Taiping is among the top 3 most sustainable cities in the world, according to the 2019 Sustainable Top 100 Destination Awards, right behind Ljubljana, Slovenia and Vancouver, Canada in the “Best of Cities” category!
ITB Berlin hosted the most prestigious Awards Ceremony for Sustainable Destinations. This event is dedicated to recognizing innovation and good practices in tourism management: islands, towns, regions and whole countries. The award winners have been selected by a Jury representing 12 international organizations.
Taiping rated as one of the top green destinations.
The town’s Municipal Council president Datuk Abd Rahim Md Ariff received the award.
Taiping Municipal Council president Datuk Abd Rahim Md Ariff said, “This is the first time we received a prestigious international award. This achievement is due to the hard work of the community and all relevant governmental agencies.”
“The council always works hard to make Taiping a popular tourist destination,” Abd Rahim added.
The “Best of Cities” category of the awards recognizes cities that show leadership in urban sustainability and in avoiding disruptive over-tourism.
Taiping is the second largest town in Perak after the state capital Ipoh. The town also is known as the wettest town in Peninsular Malaysia. Its unusual rainfall has also blessed its Lake Gardens with a fertile and splendid collection of flora and century-old rain trees. Itis characterized by aging buildings and clear blue skies with high chances of rain.
Green Destinations, a non-profit organization that focuses on the efforts of creating sustainable tourism, leading global cooperation between experts, listed Taiping on its 100 Sustainable Cities list in December 2018.
Taiping used to be a thriving tin-mining town that lost its luster with the rise of Ipoh and Kuala Lumpur as cities.
Taiping has previously been recognized as the Best Destination Manager 2016 by the Tourism Promotion Board for the Asia Pacific; besides having received the Malaysia Tourism Council Gold Award 2017 in Best Heritage and Eco Travel Destination Category and Malaysia Tourism Council Gold Award 2018 for the Best Tourism Promotion Campaign.
For those who have not visited Taiping, it is time to consider visiting this beautiful city!
Dominica is an island of volcanic origin located between the French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island.
Dominica has plenty to offer for vacation destinations in the Caribbean such a scuba diving, whale & dolphin watching, hiking, bird watching, exploring a pristine tropical rainforest along our Waitukubuli National Trail, discovering the unique culture or simply relaxing on one of Dominica’s secluded beaches.
Dominica enjoys a mix of cultures, African language, foods and customs mixed with European and Caribs traditions. The largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, it has an area of 751 sq km and it is largely covered by rainforest and is home to the world’s second-largest hot spring, the Lesser Antilles mountain with volcanic peaks of lava craters, the largest of these are Morne aux Diables, Morne Diablotins.
English is the official language, but Creole or French-based patois is still spoken by a big part of the population. The local currency is the Eastern Caribbean dollar, but you can use US dollars, which are accepted at most businesses, as well as major credit cards and traveler’s checks.
The Waitukubuli Trail located in Dominica is the longest hiking trail in the Caribbean at 115 miles. The trail showcases the best of the culture and heritage as well as its extraordinary rugged interior.
The Waitukubuli National Trail is part of the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Dominica’s Hot Water
Dominica has the highest concentration of dormant volcanoes in the world, which created a number of natural spas and hot pools from the healing sulfur springs. The hot springs offer a relaxing and reviving experience.
Wotten Waven is well-known for its natural hot sulfur springs and mud pools that are believed to have medicinal qualities. Local villagers have created spas with its own special charm and amenities, from private sulfur baths and mud pools.
Dominica offers some of the best diving in the Caribbean with warm and clear water and great visibility. Most dive sites are located along the western side of the island.
You can explore calm shallows with curious seahorses and over 20 species of whales that frequent visit these seas. The sperm whales can be explored from November to March.
Some other underwater attractions are the La Sorciere fantastic wall dives or the volcanic ridge of Crater’s Edge, where can make appearances barracuda stalk, tuna, and snapper.
Canyoning
Dominica is packed with some of the mother-natures most exceptional and the impressive canyons and water pools. Canyoning is basically a sport where you navigate a water-filled canyon using abseiling, climbing and jumping.
You can join tours where professional guides take you on a tour of a lifetime with a unique experience to explore the rivers up close, under a rainforest canopy, climbing, swimming and splashing in a cool, fresh river.
Whales and dolphins are plentiful in the crystal blue waters along Dominica’s coastline throughout the year. Dominica is the only country in the world the Sperm Whales can be sighted year round with a peak season is between November and June.
Sperm whales are the largest predator on earth, reaching up to 70 feet long, and weighing 60 tons. They can dive more than 6,000 feet deep to hunt in the dark with echolocation for a large and giant squid.
Other species that can be found year-round in the waters off Dominica, includes the pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata, the Fraser’s Dolphin, Lagenodelphis hosei, the bottlenose dolphin
short-finned pilot whale.
The Boiling Lake is situated in the Morne Trois Pitons National Park, Dominica’s World Heritage site. It is a flooded fumarole 6.5 miles east of Roseau. It is filled with bubbling greyish-blue water that is usually enveloped in a cloud of vapour. Dominica’s Boiling Lake is the second-largest hot lake in the world. The largest is Frying Pan Lake, located in Waimangu Valley near Rotorua, New Zealand.
If you visit Rosalie Bay, Bout Sable, Cabana Bay, Wesley and Calibishie beaches between April and June, you may observe one of the most fascinating rituals – turtle hatching. Dominica’s shores are visited by four of the seven known species of sea turtles – Loggerheads, Hawksbills, Green Sea Turtles, and the huge Leatherbacks.
The female sea turtle will come ashore to lay her eggs and in a few months, the hatchlings will try to make it back to the sea. Unfortunately, there are many hungry predators waiting for this moment and only a few reach out to the sea.
Costa Rica is a small Central American country bordered to the north by Nicaragua and to the south by Panama. The country is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity and almost a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle.
The geography of Costa Rica makes it an ideal tourist destination. Make sure if you are using insect repellent that it does not contain citronella or other harmful pesticides that could hurt the local wildlife as well as if you are using sunscreen make sure it is eco-friendly.
Here are nine important things to know about transportation in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica transportation options
There are plenty of options for getting around Costa Rica – from domestic flights, private transfers, rental cars, shuttles, public buses to taxis, and trains. Each option offers varies in flexibility, budget and comfort.
Domestic Flights
For those who can afford a faster and more comfortable type of transport, there are local airlines that offer domestic flights to several Costa Rica destinations.
Costa Rica has several domestic airlines AeroBell, Nature Air, Paradise Air and Sansa, offering daily flights to many major tourist destinations.
There are 48 main airports, only 4 being international. Airline costs in Costa Rica are pretty reasonable.
If you plan to fly domestically in Costa Rica, keep in mind that you’ll be flying on small planes and luggage weight limits are strictly enforced, expect bumpy flights and schedule change.
Renting a Car
Many of these cars are 4×4 and used throughout the country.
Most of the tourists are using public transportation while exploring the Metropolitan Area and then rent a car when heading out to the countryside.
Car rentals are good for couples and families who want to see a lot of the country and don’t mind driving
Renting a car it is a great way if you want the flexibility of exploring the natural beauty of the country in-depth, stopping to take pictures and settling down at any roadside restaurant you come across. Rent a car only if you feel comfortable driving in a foreign country.
Renting a car in Costa Rica can be a bit expensive. Rentals cost between $41 and $160 a day.
Costa Rica has a well established public bus system and it is often compared to the best in Central America with routes throughout the entire country.
Taking the public bus is incredibly cheap, but it is not always the most comfortable.
A bus service is a good option for budget travelers, backpackers, couples and small groups traveling on a tight budget and want to meet locals, however, they can get very crowded. Luggage space is also limited in most public buses.
Taxis & Uber
Uber is legal in Costa Rica, but the government doesn’t like it so use the service with caution. Uber tends to be about half the price of taxis.
Costa Rica’s official taxi services are red and orange if they are airport taxis. All authorized taxis must have a meter and make sure it is turned on when entering the vehicle. You can find plenty of taxis in towns and cities city, with the exception of car-free communities like Tortuguero. Unfortunately, you can still find unlicensed taxi services. You can easily distinguish the official taxis by looking for a yellow triangle with a code in black on the vehicle’s side door.
Taxis are cost-efficient and reliable, but you should understand how they work before using one. If a pirate taxi gets caught carrying a passenger, he or she could get fined. You do not have to tip the driver.
Accessible taxis or an SUV or a van are available upon request.
Trains are a great option for adventurous. They are fast and cheap. A private company – AmericaTravel – organizes occasional weekend tourist trains from San José to Caldera.
There are currently two major railways in Costa Rica: The San Jose Light Railway and the Tico Train Tour.
Unfortunately, much of the railway system requires major repairs.
The railways are very cost-effective especially for traveling within the Central part of the country but may not be a good choice for other parts of the country. You can always take a train to a major city and then take a taxi to your final destination.
Shuttle Services
Shuttle service is a shared transport alternative on a minibus or coaster. This is a good option for people traveling in small groups.
They operate daily between popular destinations across the country. Shuttles must be booked in advance.
Private Transfers
Private transportation is the safest and most convenient way to get around Costa Rica. It is flexible and it can be planned to and from anywhere in the country. This service can be customized to fit your travel needs.
Private transfer rates are often cheaper than those of a taxi.
Boats / Ferries
Costa Rica has destinations that can be reached only by water using a ferry or boat.
The other time you will need to take a boat is if you are going to Tortuguero.
If you are exploring beach towns or other coastal places bikes, ATVs or scooters are available to rent.
Horseback Riding is a Good Option
Horses have always been a part of Costa Rican culture. It can be a very pleasant way to get around Costa Rica. Going on a horseback riding tour will offer you a cultural experience as well as an enjoyable one. You can ride through an untouched rainforest trail and spot howler monkeys, sloths and scarlet macaws, or you can trot along the sandy shorelines while enjoying a stunning sunset view.
When riding, make sure to wear eco-friendly sun protection, closed shoes and long pants.
