wild places | wild happenings | wild news
make a difference for our wild places

home | links | search the site
  all articles latest | past | articles by topics | search wildnews
wild news on wildsingapore
  Business Times 21 Jul 07
Responsible tourism
You can help protect the environment and alleviate poverty by planning your itinerary accordingly, reports Judy Chapman

ECOTOURISM. Voluntourism. Geotourism. According to certain travel experts, one of the best ways to alleviate poverty and help save our environment is to travel.

The 'in' thing now is 'responsible tourism', where you give back to the environment while on vacation.

Want to help save the turtles while cruising the warm waters in Fiji, or serve food to less fortunate children while on a yoga retreat in India? Then pick a holiday that includes reforestation and rebuilding schools in your itinerary.

In a recent survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association (TIA), one in four people they interviewed was interested in volunteer or service-based vacations and over 50 per cent were interested in 'enrichment travel' where they learned something while on holiday.

'i-to-i' (www.i-to-i.com), one of the world's leading volunteer travel organisations, sends about 8,000 volunteers a year to over 500 projects in 35 countries. A two-month internship with Working Abroad (www.workingabroad.com) in the Caribbean includes landscaping and monitoring the sea turtles, and Habitat for Humanity (www.habitat.org) sends teams to rebuild shelters around the world.

Ecotourism is another fast-growing trend. It is described by the International Ecotourism Society as 'responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of the local people', and is reportedly growing at an annual rate of over 5 per cent. This is where guests can help with water recycling, re-forestation, permaculture and sustainable agriculture and building.

Perfect timing too, as predictions are that by 2020, over 1.5 billion of us will be globe-trotting the earth.

What's new is that guests are now getting involved. Both Turtle Island in Fiji and Fregate Island in the Seychelles have programmes where you can help in reforestation and saving the turtles.

Book yoga retreats via Bali Spirit (www.balispirit.com), a one-stop-shop yoga retreat company, and know that a percentage of profits go to supporting Bumi Sehat Bali, a health clinic dedicated to helping low-income women though Bali and those in Aceh affected by the tsunami.

Geotourism is another term that is considered the next trend beyond eco-tourism. It's about 'knowing what the locals know'. The founder of Lonely Planet, Tony Wheeler, who recently published Code Green, a book that tracks 100 of the world's best responsible travel experiences, explains that it is all about treading lightly on the environment, immersing oneself in the culture and having a positive economic benefit on the local community.

'Most important are the places where sustainable and tourism are inseparable,' says Mr Wheeler. 'In many cases, from African wildlife to whales, it's tourism that is the ultimate guarantor of a species' survival. Surprisingly many of these can be luxurious.'

If you're thinking of just such a retreat, here are a few to choose from:

ULPOTHA, SRI LANKA

ULPOTHA has long been a hip destination for dedicated Singaporean and British yogis. Accommodation is in mud-brick homes in the jungle without electricity or hot running water. Shower underneath a waterfall and at night read under oil lamps. Restoration is at the heart of Ulpotha. Part owner Giles Scott, a former UK property developer, first travelled here to 'rediscover his soul' and hasn't looked back. Together with his two partners, his mission is to transform local villages through bio- diverse organic agriculture. Originally, Ulpotha was a by-donation destination. Now, income generated from stayers is used to grow a flourishing community. Just some of the projects that guests can get involved with include helping out in a free Ayurvedic clinic. Twice a week you can dispense traditional medicines to up to 100 villagers. It's not all rustic-chic, however. Ulpotha is home to a beautiful yoga space and hosts expert yoga teachers, and there is a choice of delicious Ayurvedic treatments and steam baths for those who like a bit of luxury. Getting there: A three-hour bumpy ride from the airport, dirt, mud and all is the beginning of your rustic-chic vacation. Cost: Prices start at around £pounds;650 (S$2,025) per week. www.ulpotha.com

SHREYAS, BANGALORE

INDIA'S newest chic yoga retreat destination offers something for the conscious traveller. Here, you are encouraged to get back to earth in-between your four hours of daily yoga and wellness therapies. Cook and serve food to the local kids or help out in the organic garden. Not for party- goers. Stay in elegant rooms or tents (TV-free, alcohol-free and smoke-free) on the 25- acre retreat with solar heating, rainwater harvesting, organic food and medicinal herb plantations. Shreyas' corporate social responsibility initiatives include education about permaculture. As well as all year-round yoga retreats it offers meditation and chanting, wellness consultations, organic meals, herbal remedies, philosophy sessions and rejuvenating massages. All meals are vegetarian and the on-site organic garden ensures fresh daily juices. This boutique retreat hosts up to 25 guests an one time. Getting there: An hour's drive from Bangalore makes this an accessible retreat destination. Cost: Seven day/six night yoga retreats start at US$2,200. www.shreyasretreat.com

SONEVA FUSHI, MALDIVES

IDEAL if you want to combine super luxury with ecology. Six Senses' resort is impressive both in design aesthetics as well as its eco-tourism offerings. The Zero Carbon Emissions objective means that most materials used at the resort are sustainable, food is increasingly all organic, they have installed energy-saving light bulbs in your Robinson Crusoe-style villa, and use natural ventilation as much as possible. Water is recycled, and chemical consumption reduced. What makes it extra special is their ecological commitment in the spa too, so be pampered with pure ingredients, many freshly harvested and regionally grown. Newly launched is their L.I.F.E. activity at various resorts where guests can also get involved with local communities. Getting there: Fly to Male and then a half-our seaplane to the island. On arrival your shoes are kidnapped as it is barefoot luxury from here on. Cost: Prices on application. www.sixsenses.com

NIHIWATU, SUMBA ISLAND (INDONESIA)

EVER since the opening in 2001, guests have donated over US$1.6 million to local projects, including clean water for up to 5,000 villages on the secluded island. Its location on one of Indonesia's most secluded coves and nicest surf-breaks makes this a remote destination. Owners are Claude and Petra Grave, who lived here for two years in a grass-roofed bamboo hut before creating their bungalow resort. Today, though, you sleep in one of seven luxe bungalows or villas. The mission here is to give more than you take, which is why The Sumba Foundation has been set up to implement community development work and help alleviate the extreme poverty in nearby villages. Just some of the great things that guests have done here in the past include painting a mural in a nearby primary school, eye testing and distribution of eye-glasses and mosquito nets. Guests who are qualified health practitioners, including dentists and doctors, are invited to help out too. But if it's self-indulgence you need, then head for the jungle spa for wellness and beauty treatments, or take a two-day massage course at the on-site massage school. Getting there: Nihiwatu is one of Indonesia's most remote retreats. Take a flight from Bali and then take a 90-minute drive - the entire journey takes around five hours. Cost: Prices start at US$390 per couple per night. www.nihiwatu.com

SHINTA MANI, CAMBODIA

FOR those who want to stay in stylish surrounds while helping others, then there's a whole lot you can do at this boutique hotel in Siem Reap located less than 10km from Angkor Wat. Stay in impressive rooms and treat yourself to some rather nice spa treatments while you are of service. For US$1200 you can build a brick house to shelter an entire family, or donate US$46 for a much needed bike for a child to get to school. For as little as US$15 you can provide a uniform and school supplies for children. As well, their 'Institute of Hospitality' supports and trains young locals in culinary and other skills for the hotel industry. For self-indulgence, however, head to the spa where a host of east and western treatments await. Getting there: Nicely located in the French Quarter. Cost: Standard rooms start at US$66 per night with $10 extra for breakfast. www.shintamani.com
links
Related articles on Singapore: general environmental issues
about the site | email ria
  News articles are reproduced for non-profit educational purposes.
 

website©ria tan 2003 www.wildsingapore.com