Just half an hour’s flight north from Mahe and comprising 375 acres, the privately-owned island of Denis has particularly lush vegetation, white sand beaches and excellent coral reefs. The island’s interior has benefited from a concerted conservation effort to reintroduce native species of flora and fauna which has resulted in the lush, species-rich island habitat … Continued
The huge 55,507 hectare Deramakot Forest Reserve is managed by the Sabah Forestry Department for conservation and sustainable forest management. Just 10% of the forest is currently set aside for conservation and 90% is destined for reduced-impact logging. It is hoped that increased tourism will shift the balance and encourage the government to allocate more … Continued
The Thar Desert’s variety of landscapes – sand dunes, craggy rocks, pavements and compact salt lake bottoms, inter-medial areas and fixed dunes – amount to a unique ecosystem containing a rich fauna. The Sudashri Forest post is one of the best places to observe wildlife here and visitors make safari trips either in camel carriages … Continued
A little over half an hour’s flight from Mahe and just six km long and one km wide, Desroches has acres of shady coconut palms and native vegetation fringed by 14 km of white sand beaches lapped by crystal clear turquoise waters and sheltered by the encircling reef. The island, the pearl of the remote … Continued
Vibrant Durban, the third largest city in South Africa and a major port, is an exciting cosmopolitan mix of Indian, African and English as well as Zulu cultures. The climate is warmer in the winter than the Western cape so its sandy beaches, protected by shark nets, are a year-round attraction. Victorian buildings stand side … Continued
An area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the highlights of East Devon include the pebble bed heathlands, the spectacular Jurassic Coast, the wildlife rich River Otter catchment and a high number of veteran trees amongst its oak woodlands. The River Otter flows from the Blackdown Hills to the South Coast at Budleigh Salterton and is home … Continued
This small triangle of volcanic rock, just 7.5 miles at its widest point, is considered by many to be the world’s most remote inhabited island. Known as Rapa Nui to its native Polynesian inhabitants it is 2,236 miles west from the nearest point on the American continent – the coast of Chile – and the … Continued
Vast rainforests, large lakes and mysterious Maya ruins
On the Kunene River and reached by 4×4 from the town of Opuwo in the far north (Kaokoland), Epupa Falls descend 60m over a distance of 1.5km in a series of cascades over colourful rocks. The falls are named ‘Epupa’ in Herero language for the waterfalls’ spray – particularly evident after the rains. In Angola … Continued
Set up in 1978 to protect the endangered Nilgiri tahr (an endangered mountain goat), it is close to Kerala’s only hill station, Munnar, at 2700 mts above sea level. The park has stark yet stunning scenery of rocky outcrops and grasslands with shola forest.
Part of the Erongo Mountain Nature Conservancy and the region’s namesake, the Erongo Mountains are a roughly circular massif formed by the collapse of a volcano into its magma chamber. The resultant slow-cooled igneous rock has resisted erosion and now stands 2216 masl as a beautifully bouldered landscape, home to unique animals and birds. Activities … Continued
The southernmost Galapagos island of Espanola has one of the most interesting visitor sites at Punta Suarez. There are numerous sea lions and marine iguanas at the landing point, and a 1.6 mile circular trail passes masked boobies, blue-footed boobies and, from April to December, waved albatross. Espanola is the only place in the Galapagos … Continued
