Shown here is Keith Ryu, CEO and co-founder of Fountain, a hospitality recruitment startup that has raised additional funding. Fountain
An image of Skyscanner's mobile app after the September 2019 rebranding of the company. Skyscanner
Animal welfare is increasingly top of mind for modern travelers not wanting to see their tourism dollars used for exploitative profit. In Southeast Asia, elephant riding has taken center stage. Reports of “elephant breaking,” the violent process of taming and domesticating an elephant for commercial use, made their way to the public eye in 2014 following research conducted by World Animal Protection and other welfare agencies, prompting international outcry from the mainstream media, travel sites, and even some tour operators, including Intrepid Travel.
Intrepid removed elephant rides from its roster of tours in 2014, joining and inspiring over 200 businesses that have done the same. Prior to 2014, Intrepid included elephant rides on certain tours in Thailand but stopped doing so after a report from the WAF. Co-founder Geoff Manchester speaks to why his views on elephant riding have changed over time and what inspired the brand to take a firm stance against the activity.
About five years ago, Southeast Asia was our most popular travel destination, with elephant rides being a major allure for travelers. Although it was often portrayed as ethical and fostering connection between humans and animals, the commodity was based more on the income potential, and the ethics became increasingly blurred. Through our not-for-profit The Intrepid Foundation, we decided to partner with World Animal Protection to investigate whether these venues were sustainably run or were unethically operated. What we saw through the research was that elephants were being captured, beaten and broken, and although they claimed to adhere to animal welfare practices, most venues weren’t following the simplest guidelines. Putting our purpose ethos before our profit, we knew that we had to ban elephant rides on all our tours, making us the first global tour operator to do so. Since then, more than 200 businesses have followed suit.
Photo: LAMBERTO JESUS/Shutterstock
Like many global movements, it often takes one trusted person or business to take a stance, then others follow. Since the World Animal Protection research that Intrepid funded, there’s been a global movement that presented itself in all forms of media. Humans have always had an emotional connection to animals, especially the ill-treatment of animals, and once they were informed about the horrific breaking of elephants so that travelers can ride on them, the media helped connect people from all around the world to the cause, and from there it’s become a much more well-known issue. As people around the world become more socially and ethically conscious, more people are now aware of and firmly against riding elephants. We’re so thankful to be part of the cultural shift toward protecting and rehabilitating elephants.
I encourage travelers to visit ethical animal sanctuaries or safari through the wilderness, watching the majestic elephant in its natural habitat. Having led tours myself that included elephant rides to now having visited elephant sanctuaries as an alternative, I’ve seen firsthand the power of connecting with a rehabilitated elephant from afar. There’s a surreal connection when you gaze into an elephant’s eyes, especially one who’s been rescued from captivity. I highly recommend Intrepid Travel’s Thailand and Laos Adventure and Highlights of Thailand tours, both of which allow you to witness elephants roaming in their natural habitat. Additionally, on Intrepid’s Sri Lanka Expedition: Wilderness & Wildlife expedition, you can visit Project Orange Elephant, an organization run by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society. SLWCS encourages more sustainable farming practices to help wildlife and humans coexist peacefully.
Intrepid Travel’s first tours, 30 years ago, which were led by me, brought small groups of travelers to Southeast Asia, with the most popular attraction being elephant rides. Over time, it became obvious to me and many others in our business that people were capitalizing on elephants as attractions. Slowly, I became suspicious of the attraction and World Animal Protection’s research was undeniable — elephants were suffering at the expense of travelers. It was at this moment that we all agreed to remove all elephant rides from our tours. Instead of reprimanding ourselves for the past, we wanted to ensure that all our travelers were helping to protect and support the rehabilitation of elephants from then on.
Abstaining from elephant rides is a huge step in protecting the beautiful mammal. As a business that focuses on giving back to the places we visit, we always encourage travelers to go a step further and support animal welfare projects. Through our not-for-profit, travelers can donate to many projects that protect, rescue, and rehabilitate elephants and other wildlife. Intrepid matches all donations dollar-for-dollar and pays the administration fees, doubling each donation’s impact. We also encourage travelers to become advocates for animal welfare, like sharing their safari and animal sanctuary images on social media so their friends and family become interested in learning about more ethical experiences.
Aside from visiting ethical animal sanctuaries or traveling to see them in the wild, if you want to double your impact, donate to reputable not-for-profit organizations like The Intrepid Foundation. The Intrepid Foundation works with local NGOs like Friends of the Asian Elephant to provide funds for elephant rehabilitation. In the 15 years since we began supporting this project, our travelers have donated nearly 150,000 Australian dollars ($101,000) to the project, which is matched dollar-for-dollar by Intrepid Travel to provide funds that have treated more than 4,500 sick or injured elephants.
The post How this major tour company changed the elephant riding industry forever appeared first on Matador Network.
While Istanbul is rightly lauded for its rich history and culture, the Turkish capital shouldn’t be the only city you visit in this vast and fascinating country. The city of Izmir, on a bay in the Aegean Sea, is an excellent place to base yourself if you’re planning to visit the ancient ruins of Ephesus, explore Turkey’s wine and olive region, or get to know the beaches and thermal spas of the Cesme Peninsula. The most liberal city in Turkey beckons with an easy-going approach to life yet receives few foreign visitors. Here’s what you need to know about Izmir and its surrounding attractions.
Photo: Denizce/Shutterstock
“Everyone in Istanbul and Ankara wants to retire in Izmir,” or so I was told by Ayça Kesici, an Izmir native and award-winning tour guide. With a population exceeding four million, Izmir is a sizeable city, but it offers a relaxed pace of life and easy access to the outdoors, Ayça told us. In just 15 minutes, you can be hiking in a pine forest, while in 30 minutes you can be swimming in the Mediterranean.
Izmir itself is situated on the shores of a beautiful bay. While you wouldn’t necessarily want to swim in that busy body of water, the sea views are lovely, and you can always grab dinner at an outdoor restaurant near the shore. On a summer night, those restaurants will be buzzing with diners until late into the evening, tables laden with grilled fish and small meze plates and locally produced wine flowing. On a warm August evening, you might find the women wearing skinny jeans and summery shirts that reveal their shoulders.
If summery attire and free-flowing wine doesn’t gibe with your image of Turkey as a Muslim country, you should know that Turkey also has a very liberal, secular side. While you’ll find neighborhoods in Istanbul as edgy as those in other big European cities, Izmiris will tell you their home is the most progressive of Turkey’s cities. As a port city, Izmir has long been open to influences from countries around the Mediterranean.
During the Ottoman Empire, Europeans came from Venice, southern France, and further afield to work in various industries and technical roles. In Izmir, these Christian expats became known as the Levantine Izmiris, and the business success of many of them can be seen in the so-called “Levantine Mansions” of Izmir today. Some of Izmir’s top industries are still run by the descendents of these western Levantines, and they continue to imbue the city with a more cosmopolitan worldview.
While a century ago Muslims were in the minority, today Izmir — like the rest of Turkey — is predominantly Muslim. Yet it retains its Christian Levantines and a small Jewish population of less than three thousand.
Photo: Esin Deniz/Shutterstock
Calling Izmir the Milan of Turkey, as I heard while there, may be a stretch, but it is the textile capital of the country. You’ve probably seen “Made in Turkey” on a clothing label or two; if so, it likely came from Izmir, where companies like Hugo Boss produce a quarter of their clothing. On the fashion designer side, Izmir is known as the bride capital of Turkey. In the downtown area, you may see shop after shop selling very sparkly white wedding dresses.
Much of the cotton for the textiles grows in the Menderes, or Meander, Valley behind Izmir. Running through the valley is the Menderes river, called the Meander River in English, and the source of the English word “meander” for the odd way it loops across the valley floor. Beyond cotton, the region is home to many vineyards and some of the best wines in Turkey.
The Meander Valley is one of the most fertile regions of Turkey. You’ll see the silver-green hued leaves of olive trees, whose fruits produce fragrant, top-quality olive oil, as well as groves of orange, apple, tangerine, quince, fig, pomegranate, peach, apricot, plum, and almond trees. Melons and watermelons also grow in the vines of the valley’s rich soil. Raisins, prunes, dried apricots, dried figs, sun-dried tomatoes, and peppers are also big Izmiri exports.
What this means for you as a visitor, beyond tasty food, is the possibility to go on wine and olive tours, for one. More significantly, the richness of this valley — and its proximity to the Mediterranean — means that the region was a favored destination for civilizations thousands of years ago. And Izmir is a great jumping off point to visit the ruins of at least one of these ancient civilizations.
Photo: Resul Muslu/Shutterstock
Before you head out of Izmir to see the remnants of those ancient cultures, you should visit its present cultural center. Head to Konak Square, Izmir’s cultural center and home to the 1901 clock tower that is the symbol of the city. Nearby is the Yali Mosque, the Izmir State Opera and Ballet, and the Archeology Museum of Izmir, which has artifacts from as far back as five millennia ago. You’re also close to İzmir’s major market district, called Kemeralti, a massive bazaar where you could spend hours shopping, haggling, and just absorbing the sights and smells. You’ll find seafood restaurants near there as well.
A 20-minute walk north along the waterfront from Konak Square leads you to the lovely white building of the French Honorary Consulate. There, you’ll find the Arkas Art Museum. It was established to show the art collection of Lucien Arkas, a Levantine Izmiri industrialist whose ancestors came from Marseilles, France. In addition to classic works, the museum features excellent rotating exhibitions, as well.
About 45 minutes south of town is the Key Museum, a gallery with completely different works of art from the Arkas Gallery. Created by two sons of the Izmiri business tycoon Erdogan Özgörkey, the museum is a 75,000-square-foot space filled with mind-blowing automotive vehicles — from the first models of Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Cadillac to motorcycles and a collection of over 2,500 model cars. Even if you thought you weren’t into cars, this ode to one of humanity’s most influential (for better or worse) inventions will make an impression.
Photo: S-F/Shutterstock
The Key Museum is on the way to Ephesus, a remarkable place that is the reason many travelers come to Izmir at all. Ephesus was an ancient Greek city that came under the rule of Roman governors in the first century BC. It continued to grow until it became the biggest Roman city in Asia Minor, with estimates putting the population between 200,000 and 400,000 residents. Ephesus had a library that was the third largest in the world at the time, a coliseum that could fit 25,000 people, a glorious temple, statues, open air markets, heating and plumbing, and attractive housing for its wealthier residents.
All that is visible in Ephesus today. You can walk down the market gallery where vendors sold their wares to locals and visitors. You can see the backgammon boards built into tables, where the merchants whiled away the hours. You can head to the wealthy hillside homes and tread on walking paths built above them. You’ll marvel at the lay-outs of the rooms, the shopping lists carved onto tablets in the kitchens, the doodles etched into the walls of kids’ rooms two thousand years ago.
While Ephesus once housed an impressive Temple of Artemis, and thereafter turned its attention to the Roman Gods, it later became an important center for the growing Christian religion. The apostle John spent his last years in the area, and he may have written the Gospel of John in Ephesus.
Give yourself plenty of time to see Ephesus, and tour it with a knowledgeable guide if you can. We were fortunate that Ayça’s schooling and early work were in archeology, and she helped make tangible the lives of the ancient Romans who once walked Ephesus’s streets. After marveling at the ancient metropolis, head to the Ephesus Archeological Museum in nearby Selcuk. You’ll be able to see more of the richness of the ancient city, and learn a bit more about its Greek and Roman cultures.
Photo: ibrahim kavus/Shutterstock
Half of all the wine produced in Turkey is from the Aegean region around Izmir. If you’ve spent the morning in Ephesus, on your way back to Izmir you could stop at Lucien Arkas Vineyards. They’ve established Tukey’s largest organic vineyard on a single area of land, cultivating native varietals and many brought from other regions. In the tasting room, you’ll understand why their wines have won awards and accolades. You could also stay for dinner in the winery’s excellent restaurant.
The wine region of Urla is in the opposite direction, due west from Izmir. Among the wineries to visit there are Usca Winery and Urlice Vineyards, where you can also stop for lunch and wood-oven-fired pizzas. The Urla region is also a big producer of olive oil, and you could spend an entire day here focusing on wine and olives.
Photo: Cem OZER/Shutterstock
In fact, the Kostem Zeytinyagi Museum in Urla is the world’s largest museum dedicated to olive oil. It’s a fascinating look into the cultivation and production of olive oil, an essential ingredient in some of the best cuisines in the world. You’ll see ancient olive presses and learn how olive oil has been produced and stored throughout history. Kostem runs an organic olive farm and works to educate the community about environmental issues. You can taste olives and olive oils, peruse the shop with every olive oil product imaginable, or stop for a bite at the on-site restaurant and cafe.
Photo: firatdelan/Shutterstock
The Urla region is on the Cesme Peninsula, which is a popular resort area for Izmiris. At the tip of the peninsula is the town of Cesme, just an hour’s drive from Izmir. The town itself, decorated with a 500-year-old fortress overlooking the water, is packed with great places to shop and waterside restaurants. You can drive to over a dozen nearby beaches like Ilica and Altinkum, each with its own vibe.
Because of the peninsula’s many coves, you’ll find diverse wind and swell conditions; while some beaches are calm and perfect for small kids or swimmers, windier beaches can be packed with windsurfers in the afternoon. Yet others even have enough waves to surf on. Cesme is also famous for its hot springs, which were considered to have healing properties, and a handful of hotel spas are still centered on its thermal springs and mud baths.
The post On your next trip to Turkey, get out of Istanbul and head to Izmir appeared first on Matador Network.
Barrhead Travels is offering holiday vacation packages to destinations like Pierre & Vacances Village Club Fuerteventura Origo Mare in Las Palmas, Spain, from the UK. Barrhead Travel
Harry Potter hardly spent any time in his childhood home, and his one notable experience there wasn’t exactly pleasant, but a trip to the Potter residence in Godric’s Hollow is a must for any true Potter fan. The De Vere House in Lavenham, England, served as Harry’s childhood home in the films, and now it’s available for rent on Airbnb for just $142 per night. But don’t come here expecting a Harry Potter museum. Although it’s just a normal lodging that typically functions as a bed and breakfast, Potter fans will find more magic in the place than the hapless muggle.
Photo: Airbnb
According to the listing, the De Vere House has two four-poster bedrooms both with en suite bathrooms, TV, WiFi internet access, private guest sitting room with log fire and courtyard garden,” and comes with a full English breakfast.
Photo: Airbnb
While not exactly Godric’s Hollow, the town of Lavenham is described as “Britain’s finest medieval village (with over 300 protected heritage properties and appearing as Godric’s Hollow in the Harry Potter films). De Vere House is located in the centre of this pretty village and itself offers a wealth of history as well as comfortable accommodation.”
Photo: Airbnb
As of right now, booking is available for select weekend dates through January, with weekdays opening up starting in February.
The post Harry Potter’s childhood Godric’s Hollow home is now on Airbnb appeared first on Matador Network.
Imagine waking your family up at 9:00 AM on a Saturday morning and saying, “Get dressed, or we’ll be late for the pig slaughter.” For the people of the Louisiana Bayou, it’s as natural as saying, “Get dressed, or you’ll be late for school.” At Lafourche Parish’s Festival of Old Times, arriving late means missing the crucial beginning of what will be an all-day process, and the cornerstone of the fair itself: the slaughter, preparation, and consumption of a pig. As the pig was shot between the eyes with a bolt gun, a mother turned to her son and said, “See? That’s how pork boudin is made.” Unflinching, the boy watched with impressive focus.
In the Bayou, people seem to take as much pleasure in preparing food as actually eating it, which explains why the pig — six hours of shaving, carving, and roasting — is the festival’s main event. In Cajun country, a meal isn’t just something you eat, it’s a journey, and for many Cajuns it’s important to understand (and witness) where that journey begins. With so many eateries eager to share their Cajun cooking, however, visitors to the Bayou can find it difficult to know where their own journey should begin. Luckily, you don’t have to slaughter a pig for a good meal. To eat your weight in Cajun food the right way, just slip on some stretchy pants and follow the Cajun Bayou Food Trail.
Photo: Realest Nature/Shutterstock
There’s one thing all Louisianans can agree on: They do Cajun food better than anyone else in the country. What they can’t seem to agree on, however, is which part of the state does it best. New Orleans and Lafayette receive much of the spotlight due to their size, but real Cajun country lies about an hour and a half south of the capital in Lafourche Parish. The parish is named after Bayou Lafourche, a 106-mile long Bayou that flows alongside the highway. “Lafourche” translates to “the fork” because the Bayou is a fork of the Mississippi River, but that translation might as well refer to the culinary tradition, which is the keystone of the parish’s identity. They created a food trail to help guide visitors through 16 of the parish’s most locally renowned eateries. As if eating copious amounts of fried food wasn’t fun enough already, you can even collect food “passport” stamps at each restaurant you visit.
My introduction to the area’s fierce devotion to food came before I even reached Bayou Lafourche while having breakfast in nearby St. Tammany Parish. I may have been the only patron at Liz’s Where Y’at diner, but she still greeted me with a hug and insisted I try her famous “Goolosh” — grits, eggs, roast beef debris, and a biscuit — and Banana Foster French Toast. Immediately, it was clear that small portion sizes weren’t going to be an issue in Louisiana.
Photo: Liz’s Where Y’at Diner/Facebook
“Down here we’re always thinking about food,” Liz told me. “Even at breakfast, we’re already planning lunch and dinner.”
That was no joke. In a place where food is a valuable currency, meeting a beloved restaurateur like Liz felt like meeting a celebrity. As I continued south to Bayou Lafourche, it became obvious that eateries — especially those that looked more like gas stations than restaurants — were the linchpins of local communities.
Thibodaux, the seat of Lafourche Parish, is the most natural place to begin your Cajun food odyssey. The town of just over 14,000 people is the largest in the parish, home to some of the area’s best Cajun eateries, and the gateway to the rest of the Bayou.
In Lafourche, you don’t travel north or south, you travel “up the Bayou” or “down the Bayou.” Before you head “down the Bayou” along Highway 1, stop at Bubba’s II PoBoys and Seafood in Thibodaux. Po’boys are a staple of Cajun cuisine, usually consisting of a French bread sandwich stuffed with roast beef or fried seafood. Don’t expect a gourmet presentation. Po’boys are messy, you’ll definitely get mayo or roast beef juice all over your fingers, and that’s kind of the point. Bubba’s II serves up classic crawfish, shrimp, oyster, and roast beef po’boys, and when you place your order, they’ll ask if you want your po’boy “overstuffed.” You may be inclined to play it safe, but the only acceptable answer is “yes.”
Photo: Eben Diskin
The overstuffed po’boy should tide you over for a while as you drive down the Bayou to Leeville. About an hour and a half from Thibodaux you’ll find some of the best fried seafood anywhere in Cajun country at Leeville Seafood Restaurant. Like all eateries in Lafourche, the fish are sourced directly from the Bayou and caught by local fishermen. The redfish, crawfish, tuna, soft-shell crab, and catfish are among the most popular options here, and the restaurant even offers an all-you-can-eat fried catfish special on Wednesday nights. The most memorable dish, however, might be the shrimp etouffee — a thick Cajun soup of shrimp over a tomato, onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic base.
Whether you find yourself driving back to Thibodaux or spending the night down the Bayou, Rose’s Cafe is a local favorite at pretty much any hour of the day. Located 20 minutes north of Leeville in Galliano, Rose’s is open from 5:00 AM to 9:00 PM every day except Sunday. The cafe plays an integral role in the community, opening early to cater to local fishermen and tugboat workers who frequent the cafe during crew change. This definitely isn’t a bring-your-own-food establishment, but there is one exception.
“If a fisherman comes in with a fresh catch,” said Gina, the owner, “I’m happy to fry it up for them. It’s no problem.”
If you don’t feel like waking up at 4:00 AM to catch your own meal, however, there are plenty of options at Rose’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The S.O.S. (Shit On a Shingle) — pork sausage in white gravy on a biscuit — is a Bayou staple, and the cinnamon rolls are dangerously addicting. Rose’s might be best known for its shrimp platters, however, which come with a range of sauces made in house.
Photo: Fremin’s Restaurant/Facebook
Dining in the Bayou usually means rolling up your sleeves, untucking your shirt, and certainly not bothering to put a napkin on your lap. But that doesn’t mean good Cajun food can only be found at diners. One of the best Cajun dining experiences is at Fremin’s Restaurant in Thibodaux. Fremin’s is defined by its 19th-century aesthetic, which evokes Louisiana’s past, and by its menu of gourmet food. Like everywhere else in the Bayou, the seafood is sourced locally from the Bayou and Gulf of Mexico. Even if you’ve spent the last few days indulging in seafood, Fremin’s redfish, crabmeat, gulf shrimp, and oysters won’t disappoint. The Steak & Crab des Allemands is the perfect surf-and-turf combo for those craving a bit of variety.
Fremin’s might be upscale, but it doesn’t skimp on the portion sizes. If by some chance you’re not full after dinner — or just have absolutely no self-control — walk across the street to Cinclare Southern Bistro, which is legendary for its Alligator and Andouille Cheesecake. It’s not something you’d find in the glass case at the Cheesecake Factory. A little sweet but mostly savory, the cheesecake resembles a quiche, except it’s filled with pieces of alligator meat and andouille sausage, and topped with a crawfish cream sauce. You can’t mention Cinclare in Thibodaux without hearing glowing reviews of this Cajun treat.
Photo: Eben Diskin
There’s no shortage of good Cajun breakfast places along the Bayou, but for a high-end option with a dedicated brunch menu, check out Flanagan’s in Thibodaux. Whether it’s their beignets, shrimp and cheese grits, eggs atchafalaya, or blackened chicken crawfish Monica, it’s tough to make a bad decision here. And every Sunday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Flanagan’s has a Jazz Brunch where you’ll be treated to a performance by a local Jazz ensemble.
At each restaurant stop, don’t forget to get your food trail passport stamped. Collect five and you’ll receive a free Bayou t-shirt from the local tourism office in Raceland. A word to the wise, however: Whatever shirt size you thought you were before the trip — get one size up. You’ll thank me later.
Residents of the Bayou support their favorite restaurant as staunchly as they support LSU football, but many will still tell you that the best Cajun cooking happens in their own kitchen. Sure, Cajun recipes passed down for six generations certainly help, but locals also rely heavily on the availability of fresh meat for their home-cooked meals. In the Thibodaux area, there’s only one place to go for the highest quality cuts. Bourgeois Meat Market has been a fixture of the community since 1891. More than 120 years and four generations later, the market is still owned by the Bourgeois family.
Photo: Bourgeois Meat Market
By far, the market’s most popular product is its beef jerky. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but it’s made with extra lean steak, seasoned and marinated for 24 hours, hung individually from nails on long rails, then smoked all day for flavor and texture. Bourgeois’ jerky sticks resemble thin, dried-out hot dogs stuffed with beef, and people buy them by the pound.
You may not be too familiar with boudin, but it’s another one of the Bourgeois’ most popular offerings — and it’s a staple of Cajun cuisine. Boudin may look like a sausage, but it’s not. It comes in many forms, but it’s basically a combination of cooked rice, pork, onions, green peppers, and seasonings, pulverized in a meat grinder and stuffed into sausage casings. If owner Beau Bourgeois or manager Shane Thibodaux is in the shop — which they always are — they’ll be happy to tell you more about boudin, and maybe even let you sample a few pieces.
Photo: Eben Diskin
As a line of customers extended nearly out the door on a Saturday morning — most of them eagerly anticipating their gameday jerky or boudin — Shane explained to me that boudin isn’t just a snack in the Bayou, but a currency.
“People buy it for family gatherings, gifts, and even trades,” he said. “An oil salesman who comes bearing boudin knows they’re getting the business over one who doesn’t.”
Although Shane shared with me some of the market’s best boudin, jerky, and hog’s head cheese, I still had a craving for my most anticipated dish — jambalaya. The Cajun version of this dish is sometimes called brown jambalaya, and lacks tomatoes, while the Creole version found in New Orleans is called red jambalaya. No one actually calls it that in either place, though. Whichever part of the state you’re in, their version of jambalaya is just jambalaya.
A meal often served at home, but rarely in restaurants in this region it seems, jambalaya was surprisingly hard to come by in the Bayou. Luckily, Saturdays in the Deep South mean tailgating, and my quest for jambalaya was about to take an unexpected turn — thanks to Shane and the Bourgeois family.
“Jambalaya?” said Shane. “My cousin Beau’s mixing up some jambalaya down at the Nicholls tailgate. He’ll be there all day. Just look for the Bourgeois tent.”
And just like that, instead of relaxing in my hotel room digesting the absurd quantity of meat I had just consumed, I spent the afternoon at the NSU tailgate eating jambalaya. I couldn’t tell you who won the game, but I can say that if you’re looking for a home-cooked Cajun meal, but haven’t exactly been invited to a family dinner, tailgating is the next best thing.
Photo: G Allen Penton/Shutterstock
Rumor has it, some travelers want to do more on vacation than just eat. If you’re one of those people, there are plenty of inter-meal excursions to help you replenish your appetite. History buffs should be sure to check out the Laurel Valley Sugar Plantation in Thibodaux, the largest surviving 19th- and 20th-century sugar plantation in the US. The original general store acts as a visitor center of sorts, and the original church, schoolhouse, and slave cabins are available for touring. As with any plantation, Laurel Valley’s history is complex and even upsetting, but the owners present that history thoughtfully and in a truly educational context. You may even recognize parts of the plantation from movies like Ray, Interview with the Vampire, and Crazy in Alabama, which were filmed there.
Photo: Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou/Facebook
If you really want to see how people living on the Bayou spend their time, you should charter a fishing boat and try your luck in the wetlands yourself. Fishing is the lifeblood of the Bayou; pretty much everyone is either a fisherman themselves or knows several. Charter Fishing is popular among visitors, as local captains can bring you out to either inland waters or even the Gulf of Mexico. Redfish, trout, tarpon, and flounder are plentiful closer to shore, while offshore near the oil rigs you may find tuna, wahoo, or even a marlin. You’ll need a fishing license to cast a line in Louisiana, but these are relatively easy to procure — just ask your captain, or check out the rules online.
Photo: Airboat Tours By Arthur Matherne Inc./Facebook
If you aren’t equipped to cast a line, you can still take to the water with an airboat through the Bayou. You’ve probably heard that the Louisiana swamps are chock full of alligators, and the hype is true. Just a half-hour east of Thibodaux, Airboat Tours by Arthur in Des Allemands will bring you out on the swamps and up-close and personal with dozens of gators. If you’re lucky, local alligator celebrities Bubba, Alice, and her “boyfriend” Big Al will make an appearance, and they’re pretty comfortable around people, so don’t be surprised if they come right up to the boat. Whipping around the Bayou in an airboat is unforgettable, but according to a source who shall remain nameless, doing it right after eating a ludicrous amount of boudin, jerky, and jambalaya isn’t the smartest idea.
The post You haven’t experienced Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou until you’ve eaten your way through it appeared first on Matador Network.
This November 17, 2016, photo shows Airbnb Founders, from left to right, Nathan Blecharczyk (now chief strategy officer and chairman of Airbnb China), Joe Gebbia (now head of product development team Samara), and CEO Brian Chesky speak onstage at the Airbnb Open event in Los Angeles. Airbnb is the best-funded travel startup in the world as of late 2019. Mike Windle / Airbnb Newsroom
Prince William is using his royal voice to address the threats facing our planet. In a video shared on social media and narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Prince William announced that he will award five prizes each year between 2020 and 2030 to “individuals, teams, or collaborations — scientists, activists, economists, leaders, governments, banks, businesses, cities, and countries — anyone who is making a substantial development or outstanding contribution to solving our environmental challenges.”
The Earthshot Prize, announced on December 31, aims to reward 50 solutions to environmental issues such as “climate and energy, nature and biodiversity, oceans, air pollution and freshwater” that Prince William has dubbed the “world’s greatest problems.” In 2020, the first set of specific challenges will be announced to mark the official kick-off to the contest.
The name “Earthshot” was inspired by former US President John F. Kennedy’s “Moonshot,” a concept that sparked a decade (the 1960s) of technological innovations that eventually led to the 1969 moon landing. Prince William hopes that Earthshot will create a wave of ambition and innovation to help save the planet.
The prize will be funded by Kensington Palace along with various philanthropic donors and organizations.
The post Prince William announces prizes for solutions to climate change appeared first on Matador Network.
The devastating Australian brushfires that have been raging for many weeks did not even take a day of rest to ring in the new year. There are currently 100 fires burning in the state of New South Wales and a dozen in Victoria.
In Mallacoota, a beach town in southeastern Australia, people were forced to evacuate their homes and take refuge on the beach, as blazes swept in and triggered an alarm bell at 8:00 AM on Tuesday. “It should have been daylight but it was black like midnight and we could hear the fire roaring,” said local resident David Jeffrey to the BBC. “We were all terrified for our lives.” Some people hopped in boats and waited on the water.
In Batemans Bay, a little further north in NSW, similar scenes played out, with people sitting on the beach next to life rafts while their towns were burning down. They were ready to take to the waters if conditions worsened.
Batemans Bay residents are now evacuating to the beach, these are the scene captured a short time ago.
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📸 – Alistair Prior. #9News pic.twitter.com/jsfk1m8aRu
— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 31, 2019
Despite the devastation, air quality, extensive fire bans, and an online petition to cancel the event, Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks went ahead as scheduled.
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The preferred destination of partygoers and spa enthusiasts, Sharm el-Sheikh near the tip of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is a beachy paradise filled with high-end resorts, bars, and restaurants. It certainly has its charms. However, if your goal is to appreciate the natural beauty of Egypt’s coasts in places that range from slightly to far off the beaten sand path, there are some very worthy alternatives, all of which are accessible from major cities by car.
Swim season never ends in Egypt, thanks to its warm climate. That being said, the water temperature on Egypt’s Mediterranean can be cool (in the low 60s Fahrenheit) in mid-winter. It’s best to avoid going during Ramadan as some businesses and restaurants have limited daytime hours, although the beaches are decidedly less crowded. Springtime is ideal for a visit — just note that Ramadan starts in April this year.
Photo: Obraz/Shutterstock
Hurghada, a large resort town falling smack dab on the center of the Red Sea’s western coast, is the most similar to Sharm on this list in terms of its party, resort vibe. But a few features make it perfect for travelers who want not only the opulent trappings of a posh resort town but also the chance to interact more with Egyptians and experience North African city life.
After a relaxing swim, venture out to El-Dahar Square and wander around the local souq, an open marketplace. Wooden crates and boxes are piled high with fresh and colorful produce like strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, jute leaves, and mint, and barrels are brimming with aromatic spices and dried hibiscus flowers. Locals rush around buying food for that night’s dinner, stopping only to chat with friends, their voices blending into the cacophony of shouted prices, calls to prayer, and car horns.
Lounging in the uninterrupted sunshine with a drink in hand is also an option. And if parlaying the day’s drinking into an evening of partying is an essential vacation element for you, Hurghada has that as well. A handful of nightclubs and bars line the main roads close to the resorts.
If you want to infuse adventure into your beach retreat, Giftun Islands National Park is a mere boat ride away. Your hotel can usually arrange a snorkel or even dive trip to the islands, or you can find a tour operator in town. The islands are ideal for observing the Red Sea’s magnificent marine life; their pristine waters are replete with corals, fish, turtles, starfish, and more.
Photo: shady mahrous/Shutterstock
Neither off the grid nor flooded with tourists, Marsa Matrouh is a port town on the Mediterranean Sea west of Alexandria with long stretches of sandy beach punctuated by caves and climbable outcroppings of eroded shoreline. Since most of Marsa Matrouh is insulated from rough waves (and the accompanying flurry of sediment) by a natural breakwater of rocks, the water is crystalline and provides high visibility for snorkelers.
Another bonus is that you can easily incorporate sightseeing into your itinerary while at Marsa Matrouh. The city is brimming with history, dating back at least to the time of Alexander the Great, when it was known as Paraitonion, and likely even earlier to the Rameside era in 1200 BC. Evidence for this can be found in the ruins of a temple to Ramses II.
There’s no shortage of ancient architecture below the waves too, the most prominent examples being the Drowned City of Caesar and Cleopatra’s Drowned Palace. Buried below the mercurial waters of the Mediterranean, the ruins themselves are too dangerous for vacationers to access, even equipped with scuba gear. Nevertheless, you can still interact with the memory of Ptolemaic Egypt. When the tide is low, and the sea is calm, walk to a section of Marsa Matrouh called Cleopatra’s Beach. There, two giant stones known as Cleopatra’s Bath rise up on the edge of a wide, semi-submerged outcropping. Local legend has it that the queen herself bathed in it with her lover Marc Anthony.
Egyptians have long seen the appeal of Marsa Matrouh. Almost every day, local teenagers can be seen scaling rocks and splashing about. Families, wading around on protrusions of rock jutting out from the shore, are happy to recommend the best places to swim or to point you in the direction of the caves, the walls of which are covered in old Coptic scrawlings.
Photo: Mohamed Ramez/Shutterstock
While Ain Sokhna isn’t really known outside of Egypt, it deserves to be, given its affordable prices, clean beaches, and proximity to the famed Monastery of St. Anthony. Whereas most major Red Sea destinations are five to eight hours by car from Cairo, the drive to Ain Sokhna is a mere hour and a half.
Cinnamon-hued mountains with craggy peaks loom above the line of resorts, a stark contrast with the squishy, oatmeal-hued sand and endless aquamarine expanse of sea in the opposite direction. Like other Red Sea cities, Ain Sokhna’s waters are teeming with fish, vibrant corals, and crabs.
After you’ve had your fill of snorkeling, strolling on the beach, and lunching on denis (a tasty, local sea bream), take the time to visit the Monastery of St. Anthony. It was founded in 300 AD by the eponymous St. Anthony, one of the first Desert Fathers and the person credited with starting Christian monastic life. Below the floor of the church, which dates to the 12th century, are underground rooms used for study and prayer that are as old as the original monastery itself and which you can see when the monk pulls back the rug to reveal a glass floor. Equally impressive are the paintings of saints dating back to the seventh and eighth centuries.
Within the gates, a garden fed by a small but resilient spring sits in the center of architecture both ancient and new, the latter being the result of a massive restoration effort in the early 2000s. Bibliophiles will be delighted by the library, which contains one of the largest collections of Coptic manuscripts in Egypt. Ambitious travelers can depart from Cairo, enjoy the beach, and take a monk-guided tour of this historic site all in one day.
Photo: Mohamed A. El Gendy
Nayzak Beach is certainly the smallest beach on this list, but its size in no way diminishes its appeal. Located a short drive from the seaside town of Marsa Alam, two-thirds of the way down Egypt’s Red Sea coast, Nayzak is more accurately described as a natural pool within a beach. While it’s possible to take a taxi from the city, you’ll end up paying the driver to wait to take you back after your swim. There’s no way to hail a taxi from Nayzak. If you want a leisurely, unrushed stay, it’s better to rent a car from Marsa Alam.
From an elevated vantage point, Nayzak resembles an almond-shaped, aquamarine gem embedded in the rosy-brown stone of the coast. Locals went a different direction when nicknaming the swimming hole, settling on “shooting star” owing to their belief that a meteorite strike created it. While geologists agree that this is not the case, the moniker stuck.
Sheltered from hidden currents and powerful waves, Nayzak Beach is a safe place to float unperturbed and enjoy the warmth of the Red Sea. At its deepest, the pool is about 30-feet deep; at either tip, it’s possible to sit on the rock and sand below. The only downside to this literal slice of beachy paradise is the lack of facilities and shade. Plan on bringing what water, food, towels, and umbrellas you think you’ll need so that you won’t be forced to interrupt your sunbathing and diving with a drive back to Marsa Alam for supplies.
Photo: Mohamed Ramez/Shutterstock
South of Marsa Alam, the Wadi el-Gemal-Hamata Protected Area affords visitors the chance to swim and to see some of Northeast Africa’s most impressive nature. In total, the area is home to an estimated 140 plant species and over 100 animal species, including the Nubian ibex, gazelle, hyrax, sand cat, and caracal.
Within the protected area, two islands in particular — Wadi el-Gemal and Wadi Qulaan — serve as great launching points for snorkeling or scuba diving. A series of tiny islands connected by shallow water and interspersed with mangroves make for a view reminiscent of a South Pacific vista. Venture underwater and you’ll find multicolored fish flitting about the abundant coral reefs. If you’re willing to travel a bit further offshore, you might see dolphins or even the dugong, an animal closely related to the manatee and the only surviving member of its family.
Compared to resort towns, the amenities in the protected area are somewhat limited though there is a visitor’s center. After a long day of swimming and hiking, hungry visitors who have booked inclusive tours can sit and eat with the Ababda bedouin tribe that lives in Wadi el-Gemal. If you’re feeling brave, you can even try camel cheese.
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