‘Let me just see the plane off, Torunn, then I’ll fetch your car, OK?’. We have just touched down at Hasvik airfield on Sørøya island, and in the arrival zone I’m perplexed to hear my name called out by a stranger. I turn around and a person – I’m assuming it’s Oddbjørn – smiles and waves. On Sørøya, Oddbjørn is the equivalent of Hertz and Avis. Together with my nephews Brage (16) and Kristian (11) and my sister Veronica, I have come to the island for the first time, with high hopes for some Big Fish Adventures. 

Sørøya is located north of Alta, west of Hammerfest in Troms & Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost county. It’s both the fourth largest island in Norway, and the biggest one to be unconnected to the mainland by road. Its intense summer green colors have given the island the name ‘The green eye in the North’, but this gem of a destination is increasingly known as ‘Storfiskens rike’ – Kingdom of the Big Fish. Surrounded by the deep Norwegian Sea and with more than 1200 freshwater lakes, this is a place full of improbable fishing stories, most of which are actually true. 

The High Road to a True Wilderness

Although we have chosen to arrive by air, Hasvik village can also be reached by car ferry or passenger ferry (LoppaXpressen) from Øksfjord – an embarkation port for Hurtigruten, located one hour and 40 minutes’ drive from Alta. The road from Hasvik (population 831) takes you through Breivikbotn (pop. 307) as far as Sørvær (pop. 239) 21 km away; by contrast, the villages on the island’s northern flank have no road connection to the south. That part of the island can be reached by passenger ferry (MåsøyXpressen) or car ferry from Hammerfest. The lack of road between north and south has prevented extensive (caravan) tourism on the island, helping to preserve the island’s authenticity, not to mention the wilderness at its core. 

Between 2017-20, the two local municipalities initiated a project with the Norwegian Trekking Association which resulted in the creation of a 100 km hiking trail from the mountain Fuglen in Sørvær to Tarhalsen in Akkarfjord (80 inhabitants and two camels). The path is marked with 15,000 red ‘T’s and 5000 ‘varder’ – stone cairns placed on high points in the terrain. The trek can be completed in 15-20 km stretches over a week, and introduces hikers to a rocky, mountainous landscape with steep slopes and rolling countryside, spectacular views, constantly changing weather conditions and temperatures in the neverending summer light. On this trip, however, we are not here to conquer the island on foot. 

Single Resource, Multiple Opportunities

In our chariot for the week, a 4WD Outlander, we drive the 1.4 km to our Sørøya home – a two-storey house by the sea featuring a pair of large terraces, direct harbour access and views reaching far across the sea to the towering peaks on the mainland. Kitted out with modern facilities and within easy walking distance to the town’s only grocery store, Rocky pub & dance bar, and the only restaurant, Håen Cafe & Bistro, we are well set up for the week! Which makes it all the easier to focus on our task for the week: to find out what kind of big fish are lurking underneath the surface of all this water surrounding us... 

We are given a warm welcome by Mona, Oddbjørn’s sister, who runs the local hotel and activity company with her 22 year old son Bilal and former husband Ahmad, who emigrated to Norway from Lebanon when he was 21. Over coffee on the porch, she shares her story and thoughts about the future for her family-run business. Mona does not want to attract huge numbers of guests and anglers to their beloved island; instead she wants to attract a smaller number of the right visitors, and on their terms. To meet the increasing interest in big fish adventures from a high-end clientele, the six units in Molokroken (where we are staying) will soon be supplemented with a new hotel building, designed by the internationally celebrated architects Snøhetta. This facility will be reconstructed from the original wood-framed fish factory on the harbour and will be retrofitted with a quayside sauna, restaurant, cafe and grocery shop.  

From the 1970s to the early 2000s, their hotel mainly catered to professionals from the commercial fishing industry. When three factories went bankrupt in 2002, the hotel lost most of its business and had to seek ‘new gold’ in order to make a living and keep its place on the island. Luckily, the proprietors soon realized that the fish was a resource that could be used in different ways to generate new business opportunities. With the help of professional recreational anglers Michal Simco and Marc von Roie, they set about rebuilding Sørøya’s image as a ‘Kingdom of the Big Fish’. Slowly but surely they succeeded in attracting anglers from all over the world. Today, the multitalented Bilal is the prime mover when it comes to developing their fishing activity business. Together with fellow anglers and marine recreational fishing (MRF) enthusiasts Daniel and Hans Kristian, Bilal has assembled valuable knowledge and insight about the best fishing spots, equipment, species, how to get big fish to bite, and methods that thrill anglers of all sorts, as well as encouraging good fish health and welfare while preventing negative impacts on fish stocks.

Marine Recreational Fishing - A brief introduction 

Norway is Europe’s biggest marine recreational fishing nation. (MRF is defined as ‘fishing for purposes other than meeting a basic nutritional need or for sale/trade’.) Why? It provides many health-promoting and wellbeing benefits, including powerful nature experiences, quality time with friends and family, and positive impact on the environment. The economic impact is also immense: MRF in Europe has been estimated to contribute around 10.5 billion euros while supporting 99,500 full-time jobs.

Because this recreational form of fishing often has limited regulation, it relies on responsible participants using best angling practices in order to minimize any negative impact on fish stocks. The rise of recreational fishing has led to greater awareness of many environmental issues around the ecology of fishing, with knock-on benefits to the local ecosystem. 

Our first Big Fish Adventure 

Daniel, our fishing guide, is well informed about all this research. He is also one of Norway’s best species-fishermen, despite his tender age of just 21. Like all of Big Fish Adventure’s guides, he is certified in coastal fishing, safety and crisis management. Dressed in Teletubby-like survival suits, we head out to sea. Our first mission: to catch pollock which will serve as bait for our main objective: the much larger halibut. 

Whereas national laws permit the landing of all halibut between 80-200 cm, the Big Fish Adventure crew releases all fish sized between 80-130 cm, and limits every guest to a maximum of two halibuts per trip. This is to secure the future halibut population and ensure Sørøya remains a world class fishing destination for future generations. Halibuts bigger than 130 cm – a common catch in these parts – are mostly female, and play an important role in species propagation. 

For those of us born and raised inland, hooking pollock so easily, while watching the breathtaking coastal scenery – the deep green island, turquoise water, coral beaches, small huts scattered across the mountainsides dropping into narrow fjords – is (almost) enough to make this trip worthwhile on its own. Daniel shares his knowledge with a contagious passion, and plays music which adds an entertaining diversion while covering the distances between fishing spots. For me personally, the whole thing is a healthy exercise in patience as we wait and wait for the big fish to bite. Hours pass, and when the halibut is finally hooked, we are in the last minutes of the sixth and final hour of our fishing adventure. 

The excitement onboard is immense and our patience is rewarded straight away. Slowly but surely, and to ecstatic cries, a 143 cm long halibut is coaxed to the surface and carefully lifted into the boat for observation, measurement and two quick trophy pictures, before being released back into the deep sea. Together with researcher Keno Ferter from the Institute of Marine Research, a lot of work has gone into finding the least harmful catch-and-release methods, and we are assured that the hole we’ve pierced through the fish’s skin near the jaw should heal within a week. High on adrenaline, we return to the shore full of experience and newly gained knowledge, inspired to explore further. 

Island Life - Therapy for Busy Minds

It’s not only in the deep sea around the island that fish can be found. More than 900 of Sørøya’s 1200 freshwater lakes are teeming with them. Many of the lakes can be accessed on spectacular hiking trails of varying lengths and levels. We spend our remaining days on leisurely hikes to lakes such as Krokvatnet and Bollevatn. On various occasions we get lost, wade across rivers, and follow forest and mountain paths with no mobile coverage. While fishing, we sit in the midst of impressive natural landscapes totally devoid of other people. Only the reindeer, frequently traversing the more remote areas, watch us like strangers in their domain. 

Sørøya is also known for its war history. Around the island are everal spectacular caves used as bolt-holes in the second world war by honorable northern Norwegians who refused to be deported by the German occupiers. One of these caverns, Kvithellhula, shaped by waves over millennia, was home to 35 refugees over 99 days in the winter of 1944-45. 

Despite the neverending daylight, slow life seems to travel fast, and we discover that one short week on the island is not enough.

Bespoke Travel 

Tailored Sørøya Island adventures can be curated for experienced anglers as well as beginners, or just anyone seeking a slow-paced escape holiday in spectacular surroundings. A week adventure (6 nights) in a harbourside Molokroken unit (6 person capacity), including two guided big fish adventures by boat, 4WD rental car at disposal, one guided island excursion with picnic, and one culinary Taste of Sørøya dinner experience, it priced from XXX USD per person based on 6 guests travelling together. 

Crossing Sørøya by Foot can be done with a private nature guide or as part of a small guided trekking group. Prices on request.

This guest blog was written by Torunn Tronsvang from UP Norway, one of our partners in Norway

A year ago, a Norwegian customer sent us an enquiry asking whether we could plan a journey for her through Reisa National Park. We had to ask her to ‘hold that thought’ for another year, so we could familiarise ourselves with this intriguing and remote part of the country – one of the few areas our team knew little about. 

On a winter trip to the area earlier this year, we were introduced to local insiders – professional activity providers – who were keen to facilitate journeys for our guests. Before I knew it, I had four travel companions booked to accompany me on a combined trekking and pack-rafting adventure, from Kautokeino to Reisa, over four days in summer.

Nordkalotten (The Arctic Trail) – Long distance hiking above the Arctic Circle

The Arctic Trail stretches over 800 km from Sulitjelma in Norway (Nordkalottruta) through Sweden (Nordkalottleden) to Kvikkjokk in Finland (Kalottireitti). Our goal for this year’s summer vacation was to venture along the route inside Reisa National Park, a virtually untouched natural landscape cut through by the Reisa, one of the world’s most bountiful salmon rivers. For me, what made this adventure especially attractive was the added cultural dimension: people of Norwegian, Sami and Kven origins have long used this National Park’s resources, and their unique folk cultures are reflected in the area.

Day 1: Biedjovággi to Reisavannet Lake (11 km / 4 hrs)

After a comfortable night at Kautokeino’s only hotel, where we were warmly greeted by our Sami friends Jon Mikkel and Odd Arne, we set off to the starting point just before Biedjovággi in the sunny morning light. The driver arrived just on (local) time – a Sami half hour late. Somewhere between Kautokeino and the starting point, we lost mobile coverage, and enjoyed the luxury of being disconnected from the world until reaching Reisa four days later. 

Slightly nervous about the notorious Finnmark mosquitos, we had stuffed our rucksacks with items of bite-resistant clothing as well as various repellents. Our fears turned out to have been exaggerated, yet the spray was effective, and the bugs graciously kept their distance. The trail followed reindeer fences and led us through marshland covered in cloudberries so that we could eat our way to our first camp, the summer house of the three-generation Sami Nilut family. 

Happiness can be felt in so many ways, and our stay with the Nilut family was no exception. Imagine a wood-fired sauna and tub in the freshwater lake, Reisavannet. Drinking a cold northern Norwegian beer on the terrace in the summer sun over attentive and humorous conversation, joiks (Sami folksong) and fortune-telling around the fire, a sumptuous meal of bidos (reindeer stew) and cloudberries, rounded off with a spot of fishing under the midnight sun. 

Day 2: Reisavannet to Nedrefoss via Imofossen waterfall (27 km / 10 hours) 

After a sumptuous breakfast with our Sami hosts, we embarked on the greatest challenge of this trip: the long hike from the mountain plateau, through birch and pine forest into the narrow Reisa valley and the narrow canyon surrounding the impressive Imo waterfall. After 23 km of hiking, I was the only one in our group motivated to make the 1 km detour to Imofossen. (Insider tip: this hike can be split in two, with a night at Arthurgamma cabin.) What makes this waterfall unique is the opportunity to gaze down at the 20 m high waterfall as it plunges over a granite cliff into a canyon and is met by a smaller tributary, Spanijohka. Together, these two waterfalls, as well as the surrounding rocky landscape and giant potholes, add up to a powerful sight.

When I reached the Nedrefoss cabin, my fellow hikers had already lit a fire in the rustic cabin managed by the Norwegian trekking association. We cooked our evening meal on the gas stove, and enjoyed a peaceful evening in the cabin, in the glow of candlelight and the unending summer light. Two of us still had enough energy to try out the adjacent river sauna and take a refreshing dip in the Reisa river, one of the clearest watercourses in Norway. It’s so clear that, from the suspension bridge leading to the cabin, you can spot the giant salmon swimming in the river below. 

Day 3: Nedrefoss to Siemma (3 km hiking, 14 km paddling) 

We were all excited by the idea of trying pack-rafting for the first time, and happy to meet up with our guide Steffen. He had brought with him fresh breakfast sandwiches and locally produced blueberry juice. After a brief introduction, we jumped into our single and double pack-rafts and set off downriver, with Steffen keeping an eye out for us from his riverboat. These craft were originally punts; these days they are motorized. 

Floating down the crystal-clear river, navigating through gentle rapids and watching the mountains rising high up on both sides of the canyon was a rewarding experience. We anchored up near the Mollisfossen waterfall – the largest and most popular attraction in Reisa. Only one other group of people (three people in total) were there at the same time as us. The falls here are 269 meters high, with a vertical drop of 140 m. We were able to walk right next to it and feel the ground shaking and the water spraying in our faces. On our return to the riverbank, Steffen had set out lunch on a white tablecloth by the fire, and served reindeer tortilla wraps with lingonberry sour cream and a local rhubarb cordial. For dessert: smoked dried reindeer and fresh cinnamon rolls accompanied by bonfire-brewed coffee from the local beanery.

Upon reaching Siemma we settled into our small wooden cabin and cranked up the heat to dry our clothes. Two of our party had capsized in the pack-rafts and ‘enjoyed’ an involuntary river dip – to gales of laughter. We spent the evening outside by the fire, playing cards, reading, chatting and indulging in the goodie bag of food, drinks and snacks Steffen had left for us. We took the rowing boat across the river to see the rock art dating back to the Bronze Age (1800 BCE). It is believed that the special rock formation where the drawings were made was perceived as a portal through which shamans could connect with the dead. 

Day 4, Siemma to Saraelv (10 km paddling), onwards to Reisastua Lodge

In the morning, Steffen appeared with Kalla, a new guide who would accompany us down the final stretch of the river. We stopped at a beach to grill sausages on the fire, and enjoyed the last day of absolutely perfect hiking and paddling weather: not too warm, not too cold, a little wind to keep the mosquitos away, sunny with a few clouds to prevent sunburn. We were picked up in a white Hummer by the owner of Reisastua Lodge and checked into suites overlooking the river. In Sami-inspired robes we found our way to the rooftop jacuzzi and toasted our trip with glasses of champagne. And then sat down to plan our next adventure... 

This guest blog was written by Torunn Tronsvang from UP Norway, one of our partners in Norway

The Planet is in the midst of a crisis and it’s now or never!

Europeans have been conscious of adverse weather conditions in parts of America, Australia and the Antarctic for decades. Being constantly inundated about the Antarctic Ice Melt, rising sea levels, California wild fires and much more, many Europeans haven’t necessarily witnessed the sheer ferocity & magnitude of accumulation of generations ill effects on our ecosystems.

Photo Credit - Matt Palmer

During the summer of 2021 you would have read about the raging fires that swept their way, most notably, through Turkey and Greece. Maybe you were personally exposed to the monsoon-type weather & flooding that besieged the British Isles. These, and countless other instances, are examples of Mother Earth literally weeping!

Photo Credit - Kelly Sikkema

With Nature at a tipping point and in emergency, we are placing all life and planetary health in jeopardy. This coming decade has to be a turning point where we collectively pull together as a community and recognise the value of nature. As a group of responsible citizens, we need to place nature & biodiversity on the pathway to recovery and transform our world to one where people, economies and nature flourish.

Travel Matters is therefore excited to announce our collaboration with the Get Nature Positive project, whose overall aim is to continue to gain knowledge & improve positive impact on the Planet. Get Nature Positive is attempting to achieve this by working alongside a selection of Organisations who put the onus on International Governments, by asking them to implement a set of goals at international level that have been constructed by The G7. From there, it is the responsibility of these Governments to enact this message into a framework (The UN’s Convention on Biological Diversity Post 2020) that will trickle down through their country’s society and change the way that the private sector and communities can help the Planet’s rejuvenation.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an inter-governmental political forum that is made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the United States. Their formation was devised in order to provide solutions to continued multilateral discourse and form political answers to global challenges. G7 leaders called for the world to become Net Zero and ‘Nature Positive’ in July 2021, releasing the following statement –

“We, the G7 Leaders, commit to the global mission to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030. We will act now, building on the G7 Metz Charter on Biodiversity and the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, championing their delivery, to help set the necessary trajectory for nature to 2030.”

The G7 & and their 2030 Nature Compact produced a set of four pillars that would assist governments to achieve these goals -

• Pillar One, Leading the Transition to sustainable and legal use of natural resources:

We will shift incentives and use all appropriate levers to address unsustainable and illegal activities negatively impacting nature.

• Pillar Two, Investing in nature and driving a nature positive economy:

We will work to dramatically increase investment in nature from all sources, and to ensure nature is accounted for, and mainstreamed, in economic and financial decision-making.

• Pillar Three, Protecting, Conserving and Restoring nature, including through ambitious global targets:

We will support and drive the protection, conservation and restoration of ecosystems critical to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, and to tackle climate change.

• Pillar Four, Prioritising Accountability and implementation of commitments for nature:

We will hold ourselves to account for taking domestic and global action for nature.

Photo Credit - Markus Spiske

What can I do to help?

Get Nature Positive have streamlined this approach and created a list of actions & challenges that can be successfully implemented into any of the following sectors:

• Buildings & Infrastructure

• Fashion

• Finance

• Food Retail

• Tourism

• Water

…just click on ‘Your Industry Sector’. Here, you will find suggestions that can help you & employees realise how to reduce single-use plastics, education about nature-friendly sunscreens, redesigning products to use recycled materials, how to incentivise your supply chain and much more. We don’t have much time left, so it’s crucial that we all adopt more sustainable practices and endorse the likes of The Council for Sustainable Business (CSB) and their Get Nature Positive initiative.

Photo Credit - Annie Spratt

Our actions are destroying nature at a rate that is faster than can replenished and we bear witness to the effects of how this is destabilising our societies. Due to an unrelenting degradation of our natural planet, we face such challenges as the loss of over half the global GDP and human lives & wellbeing…remember, the poorest and most vulnerable are always affected the worst! The climate crisis is symbiotically connected to the nature crisis and both need to be addressed simultaneously, so that there can be an evolution that sees a nature-positive, carbon-neutral future.

Your voice can be heard here! 

There is no doubt that South Africa has had a torrid time since the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, exacerbating many of their pre-existing social and economic challenges. With unprecedented job losses, the extended health crisis, political flare-ups, and food insecurity that affects up to 2,5 million people every day, the result is a battle-scarred national psyche, as they struggle to hold onto any sense of optimism and positivity.

Countering this pervasive negativity, an inspired collective of purpose-pioneers believe they have a positive contribution to make. “We had to do something to dissolve despair and make hope our emotional fuel for a brighter tomorrow. We can rebuild South Africa together if we believe it in our heads and feel it in our hearts” says entrepreneur Tom Fels, who along with several collaborators, founded the social impact initiative, Grow Hope.

Designed as a shared-value platform, Grow Hope leverages the power of creativity to improve national sentiment, by uniting artists and brand sponsors to seed city artworks with messages of hope and togetherness, showcased on large scale billboards as part of a national, synchronised outdoor media campaign.

Post use, the material from these hope-billboards are recycled into vegetable grow-bags by Growbag Upcycled, a social enterprise, and are distributed to food security NGO’s that administer community agriculture training in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg, along with financial support for their work.

It’s an approach that Fels describes as ‘brand good’, offering corporate sponsors the benefit of branded exposure on artworks created by South Africa’s hottest design talent - from street artist Keith Vlahakis, to Mandela Rhodes Foundation designer Vumile Mavumengwana and young fashion design maven Ishaarah Arnold – together with the downstream impact of providing the recycled materials and support to community NGO’s. This straddles both brand marketing and CSI – with mutual benefit for every Rand spent.

“To start an allied movement, everyone needs the motivation and incentive to participate. We’ve architected the initiative to ensure that we create win-win-win opportunities for all stakeholders, from the artists, brands and media owners to the social enterprise and NGO’s that have joined us to grow hope”.

With access to a national network of billboard sites through initiative partner Tractor Outdoor, Grow Hope is positioned to reach up to 10 million South Africans. “The potential impact of seeing colourful and inspiring artworks every day to brighten an otherwise gloomy outlook gives us all a great sense of motivation” says Fels. It is a sentiment being shared early on by corporate partners, who see the timing of this initiative as necessary. It is the contributions of these partners that activates the for-good ecosystem, putting the citizen back in corporate-citizenship. Fels is keen to build a growing network of nation-building brands to sustain and fuel the movement.

Optimistic young Grow Hope Creative Ambassador, Tennessee Barber, whose design work is included among the founding pieces, describes hope as ‘colourful and alive with possibility’. Her sentiments are echoed by fellow design contributor Jesse Yende, founder of NPO “The South Africanist” and creative activist for positive community impact.

“If we can disrupt everyday monotony with flashes of hope and unity that register a response, then we can inspire people to own their role in building a brighter future. That’s a South Africa we all want to be a part of.

Check out their website for more information www.growhope.co.za

When we think of Greece we imagine island life and blue, blue seas all around us – but did you know that Greece is the third most mountainous country in Europe? Having been to Greece several times in the past, I thought it was high time I made my way to the country’s spectacular verdant interior finishing the holiday off with a few days on a beach.

We landed at the small airport of Preveza and picked up a car for the duration of our trip. Roads throughout were excellent – a good mix of picturesque local streets, mountain tunnels and toll motorways. This wasn’t a boring monotonous drive at all!

Our first stop was the iconic Meteora – I was dying to see it for years! The word Meteora means literally 'hovering in the air'. 

What becomes quite obvious is that it is not only a man-made wonder but also that of nature – the rocks are totally unique for the area and look very different compared to other mountainous formations around them.

Without a doubt Meteora with its monasteries perched on the very top is one of the most spectacular places to visit in Greece and it is incredible to even imagine what human resources it must have taken to build them.

The area was originally settled by monks who lived in caves within the rocks during the 11th century. But as the times became more unsettled during an age of Turkish occupation, they climbed higher and higher up the rock surface until they were living on the inaccessible peaks.

They built these monasteries by bringing materials and people up with ladders and baskets. One of the monasteries we visited had carved stairs leading inside the rock with a door shutting intruders off – not dissimilar to a fortress!

The place is highly recommended for visiting, especially for pilgrims and people interested in religion - the atmosphere of each monastery is very special and peaceful. Make sure to wear respectable clothing, covering knees and shoulders. 

Our second stop was beautiful Tzoumerka national park, occupying an area of about 820 km2 and boasting mountainous complexes, the Arachthos River gorge and the springs of the Acheloos River.

The park is home to  a  lot  of  endemic  species  of  plants and rare & protected species of mammals such as the otter, deer, brown bear, the wild goat as well as about 145 species of birds. We had to stop our car a couple of times and let tortoises cross the road safely!  

The National Park also houses an enormous outdoor folklore museum of stone bridges, cultural monuments and traditional settlements – all working in unique harmony with beautiful landscapes, dramatic mountains, gorges and  caverns. 

Our main aim was to experience white water rafting down the Arachatos river gorge. What an enjoyable experience it was! You can hike along the river too but just floating down and enjoying the stunning sceneries all around us was our day activity of choice.

The river is quite tame in summer so no previous experience is needed, however if you desire more of an action-filled experience, come here in February or March when the water level is substantially higher.

Staying in the mountains was such a treat and a contrast to the coast – mornings and evenings were crisp and refreshing and we even experienced a little rain to cool us down.

This really is a unique part of Greece and I am so pleased we got to finally experience it. 

Maryna traveled to Greece in July 2021, give her a call to discuss your holiday

Header Image by Georger Tasios from Unsplash

The island of Lefkada is easily reachable from Preveza airport as it is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Lefkada means white in Greece and is known for its chalky cliffs, white pebble or sand beaches and milky blue waters.

On our trip to the island this summer we based ourselves in the Nidri area, known for its picturesque coves as well as numerous small islands dotting the sea around it. This is a sailor’s paradise and we couldn’t resist but book a boat for two days. You do not need a license for vessels of up to 30HP, the hire is affordable and the boat is easy to drive once you have been given the instructions. If booking a holiday through us, you can pre-book your boat hire though our trusted suppliers – this is particularly recommended in high season.

We spent two incredible days exploring wild beaches, swimming in the crystal-clear waters directly from the boat and sailing past privately own little islands. Scorpios in particular is quite famous around the world as it used to belong to Aristotle Onassis and this is the place where he married Jaqueline Kennedy. The island is now leased by a Russia heiress and is rumored to be turned into a luxury island resort in the coming years – the only of its kind in the Mediterranean.

One piece of advice - wear sunscreen! With a refreshing breeze and cooling sea splashing it feels deceptively comfortable making it easier to burn in the sun – we certainly paid the price!

After enjoying ourselves on Lefkada we made our way to the neighbouring island of Meganisi - so small, intimate, authentic and unspoilt. We had a car with us and crossed the sea on a local ferry operating between the two islands several times per day. The crossing is short and incredibly scenic, especially if you secure a seat on the top deck! We based ourselves in Vathy – a pretty sailing village with swanky yachts and sailing boats docked all around the marina!

The village is quiet during the day but comes alive in the evening when no less swanky people make their way to seaside tavernas to enjoy some fish and champagne! We contract some incredible villas in Meganisi – why not get in touch when thinking of your next summer holiday?

 We decided to finish our holiday off on the mainland, closer to the airport. Our hotel of choice was the newly opened and highly anticipated Marbella Elix – without a doubt the best hotel in the area and a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

The hotel boasts a stylish contemporary design, comfortable rooms with large terraces and sea view as well as a stunning long beach. The hotel comes on Half Board or All-inclusive – I highly recommend going for All-inclusive as the resort is located in an unspoilt and undeveloped area so having AI will certainly make your life easier and the holiday more enjoyable.

This was a fantastic and luxurious ending to our trip and I can highly recommend the hotel – especially the room categories that enjoy their own pool!

Maryna travelled to Greece in July 2021, give her a call to discuss your holiday

Johny Chenn from Unsplash

Jeremy Stewardson from Unsplash

Sophie Dale from Unsplash

Climate change and urban pollution are two of the biggest talking points at this moment in time, particularly within the tourism industry. Whether it is international or domestic, tourism naturally promotes travel and this can have an abject impact on the current climate crisis. Whether it is using planes to explore new countries or large buses to discover new cities, it cannot be denied that the tourism industry needs to work towards more sustainable modes of transportation.  

This transition can come in many different forms, from large airlines offering to offset their carbon emissions or small & local businesses trying to come up with something a little bit greener. That is the attitude taken up by ScooTours.  

ScooTours have created the first-ever electric scooter tours in the U.K and it is their aim to develop a sustainable company that promotes more eco-friendly forms of micro-mobility to explore urban areas.

ScooTours’s journey began back in 2018, when they initially wanted to create a new and exciting way of seeing London. At this time, there were plenty of walking tours, bus tours and bike trips on offer. Therefore, they set about offering the first ever kick scooters tours around the city. Then, in 2020, ScooTours grew to include guided tours on a variety of micro mobility options that included electric scooters and electric bikes.  

ScooTours believe electric vehicles can provide an incredible tour experience. They are fun, quick and unique to the streets of London.

Electric Scooters in the U.K. 

At the time of writing this article, U.K. legislation bans the use of privately owned electric scooters on public roads. However, electric scooters can be used via a government approved rental scheme. Electric scooters were rolled out in numerous trial cities throughout the U.K. in the summer of 2020. All of these electric scooters are provided by app-based rental companies, such as Dott, Voi, Spin, Lime or tier. These trials took place in several cities such as Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester.

 ScooTours initially partnered with Spin to provide electric scooter tours of Milton Keynes and with Voi to run electric scooter tours of Cambridge.

 Then, in 2021 electric scooters were launched in various boroughs within London. ScooTours partnered with Dott to provide the first-ever legal electric scooter tours of the capital. Currently, ScooTours are running traditional sightseeing tours, such as our “City of London” tour and more quirky tours, such as our “HIdden London” tour. Both of which will appeal to locals, domestic travellers and international tourists.

 ScooTours believes their tours provide a unique experience and can have a positive impact on urban transportation within London and the environment. Electric scooters are the future, not just for tourism, but also general use by the city's population. However, there are several criticisms of them at the moment. ScooTours understands that there are two things needed to promote electric scooters in the capital and for them to become more widely accepted by using ScooTours.

Responsible Users

The most important thing for the development of electric scooters in London is to foster an atmosphere whereby they are used responsibly and safely.

 Many people have concerns about how and where they will be ridden. The rental scheme has tackled many issues from the beginning, by setting certain requirements/restrictions; you must be over 18 years old, you must be in possession of a valid driving license, you can only use scooters in certain areas, there is a 12.5mph cap to tie in with the current 15mph national speed limit for e-scooters and many more.

 ScooTours have specifically designed their tours to create good scooter users, by simply beginning all of the tours with a safety tutorial and overview of the current U.K. rules & regulations on electric vehicles. Currently, many participants first time e-scooter users, so there is a real necessity to provide an opportunity for all of ScooTours’s clients to use an electric scooter in a safe and controlled environment.

 This approach will foster responsible and considerate scooter users.

 Changes to Infrastructure

The greatest impact on London and other urban areas will come when electric scooter use becomes more common. With the increase in electric scooter popularity, ScooTours hopes to not only see more and more responsible users, but also nurture this movement. Through this, electric scooters will become a more normalised and recognised form of transportation. When this happens, London will adjust and evolve around this new form of micro-mobility.

London already has a decent level of cycling infrastructure, however there is room for improvement! If more & more people turn to various forms of micro-mobility the more our roads and infrastructure will change - this can be the use of regular bikes, electric bikes or electric scooters.

The more people who turn to various forms of micro-mobility will ultimately help to develop good, safe infrastructure for those vehicles. The more normal it becomes, the greater their positive impact on our urban areas will be.

Overall, the Capital is currently an overly congested and polluted area due to the high volume of traffic. Now that electric scooters have hit the streets of London, they have potential to transform the Capital! Overall, new forms of micro-mobility have the power to revolutionise urban transportation and create greener cities. The team at ScooTours wants to help with this transition! They want to help London and other urban areas become more environmentally friendly and adapt to be more micro-mobility friendly. It might take time, but ScooTours vision and tours are a great way of promoting electric scooter use and creating responsible users.

So remember, electric scooters have the potential to be the future of tourism and general urban transportation!

Last February I had a light-bulb in Kerala, India. While eating gorgeous vegetarian food, swimming in the ocean, and having Ayurvedic treatments galore, I realised how unaware I was of exactly what I was putting on my skin. Did you know that up to 60% of what you put on your skin gets absorbed into your skin? This can be extremely detrimental to us and the environment.

A lot of ingredients found in traditional skincare products (face washes, lotions, sunscreen, etc) have now been linked to health issues such as allergies, eczema, cancer, hormonal disruption, and reproductive problems. So yes, your skincare can make you sick!

Avoid nasty ingredients

But it's not just our health that is damaged by toxic ingredients. Oxybenzone, a common ingredient found in hundreds of suncreams, poses a serious threat to coral reefs around the world. Oxybenzone has many nasty side effects. It's considered a hazardous eye irritant and, as an allergen, is also known to cause skin allergies. As a hormone disruptor to coral, it also causes hormone disruption in humans, affecting estrogen production particularly in women and testosterone production in men. 

That's why choosing a suncream without it is a simple way to protect our planet.

But reading the ingredient labels on skin and beauty products can be intimidating, can't it? With chemicals that have strange industry names and multiple titles. The PL+S certification (protect land and sea) makes it easier for you to identify that products do not contain chemicals that can be serious ecological pollutants.

Here are some other suncream ingredients to avoid:

• Mexoryl SX

• Octinoxate

• Avobenzone

• Titanium dioxide

• Zinc oxide

When I returned from India I started researching more sustainable, cleaner beauty brands and came across Tropic. The brand was set up by Susie Ma 17 years ago from her kitchen table and all products are freshly made without preservatives. The company has grown enormously with the ethos of sustainable green beauty with a conscience. And, Tropic has partnered with United World Schools to help fund education in some of the poorest, most remote communities of the world.

Don't scrimp on your SPF

 One product which should be non-negotiable at any age is SPF. When it comes to your face, opt for factor 50.

We should all be wearing SPF - even in winter. You don't need to be travelling or spending time in the sunshine to use SPF. In overcast weather, UV rays are still bouncing from the clouds and become magnified when streaming through our window panes!

In the same way that Karen is championing sustainable travel through the Make Travel Matter campaign, I hope I can empower people to make positive changes through their skincare choices.

Here's the link to browse Tropic's products if you're interested in trying some for yourself. If you order please add my name (Karon Foxwell) as your ambassador!

This guest blog has been written by Karon Foxwell

Photos by Dipanshu Daga and Q.U.I on Unsplash

For many of us our first real taste of freedom was when our parents allowed us to explore the area we grew up in unaccompanied on a bike.

A friend and I were recently reminiscing about the joy of getting around under teenage pedal power. Our memories had a powerful common thread, even though our actual experiences were wildly different. He grew up in Delhi, whereas I grew up in rural Sussex but the joy of unconstrained whizzing about was no different.

Sadly as we get older the car often becomes our default mode of transport. At first it's aspirational; then it wins out on comfort and convenience and eventually we just stop thinking about it; the car is simply how we get about.

Traveling to new places gives us an exciting opportunity to break away from the dominance of the car. We can re-discover the childlike joy of exploring somewhere at a slower pace with fewer barriers between us and the new environment we find ourselves in. Who knows, we may even decide it's worth trying when we get back home.

It is important to note that cycling as part of a holiday doesn't mean you have to commit to a cycling holiday! A few years ago I was staying at the wonderful Hotel Portixol on the Bay of Palma. I was delighted to discover a rack of bikes sat outside the hotel for the use of guests. A 10-minute ride beside the sea took us into the heart of the city. Along the way we discovered delightful beachside cafes invisible from the road.

Cycling can, of course, sit at the heart of a trip. Along with a group of friends, and some strangers, I cycled the C2C route from Whitehaven in Cumbria to Tynemouth. We passed through the northern Lake District before climbing the Pennines and descending into County Durham and then Northumberland. There was a great sense of achievement from having travelled 140 miles under our own power and a genuine feeling of having connected with the beautiful landscape that surrounded us.

In my experience one of the great joys of travelling by bike is that you can always find a way of justifying a tasty treat you stumble across at a refreshment stop. Surely you burned enough calories to warrant a pudding! Working in France in my twenties, the 30km pedal along Brittany’s winding lanes to Cancale allowed me to indulge my desire for a weekly Plateau de Fruits de Mer washed down with local Cider. When us cyclists promote the health benefits of our transport of choice (which are undeniable) we may sometimes overlook these excesses!

There are now thousands of exciting bike routes and trips all around the world. Without exception they allow travellers to engage with their destination in a way that is hard to imagine when sitting in a car. These trips also reduce the environmental impact of tourists on their host destination and make it more likely we will spend money with smaller businesses rooted in the local community. You may travel at a slower pace but you'll get more smiles per mile.

Excitingly, e-bikes are making active travel more and more accessible in destinations around the world. Cycling, whether at home or on holiday, should not be the preserve of lycra clad enthusiasts. E-bikes can usually be rented for short or long periods and are a fantastic way of getting about. Importantly they allow people of varying levels of ability and fitness to enjoy exploring together.

Throughout the period of the Covid-19 pandemic there has been enormous investment in cycling infrastructure as people have chosen active travel. IT has, and continues to be, a period of great change. In towns and cities around the globe it is now easier and safer than ever before to travel by bike.

There is, however, one aspect of cycling infrastructure that is often overlooked; bike security. This is a problem that needs solving in order to give more people the confidence to use bicycles for everyday journeys as well as pedal powered exploration. Hudjo plans to play a key role in tackling this issue.

Chris Thompson is a former tour operator, a travel industry consultant and Co-Founder of bike parking App Hudjo. Find out more at www.hudjo.com

“Why?” The most asked question since the pandemic.

Why now? Why me? Why did it happen? If you were asking that kind of question when the pandemic hit then likely you are fortunate enough to have something that you valued too much to lose. Jobs, families and health were the first things that we all tried to protect, and as time wore on we started to consider the importance we attached to everything we held dear. Our newsfeeds filled up with harsh realities surfacing in the world – the state of our planet, discriminations, inequalities and more. Anger spilled onto the streets and we marched as we saw the domino effect of political and institutional corruption globally making us feel robbed of our freedoms. In the West we value our freedom but we also have a voice we can use to create our choices. In other parts of the world such as Sri Lanka, many are not so lucky, they are so beaten down they have no voice and wouldn’t even know where to start to bring about change.

Staff at Kalukanda House

One of the questions I asked myself during lockdown was “What is my Why?”

I am a first generation British Sri Lankan woman born and raised mostly in London to an inscrutably strict father whose single driving focus was education. I always thought him far too strict but I came to understand his “why”. Aged 13, he became the head of a large family of younger siblings and with my grandfather lost at war and no income my grandmother wanted him to leave school and take a job in the local shop. Dreaming of a career in medicine, my father convinced his mother to let him study and eventually he went to university and fulfilled his dream to be a Doctor. That drive to self-improvement and change through education never left him. Educating his daughters to high standards, when I graduated my traditional Sri Lankan father then suggested an arranged marriage. My education had empowered me to say no and to live my life making my own decisions – I had a freedom of choice and a voice to use.

The fire in my belly to be an independent woman was bought into sharp contrast with the reality of many women in Sri Lanka to this day who live in poor communities.

Sri Lanka is a beautiful tropical island globally loved as a holiday destination. Now boasting one of the 7 wonders of the world, Boutique hotels and villas such as mine dot the island and travellers can spend their time immersing themselves in culture and sunning themselves under palm trees. I was surprised at the lack of visible women in front of house positions, or running businesses and I became aware of the stark difference in confidence between some of the local women and myself. Finding the charity Their Future Today was a serendipitous moment. Set up after the 2004 tsunami, TFT has organically grown from supporting victims lost to that disaster to setting up projects that pro-actively support those getting lost in the murky underbelly of poverty and abuse.

Breaking the ground

Within the poorest communities there are tragically too many instances of sexual abuse and abandonment of women and young girls. TFT provides advocacy and vital support to get these women and girls out to a place of safety - an important job completed; preservation of life. But what kind of life does anybody have if they remain in a cycle of poverty? Saving someone from a situation is simply the start of the journey, empowering them to stand on their own two feet is critical to continued success.

So TFT set up the Heartbeat Centre, a safe house to save women and girls to keep them out of abusive institutions. The Heartbeat Centre provides safe shelter, Pro-bono legal services by an all female group of lawyers and education to help these marginalised people to build a better life. The girls who arrive at the centre are ghostly versions of themselves, their innocence gone and spirits squashed with no hope of a life beyond destitution. In one situation a young girl had been adopted when her parents split up, her abusive mother returned to reclaim her and then treated her so badly that the youngster poisoned herself. Presumed dead she was lying in a mortuary when someone saw her moving and she was revived, only to be inexplicably put in prison. Sent to an institution rife with abuse, she ran away and eventually found herself at the Heartbeat Centre. Despite being scarred physically and emotionally, the care and love she now receives is building her self worth. For the first time in her life she sees options and wants to train to be in the police. Other victims are all from similarly torrid backgrounds and shown a lifeline to dream of an independent life and many want to become nurses, lawyers, in the police; inspired by the individuals who saved them.

House Mothers

Without an education and without space from a bad situation we cannot see a way out. There is no freedom to dream of change let alone make steps towards it.

Covid19 has left a beautiful island that survives on tourism with too many people who can’t work or feed their families and TFT funds have been diverted to organise urgent food parcels for them. A desperate situation creates rising abuse (just as we saw in the UK during lockdown) and without help we relegate a generation to destitution and desperate choices. If we give them a lifeline they could break the cycle of poverty and become Sri Lanka’s motivated future lawyers, medics, scientists and teachers. Gender equality and independence in one smart move.

The ability to empower women and girls to fulfil their own dreams and support themselves is my Why. These marginalised youngsters and women can be moved from accepting a terrible fate handed to them through no fault of their own to becoming empowered and asking themselves the question “why don’t I change this?. Ultimately I hope I can encourage women into careers in design, architecture and hospitality – “why not dream bigger?” Assisting TFT financially though contributions from bookings and sitting on the board of trustees is the first step for me.

While we in the West plan holidays to idyllic islands like Sri Lanka we must now consider how to travel consciously, educate ourselves on the whole culture and support local communities. This charity thinks beyond preservation of life and proactively creates change by providing opportunity for a sustainable future through education and empowerment of those vulnerable and lost members of society who have no voice.

This guest blog is written by Dee Gibson, Founder of Kalukanda House

It’s a vital migration highway that follows the Cocos Ridge connecting the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador with Cocos island, Costa Rica. One of our Make Travel Matter charity partners, Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT) has been supporting the creation of the proposed Galapagos-Cocos Swimway protected area since 2018, by helping their science partners gather important evidence needed to drive forward the creation of this 240,000 km2 route, which is critical for conserving endangered Galapagos marine species.

Photo credit to Migramar

This May saw the launch of the 2021 Galapagos-Cocos Swimway expedition. It has an expert team of scientists gathering evidence to support the protection of this vital Swimway. They started in Costa Rica, travelled down to Cocos Island National Park and down the Swimway to the Galapagos Islands. Alongside this, GCT are running a virtual Swimway Challenge which is encouraging people to walk, run, swim, cycle or wheelchair the length of the Swimway whilst raising awareness and funds. We are signed up! 700 miles of swimming, (mostly) and cycling + walking. You can give here if you feel inclined!

The Galapagos Islands offer an enriching, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see various animals and marine life in their natural habitats. We send clients to the Islands, which were studied by Charles Darwin and inspired him with his Theory of Evolution, as well as visiting Ecuador.  This image below though shows a different story, right?

Photo credit to Fu Yuan Yu Leng 999 in 2017 Galapagos National Park

The Galapagos Conservation Trust is one of our charity partners. As part of our Make Travel Matter campaign, we have supported them in various ways. Travel Matters have accepted the challenge and created a team for the Virtual Swimway. I am an avid fan of open water swimming and despite not being able to be in the Galapagos to support this project, I believe we can create more awareness about this crucial passage for the protection of the marine life. You can follow here on our fundraising page and support the team members who are swimming, walking and cycling the equivalent distance of 700 miles. I am making the most of my membership to the UK’s largest outdoor swimming pool - the Tooting Lido. Currently 13 degrees water temperature, you can’t stay in long but I’m totalling up the lengths with my team mates! My other team members are using Brockwell Lido and Charlton Lido - both in London. Please do support us if you can!

Tooting Lido, London - where most of my swimming is taking place.

Tourism is the largest employer on the Galapagos Islands making up over 80% of the economy. In 2019, over 270,000 people visited Galapagos. In 2020, this dropped to 72,000 – a massive 73% decline. Vital scientific research will be severely impacted because of the decline. The Galapagos Islands is a volcanic archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. It's considered one of the world's foremost destinations for wildlife-viewing. The incredible diversity of wildlife found in Galapagos is what makes this volcanic archipelago so very special.

We hope when international travel resumes safely from the UK and when people consider travelling to this breathtaking natural region of the world, that they will enquire about possible ways to support this vital work for generations to come.

And just to remind you, we are supporters of the Future of Tourism coalition, who’s Guiding Principles provide a clear moral and business imperative for building a healthier tourism industry while protecting the places and people on which it depends. Our participation of the Swimway Challenge is one clear demonstration of these principles.

Future of Tourism supporter

At Travel Matters, we’ve organised holidays and travel for our clients for over 21 years. As we journey through our third decade of trading, we want to ensure we make travel matter, addressing not only our carbon footprint and measuring our social impact as a business but advocating and encouraging other travel organisations to consider theirs too.   

Before the pandemic, growth in travel had put the world’s treasured places at risk – environmentally, culturally, socially, and financially. Now, at the start of 2021, the travel sector has an unclear future due to the global pandemic but as tourism moves forward and recovers, resetting around a strong set of principles is vital for long term sustainable growth.  As supporters of the Future of Tourism coalition, as well as a member of Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency, we have joined Jump’s “Net Zero Challenge”. This aids us with our own commitment to our Climate Emergency Plan and helps us cut carbon emissions. As a business, we accept current Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) advice stating the need to cut global carbon emissions to 55% below 2017 levels by 2030 in order to keep the planet within 1.5 degrees of warming.

In addition, agreeing with HRH Prince Charles, Travel Matters is a signatory of Terra Carta – a charter that offers the basis of a recovery plan to 2030 putting Nature, People and Planet at the heart of global value creation.

So we will be working together with Jump to encourage trade suppliers and travel partners to make similar commitments, advocating for change, by recognising the need for urgent action to accelerate the transition towards a net zero carbon future.

The Net Zero Challenge is a new digital programme that enables enterprises to easily get their staff engaged in sustainability.

Here at Travel Matters we’re finding that the Net Zero Challenge is a great way to get our team engaged in sustainability, which for us as a travel business is really important.  It’s a lot of fun, the app is really easy to use and one feature we really like is the leader boards as we want to be the best in our sector! Quite importantly, you get rewarded for your efforts too – in fact Maryna was last month’s winner of the Net Zero challenge.

We all need to take action to reduce our carbon emissions and halt warming of our planet, before it’s too late.

The Net Zero Challenge is a sustainability engagement tool which will accelerate your net zero carbon journey by encouraging your people to reduce their carbon footprint. Compete against other organisations in sector specific leader boards and reward your people for doing the right thing.

Good for your people, good for your organisation, good for the planet.

Dr. Bremley Lyngdoh, founder and CEO of Worldview Impact Foundation (WIF), is leading the way in the reforestation on our planet.

Travel Matters has been supporting tree planting projects around the world through our partnership with Trees for Cities and we realise how tremendously important it is to measure and try to off-set our carbon footprint or may be even journey to net zero.

We consider Dr Lyngdoh such an inspiration and we are very honoured to partner with his work.

Over the last 27 years since Bremley left his hometown in northeast India, he worked in 75 countries developing a range of innovative projects in Asia, Africa and South America aimed at producing ecologically sound and economically viable activities that contribute directly to reducing rural poverty, and generating productive sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable local communities and young people. 

As the warrior son of mother Earth he has planted 27 million trees with different partners over the years in Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Kenya, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo, China, USA, UK and many other countries to help restore the balance on our planet. 

Dr Lyngdoh's goal is to plant an incredible1 billion trees by 2030 to drawdown many tons of CO2 from the Earth’s atmosphere to slow down climate change and secure the future of generations to come. 

His work in southwest Myanmar and northeast India is particularly impressive. The mangrove trees he has been planting will play a big part in restoring the climate around coastal regions of Myanmar. And Dr. Lyngdoh does not hesitate to use the best technology to achieve his goals! WIF has partnered with Biocarbon Engineering to plant mangrove seeds through drones. A small fleet of these drones can plant up to 400,000 seeds in a day along with mapping out best places to plant the trees by collecting data about soil health, topography and growth of already existing plants. How brilliant is that!

Here at Travel Matters we share Dr. Lyngdoh's values and believe that the absence of travel due to the pandemic will result in people re-evaluating their relationships with others and with the environment. We all must stand up for key issues such as diversity, inclusion, human rights, improvement of livelihoods, elimination of food poverty and better mental and physical health and contribute to positive social and economic change.

We’re dedicated to showing how travel, when done right, can impact the world in a positive manner using tourism as a force for good. With this in mind, we are launching our Unique Retreats and journeys with purpose - sustainable holidays designed with you and the environment in mind and that bring you closer to the countries you visit. 

Photos by Joel Vodell and Timothy K on Unsplash

I have travelled to almost 40 countries on several continents. And the more I travel, the more I understand and appreciate the country I was born in and its people. 

I was born in Romania, I’ve been living in Romania about 40 years now, I’ve lived through communism here, I witnessed its transition period to democracy and the open market, I’ve known its hopes and its problems. And I wish I could share all this with you.   

Romania is and has always been a borderland of Europe, always at the frontiers of the big Empires. Romans, Dacians, Turks, Greeks, Hungarians, Germans, Jewish, Russians, Szeklers, Ukrainians, Serbs, they have all had their part in creating and defining our culture. Today this cultural mosaic is easily distinguishable in the traditional architecture, the traditional handcrafts, the music and costumes, cuisine and even people’s spirit.The best keeper of these influences and traditions is the Romanian village. So different from one province to another, but so unitary in spirit, the village has survived the communist efforts to destroy it and also the brutal penetration of what is often called the "Western capitalism", which here has taken the form of the unconscious break of a rather rich past. The Romanian village has survived and still is an island of tranquility, conscience, cheerfulness, modesty, community, and joie de vivre.

 Discovering the different regions of Romania means discovering the country’s rich history and specific character. 

 Transylvania - a land of myths and legends that inspired Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula novel, with its medieval picturesque cities and villages, fortified churches, specific landscapes seems an important model for future productive and sustainable farming in Europe. His Royal Highness Prince Charles of Wales discovered this jewel after the fall of communism, appreciated it to its high value and has tried to help the local communities preserve their wealth. 

 Moldova, the center of Romanian spirituality, houses the highest concentration of monasteries, and monks and nuns in the Orthodox world after that of Mount Athos. The painted monasteries in Bucovina are an example of high value late medieval art.  

 Maramures with its wooden civilisation, a remote region in the high north-west of the country is still preserving a traditional way of life, combined in a specific way with modern influences, creating a contrast worth studying. William Blake discovered Maramures in the 90s and wrote the great novel “Along the Enchanted Way” based on his experiences here.  

 Dobrogea region, home of many Oriental influences, is the entrance gate to the Black Sea and the Danube Delta.  The Danube Delta, an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1997 is Europe’s largest wetland. Located in the south-eastern part of Romania, it offers from April to September the possibility of observing more than 150 species of birds in their habitat.  Each outing on the great lakes, on the intricate network of the canals or large reed beds, in the willow and poplar forests, on shallow waters or salt marshes, is an occasion for new observations and discoveries.

 And then there are The Carpathians, which cover one third of the Romanian territory. Although not very high (2,544m – in Fagaras Massif), they are extremely diverse.  The flora of the Carpathians includes more than 1,350 species, among which many endemic. Intact forest habitats and the low degree of anthropogenic fragmentation of areas inhabited by large carnivores, made possible the existence of 2,750 wolves, 6,000 brown bears and 1,800 lynx in the Carpathians.  About 50% of the population of large carnivores in Europe is in Romanian Carpathians. From spring to late autumn, Romanian Carpathians are offering excellent opportunities to observe and photograph large carnivores. 

The Carpathians create a wonderful scenery, with green valleys nestled between foothills ascending to wild crags or precipitous gorges.  The altitude villages encountered on the way, the small summer lodges built for the time of the hay harvest, the secret shepherds` paths through forests and meadows will bring a unique, pastoral fragrance to your travelling experience. 

 Come and see for yourself and let me guide you in a slow travel experience allowing you to discover the traditional and worth preserving part of Romania!   

A guest blog written by Adina Camara, a managing partner of a tour company Explore Romania 

We all know that when we travel, especially by air, that we increase our individual carbon footprint. As the owner of a travel business, I’ve struggled with the justification of flying to get to some destinations around the world. As part of our business, Travel Matters plant trees with Trees for Cities for every holiday we sell and we encourage clients to take trains over planes. It’s not the only answer to reducing our carbon footprint, but it is one tool which is important and valuable.

We are excited that there is another solution which helps with the emissions generated from our travel. Direct air capture, a technology for carbon removal that climate scientists say is necessary for averting the worst effect of climate change. The idea that you can capture carbon and remove it permanently is so exciting. After a conversation with Christina Beckmann, co- founder of Tomorrow’s Air, I had no hesitation that we should play our part and join this collective.

Travel Matters are proud to sign the Tomorrow’s Air Clean Up Pact, supporting a growing, global network of sustainable travel partners, launched in partnership with revolutionary direct air capture provider Climeworks. Tomorrow’s Air builds on wisdom and connections established over 20 years of supporting sustainable travel businesses and their entrepreneurial leaders to harness the power of travel for tangible climate action.

Tomorrow’s Air provides a way for individual travelers, along with businesses to pay for carbon removal via direct air capture and also support the necessary inspiration and educational campaigns to help scale this much-needed activity up. I was especially intrigued by the Artists for Air program within Tomorrow’s Air; it’s bringing artists of all types to help inspire and educate travelers about positive, meaningful climate action.

Travel Matters hopes our efforts will help create awareness about Tomorrow’s Air in the travel and tourism industry as well as engage our clients about this more permanent solution of carbon reduction.

Blog written by Karen Simmonds, Founder of Travel Matters and Photo by Gustavo Espindola @basico on Unsplash

A guest blog written for Travel Matters by Derek Moore, a founder of The Derek Moore Foundation

A few thoughts to take on board as you think about taking an exciting adventure holiday: 

Firstly, if you have any sense at all you will do as much research into who you book the holiday with as you will do on the potential destination. Adventure travel is exciting and addictive, but things can and do sometimes go wrong and you want to know that your holiday operator will look after you if things go wrong. Also, a reputable travel organiser will give you honest advice, rather than try to talk you into a trip that might not be exactly what you want. Pretty obviously, of course, this is where Travel Matters comes in! 

Villagers in Nepal building water-pipe to bring water to the village

When checking out the trip you have chosen, take the time to ensure that the activities you will experience sound as though they are authentic. On some trips the authenticity is staged. (I remember well an evening at a hotel in Greece where we were served an excellent evening meal by waiters casually dressed in jeans and tee-shirts, prior to an evening of Authentic Greek folk dancing. But where were the dancers? As soon as they had cleared away our plates all the waiter suddenly disappeared behind a screen, to emerge five minutes later in traditional Greek clothes, to perform to a tape recorder some traditional Greek dances with obligatory plate smashing). Make sure your itinerary doesn’t include staged authenticity. 

When you are on your trip, let’s say it’s a trekking trip through a mountainous region, be sure to look around you, really look, behind the wonderful views and the bustling markets. Are the people amongst whom you are walking, seemingly struggling, behind their smiles, to live a reasonable life, or do the houses, when you look carefully at them, suggest that the village is pretty much on the poverty line? If they do, make a mental note for when you get home. 

And when you are back home, reflect on what you have seen and ask yourself, have I just taken part in a one-way, or a t wo-way, experience? 

Well Project in Posoli, Nicaragua

All too often, visitors – particularly if visiting a remote region where life is clearly difficult – take part in a one-way experience, a one-way transaction. They visit a village, buy up food in the markets, take pictures of local people and then favour them with a smile before strolling on, and stay with families or in a small hotel, where they use up fuel for heating and water for washing without thinking where any of it came from. They take. Then they depart. They take, but they don’t think about giving something in exchange, about giving something back. Some travellers don’t even think about this need for a two-way transaction.

But some do. I remember one trekker saying, on getting back to the comforts of home, “Oh I had a fabulous time! It was all so fascinating! But oh – those poor people, they were so generous to us but really, they had nothing. If only there was a way to give something back to them!” 

Tree-planting in St James school in Kenya

Well, there is a way to give something back. The Derek Moore Foundation – set up by the one-time owner of adventure company Explore, who saw the need to be able to give something back - funds community Projects in small communities around the world. The sort of small communities that many travellers have passed through and have wanted to help. Projects such as supplying solar lighting to villages in Nepal, providing medical equipment to mid-wives working in the mountains of Guatemala, or supporting an agricultural Project in Costa Rica. These are just three of the 20 projects that the Foundation is currently supporting. 

And the Foundation needs your help – without funds it cannot give something back. The Foundation Projects are all small, the type of projects that bigger charities over-look or feel are too small to be bothered with. So donating, say the cost of an evening meal, can make quite a difference to these projects, which, as the Foundation says, are helping to change lives. 

And that’s what we mean by ‘giving something back’.

The travel landscape is forever changing - and now even more so than ever.  Last year has been tough for many, but we are still here to help you every step of the way. We really enjoy putting your dream holidays together and truly believe that there was no better time to book with a travel agent for your peace of mind. We are the ones keeping on top of all your travel arrangements - be it the updates on travel corridors, entry requirements or any schedule changes your booking might experience. Your booking is secure with us and your money is safe - all our holidays are protected under the holiday package regulations, meaning that if your holiday can't go ahead due to COVID restrictions you will have a chance to either postpone your holiday or get a refund. 

 We care for our clients. Unlike bigger online booking platforms, we are always on hand and you do not need to hold for hours on end to talk to a human being. 

Travel advisors have taken on a much more complex role these days and provide a multitude of services - we make your travel dreams come true, provide an expert concierge service, and fix any issue that may arise. And more importantly we know you and your families and provide personalised service. 

 Most of the time booking with a travel advisor costs the same as booking direct - and often we have access to exclusive deals not available to direct clients. We have personal relationships with hoteliers around the world. We will get you VIPed, for us you are not just a number!

It is important to bear in mind that these advantages are not only reserved for high end clients. We do not just know what the best hotel is, we know what the best hotel is for you and your budget and can help you find the right fit, saving a lot of precious time in the process. Our combined destination knowledge is unparalleled. It is a one stop shop for any occasion - a honeymoon, family holiday, bucket list adventure or a special event that requires meticulous planning.

 We are presenting you with the gift of “experiential travel,” suggesting places, guides and experiences that most people would never have imagined in the first place.

So we have a favour to ask - consider us when booking your next holiday. You’re supporting a small business, and small businesses are the heart and soul of your community.

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Simon Migaj @simonmigaj on Unsplash

Chris Lawton @chrislawton on Unsplash

Amy Hirschi @amihirschi on Unsplash

Everyone loves days away, as they're a time to get away from all your troubles and just relax. However, this has become more difficult since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Travel restrictions and safety concerns make travelling tricky to navigate. Even so, The Future of Tourism Coalition still believes that there can be a future for the industry, characterised by equitable and sustainable practices. In the current situation, sustainability also means making travellers aware of changes that are taking root in light of the pandemic. The state of travel is changing, and we all need to do our part by being informed.

The Effects of the Pandemic on the Travel Industry

Since April 2020, all worldwide destinations have enacted travel restrictions related to COVID-19. 45% of these destinations have either totally or partially closed their borders to tourists. Additionally, every country, excluding the USA, has seen a decrease in the number of travellers who've booked flights to them.

For instance, Mexico is a top international destination, and this was the case before and even during the pandemic. But, it has suffered a 75% decrease in the number of travellers. Italy continues to bear the brunt of the virus as the number of confirmed cases continues to rise. Since it became the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe, it has suffered a 94% decrease in travellers. Countries that greatly rely on their tourism industry have also had a harder time coping. The pandemic has been particularly devastating for countries like the Philippines, where travel comprises a sizeable 12.7% of the national GDP, and millions of jobs rely on tourist money. Major tourism hubs like the island of Boracay were the first to suffer when borders closed. Across the globe, some 100 to 120 million jobs have been threatened, and the job situation is unlikely to get better while the pandemic is still very much a threat. It is believed that these negative effects will linger, even after COVID-19 is dealt with.

The state of Travel after the Pandemic

Even though a vaccine has been found and the world overcomes the pandemic, the travel industry won’t be reverting to its old ways. UN News documents the long-term effects of the coronavirus, citing how its symptoms tend to fluctuate over time. Fatigue, coughing, and shortness of breath are just some of these symptoms, and the tourism industry will have to take these into account when setting post-pandemic guidelines.

 The safety of both travellers and locals will become a top priority. Safety measures and protocols have been set, and people are rightly hyper-aware of them. Observance of such rules is vital. When travelling, you can expect more health checks and required tests alongside the usual security measures. All kinds of establishments will be prioritizing cleanliness — from contactless processes and extensive sterilization practices, to the strict enforcement of social distancing.

 Finally, there will be a shift in the mind-set of tourists all around the world. Crowded tourist spots used to be nothing but a minor inconvenience, but now, we can expect a growing interest in quieter, less crowded places. Until the COVID-19 scare is gone completely, tourists are more likely to choose a quiet mountain trek over a packed night market.

What we can do to help?

With the global travel restrictions and the sheer amount of jobs lost to the pandemic, holidaying seems like an impossibility. But our team is dedicated to providing you with quality service, so that you can enjoy your holidays safely, even with all of these new restrictions and protocols. Our COVID-19 Pledge to you promises exactly this — support from the moment you arrive to the day of your trip back home, and flexibility whenever your booking gets cancelled. Remember, we're here to help!

(Exclusively written for Travel Matters, by Olivia Shorts)

Images by:

Annie Spratt on Unsplash

@atom on Unsplash

As a person who has visited numerous exotic destinations, I understand the importance of nature and authenticity preservation. And the hidden gem of a country we will talk about today has both in heaps.

Located off the coast of Africa in the Gulf of Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe is the second smallest country of the continent after Seychelles and its beauty will impress even the most intrepid traveller. This island nation is part of a volcano chain boasting of striking rock and coral formations, rainforests and beaches, not to mention its fascinating history! This unspoilt destination is safe and friendly and ecotourists in particular will find it appealing due to its Jurassic park feel.

Did you know that São Tomé and Príncipe have more endemic species per square kilometre than the Galapagos? In 2012 Príncipe became a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve so it’s development, including tourism, is carefully regulated under the Man and Biosphere Programme. The Principeans are proud of their biosphere status and it is something that unites islanders and visitors.

Quite unusually the country enjoys two dry seasons! The first one is between December and February and the second is June through September. Although the best time to bird watch is October to March - don' forget your binoculars - there is a lot to watch! The two primary islands of São Tomé and Príncipe together with several rocky islets are home to just over 215,000 inhabitants. 

So how do you travel to this little piece of paradise? The only way to get there is by flying to Sao Tome where the international airport is located. The airport on Principe is only serviced by domestic flights connecting the two islands sitting 140 km apart with the flight time taking only 35 minutes.

If you come from Europe, you can choose between STR Airways or TAP Portugal both flying from Lisbon. Travelling from Africa, the options are Ghana, Gabon and Angola.

 The official language is Portuguese and the long history of the country goes back to the same time as that of the Americas - the colony of São Tomé was founded in 1493, just a year after Christopher Columbus officially set foot on the continent. Sugar cane was the main commodity at the time and the remnants of historic Portuguese architecture can still be found around the islands in the form of charming colonial buildings, churches and old plantations. Presently Sao Tome is also the place where they produce some of the most exclusive chocolate in the world as well as excellent coffee! Yum!

When it comes to accommodation there is a property that really stands out - we love Sundy Praia, one of the National Geographic unique lodges of the world that is a sustainable tourism project providing unforgettable experiences through interaction with the local community.

 Merging seamlessly with their forest surrounds, their 15 tented villas lie hidden among a scattering of tropical almond and banana trees, each gazing down to the sea and recreating the lifestyle of local people. 

Surrounded by the songs of birds and sounds of clashing waves you will feel free with stress just melting away. 

Activities at the lodge include scenic boat trips, biosphere trails, 4X4 island tours, local fishing village and plantation visits and so much more. Female sea turtles come to lay their eggs on the beaches of Principe island between September and April and families in particular will be interested to learn about the conservation of this threatened species.

But not everything is about ecotourism here - special events such as weddings and honeymoons will become a treat that you will never forget.

I am getting itchy feet simply from writing about this stunning destination and hope you will too. Get in touch for your tailormade proposal.

Images by @HBD Principe

South Korea, in the heart of East Asia, is one the continent’s economic and cultural leaders. It is visited by millions of Asian tourists yearly, although it is still not as developed for international tourism compared to popular Asians destinations for Westerners such as Thailand or Japan.

Buddhist Temple

I visited South Korea in April 2019. It was my first trip to an Asian country! Why did I choose this destination? That’s easy - Think ancient temples, spotlessly clean streets, cherry blossom, modern skyscrapers, Korean cuisine and a country enriched with history (and let’s not forget premium skincare).

The incredible Gyeongbokgung Palace

One of the first things I noticed in the capital city Seoul, where I spent my hotel stay, was the Koreans’ sense of community. As an English & French native and speaking fluent Spanish, I was quite surprised to find out most Koreans do not speak any European languages! It was a challenge to speak with them but so rewarding, as it was the first time I went to a country where I could not properly communicate with a local community. It is important here to respect Koreans, to be patient in understanding each other and using body language.  

However, the locals are so welcoming and will help you if you get lost in the City. They are not used to seeing Westerners, so they feel privileged to see responsible visitors come to their small, traditional restaurants and are eager to share their culture.  

(Travel Matters Tip: Koreans love their spicy food, so if they tell you that Ramen is not very spicy, watch out, you may need a few glasses of water on the side!)

Seoul Suburbs

A contentious topic that I was determined to understand a little more about was regarding the use of the Hanbok (or Chosŏn-ot - a traditional clothing worn during formal occasions) by tourists -

Do you think international tourists should be given a choice to wear this traditional clothing?

Is it considered as cultural appropriation?

The Hanbok (pictured below) is an ancient traditional attire consisting of the dress, headgear and accessories. I asked locals regarding this subject, and whilst everyone can have their own opinion, Koreans mostly do not mind it. In fact, they encourage travellers to try on the dress as they feel proud it is part of their national culture and they love to share this with foreigners. Indeed, it is very common to pass by small shops that offer a day Hanbok rental!

Hanbok, or Chosŏn-ot

So, is South Korea on your bucket list of responsible travels?

(Sophie travelled to South Korea in April 2019)