National Geographic Traveller UK - September 2022

My partner has a fear of what various noises mean. replicate the seminar sessions
flying. Are there any courses These are followed by a — either by watching videos or
to help overcome this? dedicated ‘experience flight’ as a group via teleconference,
to put that knowledge into sometimes with the chance to
Courses run by either a practice. Some programmes ask a pilot questions.
psychologist or an airline are offer a ground-only option,
popular options; before the which might be enough for British Airways’ Flying with
pandemic, courses were run those with only a mild fear of Confidence programme, from
by British Airways, EasyJet and flying. Some of the courses do £149, starts this autumn. It
Virgin Atlantic at various UK both parts on the same day, also includes online courses
airports. These programmes while others are over two days, from £80 for 30 days’ access.
are only just restarting, so you which people with a stronger EasyJet’s Fearless Flyer courses
may find availability limited. fear may find more helpful this autumn start at £219. There
because they can concentrate are also online, video courses
In-person courses are usually on the seminars without from £89, with 30 days’ access.
in two parts. Firstly, group worrying about a flight later flyingwithconfidence.com
seminar sessions on the ground that day. Online courses largely fearless-flyer.com
cover technical information,
including how planes fly and JOHN WALTON

Can you recommend a luxury is a stylish, secluded haven, £400, minimum stay of three What happens if I urgently need
treehouse, with a sustainable sensitively perched in an nights. hudnallshideout.co.uk to renew my passport?
focus, for a long weekend? ancient oak. All come with
king-sized beds and hot tubs, For a family-friendly The Passport Office is currently
At Mallinson’s Woodland while The Woodsman’s also treehouse, head to Rufus’s advising travellers to allow up 10
Retreat in Dorset, there has a sauna and outdoor ‘tree Roost on the Baxby Manor weeks for standard applications
are three plush treehouses shower’. From £990 for two estate north of York. It sleeps to be processed, due to the
lovingly crafted by owner nights. mallinson.co.uk up to six in three treetop ‘unprecedented levels of demand’
Guy Mallinson and his team rooms, and between two reported in the run-up to summer.
using local timber that’s a If you’re a couple looking turrets there’s a large veranda But if you can’t wait, there are two
by-product of sustainable for exclusivity, The Hudnalls with a log-fired pizza oven. ways of receiving an emergency
woodland management. Dazzle Hideout is a large, solar- The kids will be thrilled when passport, both of which are easier
Treehouse has a camouflage powered treehouse in ancient they discover the hidden if you’re physically in the UK. The
design inspired by patterns Wye Valley woodland. There’s doorway under the stairs that easiest and fastest is via the Online
used to conceal First World War a bioethanol fireplace, and a reveals a wooden slide to a Premium service, which costs £177
ships; Pinwheel is in a clearing food hamper packed with local secret room. From £1,450 for for a standard adult passport.
between a ring of mature oak produce. Massages and yoga three nights. baxbymanor.co.uk Apply and pay online, and you’ll
trees; and The Woodsman’s can also be arranged. From then book an appointment at a
RICHARD HAMMOND passport office — the earliest slots
offered are two days from when
you apply. At the appointment,
you’ll need to produce both your
old passport and an additional
piece of identification, although
someone can do this on your behalf
if they have a signed and dated
letter from you. You’ll collect the
new passport at this appointment.

Alternatively, the Fast Track
service takes a week and a
standard adult passport costs
£142. Collect a paper application
from the post office (this part
can’t be done online) and then
book and pay for an appointment
online. Once this has been booked,
complete the form and take it to
the appointment, along with all
required documents, including two
identical photos. The passport will
then be sent to your home address.

If you’ve already applied for
a passport through the usual,
non-urgent service and haven’t
yet received it, don’t pay extra
for an urgent one — you won’t be
refunded and won’t get a passport
any earlier. For more information,
visit gov.uk C O N N O R M C G OV E R N

SEPTEMBER 2022 151

TR AVEL TALK

THE INFO

UK cities

TO CELEBR ATE THE CRE ATION OF EIGHT NEW CITIES, WE LOOK AT
SOME OF THE UK’S URBAN CENTRES AND THE STORIES BEHIND THEM

Six towns across

England, Scotland,

Wales and Northern

Ireland were

granted city status 2 Dunfermline
4
A LT H O U G H as part of the
O N LY G R ANTED
Queen’s Platinum 1 Doncaster
CIT Y STATUS
THIS YEAR, Jubilee celebrations
COLCHESTER IS
REGARDED AS earlier this year. Bangor 3 Traditionally, English towns
BRITAIN ’S ‘FIRST Douglas on the Isle 56 required an Anglican cathedral
CIT Y’. IT WAS Colchester to acquire city status. But this
FOUNDED BY THE of Man and Stanley Wrexham
ROMANS IN AD hasn’t been the case since
49 AND NAMED in the Falkland Birmingham was the first
CAMULODUNUM Islands were also Milton Keynes town to achieve it without a
cathedral, in 1889. The city’s St
given the honour Philip’s Church was awarded
cathedral status in 1905

ABOUT 75% OF THE SHEFFIELD WAS NAMED
4,500 BUILDINGS IN THE UK’S GREENEST
EDINBURGH’S OLD AND CITY IN A 2021 STUDY
NEW TOWNS ARE LISTED BY NAT WEST, DUE TO
— THE HIGHEST NUMBER ITS 22,000 ACRES OF
OF LISTED BUILDINGS GREEN SPACE AND
OUTSIDE LONDON REL ATIVELY LOW

Bath is one of the only cities ENERGY CONSUMPTION
in the world to be recognised PER RESIDENT
as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in its entirety. Inscribed Rochester in Kent was granted
in 1987, it was selected for its city status in 1227, but the
Roman and Georgian heritage
and innovative urban planning, formation of Medway Council
in 1998 — which amalgamated
which sought to achieve several local councils — saw it
picturesque views and forms lose its status after 771 years

Standout cities in numbers IMAGES: GETTY; WORDS: CONNOR MCGOVERN

76 104,270 1955 1,800 130

the number of cities in the area, in sq ft, of the year Cardiff was the approximate the number of
the UK, including the new Liverpool Cathedral, the proclaimed capital of population of St Davids, roundabouts in Milton
additions and excluding largest in the UK and fifth Wales, 50 years after Pembrokeshire, the UK’s Keynes, one of the UK’s
being granted city status
overseas territories largest in Europe smallest city new cities for 2022

Sources: bathworldheritage.org.uk city-of-rochester.org.uk commonslibrary.parliament.uk
destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk ed.ac.uk natwestgroup.com whc.unesco.org visitcolchester.com

152 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

TR AVEL TALK

HOT TOPIC

WHY HAS HIRING A CAR
BECOME SO COMPLIC ATED?

Recently, travellers have been arriving at their destination to find vehicles at exorbitant
prices — or unavailable altogether. We look at what’s happening and how to get around it

For decades, car rental has been
one of the simplest and most
dependable aspects of booking
a trip. In France, Italy, Spain and
the US, a family-sized vehicle was
readily available at £50 or less per
day in the years shortly before the
pandemic, even in peak summer
months. But as many prospective
travellers are finding this year, rates
have increased two- or three-fold.
At some destinations in August,
findings were even more bleak:
cars were sold out entirely. So,
what’s gone wrong — and what can
you do about it?

How expensive is car rental? sold cars off in their hundreds of If you pick up your vehicle at a AT A GL ANCE
thousands. Hertz Global Holdings, city-centre location rather than the
In popular holiday spots such as which includes the Dollar, Thrifty airport, you’ll avoid the commission TAKE THE TR AIN
Palma, Pisa and Paris, a daily rental and Firefly brands, sold more than charged to the car rental firms Places like the Algarve or
of £100 is about the best you can 200,000 cars — about one-third of by the airport. For example, a California have good coastal
hope for this summer. In the US its pre-pandemic fleet — in 2020. short-notice rental at San Francisco railways with affordable
states of California and Florida, airport with Enterprise costs £90 for fares. Faro to Lagos costs
basic rates are lower — typically Once mass travel resumed, the smallest vehicle, compared with €7.50 (£6.50), while LA to
around £60 a day — but additional customers returned in large £67 at downtown Oakland, across San Diego is $44 (£36) — less
costs, including insurance and toll numbers, partly because travellers the Bay — easily accessible in 43 if you book ahead.
payments, push prices higher. felt better protected from Covid-19 minutes from the airport by train.
in a rental vehicle than on public AVOID PEAK SEASON
Closer to home, rental rates transport. Companies struggled to Rental may be cheaper if you Consider travelling from
in Ireland are at unprecedented meet the demand. In addition, the sign up for a loyalty scheme or use September onwards. A car
levels. At Dublin airport, the worldwide shortage of microchips your airline frequent-flyer status. costing £1,000 for a week
cheapest one-week, pay-on-arrival stifled car production, leading Booking an Avis vehicle through from Avis at Dublin airport
hire at Avis for early August is over companies such as Hertz to say it the British Airways Executive Club, on 6 August is 79% cheaper
£1,000 for a tiny Kia Picanto. The couldn’t guarantee being able to for example, gives a second driver if you book a month later.
firm also has a Tesla electric vehicle purchase sufficient numbers of new as an automatic entitlement.
available for £2,595, or over £15 per vehicles at competitive prices. CONSIDER A PACKAGE
hour. Before the pandemic, rates How long will this last? While Buying a flight and a rental
for small cars here were as low as How can I avoid exorbitant fees? previous supply shortages haven’t car as part of a fly-drive
£15 per week. been so extreme, they show the package means the provider
As with hotel rooms, committing way forward: when the industry is fully responsible. If the
What’s gone wrong? In 2019, in advance generally saves money. makes excessive profits one outbound flight is cancelled
ferocious competition kept That Dublin airport rate of over year, companies tend to ramp up and no replacement is
rates down and availability high. £1,000 for a tiny car for a week falls capacity the following year, and available, you’re entitled to a
But from early 2020 onwards, by one-sixth, to £842, if you pay prices eventually revert to sensible full refund within two weeks.
the Covid-19 crisis saw demand upfront, although it does bring levels. S I M O N C A L D E R
collapse. Instead of expanding extra risk if you need to cancel. SEPTEMBER 2022 153
their fleets ahead of the summer
peak, rental firms were left with
parking lots filled with billions
of pounds’ worth of rapidly
depreciating vehicles that no one
wanted to hire. Inevitably, they

| PAID CONTENT FOR VISIT LEEUWARDEN

LEEUWARDEN

Top three festivals

Dive into the cultural deep end of the Netherlands,
with a feast of film, art, music, storytelling and light in Leeuwarden,

Friesland’s canal-woven, festival-loving capital

Explore the North festival

A msterdam gets all the fuss, NOORDELIJK FILM FESTIVAL
but just a couple of hours
north, Leeuwarden is still The pull of the north is irresistible at this
riding high on the wave of winter film festival held in November.
being European Capital of Culture 2018. Zooming in on the cinematic landscapes of
With a clutch of outstanding museums countries from the Netherlands to the UK,
and winter festivals that innovate, Scandinavia, Iceland and the Baltics, the
enlighten and turn the spotlight on programme reels out an incredible line-up
emerging artists, filmmakers, poets and of feature films and documentaries, from
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of Friesland moves to its own unique and thriller. And with talks, competitions and
progressive cultural beat. live music, there’s plenty happening beyond
the big screen, too. noordelijkfilmfestival.nl

EXPLORE THE NORTH DECEMBERLICHT PLAN YOUR TRIP IMAGES: JANTINA TALSMA; LIEUWE TERPSTRA

Fizzing with creative talent from Friesland As Leeuwarden gets into full festive swing, For more information, go to
and beyond, this festival brings music, the city sparkles with more than just the visitleeuwarden.com
literature, theatre and language to the fore usual Christmas lights. This avant-garde
in late November. Expect one-of-a-kind festival shines a light on the Friesland
performances, from folk rock to electro capital with eye-catching projections that
and classical music, as well as audiovisual illuminate in every sense of the word. Expect
installations, poetry readings, children’s poems projected onto the side of buildings,
shows and o eat plays. Venues include monuments ablaze with inspirational
unexpected locations all over Leeuwarden: quotes and facades turned into film screens.
previous years included an old soapworks, Follow the light trail through the historic
the ceramics museum cellar and the local centre from late December to early January.
historical society. explore-the-north.nl decemberlicht.frl

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TOKYO

Famous for its subcultures and neon-lit nightlife, the Japanese
capital is home to numerous neighbourhoods buzzing with
character. From gourmet sushi in Ginza to pop culture in
Harajuku, we discover the city’s most fascinating enclaves

PLU S BELIZE, ECUADOR, KENT, LITHUANIA , LOCH LOMOND,
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| PAID CONTENT FOR PURE MICHIGAN AND VISIT DETROIT

DISCOVER MICHIGAN

From lakeshore to city

Whether you’re looking for city style, iconic towns or lakes that feel like oceans, the
diversity of Michigan’s two peninsulas are sure to impress. Words: Brian Thacker

V isit the Midwest state of THE LOWER PENINSULA Clockwise from above: Turnip Rock on Lake Huron;
Michigan, set in the heart of the Detroit sunrise; Downtown Mackinac Island
Great Lakes region, and you’ll CITIES AND SPORTS
find two unique peninsulas to PLAN YOUR TRIP
explore, divided by the five-mile-long The centrepiece of the Lower Peninsula is
Mackinac suspension bridge. undeniably the vibrant city of Detroit. Here, There are direct daily flights from London
local artists have no limits, visitors can trace Heathrow to Detroit, as well as many one-
THE UPPER PENINSULA the city’s great history through cars and stop options from the UK and Ireland. For
RUGGED AND REMOTE music, and gastronomes can devour a Coney more information, visit bon-voyage.co.uk
With 1,700 miles of freshwater shoreline, hot dog in the afternoon and then dine in
quaint rural towns and an interior full of award-winning, farm-to-fork restaurants
forests, waterfalls and wildlife, the Upper in the evening. Adventure lovers needn’t
Peninsula is as wonderfully unspoiled as one travel far to soak up the scenery of the
can get in America. Visit car-free Mackinac Pinckney-Potawatomi Trail, or go kayaking
Island — where it feels as though time has and standup paddleboarding on the Detroit
stopped completely — and Tahquamenon River. Indeed, visitors to the Lower Peninsula
Falls, dubbed ‘the Root Beer Falls’ due to will find more than just Detroit. Towns such
their distinctive brown hue, derived from as Traverse City, Holland and Grand Rapids
the mineral content of the surrounding soil. — known as the beer capital of the US
— promise hours of exploration, fantastic
fine wines and delicious local produce.

IMAGES: GETTY; ROCHE PHOTO

SEE MORE ONLINE AT NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

G A L Á PAG O S

E VO L U T I O N A RY
EXPERIENCES

THE NEW HER M ANDAD M ARINE RESERVE I S THE L ATEST CON SERVATION
INITIATIVE TO BRING VITAL PROTEC TION TO THE PRI STINE WATERS OF THE

GAL ÁPAGOS ISL ANDS. WORDS: M ARK STR AT TON

It’s night aboard the Santa Cruz overfishing — a threat to both were Ecuadorians (who just pay a Then, in 2020, the 300-strong IMAGE: GETTY
II and the Pacific Ocean thrashes conservation efforts and tourism $6/£4.90 entry fee), revenues fell, trawler fleet began fishing
with endemic Galápagos sharks. — prompted the Ecuadorian affecting funding. intensively, clocking up 73,000
Using our ship’s lights, we watch government to expand the existing hours in one month alone. It
the creatures below hunt flying marine reserve. This year, in Other challenges facing the fished heavily for squid, a key food
fish with quicksilver agility, some January it created the 23,000sq Galápagos include intensifying El source for many Galapagueños
of the hapless prey crashing mile Hermandad Marine Reserve. Niño episodes triggered by global species, but also pulled out
into our vessel’s hull, around ocean warming. This natural migratory hammerhead sharks
which sea lions wait for an easy “The Galápagos Islands are one phenomenon becalms the usually and manta rays. The presence
meal. A huge green turtle pops of the best-kept national parks in strong equatorial trade winds that of the Chinese fleet caused
up unawares amid the melee, the world,” says Roque Sevilla. As push warm water westwards away consternation amid Galapagueño
before swiftly returning to the chairman of Metropolitan Touring, from the Galápagos, allowing fishermen, who complained their
depths. Such is the Galápagos’s Ecuador’s first carbon-neutral upwelling cold currents to own catches were down.
scintillating theatre. tour operator, he was one of the deliver rich phytoplankton into
primary movers behind the new the food web. During an El Niño More safeguarding was
The Galápagos Islands (a reserve. “Just think of an African event, nutrient productivity in needed. “Fish don’t understand
national park since 1959) can national park with a dozen vehicles warmer water drops dramatically, whether they’re swimming in a
thank large upwellings of cold surrounding a lion,” he says. “Here, triggering starvation among key safe reserve or not,” says Gustavo
currents for their staggering only one boat at a time can enter marine species. Manrique, Ecuador’s minister
marine biodiversity; water that a landing point on an island, and of the environment. The new
ushers in a rich soup of nutrients, groups are limited to 16 per guide.” In addition, certain invasive Hermandad reserve — a vast area,
helping to support a food web species introduced by humans, the size of Sri Lanka, extending
that contains abundant marine Roque says tourism has been a such as fruit flies and rats, have north of the previous GMR
and terrestrial wildlife — a large positive force for the Galápagos: pushed a number of creatures — will create a migration corridor
proportion of which is found funding conservation, providing to the brink. One of Darwin’s from the Galápagos to the Cocos
nowhere else on Earth. It was 80% of the islands’ economy, evolutionary miracles, the Islands National Park in Costa
this uniqueness that the British and jobs for born-and-bred mangrove finch, is near extinction Rica. All fishing will be banned
naturalist Charles Darwin Galapagueños. Tourism is well due to the accidental introduction in 50% of the reserve, with only
observed soon after stepping controlled, he believes. “There’s of the sinister-sounding avian Galapagueño fishermen allowed to
ashore on San Cristóbal Island a de facto limit to the number of vampire fly in the 1960s. operate in the other half, although
in 1859, setting him on a path to visitors who can sail here, with longline fishing (which doesn’t
publishing On the Origin of Species, a fixed 1,690 berths on all ships In June 2020, a new threat discriminate between target
which outlined his groundbreaking per day, and this quota hasn’t loomed: a fleet of 300 Chinese fish and vulnerable species) is
theories on evolution. changed since 1998,” he says. trawlers had assembled just outside banned. Hermandad forms part of
Likewise, human migrations the GMR. a groundbreaking multinational
Fast forward to 2020, and some onto the islands are strictly agreement with Costa Rica,
of those charismatic creatures controlled. Visitors currently New reserves Panama and Colombia, which have
— including the sharks I encounter pay a $100 (£81) fee to enter the similar ocean reserves totalling
under our ship — are being netted Galápagos National Park, which The writing had been on the wall. 193,000sq miles, to expand the
by a huge Chinese fishing fleet not funds its activities. Its director, In 2017, the Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 existing Eastern Tropical Pacific
far outside the Galápagos Marine Danny Rueda-Cordova, says this was seized after straying inside Marine Corridor.
Reserve (GMR), a 53,000sq mile may be increased to refocus on the GMR. This ‘nanny ship’ (a
protected marine habitat created low-number/high-yield tourism. refrigeration vessel) was carrying “The marine corridor between
in 1998. With Galápagos marine He says visitor numbers fell from 300 tonnes of illegally caught Ecuadorian and Costa Rican
wildlife already subject to food a record 270,000 in 2019 to half species, including 7,639 sharks. waters creates a safe migration
shortages during intensifying that in 2021 at the peak of the Twenty crew members were jailed for important endangered
El Niño events, such industrial pandemic. Because most of them and the vessel was confiscated by species,” say Gustavo Manrique.
Ecuador after the non-payment of
a $6.1m (£5m) fine.

158 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SEPTEMBER 2022 159

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G A L Á PAG O S

IMAGE: GETTY FIVE MORE “It’s a critical step in protecting Barragán, science director at the “Since their boats left, the fish
some 3,000 marine Galápagos Charles Darwin Research Station seem more numerous.”
Marine Protected species, of which 20% are on Santa Cruz Island, is certain it
Areas (MPAs) endemic.” Marine reserves also will be beneficial. “This corridor Marcia Garate, a local travel
encourage sustainable fishing ensures species will be protected agent, also supports the creation
ROSS SEA REGION and tourism. during migration to the Galápagos, of Hermandad. “The reserve is
The world’s largest MPA which will contribute to the local good for us because we don’t want
borders Antarctica, “A shark’s net worth to our economy through sustainable to lose our grouper and tuna as
spanning 618,000sq miles. economy if it lives 20 years fishing and wildlife tourism”. animals such as sea lions need
It administers ‘no-take’ and is $1.5m. But a dead one, $137 them. Tourists won’t come if we
sustainable fishing zones for meat. It creates business Ecuador’s minister for tourism, lose our wildlife.”
and is home to 30% of the around ecological tourism,” says Niels Olsen, says his government
world’s Adélie penguins Manrique. Modern technology, he has a vested interest in ensuring And come, tourists do; a trip
and a third of its Antarctic says, will make enforcement and the reserve is a success. “Tourists to these islands represents the
petrels. mfat.govt.nz monitoring easier and cheaper. will not come if they think we’re wildlife experience of a lifetime.
“We can use drones, satellites not working towards conserving There are two ways to experience
PITCAIRN ISLANDS and small, fast enforcement and protecting the islands.” the archipelago: either on a cruise
Covering a colossal boats,” he explains. ship or as part of a day trip on a
322,000sq miles, the Pitcairn When I visited, public opinion boat. Cruises typically range from
Islands MPA extends south Ecuador is now using about the new reserve seemed five to 11 days and include a stop
east from the Pitcairn technology that can detect ‘dark positive on Santa Cruz Island, at Santa Cruz, with some focusing
Islands. The 47 inhabitants vessels’ (ships with their tracking where much of the Galápagos’s on the western islands, including
of the only inhabited island, systems turned off). As for 25,000-strong population lives, Isabela, with its penguins and
Pitcairn, are descendants of funding, The country is carrying mainly in the town of Puerto flightless cormorants. Others take
the mutinous HMS Bounty out ‘debt for nature’ swaps, Ayora. It’s a tourism hub of hotels, in the eastern group, including
crew. Commercial activities restructuring their national debts bars, restaurants and souvenir San Cristobal, home to red-
are forbidden in its waters, owed to donor nations in return emporiums, where sea lions doze footed boobies. Longer voyages,
home to sharks and for conservation investment. on public benches and pelicans meanwhile, will cover both areas.
cetaceans. visitpitcairn.pn “We negotiate as a poor country, harangue fishermen for scraps. Cruises include twice-daily land
but the new global richness is excursions with snorkelling, while
ASCENSION ISLAND biodiversity,” says Manrique. “Our fish rotate between liveaboard cruise vessels focus
Right out in the mid- feeding grounds outside the on scuba diving. The budget-
Atlantic, this MPA surrounds Tourism’s role reserve. Our fishermen were conscious can find accommodation
the giant undersea volcano saying their catch was down when on Santa Cruz and head out on boat
of Ascension Island, a It’s too early to access the impact the Chinese boats were here,” says day trips or island-hop.
172,000sq-mile home of the new reserve. But María-José local merchant, Mercy Sancan.
for marlin and significant
green turtle populations.
ascension.gov.ac

SOUTH GEORGIA
AND THE SOUTH
SANDWICH ISLANDS
Spanning 479,000sq miles
of sub-Antarctic waters, this
MPA supports blue whales
and penguins; fishing is
outlawed in a quarter of its
waters. gov.gs

PAPAHĀNAUMOKUĀKEA
Home to coral atolls that
protect endemics including
Hawaiian monk seals, this
579,000sq-mile reserve in
the North Pacific also hosts
key native cultural sites.
papahanaumokuakea.gov

Previous page: Pinnacle
Rock on Bartolomé Island,
overlooking Santiago Island

Above: Sea turtle and reef
fish off Darwin Island

SEPTEMBER 202 2 161

G A L Á PAG O S

Left: Marine iguana and red
rock crabs, Santa Cruz island

My experience at sea saw me heavy on visitors. But from the conservation,” says Carolina HOW TO DO IT IMAGE: GETTY
spending six nights exploring the smallest actions and decisions, Proaño-Castro, executive Hurtigruten Expeditions has
eastern islands on board Santa personal responsibility can count director of Fundación Futuro, an 11-day expedition cruise
Cruz II, Hurtigruten’s debut towards making the Galápagos a the nonprofit organisation to the Galápagos Islands
Galápagos cruise, which uses a sustainable destination. “Every that’s helped Metropolitan on a full-board basis. It
Metropolitan Touring vessel that tourist must reflect on how to Touring work towards becoming includes three nights at Casa
hosts up to 90 guests. lower their carbon footprint,” says carbon neutral. All aspects of its Gangotena hotel in Quito,
Gustavo Manrique. “Sure, you can Galápagos cruises are examined all transfers and flights, a
During shore visits with the eat salmon flown in from Chile, for carbon efficiency, from using cultural tour of Quito and
ship’s naturalists, we encounter or instead choose local fish, like anti-corrosive paint to deter a nature tour of Cotopaxi
playful sea lions on the Mosquera brujo [scorpion fish], fished in these crustacean build-up on ships, National Park, from £7,595
sand bar and spend time with the waters, so money stays local.” thus improving fuel efficiency, per person, based on two
land iguanas basking by cactus to giving guests reusable metal sharing. hurtigruten.co.uk
trees on tiny Santa Fé Island, Such simple actions as water bottles.
the only place in the world these reusing a water bottle, avoiding MORE INFORMATION
iguanas exist. Birding highlights single-use plastic and taking Guests pay a levy calculated A double room at Mashpi
are many: nesting colonies of non-recyclable waste off the at $16 (£13) per tonne of Lodge, a cloud forest hotel
frigate birds on North Seymour islands when departing should carbon, which funds a tangible in mainland Ecuador costs
Island, the males with expanded, be part of the modern traveller’s conservation initiative: the from £1,074 per night,
cherry-red crops, and a Nazca toolkit. But what about the bigger conservation of a 6,670-acre including shared transfers
booby with fluffy, snowball-white picture? For example, how to reserve at Mashpi Lodge in and all meals, guided
chicks on Española Island. And mitigate air travel’s effect on Ecuador’s Chocó-Andino cloud activities and excursions
sublime snorkelling experiences the climate, which is critical to forest area. The levy is also being within the reserve.
include the chance to swim for fragile ecosystems such as those used to help establish a biological mashpilodge.com
20 minutes at a time with a giant in play on the Galápagos Islands. corridor in the Chocó-Andino by Metropolitan Touring.
Galápagos green turtles and The reality is we probably need buying up more forest to conserve, metropolitan-touring.com
whitetip reef sharks. On Santa to fly less, yet tourism to the enabling landowners to follow LATAM Airlines.
Cruz, we visit a Giant Tortoise Galápagos is critical to funding its more sustainable practices. latamairlines.com
Restoration Initiative to learn conservation. Charles Darwin
how the creature’s diversity “Just as Galápagos sharks Research Station.
across different islands informed Metropolitan Touring is a need a migration corridor to darwinfoundation.org
Darwin’s theories on evolution. carbon-neutral operator in avoid being fished, connectivity Fundación Futuro.
the region.“Our core value is the key to climate change fundacionfuturo.org.ec
The responsibility to protect is to take action against our adaptivity all over the world,” says
these hallowed shores can weigh carbon footprint and finance Proaño-Castro.

162 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

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expert guides as you explore the flora perfect for snorkelling and swimming. See mating temperatures as the Humboldt Current draws in.
and fauna. Adventure authentically with rituals of land birds and spot Galápagos turtles nesting on Enjoy the hatching of Frigate birds and blue-footed
sustainable practices through Silversea’s boobies while baby sea lions dive beneath the waves.
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| PAID CONTENT FOR DUBROVNIK AND NERET VA COUNT Y TOURI ST BOARD

A GUIDE TO KORČULA

Croatia’s paradise island

On the tiny island of Korčula, terracotta rooftops and cobbled
streets meet sheltered coves and deserted forest trails

K orčula spent several centuries eateries serving authentic local fare From top: Croatian islands as seen
under Venetian rule, when ships — try Žrnovski makaruni (handmade pasta from the air; boats moored by jetty in
sailing east would moor up there unique to Korčula) accompanied by a hearty
for repairs and supplies. A maze of slow cooked beef stew . the village of Lumbarda on Korčula
cobbled alleys converge on the main square,
where you can see the splendid 15th-century When it comes to beaches, Vela Przina, IMAGES: GETTY
cathedral, the loggia and noble residences with its warm shallow waters, is especially
with carved stone portals, all reminiscent of popular with families. For something
La Serenissima. Explorer Marco Polo is said more secluded, head for the tiny scattered
to have been born here, and his supposed islets of the Korčula Archipelago, served
family home lies in the historic centre. by taxi boats from the palm-lined seafront
While in town, don’t miss a performance promenade in Korčula Town.
of the Moreška, a jubilent medieval sword
dance and a proud local tradition. From Korčula Town, regular shuttle-boats
also run to Orebić on the Pelješac peninsula,
By day, wine-lovers might cycle into home to Trstenica pebble beach. Much-
Korčula’s fertile interior to visit family- loved by gourmets, Pelješac is famed for
run wineries. Head for the village of its fresh oysters and full-bodied red wines.
Lumbarda to learn more about Grk, a grape Summer 2022 will see the opening of the
often attributed to early Greek settlers, or new Pelješac Bridge, connecting Brijesta on
Smokvica to sample Pošip, made from a the peninsular to Komarna on the mainland,
grape indigenous to the island. En route, making Korčula all the more accessible, too.
you’ll find several rustic agrotourism
For more information, go to visitdubrovnik.hr

IMAGE: GETTY TR AVEL GE E KS

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| PAID CONTENT FOR SWAROVSKI OPTIK

THREE TIPS GET THE KIT IMAGES: GETTY; SWAROVSKI OPTIK

Wildlife spotting Swarovski Optik manufactures high-precision,
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The UK has no shortage of destinations for a wildlife- bring everyone closer to nature. Compact and
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allowing users to capture unique wildlife images.
1 EXPLORE WOODLANDS AT DUSK For more information, visit swarovskioptik.com
Wildlife is often hard to spot in woodlands — it could be high in the
canopy, or hidden by foliage. Yet, as many species that live in these habitats,
including beavers, otters, bats and owls, are crepuscular, visiting at dawn
or, better still, dusk can increase your chances. Look for trails in the grass
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2 PICK THE RIGHT SEASON TO VISIT GRASSLANDS
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search the distance, depending on the season. In spring and summer, keep
your eyes peeled for insects and other small animals, having a camera (or
phone) to hand as a way of getting images for later identification. Winter and
early spring, in contrast, would be a good time to take out your binoculars
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less vegetation to provide cover — twitching ears can give both away.

3 LOOK OUT FOR SPECIFIC SPECIES IN WETLANDS
Wetlands are best visited in the late autumn, winter and early spring,
when they provide sanctuary to ducks, geese and waders that have fled
colder, northern climates. Find a hide where you can sit and watch over
a lake or marshy area. Your challenge here is sorting through the sheer
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be hard to miss, but for more of a challenge, look for birds such as snipe or
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INBOX GET IN TOUCH

DID YOU LOVE ONE OF The Venice Simplon-Orient-
OUR FEATURES? HAS Express making its way through
A STORY INSPIRED AN
ADVENTURE? LET US the Brenner Pass, Austria
KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
OF THE MAGAZINE AND Going green
THE STAR LET TER WILL
WIN THE INCREDIBLE I like the way National Geographic Traveller
PRIZE BELOW. (UK) puts plenty of green and sustainable
content in the magazine without it feeling too
Get in touch overwhelming. It was interesting to read the
review of Richard Hammond’s new book The
[email protected] Green Traveller (Smart Traveller, June 2022).
Some very simple and authentic sustainable
Have a query about STAR LETTER tips every traveller can try are to eat local, shop
subscriptions? local and travel local. Every penny you spend
Train of thought with local people can make a real difference to
Get in touch at them and their families. DAV I D SA R K A R
natgeotraveller@ I was delighted to add more spectacular
subscription.co.uk European railway journeys to my must-do list Distant memories
or call 01858 438787 after reading your ‘Rail Renaissance’ feature
(Smart Traveller, June 2022). It brought back Jamie Lafferty’s feature on Chile’s Lake
WIN memories of regularly catching the sleeper District (Jul/Aug 2022) brought back my own
train between Paddington and Penzance memories of the region. My visit was to the
A camping during my 10 years of living in London, and area south of Pucón, taking in the Huilo-Huilo
bundle also a memorable trip between Bergen and Biological Reserve. The waterfalls along the
from Vango Oslo. As comfortable as the cabin was, seeing Fuy River are spectacular while the perfect
worth £165! a full moon reflected off Norway’s crystal- reflections of Mocho-Choshuenco volcano
clear, super-still lakes was incomparable in Panguipulli Lake are a photographer’s
Set off on an adventure and made going to sleep very unappealing. dream. An excellent base is the waterfront
with this duo from outdoor city of Valdivia, where sea lions attend the fish
specialists Vango. The BECKY COLLEY market alongside the local traders. Thank you
dome-style Tay 300 tent for featuring a beautiful area of a remarkable
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PHOTOGRAPHY

COLOMBIA

HOW I GOT THE SHOT

PHOTOGRAPHER KAROLINA WIERCIGROCH’S SHOOT FOR THE
SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE EXPLORED COLOMBIA’S COFFEE INDUSTRY IN
THE VERDANT ZONA CAFETER A . SHE TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES

Tell us about this image. While in Salamina, a
town in the north of the coffee region, I went to
Cafe El Polo for my morning caffeine fix before
a busy day of shooting. The man drinking
coffee against the deep emerald wall looked so
picturesque that I asked if I could photograph
him. He was happy to pose and I was so excited
that I forgot to ask for his name! He told me that
this cafe was a regular hangout spot for him and
his friends.

How did you achieve the shot? I shot this
portrait using my mirrorless Fujifilm X-T3 and
a Fujinon XF 35mm F/1.4. This is definitely my
favourite lens and my go-to set for a quick
stroll around town, when I can leave the rest of
my kit at the hotel. I usually travel with a spare
camera body, a Profoto A1 speedlight with some
accessories and a couple of lenses — Fujinon XF
16mm F/2.8 and a Fujinon 16-80mm F/4, though
I usually end up using the 35mm for almost
everything: portraits, food, landscapes.
I love how lightweight and inconspicuous the
camera is. It allows me to blend in; I prefer not
to intimidate people with a massive lens.

What were the challenges at play? The cafe
was a little dark, so I raised my ISO to 800 and
took a quick sequence of around 10 to 15 shots,
with the gentleman looking into the camera first,
then taking a sip of his coffee. I’m really happy
the shot turned out to be so atmospheric, with
some light coming in from the open door to the
left and all the small details building the mood:
the texture of the suede hat, the floral pattern on
the porcelain cup, the stripes of the shirt catching
the play of light and shade. Hopefully the viewer
feels invited to join in for a morning brew.

What advice would you give someone starting
out in travel photography? Start by finding
stories that interest you and try to tell them
through photos. With today’s image banks
full of photos from virtually every place on the
planet, what sets you apart is your photography
style and the unique way you view the world.

View the full shoot and interview online at
nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel

karolina-wiercigroch.com
@karolina_wiercigroch

I PITCH YOUR PICTURES TO US AT PHOTOGR APHY@NATGEOTR AVELLER .CO.UK

170 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

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