After playing tiger hide and seek at Ranthambore, our next stop was Jaipur. Known as the “Pink City”, it’s the capital and largest city in the state of Rajasthan. The city was founded by royalty (Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh) in the 18th century, with the royal family still living there today.
The day started by taking a photo of the iconic facade of the Hama Mahal (Palace of the Winds) and from looking at it, it is clear why Jaipur got its nickname as the Pink City. Sprinting across traffic to take some snaps, we also managed to spot (much to our delight) a couple of snake charmers across the road from the Palace the first time we’d seen any on our trip.
We then sped over to Amber Fort for our elephant ride to get there. We rushed over there to avoid the queues, however, while the line seemed quite long we did get to the front fairly quickly. There are about 120 elephants that make the trek each morning to bring tourists to the top of the hill these elephants need to make five trips up and down in the morning and then their day’s work is done, so if you get there in the afternoon you will miss out on the elephant ride (as a result, our queue was packed with foreign tourists – Indians tend to drive/walk up the slope instead).
While waiting, we were confronted with at least a dozen hawkers who were peddling everything from camera memory cards and snake charmer-style hats to wooden statues of Ganesha and t-shirts printed with Indian tourist attractions.
If you’re absolutely not interested in buying don’t entertain these guys as they will pester you incessantly, but if you’re thinking of making a purchase you can bargain hard for a better deal.
Finally making it to the front of the line, we clambered onto our elephant, up the slope towards the Fort. It’s definitely a fun (if not rocky) experience and takes about 10-15 minutes in total.
Once we disembarked there was a sign that clearly said in big letters “no tipping”, however, our elephant driver actually hung around at the top looking for us until we passed him up a tip, despite the fact that Amber Fort churns through as many elephant rides in the morning as possible. As soon as we passed him the tip though, he couldn’t leave fast enough!
The Fort itself was breathtakingly beautiful. From just behind the entrance, the ladies of the harem could see out from inside, however, people standing outside couldn’t see them. One of the Mughal emperors who lived in Amber Fort had 12 wives and a harem of 364 women – when he arrived back at the Fort from a trip, there was a gap through the screens where his ladies could throw rose petals at him.
Inside, the Fort had lots of intricate designs on the walls and ceilings, including colored carvings inlaid with semi-precious stones such as rubies and emeralds (just like the Taj Mahal), as well as paintings of camels, tigers and scenes from the Kama Sutra.
There was also a winter and summer palace that faced each other with gorgeous gardens in between and a stream in between to keep people cool on steamy summer days. Other amazing features were the Turkish baths, a serenely white Hindu temple, as well as the Hall of Mirrors, which is exactly what it sounds like – hundreds of mirrors on the ceiling and walls that had silver frames around them.
After leaving the Fort and taking some photos of the Palace on the Lake, we headed over to Jantar Mantar – basically a big outdoor astronomy center, which houses over half a dozen devices that were built in the last several centuries to measure time, celestial bodies like the sun, as well as Zodiac signs.
The main attractions were two massive contraptions – one sundial which could tell time accurately to within twenty seconds, as well as a bigger version that was precise to two seconds. Standing under the hot midday sun, we cooled off afterward by buying milky Indian ice cream (kulfi)from a street vendor just outside Jantar Mantar.
Next was the City Palace and Museum, which gave us a glimpse into the history and lives of the Maharajas over the centuries. Here you could see the Maharaja and Rani’s (his wife’s) outfits, check out the hall where the royal family met with foreign dignitaries, as well as spot the two largest silver objects in the world (they’re in the Guinness Book of Records).
These are two large silver urns that weigh 364 kilograms, in which one Maharaja used to fill with water from the Ganges River when he was traveling, to ensure that he could bathe and drink this holy water even while he was away.
The royal family lives just behind the Museum – the current Maharaja is 70 years old and has three grandchildren, with his daughter’s eldest son next in line for the throne. Two flags upon their home indicate that the family is at home, while one means that they are out.
No photography is allowed inside the royal family’s house, however, if you are interested in looking inside the Palace, no photography is allowed and it costs Indian Rupee 2,500 to try and arrange a visit.
Our final stop on the tour was a handicraft/textile store to see how materials are dyed. Jaipur is well known for its thriving textile industry, and it was amazing to see a demonstration of how the process worked.
A man showed us a plain white cotton cloth and had four stamps which he stamped one after the other in different colors, to create a picture of a bejeweled Indian elephant. As soon as this was done the cloth was submerged in water – and magically, the colors didn’t wash out at all.
Driving through Old Jaipur again afterward, we passed dozens of stores selling fruit/vegetables and piles of textiles, as well as, of course (it wasn’t so strange anymore to see this), numerous cows and camels hanging around and strolling through the streets.
Starving, we decided to have lunch at Mcdonalds. Yes, you read right – while I don’t really eat it back home, we were curious to see what would be on the menu given that cows would not be an option. The substitute for the Big Mac was the Chicken Maharaja burger – it had two slices of chicken patty with lettuce, tomato, and cheese, as well as a spicy, yummy sauce.
Walking back to our hotel, the walk was a mere 15 minutes long but traffic was so noisy and chaotic that you wouldn’t want to walk around for more than 30, as it’s quite deafening.
Stay tuned for our next (and final) post on Jaipur at night – including the heart-stopping taxi ride the evening before, doing business in India and partying it up with the best of Indian culture – think banquet feasts, Bollywood-style dancing, elephant rides, and henna!
After enjoying the beauty of Agra, the next stop for us was Ranthambore, where we would be spending the next two days on the hunt for the elusive Indian tiger on several safaris.
We decided to splurge on our accommodation for the next couple of nights was one of the best on our trip – Vivanta by Taj, a five-star villa. Our room was massive – a king-sized bed with a safari tapestry hanging on the wall above, tiger-striped cushions and a huge marble bathroom that included a spa. It was so big that we had two air-conditioning units as well – definitely nice and plush!
In keeping with the safari theme, the hotel had a couple of stuffed wildcats – a tiger hung above the pool room while a leopard was encased in glass next to the reception area.
That evening, we were treated to a dinner fit for any Maharaja – an outdoor buffet dinner with lots of Indian dishes including daal and curries. Fresh naan bread was being made by two ladies clad in colorful saris, while dessert was the round, syrupy sweet gulab jamun and vanilla ice cream. To add to the ambiance, we had a family playing music, singing, and dancing, while clear bowls filled with rose petals floating in water and candles topped everything off.
The next morning, we woke up before dawn (yep, even before the crack of dawn was up), to get on our 6.30 am safari. We were on a canter for all three safaris over the next two days – basically they look like big buses with the roofs cut off. It was freezing though – the dew overnight meant that the seats were wet on the canter, but luckily we were provided with blankets to sit on and wrap around ourselves as the chilly wind whizzed past us.
After picking up a few more tourists, we were on our way to Ranthambore National Park. One of the biggest and most popular national parks in northern India, the chief attraction is the tiger, which is now endangered thanks to the site being a former hunting ground for the British and the Maharaja.
The park is crammed with other amazing flora and fauna that would enthrall any nature lover though – you can see massive trees (palm, gum and the second-largest banyan tree in India), marsh reeds, flat plains, and rising cliffs. There are also scores of birds (kingfishers, vultures, buzzards, snake birds/Indian darters, peacocks, and partridges), two types of deer (spotted and sambar), cheeky monkeys, and crocodiles (we saw one swimming in Padam Lake, one of the three lakes in the Park).
We didn’t have to wait long to see wildlife in action either – as soon as we drove in we saw an eagle swoop down at lightning speed to poach a rodent. David Attenborough would have a field day doing commentary in this place!
The terrain was incredibly bumpy to navigate around – we marveled at the skills of our driver, who seemed unfazed in backing up and down the essentially one-way road (heaven forbid what would happen should we cross paths with another canter – I think it would be a bit of a standoff to see who would back down first!).
We had our third and final safari at dawn the next morning. On this trip, we were the closest to spotting a tiger – it had rained in the morning so we spotted fresh tracks on the road, apparently trailing a bird.
Unfortunately, we didn’t see it in action, but over the three safaris highlights included gazing at a crossing of over 20 spotted stag and deer, watching a family of monkeys casually munching on berries in a tree (and getting up to some naughty monkey business), as well as several huge birds perched atop branches, pondering their next move.
Our tip for anyone interested in going for an Indian safari? If you can, try and score seats in the jeeps instead – they are smaller, less noisy and can drive further into the dense terrain – so you do increase your chances of seeing tigers and other animals that typically wouldn’t make their way down to the tracks.
With all the noise our canter was omitting, I wouldn’t have been surprised if we had scared the tigers away. If you don’t manage to hitch a ride in a jeep and opt for the canter, definitely aim to get seats right up the front looking out the windscreen.
“Bye-bye Delhi, welcome Agra!” These were the words our driver, Belwant said as we drove out of New Delhi and crossed into the state of Haryana en route to Agra.
But before we said goodbye to the capital we had a couple of final tourist stops – first was Red Fort, which we couldn’t visit the day before as it is closed on Mondays. Commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1639, the fort took nine years to build and served as the capital of the Mughals until 1857, when the last emperor was dethroned and exiled by the British Government. Today the UNESCO World Heritage site is a popular tourist attraction to check out the sprawling buildings and incredible mix of marble, sandstone and precious laid stones that make up the fort.
Despite it being only 8.30 am, it was already incredibly smoggy around the fort, but fortunately, barely any tourists were in sight. Paying the foreigner’s entrance fee of 250 rupees (compared to an Indian’s 10 rupees), we entered via Lahore Gate (so-called because it faces the Pakistani city) and walked past scores of shops, which were all closed as we were there quite early.
Strolling past, we saw glimpses of Mughal architecture in its former glory – the royal bath, a pearl-colored mosque inlaid with semi-precious stones including emeralds and rubies, as well as a number of intricate royal apartments with eagle-eye views of the gardens below.
While we were walking, we managed to catch the attention of a couple of Indian men, who were less interested in looking at the fort and more keen on following us around. As we kept walking inside the complex, we walked past about six more men sitting around and chatting, who then decided to join the pair of other men in stalking us by a safe distance.
Fortunately, Mike and I managed to shake them off when I went to the bathroom (they couldn’t be bothered waiting around for me to come out) – not sure what their motives were but I was happy not to find out.
Last stop in Delhi was Mahatma Gandhi’s tomb, which we had missed out on seeing the day before thanks to US President Obama and his entourage checking it out. Taking our shoes off, Gandhi’s tomb was in the center of a simple garden. The black marble tomb was completely covered by floral garlands except for the one inscription “He Ram” in Hindi – meaning “Oh God”, his final words before he died.
From here started the five-and-a-half-hour drive to Agra, which crossed two state borders – Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. While we were surprised not to see many cows wandering the streets in Delhi, once we arrived in Haryana it was cow central everywhere – cars also swerved past dozens of goats, monkeys, water buffaloes, and even camels! The yellow/green painted tuk-tuks in Delhi evolved to tuk-tuks teeming with a minimum of 12 people (at least nine crammed inside, with a few hanging on behind), and we also drove past buses packed to the brim with passengers riding on the roof and bustling markets peddling everything from fruit and vegetables, clothes and everything else in between. The abject poverty here was more apparent than in Delhi – we noted little mud huts not much bigger than dog kennels to house families, women tilling the fields under the scorching midday sun in their bright-colored saris, and children using all the strength in their arms to pump wells for drinking and bathing water.
First stop in Agra was Akbar’s tomb, where we were met by our local guide. Known as Akbar the Great, this Mughal emperor not only respected all religions, he influenced much of the art and culture across the country. Dozens of deer loiter in the gardens inside, while the building at the entrance coincidentally looks like there’s a massive letter “A” in the middle.
Other interesting features of the building that houses Akbar’s tomb include the white domes that surround it – if you and someone else stand on diametrically opposing corners and face the wall, you can actually have a conversation as the sound travels up the slopes of the dome (the dark stains on the white marble are evidence that thousands of people have tried). If you stand in the center of the dome, you will find that any sound you make is magnified as again, the sound travels up the structure.
Our next destination was Agra Fort, on the banks of the Yamuna River. The most important fort in India, the fort housed many great Mughal emperors and is a maze of red sandstone buildings, with some that have clear views across the river of the Taj Mahal.
Sadly, Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal for his wife), was forced to live out the last eight years of his life under house arrest in one of the rooms by his son, never being allowed to enter the Taj again but simply look across the river at his grand creation.
Deciding to skip a visit to the Taj Mahal until early the next morning (the optimal time to see it), we retreated to our hotel, the Clark Shiraz. Very fancy and we had a room facing the Taj (unfortunately it was either too dark or to hazy to get a good view), but our food choice that night wasn’t great – I was starving and my chicken was under-cooked, which put Mike and I off our appetites!
The next morning we were in the lobby around 6.30 am to make our way to the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful and romantic buildings in the world. A thick blanket of haze was around that morning, which made me think that we weren’t going to get a good view, but surprisingly by the time we walked in we were greeted by a gorgeous day as the haze cleared up and made way for the sun to shine through.
The marble changes color as the day progresses – it almost looked glittery gold at sunrise. Completely symmetrical and apparently earthquake-proof, the Taj is also flanked by two identical sandstone temples from which shimmer semi-precious stones.
The Taj looks all white from far away but when you come closer you see that it has these stones inlaid in them as well – including emeralds, rubies, malachites, and carnelians (which glow under a flashlight).
The way of doing the inlay work is a traditional still practiced today – and after our visit to Agra, we visited a store that not only showed people filing the stones to precisely fit the marble but also shelves filled with bowls, plates, tables, elephants and other marble works.
Our final stop in Agra – Fatehpur Sikri, created by Akbar the Great. Again, evidence of his respect for all religions was clear in the architecture, which had a mix of Christian, Hindu, and Islamic features. Akbar had a harem of 800 women living here at one point – although now the surroundings are pretty much a ghost town.
The craziest thing we saw there though? A guy who sought money from tourists by jumping regularly into a pool of lime green, moldy water. He definitely deserved a tip!
Bye by Agra – welcome Ranthambore!
After what seemed like an eternity of flights from Sandakan to Kuala Lumpur and from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi, we stumbled out of the sterile New Delhi airport that welcomed thousands of visitors arriving for last month’s Commonwealth Games to be greeted by the contrasting smog, humidity and queues of distinctive black, green and yellow painted Ambassador taxis anticipating their next load of customers.
We were met by a representative of Adventure World, the company that we had booked our tours with for our stay in India. They then drove us to our hotel and we were as excited as a dog with a bone watching the scenes of Delhi unravel as we passed by – everything from tuk-tuks crammed with a dozen passengers or so on their way home, people jostling for their share of the road as they rode their bikes alongside the freeway (minus any helmet, reflectors or any safety gear of course) and men having impromptu meetings on the highway median strip as the traffic whizzed by within an inch from where they stood.
Arriving at Bajaj Guest House, our accommodation for the next two nights, we were welcomed with presents of silk scarves, (fake) single roses, and red bindi on our foreheads. Definitely recommend staying here if you’re on the hunt for a guest house – the staff were warm and our room was massive – particularly the floor-to-ceiling marble bathroom with a walk-in shower.
While a sign on the back of our door said that tipping wasn’t compulsory, we soon learned that pretty much everyone who provides a service for you – whether that be the bellboy in your hotel, the man who minds your slippers as you slide them off to go into a place of worship, or the sari-clad lady passing you squares of toilet paper outside the public restrooms expects it.
If you are visiting India and want a comfortable stay, check out Treebo hotels in Delhi as they are well-rated for their hospitality.
The hospitality continued the next morning with our breakfast of plain omelet, Indian-style spring rolls (crepes stuffed with various vegetables and spices), and vegetable macaroni (again, sauteed in more spices), before we headed downstairs to be met by our tour guide, Jhyoti and our driver for the start of our tour, which started at Jami Masjid, situated in Old Delhi and one of the largest mosques in India. Not only do you need to take your shoes off to enter the mosque, if your arms or legs are exposed at all you are provided with a long robe to wrap around you.
Built in 1656 by over 5,000 men, the massive 300-foot courtyard accommodates up to 25,000 devoted Muslims for prayer. Amidst the courtyard lies a large pool of water for washing, while two minarets frame the great central arch. We decide to test our legs and scale the dark, narrow, and dizzying stairs of the southern minaret that leads to some spectacular views of the city.
Perched at the top were five men from the state of Uttar Pradesh who enthusiastically accommodated us to seats in the already cramped minaret, raved about their love for cricket (the sport) and practically jumped for joy when we suggested taking a photo of them.
Saying goodbye to our newfound friends, the next stop was a rickshaw ride that snaked through the tapering streets of Old Delhi. Here, we uncovered tiny standing-room-only stores selling leis from the Diwali festivities that finished two days before, fried samosas sizzling that were being gobbled up by several men surrounding the store, as well as carts overflowing with bananas, lemons, and other fruits and vegetables.
The lanes were so narrow in parts that it was possible for the neighbors across the road from each other to shake hands, while the electrical wiring was so convoluted that any Western electrician who saw it would suffer their own convulsions. Everywhere we looked there was a story unfolding – whether it was the men reclining against their row of rickshaws, the lady wearing the beautiful yellow and red embroidered sari sweeping the street between a couple of mulling cows or even the scores of eagles flying overhead, ready to possibly pick on the remains of the ashes of those cremated down the Yamuna River.
Yet among the colors and craziness, poverty was more than apparent – including passing a neighborhood stockpiled with every car part you can imagine – and where you went to buy back your stolen parts from the night before!
Next stop was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal, the lesser-known Humayun’s Tomb, built in the 16th century. Known as the “red Taj Mahal”, it is made out of 34 shades of white marble and was commissioned by his wife, who was scandalously in love with her jeweler. Wanting to make a tomb for her lover as well but not wanting to draw attention to her affair, she constructed many other tombs across the sprawling complex. Wanting to be buried in a separate tomb upon her death, this wish was not granted by the people, who wound up placing her by her husband’s side.
On route to Qutb Minar (also spelled Qutab or Qutub), we were stuck in a massive traffic jam thanks to US President Obama being in town. As traffic ground to a halt, bikes, and motorbikes were unperturbed, deciding to use the sidewalk to whiz past us.
Finally arriving at our destination, we discover that due to not having enough money to create his own place of worship, the Muslim ruler decided to hijack the site of an old Hindu temple to convert it to an Islamic one. Besides checking out an interesting and intricate example of Indo-Islamic architecture, the site features one of the great metal mysteries of all time – an iron pillar from around the fourth century BC that apparently nobody had the technical know-how to build until 22 centuries later.
According to legend, anyone who can put their arms around this solid, 24-foot pillar will have his or her wish granted (although there’s now a fence around it to stop you from trying). Amazingly, the pillar has never rusted – adding to the enigma behind it.
I manage to catch the eye of a gaggle of schoolboys while Mike and I take a photo together – seconds later, we’re surrounded by a dozen wanting to take photos with me! I wonder who I was mistaken for. Pushing past my admirers (cough), I later see a sign for “Paras Chemist” and learn that my surname in Hindi is the most sacred stone atop a snake’s head. There’s also “Paras Milk” (the first “bactofied” milk in India) and “Paras International Hotel” in Delhi. Indeed!
Last stop was Rashtrapati Bhavan – the President of India’s official residence where you can only take photos through the gates. In typical Indian style, while India’s parliament neighborhood is immaculate, the gardens are not complete with elephant-shaped bonsai and of course, a couple of resident monkeys running through.
Culture-crammed, we wind our day with a delicious Indian meal of roti, naan, chicken tikka and keema curry, washed down with mango juice. Too stuffed for a full-blown dinner, we skip dinner and hunt down a sweet store, Bikanervala, which hits the spot with crumbly and milky squares of heaven. We recommend the kalakand – yum!
An island with pristine waters, so crystal clear that you can’t tell where the sky stops and the ocean begins. A marine protected area, with schools of fish, harmless reef sharks, rays, and clusters of coral visible from the shore. Spending the entire day relaxing outside your wooden chalet, either on a hammock, deck chair or on a towel atop the soft, souffle-like white sand.
Sound like paradise? It is – and Mike and I spent three glorious days swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving or simply strolling around the jewel-like tiny island of Lankayan, a couple of hours’ boat ride away from Sandakan, on mainland Malaysian Borneo.
Declared to be part of an immense Marine Protected Area, Lankayan Island is situated within the Sea Turtle Corridor which means that it is a perfect spot to watch turtles nesting or see new hatchlings of baby turtles sent out to the ocean.
We arrived in the morning to be greeted by the staff who work on the island. After gaping at our beautiful surroundings as we ambled down the jetty, we walked into the dining area where we were told that there are three main activities on the island – snorkeling/scuba diving, kayaking, and checking out the turtles.
With the turtles, it is really a case of good luck and timing – if you are keen to see either nesting or hatchlings, you can put a placard on your front door so that they can call you that night. Unfortunately, we didn’t see this, but you can check out where the eggs are in a couple of little pens, as well as see more about these creatures in a little conservation museum on the island.
The island is so minuscule that it takes just 30 minutes to walk around the whole perimeter. All meals are provided for – breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. The food was absolutely delicious – buffet, all-you-can-eat dishes that are a mix of Malay and Western cuisine.
One day you could be munching on lyonnaise potatoes, roast lamb, and stir-fried spicy prawns, the next day could be a mix of pizza, potato fries, and sauteed squid. All this could be washed down with wine, beer and topped off with slices of fresh tropical fruits including pineapple, papaya, and red or yellow watermelon.
Our first day was spent exploring and relaxing around the island and in our chalet – there are apparently 24 chalets (although we were given the ‘secret’ number 25). The chalets were huge inside – made out of wood, each had high ceilings and a comfortable bed (or beds) with a mosquito net draped above it (trust me, you’ll need more than a net though to keep the mosquitoes at bay each night – wearing repellent and spraying your surroundings are a must).
With Mike losing his sunglasses in Sandakan and the sun’s rays blinding us, I managed to borrow a pair from a staff’s husband (interestingly, all staff except the diving crew are Filipino, leading to me dusting off my Tagalog skills).
Lankayan is fast becoming a popular destination for diving, with wrecks and amazing sea life just minutes away from the shore. I went on a couple of dives and managed to see a massive leopard shark lying on the ocean floor, a jewfish poking its head out of its hiding spot, a couple of rays wandering around, as well as scores of different types and sizes of coral.
You can hire all the diving and snorkeling gear on the island – each dive amounts to US$30 including all gear hire (snorkel, wetsuit, flippers, regulator, air).
While we woke up to an overcast day on Day 2, the sun was quick to poke out by mid-morning, allowing us to have yet another lazy day swimming, sunbathing, and being fed to our heart’s content. Too hot? Walk a meter and have a dip in the ocean. Too cold? Go back to your deck chair and warm yourself up under the sun.
The schools of fish were amazing – they swam right at the water’s edge, where we had box seat views to these being attacked by either bigger schools of fish, whale sharks or capitalizing birds. The fish jumped right out of the water when this happen, with many flip-flopping on the sand until they were captured again by the next wave.
Our last day was spent snorkeling – unfortunately, I hadn’t sealed my waterproof casing for my camera properly and it was completed damaged once I got into the ocean. Secondly, I totally underestimated the depth of the water – not wearing flippers and kicking a bit too wildly, I wind up puncturing my left foot with some coral.
You know it’s a good wound when the diving crew thinks it looks like a jellyfish attack and when you say it’s coral instead, they cringe, wince and make a “ooh…” sound! Otherwise, the experience was amazing – Mike and I spotted more reef sharks, rays, a moral eel, and of course some more breathtaking coral.
If you’re up for some rest and relaxation in an exclusive tropical paradise, this is certainly it!
For most of us travel is a great way to see the world, grow as a person, and experience new customs, people, food, and drink.
Travel is also good because it helps provide local people with jobs, contributes economically to help the local community improve its standard of living, and increased revenue and investment can be spent to improve infrastructure, roads, schools, maintain environmental and historical areas, etc. In addition, local communities can feel pride in sharing their culture with us, while we break down language barriers and learn from each other.
However, while tourism can provide many benefits, problems can occur when too many tourists visit a destination, and the local community and the environment struggle to cope with the number of visitors.
Often it is the natural beauty of a place that makes it a tourist attraction, but sometimes the local community and the environment suffer at the expense of increased tourism; without proper planning, places get polluted, with deforestation, erosion, and often endangerment of local wildlife and animals.
Additionally, increased tourism can put a strain on the natural resources that the local community depends on to survive; water, land, food, and energy.
Lastly, increased tourism can erode traditional values, and influence foreign customs that are in conflict with the local culture and way of life.
My first taste of irresponsible tourism was at Patong Beach, Phuket, Thailand. Over-developed, crowded, everybody selling useless crap that was made in China and they thought tourists would like instead of traditional Thai souvenirs, dirty and polluted beaches, more tourists meant more locals turning to scams and deceptive tactics to rip people off, tours where you could see chained up and drugged up elephants and tigers, and young people selling their bodies to wealthy foreign tourists at night.
What once was a laid-back local community, popular with the odd backpacker and surfer, had become a mass developed cesspit of a tourist attraction. I fear that many other pristine beaches and unspoiled destinations in Thailand (and throughout the developing world) will become the same in 10 to 20 years' time.
Over the past seven months in my day job I’ve had the pleasure of creating and coordinating a project called the ‘Green Hotels and Responsible Tourism Initiative‘. This initiative aims to help and educate travelers and hotel owners about the benefits of responsible travel. How being a responsible traveler is more rewarding, more authentic, and better for the environment and the local community.
Respected academics and sustainability experts, Dr Sonya Graci and Jacqueline Kuehnel, have created a responsible traveler guide to teach us how we can preserve the environment and beneficially contribute to the local community before we travel, while we are traveling, and when we come back so that tourist attractions can be enjoyed for years to come.
Some of my favorite parts of the guide include:
You can improve your travel experiences by researching the destination before you go, learning a few words of the language, and respecting the customs, religion, and culture of the place you’re visiting. By doing this you will learn more about the people and the destination and your travel experience will be more fulfilling.
Eat at local restaurants and try the fresh produce that is sourced locally in the area. Try the local beer. Use tour guides that have lived in the area all of their life, so they can show you the “real” destination that you won’t find in any guidebook. The money you spend will be directly invested back into the community, rather than to an offshore multinational corporation.
Buy souvenirs made of indigenous materials from a local, versus mass-produced souvenirs which are often imported from China and have a bigger carbon footprint due to shipping. Buying these souvenirs at a fair price, or a little bit extra may provide much-needed financial support for a local and their family.
At Backpacker Travel we believe that it’s important to be a responsible traveler.
I hope that you will be a responsible traveler too, so that we, and future generations, can get a chance to enjoy natural attractions and unspoiled destinations, rather than a once beautiful part of the world which is now an over-developed, exploited, a skeleton of what it used to be.
You may have heard of the “Running of the Bulls” festival in Pamplona and “La Tomatina” (tomato throwing festival) in Bunol. The last celebration to complete the holy trinity of wacky festivals in Spain is “El Colacho”, or more commonly known as the baby jumping festival.
Held in June each year in Castrillo de Murcia, a city – near Burgos in northern Spain, the festival sees a bunch of men dressed in bright yellow and red garb, jumping over babies lying on mattresses in the middle of the street. Before you wonder why child services haven’t been notified, the devil’s jump has been celebrated in the city since 1620. It has religious origins, with the aim of ridding the town of the devil and his companions.
Today, the baby jumping festival is part of the city’s Catholic Corpus Christi celebration, organized by members of the brotherhood of the Santisimo Sacramento de Minerva. These guys are busy on the big day – not only do they have to jump, run and prepare mass – they also have the privileged job of terrorizing everyone with whips throughout the day. The day starts innocently enough – the streets are lined with flags and flowers, a mass celebration is conducted as well a procession to and from the church. Members of the brotherhood then dress as either El Colacho or El Atabalero – the devil and his companion.
Now it’s ready for the leap of faith – the babies are placed on a row of mattresses that leads to the church. All infants are less than a year old, with four to seven babies per mattress. Several men then get to practice their hurdles skills. Jumping and running, the idea is that once they jump over all the babies, evil will be run out of town.
Looking at these guys leaping over babies can be fairly cringeworthy – I can’t help but wonder whether if, over the centuries, any of the leaping lucifers has inadvertently landed on an infant. I’m not sure if anyone I know would be so willing to lay their kids on the line (or mattress). This is one festival that ends with sighs (and gurgles) of relief.
