Low Season Traveller - Issue 1 by Low Season Traveller

TRAVELLER LOW S E A SON

Issue 1 April 2022

THE HIDDEN GEMS OF CULTURAL HERITAGE

M AGA Z INE

TRAVEL CHOICES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Add our under-the-radar cultural heritage places and experiences to your bucket list.

Get sustainability tips from a leader in responsible tourism.

TAKING AMAZING PHOTOGRAPHS

FEATURED DESTINATIONS: INDIA JORDAN TENERIFE CAPE TOWN VIETNAM AND MUCH MORE...

Learn tips and tricks to take great photos, whatever the weather.

Meet the team and contributors

Welcome I recently went houseboating mid-week on Lake Eildon in Victoria, Australia. It felt like we had the whole lake to ourselves. Since our humble beginnings in 2018, Low Season Traveller has been inspiring low season travellers through our website, popular podcasts, live talks and social media channels. But we felt something was missing from our offering and the overall travel landscape – an insightful, honest, educational and inspirational magazine that specifically focuses on low season travel. And so here it is – our first ever edition of Low Season Traveller Magazine, filled with articles from fantastic writers, travel industry experts and emerging trailblazers.

Low Season Traveller

In case you haven’t guessed it from the name already, we truly believe that the low season months are the best time to travel. Not only does low season travel address issues of overtourism, it also minimises environmental impacts, spreads out economic gain for local host communities more evenly across the year and it represents so much greater value for you, the traveller!

Sometimes low season travel feels like it’s the industry’s best kept secret. But here at Low Season Traveller, our aim is to make this wonderful form of travel available to everyone – we’re here to shout it from the rooftops! We want you to have THE best time travelling during the low season months in each destination we feature and we’ve got some great ideas on where to go, where to stay, what to eat and how to experience the world differently than you’ve ever done before.

In this edition we look at some of the best destinations to travel to in the next three months, we talk to some trailblazers in the industry who are making waves with sustainability, the concept of slow travel and adventure tours, and we’re even introducing our own Low Season Journeys! On a personal level, putting together this first edition has made me EVEN MORE excited to get out and travel again after spending the last two years in and out of lockdown in my hometown of Melbourne, Australia. It’s been a rough time for the travel industry and I’m thrilled to see operators, travellers and suppliers getting back on their feet. I couldn’t think of a better way to travel right now than doing it without the crowds. We’ve got an amazing crew of talented writers and passionate guest contributors who have taken the time to share part of their world with us. I want to thank every one of them for sharing their passion and helping us to put out an exciting first edition. We hope you love it just as much as we do! Rachel Jacgung Editor-in-Chief Editor@lowseasontraveller.com

Meet the team and contributors

Who made it happen? Publishing

Contributors

This edition’s guest stars

Ged Brown

Claire French

Penny Walker

Ged is the founder and CEO of Low Season Traveller; the world’s first organisation completely dedicated to the promotion of travel during the offpeak seasons in each destination as a way to alleviate the growing problem of over-tourism. A passionate advocate of the advantages of tourism, Ged has spent his entire career working with leading travel and tourism organisations.

Rachel Jacgung Editor-in-Chief

Rachel is an experienced writer and strategic communications professional with a master’s degree in International Sustainable Tourism. Joining Low Season Traveller as Editor of our quarterly magazine, Rachel hopes to inspire travellers to experience some of the world’s best destinations and places to eat, stay and play, while educating readers on why the low season is the best time to experience them.

Lisa TE Sonne Editor-at-Large

An award-winning writer who explored seven continents, dove many seas, and wrote for airline, Time-Life, and National Geographic media. Her books include “My Adventures” and “The Great Outdoors” for Quarto Publishers. Wrote for Oscar-winning and Emmy-winning projects. Co-founderCharityChecks.org; member of Space.com’s launch team and The Explorers Club.

Tony Hallwood

Business Development Director

Tony’s career has covered senior director roles for major travel companies including SAGA, Cosmos, Airtours and My Travel. Tony’s strengths are building strong partnerships with airlines, tour operators and national tourism partners alongside maximising his extensive PR and media experience to promote a wide range of new destinations, routes and services.

Claire has crossed the globe, living and working on 6 continents. She’s now working on Low Season Traveller feature pieces and dreaming of her next adventure from her narrow boat home on a quiet stretch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, where it seems to be permanently low season.

Mark Bibby Jackson Traveller, author and writer, Mark Bibby Jackson is the founder and group editor of websites Travel Begins at 40 and London Begins at 40, as well as the awardwinning author of To Cook A Spider, Peppered Justice and Unravelling the Web. Mark was the publisher and editor of AsiaLIFE Cambodia, ASEAN Forum and Horizon Thailand magazines.

Chris Flynn

Chris is a member of the LST Advisory Board and is also the Founder & Executive Chairman of The World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage. With more than 30 years’ experience in international tourism, Chris is a regular speaker at high profile international events and provides insights to leading news media channels such as BBC World News Asia Business Report.

Peter Guttman

An award-winning travel journalist and adventurer who has explored seven continents and over 240 countries. Cited one of “20 of the World’s Most Influential Photographers”, Guttman authored eight photographic books, created two highly praised hardcover book series, and was called a “One-Man Explorer’s Club” by the New York Times.

The Adventure Creators Penny has been welcoming curious travellers to the Pyrenees for many years. As Founder and a ‘Guide Touristique’ she shares everything she loves about this under-theradar destination with people who want to enjoy a deeper and more fulfilling experience during their stay. It really is a business of pure passion through which Penny helps visitors to discover the heart of life in the Pyrenees and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Kate Cummings Low Season Traveller

Kate is an advocate for sustainable and slow travel. She loves taking alternative routes via trains, boats and bikes rather than flying to truly engage with not just the destination but also the journey. Her slow travelling goal is to one day make the trip from Portugal to Vietnam – the longest train journey in the world!

Dayana Brooke

The Sustainable Traveller Dayana Brooke founded The Sustainable Traveller with just one aim - to change the way we travel so that we have a positive impact on our environment, lives and our planet. Dayana is a passionate conservationist, committed to protecting the environment, nature, wildlife, oceans and local cultures as well as she can. By changing the way we travel, Dayana hopes to protect, conserve and preserve our environment and wildlife for future generations.

Design Chris McNicholl

Owner of Overflowcreative.com

Advertising: Get in touch with Tony Hallwood at Tony@lowseasontraveller.com

Low Season Traveller

Publisher and CEO at Low Season Traveller

Contents Manitoba, Canada

Belfast

The Pyrene

Pale Philadelphia, USA Fez, Morocco Tenerife

Angel Falls, Venezuela Galapagos Islands, Ecuador Featured destination

Machu Picchu, Peru

Low season journey

Nazca, Peru

Food focus

Low Season Traveller

Podcast

Cultural heritage Slow travel Photography tips Sustainable travel

Patagonia, Argentina

Why low season travel matters.............................................6

Go low & slow with Kate Cummings..................................40

Featured destination: Tenerife...............................................8

5 of the best podcasts...............................................................44

Travelling through Thailand with The Tuk Tuk Club – and Jen..............................................................................................14

Featured destination: India...................................................46

5 under-the-radar cultural heritage icons....................19 The low down: Photography with Peter Guttman....24 Pondering the Pyrenees with Penny Walker...............28 Featured destination: Jordan..............................................34

Featured destination: Vietnam...........................................54 The Sustainable Traveller......................................................60 Food, glorious food...................................................................64 Featured destination: Cape Town......................................66 Travel that supports local communities........................72 Really? The Low Season Travel quiz.................................74

Lapland, Finland

ees, France

ermo, Italy Hattusha, Turkey Jordan

Chang Mai, Thailand Thailand India

Vietnam Borneo, Malaysia

Sydney, Australia Hampden, New Zealand

5 Quiz answers: 1- India, 2- Finland, 3- Tenerife, 4- Vietnam, 5- Mexico, 6- Jordon, 7- Capetown, 8- Sri Lanka

Cape Town

Low Season Traveller

African safari

Low season travel

Why low season travel matters

By Ged Brown, CEO at Low Season Traveller Travel has always been fun. When I first started out in the travel industry as a travel agent, my manager told me that we were responsible for looking after people’s dreams. He reminded me that other than a house or a car, tourism or ‘holidays’ account for the single largest purchase anyone makes in any given year. Our holidays and vacations are what we live for. They represent our time to escape the ‘everyday’ and open our eyes to new experiences. The United Nations World Tourism Organisation or UNWTO, have a wonderful graphic which shows why tourism is more than a merely frivolous pursuit. It matters greatly…to a great many people around the world.

Low Season Traveller

Most in the travel industry focus on the hard measurable impacts of tourism: the fact that it accounts for 1 in 10 jobs worldwide, is worth $1.6 trillion in exports, accounts for 10% of the world’s GDP and 7% of the world’s exports.

Personally, I have always been more interested in the so-called ‘softer’ impacts of tourism. It helps small local economies which are reliant on tourism, it helps to protect and preserve our cultural heritage, it helps to protect our nature and wildlife and it helps engender peace and harmony in the world. The more we travel, the more we understand the world around us and our place in that world. Travel is quite literally, the best education.

Source: UNWTO

Low season travel

Overtourism: The Acropolis, Athens, 2019

As thankfully, more of the world’s population reach middle income status, more people have the ability to travel. And this is broadly a positive thing. However, as tourism numbers increase, there is an increasingly urgent need for appropriate checks and balances to be in place to effectively manage tourism. Left unchecked, we witness the onset of over-tourism which we have started to see already in places like Barcelona, Venice, Iceland, Thailand and more. Over-tourism is a misnomer for tourism mismanagement. It only occurs during certain peak times of the year and it has a significant negative impact on the lives of local host communities whilst simultaneously providing a poorer experience for the visitors too. Quite literally, no one wins. According to the predictions by the UNWTO, there will be 1.8 billion international tourists by 2030. That’s an additional 400 million more than we saw in 2019, and most industry experts believe this figure to be a significant under-estimate, even after the impacts of COVID-19 on tourism.

An additional 400 million tourists on top of what we saw in 2019, will make a massive impact on the lives of millions around the world and it will make for some poorer quality tourism too. By travelling during the low season (or non-peak) months in each destination you visit, you will be travelling at a time when the local community actually need the economic impact of your tourism. The welcome will be a little warmer. You’ll stay in hotels which are being under-utilised during the low season months – and we all know that making better use of the resources which already exist is a more sustainable option. You won’t have to queue for attractions, or jostle with the masses for that photo, or struggle to get a reservation in that lovely restaurant. And yes, you’ll pay sometimes less than 50% of what you would usually have to spend during the peak season months. And on top of all this, you will gain a more unique experience which most travellers will not have had. Everyone benefits when you travel during the low season months. Low season travel matters. We live in an age where we understand very clearly that our choices can have a lasting impact on the world around us, its communities, its wildlife and its nature. By travelling during the low seasons, we get to have the most awesome and unique experiences, safe in the knowledge that our tourism is bringing a net benefit to the local communities we visit. And let’s face facts, who really enjoys crowds anyway?

Low Season Traveller

However, tourism, like so much of our planet, is fragile. We have witnessed a constant and consistent growth of tourists around the world over the past 50 years. There have been the rare years where tourism has not grown as significantly as other years (2004 tsunami, 2008/9 global financial crisis and more recently the global pandemic), however, our collective desire to discover the world around us means that the demand for travel generally only increases.

Featured Destination: Tenerife

Tenerife Awakening emotions in Europe’s Hawaii…

Low Season Traveller

When to go: January, April, May, September and November

Featured Destination: Tenerife By Claire French

The largest of the Canary Islands sees arrivals throughout the year, attracted to the well-established resorts, laid-back Spanish lifestyle, Michelin-starred dining and top water sports. An enviable position off the Moroccan coast means a perfect average temp of 23º C, mild winters, and, thanks to the trade winds, no searing heat of summer that scorches mainland Spain. To hit the low season then, and get the best value for your hard-earned cash, we recommend visiting May to July or September to mid-October. That way you’ll avoid both the over-wintering sun-seekers and

the school holidaying families. As if avoiding the crowds and snagging the bargains isn’t enough, you’ll be visiting at a time when the landscape is in bloom, Canarians have more time to welcome you and you’ll enjoy island life at its most authentic. This is especially true if you get away from the main tourist centres and explore Tenerife’s charming villages with their African and Spanish influence, quieter beaches and stunning national parks.

The great outdoors

Nearly half of the island’s territory is under protection with exactly 43 recognised natural areas. Challenge yourself with kayaking, kite-surfing, or scuba diving or take a more relaxed approach with a day’s excursion to see the whales and dolphins that frequent the warm waters. Hikers and cyclists are spoilt for choice with plenty of short picturesque routes or the more serious Blue Trail which crosses the whole island including the national park of Teide and its towering volcanic peak. If that sounds a bit hardcore, activate your senses with the Japanese art of forestbathing among thousand-year-old Canarian pines before ending your day with a cocktail watching one of the island’s spectacular sunsets.

Low Season Traveller

Did you know that vitamin D is one immunityboosting resource you cannot get solely from your dietary intake? Sunshine is what’s needed, and at Low Season Traveller we know just the place to get it in spades. With 3,000 annual sunny hours, 250 miles of coastline, 1,000 miles of trails, beautiful beaches, and year-round alfresco dining, the island of Tenerife is an adventure playground with plenty of the good stuff to go around.

Featured Destination: Tenerife

Any visitor to Tenerife from May to September would be hard-pressed to miss a party as there seems to be something happening every week. Glorious gastronomy

Dress to the nines and indulge yourself at one of five, yes five, Michelin-starred eateries featuring creative menus, the finest local produce and award winning wines. Or you might prefer a bar on the beach serving fresh seafood while you dig your toes in the sand. Or how about a place dug into the cliffs with amazing sunset views. One favourite option is a visit to one of the typical rustic guachinches. These are a uniquely Canarian concept where a farm or smallholding gains a demarcation for producing their own wine, and are legally allowed to open for only a few months of the year. The family prepares mouthwatering home-cooked dishes but please note that the most authentic have no English menu and don’t take credit cards.

Let’s celebrate

While Tenerife’s two-week February carnival is the best known, any visitor from May to September would be hardpressed to miss a party as there seems to be something happening every week. The decorating of the crosses and the fireworks of Los Realejos in May is a big deal with hundreds of crosses to be decorated with floral displays. The traditions of these events are steeped in history with the 18th-century origins seeing the escalating rivalry between manual and professional workers as they completed to show the best displays. Check out the typical Romerias or pilgrimages of the small villages, combining Christian and pagan elements. You’re sure to find some fascinating folkloric outfits, a great atmosphere and loads of delicious food.

Low Season Traveller

TOP EXPERIENCES

Mount Teide

Spain’s highest mountain and the third largest volcanic cone in the world, UNESCO recognised Mount Teide lies bang in the centre of Tenerife and stands as its very symbol. Explore the incredible lunar landscape on foot, or take the cable car but do be aware it’s cold at the top.

La Laguna

Another UNESCO site, the beautiful town of La Laguna is the perfect place to learn about the island’s history through its typical colonial architectural style. The well-preserved old centre is filled with a lively pedestrian zone, fab boutiques and good restaurants among the historic buildings.

Biosphere Reserve of Anaga

This incredible protected natural area covers the top north eastern tip of Tenerife. Many of the islands 800 endemic species are concentrated into this vital corner which also features wonderful trails and a laurel forest of vegetation that has survived only in the islands around the Canaries.

FOOD AND DRINK Barraquito-Sabroso Coffee

Possibly the world’s tastiest coffee. It’s specific to the Canaries and to Tenerife in particular. Condensed milk is put into the bottom of a glass, followed by coffee, licor 43, frothy milk, lemon and cinnamon. A delicious way to pep up your morning.

Papas Arrugadas con Mojo

A Canarian take on patatas bravas, this traditional dish is literally ‘wrinkly potatoes’. The best bit is it’s served with the typical spicy mojo sauce. Made from oil, vinegar, garlic and spices, you can choose a red mojo with paprika and bell pepper, or the delicious green variety from coriander.

Local cheeses

Cured and smoked cheeses are popular but the variety most commonly consumed is goats cheese. It has a mild and pleasant taste and is usually just a few days old. Visit a cheese factory like the one in Arico, or order in any restaurant. It’s often served with mojo sauce or local honey.

Featured Destination: Tenerife

INSIDER TIPS •

Don’t miss the beautiful carpets of flowers laid out for Corpus Christi in June in the town of La Orotava. Not only is the scent amazing, but the designs of the floral displays as well as the incredible art work produced from soil and sand from Mount Teide have to be seen to be believed.

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All that sun and fresh air is great for your health and wellbeing, but for those wanting more, try a spa treatment using the natural resources of the island. Hot volcanic stone massage, black sand body wraps, thermal bathing and aloe vera facials are just some of the offerings.

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Tenerife is one of the very best places to gaze up at the stars due to its unpolluted clear nocturnal skies. The area around Teide has been awarded certification as a prime location to view the heavens. There’s a series of viewpoints to try or visit the excellent Teide Observatory.

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Leave the kids behind and enjoy a wine tasting with a difference at Bodegas Monje’s ‘Wine & Sex’ event. On this fun excursion you’re invited through art, music and eroticism to use all your senses in experiencing the flavours and sensations of the beverage guided by a professional sommelier.

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Mount Teide is usually so rocky and barren that it’s used a test site for the Mars rover. But all that changes come May and June, when the landscape is covered with the flowering tajiniste. The soaring red blooms are endemic to the Canaries and are well worth an instagrammable pose.

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If you’re unsure how to find an authentic guanchinche, download the Guachapp app to your mobile. You’ll find a list of venues near you or in the area of interest the map, find out what their signature dish is and discover how other users have rated their fare.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Image: Biosphere Reserve of Anaga, courtesy of Turismo Tenerife.

Low Season Traveller

GOOD TO KNOW

Featured Destination: Tenerife

best stays: Tenerife

LUXURY

ROYAL HIDEAWAY CORALES SUITES

Considered one of the 25 best hotels in Spain, and recently recognised by the World Luxury Hotel Awards, this luxury hotel is in the shape of a boat and the interior is inspired by the island’s marine corals. The property offers personalised experiences to make your holiday truly unforgettable. The rooms, far from being spaces in which you simply sleep and rest, are a fundamental part of the experience featuring impressive sea views and cater for every need and desire of the guest. Book now

ECO

Casas ITER Bioclimaticas offer 24 beautiful, fully-contained rental homes perfect for families or groups, each accommodating between four and seven guests. The homes all use solar and wind energy and produce zero Co2 emissions. The houses have been designed with the weather conditions in mind, with design details such as windows following the sun’s path to provide natural heat and light. Learn more

HOTEL SAN ROQUE This charming boutique hotel is located in the centre of the picturesque and historic town of Garachico on the island’s north west coast. The San Roque’s owners have restored this 18th century canarian house into a charming art deco Bauhaus themed oasis where the polished teak floors and balconies give one a feeling of living in another age. Each of the 20 fabulous rooms are individually designed and have some unexpected aspects to them including jacuzzi tubs and duplex designs. Plan your stay

BOUTIQUE

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QUIRKY 12

CASAS ITER BIOCLIMATICAS

Images sourced from accommodation providers.

ROYAL GARDENS VILLA AND SPA Royal Garden Villas offers 28 luxury villas each with their own private heated pool.From secluded sun decks to vast panoramic terraces, and magnificent private pools, you are sure to find the perfect setting for an unforgettable holiday among the 28 villas available. In fact, choosing your dream holiday sanctuary is the easy part, leaving it, however, may prove to be impossible. Stay at Royal Gardens Villa and Spa

ICONIC

BAHIA DEL DUQUE

Paradise exists and it’s located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Here, those in the know escape from the routine and enjoy world class service in this iconic and internationally recognised property. Winner of countless awards year after year, it’s easy to understand why so many people return again and again to this idyllic retreat nestled away on one of the finest beaches in the Canary Islands. Book now

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Tenerife

Low Season Traveller

Low Season Journeys: Northern Thailand

Travelling through Thailand with The Tuk Tuk Club – and Jen

Mark Bibby Jackson spends ten days on a tuk tuk travelling around the hills of northern Thailand with The Tuk Tuk Club and receives a hospitality he has seldom encountered. By Mark Bibby Jackson

If you have not gathered it already, Jen is a tuk tuk, one of the troupe that The Tuk Tuk Club drives around the hills of northern Thailand from their base just outside of Chiang Mai. I don’t know why this memory stands out so clearly in my mind above all the others on our tuk tuk travels. It could have equally have been the time we stopped for lunch at Mae Chaem, only to discover all the restaurant staff standing beside Jen taking photos of themselves next to her. Or equally at the eclectic Ching Ching bar in Mae Sariang, where our guide Smithy struck up a conversation with a group of young Thais who had seen our small convoy – two bright orange tuk tuks and a support 4VD – entering the border town, and explained how they just loved what we were doing. Or the numerous occasions that local Thais smiled at the crazy foreigners driving their tuk tuks up and down the sweeping mountain roads to Doi Thannon, at 2,565 metres above sea level the highest point in Thailand, and beyond. This is the Thailand they sell in tourism brochures and on videos – the real Land of Smiles. Not the modern-day Thailand you encounter in Bangkok where people sit on the Skytrain, their faces buried in their mobile phones just like their distant Visiting the Mae Vang Elephant home

cousins do on the London Underground, the New York Subway or Paris Metro. Our trip started with an hour’s drive from Chiang Mai to the tiny village of Maewang where our training took place. At first Jen and I don’t exactly hit it off. Quite understandably she takes umbrage at my cumbersome use of the gear with only passing reference to the clutch. And as for the break, the least said of my heavy right foot, the better. Jen repeatedly judders to a halt on the small basketball court that is our training circuit, in the middle of which a family of Karen farmers are drying some rice. “Maybe, you can try reverse,” Smithy, who is also my driving instructor, suggests. With little faith, I turn the ignition again and release the clutch, only for the vehicle to ease its way backwards, slowly. Like Tony Curtis steering the motor boat in Some Like It Hot, I have found my metier – driving a tuk tuk in reverse. After all, nobody is perfect. “Perhaps I can drive backwards on the tour,” I suggest to Smithy. “That would take 30 days,” he says, a broad smile sweeping across his face. He is right, our tuk tuk adventure is only scheduled for ten. After receiving a blessing for the journey ahead at nearby Wat Tham Nam Hoo, we drive the following day to the Maevang Elephant Home. Until recently, Maevang was very much like many other places around Chiang Mai providing elephant rides for ill-informed tourists. However, now people come to feed the mammoths and walk beside them to the river where they have their bath .

Low Season Traveller

A crowd has gathered around Jen. I am used to this by now for she has up-staged me throughout my tuk tuk travels. Never act with children and animals, they say. Well, don’t travel with a tuk tuk either. All the staff of the Fern Resort have congregated in the car park, two of them pause by Jen as I get behind the wheel and pretend to drive away with them as my passengers, while the smartphone cameras silently click. Then the rest of the staff line up beside the tuk tuks and more photos are taken. Everyone is smiling. It feels good.

Featured Low Season Podcasts Journeys: Northern Thailand

Meeting the locals in Northern Thailand “Here you can feel they are like a friend; you can feed them,” explains Num, who works at Maevang.

On the opening stretch we pass through a lovely boulevard of trees, which provides a delightful dappled shade.

There is a childlike quality to the elephants’ play. One of the smaller ones tries to duck his younger sibling’s head under the water, just like any ‘normal’ child would in a swimming pool; only this time mum stands by imperviously as she shoots a jet of water at us, rather than yelling at her children to behave. Clearly, they are having fun – something that is not often said of their cousins who trudge their way through the forest carrying gap-year travellers or selfie trigger-happy tourists on their backs.

We don’t quite reach Mae Hong Son, as our destination is some 10 kilometres before the town – the Fern Resort – for an amazing night’s sleep in a bed once slept in by none other than Angelina Jolie!

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We spend the third night of our tuk tuk travels at Ban Kuhn Klam, where Jen takes a well-earned rest having climbed her way up more than one thousand metres that day. A small community set in the middle of paddy fields, this is the epitome of rural Thailand. The following day we set off on foot on the Pha Dok Seaw trail in Doi In Thannon national park, following the course of the Mae Klang river.

The following day’s drive is a long 160km drive to Mae Sariang on the Myanmar border. This is the first day that I truly feel comfortable behind the wheels – instead of dreading the emergence of the next tight bend I find myself enjoying the challenge of sliding through the gears, confident in my new-found acumen. I have discovered my driving rhythm, instinctively sensing when Jen wants to change gear and when to give her a bit of welly. After a night – and too many beers – spent in Ching Ching bar, we head to Mae Hong Son some 170 kilometres to the north.

Despite the inviting prospect of spending our day of rest lazing by the pool, we opt to hike a trail that leads from the back of Fern Resort. Now, the weirdest thing about the walk is our guides. As we assemble at the starting point, the owner of the resort claps his hands several times and four dogs appear before scampering off down a path, while we duly follow. The following day’s drive to Pai is the most spectacular on our trip with sweeping panoramas of the verdant countryside. We arrive at the Phu Pai Art Resort, a few kilometres outside of Pai. Set in some farmland, this really is getting back to nature, and as I relax in the pool I feel that I am an intruder in a foreign land, especially as a farmer strims the now unwanted rice paddy in a neighbouring field. The next day is another one of rest for Jen, which is probably a good idea as the final day’s drive is also the longest. We will travel some 178 kilometres taking the scenic route back to Maewang, avoiding the heavy traffic on the road to Chiang Mai. A bunch of bikers pass us on the tight bends. Then we ascend some more before pulling over to the side of the road to enjoy the view at the spot Smithy helpfully describes as “the viewpoint” about half way to our destination.

Low Season Journeys: Northern Thailand The bikers have arrived here first. They all congregate around Jen, needing little encouragement to pose for the camera. I am clearly an optional extra. This will be my most biding memory of the trip; the way that Thais have welcomed the crazy foreigners driving their orange tuk tuks around Thailand. I have never felt so true a welcome in all my travels. There is a genuine warmth but also respect for what we are doing, especially as we are taking Jen and her colleague Flo on roads that no self-respecting urban tuk tuk would ever dream of driving. Shortly afterwards Jen starts misbehaving. Smithy thinks I have been over-revving the engine as we descended the steep slopes. He takes over driving, relegating me to a role on the bench for the rest of the trip. What at first feels like a slur on my tuk tuk driving skills – after all I am now a ten-day veteran – soon turns out to be a reward. Sitting in the back I can enjoy our welcome as we pass through some idyllic villages where locals smile or wave at the most unexpected visitors. Eventually I start to recognise landmarks we passed a week ago. With the chequered flag almost in sight and our tuk tuk travels almost complete, Smithy rediscovers his trust in my driving ability, and he allows me to take Jen home. Our first hotel now in clear view, I pull Jen into the grass verge by the side of the road, stalling her for one final time as I forget to apply enough clutch and we slam to a halt. At least some things have not changed.

Lush rice terraces around Chiang Mai Do you want to join Jen and The Tuk Tuk Club for this amazing journey in Northern Thailand? We’ve teamed up with The Tuk Tuk Club to offer this very trip as our signature Low Season Journey to Northern Thailand this August.

Mark and ‘Jen’ on their Tuk Tuk Club journey. Image: Mark Bibby Jackson.

The images in this article have been supplied by The Tuk Tuk Club (unless stated otherwise).

Low Season Traveller

Learn more about the trip.

SLOW TRAVEL IN KERALA 8th – 24th September 2022 – £1,999 (Includes £100 donation to the Community Environment Resource Centre)

We have worked with our friends at Sita India to design this relaxed 17 day journey through the green state of Kerala during low season. Kerala is different to any other state in India – its lush interior is a haven for wildlife, there are fabulous tea plantations, and not forgetting the blissful backwaters. This tour will give you a taste of India you might not expect, from slow local life, to lightly spiced seafood and cool tea estates. We have designed this tour specifically to give you more free time in each place, combined with sightseeing tours with local guides. You will be accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers and the accommodation is all superb. Contact us to find out more:

ged@lowseasontraveller.com

+44 7572 612 602

www.lowseasontraveller.com NO

SPLENDOURS OF SRI LANKA 14th – 25th September 2022 – £1,999 (Includes £100 donation to Sarvodaya supporting a local school)

We have designed this beautiful 13 day journey through Sri Lanka’s lush interior during low season. As an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka’s low season moves around the country throughout the year – so wherever you go, you have a chance of showers and also a chance of sunshine! Either way, we guarantee you will love this friendly and fantastically varied country. Ancient capitals, delicious street food, herds of wild elephants, games with locals, cycling, tea country and golden beaches all await you as you are driven through the island by a highly experienced driver guide, and accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers. Contact us to find out more:

ged@lowseasontraveller.com

+44 7572 612 602

www.lowseasontraveller.com

Cultural heritage

under-the-radar cultural heritage icons You might’ve elbowed your way through the crowds at the colosseum in Rome or marvelled at the scaffolding that is forever outside Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, but have you experienced the epic Nazca lines in Peru or gawked at the Green Stone of Hattusa in Central Turkey?! We’ve teamed up with World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH) Executive Chairman Chris Flynn, who has shared a selection of his favourite cultural heritage artefacts, traditions and landmarks to add to your next itinerary! THE SACRED GREEN STONE OF HATTUSHA, CENTRAL TURKEY

TThe mystery of a giant green rock in the capital of the Hittite Empire has baffled archaeologists and visitors alike ever since it was discovered in what was originally an ancient storeroom. Known to locals as the “wish stone”, the huge jade cube stands almost a staggering metre high. Hattusha at its peak homed a 50,000 strong population and is famed for the Kadesh Peace Treaty, the world’s first such agreement of concord, signed between the Hittites and Egyptians in 1280BC. Theories suggest that the stone was a gift from Egypt to mark this historic occasion, or it could be an icon thought to hold religious significance. Come and see the beautiful piece, and put forward your own alternative. Hattusha was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1986.

CAPUCHIN CATACOMBS OF PALERMO, SICILY

The macabre remains, which are on display deep below the ground, have become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Palermo. This is due not least to ‘Rosalia Lombardo’, the most famous of the child corpses, who died of pneumonia at the age of two. Due to her remarkable preservation, she is now cherished to as the “world’s most beautiful mummy.” The child mummies form part of a wider group of thousands of dehydrated bodies which date from the 16th century.

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An exciting research project is about to shed new light on the mummified bodies of the 160 children entombed in the eerie Capuchin crypts of Palermo, Sicily.

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Cultural heritage

THE MESMERISING FLOATING MARKETS OF LOK BAINTAN, BORNEO, INDONESIA

The phenomenon of the floating market is engrained in the cultural heritage of the Banjar people. Their home of Banjarmasin is known as the ‘City of a Thousand Rivers’, and their watery marketplaces have prevailed here for hundreds of years since the days of the Banjar Sultanate.

THE MYSTERIOUS NAZCA LINES OF PERU

More than 2000 years ago, the ancient people of Peru carved hundreds of giant designs of humans, animals, plants, and geometric patterns into the high desert plains of Nazca. Although first recorded by Spanish conquistador and chronicler Pedro Cieza de León in 1553, the first detailed reports were made only during the mid-20th century when Peruvian military and civilian pilots saw them from the air for the first time. Despite being studied by scientists for more than 80 years, their true function remains a mystery.

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One of the most colourful markets is that of Lok Baintan in Sungai Pinang village and it remains little changed from the early 18th century. Late risers take note, the markets take place every day from 6.00 until around 9.30am.

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Cultural heritage

THE MOERAKI BOULDERS, KOEKOHE BEACH, NEW ZEALAND

These large spherical rocks stretch out along Koekohe Beach on the wave-cut Otago coast of New Zealand’s South Island, a stunning area now protected in a scientific reserve. Found either as isolated individuals or in groups or clusters it is believed the mysterious boulders were formed about 65 million years ago. According to Maori legend, they are gourds washed ashore from the shipwreck of the canoe that brought their ancestors to the shores of New Zealand. .

The low down

THE LOW DOWN PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PETER GUTTMAN This ongoing section for readers will be providing top travel tips for low season travel, gathered from experts around the world. Photographs have become a core part of how we experience, share, and remember our travels. To give you some of the best low down on getting high results in the sometimes challenging conditions of low season travel, our Editor-at-Large asked a renowned, award-winning photographer to share some of his tales and tips. Peter Guttman has travelled in over 240 countries in all kinds of weather.

The visual high of low season travel Seasons often fuel the driving engine for travel. In order to survey earth’s amazing diversity and fragile beauty, I’ll often seek out travel’s low season to visit many of our globe’s remote and magical corners. With a tireless passion for exploration, I dedicated much of my life to travel photography and toward discovering the wonders of our planet, which I’ve tried to capture visually within the eight hardcover books I’ve written. In doing so, it became apparent that sojourning during less busy times can provide a soul-soothing, almost spiritual sense of wonder and discovery. Very fortunately for me, the rhythmic flow of mother nature’s elemental forces doesn’t always coincide with the desire for comfort and climate-controlled imperatives sought by mass tourism’s pleasure-seeking hordes. As such, I often deliberately schedule my travels in direct contradiction to the usual patterns of vacationing tourists. This has enabled me to take valuable advantage of pristine landscapes and intimate wildlife encounters, while spending quality time with local culture, providing a deeper dive toward understanding and investigating remote societies.

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Privileged access created by low season travel has, for me, served as a backstage pass to our global theatre, and in turn has greatly enhanced the photography for my iPad travel app, Beautiful Planet HD. The images in that collection depict our astonishing planetary diversity by featuring lightly-populated scenes of pre-digital cultures and landscapes.

For example, when investigating Fez, Morocco, the world’s largest non-motorised city, I journeyed there in the very early spring. This enabled me to sidestep a relentless crush of foreign visitors mobbing the labyrinthine lanes of the medina. Its narrow walls now echoed hauntingly with clip-clopping donkey carts, while strolling djellaba-clad falconers and water vendors served as vivid avatars of the mysterious atmosphere pervading this medieval quarter. I made my way down to Venezuela, not during the mostly preferred dry season, but rather deep within its July rainy season to paddle through tropical jungle by dugout canoe

A sauna building in Lapland in the glow of the Northern Lights, Ahvenjärvi in Finland

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Exploring the narrow lanes of the Medina of Fez, Morocco

November might seem an unwelcome month to explore the natural splendors of Canada, but one of my most memorable engagements with nature occurred around that time in Manitoba. One can then experience a close encounter with the world’s largest land carnivore, just when Hudson Bay begins to freeze up. At that time, starving polar bears hope to attend the grand reopening of their frozen cafeteria, stationing themselves next to newly formed breathing holes, where ringed seals will emerge for a gulp of fresh air and wind up as the main entree. As winter slowly begins to close in, this dramatic gathering of ferocious snow-white mammals may

be viewed from platforms on a rather unique tundra buggy, which makes its way to this remote spot during this brief transition between seasons. To capture many distinctive low season experiences, I’ve had to develop numerous strategies to accompany my photographic activities, especially when shooting in unexpected or difficult weather conditions. My global exploits have found me photographing raucous emperor penguin colonies in bone-chilling Antarctic blizzards and battling heat stroke while attempting to photograph camel caravans lumbering through scorching oven-like desert canyons in Djibouti, the world’s hottest nation. I’ve documented a steep ascent through painfully thin atmosphere to summit Mount Kilimanjaro as my exhausted lungs screamed for more oxygen, and I’ve endured numerous waterlogged stakeouts awaiting an appearance by the mystical spirit bear in a drenching British Columbian rainforest.

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to the base of Angel Falls. As high as three Empire State Buildings stacked one upon another, the world’s tallest waterfall can often appear as a small trickle of water drooling down from a towering limestone tepui. However, by arriving at the falls during rainy season, the heavens seemed to cry a misty bridal veil impressively gushing out of the firmament.

The low down

Top tips for photography, whatever the weather

A polar bear roaming through the tundra in Manitoba, Canada

While your own journeys will hopefully not be as physically daunting, below are a few points to consider while braving the elements with a camera.

overly white background can usually fool your camera meter.

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COLD

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The cold can drain your batteries more quickly. Carry many spare ones and fully charge everything before heading out. Consider rubber-banding hand warmers to your camera, or keep it near your own body heat when not in use.

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There’s no such thing as poor weather, only poor clothing choices. Avoid cotton. Dress in layers for flexible adjustments to your body’s natural thermostat. Employ moisture-wicking, synthetic layers as a base, and an outer, waterproof, wind-resisting shell is a must. No jeans. Wool socks. Gloves should include a thin synthetic layer beneath woollen mittens. Boots best include waterproof Gore-Tex and heat trapping Thinsulate.

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If you happen to be utilising a tripod with aluminium legs, consider insulating its surfaces with foam. That helps toward preventing frostbite-inducing contact.

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Be aware that white, snowy backgrounds require an additional stop of light to prevent under exposure, as an

Unless deliberately shooting silhouettes, avoid sun reflections off the snow and ice by repositioning your direction of focus. Hope for cloudy skies to reduce unwanted contrast, or alternatively, at the margins of the day, take advantage of the sun’s lower angle during winter, which produces much more dramatic lighting effects.

HEAT •

One of the most common challenges when shooting in hot weather is the aggravating effect of condensation. Your lens clouds up and crystalline views may turn into a soupy fog. Avoid this by never exposing your camera to whatever cooled spaces you’ve emerged from. Leave your camera overnight beneath blankets, out on a balcony, or in a bathroom, always shielded away from direct air conditioning.

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Consider wearing a fitness headband to mop up any excessive facial sweat that can fog up your viewfinder. Carrying a small, light-coloured towel can help shade your camera if temperature build-up becomes extreme.

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Don’t leave your camera in a parked vehicle. Increasing heat can sometimes wreak havoc with electronics within

The low down the avid photographer, this visual phenomenon can be a life saver during time-restricted visits to amazing destinations.

the equipment and prove even more detrimental for those still shooting with film in their camera.

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Scout out cooler, shady spots that might prove useful for your photographic efforts. Shade also provides a much more pleasing context for shooting portraits of any kind, eliminating unflattering facial shadows and contrast. Shady spots will, as well, offer a retreat for smartphones, whose cameras may automatically shut down when exposed to excessive sun and heat.

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Polarising filters may be very useful, particularly on wideangle lenses, when shooting shoreline or sun-bleached scenes, by subtly reducing reflection while enhancing eyepleasing saturation of colours. Whether at beachfronts or deserts, be mindful and protective about blowing sand, which can infiltrate your camera equipment and jam its operation or scratch rolls of film.

RAIN •

Travel with a generous supply of towels, cloth wipes and lens tissue and keep aware of raindrops on your lens glass which can easily mar the final image. An ultraviolet filter helps protect the glass. Small silica packets may assist in reducing moisture.

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Use a lens hood. Purchase a dedicated rain sleeve for your lens, or improvise one by rubber-banding a plastic bag with a cut-out viewing hole.

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Scout out sheltering spots that might be useful for your photographic efforts. Shoot from porches, bus shelters or open car windows. A variety of coloured umbrellas may provide both rain protection and serve as a useful photographic prop to lend scale and atmosphere for subjects inhabiting a scene.

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Find particularly colourful elements to play a prominent role in the photograph, which helps reduce dreariness and enlivens an image.

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Make lemonade from lemons by exploiting rainy conditions. Use reflections to create memorable images. Puddles may yield surprisingly stunning photographic conditions. In urban situations, shooting extremely low right next to a puddle may yield startling mirror-like images that appear precisely the same by turning the photograph upside down. To maximise the drama of the scene, locate an intriguing background structure lit additionally by manmade light. That will prove particularly effective when shooting during blue light.

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As it begins to get darker, utilise the growing glow of man-made light, whether amber tones emanating from lit windows, a string of light bulbs, or colourfully blazing neon signs. In contrast with the deepening blue in the skies, a dramatic scene may continue to develop and evolve into a romantically poetic image.

BE PREPARED •

Don’t forget your own needs—carry and drink lots of water!

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Do advance research and familiarise yourself with weather predictions, highway routings, event schedules and safety precautions.

Want to learn more about the art of photography in all conditions? Take a look at Peter Guttman’s award-winning photography and find more top tips at peterguttman.com or follow him on Instagram at @peterguttman. Images in this article have been shot by Peter Guttman during his many travels.

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Applicable for all seasons and conditions, but particularly rewarding during rainy conditions, be on the lookout for blue light conditions. This usually occurs just after sunset and lasts until total darkness. The reverse phenomenon appears at dawn.

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A phenomenon unbeknown to most is that even when a grey, dreary day transitions to night-time’s complete darkness, the sky will temporarily appear blue. For

Angel Falls, Venezuela

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BLUE LIGHT

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Low Season Journeys: The Pyrenees

Pondering the Pyrenees with Penny Walker

Our Editor Rachel recently spoke with Penny Walker, Founder of The Adventure Creators, to learn all the best bits about the region and why we should visit in the low season. 1) Tell us about the Pyrenees and what makes it such a special place? There is so much that’s special about the Pyrenees mountains, it’s hard to know where to start! Our tours take place in the central Pyrenees which is a real melting pot of cultural heritage, pastoral traditions, interesting food producers, craft artisans and thermal spas. There are of course endless possibilities for outdoor adventure and wildlife lovers here too. But I guess it’s the authenticity of the area that’s so special. The chain remains unaffected by mass tourism and is still below the radar of most English-speaking travellers. 2) When is the low season and what unique experiences are available at these times of year? Any time outside of July and August is considered low season here.

Spring is also when you’re most likely to see unusual wildlife when you’re up in the mountains, such as maybe, just maybe, a brown bear! June is when the livestock (sheep, goats, cattle and horses) are taken back up to the high mountain pastures on their annual ‘Transhumance’. This is a time-honoured tradition, one that has been going on for hundreds of years and is now the biggest celebratory event on the pastoral calendar. It’s always a good excuse for a party! We often accompany the livestock on horseback (riding a native Pyrenean breed of horse, the Merens) or on foot.

You might even see a red deer stag On our Signature Pyrenees Immersion trip, guests will meet one of the shepherds as he prepares for this annual event. Autumn, from September to November, is my favourite time of year in the Pyrenees, when the colours of the grasses, bracken, bilberries and heather in the mountains take on rich copper, red, orange and yellow hues. The light has a very special quality in the autumn making it the perfect time for photography. Autumn is also when the brown bears are at their most active as they prepare for hibernation, so the chances of spotting one on a mountainside are greatly enhanced!

Image Left: Enjoy endless views of the unspoiled Pyrenees mountains

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In spring, from late April through to late June, the wildflowers in the mountains and foothills are just incredible and provide a feast for the eyes when you’re out hiking! Carpets of wild iris, the endemic Pyrenean lily, all sorts of orchids – it’s just stunning!

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Low Season Journeys: The Pyrenees

Pristine lakes and rugged peaks are home to exceptional wildlife

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Low Season Journeys: The Pyrenees

You’ll encounter horses and other livestock on your mountain hikes 3) Tell us something most people don’t know about the Pyrenees. On a visit to the central Pyrenees, you may be surprised to see street signs and some texts not just in French and Spanish but in Catalan, Occitan and even Aranese, too! Occitan is an old Romance language that is undergoing something of a revival in south-west France and there’s an active movement in the area to raise awareness and increase the use of this forgotten language. Catalan rather than the Castillian Spanish is the main language in the province of Catalunya across the border on the Spanish side of the central Pyrenees. And then, in the Aran Valley, where our second trip for LST is going to be taking place, Aranese is spoken widely, just to confuse you! This part of the Pyrenees really is a fascinating melting pot of culture! 4) What type of food is local to the area and where is your favourite place enjoy it? I am a complete cheese addict and have even taken out a loyalty card at our local sheep’s farm where I buy a couple of kilos of sheep’s milk cheese every month! I also love the fresh, tangy, young goats cheese which I also buy direct from the farm where you can visit the goats and see them being milked. Cheese (and saucisson) is very much my hiking snack of choice, a real treat after I’ve bagged a mountain peak!

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5) You’ve been welcoming people to this region for a long time, what do you do on days when you’re not helping visitors to enjoy themselves in your region? I spend as much time as possible up in the mountains as they really are the perfect antidote to the stresses of the modern world. I love sitting beside a mountain lake, taking in nature’s beauty and soaking up that incredible peace and quiet.

In the winter, you’ll find me snowshoeing in the mountains, preferably on a bright, crisp, winter’s day. 6) If we only had one day to visit the Pyrenees in the low season, what is the one thing we would have to experience? Choose the end of October and spend a day

immersed in the beauty of the mountains in their autumn colours. See if you can spot some of the rare and endangered wildlife that inhabits these parts. Cast your eyes to the sky and look out for the bearded vulture, the rarest vulture in Europe, which is breeding successfully in our area of the Pyrenees. Or maybe you’ll spot tracks of the brown bear or catch a glimpse of a herd of ibex or isards on a rocky outcrop! 8) On our signature tour to the Pyrenees this May, we will be joining you in your efforts to support the reintroduction of bears to the Pyrenees region. Why is this so important? A native Pyrenean brown bear (Latin name Ursus Arctos Pyrenaicus) used to roam these mountains. But thanks to man’s actions, by the mid 1990s, the native population was decimated and only a handful of pure bred Pyrenean bears remained. In 1996, a European funded reintroduction programme was launched in an attempt to bolster the waning population of these animals that are an important part of the mountain ecosystem. This involved reintroducing Eurasian brown bears from Slovenia. The native and non-native bears started breeding successfully, but unfortunately the last of the native bears was shot by a hunter in 2004. We’re huge supporters of Pays de l’Ours ADET, a not-forprofit association that is at the heart of the reintroduction programme. Part of their mission is to educate members of the local communities and especially the farmers in the area, as to how they can co-habit peacefully with these controversial animals. Can’t wait to go to the Pyrenees after reading this? Join Low Season Traveller and Penny for our signature immersion journey to the Pyrenees with the Adventure Creators from 29 May to 5 June, 2022. This seven day small group tour has just eight places and includes €100 donation to the Pays de l’Ours ADET a not for profit association who’re a key player in the programme for the reintroduction of the bears in the Pyrenees. Learn more and view the full itinerary for this trip.

Images featured in this article have been supplied by The Adventure Creators.

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MEANINGFUL TRAVEL IN 2022 NO

RESPLENDENT RAJASTHAN 14th – 27th September 2022 – £1,799 (Includes £100 donation to the women of the Sambhali Trust)

This thoughtful itinerary will take you to the best of Northern India, including the Golden Triangle cities of Agra, Delhi and Jaipur; and the beautiful Rajasthani cities of Jodhpur and Udaipur. As part of your trip, in Jodhpur, you’ll spend time volunteering with the women of the Sambhali Trust. This unique experience will allow you to give back directly to one of the communities you visit, and really get under the skin of the destination.

JOIN US FOR THIS UNIQUE SIGNATURE JOURNEY TO INDIA

ged@lowseasontraveller.com

+44 7572 612 602

www.lowseasontraveller.com

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We have designed this tour with sustainability in mind, using carbon-friendly transportation where possible, hotels which make every effort to be environmentally friendly, and plenty of opportunities to meet local people and learn more about each place you visit. You will be accompanied by a small group of like-minded travellers for this one off journey to Incredible India!

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Featured Destination: Jordan

Jordan

Featured Destination: Jordan

Bustling souks, mineral bathing and lost citadels

When to go: December, January, February, June, July, August By Claire French

Visitors have long been drawn to this hospitable land, seen as one of the most secure places to travel in the Middle East, multi-cultural, and extremely welcoming. An established tourist infrastructure allows thrill seekers to explore safely while still experiencing an authentic wildness, indulging in stays in some truly unique venues like a tented Bedouin camp or an eco-lodge in a nature reserve.

Night skies above the Wadi Rum Desert of its kind, and host to July’s Festival of Culture and Arts. Travel the scenic King’s Highway dotted with UNESCO sites, arriving into Petra, the phenomenal 2,000 year old pristinely carved red rose lost city. Many images focus on the stunning treasury, but you can actually spend days exploring. A highlight is the thrice weekly Petra by Night experience, when thousands of lights illuminate the path to Treasury, accompanied by Bedouin musicians. Summer travellers should plan early or late visits to avoid the heat of midday, while in winter there’s chance to see Petra with a dusting of snow, a truly magical experience.

Even the most intrepid explorers do need to consider Jordan’s ranging climatic conditions. The fairly tight windows of spring and autumn are the peak travel times while summer temps can hit highs of 40°C and winter is much colder with rain possible. With a little forethought though, a low season trip in June to August or December to February can offer a magical experience without the crowds and at bargain prices. Keep in mind also that for a small destination, the weather is diverse. So in summer you might find the desert dry and hot, but it’s cooler in the north and around the capital Amman; and in winter, the Red Sea resorts of Aqaba remaining balmy with locals on the beach year-round. Some restaurants and shops may close in low season for a well-earned break, but plenty of options remain, not least the Swiss Christmas Market at the Amman Rotana.

Desert dunes

Lost cities

Beach life

Arrive into busy capital Amman and explore the magnificent Roman Temple of Hercules and stunning 6,000 seat amphitheatre, before driving north just 45 minutes to Jerash and its Roman city, said to be the most well preserved site Siq Trail at Wadi Mujib, Jordan

An incredible 9/10th of Jordan is desert, with protected Wadi Rum in the nation’s south proving a fascinating area to immerse yourself. Explore by horseback, by 4x4, microlight, a century old steam train, or even in a hot air balloon. You’ve likely seen glimpses of the dramatic red and gold landscapes in Hollywood’s ‘Star Wars Rogue One’, ‘The Martian’ and ‘Prometheus’ but there is nothing like spending a night in a Bedouin camp and learning about this unique lifestyle. Wrap up in winter although temperatures don’t fall too low and the chance of rain is small. Summer is hot for sure, but touring takes place early and late with a siesta to accommodate. Ravers will love the Wadi Rum Distant Heat cultural and electronic music festival in July. 10 times more salty than regular ocean water and 431 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is a haven of warmth even in Jordan’s winter. Float in the mineral rich waters and in summer, cool off among the rivers and waterfalls of Wadi

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How much have you ever fancied yourself as a Lawrence of Arabia or Indiana Jones type? The desert sand stinging your tanned face while you sport a vibrant head scarf fluttering gently in the evening breeze. Welcome to Jordan, a crossroads between east and west, a valuable trade route where iconic ancient sites and remarkable landscapes form a backdrop for adventures of all kinds. In a country no bigger than say Portugal or Austria, you’ll find a fascinating fusion of historic and modern, a rich culture, lush natural beauty and stunning desert sunsets.

Featured Destination: Jordan

Jordan isn’t completely dry, and even produces its own wine. Mujib. The Red Sea resort of Aqaba is a fantastic spot for low season winter sun with near empty beaches at a pleasant 25 °C. Go diving or snorkelling and see brightly coloured fish and reefs, or simply relax by the pool, the perfect spot for a well-deserved finale to your desert exertions.

TOP EXPERIENCES Hike from Little Petra

Winter is the perfect time to trek from Little Petra to Petra, a 12km trail entering the UNESCO site through the back door. This is one of National Geographic’s ‘Top Hikes of the World’. It’s steep at the start and not well signed, but guides are available.

Bathe in thermal springs

Warm up a winter’s day in a Dead Sea spa. Mineral rich waters from Jordan’s plains run into natural thermal waterfalls, and form bathing pools to cosy up in. Treat yourself with mud wraps, mud facials, good massages and hydrojet showers.

Overnight in a Bedouin camp

Indulge in a magical night in a desert camp among the red sand dunes of Wadi Rum. Clear skies promise unforgettable star gazing. Traditional meals are served before you sleep peacefully in a Bedouin style tent or a luxury bubble pod.

FOOD AND DRINK Sufra Restaurant, Amman

Upmarket venue located in a heritage home on Rainbow Street, giving a taste of beautifully refined yet authentic Jordanian food with impeccable service. Lovely outdoor courtyard setting or elegant inside tables.

Hashem, Amman

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World-famous street food. Hashem has been frequented by royals and diplomats, all searching for Jordanian foodie heaven. It’s Amman’s oldest restaurant at over 100 years old. The food is simple but delicious.

Salaheddin Bakery, Amman

A small, clean bakery between Jabal Hussein and Downtown that’s been going since the 70s. There are no tables, you just choose some freshly baked sesame bread and make your own tasty sandwich or kaek .

The famous Treasury Building, Petra Right: Colourful Souks in Amman

Featured Destination: Jordan

INSIDER TIPS •

Tipping is generally expected, so add 10% gratuity to your bill, unless already in the total, round up taxi fares, and tip your guide. Haggling in souks is expected though. Many Jordanians usually do not carry change, so try to keep some small denominations.

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In winter bring layers and waterproof boots. Gloves, hats, base layers are a must if you are camping in the desert. In summer, bring very light layers. It might be hot but this is a Muslim country and it’s important to keep shoulders and knees well covered.

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Jordan isn’t completely dry, and even produces its own wine. But alcohol can be hard to come by, apart from in international hotels and restaurants and it can be expensive. Stop by the Cave Bar in Petra for a cold local beer after a long day of touring.

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Get ready for a mountain of mouthwatering vegetarian mezzes, fragrant baba ghanoush, crispy falafels, creamy hummus, and herby tabbouleh, all scooped up with oven fresh pitta. Meat lovers should try mansaf, lamb cooked in yoghurt, a national dish.

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You will likely be offered a cup of Bedouin tea and with true Jordanian hospitality you can expect infinite refills of this very sweet drink steeped in aromatic sage. Jordanian coffee is also commonly offered and refusal is seen as a mark of rudeness.

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Dana Nature Reserve supports rare and fragile ecosystems in Jordan’s south. Made up of lush woodland, mountains and desertscapes, its 320 square kms are criss-crossed by trails of varying lengths and are a haven for plants, birds, and mammals.

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GOOD TO KNOW

Featured Destination: Jordan

best stays: Jordan ICONIC

RITZ CARLTON, AMMAN

Perfect for the most discerning clientele, the Ritz Carlton takes Jordan’s luxury hotel scene to a whole new level. Opening in May 2022, this new hotel will feature 194 elegant guest rooms and 34 suites. With both indoor and outdoor pools, a huge spa, and its own hair salon, the property is designed to be light, contemporary, and super opulent you’ll find sumptuous fabrics, fresh flowers, marble bathtubs and chandeliers throughout. Book now

ECO

If you’re imagining the perfect desert idyll, you’ll find it at the remote and magical Feynan Ecolodge. Jordan’s first ecolodge, there are just 26 rooms here, and the lodge is designed using the principles of the caravanserais on the ancient trading routes of the Middle East. Solar power is used to provide electricity, and Feynan’s remote location means it is perfect for star gazing. Because of the solar power there is enough electricity to light the bathrooms and a few of the public areas, but at night the rest of the hotel is lit up by hundreds of candles! Learn more

BUBBLE LUXOTEL, PETRA If you’ve ever seen The Martian with Matt Damon and fancy a few nights of otherworldly indulgence, you’ve found the place, but you won’t be required to grow your own potatoes! Located to the north of Petra and tucked away in a mars-like location, you’ll be accommodated in what can only be described as bubbles, with panoramic views of the landscape. There’s a bedroom (which has white panels for privacy) and attached living area with floor to bubble-ceiling transparency! You’ll also have your own jet pool and deck – it doesn’t get much better. Check out Bubble Luxotel

BOUTIQUE

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QUIRKY 38

FEYNAN ECOLODGE, DANA BIOSPHERE RESERVE

Images sourced from accommodation providers.

MA’IN HOT SPRINGS, DEAD SEA Just a short drive from the Dead Sea, and you’re transported into a paradise-like world of waterfalls and lush greenery, framed by mountains on both sides. Designed with Asian and Arabian influences, there’s cosy wooden furniture, beautiful pendant lights, and plenty of places to relax. Speaking of which, the jewel in the crown here is the spa. Fed by the hot springs which flow from a volcanic source, there are several waterfalls with pools at the bottom. Simply lounge beside the pool, swim, or indulge in a massage with waterfalls providing the most relaxing background soundtrack. Stay at Ma’in Hot Springs

Featured Destination: Jordan

When it comes to Petra, location is key – and it doesn’t get much better than this. The Movenpick is located right across from the entrance to the magical ancient city of Petra. The rooms are classically designed with traditional Jordanian touches; but the real highlights (apart from the location) are the shared spaces. There is a beautiful rooftop terrace with views across the valley, a restaurant and bar decorated intricate Arabesque marble and gold inlay, a marble-lined spa, and a lovely rooftop pool which (trust us) will be very welcome after a day of walking through the ancient city. Book now

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LUXURY

MOVENPICK, PETRA

A niche within a niche: slow travel

Go low & slow with Kate Cummings By Lisa TE Sonne, Editor-at-Large

“There was no one else there. We felt like the only people in the world. When you looked around, there was just nature and mountains and glaciers and lakes and no one else. Oh, so beautiful and magical. Like a different planet. This memory will always stick with me,” shares Kate Cummings, from England, about climbing as high as she could on Monte Fitz Roy in the winter cold of July in Patagonia, Argentina. To improve her fluency in French and Spanish, Cummings lived and worked in Paris and in Argentina for six months each, between her years at Exeter University, as part of her selfplanned integration of slow travel with her education. While in Argentina, she had seen enticing photos of the Fitz Roy area in warm weather, but she didn’t want to wait months, only to be sharing the experience with crowds. Instead, she chose to visit the area in the low season, as a part of her “slow travel” plan.

Incan culture from the guides as they trekked past ruins and temples in the challenging Andes.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Cummings admitted, Cummings says there are two kinds of slow travel. One is “but one of the best things. We earned it. I think I appreciated where “you don’t drop into a city and then you’re out that day. Machu Picchu and the Incas so much more and had You sit and you engage with the locals, and you spend weeks in more insights.” one place and get to know your environment and the culture.”

“On the other hand,” she adds, “slow travel can be avoiding the use of planes, and going by bus or by train just to see the landscape as you travel through it, instead of just travelling over it.”

Low Season Traveller

Machu Picchu, the slow way

She took the slow travel approach steps further, by walking when it came to seeing Machu Picchu in the Andes, a bucketlist classic visited by more than a million people a year. Instead of taking the train full of tourists up to this iconic Peruvian site, she hiked. She joined a small group with local guides and trekked for five days on the Inca Trail, the same route the Incas themselves had walked centuries ago. She slept under the same stars as the Incas. Saw the same mountains. Followed the same paths. On the way to the Sun Gate entrance of the famous destination, she learned about

Quality time in the Galapagos

The Galapagos Islands, about 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) off the mainland of Ecuador, is another South American destination coveted among curious travellers who want to experience the earth’s wonders in person. “Most people see the Galapagos by taking a cruise ship, getting off the boat, seeing some of an island, and then getting back on the boat. I spent my two weeks there based on San Cristobal Island volunteering with conservation work, shopping in the local markets, spending time with people who lived there. I was a ‘leaper’.” A leaper, she explained, is someone who signs up with the British program The Leap. The website explains that it provides “volunteering experiences for gap year, midlife and corporate teams across Africa, Asia and South America.” Cummings adds, “It’s great for university students and gap-

Some of Kate’s favourite photos from her trip to the Galapagos and Machu Picchu

Low Season Traveller

A niche within a niche: slow travel

“I want to be able to get off at different places, and spend several days getting to know the people and land better.” people, too, when their kids have left home. You really feel like you are contributing, and you get to know some of the local people and how they do things.”

How slow can you go? Now that Cummings has graduated from Exeter and joined the working forces, she laments that there isn’t enough time off for the kind of low and slow travel she loves. She also says she likes to be “very environmentally conscious.” She is worried about the damaging carbon costs of flying places, and Trains are efficient and comfortable in Europe. Image: Lisa TE Sonne

Alternatives to flying Co2 emissions in kg produced by different modes of transport from London to Paris. 125

“I want to be able to get off at different places,” Cummings said, “and spend several days getting to know the people and land better.” Meanwhile, she has joined the Low Season Traveller team to share her enthusiasms and advocacy for low season travel, slow travel, and sustainable travel.

100 75

Do you have a low and slow dream trip you want to share? Please let us know at Editor@LowSeasonTraveller. com with “Dream Trip” in the subject line.

50 25 0 8.3kg

48.4kg

122.1kg

A return flight from the UK to LA generates more emissions per passenger than eating meat for a year.

Source: EcoPassenger

Low Season Traveller

“We need to change the infrastructure,” she said. “It’s hard not to travel by plane sometimes in Europe when it’s only £10 to fly but £80 to go by train.”

Co2 emissions saved per year

2.0 1.5 Tonnes

has even created some graphs that highlight the impact. She admits though that it is hard to avoid because of her limits of time and money.

1.0 0.5 0

That doesn’t stop her, though, from setting her sights on an ultimate kind of low and slow trip. She figured out that one of the greatest distances you can span by train on the planet is from Portugal to Vietnam. It’s more than 11,400 kilometres (about 7,000 miles).

One year of recycling

One year of eating plant based diet

Source: IPTOS;IOPScience Images for this article have been taken/supplied by Kate Cummings.

Not taking one long haul flight

Low Season Traveller

A niche within a niche: slow travel

Kate walking along the road towards Fitz Roy in Patagonia, Argentina

Featured podcasts

Let us whisk you away from reality for 30 minutes as we escape to different exciting parts of the world each week. Since 2018, thousands of low season travellers like you, have been tuning in to listen to our Insider Guides podcast series. These podcasts are your chance to listen to locals from around the world where they tell us why their destination is at its best, during the low season months.

Low Season Traveller

In each edition, we bring you five of our favourite destinations and five of our favourite guests, so sit back, relax and let us take you away with us…

AFRICAN SAFARI: SENSITIVITY AND NEUTRALITY

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Have you ever really seen the stars? In this episode our resident wildlife expert Warren Pearson recounts his standout safari moments as a tour guide. Think of fresh air, clean smells, dust, savannah trees, grass and mountains as Warren takes us on a journey with some advice on how we can help with animal and indigenous community conservation.

Featured podcasts

CHIANG MAI: TAKE YOUR TIME AND TRIPLE IT It was six years working in Thailand back in the 1990’s that gave Bruce a real passion for South East Asia; this passion is evident throughout the podcast as Bruce gives us an honest and genuine account of what Thailand is like in the low season months. Join us as we discover the true heart of Thailand…

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PHILADELPHIA: THE COOL, HIP BIRTHPLACE OF THE USA Famous as the birthplace of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Philadelphia is seriously hip just now. In this episode, we catch up with Philly local, Gregg, to learn more about what the city offers during the low season and why anytime is a great time to visit this hip and cool birthplace of the USA!

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BELFAST: THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS BAD WEATHER A city whose people will always “exceed your expectations”. Honor meets up with Kathy Clugston, the voice of BBC Radio Ulster and TomTom Satnav systems, as she guides us through the music scene in Belfast. Heavily immersed in Belfast’s art and culture, Kathy provides some unique insights into this fascinating and popular city.

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We catch up with Social Tourism expert Nicola Balmain in this episode to learn more about what socially responsible tourism means and exactly how everyone benefits. As ever with Nic, her passion shines through in every word she speaks and you can’t fail to be excited by her vision for a virtuous circle of tourism where everyone benefits…

LISTEN NOW

Low Season Traveller

SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE JOURNEYS

Featured Destination: India

India A myriad a swirling colours and contrasts, a feast for all the senses

Low Season Traveller

When to go: April, May, June, July and September

Sunset at the Taj Mahal

Featured Destination: India

By Claire French

In a destination 13 times the size of UK, it’s hardly surprising that there are significant variations in climate. The peak time to travel to the majority of areas though is the months from November to February. Prices are at their very highest and you’ll meet large crowds at popular monuments. With up to 4 million annual foreign and Indian visitors to the Taj Mahal alone, you can imagine you’re unlikely to be alone! Travel April to September however, and you’ll see numbers and costs plummet. The downside? You’ll experience hot arid conditions in April, May and June, with temperatures

nudging 40 degrees, while July to September brings cooler temperatures and monsoon rains, but check for regional variations. However, with care you can avoid the main drawbacks, and enjoy the advantages of travelling low season.

Stunning palace hotels

Accommodation for all budgets can be claimed for a bargain price in India’s low season, so why not splash out on a luxury palace property fit for a Maharaja, or at least a Bollywood star. There are several to choose from, especially in the royal state of Rajasthan. Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur is reached by boat and is sublime with its silk drapes and antique furniture. In Jaipur, one of India’s oldest palace hotels is the opulent Rambagh Palace with a vintage car for hire. A favourite is Samode Palace, also in Jaipur, with its beautiful courtyard pool and 16th century history.

Festivals

A treat for eyes and ears, many of India’s best festivals take place in the low season. Kerala’s Thrissur Pooram in May is a 36 hour affair entailing a spectacular procession of caparisoned elephants and percussion performances. In Jaipur in July, Teej celebrates the arrival of the monsoon amidst a riot of colours, enormous fanfare, and interesting rituals such as

Low Season Traveller

For sure you’ve heard the clichés about India, the contrast of opulence and poverty, the noise and bustle, Bollywood dancing, the mind-dumbing bureaucracy, mouth-watering cuisine, the smiling faces. Well hold on tight because India is all this and so much more. Experience this amazing country for yourself. Travel with an open mind, see it with your heart and understand with your soul.

Featured Destination: India

A treat for eyes and ears, many of India’s best festivals take place in the low season. women singing folk songs from tree swings. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race takes place in August and locals gather in large numbers to watch 100 foot long snake boats compete to the tune of old boat songs on Punnamada Lake, Kerala. The area comes to life with ceremonial water processions and beautiful water floats.

Ayurveda

The ancient principals of Ayurveda tell us the monsoon period is ideal to rest, restore and strengthen both body and mind to prepare for the coming year. Choose from a range of simple to luxury retreat centres especially prevalent in Goa and Kerala. It is at this time of year that rainfall leaves the air fresh and moist, temperatures are ideal for all doshas or body types, pores open leaving skin receptive to natural products, and special herbs can be picked at their freshest and most potent. Fewer visitors to the centres allow you space to relax and rejuvenate, enjoying a deep massage while the rain patters on the palm leaved thatched roof above.

FOOD AND DRINK Karim’s

An Old Delhi institution by Jama Masjid, still owned by the family who were cooks for royalty in the 1800s. Famous for meat and veggie dishes, kebabs and rolls.

BTH Sarovaram

Visit this hotel restaurant in Cochin for top vegetarian and vegan options. Serves mainly south Indian delicacies, dosas, pazhamporis, vadas.

Jimmy Boy

For the best Parsi Food in Mumbai . This cosy family run venue is tucked into a heritage building and uses recipes handed down for generations including keema pav, and chicken berry pulao.

TOP EXPERIENCES Keralan backwaters

Cruise the luscious palm lined waterways on board a converted rice barge. The wet weather brings a special lushness and beauty. The natural canals are protected unlike open water and remain safe even during the monsoon.

Wildlife spotting

The hot arid period offers excellent opportunities for spotting tigers, Asiatic lions, sambar deer, and horned rhinos due to the lack of natural foliage. Just be aware that you’ll need to be sure you can stand the heat and stay hydrated.

Low Season Traveller

Full Moon Taj Mahal

Five days a month night visits are possible so see the white marble monument magically silhouetted against the night sky. 400 tickets are available and must be purchased beforehand at Agra’s Archeologically Survey of India.

Karim’s: Where food is the spice of life... Right: Kapaleeshwarar Temple, Chennai

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: India

Featured Destination:India

INSIDER TIPS •

Summer is actually the best time to visit Ladakh, the beautiful Himalayan region. The Rohtang Pass opens when the snow has thawed and the climate is pleasant. Don’t miss the colourful Hemis Festival in June.

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Be aware that core zones in many National parks are closed during the monsoon so check details and plan accordingly. Some however, like the Valley of Flowers National Park in Uttarakhand, are spectacular at this time.

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Summer evenings in Delhi, join the locals at Lodhi Garden and take a stroll after the day’s heat. Birds flock here at this time and photographers get some great shots of the ruined Mughal architectural structures.

Low Season Traveller

GOOD TO KNOW

•

Learn to haggle. Everything is up for negotiation – rickshaws, markets, guest houses. Keep it polite and know when to say yes and when to walk away. Sometimes prices for foreigners are inflated five times the real price or more.

•

Mango, Indian watermelon, papaya, honeydew and gooseberry are ripe and perfect to eat in the summer season. Traditional raw mango pickle and stuffed mango ice cream kulfi are the essential taste sensations of this period.

•

Summer is also the season of lassi, a blend of yoghurt, water, and spices such as cardamom. Fruit lassis taste like Indian milkshake but be aware that bhang lassi is infused with cannabis. In Jaipur try Lassiwala, established 1944.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Celebrating Holi or “The Festival of Colours”

Featured Destinations

SPRINGTIME PYRENEES SM

PYRENEES IMMERSION JOURNEY 29th May – 5th June 2022 – €1,495 (£1,250) (Includes €100 donation to the reintroduction of the Bears Project) We have created a wonderful 7 Day Adventure in the majestic Pyrenees Mountains in the heart of the ‘low season’ which offers the very best way to experience this stunning part of rural France. Get ready for a superb immersion journey with your very own personal and knowledgeable guide who will be with you every step of the way from arrival into the region until the day you depart.

You won’t be merely “visiting” or “touring” a destination; you’ll be immersing yourself fully into the Pyrenees way of life and departing with a thorough understanding of the culture, nature, traditions and people in this beautiful part of France. Oh, and you might just make some new lifelong friends along the way too…

JOIN US FOR THIS ONE-OFF JOURNEY TO THE PYRENEES

penny@adventurecreators.com

+33 608 657 157

www.lowseasontraveller.com

Low Season Traveller

On this exclusive and immersive journey, we invite you to join Penny, the Founder of The Adventure Creators along with up to 7 other dedicated low season travellers like you, to get right off the beaten track and into the heart of rural Pyrenees life and nature. We will enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the mountains with the best possible local companions who will show you their region, wildlife, cuisine and traditions with all their pride and passion.

Featured Destination: India

best stays: India ICONIC

TAJ RAMBAGH PALACE, JAIPUR

Originally built in 1835, Rambagh Palace retains its Royalty and splendour, extravagantly decorated with hand-carved marble latticework, and elaborate Mughal Gardens. The Palace showcases Rajasthan’s royal heritage and one can experience the best fine-dining restaurants in Jaipur here too. Over the years, it has played gracious host to several illustrious guests, such as Lord Louis Mountbatten, Prince Charles and Jacqueline Kennedy. Book now

ECO

Spice Village is modelled on the dwellings of the native Manan tribe of this region and exudes the raw spirit of unblemished nature. This CGH Earth experience is a seamless extension of the verdant landscape around this area and in addition, they have many initiatives that score well on sustainability including rainwater harvesting, organic farming and community engagement. Check out Spice Village

THE MALABAR HOUSE, COCHIN Malabar House is a charming boutique hotel overlooking the parade ground in the heart of Fort Cochin. The rooms and suites here seamlessly combine tradition and contemporary design. A member of Relais & Chateaux, this art hotel is home to a carefully curated collection, highlighting Kerala’s cultural passage between East and West. Malabar Junction, the hotel’s renowned restaurant and Divine, its wine lounge, combine the tradition of South India with exciting culinary innovation! Stay at Malabar House

BOUTIQUE

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QUIRKY 52

THE CGH EARTH SPICE VILLAGE, THEKKADY

Images sourced from accommodation providers.

SAMODE HAVELI, JAIPUR Built 225 years ago as a residence of the rulers of Samode, the Samode Haveli is still occupied by their descendants, who have converted their home into a luxury hotel. The rooms and suites have a distinctive character that reflect the rich history and culture of Samode. The private courtyards and balconies of all rooms look upon the charming pools, fountain courts and gardens of the old Haveli. Learn more

Featured Destination: India

Located just 600 metres from the Taj Mahal, it is easy to rekindle romance at The Oberoi Amarvilas. The best hotel in Agra is inspired by Mughal palace designs; with fountains, terraced lawns, reflection pools and pavilions. With unrestricted views of Taj Mahal from all rooms and suites, the Oberoi Amarvilas ensures one’s experience of Agra is truly unforgettable! Book now

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LUXURY

THE OBEROI AMARVILAS, AGRA

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Vietnam

Vietnam

Colonial and military history giving way to a vibrant street culture and sophisticated nightlife. When to go: May through October By Claire French

Amidst the nation’s infamously chaotic streets, you’ll find your own haven of calm, but with traveller numbers increasing, it pays to be a bit smart and consider a low season adventure to avoid the crowds and maximise your dong. If you’re looking to take in the whole country, the low season period covers May through to October. However, the skinny elongated geography leaves visitors facing three distinct weather patterns and two monsoons which impact on regional seasonality. That doesn’t mean there isn’t fun to had, just be aware and keep your plans flexible if you can.

Hanoi & The North

Seat of Communist power and home to exquisite French colonial architecture, the capital is a fine starting point to tour the karst formations of Halong Bay and Ninh Binh or trek the Sapa rice terraces. The region has two main Hoi An, Vietnam

seasons, the very hot and humid summer which runs from May to September accompanied by heavy rainfall which marks the low season period, whereas a cold dry winter characterises November to March. In between, catch the lovely but short, blink and you’ll miss it, spring and autumn.

Central Vietnam

Travel mountainous passes with roadside cliffs falling away to the beaches below. The imperial city of Hue and the charming port town of Hoi An are the main draws, but the ancient Cham ruins, DMZ wartime landmarks and beaches around Danang are also worthy. This area is somewhat protected from early rains by the mountains leaving it overly hot in May and June and subject to later rains from September to December when flooding can be an issue.

Ho Chi Minh City & The South

Still known locally as Saigon, the bustling hub of the south has a laid back vibe despite its huge population, most of which seem to take to the streets by motorbike at all times of the day and night. Hot throughout the year, the south gets most humid and sticky in April to October when rain is frequent, especially in the afternoons. Take local advice if travelling to the Mekong Delta where flooding poses a real danger. Otherwise, dodge the showers in fascinating museums and wonderful boutiques and coffee shops.

TOP EXPERIENCES Hoi An

This historic port town in the central region is a perfect place to unwind and discover Chinese, Japanese and Portuguese past, fascinating architecture, full moon lantern festivals, and vehicle free zones. Hire a bike and explore the nearby rice paddies and the beach.

Tam Coc, Ninh Binh Province

Low season Halong Bay cruises can be cancelled at short notice, so try Tam Coc instead. Less frequented, and just as stunning, you’ll see limestone karst monoliths protruding mystically from the rice paddies. A sampan cruise with local rowers takes about two hours.

Low Season Traveller

“Dua hau…dua hau…dua hau!! “ I am not a late riser but for three days in a row, I was woken early by this alarming cry from far below my otherwise delightful fourth storey Hanoi guest house balcony in the winding streets of the city’s Old Quarter. Convinced the shrieking lady was being beaten or worse, I enquired with my host what all the yelling was about. “Watermelon madam,” came the smiling reply. Yes, that was all, Vietnamese marketing at its very best. If you’ve got something to sell, just go on and shout it out. Next day as I sunk my teeth into the delicious fruity pink flesh, I thought about this amazing destination, and how it totally overwhelms the senses. The noise, the smells, the colours, and the wonderful tales told by this unique population. I’d recommend Vietnam at any time of year and suggest you stay as long as you can.

Featured Destination: Vietnam

INSIDER TIPS •

Don’t try to do too much. There are so many great opportunities here it is easy to rush through a tick list. You’ll get more out of staying a few days in one area, exploring the hidden gems, meeting the people.

•

If travelling the whole country, pick a north to south itinerary which starts in a cooler climate and you can adapt to the heat as you go. Finish with a Mekong River cruise across the border into Cambodia if time allows.

•

Keep your beach break for another adventure, particularly during low season. There is so much else to do in Vietnam. If you really need your fix of sea and sand, choose somewhere like Hoi An with coast and town in close proximity.

GOOD TO KNOW •

Overnight trains are a great way cover the country. A wonderful experience although many carriages are rough and ready. If you are travelling in a pair, make the journey more private by buying all four berths in your compartment.

•

Traditional Vietnamese breakfast is a delicious rice noodle soup or pho. Sitting at a tiny plastic table, there is no better way to start the day than over a steaming bowl of fragrant broth brimming with herbs, chilli and lime.

•

Vietnam is the world’s second largest producer of coffee, after Brazil. Visit a working coffee plantation, enjoy a freshly prepared brew in a local coffee shop, and take home a bag of beans as a special souvenir.

Try your hand at making rice paper rolls in a cooking class

Cookery class

Take a taste of Vietnam home with you. There are some excellent classes starting from a half day, which include a market tour, recipes and of course a meal made by yours truly. Some of the best include Lua’s Kitchen in HCMC and Red Bridge in Hoi An.

FOOD AND DRINK Cha Ca Anh Vu, Hanoi

One of the best when it comes to cha ca. Cha ca is a specialty of the north and consists of succulent chunks of white fish marinated in turmeric, grilled and served in the centre of the table with vermicelli rice noodles, and fresh green veggies.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Saigon Saigon Rooftop Bar, HCMC

This terrace atop the central Caravelle Hotel, offers a wide drinks menus and live music with great night time city views. Opened in 1959, it’s been a haunt for politicians, journalists and expats and retains a historic elegance to this day.

Low Season Traveller

Bia Hoi, street corners everywhere

At the other end of the scale, light preservative-free draft beer is made fresh daily and thrown away at close of business. Join the locals on plastic chairs on bustling street corners to down as many as you can and enjoy the cheap, if unusual, accompanying snacks. Halong Bay, Vietnam Right: Hoi An, Vietnam

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Vietnam

Featured Destination: Destinations Vietnam

best stays: Vietnam LUXURY

TIA WELLNESS RESORT

TIA Wellness Resort is an inclusive spa accommodation – which means top quality spa treatments are included in every day of your stay! Stay in a five-star villa with its own pool and garden next to My Khe beach near Hoi An and take your breakfast anywhere, any time – be it in your room, on the beach or in the spa area. Book now

ECO

QUIRKY

Located near the Cat Tien National Park, Cat Tien Jungle Lodge is passionate about protecting Vietnam’s wildlife and biodiversity. They use solar, wind power and natural lighting to reduce energy consumption, and grow their own fruit and vegetables for their guests and employees – which are of course free from chemicals and pesticides. Stay at Cat Tien Jungle Lodge

HANG NAH (CRAZY HOUSE) Crazy House is surreal…and, well, crazy. Created by owner, artist and architect Dang Viet Nga, this wild masterpiece with the intention of bringing people closer to nature. The house is designed to mimic natural forms like mushrooms or branches or spider webs – with not a right angled wall in sight! Crazy House offers 10 rooms, each of which are animal and country themed. Learn more

Low Season Traveller

BOUTIQUE

CAT TIEN JUNGLE LODGE

Images sourced from accommodation providers.

THE ALCOVE LIBRARY HOTEL A bookworm’s dream hotel, The Alcove Library in Ho Chi Minh features a charming library inside a quaint and architecturally beautiful building. Guests can explore the bookshelves, eat and drink at the restaurant or order room service from their clean and comfortable rooms. Check out the Alcove Library Hotel

Featured Destination: Vietnam

The first five-star resort in Vietnam’s archipelago islands, Six Senses Con Dao is set in a protected national and marine park. The stunning resort offers unrivalled golden sand and turquoise blue waters with opportunities to see bamboo sharks, rays, turtles and a host of tropical fish. Their private pool villas are made from sustainable materials and are designed to reflect a traditional fishing village. Book now

Low Season Traveller

ICONIC

SIX SENSES CON DAO

Low Season Traveller

Sustainable travel

How your travel choices can make a difference “Both travellers and travel suppliers don’t have to be perfect when it comes to sustainability. It’s about having the intent to review your ways and make positive changes.” Dayana Brooke

Based in Sydney, Australia, Dayana has spent 20 years booking worldwide travel for all kinds of clientele. Concerned about the impact that the industry was having on our planet and knowing that something had to change, Dayana started The Sustainable Traveller. The Sustainable Traveller is a platform to encourage travellers and travel advisors to think about travel differently. Aiming to empower people to make choices that will have a positive impact on the environment and the communities of the places we travel to, The Sustainable Traveller organises and recommends wonderful travel experiences with accommodation and tour providers with a sustainable focus. “Travellers don’t realise the ripple effect that their stay has.” says Dayana, on making choices and travel swaps that improve the impact we have when we travel. We asked Dayana for some of her top tips for planning a trip, and she shared with us some of the actions we can take to reduce our impact, like swapping planes for trains, and things to look out for when booking your next trip!

What to consider when planning your next trip Which organisations you travel with and how •

Do your research before booking your flights, accommodation, or tour operators to see if these organisations have sustainability initiatives in place.

•

If you need to fly, always choose direct or non-stop flight options instead of taking 3-4 flights to get to your destination – a direct flight has less carbon emissions.

•

If you’re not in a rush, consider travelling to your destination by car, bus or train instead of a flight. In destinations like Europe, the train networks are quick and accessible, so ditch the short one-hour flight for a train ride instead.

Where you travel to and when •

If you need to take multiple flights, plus a couple of boat rides just to get to one destination, your carbon footprint will end up being very high. Consider whether there is a similar destination you could travel to with minimal forms of transport.

•

Big crowds can have a big impact on the environment, and many local communities that rely heavily on tourism can

Low Season Traveller

Our Editor Rachel recently spoke to The Sustainable Traveller Founder Dayana Brooke about the initiative, how to make more sustainable travel choices and what’s next for The Sustainable Traveller.

Sustainable travel

struggle to get by in the low season. That’s why choosing to travel in the low season is a smart choice to reduce your impact and support local communities.

How long you stay in a destination • Always try to stay a minimum of two to three nights at

one accommodation. A one-night stay at a hotel, for example, uses so much energy and water resources from cleaning your room, sheets, towels, etc. We’re seeing many hotels reduce the amount of times they change the sheets or towels in hotel rooms to reduce energy and water consumption.

•

The longer you stay, the more likely you are to make a direct contribution to the community of the place you’ve travelled to. Dining in local restaurants, doing activities from local operators and staying in locally-run hotels will ensure the money you spend goes to that community.

•

As an added bonus, the longer you stay in a destination, the more you will learn about the place and its people, and the more you’ll share with your friends, family and peers when you come home.

Low Season Traveller

What experiences you choose to do • Avoid experiences which include the use or display of

caged animals, or experiences such as elephant rides. Too many animals are treated unethically through these experiences.

•

If you’re going on a cruise, make sure the on-shore experiences available are locally run so that the local community can benefit from your visit.

What’s next for The Sustainable Traveller

Dayana has plenty of exciting new initiatives in the mix which will enable The Sustainable Traveller’s values and ethos to be shared further to industry and individual travellers. This includes providing training and accreditation to travel advisors to plan sustainable itineraries for their clients, supporting travel suppliers to develop sustainability strategies, and developing online courses for travellers who are planning their own trips and want to make sustainable choices.

Remember, it’s about intent

Becoming a sustainable traveller is a journey – you don’t have to get it perfect right away. If you have the intent to do better and to re-evaluate your travel choices, you’re already halfway there. Making small adjustments like taking your re-usable water bottle and avoiding single-use plastics or making sure you’re spending your money with locally-run businesses can make all the difference in the long-run. Dayana is an inspiring advocate for sustainable travel. If you’d like to hear more about her journey to starting The Sustainable Traveller, take a listen to our World Tourism Day podcast episode with Dayana as our special guest. Want to know more about how you can make sustainable travel choices? The Sustainable Traveller’s online course for travellers is now available at thesustainabletraveller.com

JOIN US ON AN ADVENTURE IN 2022 NO

NORTHERN THAILAND TUK TUK ADVENTURE 13th – 24th August 2022 – £1,299 (Includes £100 donation to the Elephants & Mahouts of Chiang Mai) Along with our friends at The Tuk Tuk Club, we have created a truly amazing 12 Day Adventure in Northern Thailand in the heart of the ‘low season’ which offers the very best way to experience this stunning part of the world which many say is the ‘real’ Thailand. Get ready for a superb adventure from your seat in Thailand’s most iconic vehicle – the Tuk Tuk. On this exclusive action-packed journey, we invite you to join Ged and Bruce, the Founders of Low Season Traveller and The Tuk Tuk Club, along with up to 9 other dedicated low season travellers like us, to get right off the beaten track and into the heart of Thailand. We will enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the mountains with the best view possible in our specially built Tuk Tuks which are able to cope with the mountain roads with ease.

JOIN US FOR THIS ONE-OFF ADVENTURE

Bruce@thetuktukclub.com

+66 92 250 5182

www.lowseasontraveller.com

Low Season Traveller

Remote Temples, fascinating Hill Tribe communities, elephants, bamboo rafting, hiking, superb overnight locations, delicious food and, of course, your bright orange Tuk Tuk.

Food, glorious food!

One bowl of Sarawak Laksa and you’ll never want another kind!

Kaleidoscope-coloured cakes, bamboo-steamed chicken and the BEST BOWL OF LAKSA you’ll ever have. You can have all this and more, in Malaysian Borneo. By Rachel Jacgung, Editor Food. It can make or break your experience in a destination. Sometimes a great meal is the thing you remember most about a place or is the thing you look forward to most when planning your trip.

Low Season Traveller

Food is such an important part of travel because it allows us to use all five senses to really understand the culture and history of a place and its people. It brings people together and is a way to celebrate, nourish your soul or welcome somebody into your home.

We want to share with you some delicious insights into the best dishes you might not have heard of in our favourite destinations and which seasonal specialties are on offer during the low season. In this issue we explore the colourful cuisines and funky fruits that you must try while visiting Malaysian Borneo.

Borneo is the world’s third largest island and is home to the Malaysian regions of Sabah in the north and Sarawak in the south. Malaysian Borneo offers a broad range of cuisine with influences from indigenous communities, China, Indonesia, India and more.

Must try dishes Sarawak Laksa

When most of us think of Malaysian food, our minds go straight to a rich, coconut-milk laiden laksa. These, along with the many other laksa variations across Malaysia, are delicious. But the Sarawak version of a laksa is next level. This (in our opinion) mind-blowing noodle soup is usually made with chicken, prawns and omelet slices in a spicy, tangy and sweet broth of herbs and spices – finished off

Food, glorious food! with just a light touch of coconut milk. This delicious bowl of goodness is available all over Kuching as a breakfast dish and is usually served before noon.

Seafood and Hinava

The Sabah region is famous for its seafood, and there are plenty of big restaurants or cheap and cheerful market stalls to try fresh seafood cooked on a grill right after it’s hauled from the ocean along the waterfront in Kota Kinabalu. If you’re looking for something a little different, try Hinava – a traditional dish of the Kadazan-Dusun people. Hinava is similar to a Peruvian ceviche, where lime juice is used to cure raw fish mixed with onion, salt, chilli, shallot and ginger.

Manok Pansoh

Manok Pansoh is seasoned chicken, which is stuffed into bamboo tubes, covered with tapioca leaves and cooked over hot coals to steam the chicken. Indigenous Iban and Bidayuh communities commonly make this dish, although no two recipes are ever the same! It is particularly popular during the Gawai Dayak end-of-season festival for these communities. If you have the chance to visit a traditional Iban or Bidayuh community, you may be lucky enough to try it cooked over a fire by the river, but it’s also often available in eateries in Kuching.

Kek Lapis Sarawak (Sarawak layer cake)

These colourful layer cakes are fun and delicious and can be found in cake shops all over the city of Kuching. These cakes have a minimum of two colours of made up of thin layers and come in a mountain of different flavours. The process to cook a kek lapis is a labour of love – a thin layer of cake is spread in the pan and cooked for a few minutes, before the next layer is spread on and baked for a few minutes, and the process continues until you have a three-inch high layer cake.

Durian is in season from June to August

Funky fruits in season Dabai

Also known as a ‘Sarawak Olive’ or ‘Sibu Olive’ this little black fruit can only be found in Borneo. It has a short shelf life, so it’s rare to find them exported away from their native Sarawak. Usually eaten as a savoury snack, Dabai are prepared by soaking them in warm water for 15 minutes and eaten with something salty like soy sauce. These savoury treats are in season in May and June.

Durian

Whether you love it or hate it, you are guaranteed to smell the sickly-sweet fruit from miles away! This big, spiky fruit with custard-yellow flesh has plenty of amazing health benefits and is highly valued in south-east Asia, but is divisive due to its strong odour. If you get your hands on some, we recommend eating it straight away or you might end up with a stinky backpack – plus, most hotels and hostels don’t allow guests to bring it in the hotel because of the smell! This polarising fruit is usually in season in Borneo from June to August.

Want to learn more about travelling to Malaysia in the low season? Visit our website here. Colourful Kek Lapis Sarawak

Low Season Traveller

Mangosteen

This purple skinned fruit has a hard exterior and a leafy green crown. Open one up and you’ll find segments of tangy white flesh with big seeds. These delicious fruits are high in vitamin C – and won’t stink out your fridge. Mangosteens are usually in season between June and August.

Featured Destination: Cape Town

Cape Town Lush winelands, a vibrant arts scene and fresh seafood to die for

Low Season Traveller

When to go: May, June, July, August and September

Huge stretches of empty beach in Cape Town

Featured Destination: Cape Town

By Claire French

Grab the best bargains on low season deals in June and July with May and August also seeing great value, meaning those tied to school holidays can take advantage of reduced prices and minimal crowding for a refreshing change. Yes, the reverse climate of the southern hemisphere means you are in for lower temperatures and more rain than the peak

November through February period but you can still expect decent highs of up to 18 degrees and certainly a good deal less wind than January’s strong gusts!

Nature lovers

Don your boots and head up Cape Town’s iconic flat-topped Table Mountain for a rewarding climb. Routes vary depending on your fitness levels. Our favourite is the lengthier Skeleton Gorge Trail which is less steep and includes beautiful ravines and jungle areas, more lush than ever during the winter rain. Another memorable day out is Tygerberg Nature Reserve with its spectacular city and sea views, while those with extra time could venture to Cape Point for an extended hike around the stunning peninsula. If hills aren’t your thing, it’s okay. Enjoy charming Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens renowned for its beauty and diversity. Stroll the sandy crescent-shaped Camps Bay or wander past the colourful beach huts of Muizenberg before rewarding yourself with a glass of Pinotage in front of a roaring log fire.

Wild about animals

Despite its low season status, June is actually peak for whale watching around the Western Cape. It’s at this time that pods of Southern Right Whales arrive off Cape Town from

Low Season Traveller

Many a touring itinerary has crossed the desks of the Low Season Traveller office incorporating South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ into a lengthy trip across this beautiful nation. A fabulous adventure indeed and those couple of days scratching the surface of Cape Town’s plentiful offerings serve to tantalise and tease visitors into digging a little deeper. Ideally, we recommend spending a week or two in this surprising city if you can, you won’t be disappointed.

Featured Destination: Cape Town the Antarctica and stay until around November. The WWF has rated Hermanus as one of the world’s best places to see cetaceans owing to its land based viewing opportunities, but boat trips are always a fun day out as well. Alternatively, head to Boulder’s Beach where literally thousands of penguins hang out year round. It’s true that over-fishing, marine pollution, the destruction of natural habitats resulted in the colony becoming almost extinct with only two breeding pairs remaining by 1982. Astonishingly, the brilliant team efforts at Boulders mean that there are now over 3000 of these delightful aquatic birds in the waters around the area.

Arts & culture

If you really want to dodge the showers, you’ll find plenty of interest in Cape Town’s many venues offering a thriving and ethnically rich array of exhibitions and events. Don’t miss ‘First Thursdays’ which takes place each month and sees museums, art galleries and other cultural attractions extending opening hours and offering free admission. Shops and bars put on supporting events such as promotios or impromptu music performances. Impressive cultural events take place throughout the year, with the low season including Hermanus FynArts Festival in June and July’s Jive Cape Town Funny Festival.

TOP EXPERIENCES Table Mountain Aerial Cableway

Hiking to the top is one thing, but this is a unique way to travel! Each car carries up to 65 people and features a revolving floor for 360 degree views. Low season means the bonus of no queues!

The breathtaking Table Mountain overlooks the whole city

INSIDER TIPS •

For a really special treat whale lovers can take a room at De Hoop Nature Reserve near Cape Agulhas and immerse themselves in nature in this award-winning environment.

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Our favourite pick for top wine tasting is Terra del Capo for Anthonij Rupert Wines. You can only go by appointment, but it is well worth the effort.

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Check out inside guide for an ‘in the know’ up to date guide to what’s going on including exhibitions, gigs, new openings and special offers.

District Six Museum

It’s over 20 years since the end of apartheid, a period which affected many Capetonians. Visit District Six Museum for some real insights and take the ferry to Robben Island, the infamous prison which housed Nelson Mandela.

Wine tasting

Especially via the Franschhoek Wine Tram. Rain or shine, the wine tram will take you to different wine estates in a “hop on, hop off” style experience departing and arriving back in Franschhoek’s main road.

FOOD AND DRINK Seafood

From juicy prawns and fresh mussels to grilled snoek and superb sushi, seafood fanatics are in heaven. Top picks are SeaBreeze in Bree Street, Chapmans Peak Hotel in Hout Bay or Harbour House in Kalk Bay.

Low Low Season Season Traveller Traveller

Cape Point Community Market

Head to Noordhoek, south of the centre, and the Cape Point Vineyards Community Market. Our top pick for artisan goodies, food trucks and special sunsets. It’s held every Thursday evening.

Camps Bay

The perfect evening out. Enjoy sundowners at Chinchilla’s exquisite rooftop terrace for sunsets and ambience followed by burgers at Tiger’s Milk or seafood at the impressive Paranga.

GOOD TO KNOW •

For your safety Table Mountain Cableway, the Robben Island ferry and whale watching trips won’t run in extreme weather. Watch the forecast and have a plan-B in place.

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In the low season, many of Cape Town’s restaurants offer deals or special menus allowing off-peak visitors gourmet culinary experiences at a fraction of the usual price.

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You can save money with a Cape Town City Pass. Valid for 1 to 5 days, it offers entry to a variety of top attractions and includes use of the hop on-hop off bus.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Taking the cable car up Table Mountain

Low Season Traveller

Featured Destination: Featured Destinations Cape Town

Featured Destination: Cape Town

Best Stays: Cape Town LUXURY

THE BELMOND MOUNT NELSON The Belmond Mount Nelson’s iconic pink walls have hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to Leonardo DiCaprio in her 120+ year run as one of Cape Town’s best hotels! Located at the foothills of Table Mountain, the Mount Nelson offers a leafy hideaway just outside the city centre and features pools, restaurants, art classes, spa treatments, tennis courts and nine acres of luscious gardens. Book now

ECO

Located two hours outside of Cape Town, Grootbos Nature Reserve sits on 2,500 hectares of preserved flora and fauna, including native fynbos and ancient milkwood forests. Grootbos is certified as a ‘carbon negative’ accommodation, which it has achieved through use of solar panels, composting and recycling initiatives, community uplift projects, replanting indigenous trees and growing the food they serve. Stay at Grootbos Nature Reserve

GRAND DADDY HOTEL Stay in a shiny silver airstream trailer…on a rooftop! The Grand Daddy Hotel boasts seven airstream trailers and a rooftop cinema in its very own rooftop airstream trailer park. Each of the trailers include a queen bed and ensuite bathroom and each has its own unique theme styled by different interior designer. Learn more

BOUTIQUE

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QUIRKY 70

GROOTBOS NATURE RESERVE

Images sourced from accommodation providers.

VILLA VIVA CAPE TOWN Villa Viva is a guest house, social business, meeting and networking space offering both private and shared rooms in the heart of Cape Town. The profits made from Villa Viva go into water related projects with the vision ‘water for all – all for water’. The villa features a pool, bar, garden, meeting areas and a ‘makers’ space for artists to express themselves – right onto the walls of the villa! Check out Villa Viva Cape Town

Featured Destination: Cape Town

Built in the grain elevator portion of the historic grain silo complex above Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA), The Silo Hotel is claimed to be Cape Town’s most iconic luxury hotel. This modern and stylish property uniquely has 360-degree views of the waterfront and Table Mountain. Book now

Low Season Traveller

ICONIC

THE SILO HOTEL

Food Glorious Food!

Sustainable travel

Travel that supports local communities Since the pandemic dominated our lives nearly two years ago, we have all started to realise that we have a responsibility to be better. Better custodians for our fragile planet and its ecosystems and better at looking after our people. Tourism can play a vital role in looking after both people and planet, and we wanted to highlight a few community projects which we think are worth supporting.

Low Season Traveller

Sarvodaya, Sri Lanka

Founded in 1958, Sarvodaya seeks a no-poverty, noaffluence society in Sri Lanka through community-based efforts and volunteerism. You can travel to the most remote mountain settlements and still find signs of Sarvodaya: a seamstress who got her start from a loan through her village bank; a healthy child who benefits from home visits by a young mother trained by Sarvodaya in early childhood development; a hand pump well provided by Sarvodaya’s efforts. Or perhaps a hand-hewn road that brings poor villages into physical and psychological touch with the outside world. It is in the building of such roads that the movement actualises its most moving testimony of greatness. In village after village where hopelessness and poverty ruled, Sarvodaya has engaged people to live by the motto: “We build the road and the road builds us.” By travelling with Low Season Traveller on our Signature Low Season Journey to Sri Lanka in 2022, you will be contributing directly to Sarvodaya and will have the opportunity to see first-hand the difference your travel can make at the community village school in Sigiriya.

Tree-planting with Sarvodaya

Sustainable travel By travelling with Low Season Traveller and The Tuk Tuk Club on our signature trip to Chiang Mai in 2022, you will not only be contributing financially to MaeVang, but you will also have the chance to help out as you meet the mahouts and of course, the wonderful elephants.

MaeVang Elephant Home, Chiang Mai The MaeVang Elephant home is a very small (eight elephants) home run by a family who have looked after elephants for decades. They, and their mahouts are hugely passionate about their elephants and offer small group opportunities for visitors to learn about, meet and wonder at these beautiful animals at their small base around 60 minutes south-west of Chiang Mai. They do not allow riding – they have led the way in the local area regarding this – and any visitor will immediately sense how much passion they have for what they do. They don’t have a fancy website or great PR, however they are superb at both looking after and creating wonderful opportunities to learn about elephants. The global COVID-19 pandemic has hit everyone very hard but the elephants of MaeVang have been hit particularly hard over the last two years. With zero income since the start of the pandemic it has become increasingly difficult for the elephant home to survive.

Up close with the elephants

Kerala’s wetlands

Wetlands, are incredibly vulnerable to climate change, and significant efforts are required to combat the imposing threats to the lives and livelihoods of the local communities which live in the region. By travelling with Low Season Traveller and SITA on our signature trip to India in 2022, you will not only be contributing financially to the protection of Lake Vambanad, but you will also have the chance to help out as you meet the locals and volunteers during your visit.

Low Season Traveller

Vembanad Community Environmental Resource Centre (CERC), Kerala, India

CERC is an organisation engaged in wetland conservation, sustainable livelihood and climate action throughout the Kerala region of India. Since its formation in 2007, CERC has been working in the Vembanad region to enhance the capacity and institutional networks of local communities and stakeholders for the sustainable management of wetlands so that they are restored, protected and maintained for future generations.

Travel quiz

Really?

The Low Season Traveller quiz By Lisa TE Sonne, Editor-at-Large Challenge your quirky travel know-how here. Each pairing of photo and fact refers to one of these destinations: Cape Town, Finland, India, Jordan, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Tenerife, and Vietnam. Can you match the clues to the beguiling places that beckon you in the low season? Answers are on the contents page.

This destination was the first known place in the world to invent shampoo, and the first to refine sugar.

2 Low Season Traveller

The people in this country drink more coffee per person than any other country in the world. They also have a word in their language that describes the feeling of “sitting in your underwear and drinking beer at home with no intention of going anywhere.”

This place has a dramatic volcanic mountain that casts the largest ‘Sea Shadow’ in the world.

Travel quiz

The world’s largest cave by volume is part of this place’s beautiful geography. The cave wasn’t explored until the 21st century.

The capital of this realm is sinking about 50cm (20 inches) a year — much faster than Venice is sinking.

The lowest natural point of any place on land and the saltiest sea of the planet are distinctions of this country.

Delightful penguins waddle about on shores and in towns here.

Low Season Traveller

This country had the world’s first female Prime Minister. She was elected three times.

Low Season Traveller

LOW SEASON TRAVEL MAKES YOU FEEL FREE

Low Season Traveller - Issue 1

Articles inside

5 Best Stays - Cape Town

5 Best Stays - Vietnam

5 Best Stays - India

5 Best Stays - Jordan

5 Best Stays - Tenerife

Low Season Cape Town

Vietnam - Colonial history, vibrant street culture and sophisticated nightlife

Travel low and slow with Kate Cummings

Jordan - Bustling souks, mineral bathing and lost citadels...

Travelling through Thailand with the Tuk Tuk Club - and Jen

Tenerife: Awakening Emotions in Europe's Hawaii

Low Season India - A myriad of swirling colours & contrasts

Travel that supports local communities

Food, glorious food

Are you a sustainable traveller?

Why Low Season Travel Matters

5 under-the-radar cultural heritage icons

The low down: Photography with Peter Guttman