hike passes co ee plantations and tangles of forest before reaching a zip-line launch point: one soars for a modest 100 metres, another for 300 metres, with both guaranteed to work their magic on the whole clan. TAKING FLIGHT Celebrations in Guatemala can be lavish, colourful spectacles — none more so than the annual Festival of Giant Kites Guatemalans love a knees-up, and children are at the heart of the numerous fi estas and festivals that punctuate the calendar, many of which are all-consuming a airs with fi reworks, mountains of food, fi ercely competitive dancers and live bands strumming traditional music. One that’s sure to capture the imagination is the Festival of Giant Kites, which takes place in the neighbouring southern towns of Santiago, Sacatepéquez and Sumpango. As dawn breaks on All Saints’ Day (1 November), the cobbled streets fi zz with activity as festival-goers head up to the towns’ cemeteries. Here, the kites — many of which take months to build and are up to 12 metres long — are thrust alo to cavort in the skies over the graves as a poignant cultural symbol of peace and the unity of family. TURTLES, MONTERRICO This coastal town isn’t a classic beach beauty; waves thrash its black sands and riptides can be perilous. Inland, Monterrico is backed by a wildlife reserve and two sanctuaries where sea turtles and caimans are hatched and readied for release into the wild. Head to the Conservation Center of Studies during hatching season (SeptemberFebruary) and you and your brood can see the baby sea turtles that have been incubated here. Experts are also on hand to educate visitors about its conservation projects, turtle reproduction, and the repopulation of endangered species. Watching newly hatched sea turtles head to the sea in Monterrico RIGHT: Boy at the Festival of Giant Kites, All Saints’ Day IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY At Monterrico’s wildlife sanctuaries, you and your brood can see the baby sea turtles that have been incubated there PARTNER CONTENT To f ind out more, visit visitguatemala.com
FAMILY: GOING WILD IMAGE: GETTY 162 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
In this edition of Traveller 10, we grab our binoculars and zoom in on the ultimate wildlife experiences for families. From tracking leopards in Zambia, to making a splash with a duck-billed platypus, or taking a snowy safari in America’s Wild West, these animal adventures are sure to inspire little Attenboroughs. Words: Sarah Barrell, Emma Gregg, Maria Pieri & Helen Warwick May 2019 163
BISON IN WYOMING From up here, they look like a lock of fat, feathery vultures hunkered down in the snow. Some 300t in the valley below — the ‘hole’ ater which the resort of Jackson Hole is named — this view has briely distracted the kids from skiing. “Woah!” says one, eyeballing the herd. “We’re going down there, with them?” It’s pretty wild out west. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), where Jackson Hole sits, is one of the few remaining USA ecosystems supporting all the major species of the big mammals that thrived here before the arrival of European settlers. Hibernating in dens under the snow-shrouded trees there are bears, while out in the backcountry canyons, coyotes, bobcats, wolves and mountain lions roam. And, today, down in the valley in front of us, a 100-strong herd of elk along with — like something out of a Wild West movie — the solid outline of several boulder-like bison, heads tucked down into their lufy necks, braced against the wind. “It’s cold down there,” says Snow King Mountain Resort’s Suzanne Muncaster. “Jackson oten has a temperature inversion: the mountains can be warmer than the valley.” We’re not going to ski down, though; instead, we pull on more layers of clothing, and set of by road for a winter safari. The largest of the deer family, thousands of elk come and go in winter to feed at Wyoming’s National Elk Refuge, just beyond the town of Jackson. Founded in the early 1900s to provide vulnerable elk with food, this 25,000-acre expanse of part-fenced meadows and frozen marshes sprawls out before us in our horse and cart, our four-legged charges allowing us to get within sniing distance of huge, 800lb antlered males. WILD ESCAPES YELLOWSTONE Wolves, grizzly bears, bison, birds of prey — the world’s irst national park ofers an almost Kipling-esque array of wild beasts and a two-week trip to Yellowstone in the autumn unleashes its wild side. From £6,295 per person, including lights. naturetrek.co.uk MANITOBA Here you’ll get the chance to see Canada’s ‘big ive’ — black and polar bears, moose, beluga whales and bison — all in one seven-night trip. Ideal for teens, tours take place in the school summer holidays. From £5,189 per person, including lights. canadiansky.co.uk IDAHO The whole family can get a taste of life on the ranch at the Red Horse Mountain Ranch — saddle up on horseback, try bird watching, or set of on scenic hikes. Selected weeks this summer from $2,500 (£1,890) for three to 11-year-olds and $2,650 (£2,005) for adults. redhorsemountainranch.com IMAGES: JACKSON HOLE The funny, dolphin-like call of calves cast adrit from their mothers echoes across the valley as a golden eagle makes hopeful lyovers. Further into the hinterland, we follow the Snake River, into Grand Teton National Park, where the hardy winter grass is almost iridescent yellow against the early season’s snow. We stop once or twice to allow bighorn sheep to pass, taking care to not let them lick the car. “The salt from the road grit,” says Kyle Williams, our guide from Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. “They love it, but it’s not good for them.” Parking up by an ice-crusted creek, we pull out the binoculars. “Swamp donkeys,” says Kyle. “Moose,” he grins, training the lens to perfectly frame a female moose and two calves. More appear on the horizon, huge fully-grown males with a forest of antlers. But they’re dwarfed by what we now realise is a herd of bison. “Technically bison, but the word is interchangeable with ‘bufalo’ in these parts,” says Kyle. A symbol of the old American West, it’s humbling to see these stately animals in action. With all their weight up front like an American football player, they have perfect snowplough shoulders, moving in a stoic convoy against the driving snow with a steady, funereal march. It’s an age-old scene that has us all silenced. Momentarily. “Woah,” says one of the kids — the word of the day — as another golden eagle swoops into view. jacksonhole.com BEST FOR: Children aged 10-plus HOW TO DO IT: Ski Safari has seven-night breaks to Wyoming, including return lights from London, shared transfers and B&B hotel accommodation, from £1,425 per person. Lit passes, kit hire and wildlife tours, extra. skisafari.com SB PREVIOUS PAGE: Children watching an elephant at Okaukuejo Waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Moose grazing in Wyoming; children carrying skiing gear, Jackson Hole; bison, Wyoming; skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort 01 TRAVELLER 10 164 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
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LEMURS IN MADAGASCAR Wide-eyed youngsters will relish the chance to visit the home of King Julien — the larger-than-life lemur from hit ilm Madagascar. The focus on a family adventure here is on outdoorsy fun and enchanting wildlife drama: there’s rock scrambling, a reforestation project, rating through mangrove swamps, wild camping and spotting crocs on the shoreline. BEST FOR: Tweens and teens HOW TO DO IT: Responsible Travel ofers the Madagascar Family Adventure Holiday: adults £1,650 each, children under-12 £1,395 each, based on a family of four sharing a room. Excludes lights. responsibletravel.com HW TRAVELLER 10 166 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 02
IMAGES: GETTY. INTERVIEW: HW Ring-tailed lemur with a youngster on her back, Berenty Reserve, Madagascar FROM LEFT: Giant salamander, Ocean Park, Hong Kong GIANT SALAMANDER IN CHINA MY FAVOURITE ANIMAL encounter was with the Chinese giant salamander, the world’s largest amphibian, which can grow up to six feet in length. We spotted it in a river in Fanjingshan Nature Reserve in China when we were developing ield methods to survey the creatures. I was out snorkelling, checking our baited traps, and as I checked the last trap, I realised we’d got one. Seeing them in the wild was special: it was the culmination of a lot of hard work. There are so few let in their natural habitat — in nearly eight years of cumulated searching, we spotted only 24 individuals across 97 sites in China. WE RECEIVED FOUR juveniles in 2016 ater they’d been coniscated by the UK Border Force ater being smuggled into the country illegally. Their new home was launched at ZSL London Zoo in March 2019 and ofers a fantastic opportunity for families to learn more about Chinese giant salamanders and their plight, as, frighteningly, our work shows that numbers have been decimated by overexploitation for their meat, and without immediate conservation action, it’s likely these animals will be lost forever. Chinese giant salamanders are classed as critically endangered and are the second-highest on ZSL’s EDGE (Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered) amphibian list, which ranks rare and unique amphibians based on conservation priority. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE NOT to be mesmerised by these magniicent and iconic creatures. They have a unique charm and character and belong to a small and ancient group of amphibians that diverged from their closest relatives during the Jurassic period over 170 million years ago. They’re also mysterious — much of their evolution and history still remains unknown to us today. It’s very diicult to see the Chinese giant salamander in the wild, which is what made my amphibian encounter all the more amazing. zsl.org Curator of reptiles and amphibians at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Benjamin Tapley’s favourite critter is a lesson in conservation for families TRAVELLER 10 May 2019 167 03
BIG CATS LIONS IN KENYA The kings of the jungle are easily the least elusive of all the big cats: spend a few days on safari in Africa and you’re almost guaranteed to see some, whether on a thrilling hunt or — and this is far more likely — dozing in the shade. However, lions are in serious decline and vulnerable to extinction. Their hunting grounds are susceptible to climate change and erosion, particularly in areas where the human population and livestock herds are expanding. Lions are also deliberately killed by trophy hunters — in some countries this is still legal — and pastoralists. However, there’s good news: well-managed ecotourism can help by delivering genuine beneits to local communities, which in turn protect lions and their environment. And this year, there’s more reason than ever to book a family safari. July will see Disney’s photorealistic remake of The Lion King hit UK cinemas, and youngsters will be longing to see Simba, Scar, Mufasa et al in their natural habitat. There are plenty of family-friendly lionwatching destinations across Africa, such as the reserves in South Africa’s Eastern Cape or Botswana’s Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta. But for an authentic Lion King vibe, it has to be Kenya. Hell’s Gate National Park was the inspiration for Pride Rock in the original The Lion King, and it’s great for mountain biking, too — but for big cats, the Maasai Mara can’t be beaten. With ample accommodation, great safari guides and Africa’s most famous lion dynasties, it’s an absolute classic. BEST FOR: 5-plus HOW TO DO IT: Audley Travel ofers a nine-day safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara from £4,225 per person, including lights from London. audleytravel.com EG LEOPARDS IN ZAMBIA If your kids are keen to see leopards so close they can count every rosette on their lanks, take them to South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. With an excellent conservation record, leopards thrive here — and the expert guides know exactly where to ind them. BEST FOR: Tweens and teens HOW TO DO IT: Natural World Safaris ofers a 10-day safari in South Luangwa for £6,125 per person, excluding international lights. naturalworldsafaris.com CHEETAHS IN NAMIBIA It can be challenging to see these slender felines in the wild, so to maximise your chances, try Etosha National Park. Spacious and generally safe, Namibia is an exciting destination for a guided or self-drive family safari, either camping or staying at bush lodges. BEST FOR: 5-plus HOW TO DO IT: Expert Africa ofers an 11-day self-drive Namibia safari including Etosha National Park from £2,140 per person, including lights from London. expertafrica.com TIGERS IN INDIA Be warned: some of India’s tigerwatching destinations are very crowded. It’s best to travel with an operator that’s signed up to the TOFT (totigers.org) campaign for responsible tiger tourism, and to choose a quiet reserve, such as Bandhavgarh National Park. BEST FOR: 5-plus HOW TO DO IT: Tribes Travel ofers an eight-day trip including Kanha and Bandhavgarh national parks from £1,978 per person, excluding international lights. tribes.co.uk JAGUARS IN BRAZIL These largely nocturnal cats are notoriously elusive, so to maximise your chances of seeing one, stay at Refugio Ecológico Caiman in Brazil’s Pantanal region, where a conservation team has been habituating jaguars to vehicles, and monitoring them with camera traps. BEST FOR: 8-plus HOW TO DO IT: Journey Latin America ofers an 11-day trip to the Pantanal and Iguazú from £4,333 per person, excluding international lights. journeylatinamerica.com IMAGES: GETTY 04 TRAVELLER 10 168 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Lions in the Maasai Mara, Kenya LEFT: Jaguar-watching boat tour, Porto Jofre, Mato Grosso, Brazil FAMILY SAFARI MEDICAL MATTERS WHO recommends yellow fever, typhoid, hepatitis A and B, plus routine vaccinations. South Africa has the widest choice of malaria-free camps: Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana are great for older kids who can better support malaria medication. If you don’t want to take medication, travel in winter when malaria risk is lowest. DEET-based bug spray is the most efective against bites (but not recommended for children under two months old). Keep kids drinking water and carry emergency snacks. fitfortravel.nhs.uk TRAVELLER 10 May 2019 169
Discover your wild spot in [email protected]
IMAGE: GETTY. INTERVIEW: SB I CAME ACROSS a picture of one in an encyclopaedia as a child, and who wouldn’t be arrested by the sight of such a weird-looking creature: furry like a beaver but with a duck’s bill, as if someone stuck a plastic beak onto a stufed toy. My children are likewise utterly taken with them; they’re seen as a real joke of evolution that look like a cartoon characters. YOU NEED LUCK and a key location to spot a platypus. I inally met one called Yarmi at Healesville Sanctuary in Badger Creek, outside Melbourne. She was rescued at the mouth of a river — just before she was swept out to sea. Unlike some of the sanctuary’s rescue animals, Yarmi won’t be released back into the wild as she wouldn’t survive. But right from the beginning she showed a real Julia’s epic 7,450-mile journey across Australia is the subject of ITV’s eight-part documentary series, Australia with Julia Bradbury. DUCK-BILLED PLATYPUS IN AUSTRALIA TV presenter Julia Bradbury has had a fondness for the web-footed, furry Australian oddities since childhood. As part of her new documentary series, she gets up close with the curious creatures the city, the Great Ocean Road has temperate rainforest, coastal beaches, amazing rock formations. It’s one of the world’s great road trips. You can also see migrating whales at certain times of year. I spotted koalas en route, too, at Kafe Koala (albeit in the unlikely setting of a car park), where they hang out in the eucalyptus trees. I whipped out my binoculars and was lucky enough to see one of the sleepy marsupials awake. There’s another evolutionary joke: eucalyptus leaves don’t provide enough fuel to keep koalas awake for more than just a few hours a day. Duck-billed platypus, Australia liking for human interaction. Unusually for a rescued platypus, she thrives with humans. IT’S INCREDIBLY RARE to be with a wild creature that clearly enjoys your company. I got into the tank with her and her keeper (something visitors can do on select, prebooked dates), and fed her live bloodworms. Then she played with me, swimming around my side, and even turned over so I could tickle her tummy. It was one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had. AUSTRALIA’S GREAT for encounters with weird wildlife. In Melbourne, I crept along the banks of the Yarra River at dusk with a torch and saw lots of wombats gathering in one of their favourite spots. And just outside TRAVELLER 10 May 2019 171 05
IMAGES: SUPERSTOCK PENGUINS IN THE GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS Remote and beautiful, the Ecuadorian archipelago is truly one of a kind when it comes to wildlife encounters. It’s here you’ll ind the adorable little Galápagos penguin — the second-smallest variety on the planet. They’re also the only species to be found north of the equator — originally castaways from the south, they’ve evolved into their own species. BEST FOR: Tweens and teens HOW TO DO IT: Wildlife Worldwide ofers the 10-day Galápagos Islands: Luxury on Land tour, which takes in Santa Cruz, Isabela and the pinprick Tintoreras Islets with extraordinary endemic wildlife at every turn. There’s everything from waddling penguins, giant tortoises, lightless cormorants and hammerhead sharks to iguanas basking on the beach. From £5,595 per person, including lights. wildlifeworldwide.com HW Galápagos penguin and snorkeller, Bartolomé Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador BELOW: Common seals, Blakeney Point, Norfolk SEALS IN NORFOLK Head to the unspoilt coast of this eastern county for some of the best seal spotting in the country. Blakeney Point — a four-mile shingle and sand spit into the North Sea that’s a dedicated nature reserve — is one of the largest seal colonies in the UK; it’s thought around 2,700 pups are born here every year, and sightings on a boat trip are nigh-on guaranteed. BEST FOR: 3-plus HOW TO DO IT: Beans Boats takes visitors to Blakeney Point, with the option of hopping down to the spit if tides allow. Adults £12; children: £6. beansboattrips.co.uk HW TRAVELLER 10 172 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 06 07
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ELEPHANTS IN SRI LANKA “It’s okay, mum,” says my 10-year-old daughter. “I’m watching it.” We’re transixed by the rather large green, crocodile-sized monitor lizard in the muddy stream before us. However, the reptile is all but forgotten when we see some other, even larger animals coming towards us: elephants. Babies lead the procession towards the gate: clumsy littlebig things, moving more nimbly than their frames suggest. The chalky grey creatures playfully clamber over one another, pausing only for a drink of milk from the rangers or to reach for branches with their trunks. We’re poised on the viewing platform at the Elephant Transit Home (ETH) near the entrance of the Udawalawe National Park in south Sri Lanka. For 25 years, the ETH team has been rescuing and reintegrating mainly orphaned calves into the wild. In 1997, up to three elephants were being killed every week by people, leaving many calves motherless. At present, the ETH is home to around 40 rescued elephants aged from one to ive. The site lets visitors see these gentle creatures in a nurturing environment. These unwitting forest caretakers — they clear logs and trees as they travel through the jungle — hold a special place in the nation’s history and culture, taking part in ceremonial, cultural and religious pageants for centuries. When I visited a diferent orphanage in Sri Lanka over 15 years ago, the elephants were chained and brought out to see visitors, and rides were also on the itinerary. But, thankfully, things have changed in many places, as have our ideas about human-animal interaction — the mantra of look, don’t touch — and I’m keen to illustrate a diferent way to appreciate these gentle giants to my children. ELEPHANTS ELSEWHERE NAMIBIA The 11-day Elephant Conservation Trip combines community, conservation work, tracking and monitoring elephants in the desert. Includes desert camping with some meals and transfers to and from the desert. Adults (14-plus) from £980; children (8-13) from £880. Excludes lights. responsibletravel.com THAILAND Taking in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samui, the 13-day Elephants & Island Escape also calls into the Khao Sok National Park, where guests stay at the Elephant Hills Camp for an unforgettable experience deep in the jungle. From £2,485 per person including lights. audleytravel.com KENYA Home to lions, girafes, cheetahs and, of course, elephants, the Maasai Mara is a wildlife wonderland. The seven-day Kenya Wildlife Quest Camping includes a visit to an elephant orphanage and girafe centre near Nairobi. Priced from £2,199 per person including lights. exodus.co.uk RIGHT: Herd of elephants, Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka IMAGE: GETTY We watch as a cheeky calf scrambles over the fence, eager to reach his food, and another jostles for a drink at the watering hole. There’s a rush as the elephants are brought out, the boisterous adolescents hungry for their lunchtime greens. My children are squirming with impatience — we’ve raced here to watch their midday feed — fanning themselves in the rising temperatures. It’s small price to pay for this cinematic wildlife show. We head down to the Elephant Information Center, established with the support of the Dilmah Foundation, to ind out more about Asia’s largest and darkest elephants, from their origins and evolution to their social behaviour and threats. We learn that Sri Lankan elephants have patches of depigmentation (areas with no skin colour) on their ears, face, trunk and belly, which are oten used to identify them; that only around 2% of males have tusks; and that their ears are smaller than their African counterparts. Sadly, there’s a predictable indiference among the crowd to this information. I’m doubtful much has sunk in. Two days later, while on safari, we’re lucky enough to see elephants in their natural habitat and the kids surprise us by spouting out facts and asking questions until they’re shushed. Sniing out our jeep, an elephant stands almost within touching distance. “It’s okay, mum,” says my daughter. “I’m watching it.” BEST FOR: 8-plus HOW TO DO IT: A trip to the ETH can be organised as part of a tour. Tickets are from LKR 500 (£2.10) for adults and LKR 150 (£0.60) for children. Milk feeding takes place at 9am, midday, 3pm, and 6pm. eth.dwc.gov.lk MP 08 TRAVELLER 10 174 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
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FROM TOP: Zhouzhuang; Zhangye Danxia; lion statue at the entrance to a house in a traditional Chinese hutong GETTING THERE As one of China’s leading airlines, Air China operates 445 routes that connect 188 cities in 43 countries and regions. The airline currently operates up to three fl ights a day from Heathrow to Beijing and three fl ights a week from London Gatwick to Chengdu. IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY ESSENTIALS 1 2 3 HAOHAN QIAO The locals call it ‘Brave Men’s Bridge’, and at over 300 metres long, this astonishing glass suspension bridge is one of the world’s longest. It connects two peaks in the Shiniuzhai National Park, Hunan Province — a region believed to have inspired the fi lm Avatar. WUDAOYING HUTONG Head to this quaint Beijing hutong (historic alleyway), adjacent to the magnifi cent Lama Temple in the old quarter. It o ers traditional Chinese heritage, as well as providing a tranquil, relaxing haven amid the bustling streets of the metropolis. ZHANGYE DANXIA LANDFORM These layered sandstone mountains display vivid red, orange, and yellow stripes, creating an incredible technicolour landscape on a vast scale. FORGOTTEN VILLAGE Visiting the leafy village of Houtouwan, once home to 2,000 fi shermen, is a must. Here, structures come together to create something memorably picture-perfect. ZHOUZHUANG Zhouzhuang is one of China’s oldest water towns. Its canal network was used over 900 years ago, while its picturesque labyrinth of narrow streets and stone bridges are largely untouched. 4 5 HIDDEN CHINA China might be home to breathtaking wonders like The Great Wall and the Terracotta Army, but it has so much more to o er when it comes to captivating natural and man-made wonders The wonders of PARTNER CONTENT Visit airchina.co.uk for more information
IMAGES: GETTY BEARS BROWN BEARS IN FINLAND You don’t have to ly long-haul for close encounters with these large predators: the wintry forests of Karelia, on the Russian border, are home to the likes of brown bears, wolves and wolverine. BEST FOR: 8-plus HOW TO DO IT: Spot brown bears from a snug log-cabin hide on a four-day trip with Naturetrek from £1,195 per person. naturetrek.co.uk SPECTACLED BEARS IN PERU The most famous spectacled bear — from deepest, darkest Peru — is, of course, Paddington. BEST FOR: Teens HOW TO DO IT: They’ve been spotted around Machu Picchu, but for a guaranteed meeting, head to the Andean Bear Rescue Centre in Chaparri Reserve. Wild Frontiers ofers 12 days in Peru, including a reserve visit, from £3,135. wildfrontierstravel.com SLOTH BEARS IN SRI LANKA Baloo, the bumbling bear from The Jungle Book, was based on these lufy beauties. BEST FOR: Tweens and teens HOW TO DO IT: Book the 12-night Cox & Kings Sri Lanka Family Adventure for the chance to glimpse sloth bears at Wilpattu National Park and the ancient reservoir of Minneriya Tank. From £3,395 per person. coxandkings.co.uk PANDAS IN CHENGDU There are only about 2,000 pandas let in the wild. Sadly, of those born in captivity, 60% die within a week BEST FOR: 8-plus HOW TO DO IT: Insight Guides’ Sichuan Family Adventure includes time at the Dujiangyan Panda Base. From $1,962 (£1,680), excluding lights. insightguides.com HW POLAR BEARS IN SVALBARD, NORWAY The largest living land carnivores have a supremely strong sense of smell and can smell seals beneath a metre of snow and ice. BEST FOR: 8-plus HOW TO DO IT: Nordic Experience ofers four-night expeditions to Spitsbergen from £1,245 per person, based on a family of four travelling and including lights. nordicexperience.co.uk ABOVE: Brown bear, Kuhmo, Finland BELOW: Young giant panda, Chengdu, China TRAVELLER 10 May 2019 177 09
IMAGES: GETTY PRIMATES IN COSTA RICA An intoxicating mishmash of smoking volcanoes, thick jungle, pounding surf and clear Caribbean seas, the central American country will bewitch the whole clan. The call of howler monkeys will stir you most mornings on this trip, which ticks of the wildlife-rich wetlands of Tortuguero, the Arenal Volcano and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve where squirrel monkeys, white-faced capuchins, sloths and a whole rat of primates could leap across your path as you zip-line, cycle, horse ride and hike. BEST FOR: Tweens and teens HOW TO DO IT: Pura Aventura has a 14-night trip from £2,050 per person, based on a family of four travelling, including 4WD hire. pura-aventura.com HW LEFT: White-faced capuchin youngster, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica BELOW: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Costa Rica TRAVELLER 10 178 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel 10
Avda. Richard J. Yeoward, 1 - 38400 Puerto de la Cruz · Tenerife · 0034 922 381 400 [email protected] · hotelbotanico.com Loro Parque is a true “must” visit in the Canary Islands for millions of visitors from all over the world. Recognized by TripAdvisor as the Best Zoo in the World for the second time in a row in the prestigious 2018 Travellers’ Choice Awards, this magnificent park is a true animal embassy that promotes conservation of biodiversity and protection of natural habitats. Thanks to the mild climate and sunny weather, this spring is a perfect moment for a holiday in the Canary Islands to discover amazing wonders of the animal world with Loro Parque. True to its commitment to excellence and innovation, Loro Parque brings new surprises. This time, as part of its ongoing commitment to conservation, Loro Parque welcomed two new Pygmy Hippos, true ambassadors of their peers in nature, who are facing serious problems, due in particular to the destruction of their habitat. This great novelty came shortly after another one-of-a-kind exposition, Zen Garden, captivating with its beauty and sophistication, was presented to the public. Among other novelties, the travellers will discover the recently opened Lion’s Kingdom or some the brightest and beautiful bird originated from Mexico and Brazil in the new spacious aviaries of South America. In a unique journey through every part of the planet´s fascinating nature, the park´s guests will also meet the adorable red pandas, gorillas, or chimpanzees, dolphins and six majestic orcas, as well as discover the PlanetPenguin and Katandra Treetops, enjoy the florescent jellyfish at AquaViva and amaze at the astonishing shark tunnel, among other breath-taking experiences. Puerto de la Cruz - loroparque.com Fascinating new surprises are yet ahead for the nature lovers as Loro Parque celebrated early this year the first anniversary of the grand aquarium Poema del Mar located in the heart of the capital of Gran Canaria, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, next to the cruise ship pier and only 200 metres from the famous Canteras Beach. A visit to the aquarium Poema del Mar will consist in discovering three different areas: surface marine ecosystems, deep marine ecosystems and fresh water species. Visitors will start the tour submerging in ‘The Jungle’ that recreates the landscapes and biodiversity of different parts of the world. The next area is the ‘Reef’, an enormous cylinder of 400.000 litres of water with a wide variety of colours created by fish and coral reefs. The ‘Deep Sea’ is the third area that culminates the tour of the aquarium and will amaze the visitors with its exposition that contains over 5.5 million litres of water and the largest curved window in the world: 36 metres long and over 7 metres high. Make the most of this springtime with an unforgettable journey to discover nature! Las Palmas de Gran Canaria - poema-del-mar.com Siam Park is the Nº1 water park in the world, according to TripAdvisor, for the unbelievable fifth year in a row, having won the 2018 Travellers Choice Awards. Thanks to the unique water attractions, Siam Park has established itself as a worldwide leading and revolutionary theme parkin this branch. On the occasion of its 10th anniversary, Siam Park held a celebration ceremony with the opening of brand new, breathtaking attractions. Patong Rapids is a challenge that breaks with all the moulds, surpassing the already incredible Mekong Rapids. It runs over a 235 metre course and includes an area of complete darkness, which includes impressive disc floats that allow you to experience a unique feeling of speed and adrenaline. Coco Beach, in turn, is a new children’s playground that will allow youngsters to experience great adventures with their families enjoying incredible sensations in the new over 1,000 m2 wave pool, suitable even for the youngest, designed after the famous ruins of Angkor Wat. Be it water fun or relaxation Siam Park is a perfect choice to choose this winter with beloved family members and friends! Costa Adeje - siampark.net LORO PARQUE AND SIAM PARK: ABSOLUTE CHAMPIONS AMONG THE PARKS IN THE WORLD THE “MUST” VISITS IN THE CANARY ISLANDS OFFER FAMILY FUN AND INCREDIBLE ANIMAL EXPERIENCE IN THE SPRINGTIME LORO PARQUE: THE BEST ZOO IN THE WORLD SIAM PARK: SIMPLY THE BEST ON THE PLANET POEMA DEL MAR: AN INNOVATIVE AQUARIUM IN THE HEART OF GRAN CANARIA
TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION 2019 TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION 180 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
Then we want to hear from you. Our annual Travel Writing Competition is back for another year, giving budding Brysons the chance to have their name in National Geographic Traveller (UK) and win an African adventure of a lifetime Entries close on 8 July 2019. Terms and conditions apply. See more and enter online at nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel H AV E YO U G OT WH AT IT TAKE S TO WRITE FOR US? THE PRIZE Courtesy of G Adventures, the winner will embark on a truly epic eight-night trip across southern Africa. This classic itinerary showcases some of the best the continent has to offer: journey from Namibia, across Botswana and onto Zimbabwe on an authentic African adventure that takes in the elephants of Chobe National Park; San Bushmen in the blazing Kalahari; the thundering roar of Victoria Falls; and the Okavango Delta, explored by dugout mokoro canoe. A knowledgeable chief experience officer will ensure your accommodation provides the most authentic experience possible, including camping beneath starry skies for a night you’ll never forget. gadventures.co.uk Fancy yourself as a bit of wordsmith? Are you forever regaling your friends and family with tales from your travels? If the answer’s yes, then our Travel Writing Competition is just the thing for you. One of the country’s most prestigious competitions of its kind, this is your chance to see your name in print and even kickstart your career as a professional travel writer. For your chance to win, simply write no more than 500 words on an inspiring travel experience, which could be anywhere from the far-fl ung shores of Fiji to a hike in the Yorkshire Dales. We want to see fl air and fi nesse with your words, and don’t forget to capture the essence of the magazine: a strong sense of place, immersive experiences and authentic storytelling. So, what are you waiting for? TRAVEL WRITING COMPETITION May 2019 181
Skiing in New Zealand is a wonderful experience — and totally diferent to what you ind in the Alps. I’d highly recommend the resorts near Lake Wanaka on the South Island. Good skiers can get their thrills at Treble Cone, about 20 minutes’ drive from Wanaka. It’s a ‘hard and fast’ mountain, with the largest ski area and longest vertical rise in the Southern Lakes. The pistes ofer stunning views across the lake, and a deep fault line runs through the foothills. At the foot of the ski ield is a lodge with a self-service restaurant, ski hire and a small bar. You’ll want to hire a good fourwheel-drive vehicle to get here — the roads approaching the ski ield are somewhat treacherous tracks, with steep hairpin bends. There’s also a shuttle bus that Q // Having missed out on the ski season closer to home this year, I’m hoping to try skiing in New Zealand in the summer instead. Where should I go? runs from the lower parking area if you’re not keen on driving. Less advanced skiers might prefer the more mellow slopes at Cardrona Alpine Resort, about 40 minutes’ drive from Wanaka. There’s a good ski school, a handful of restaurants and some fun of-piste areas to explore. Stop for an apres-ski drink at the Cardrona Hotel, or call in at the nearby Cardrona Distillery for a tour and tasting. Wanaka bustles with activity during the winter months. Check into the family-run Wanaka Homestead, located on the edge of town and a short distance from the lake’s edge. The rooms are cosy, and breakfast is a lively, communal afair. tourismnewzealand.com BEN CLATWORTHY IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; GETTY ASK THE EXPERTS NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP? ARE YOU AFTER RECOMMENDATIONS, TIPS AND GUIDANCE? THE TRAVEL GEEKS HAVE THE ANSWERS… 182 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
BEN CLATWORTHY // FREELANCE TRAVEL, SKI AND ADVENTURE WRITER AISLING HASSELL // VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNITY SUPPORT, AIRBNB ANDREW STRAW // SADDLE SKEDADDLE ROSIE BANNISTER // SENIOR MONEY ANALYST, MONEYSAVINGEXPERT.COM THE EXPERTS More than two million guests check into an Airbnb every single night, and over 400 million people have stayed at an Airbnb to date; yet despite this high volume of users, last-minute cancellations are incredibly rare. There are a number of penalties to deter hosts from cancelling, including fees and automatic public reviews — but if it does happen, it’s important to know we act quickly to help. Your payment for a reservation isn’t released to the host until 24 hours a er you’ve safely checked into a listing. That means if the host does cancel your stay, even at the last minute, you’ll always receive a full refund or have the Q // My Airbnb host cancelled on me at the last minute. What can I claim back? option to transfer your funds to a new property. If your new reservation costs less than your original reservation, the di erence is refunded to you. The Global Community Support team is on hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 11 di erent languages. They can arrange immediate refunds or reimbursements and even help you fi nd a new place to stay. So, if you need support, go into the Airbnb app or visit the Help pages online to access the phone number and message centre. Alternatively, if you have any urgent issues, go to Twitter @AirbnbHelp for round-theclock support. airbnb.co.uk AISLING HASSELL While the train would be the obvious choice for getting to and from Germany and the Netherlands with your bike, there are plenty of other options you could consider. European Bike Express o ers a regular coach transfer service for both you and your bike, with numerous pick-up points across the UK. Your best bet would be to disembark at a dropo spot in France, then head north towards Germany (and subsequently make your way on to the Netherlands). From the Netherlands, one of the easiest ways to return to the UK is by boat. There are regular ferry services from Rotterdam to Hull; from the Hook of Holland to Harwich; and from Amsterdam to Newcastle upon Tyne. Q // I want to go on a cycling tour of Germany and the Netherlands. Other than going by train, what’s the best way to get there with my bike? Driving is also an option you may want to think about — although careful planning of your journey would, of course, be necessary to ensure your cycle route brings you back to your vehicle. You’d also need to follow a circular course rather than set o on a linear, place-toplace journey. If you only have limited time, this restriction of having to circle back to your car could a ect your fl exibility and your ability to properly explore the two countries. Another alternative would be to book an organised tour with independent cycling holiday specialist Saddle Skeddadle — we o er a range of self-guided and group itineraries to this part of the world. skedaddle.com/uk ANDREW STRAW Many overseas hotels, shops and ATMs ask if you want to pay in local currency or sterling when you pay by card. As a general rule, you should always opt for the local currency — so if you’re in Paris, for example, it’s best to pay in euros. If you choose to pay in pounds, the retailer will carry out the currency conversion using its own exchange rate, and may take a cut. The conversion rates used by fi rms overseas generally work out to be less favourable and cost more than if you’d selected to pay in the local currency. However, if you choose to pay in the local currency, your bank will be the one to carry out the conversion. Standard credit or debit cards usually add he y fees for overseas use, but the total cost is still likely to be lower than the mark-up o ered by the retailer. Some top-pick credit cards — including Barclaycard Platinum Cashback, Tandem, Aqua Reward and Halifax Clarity card — Plus don’t add the typical 3% fee for spending or withdrawing cash abroad; the exchange rate with these will certainly be better than that provided by the retailer. moneysavingexpert.com ROSIE BANNISTER Q // When paying by card abroad, should I pay in sterling or local currency, if given the choice? May 2019 183
0 2 4 6 8 10 Global average: 2.3 Argentina Brazil DRC Argentina Russia Australia USA Mexico China India EU Canada Upward trends in increasing leaf areas between 2000-2017 New greenery, however, doesn’t negate the impact of deforestation or climate change THE WORLD IS GETTING GREENER A NASA INVESTIGATION HAS REVEALED THAT OUR PLANET IS GREENER — IN TERMS OF VEGETATION — TODAY THAN IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. WORDS: TAMSIN WRESSELL THE INFO IMAGES: GETTY SOURCE: NASA AMES - NASA.GOV/FEATURE/AMES/HUMAN-ACTIVITY-IN-CHINA-AND-INDIA-DOMINATES-THE-GREENING-OF-EARTH-NASA-STUDY-SHOWS INDIA Croplands make up 82% of the increase Forests make up 4.4% CHINA Forests make up 42% of the increase Croplands make up 32% Of Earth’s vegetated lands have experienced greening over the two decades, roughly ofsetting half of the carbon loss caused by tropical deforestation FORESTS HAVE REGROWN ON FARMLAND ABANDONED AFTER THE FALL OF COMMUNISM IN RUSSIA AND NEIGHBOURING COUNTRIES PEOPLE-DRIVEN CHANGES aren’t the only factors responsible for the changes, with a warming planet and increased CO2 also being drivers ⅓ THE ARCTIC TUNDRA is seeing a rise in greenery, too, due to unprecedented warming, thawing of the permafrost and melting ice sheets THE AMAZON BASIN — home to the largest area of rainforest in the world — has mostly shown either no change or a loss of greening in the past two decades Change in leaf area (% per decade) NEW GROWTH HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN THE DRIER SAVANNAS AND SHRUBLANDS OF AFRICA AND AUSTRALIA, AND RECOVERING FORESTS OUTSIDE THE TROPICS IN NUMBERS 5% The increase in the planet’s green leaf area over the past two decades 40% The growth in China’s greening since tree-planting schemes began in the 1990s 25% The proportion of humancreated carbon emissions that plants and trees absorb CHINA AND INDIA ACCOUNT FOR ONE THIRD OF THE GREENING GROWING CONCERNS 184 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel TRAVEL GEEKS
In the age of online comparison sites, it seems that consumers have more power and choice than ever. Hotel comparison sites like Agoda, Booking.com, Ebookers, Expedia, Hotels.com or Trivago show us the ‘one room let’ at a discounted price with ‘15 people currently looking’. Or a lessexpensive-but-better hotel that appears further up the search rankings than the one we were originally considering. Ater an investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in October 2017, the six hotel booking sites above have been the subject of CMA enforcement action. The watchdog found that consumers were routinely being misled by some booking sites with hidden charges; by discount claims that compared of-peak rates with high-season ones; by giving more prominence to hotels paying the most commission; by strategically placing sold out hotels within search results; and by falsely representing hotels’ popularity. The CMA found booking sites used claims such as ‘15 other people are viewing this property’ when other users may actually be searching for diferent dates. Similarly, Which? Travel found that despite messages claiming there was only ‘one room let at this price’ there were up to 50 listings IMAGE: GETTY WHY WERE THESE SITES SINGLED OUT FOR INVESTIGATION? A Competition and Markets Authority Spokesperson said: “We analysed a large amount of information regarding various sites’ practices and pursued those sites that were the most well used and have the biggest impact on consumers.” HAVE THEY BROKEN THE LAW? The CMA hasn’t made a inding on whether the hotel booking sites’ practices have breached consumer law, which is a matter that only the courts can decide. WHAT HAPPENS IF SITES DON’T COMPLY WITH THE NEW RULES BY 1 SEPTEMBER? The CMA said: ‘Following 1 September, if the CMA inds suficient evidence that they could be breaking consumer protection law, it will consider taking further action.’ WHO DO THESE RULES APPLY TO? A CMA spokesperson said: “The guidelines are for any business offering online accommodation booking services. This includes online travel agents, metasearch engines, big hotel chains and individual hotels.” HOTEL BOOKING SITES TO STOP ‘MISLEADING’ SALES THE COMPETITION AND MARKETS AUTHORITY HAS CLAMPED DOWN ON SIX HOTEL BOOKING GIANTS FOR HIGH-PRESSURE SALES TACTICS AND HIDDEN FEES, BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR CONSUMERS? WORDS: JAMES DRAVEN HOT TOPIC Q A & CAPE VERDE A visa is no longer required for UK travellers to this archipelago for stays of up to 30 days, although visitors will have to register online before travel and pay an Airport Security Tax of CVE3,400 (£30) if arriving by air. gov.uk/fco AND ANOTHER THING… VISA UPDATES THAILAND A new e-visa scheme is available to UK travellers that allows 60 days of visa-free travel within the country. Visas can still be requested upon arrival, although these will limit travellers to only 45 days’ travel. thailandvisa.net TURKEY Travellers will no longer be able to acquire a visa upon arrival and will instead have to apply for an e-visa online prior to departure. The new visas allow multiple stays of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days. evisa.gov.tr UZBEKISTAN In a bid to attract more visitors to discover its Silk Road heritage, the central Asian country has waived visas for UK travellers for stays of up to 30 days. The iner details are still vague, so check well in advance. uzbekembassy.org for rooms of a similar standard or price, and in some cases the diference only £5. These tactics rush customers into making booking decisions, preventing them from inding the best deals. The CMA has given the six hotel booking giants until 1 September 2019 to change their ways. They must inform users if high search rankings have been afected by the amount of commission the hotel pays the site; to not give false impressions of the popularity or availability of hotels; to not make misleading discount claims; and to display all compulsory charges such as taxes, booking or resort fees in the headline price. Although not all six companies engaged in all of these practices, they’ve all agreed to abide by the new rules. So does that mean we can trust them now? Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, answers: “In short, no. Ater the CMA’s announcement we found one or more of the sites engaged in pressure selling, not displaying the total price of a room upfront, and listing discounts that don’t meet new criteria. They should do the right thing and introduce these changes sooner rather than later.” Consumers should still be wary until the 1 September deadline. Hotel booking sites remain great for getting an idea of the hotels available and at what prices, but Boland says that doesn’t mean you need to book through them. TRAVEL GEEKS May 2019 185
FAMILY ADVENTURE WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE BEST KIT ON THE MARKET FOR KIDS TO HELP MAKE YOUR NEXT FAMILY TRIP ONE TO REMEMBER Kit list hree more to try KEEN NEWPORT NEO H2 SANDALS Available in several colours, these sandals are tough and durable. RRP: £39.99. keenfootwear.com COLUMBIA MINI RIDGE SHORT SLEEVE T-SHIRT The ingenious wicking fabric draws moisture from the body. RRP: £15. columbiasportswear.co.uk SEAFOLLY LONG SLEEVE KEYHOLE SURF TANK SWIMSUIT For protection against the sun. RRP: £38. surfdome.com 4 SUBEA EASYBREATH 500 SNORKELLING MASK The full-mask design enables natural breathing through the nose and mouth while its air circulation prevents fog. The adjustable strap prevents pulling on hair. For children aged 10-plus. RRP: £24.99. decathlon.co.uk 1 JACK WOLFSKIN LAKESIDE JACKET KIDS This light summer jacket includes anti-mosquito protection with tightweave organic cotton. It’s also wind- and waterresistant, and provides factor 40+ protection from the sun. RRP: £35. jack-wolfskin.com 2 OSPREY KIDS JET 18 RUCKSACK With all the functions of the adult version, this bag is designed to inspire kids to head outside. Relective graphics make it easy to spot. RRP: £45. cotswoldoutdoor.com 5 VTECH KIDIZOOM ACTION CAM 180 This a great irst video camera for ilming and shooting adventures. It has a waterproof case and a timelapse feature, which makes for creative action shots. Recommended for children aged 5 and over. RRP: £52.99. argos.co.uk 3 THE WOMAN WHO RODE A SHARK This book is packed with tales of 50 of history’s most adventurous female trailblazers — from 231BC to today — to inspire younger travellers to set out on their own adventure. RRP: £14.99. hive.co.uk TRAVEL GEEKS 186 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
FLIPD IOS/ANDROID FREE Flipd challenges you to take ‘mindful time’ offl ine by setting a session where your phone will be silenced. fl ipdapp.co FOREST IOS/ANDROID FREE Forest app plants a virtual seed. The incentive is: if you disturb your phone too early, the sapling that grows will be killed. forestapp.cc FREEDOM IOS/ANDROID/MAC/WINDOWS $6.99P/M Block sites or activities; the monthly cost is $6.99 (£5.32) after the free trial. freedom.to RESCUETIME IOS/ANDROID FREE WITH $9P/M UPGRADE Upgrade to premium for $9 (£6.85) for tips on locking distractions away, plus a look at how productive your phone time is. rescuetime.com TOP APPS FOR... quiet time On a long journey, you’ll be thankful to have enterntainment ready to watch, read or listen to. Most content distribution apps, like Netfl ix, Amazon Prime and BBC iPlayer, let you download stu to watch o ine. Even YouTube Premium (£11.99p/m) has a download feature and the fi rst month is free. Both Amazon and YouTube also let you choose the quality of the download, which means smaller fi les for lowerresolution videos that are suitable for watching on a smaller screen. Music streaming services are also available o ine, with Spotify and Apple DOWNLOAD AND GO If you’re watching or listening to your device in a noisy environment, like a fl ight, you might need to boost your usual audio levels for maximum enjoyment. This M-DAC Nano is the size of a matchbox and connects wirelessly to your smartphone or tablet. Plug your headphones into it for a boost in audio quality and volume. You can also control your media player through it, eliminating the need for cables to the GET THE GADGET Audiolab M-DAC Nano Tech travefier TECHNOLOGY REPORTER FOR @BBCCLICK AND AUTHOR OF WORKING THE CLOUD, KATE RUSSELL PICKS THE LATEST INNOVATIONS Music among the most popular. Google Play Music will eventually be rolled into YouTube Premium (they’re both owned by Google), and again, both o er playlist downloads. I like to download podcasts to listen to as well as music, and have a subscription to Audible, the go-to for audiobook downloads. You should be able to fi nd more than enough content to keep the whole family happy, but if the kids have to share a device, I heartily suggest buying a pair of headphone splitters. You can also pick up really cheap Bluetooth speakers that are surprisingly good quality. phone and tapping on your screen. The amplifi er has two settings: standard and enhanced. The latter gives you even richer sound, but reduces the battery life from eight hours to six. Once the battery is fl at, recharge it through a USB port or a wireless charging pad. RPP: £149. audiolab.co.uk @katerussell katerussell.co.uk MAKE YOUR ENTERTAINMENT MOBILE, AND LOAD UP YOUR FAVOURITES READY FOR LONG-DISTANCE TRAVEL WITH APPS, AND IF YOU’RE SAVVY, FREE TRIALS TRAVEL GEEKS May 2019 187
The A380’s the big beast, right? Yep — the world’s largest passenger aircrat, which entered the market in 2007. The double-decker plane can carry up to 868 passengers, but they’re usually laid out to carry between 379 and 615 passengers, depending on the airline and coniguration. But manufacturer Airbus has decided to stop making them, and the last A380s will roll of the production line in 2021. What was so good about it? A whopping 5,920sq t of loor space in the cabin, so extra room for economy passengers, or more passengers crammed onto a light to bring costs down. Quieter interiors, larger windows, higher pressurisation and bigger overhead bins also made the plane a hit. So why stop making it? Alas for Airbus, which spent billions developing the A380, the basic laws of supply and demand have kicked in — not enough airlines wanted the superjumbo. They are, ater all, relatively expensive to run — with airports having to adjust the size of their runways to accommodate them, too. A380s were ideally suited to major intercontinental routes carrying large numbers of passengers on a daily basis. Being able to shit more people per take-of is a major bonus, especially from busy, congested airports such as Heathrow where slots are like gold dust. The A380s also work really well for those airlines that are focused on the hub-and-spoke system, such as main customer Emirates. Large capacities are particularly handy for funnelling people through Dubai towards other destinations. What’s changing, then? The aviation industry is shiting away from that hub-and-spoke model. There’s increased demand from secondary markets, plus newer, smaller planes, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, that are capable of lying direct, less busy routes more economically. This is opening up a wealth of new routes that weren’t economically viable before. Even on those main trunk routes, A380s haven’t proved as popular as anticipated with all-important business travellers, who generally prefer the lexibility of multiple daily departures rather than one or two big departures — the more people on the plane, the longer you spend at immigration and baggage claim. The post-A380 world is all about cutting out the wasted time of connections and disembarkation. What will happen to the A380s? Existing customers will want to keep them going on those key routes with limited airport capacity, so they’re not about to disappear just yet. Malaysia Airlines struggled to sell its A380s, so now the planes are being used for special Hajj charters to Saudi Arabia. It suggests the big birds will eventually ind their way into niches that require high capacity. THE A380 REPLACEMENTS AIRBUS HAS CONFIRMED IT WILL END ITS PRODUCTION OF THE A380 SUPERJUMBO PASSENGER JET — WE TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THIS WILL AFFECT THE INDUSTRY. WORDS: DAVID WHITLEY WHAT DOES THE END OF THE AIRBUS A380 MEAN FOR TRAVELLERS? FREQUENT FLYER IMAGE: GETTY BOEING 777-9 First passenger light: Pencilled in for late 2019/early 2020 Capacity: 414 passengers Range: 8,659 miles* BOEING 777-8 First passenger light: Probably late 2021/early 2022 Capacity: 365 passengers Range: 10,000 miles AIRBUS A350-1000 First passenger light: 2018 Capacity: 366 passengers Range: 9,196 miles AIRBUS A330NEO First passenger light: 2018 Capacity: 257 passengers Range: 9,376 miles CRAIC CR929 First passenger light: Projected for 2026 or 2027 Capacity: 261 to 291 passengers Range: 7,456 miles *London to Perth is 8,991 miles 188 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel TRAVEL GEEKS
DISCOVER HERON ISLAND ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
CLIMATE CHANGE AND RISING SEA TEMPERATURES ARE A GROWING THREAT TO THE WORLD’S CORAL REEFS. AUSTRALIA’S GREAT BARRIER REEF EXPERIENCED MASS BLEACHING IN BOTH 2016 AND 2017, BUT HAS SHOWN SIGNS OF RECOVERY — IS THERE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE? WORDS: TAMSIN WRESSELL IMAGES: GETTY REEFS? CAN WE SAVE THE CORAL 190 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
M y breathing is laboured, soaking up my supply of oxygen at an unsustainable rate, as the waves pound my body. My hand reaches out for an aid that isn’t there as I’m temporarily swallowed by the sea. This is my irst dive in the ocean. It’s also my irst panic attack. I ind my way back to the boat and clamber aboard. When I’ve regained my composure a little, I ask the skipper to take me to somewhere with shallower, calmer waters. Thankfully he agrees. When we reach the new site, I steel myself and dive in. It’s a whole new world; a world where the coral is endless and bountiful. Earthy shades are interspersed with muted blues, reds and yellows. I catch glimpses of turtles, hiding under crevasses as they scratch their algae-covered backs on the reef. Sea cucumbers spurt out lecks of sand onto midnight blue starish as tawny sharks swim by, changing direction with a lick of their ins and startling schools of clownish as they emerge from the safety of their anemone homes. Following the widely reported unprecedented mass coral bleaching events of 2016 and 2017, this isn’t what I expected to ind on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Life here, it would seem, is thriving. The largest reef system in the world, the Great Barrier Reef stretches for over 1,400 miles. It has around 900 islands, more than 2,900 individual reefs, and provides a home for in excess of 1,500 species of ish. It’s the only living organism you can see from outer space. Nearly three million people visit the reef each year, although tourism isn’t the main issue at the moment. Climate change and rising sea temperatures are the biggest threat. When coral is put under stress, it expels the algae that lives in its tissues and feeds it with nutrients, causing the coral to turn completely white. This can lead to the coral’s death. Tragically, since 2016, this has been the case for half of the reef — 80% of the coral along the reef’s north coast was killed of as a result of heat stress. “We’re lucky here in the south because the coral is protected,” says Peter Gash. Peter is managing director at Lady Elliot Island, the eco resort I’m launching into the ocean from. It’s the southernmost island on the reef, and the gateway to the Southern Great Barrier Reef. A coral cay formed entirely by sedimentary debris, the island appeared above sea level some 3,500 years ago. For a decade in the 1800s, the island was visited by workers mining guano (bird poo) — used as gunpowder and fertiliser — which virtually wiped the land of all vegetation, save for eight Pisonia trees. Today, under the watchful eye of Peter, the island has become a conservation eco-centre, gently reverting back to an island where nature rules. Water from the ocean is desalinated to reduce the amount of drinking water being imported in plastic bottles, energy comes from solar power, and waste is composted in a pit system to support the growth of more foliage. It’s a careful arrangement of cogs, laboriously maintained to protect the island’s now 5,000-tree forest — and its surrounding reef — from damage. Ater dinner, Peter takes me on a tour around the island. “We put the forest in for the forest’s sake,” he explains from the driving seat of a buggy as we bounce over the island’s somewhat basic roads. “But, what we learnt was that it brought the birds. And the birds are pooping. What no one saw coming, is what you’re seeing out here. When the bird poop lands on the ground and the water falls on top, it soaks down into the aquifer. The tide comes in, and takes it into the sand, which washes over the reef to give it nutrients.” May 2019 191
WHAT’S INCLUDED ï 10 nights in 4-4.5* hotels ï 7 days’ car hire ï Outer Barrier Reef Cruise ï Outback scenery in the Red Centre ï A night at Field of Light ï Includes international and internal fl ights Ref: 5415178 Take in three of Australia’s biggest blockbusters — Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest — on this Flight Centre Journey AUSTRALIA: ROCK, REEF & RAINFOREST 14 DAYS FROM £2,699PP Prices are correct as at 18 March 2019 and are subject to change. Prices may be higher or unavailable for certain travel dates. All prices are per person. Holidays and accommodation are based on two adults sharing. Airfares are Economy Class on selected airlines from London, unless otherwise stated. For full booking conditions visit fl ightcentre.co.uk For more information visit fl ightcentre.co.uk or call 0800 280 8915 PORT DOUGLAS Head on to Port Douglas, gateway to the kaleidoscopic wonders of the Great Barrier Reef. Hop on board a catamaran and set sail for the outer corals, dive down beneath the waves and explore this colourful waterworld. Moored at Agincourt Reef, you’ll also have the chance to watch marine wildlife from a unique underwater viewing platform. DAINTREE RAINFOREST Continue to the forests of the Daintree next to the Great Barrier Reef, the only place in the world where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites sit side by side. Spend some time exploring the area — perhaps on foot over one of the many boardwalks, by boat or by kayak, or even on a zip-lining adventure. Later, look for birds, possums, lizards and bats on a night walk in the forest. ALICE SPRINGS Gateway to the Red Centre and Uluru, Alice Springs is the heart of the Outback and just a few hours away by plane from Australia’s major cities. It’s set among impressive scenery of red sands and wind-smoothed sandstone rocks. Browse the markets in town and pick up traditional indigenous dot paintings — or wander around the Alice Springs Desert Park. ULURU Continue on to Uluru, the worldfamous rock rising up from the dusty sands of the Red Centre. Take in its sheer size by walking around its base, or simply admire it from afar. Later, enjoy canapés and sparkling wine while watching the rock turn shades of purple, pink and orange as the sun sets. Then, come nightfall, tuck into a three-course dinner overlooking the Field of Light art installation. READER OFFER AUSTRALIA: ROCK, REEF & RAINFOREST Based on over 17,000 reviews on Excellent IMAGES: GETTY fl ightcentre.co.uk SPECIAL PROMOTION
“The diference is that a few generations ago, my grandparents didn’t know what they were doing to the planet. We do now. And we know the answer.” It used to be worse here in the southern part of the reef, I’m told, but education and awareness have saved the reef from teetering on the edge of death. “Closer to the coast and further north, there are cities washing pollution into the ocean,” Peter continues. “Then there’s the mining, tourism, bad weather. Once the coral is afected by climate change and a cyclone comes in, it’s screwed.” Since Peter discovered how the reef can be protected through land-based maintenance, other islands in the area have followed suit. Plastic has been banned, fuels are no longer burned and guests are encouraged to leave no trace. “I can point to just out here, a few feet from the shore, to some of the most stunning coral you’ll ever see and you’d ind it hard to believe that seven or eight years ago, it looked like a desert,” Peter tells me. “We all have a circle of inluence. But it’s our responsibility to do what we can. I feel it’s an obligation. It’s an expectation. The diference is that a few generations ago, my grandparents didn’t know what they were doing to the planet. We do now. And we know the answer. We can no longer excuse ourselves. We all have to take action.” Eliminating footprints Peter’s words stick with me, and I keep them in mind as I head of to see what’s happening on the other islands on Queensland’s Capricorn Coast. I travel further north, to Heron Island, where a centre has been set up for coral reef and ecological research. When Professor Peter Harrison, a reef researcher and marine ecologist at Southern Cross University, used these labs for his study into coral rehabilitation in 2016, he found that a rise in sea temperature of 4C would kill of the algae that keep the coral alive. The research was repeated, only this time to test a rise of 1C. The results? We’ll still have a reef, but there will be less biodiversity. This, in part, triggered the Paris Agreement — a United Nations-sponsored agreement between nearly 200 countries to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Though Lady Elliot and Heron are both coral cays, Heron is considerably older, the sand underfoot ground down over time to a iner grain. But it too holds scars from human destruction. It was irst occupied in the 1920s when a factory producing soup from turtle lesh was built here. Inevitably, the population of turtles in the area dropped dramatically during the decade the factory was in operation. The next weighty punch came in the 1950s, when tourism was introduced. Visitors spent their days riding sea turtles on the island before that was prohibited in the 1960s — the same decade when the harbour was demolished to give boats direct access to the beach, taking part of the reef with it. The recent years of conservation have seen the turtles return to lay their eggs. Tourism is still rife today with the island doubling up as a resort, only now, it’s an eco-friendly one. My days as a guest at Heron Island are illed with sunrise snorkels around a shipwreck accompanied by rays, sharks and turtles. I pause at a patch of coral and notice manta rays circling — it’s where they get their skin, gills and teeth cleaned by smaller creatures that feed on the parasites. Back on shore, I listen to presentations on wildlife and conservation by the resort’s resident marine biologists and, come nightfall, enjoy a spot of stargazing in a sky free of light pollution. But the imminent danger to this part of the world isn’t ignored. Signs are dotted across the island, encouraging visitors to be mindful of the footprint they leave and to report anything that might impact negatively on the reef and wildlife. Like many other snorkelling and diving spots on the Capricorn Coast, coral health charts are widespread, and visitors are asked to monitor and log coral colours. Having spotted a piece of creamy white coral near the shore, I talk to Rachael, a nature guide and also one of the island’s resident marine biologists. “That could be bleaching or coral disease,” she informs me. “We’ve seen some bleaching here, but it’ll take time to igure out if the algae will come back or if it’s gone forever.” With sea temperatures averaging 27C, the southern part of the reef is in a much safer space compared to the 35C further north. And much like Lady Elliott, nature is returning to reclaim its home here: loggerhead turtles use the island for nesting, large brown boobies roost on the shipwreck, while brain coral has stemmed from the anchors and chains that scar the seabed. QUEENSLAND May 2019 193
Do your research It’s important to go with a responsible tour operator — check their credentials and that they’re committed to conservation Watch your ins When snorkelling or diving on the reef, be mindful of kicking too much as ins can damage coral Choose an eco-friendly sunscreen A lot of sunscreens include harmful chemicals that can damage coral. Use a biodegradable sunscreen, like Aethic, which produces a triple-ilter, ecocompatible sunscreen Monitor changes Lots of resorts and dive centres supply coral health charts you can take into the water to monitor the coral’s colour and report any possible bleaching concerning Take nothing Many eco-resorts have commandeered the motto ‘take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints’ — listen to it TOP TIPS Responsibly exploring reefs MORE INFO Lady Elliot Island. ladyelliot.com.au Heron Island. heronisland.com Lady Musgrave Experience. ladymusgraveexperience.com.au Pumpkin Island. pumpkinisland.com.au CoralWatch. coralwatch.org Tourism Queensland. queensland.com Oyster Diving referral or openwater course. oysterdiving.com “Do we shut of the reef entirely or keep it open for tours that are educational and raise awareness? I fear if we close it of, then it can just be forgotten about. We can turn a blind eye if we don’t see the pain the reef is going through.” As I walk with Rachael, the tide changes and the lagoon slowly dries out. There are patches of water dotted around like rock pools. I spot an octopus making its way to deeper water, moving from pool to pool. The reef’s surface looks like it’s been run over with a hot knife. The coral, Rachael tells me, can protect itself for a limited time out of water until the tide comes back in. The reef around us sounds like an advert for Rice Krispies. Snapping, crackling, popping. Reminding us of its presence. Tourism beneits Before I leave Heron Island, Rachael tells me how every part of the reef is diferent to dive on — each island holds its own story, and its own pain. I head to Lady Musgrave, an uninhabited coral cay popular with nesting turtles. On its surrounding reef bed, I dive into another world of earthy colours, this time, with bursts of lilacs, powder blues and lime greens. “The Great Barrier Reef is mostly hard coral,” says Natalie Lobartolo, a marine biologist for tour operator Lady Musgrave Experience. “This means the colours are quite muted. The sot coral around the reefs of Southeast Asia, that’s where the colour really pops. People come here and think that, because the coral’s not as bright as it is on documentaries, it’s dead. That’s a dangerous thing to think. You give up on it.” It was reports of coral bleaching that brought Natalie back to Australia six years ago, ater living in Spain. Today, she runs tours taking tourists on day trips to the island to raise awareness of the danger the reef and its wildlife faces. Plastic pollution is one of the issues Natalie inds herself talking about more and more these days. She tells me of the dangers turtles, which have recently been added to the endangered list, are facing on the reef. “Their throats are illed with spines to help them swallow jellyish. Plastic bags, unfortunately, look like jellyish. They get caught in their throats, making breathing almost impossible. So the turtles spend more time at the surface, trying to breathe, and that’s when they’re more susceptible to being hit by boats, too.” We stroll on the powdery white sand of Lady Musgrave Island, spotting turtle nesting sites tucked in the shade of the trees. I wonder aloud whether the droves of tourist boats that come here on an almost daily basis are adding to the problem. “It’s a great debate with our national parks — do we shut of the reef entirely or keep it open for tours that are educational and raise awareness?” Natalie says. “I fear if we close it of, then it can just be forgotten about. We can turn a blind eye if we don’t see the pain the reef is going through. And we do have time to turn this all around; we just need to play our parts.” Cancelling trips here for fear of seeing bleaching, Natalie says, will mean losing out on tourism and money for conservation. The coral here at Lady Musgrave started to bleach at the tips in August 2018. If climate change continues at its current rate, there’s a real threat coral reefs will be dead within our lifetime. But there’s new growth that can be spotted here too, with turquoise tips spindling out of the blue branching coral. I dive once more of Lady Musgrave’s shores before it’s time to check out the neighbouring carbon-positive Pumpkin Island — a privately owned island that runs as an eco-retreat and, quite remarkably, manages to ofset 150% of its annual carbon emissions. The same panic that hit me on my irst dive starts to bubble up inside me as I sink down further into a world that isn’t mine. It’s a feeling I surrender to, giving space for it to grow. I’m a human. And it is, ater all, humans that are ruining this place. I close my eyes and breathe deeply, with the last thing Peter Gash said to me ringing through my head: “Each and every one of us has been responsible for this, but we’re all here now because we care. It’s really a death by a thousand cuts. And we’re in the process of putting a thousand Band Aids on. We have to keep in mind how inspiring nature is — if we give it a hand, it’ll take it. And it’ll run with it.” EMIRATES ly from Heathrow to Brisbane Airport in Queensland, with a stopover in Dubai, from £700 per person. emirates.com 194 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel QUEENSLAND
june issue On sale 2 may 2019 For more information on our subscription of er, see page 200 Plus // Biarritz, Faroe Islands, Montreal, Cape Town, Bodrum, Nicaragua, Hungary, h ailand, Beijing, Seattle, Chile IMAGE: GETTY IN THE NEXT ISSUE ITALY It’s a travel classic that needs little introduction, but we’re embracing Italy’s modern side in our next issue — from the hottest restaurants to the most stylish hotels, fashion-forward renovations and new museums defying the high-brow stereotypes May 2019 195
TRAVEL WITH A BABY DURING MATERNITY LEAVE ISN’T JUST FOR THE INTREPID — IT CAN OFFER UP BONDING TIME, BE CHEAPER TO LIVE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND SATISFYING TO SEE YOUR LITTLE ONE TAKE IN NEW SIGHTS. BUT WHAT ABOUT VACCINATIONS? FINANCES? FLIGHT PROTOCOL? WITH A BIT OF PREPARATION, EXTENDED TRAVEL WITH TOTS CAN BE IMMENSELY REWARDING. WORDS: HELEN WARWICK BABY, HAVE WILL TRAVEL 196 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
W e’re 15 minutes into a two-hour light and three-year-old Charlie is already bored. His snacks were guzzled before boarding and the iPad has been discarded. He lings one of his toy cars and it whacks a disgruntled passenger ahead of us. One-year-old Maxi — ever the ball of energy — pelts up and down the aisle. At one point I lose him as he snakes beneath one of the rows, picking sticky popcorn of the loor. This is getting stressful. And then it occurs to me: I may have missed a trick — why didn’t we ly more oten when the boys were tiny babies? When they could be perched on my chest, sleeping and feeding and not much else. The fact is, it can be much easier travelling with a young baby than a toddler. Tiny babies hardly move. They (generally) sleep anywhere. Hell, I’ve heard they even sell nappies overseas. Blogger Karen Edwards wasn’t daunted by the prospect and saw her maternity leave as an opportunity for a family adventure. She found tenants for her house, sold the family car, and, ater giving herself a few weeks to learn the ropes of being a irst-time mum, she hit the road with her husband Shaun and 10-weekold Esmé for a 10-month trip. Living of her maternity pay and savings from Shaun’s job as a landscape gardener, they ticked of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia and Shaun’s home country, New Zealand. “It was hard being away from my comforts as a new mother,” she says. But the Irish native relished the trip, so much so that when her second child, Quinn, was born, the family had no qualms about upping sticks from London again when he was just 11 weeks old, but this time to Central and South America. “Travelling with a baby can be the best time — it’s quality bonding time and seeing your little one take in the new sights, smells and sounds is amazing. I’ll never forget visiting Machu Picchu. I was breastfeeding Quinn at one point and Shaun had to rescue Esmé who was being chased by an alpaca for her cracker.” As a family, they’ve zip-lined through Ecuadorian forest, cycled through Hoi An in Vietnam and paddled of the Balinese island of Nusa Lembongan; when Quinn was just a few weeks old, he was suited up in a baby lifejacket, lying in the bow of the canoe, as they rowed around Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. Trials & tribulations The idea of a maternity gap year is still pretty novel — even stats on family travel are few and far between and as yet, there’s little data to suggest this intrepid travel trend is on the rise. That said, industry experts are starting to sit up and take notice of the idea. “We’ve recognised it’s a growing trend as seen by our members over the past year or so,” says Jack Sheldon at light deal inder Jack’s Flight Club. “For one, it’s become a more accessible thing to do for new parents — not only due to the emergence of companies such as us, which allow for more afordable lights, but also due to the likes of Airbnb. It’s become much easier for people to rent out their properties while away, thus reducing their costs. It can oten be cheaper to live in another country if you can avoid paying rent in the UK at the same time.” Jack also credits the fact it’s something that’s launted across social media, too. “Platforms such as Instagram help showcase maternity gap years as an option.” In Karen’s case, she’s amassed an Instagram following of 105,000. However, she reveals, life on the road with a baby can be far from simple, despite the rose-tinted shots on social media. The couple have had to cook sweet potato in a kettle and hide away from Esmé’s cot in a bid to get her to sleep, all in the name of backpacking with a baby. “Yes, we’ve pulled chairs into the bathroom, with a can of beer and one ear of an iPod each. I thought this was hilarious, Shaun wasn’t impressed — having a beer in the bathroom at 7pm!” There’s no doubting a baby gap year isn’t for everyone. Being at home with a baby is tough enough: from torturous sleep deprivation to breastfeeding complications — even the idea of boarding a train with your little one can instil heart palpitations in some women. Neuroses aside, one of the biggest concerns for most is the health of your baby — taking your little bundle miles away from the familiarity of a UK medical practice is pretty daunting. In the absence of speciic guidelines for travelling long-term with a baby, the NHS recommends avoiding countries where vaccinations are necessary — for example, babies younger than six months can’t receive a vaccination against yellow fever because of the risk of developing encephalitis, while babies younger than two months can’t take anti-malaria tablets. So you might want to give trekking through the Amazonian rainforest a miss. Karen suggests looking at UK-based site Fit for Travel — a great resource that can help you decide the high-risk areas to avoid. And it goes without saying you must meet with your GP or travel health adviser well in advance of your trip to discuss vaccinations and precautions, too. There are also no hard and fast rules about lying with a baby, so your best bet is to check with an airline, as some allow two-day-old babies to board; others stipulate they must be at least two weeks. Dr Rachel Tomlinson, an online GP at Push Doctor, asserts the need for babies to have their newborn vaccinations before you lee overseas, usually given at eight, 12 and 16 weeks. “Fill up a irst aid bag, too, with overthe-counter meds — painkillers, antihistamines, insect repellent and hydration solutions. Give baby a bottle, breast or dummy to suck on while taking of and landing. And always remember to take out comprehensive travel insurance ILLUSTRATION: GETTY for peace of mind before you go.” May 2019 197
Preparation is key The question remains, however: how do you consider inancing an epic travelling trip? The good news is that travelling with a baby or very young kids has its inancial perks. Most airlines charge just a small fee for lap infants, and travel by bus or train worldwide is generally free for them; while on the whole, hotels don’t tend to charge for little ones. And here’s the thing about maternity leave — when else are you given (up to) a year of from work, nine months of which is paid for? Since the shared parental leave rights came into efect in 2015, giving both parents or carers the chance to take time of work in their child’s irst year, a partner could have the right to paid paternity leave at the same time. Husband and wife Daniel and Preethi Harbuck have braved a whole bunch of trips with their brood of four kids, now eight, six, four and one. Their intrepid escapes all started when their eldest was just four months with a trip to South Africa. “I vividly remember one game drive with him wrapped onto me in a baby sling, nursing away as our vehicle went bumping along.” Since then, they’ve tallied up a number of trips, from Australia and New Zealand, to the Middle East and the Balkans, and more recently, a three-month jaunt around Europe, Southeast Asia and India with all four children ater her husband managed to secure three months’ paternity leave. “Travel with kids isn’t easy, but then, being at home with kids isn’t easy,” says Preethi. “Maybe we just have really low expectations, but kids almost always handle travel better than we expect. My advice is to plan — few things are more stressful than being starving and not knowing where to go; or wandering aimlessly trying to igure out what sights to see. Do your research beforehand, but be willing to change plans if the situation dictates.” She also recommends packing light. “You will be tempted to pack your entire house. Don’t. Minimise as much as possible. Consider house rentals that have washing machines and bring lightweight baby cots and pushchairs, or ind out if your destination can provide them. Remember that babies live all over the world and most necessities are easily accessible.” Karen agrees, suggesting the most essential item is a baby carrier. “I have so many other tips, but in a nutshell, plan your trips at a much slower pace — usually one big activity a day is plenty; and take turns with your partner to do things you used to enjoy, whether it’s a massage or diving. And, if you can, breastfeed for ease and for passing on immunity. With a changing environment, breastfeeding was a solid reassurance and familiar comfort with my two little ones.” If the idea of long-haul freaks you out, Europe is always going to exceed expectations. You don’t necessarily need to ly either. Esme and Tom Lawy headed to Spain for two months when their son, Emile, was just eight months, campervanning their way through the Picos de Europa mountains and the Costa Verde, visiting the towns of Oviedo, San Sebastián and Hondarribia, and stopping in the Rioja wine region. The travelling trio then headed west to the Sierra de Guarda, pitching up besides the Rio Vero for dusky river paddling, before driving back to the UK through France. 198 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel MATERNITY GAP YEAR
ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY BALI Indonesians shower little ones with attention. Many hotels have all the baby gear parents or carers need, the island has plenty of home rentals, and as long as you avoid the rollicking nightlife of Kuta, you’ll all be hunky dory. TULUM This boho chic enclave in Mexico is synonymous with hippie hotel hideaways, spectacular beaches and a laid-back vibe. No one will bat an eyelid if a baby is breastfed and most hotels ofer all the necessary baby paraphernalia. CHICAGO As a whole, the USA is a dream with babies — but the Windy City excels as a cultural hub where the little one can just tag along, from free pushchair tours at its major museums to family festivals. PUGLIA Parents can feel smug driting around Lecce’s streets, receiving adoring glances from passing locals — Italians love babies. Adding to the appeal are al fresco lunches while baby snoozes, excellent child-focused accommodation and Porto Cesareo’s beaches. THAILAND Revisit a 20-something backpacking trail with baby on board and there can be surprising relief. Southeast Asia remains cheap, Westernised medicine is widely available, and the cuisine and culture never get boring. TAKE FIVE Baby-friendly destinations MORE INFO travelmadmum.com localpassportfamily.com ouroyster.com jacksflightclub.co.uk pushdoctor.co.uk fitfortravel.nhs.uk “I was still on paid mat leave and Tom had come to the end of his contract so it seemed like a natural time to go. We put our lat up for rent in London and headed of with the aim of visiting as many sites as possible from a ‘wild swimming Spain guide’.” How did the campervan work out with a baby? Esme insists they cracked it: “It’s great with kids as you can be really consistent with their sleeping arrangements. It’s a proper little home from home for them. Yes, there were stressful moments and there were tears (mostly but not exclusively Emile’s) but that’s part of the adventure. Every time we got him down to sleep in the van and then were able to relax with a glass of wine in the sun, we felt so pleased with ourselves.” So successful was the trip that the family are inalising plans for several months campervanning in the Algarve and Andalusia with the addition of 11-monthold Rafa later this year. Jade and Simon Johnston, another intrepid duo who backpacked around Europe for six months with their newborn, are convinced a maternity leave gap year is a no-brainer. “Travelling with a little baby is actually pretty easy. At the time of our adventure, he couldn’t walk or talk. All he wanted was to be snuggled up all day — which is exactly what he got being carried in the baby carrier most of the time. “Everyone will want to help you, too. You will get to skip queues (in many countries). Locals will be more engaged and will want to interact with you. And in our experience, we were less of a target for pickpocketing or petty crime, especially in countries where family values are sacred.” It makes you think. With a little more planning, research and creativity, maternity leave could be a hell of a lot more than baby music classes, sedate cofees and aternoons cosied up at home. May 2019 199 MATERNITY GAP YEAR
IMAGE: GETTY SAVE 15% Not only will you receive 10 issues of the magazine for just £39, you’ll also get our quarterly title, National Geographic Traveller Food. And if you’re already a subscriber, why not purchase a gi subscription for a friend or relative, and keep the gi card for yourself? National Geographic Traveller (UK) is the perfect read — whether you’re an avid adventurer or armchair traveller looking to read yourself around the world. Closing date for orders is 1 May 2019. The £39 price is a UK annual Direct Debit offer. Your subscription will begin with the next available issue. All subscriptions are for a 12-month period. If you don’t cancel at the end of that period, the subscription will automatically renew by Direct Debit into an annual subscription at £39. All subscriptions are non-refundable. This is a limited offer and may be withdrawn at any time. Please note: by subscribing, we’ll contact you about your subscription where appropriate. *National Geographic Traveller (UK) is published 10 times a year, with double issues in Jan/Feb and Jul/Aug. Subscribers will receive fi ve issues in every six-month period. National Geographic Traveller Food is published with the March, June, September and December issues of National Geographic Traveller (UK). natgeotraveller.imbmsubscriptions.com/NGTJL or simply call 01293 312166 quote code ‘NGTJL’ SPECIAL SALE SUBSCRIBE TODAY AND GET A JOHN LEWIS GIFT CARD! WHAT YOU’LL RECEIVE: • £10 John Lewis gi card (which can also be used at Waitrose) • Each issue delivered to your door free of charge • A 15% saving on the cover price • Cultural and compelling storytelling • Insightful features from city breaks to once-in-a-lifetime adventures • Beautiful, you-are-there photography TO SUBSCRIBE 200 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel