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Forbes
08-07-2025
- Forbes
Indulge In These Enticing Land-Based Activities In The Maldives
Long stretches of sandy beach at Siyam World to stroll or horseback ride. Siyam World With its pristine white sandy beaches, scenic overwater villas and the surrounding cerulean-hued waters of the Indian Ocean, the Maldives attracts visitors from all over the world. So, it's no wonder that water activities are the big draw for tourists to this island nation. But, three things that are sometimes overlooked: an eco ethic, a respect for local culture and land-based experiences. Thankfully, the family-owned Sun Siyam Resorts with five properties in the Maldives, embraces this trio of factors. Siyam World has a variety of enchanting villas, including the Sunset Pool Beach Villa. Siyam World At Sun Siyam Resorts, sustainability is key, as it should be. After all, the Maldives are renowned for biodiversity, both on land and water. Of particular concern: the health of the coral reefs. They are vital for the diverse marine life but they're threatened by climate change. Not only do these resorts embrace an eco-consciousness to help preserve biodiversity by, for example, reducing the use of plastics but they also promote renewable energy sources. Buying local produce — from nearby farm islands — is another way of reducing the carbon footprint while embracing sustainable farming practices. Furthermore, Sun Siyam Resorts is dedicated to social responsibility, employing locals and offering job opportunities that empower women and helps vitalize the economy. They also bring guests into intimate contact with Maldivian culture, providing an education in local traditions. These are some of the many land-based activities you'll find at three of the Sun Siyam Resorts, activities that will give you a better appreciation for flora and fauna (on land and in the ocean) as well as Maldivian culture and a green ethic that's vital to the health of the Maldives. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Sun Siyam Vilu Reef's Grand Reef Suite offers stellar water views. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef As you wander around Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, you'll notice that many of the accommodations and restaurants are snuggled by sea hibiscus, flame of the woods, giant crinum lily and other foliage. Cooking Class You can be as involved in the preparation as you want in the Cooking Class at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef After guests finish their Cooking Class at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, they enjoy sampling the dishes they created. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Learn how to make Maldivian cuisine by signing up for a hands-on class that relies on mostly local ingredients. You'll become familiar with some of the ingredients by, for example, tasting some of the herbs and spices before you get involved in the actual preparation and cooking. One typical Maldivian dish, for example, is tuna curry that's made by first marinating the tuna steak with chiles, other herbs and spices (such as cardamon, curry leaf and turmeric) and coconut milk, and then wrapping it in a pandam leaf before setting it on the grill. You'll also make the flavored rice and side tuna salad that it's served with. And, of course, you'll enjoy these delicacies when you're done. Wine Tasting Guests enjoy wine tastings or a wine pairing dinner at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef You'll sample four wines — two red and two white — in this one-hour session that's held in a spacious room that you can also reserve for a wine pairing dinner. With more than 1,000 wines on hand, you'll have the opportunity to learn about those from as far away as Chile and Hungary and find out how they pair with different cheeses. For example, a crisp, delicate Riesling may pair well with a Gorgonzola. Likewise, a pinot noir from Hungary that's replete with strawberry and raspberry notes can be served chilled, and paired with a mozzarella. Traditional Village Experience Guests who sign up for breakfast at the Cultural Village at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef learn about traditional Maldivian culture, architecture and cuisine. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Guests can indulge in this very different breakfast experience that takes place at a recreated traditional Maldivian village complete with a beachfront house or Athireege. You'll notice the thatch dwelling that's occupied by a simple bed with a cotton mat atop as well as an outdoor area with a wooden lounge chair strung with rope, a wooden bench and a bench swing, where the family could enjoy the ocean breeze and where the grandmother could teach the younger ones. There would also be a garden planted with lemongrass, panda and curry leaves, as well as Maldivian roses. For this experience, a buffet consisting of traditional Maldivian breakfast fixings await on a table outside, and may include sweet and sour fish (rihaakuru) and chili chicken. Five items served at every Maldivian meal can be found on the table: chiles, coconut, tomatoes, cucumbers and limes. And, of course, there are fruits aplenty, such as watermelons, pineapples, mangos and passion fruits. Most everything is served in a bowl made from a colorfully-painted coconut shell. Mixology Class Pick an alcoholic beverage or mocktail that you enjoy and see how simple it is to create this drink in the Cocktail class at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Whether you prefer a cocktail with a kick or a virgin beverage, you'll be able to go behind the bar and learn how to mix your drink(s) of choice. As far as mocktails go, the Kurumba Colada is quite refreshing, made with fresh pineapple juice, coconutk water, coconut cream and coconut pulp. Like all the bartending recipes here, this one is quite simple: you put the pulp in the blender, add the coconut water and cream, and the juice and pour it all into a pineapple and sip with a straw. There likely will be canapes to enjoy as well, such as dates with sunflower cream. Local Island Tour On Bandidhoo Islands, you'll see the banyon trees and other foliage that create a jungle-like ecosystem at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Sun Siyam Vilu Reef A short ride on a speed boat takes guests to Bandidhoo, a small local island where you'll have a window into daily life. (Just 700 to 800 people reside here.) As you walk along the unpaved roads with your guide, you'll see chickens crossing your path and pass the school (first through 10th grades) where the children learn English as well as, of course, the mother tongue of Dhivehi. You'll notice that wealthier residents have gated properties with lush gardens growing guava, breadfruit and mango. A jungle-like section of the island is dense with banyan trees draped with aerial roots that the kids make into a swing. On the nearby beach, crabs scurry about — fishermen use them as bait to catch snapper and other reef fish. Your guide continues the tour, where you'll spot the clinic that has one doctor on staff. One of the two mosques is quite old with a 100-some-year-old sundial outside. At the pier, before getting back on the boat, you'll notice a family park created by Sun Siyam's owner. Here, the community can enjoy the gym equipment, swings, slides and much more. On the Local Island tour, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef, you'll see two mosques, including one that's quite old. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef Farm Tour Produce is grown organically on the Farm Island at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef The speed boat docks at this small island that grows organic produce for a few of the Sun Siyam properties. Dozens of different types of fruits, vegetables and herbs are cultivated, such as lemongrass, basil, papayas, melons, chiles and bananas. Lettuces are grown hydroponically. If you're lucky, maybe you'll spot a fruit bat that especially loves passion fruit. Sun Aqua Spa Guests luxuriate at the Spa at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef You'll have myriad treatments to choose from at the Sun Aqua Spa at Sun Siyam Vilu Reef. Sun Siyam Vilu Reef With the spa offering more than a dozen types of massages, you're bound to find a treatment that suits your particular needs. Among the massages available: the herbal massage using sun-dried ingredients, the Balinese massage that relies on acupressure and aromatherapy and their signature two-hand massage. If you'd rather indulge in a luxuriating exfoliation, you may want to try the Javanese Lulur Scrub that blends turmeric and other herbs and spices with coconut oil. It's ultra moisturizing. Then step outside: the shower is surrounded by lush foliage. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi There are so many intimate accommodations at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi, including the Pool Beach Villa. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Nature Walk The Nature Tour at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi offers guests insights into flora and fauna. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. A Nature Tour with a biologist is an idyll way to learn about flora and fauna at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. For those who gravitate to horticultural or field biology experiences, sign up for a Nature Walk where a biologist leads a 45-minute trek through the verdant grounds. You'll come away with an education on the types of flora and fauna found at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. You may even spy a fruit bat known as the flying fox bat ( especially love the fruit of the sea almond tree); hear the loud krrrr sounds of koel birds; or notice a garden lizard scurrying on the ground. Your guide will point out how every part of the coconut palm — the national tree of the Maldives — is used: the wood for home building; the roots for its anti-inflammatory properties; the young flower is edible; roofing material comes from the leaves; while the stalk leaves can be fashioned into a broom. There are many screw pines on the grounds, trees that prevent coastal erosion; the white breasted waterhen, the national bird, uses the tree's aerial roots as a nest. Another plant that helps prevent erosion is the beach gardenia; the leaves can even be used as a plate. You'll learn that sunburn can be treated with the flesh of sea lettuce fruit while neem — a tree that's good for a host of ills — can be used for skin allergies by first crushing the leaves and applying it to the irritation. Coral Reef Restoration Those who sign up for the Coral Restoration get a hands on experience at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. In this hands-on class, you'll be working with a marine biologist who has already collected coral fragments in different sizes and shapes from the surrounding waters. The idea is to attach each of the fragments of two different coral species — Acropora and Pocillopora — to a pyramidal-shaped rebar frame. After all the rebar frames are full of coral fragments, the marine biologist at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi dives and places them into the water. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Once the frame is full of the attached coral fragments, at another time, the marine biologist will dive and put the frame into the water at a depth of about 16 to 26 feet. (They try to place three to four frames in the water per month.) Then, every two weeks, the biologist checks on the coral to make sure algae don't infiltrate the frame, hindering their growth. Interestingly, almost immediately after planting the frame in the water, there's an increase in marine life around the coral, such as puffer fish and rays. However, coral grows slowly: for Acropora, it's about 4 to 6 inches a year; and Pocillopora is even slower: 3 to almost 5 inches annually. The Spa The spa is surrounded by lush foliage at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Guests enjoy walking along the reflexology paths at the Spa at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Serenity is ever present at the Spa at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. A network of curvy, overwater, pebble-inlaid paths weave this way and that to the treatment rooms as well as the al fresca yoga pavilion. Walk on them barefoot for an invigorating reflexology workout; the sounds of water bubbling over the sides of large urns enhance the experience. Guests delight in this spa that brims with a vast array of treatment options, around 165 of them. Each of the 20 treatment rooms are named for flowers — orchid, lotus, hibiscus, for example — with that blossom's delicate fragrance infused in the air. Guests enjoy the placid vibe at the Relaxation Area at the Spa at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Anyone who signs up for a treatment can enjoy the open-air hydrotherapy area that's complete with a sauna, steam bath as well as warm and cold pools. Before or after your treatment, you'll want to spend time in the al fresco relaxation area that faces the overwater pebble paths. Here, you can sip a citrus cooler made with orange and pineapple juices along with fresh mint leaves or a green smoothie that's a blend of green apples, cucumber and ginger. Guests who want to address a particular difficulty can sign up for a consultation with an Ayurvedic doctor. Painting and Bracelet Making Classes Bracelet making class at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi is perfect for creating an authentic souvenir. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Guests who sign up for the painting class at Sun Siyam Iru Fushi come away with another lovely souvenir. Sun Siyam Iru Fushi. Kids and adults alike can use their creativity in these classes, where you'll be guided through the use of acrylic paints and coconut husk-derived coir rope. In the painting class, you'll be able to use your imagination to paint a tropical scene on a tiny plywood surfboard that you can bring home as a souvenir. Another souvenir you can make is a bracelet created from coconut husk-derived coir rope. It has a natural brown color but you can also weave it together with colorful cotton cord so it's more vibrant. Siyam World Siyam World has accommodations for all demographics, including the Grand Water Pavilion that will suit families with kids. Siyam World The Two Story Beach Residence with Pool at Siyam World wraps guests in serene luxury. Siyam World The network of sandy paths at Siyam World are perfect for cycling. Siyam World As the newest of the Sun Siyam Resorts in the Maldives, Siyam World is also the most surprising in terms of breaking the Maldivian activity mold. You probably, for example, wouldn't expect to find a riding center with Marwari horses, a breed that can deal with the sweltering climate; electric go-kart racing; or e-Mokes that you can rent — mini versions of one of James Bond's cars that he drove in Live and Let Die and a few other 007 movies. Whether riding on the beaches or the sandy paths, horseback riding at Siyam World is idyllic. Siyam World Yet, this expansive property that's networked with sandy roads has so many eclectic and unexpected offerings, it appeals to honeymooners, families with young kids and just about everyone else. While it's too big to easily and comfortably walk around the entire property, Siyam World relies on a network of purple-colored buggies — kinda like long golf carts — that stop all over the resort, including at bus 'terminals' that are decorated like venues from around the world. Here are a few of the laid-back land-based activities. Art Classes Art Studio at Siyam World offers guests the opportunity to explore their creativity and take home their painting as a souvenir. Siyam World Even if you don't consider yourself artistically talented, it's worth signing up for a painting class in this small studio where light streams in through broad windows. The walls are hung with mostly tropical paintings, including those surreal works created by the instructor who hails from Nepal. He helps motivate the guests to paint what interests them, suggesting the appropriate brushes, colors and techniques to best create depth and texture. (You'll be able to take your art home with you as a souvenir to remind you of the Maldives.) Wine Tasting at Barrique Even the entrance at Siyam World's Barrique is unique. Siyam World Even the entry to Barrique, a contemporary underground wine cellar, is unique, down a steep-ish flight of stairs flanked by walls that resemble a mosaic of different sorts of wood. Each of the duo of circular tasting rooms is embellished with a domed, conical ceiling, with wooden ribbing. The subdued lighting at Siyam World's Barrique is perfect for a wine tasting or wine pairing dinner. Siyam World With numerous candles and sconces, one of the pair of rooms has more subdued lighting, perfect for an intimate tasting or a wine dinner. If you sign up for the former, you'll taste three to five different wines during the session that lasts at least an hour, depending on the number of people and their questions. The cellar stocks around 120-some labels, with wines sourced from 16 different countries, including India, Thailand and China. During the tasting, you'll be prompted to see how a given wine pairs with a range of different foods, such as Danish blue and feta, cured salmon, house cured tuna and dark chocolate. At Siyam World's Barrique, the sommelier will discuss how different wines enhance the flavor of a variety of different foods. Siyam World Various foods, including cheeses, can be sampled while sipping wine at Siyam World's Barrique at Siyam World. Siyam World The sommelier will explain how, for example, a full-bodied Gruet — a unique sparkling wine that's fruit-forward — can enhance the flavor of a Swiss cheese or diminish the flavor of a Cheddar; a Gruner Vetliner noted for its grassy notes can reduce the saltiness of the smoked salmon; and a Gruad-Larose, a very smooth red, can dampen the intensity of a blue cheese. Veyo Spa The Veyo Spa at Siyam World is noted for many things, including the network of reflexology paths. Siyam World The treatment rooms at the Veyo Spa at Siyam World bring the outside in. Siyam World Guests delight in the foliage-lined paths at the Veyo Spa at Siyam World. Siyam World The extensive gardens of the Veyo Spa are threaded with myriad pebbled reflexology paths that couldn't be more therapeutic. In fact, once a week, guests can participate in a barefoot power walk. And, like so many things at Siyam World, the spa has some unique or unexpected offerings, such as Laughing Yoga, Kids Yoga, Reiki and Maldivian Cowrie Shell Massage — it's the shell of a sea snail. Sound healing, for example, is a mindfulness practice that many people may not be familiar with. The Veyo Spa Plunge Pools at Siyam World are very refreshing. SIyam World The Sound Healing session at the Veyo Spa at Siyam World may be a unique experience for some. Siyam World The spa holds a 60-minute sound healing session using crystal singing bowls, though Tibetan bowls can be used instead. When each of the bowls is struck or the mallet is rolled along the rim, it produces sounds and vibrations that are said to stimulate (and unblock) different energy centers in the body, referred to as chakras. (Guests are informed about how the bowls work and which chakra each is associated with, whether the heart, solar plexus or throat, for example.) Another traditional healing method is SuJok, where 'Su' is Korean for 'hand' and 'Jok' means 'foot.' This is an acupressure technique to restore balance and enhance physical and mental well being. It starts with a foot soak in warm water with floating hibiscus petals and then a light scrub with pink Himalyan salt followed by a massage with coconut cream. Other wellness, mindfulness or rejuvenating treatments include sunset meditation, mat pilates, Ayurvedic massage, and a Couples Retreat that involves a coconut oil massage, followed by a honey cucumber facial and then a bubble bath where you and your partner will be offered a glass of sparkling wine.
Times
05-07-2025
- Times
Avoid the heatwaves with these 15 great ideas for a coolcation
Stay cool everyone — it won't be 46C in Spain all summer, as it was last weekend in the Andalusian town of El Granado. The recent incendiary temperatures across southern Europe are not yet the norm and temperatures have dropped back down in most places since alarming records were set last week. Even so, having to worry about weather that is frankly dangerous is not the ideal prelude to a holiday. So if, like me, you'd rather not have that stress, can I suggest you look elsewhere for your summer holidays? The Med is magnificent in April, May and early June, and can be blissful in late September and October too, but for July and August how about looking north or into the Alps instead? Here, I've suggested 15 holidays that do just that. Some plunge into sparkling Alpine lakes; others dig their toes into the soft-sand beaches of Denmark and Sweden. There are even one or two that embrace the wilds of Iceland and Norway. All still have availability this summer and, while I can't guarantee that the sun will be shining while you're there, each offers magnificent landscapes or serene seascapes worth exploring whatever the weather. This article contains affiliate links, which can earn us revenue Family fun in France's first eco-poolEveryone loves the new Biotope in Combloux, in the Alps south of Geneva. The first eco-swimming lake in France is lined with a membrane (so no one gets muddy toes) and filtered by the surrounding plants. And with gently shelving play areas and surrounding lawns for picnics, it'll keep your kids entertained for hours. Use in conjunction with the local pump track for wannabe mountain bikers, as well as an Alpine rollercoaster in neighbouring Megève, and you have the makings of a multifaceted mountain holiday, with sensational views of Mont Blanc to boot. Nearby, the modern apartments at Les Fermes du Mont Blanc offer a convenient Seven nights' room only from £195pp, including ferry crossing ( Beach holiday on a Swedish islandLow-key, leafy and quietly upmarket, the seaside village of Ljugarn is peppered with refurbished villas and home to a beach. Accommodation is in short supply in July but frees up in August, especially from the middle of the month, when Swedish schools reopen. And with sea temperatures near their late-summer peak (about 19C), it's a great time for a week of carefree, sand-between-your-toes serenity on Sweden's favourite holiday island. Family groups will be tempted by Airbnbs such as the neat, four-bedroom villa from £269 a night ( couples might prefer one of the simple but pretty rooms at the Smakrike Krog & Logi B&B doubles from £150 ( Fly to Stockholm and take the ferry from Nynashamn • Read our full guide to Sweden Cycling and swimming in the SalzkammergutThis self-guided Austrian Lakes Activities holiday is focused primarily on gentle bike rides, with a week's cycle hire included in the price. It has wisely chosen the celebrated Austrian lake district (aka the Salzkammergut) as its base, so you can take the plunge whenever it gets toasty. The Wolfgangsee is the lake nearest your base at the chic, four-star Bergrose Hideaway, and it is edged with bathing areas, as well as a circular cycle track. This year the water temperature in its shallower areas has already hit Seven nights' B&B from £1,169pp, including flights • 13 of the best Alpine resorts for a summer holiday Icebergs, mountains and Viking historySurprise, surprise: bookings are up sharply for Greenland holidays this year, with most programmes sold out — but not this eight-day, self-guided Explore South Greenland tour, which combines majestic landscapes with a fascinating insight into Viking history. En route you'll stay at hotels in Narsarsuaq, Qaqortoq and Narsaq, as well as having the chance to explore fjords filled with icebergs, hike mountains and (at extra cost) visit the retreating ice cap. Meanwhile, with the help of local museums and archaeological remains, you'll learn why the Vikings vanished from Greenland after 450 years of Seven nights' B&B from £2,495pp, including flights ( A chic new hotel with lake viewsArosa has a lovely new summer base, the four-star superior Valsana Hotel, which overlooks the Obersee lake in the middle of town. Inside, the hotel's double rooms are huge by Alpine standards, and feature industrial lighting, vintage vinyl and a mix of Swiss and North American design motifs. Outside, Arosa's other lake, the Untersee, is the place for swimming, while free mountain bike hire allows you to explore the region's vast network of waymarked trails. The hotel also offers a range of guided mountain experiences, including sunrise hiking, fire-building and B&B doubles from £233 ( Fly to Zurich • 10 of the most beautiful places in Switzerland Beach days and biking on the Danish RivieraThirty miles northwest of Copenhagen, the island of Zealand meets the sea in a sweep of forested bluffs, cute second homes and long sand-and-pebble beaches. This is the Danish Riviera, and the resort town of Tisvilde gives you the best of it, with a mix of bike rides, beach days, forest walks and a buzzing restaurant scene. One of its elegant seaside hostelries, the Tisvildeleje Strandhotel, still has summer availability too, especially in August, so you can sink gratefully into the embrace of its beach-toned bedrooms once you've dusted the sand off your B&B doubles from £121. Fly to Copenhagen A spectacular landscape of white sand beaches and jagged peaksOn a clear day, the soft-sand beaches of Senja seem to glow as white as those in the Caribbean. But even so, this is not a place for sunbathing — more than 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the second-largest Norwegian island is a place of cool midsummer temperatures, variable weather and jagged peaks that rise straight out of the sea, and it begs to be explored. This one-week, self-guided walking tour sticks to the north coast and offers short but spectacular coastal walks from three bases, two of which are in converted fisherman's Seven nights' half-board from £2,375pp ( Fly to Tromso • 10 of the best places to visit in Norway Adrenaline-soaked adventure In summer the long Alpine valley of the Ötz River is best known for its hell-for-leather mountain biking, courtesy of the swooping downhill trails of Bike Republic Sölden ( But it's a treat for water-loving thrill-seekers too. Not only can you try canyoning and whitewater rafting here, but its Area 47 waterpark is awash with adrenaline; giant water slides, a water cannon, bouldering walls, high-diving — they're all here (£46; Meanwhile, more serene swims are available at the Piburgersee, one of the warmest swimming lakes in the Tyrol, where the water temperature can reach 25C. In Sautens, the four-star Daniel hotel is near both and has a Half-board doubles from £274. Fly to Innsbruck or Zurich Beach club vibes Add a touch of Nordic noir to your summer — as well as soft sand and wind-in-your-hair bike rides — by heading to Ystad, at the southern tip of Sweden. It is best reached from Copenhagen airport, across the Oresund Bridge, which starred in the detective series The Bridge. And once there you can explore the many settings of Ystad's fictional crimewave, portrayed in another hit series, Wallander. In between times the South Coast Trail cycling route beckons ( as well as the considerable comfort of the Ystad Saltsjobad hotel. This New England-style beach club — with four restaurants, 11 pools and contemporary country-house interiors — has long been a hit with well-to-do Danes and Swedes. Details B&B doubles from £200 ( Fly to Copenhagen Spot seals where two seas meetUndulating dunes and endless beaches dominate the wild, windswept north of Jutland, where a 20-mile spit of sand marks the meeting of the Skagerrak and Kattegat seas. Walking to the tip of the peninsula at Grenen to spot basking seals and watch the seas intermingle is an essential activity. So too are kite-flying, bike riding and sea-swimming (on the more sheltered eastern coast). But this is Denmark, so you're never far from a cute hotel room and a freshly made cinnamon bun to go with your coffee. In town the Skagen Harbour Hotel supplies the former and the Skagen Bakery has all the cakes you'll ever want ( while the Skagens Museum celebrates the Danish art scene's long love affair with the area's sparkling seaside light (£16; B&B doubles from £173. Fly to Aalborg Dip into Lake MontriondNearly 30 miles east of Geneva, on the northern edge of the Alps, Morzine is a place of fragrant forests and lush meadows, and it's the perfect summer venue for an energetic family of hikers and/or bikers — not least because when you've had enough uphill work you can throw yourselves into Lake Montriond. Squirrelled away up a nearby valley it offers a lifeguarded, child-friendly swimming area, as well as paddleboard rental (£17 an hour; and on a sunny day in August the water temperature can hit 25C. Stay at the characterful and recently refurbished Hotel du Lac, at the western end of the lake, and you can be first in for a dip each morning B&B doubles from £220. Fly to Geneva or take the ferry to Calais and drive Europe's largest national park Many hotels in Iceland may now be full for summer, but you can still hire a camper van at Keflavik, the main airport. What's more, if you head eastwards, towards Vatnajokull, you'll find the crowds thinning too. This is Europe's largest national park, where a vast ice-cap glacier and its many tongues interact with extinct and active volcanoes. Expect thunderous waterfalls, soaring peaks and abrupt canyons carved out by sudden floods. There is plenty of good hiking in between, as well as a mix of national park and private campsites — at the Skaftafell visitor centre in the south, pitches cost £17pp a night ( at the private Tjaldsvadid Myllulakur, pitches are from £12pp a night ( Seven days' rental of a four-berth camper van from £1,430 ( Fly to Keflavik • 15 best tours of Iceland No wonder accommodation around Lake Bohinj, in the Triglav National Park, is hard to find this summer — word is spreading about this spectacular and underdeveloped region of deep forests and limestone mountains, and hotels and apartments are struggling to cope with the demand, especially for family-friendly accommodation. Couples and friends should, however, take note of the adults-only Vila Park B&B in Ukanc. Crisp, friendly and beautifully kept, it stands beside the crystal-clear Sava Bohinjka River at the quiet, western end of the lake, and is an idyllic launchpad for gentle woodland walks or lung-bursting ascents of mountains such as the Tolminski Kuk, at 2,085m (6,841ft). There are plenty of wild-swimming spots nearby B&B doubles from £208. Fly to Ljubljana Sailing in the midnight sunFor a unique perspective on Norway's Arctic outpost, halfway between the mainland and the North Pole, step aboard the Noorderlicht. This two-masted, 153ft schooner spends summers cruising the Svalbard coastline from Longyearbyen with a professional crew of four, two walking guides and up to 12 guests. Berths are still available on some of the voyages this year. You'll do a little less sailing than is normal on a tall ship because each day is anchored around an onshore excursion, from visiting glaciers and observing walrus colonies to exploring a disused marble mine. But time on board is essential too — it's by far the safest way to spot polar Eight nights' full board from £3,735pp ( Fly to Svalbard A riviera with a differenceSure, there's plenty of sand at Huuhanranta, but this mile-long beach on what is jokingly referred to as the Saimaa Riviera is the very opposite of the Côte d'Azur. A freshwater strand on one of Europe's biggest lakes, three and a half hours' drive from Helsinki, it has nothing on its shoreline but picnic spots, local kayakers and the odd hammock slung between its pine trees. Visit it as part of an easy-going, family-friendly week at the nearby Koskenselka holiday park. Its superior lakefront cabins have private saunas, just in case you need to warm up before your morning swim. Details One night's self-catering for four from £138 ( Fly to Helsinki Where will you be going to keep cool this summer? Let us know in the comments below
Gulf Business
01-07-2025
- Gulf Business
Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary Development Project phase 1 to start soon
IMage: Dubai Media Office The initiative aligns with Dubai's 2040 Urban Master Plan, is part of efforts to strengthen the emirate's position as a leading global destination for sustainable eco-tourism and biodiversity conservation. The project supports the Dubai Economic Agenda Phase one of Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary Development Project Phase one of the project will cover 6.4 square kilometres of the sanctuary. Key environmental features include rehabilitating mangrove habitats, increasing mangrove coverage by 60 per cent to 65 hectares, expanding water bodies by 144 per cent to 74 hectares, and adding 10 hectares of mudflats. A Green Spine will also be developed, alongside mangrove lakes, reed ponds and new irrigation channels. 'The Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary Development Project is one of the most prominent environmental infrastructure initiatives being undertaken by Dubai Municipality,' said Engineer Marwan bin Ghalita, director general of Dubai Municipality. 'It supports the goals of the eco-tourism sector and reinforces Dubai's position as the best city in the world to live, work and visit.' Dubai Municipality said the development will help multiply annual visitors to the sanctuary six-fold, from current levels to between 250,000 and 300,000, and aims to boost public awareness around biodiversity and environmental protection. Phase two details The second phase of the project will focus on infrastructure and recreational services, including a visitor centre, birdwatching towers, restaurants, kiosks, and educational spaces. It will also feature 5.6 kilometres of cycling tracks, 3 kilometres of walking trails and 23 hectares of landscaping. The design of the project has won seven international and regional awards and was developed in collaboration with Dubai Environment and Climate Change Authority. Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary, spanning 6.4 square kilometres, was the UAE's first Ramsar-listed site and hosts around 20,000 migratory birds each year. It is home to nearly 450 species of flora and fauna, including the iconic flamingo.
Zawya
17-06-2025
- Zawya
Pakistan's natural reserves hold million-dollar eco-tourism potential
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan holds vast untapped potential in eco-tourism, with its 30 national parks, around 100 wildlife sanctuaries, and several major freshwater biodiversity sites capable of generating millions of dollars in annual revenue. According to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), which cited a report by tourism analyst Ubaid Saahil, sustainable development of infrastructure, training for local communities, and improved accessibility could transform remote regions into thriving tourist destinations. The report provides a comprehensive overview of Pakistan's major eco-tourism destinations, including Khunjerab National Park on the China-Pakistan border, the high-altitude plains of Deosai National Park, Chitral National Park, and the lush green valleys of Murree and Abbottabad. Other prominent reserves include Ayubia National Park, Hingol National Park in Balochistan, the coastal and desert regions of Sindh and Balochistan, Lal Suhanra National Park in Punjab, Margalla Hills National Park in Islamabad, and Neelum Valley in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The biodiverse Palas Valley National Park in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is also highlighted. It calls for strategic investment in eco-tourism to create livelihoods and enhance living standards across Pakistan's rural landscapes.
Associated Press
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Filipino forces and villagers struggle to live in China's shadow in disputed waters
WEST YORK ISLAND, South China Sea (AP) — Overwhelmed after setting foot for the first time on a far-flung but picturesque island in the disputed South China Sea, a Filipino army official knelt to kiss the shore. She held a small Philippine flag that fluttered in the breeze. 'This is just so beautiful,' Philippines military spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said of West York Island, one of nine islands, reefs and atolls occupied by Filipino forces in the long-contested waters. 'This solidifies our resolve to fight for this place whatever happens.' The 18.6-hectare (46-acre) droplet-shaped island, called Likas by Filipinos, could easily become an eco-tourism draw in tropical Asia with its powdery white-sand beaches, turquoise waters and giant sea turtle sanctuaries. Padilla expressed hope it could someday be opened to Filipino travelers and tourists from across the world. But that longstanding aspiration by Philippine officials has been stymied by a tangle of territorial conflicts involving a militarily superior China. Beijing claims virtually the entire South China Sea, a vital global trade route with rich undersea deposits of gas and oil. It has increasingly flexed its military might, including its navy — the largest in the world — to strengthen its grip on a strategic waterway it says it has owned since ancient times. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan contest China's expansive claims with their own, and the territorial stand-offs have increasingly flared into cat-and-mouse confrontations at sea in recent years. The long-simmering disputes are also a delicate fault line in the regional rivalry between Beijing and Washington. Both former President Joe Biden and his successor, Donald Trump, have condemned China's growing aggression in the contested waters, including its coast guard's use of powerful water cannons, blinding military-grade lasers and dangerous sea maneuvers against the coast guard and navy of the Philippines, Washington's oldest treaty ally in Asia. Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who took office in mid-2022, the Philippines has intensified a campaign to expose China's increasingly assertive actions by capturing them in video and photographs. The images have then been made public in the hope that international pressure would prompt Beijing to back down to avoid damage to its reputation. The Philippine military invited a small group of journalists, including two from The Associated Press, in a dayslong naval patrol of the South China Sea territories claimed by Manila and on visits to navy and marine forces deployed to guard them. During the patrol, which ended over the weekend, the BRP Andres Bonifacio navy ship carrying the journalists warned a number of Chinese coast guard ships and suspected Chinese militia vessels by two-way radio to move away from Philippines-claimed waters. The Chinese ships responded by asserting their sovereignty in the offshore region without undertaking any provocative actions. On West York Island, two Filipino marines in camouflage uniforms stood guard with M4 assault rifles under a Philippine flag. One used binoculars to scan the surrounding waters for Chinese or Vietnamese ships passing by from a distance. One of the farthest islands in the disputed waters from the nearest Philippine province of Palawan, West York is a difficult and risky post, where Filipino forces see nothing beyond the small island but sea. Military personnel can occasionally call their loved ones during their two-month deployment, but the internet connection is spotty, especially during the typhoon season that starts in June, according to military personnel on the island. They grow eggplants, okra and chili peppers and raise goats and chickens to augment food provisions delivered by navy ships from Palawan. There is a makeshift basketball court to help while away off-duty time and ease the feeling of isolation. 'It's being away from your family,' Padilla said. 'At the end of the day, you go home to an empty room.' Marine Col. Joel Bonavente, who was among the visiting military officials, told AP that military personnel posted in the remote outpost get additional pay to compensate for the 'hazard and loneliness.' On Thitu, the largest Philippines-claimed island, which lies west of West York, civilians have thrived for decades in a small fishing village alongside the military forces. An AP journalist who visited Thitu several years ago saw an island with only a few low-slung wooden and concrete buildings and a gravel airstrip that was being eroded by the constant pounding of waves. There were a few shanties mainlanders had moved to from Palawan in exchange for a monthly government provision of groceries, rice and cash in a bid to grow a civilian community. Dramatic infrastructure improvements have occurred through the years on the 37.2-hectare (92-acre) island, which now has a concrete runway, a huge aircraft hangar, a wharf, a storm shelter and concrete roads running through the fishing village, military encampments and a three-story coast guard surveillance center. A high school building is nearly finished near a seawater desalination facility. 'I want to stay on this island because my blood pressure remains stable without the wide selection of fatty food you find in the city like hamburgers,' said Nenita Bania, a 59-year-old villager who has lived with her husband on Thitu for 12 years. 'Lonely? Not really. It's not the case if you're with family,' she told the AP aboard an air force C-130 aircraft, as she and other villagers hitched a ride back to Thitu from Palawan province. Living in China's shadow in the disputed waters, however, has been challenging, said Larry Hugo, 47, who leads a group of at least 114 fishermen. More than a decade ago, China transformed seven disputed South China Sea reefs into island bases, where Chinese coast guard and navy ships can now refuel and obtain supplies for longer periods far from the Chinese mainland. One of China's artificial islands, Subi, has a military-grade runway and lies just 26 kilometers (16 miles) from Thitu. 'There were no Chinese ships before but now it's a big problem because they are all around our island,' Hugo said. 'They're guarding the reefs where we used to fish, and they block us so we can't venture far.' 'It's very dangerous,' he said. 'We have small boats and we may be run over and that'll be a big problem because we're far from civilization.'
