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Travel is far more than just how to get from A to B and where to find the best meal in town. It’s a fascinating subject involving a boundless series of ethical quandaries, difficult questions and debate.
Sustainability in tourism is the biggest of these issues. In the past, we have been as guilty as any for not considering the tourism impact on a destination. Whether it is the transport we use, the waste we leave behind or the cultural impact on local communities, every individual leaves a mark. By writing about responsible travel, we hope to keep learning and inspire others to travel better.
Moral dilemmas and personal travel experiences make up a big chunk of our travel-related writing in this section, too. We also really enjoy researching facts and figures to work out how to deal with contentious hot topics.
So, if you’re curious about why you’ve been charged more than a resident, fancy an introduction to slow travel, or want some ideas to make your travels a little more environmentally friendly – we got you; have a look around.
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Big Travel Questions
Is Country Counting a Fun Hobby or Harmful Vanity?
Read more →: Is Country Counting a Fun Hobby or Harmful Vanity?Do you count the number of countries you have visited? It’s a fashionable thing to do nowadays, especially on social media. Here, we discuss why someone might do it and…
Is Dual Pricing for Tourists Fair?
Read more →: Is Dual Pricing for Tourists Fair?The act of charging a foreign tourist more than a resident for access to an attraction is a common phenomenon. Is this reasonable? Check out our post for the lowdown…
Are Travel Boycotts Ethical or Effective?
Read more →: Are Travel Boycotts Ethical or Effective?Deciding if it is ethical to visit a country with questionable human rights is no easy task. Here, we discuss several countries frequented by tourists with problematic policies and what…
What is ‘Home’ for a Traveller?
Read more →: What is ‘Home’ for a Traveller?Where do you consider ‘home’ to be? What makes it your home? Do you think all people need a permanent base for their life? It is a complex question that…
What is Sustainable Travel and is it the same as Ecotourism?
Read more →: What is Sustainable Travel and is it the same as Ecotourism?Sustainable tourism is a term that gets flung around a lot at the moment, often in the same sentence as ecotourism, green tourism and responsible tourism. Do you know the…
Is Your Holiday Green, or is it Greenwashing?
Read more →: Is Your Holiday Green, or is it Greenwashing?Ever wondered how ethical travel companies are? What exactly is an ‘eco-tour’ and is it really environmentally friendly? Are they really as responsible as the company claims? Read about how…
Big Reads for Short Breaks
How to Travel Ayutthaya Responsibly: Beyond the Pagodas and Prangs
Read more →: How to Travel Ayutthaya Responsibly: Beyond the Pagodas and PrangsAre you planning your trip to Ayutthaya, but have concerns about the elephants and disrespectful tourists? Find out everything you need to know about how to travel here responsibly (and…
Why the Bowing Deer at Nara Park Made Me Uneasy
Read more →: Why the Bowing Deer at Nara Park Made Me UneasyAre you planning a trip to Nara, but are kind of concerned by practices relating to the famous bowing deer? It made me feel a bit weird, too, so here…
Visiting the Battambang Bat Caves: Everything They Don’t Tell You
Read more →: Visiting the Battambang Bat Caves: Everything They Don’t Tell YouIn Battambang, Cambodia, is a giant limestone karst hill which is home to millions of bats, who all live in a large cave there. Every night, a ribbon of these…
The Woes of the Koh Chang Elephants
Read more →: The Woes of the Koh Chang ElephantsKoh Chang is a little paradise island off in the Gulf of Thailand. If you are considering a visit to this little slice of apparent perfection, have a read about…
Renaming Indian Garden: Why the Havasupai Name Matters in the Grand Canyon
Read more →: Renaming Indian Garden: Why the Havasupai Name Matters in the Grand CanyonThe National Park Service recently announced that the famous Indian Garden Campground within the Grand Canyon was changing name to Havasupai Garden. Here, we look at the reasons behind this…
Mass Tourism and Sustainability Challenges in the Riviera Maya
Read more →: Mass Tourism and Sustainability Challenges in the Riviera MayaThe exquisite Maya Riviera – synonymous with bright white beaches, parties, azure waters and Instagram shots. The darker side to all this popularity though is often well hidden. Read on…
Resources
12 Incredible Countries for an Epic Road Trip
Read more →: 12 Incredible Countries for an Epic Road TripDo you love road trips? Are you looking for inspiration for your next journey? We’ve listed the most exciting countries to drive in, some individual scenic routes and why they…
Discover Cars Review: Our Pros + Cons From Over 50 Rentals
Read more →: Discover Cars Review: Our Pros + Cons From Over 50 RentalsIs Discover Cars legit? Are they a scam? Can they actually save you money? Do they have hidden fees? How does their rental insurance work? We’ve absolutely smashed our way…
15 Dos and Don’ts for Taking More Responsible Travel Photography
Read more →: 15 Dos and Don’ts for Taking More Responsible Travel PhotographyTravel photography ethics is one of those prickly topics. It can be more harmful and detrimental than we initially realise and, with social media today, anything published has wide-reaching and unpredictable…
Health Disadvantages of Travelling: 15 Wellness Tips
Read more →: Health Disadvantages of Travelling: 15 Wellness TipsTravel has a lot of advantages. What is discussed less often are the disadvantages of travelling – specifically the health and wellbeing risks. Here, we talk about how we manage…
Travel Burnout: What it is and How to Fix It
Read more →: Travel Burnout: What it is and How to Fix ItHave you ever just felt a bit ‘off’ while travelling? This is often called ‘travel burnout’ and is a surprisingly common problem. Here, we talk about why it happens, what…
How to be a Responsible Traveller: 13 Practical Sustainable Tips
Read more →: How to be a Responsible Traveller: 13 Practical Sustainable TipsEveryone knows that we need to take care of our planet better, so why is it so easy to forget that when travelling? Here, we list 13 super practical ways…
Lightweight Backpacking and Camping Gear: Two Person Edition
Read more →: Lightweight Backpacking and Camping Gear: Two Person EditionAre you looking to get into thru-hiking and backpacking? Are you already a pro but want to upgrade your gear? This is what we consider to be the best lightweight…
10-Steps to Packing Light for Travellers
Read more →: 10-Steps to Packing Light for TravellersPacking light is a skill. Ask anyone who has been wandering the globe for a while – a light bag makes all the difference. Also ask them how heavy their…
Switching to Solid Shampoo Bars: A Review
Read more →: Switching to Solid Shampoo Bars: A ReviewBefore our recent trip, we bought a bunch of different solid shampoo bars and conditioners from various companies to decide which was the best to take on our trip with…
Introduction to Slow Travel: How to Slow Down with Little Time
Read more →: Introduction to Slow Travel: How to Slow Down with Little TimeThe notion of slow travel resonates with me. Most of my travel research is spent looking at how to avoid crowds of tourists. Combined with my inherent lethargy, it results…
The Trials of a Non-Spanish Speaker in Latin America
Read more →: The Trials of a Non-Spanish Speaker in Latin AmericaMy account of spending months in Spanish speaking countries with a far from preferable understanding of Spanish! More importantly: how easy is it to get by, what is important to…
