The Republic of Palau, a tropical archipelago located in the western Pacific and made up of over 340 islands. All these islands make up a land area of approximately 180 square miles with a population was over 21,000. Palau is also home to some of the world’s healthiest and most impressive UNESCO-listed reefs.
Palauans may represent many parts of Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia. However, they are not traditionally considered to be Micronesian. English and Palauan are the official languages, although some islands also give official status to their own languages. The state of Angaur is actually the only place in the world where Japanese is an official language, as Japan has no official language.
It is our responsibility to show our guests how to respect our island home, just as it is their duty to uphold the signed pledge when visiting.
– said Tommy Remengesau,
President of the Republic of Palau.
Palau’s pledge
Palau is the first nation on earth to change its immigration laws for the cause of environmental protection. Upon entry, visitors need to sign a passport pledge to act in an ecologically responsible way on the island, for the sake of Palau’s children and future generations of Palauans.
Every tourist who takes the pledge needs to follow this sustainable tourism checklist or risk a fine.
Don’t collect marine life souvenirs
Do support local businesses and communities
Don’t feed the fish and sharks
Don’t drag fins over coral when swimming
Don’t touch or step on coral
Don’t take fruit or flowers from gardens
Do learn about the culture and people
Don’t touch or chase wildlife
Don’t litter
Don’t smoke in restricted areas
This Pacific archipelago of about 200 natural limestone and volcanic islands, covered in lush forests and surrounded by an aquamarine lagoon. However, large-scale mass tourism is threatening to destroy its fragile environment, rich in biodiversity. Tourism can provide wealth, but when large numbers of visitors go to a destination, it can have positive and negative impacts.
Education will play an important part in supporting the pledge as locals commit to protecting and celebrating the uniqueness of their sacred home.
The country has become the first country to ban many kinds of sunscreen, in a move to protect its coral reefs from chemicals
History of Palau
Palau islands were made part of the Spanish East Indies in 1885. Following Spain’s defeat in the Spanish–American War in 1898, the islands were sold to Imperial Germany in 1899 under the terms of the German–Spanish Treaty. In 1947, the United Nations decided the United States would administer Palau as part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Palau voted in 1994 to freely associate with the United States while retaining independence under the Compact of Free Association.
Like other Pacific Island countries, Palau is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including severe weather events and rising sea levels.
Pacific Island nations are facing threats and challenges to their seas and lands, cultural heritage, and livelihoods from development, climate change, and increased global demand for resources.
The cities are well developed and clean.
Almost all internet and telecommunications are provided by the Palau National Communications Corporation (PNCC). An international SIM card can be assigned a local number upon arrival. Free Wi-Fi can be found in many hotels, restaurants, and coffee bars, but this is relatively slow and unreliable.
Biodiversity
Dense tropical broadleaf forests cover most of the volcanic and all of the limestone islands, with the exception of Babeldaob
The upland forests of Palau are the most species diverse in Micronesia and contain several endemic species. There are six native palm species, generally found in the understory or middle canopy layers of the forest.
Because of agroforestry, little remains of the native atoll forests, except on uninhabited atolls. Atoll forests are found toward the interior of the larger, wetter uninhabited atolls and along coasts of the high islands.
Limestone forest is found on the coral islands of Peleliu, Angaur, and the Rock Islands.
Originally, Palau was probably almost completely forested; today, forest cover is only about 75 percent.
Want to learn more about sustainable travel? Check our other posts about sustainable travel.
Cape Town is South Africa’s greenest city in Siemens’ African Green City Index. Cape Town’s topography allows the city to introduce new green spaces and its population has driven the rise of farmers’ markets and growth in locally sourced food.
South Africa was colonized by the Dutch in 1652 and then from the British Empire and its independence was granted on May 31, 1961. South Africa has increasingly become an attractive tourist destination due to its varied cultural offerings, eclectic food scene, architecture, and natural beauty.
In this post, we put together the top 10 things to do in the city.
Best Things to do in Cape Town
Cape Town has plenty to offer from its world-class restaurants and golden beaches, colorful historic districts and hipster farmer’s markets to the stunning coastal suburbs of Simonstown, Hout Bay and Fish Hoek await nearby and award-winning vineyards.
The name of the island come from Dutch for “seal island.” Robben Island is a World Heritage Site and museum, offering daily tours. This was a place of isolation for nearly 300 years, housing many political prisoners and serving as both a lunatic asylum and leper colony, one of them was the legendary South African president Nelson Mandela who spent 18 years here during his imprisonment.
The tours are led by former prisoners and include a return ferry ride from the island, a tour of the island and also a visit to some of the old cells.
Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the city of Cape Town in South Africa. It is a significant tourist attraction, with many visitors using the cableway or hiking to the top.
The ride on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway is one you’ll never forget. The journey up the mountain takes about five minutes and the car rotates 360° as it ascends, slowly revealing better and better views as you approach the summit.
The Cableway operates from 8:30am until 5:30pm in winter and closes later in summer
You can gain free entry to Table Mountain Aerial Cableway with Cape Town City Pass. The pass also gets you free entry or amazing discounts on over 70 other Cape Town attractions!
Here’s a selection of tours to Table Mountain – both hikes and cable car; a mix of the two, or a proper adventure:
Boulders Beach is located in the Cape Peninsula, near Simon’s Town towards Cape Point, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Cape Town has many beautiful beaches, but Boulders Beach offers up something the others don’t – a large colony of African penguins!
These African penguins are only found on the coastlines of Southern Africa – South Africa & Namibia. They are adapted to live in a warmer climate and you can see these little birds up close at Boulders Beach. It is located approximately one hour’s drive south of the city center. At the beach, an observation platform gives you the option to observe the penguins. There is a small conservation fee, which goes towards ensuring the future of this sadly endangered species.
Here’s a selection of the best tours that go to Boulders Beach:
If you want to explore outside the city borders Cape Winelands is one of your choices. It spreads out around the famous wine-making regions of Stellenbosch, Paarl and Franschhoek. Here you’ll find some of the world’s finest vintages.
Groot Constantia has been producing wine of outstanding quality uninterruptedly since 1685 with its award-winning wines still celebrated around the world today. The Simon’s and Jonkershuis restaurants at Groot Constantia offer visitors al fresco dining expertly paired with the estate’s award-winning wines.
If you have limited time then one of the best ways to see several different wineries is to book a tour on the Franschhoek Wine Tram. You can enjoy wine tasting, go for a tour of the cellars or a gourmet meal in a local farm restaurant with breathtaking views. Another wineries that you could add to your list are the iconic vineyard Spier Wine Farm.
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens is an oasis in Cape Town’s city center. Nestled beneath Table Mountain, this botanical garden is one of the most famous places to visit in Cape Town, this garden is one of the most beautiful in Africa. It is the first botanical garden in the world to be declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
It offers many fantastic places to have a picnic. It also hosts concerts between November and April every Sunday, art exhibitions and more.
Locally growth produced is boost also by the restaurants who offer fresh, local ingredients. The South African capital has a unique multi-cultural heritage that inspired culinary scene influences. The wineries themselves often house some of the region’s best restaurants. It has some pretty amazing restaurants, some of whom have earned internatonal awards.
V&A Waterfront Food Hall is one of the best places to eat in town.
Cape Town’s coolest restaurant strip is Bree Street in the Central Business District.
Bo-Kaap is known for its brightly coloured homes and cobble stoned streets. The area is traditionally a multicultural neighbourhood with immigrants from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia, and most of its population is Muslim.
Translated from Afrikaans, Bo Kaap means ‘Above the Cape’ and it has a long history dated back to the 1760s. It is a former township, situated on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city center and is a historical center of Cape Malay culture in Cape Town.
The area is filled with history, visit the museum for a glimpse of the past and find out about the architectural heritage.
Camps Bay
Camps Bay is considered Cape Town’s most beauteous living. It’s also known for its white sands and dolphin sightings, natural rock swimming pool and views of the Twelve Apostles mountains. Just a walk from the beach where you can find many trendy restaurants and cafes, cozy accommodation.
Nearby you’ll find also the Promenade Mall boutiques selling fashion and beachwear and the intimate Theatre on the Bay performing drama, musicals, and comedy.
Photo credit: Stockvault
Walk Around the Beaches
Cape Town is home to some of the most picture-perfect beaches in the world, each with its own unique advantages.
The beaches along the False Bay coastline boast warm water and good swimming conditions when the Atlantic coast beaches have much colder water with a brilliant shade of turquoise.
Zeitz Museum offers the largest collection of contemporary African art on the continent features works from all over the diaspora. You can check out the Afro-futurist goggles by Cyrus Kabiru, anti-patriarchal needlework by Ghada Amer, oil portrait by Kehinde Wiley, and cowhide sculptures by Nandipha Mntambo.
The museum located at the V&A Waterfront opened on September 22, 2017.
Responsible Tourism is a unique approach to the management of tourism, which aims to maximize the benefits of the destination for both tourists and locals.
Want to learn more about South Africa? Check our other posts.
Main photo credit: Pe_Wu / Wikipedia
Uruguay is a South American country known for its verdant interior and beach-lined coast. The capital, Montevideo, revolves around Plaza Independencia, once home to a Spanish citadel. The name Uruguay means a river of colorful birds. It is a word in Guarani that was spoken by the natives of the area.
15 Must-Visit Attractions in Uruguay
Uruguay is one of the most eco-friendly countries in South America and it is pretty liberal as marijuana and gay marriage are legal, and it is also.
Montevideo is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. It is a city with a long history and a rich culture, founded in 1724.
With WiFi available in public places and e-scooters filling the city, Montevideo is leading Latin America’s digital revolution.
The exchange of culture and traditions has always nourished Montevideo’s literary movements. The capital is home town of many renowned writers, including Mario Benedetti and Juan Carlos Onetti.
The oldest part of Montevideo, La Ciudad Viejais is mostly cobblestoned with many historical buildings showing the colonial history of Montevideo city such as the cathedral, main plaza and several museums.
San Gregorio de Polanco is a small city in the Tacuarembó Department of northern-central Uruguay. It is one of the best tourist attractions in Uruguay because of its pure healthy air, abundant flora, and blue aqua.
This small town has only 3,000 residents, but there are plenty of things to do including a visit to the native visual arts museum, the excellently adorned OSE water tank, and the regional parish with the art gallery inside.
Salto is an affordable and it offers enough attractions make life interesting. It is the second largest city in Uruguay with a population over 110,000.
Some of the attractions include the Salto Grande hydroelectric Dam shared by Argentina and Uruguay and the AcuaMania Waterpark.
The city owes its name to the Spanish word used to refer to the many falls of water created by the Uruguay River in that area.
Nueva Helvecia is 120 kilometres west of Montevideo, the capital and largest city of Uruguay and just a few miles from the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Nueva Helvecia was the first tourist area in the country. The city has plenty to offer to visitors with its history, culture, local cuisine and natural surroundings full of beauty.
The region is famous for its dairy production. Travelers can visit an artisan cheese factory and learn about the production of different cheeses.
Some of the tourist attractions include the Plaza de los Fundadores, the city gate, Regional Archive Museum, the José Pedro Varela Municipal Park, the OSE tank, with its unusual architecture and the Schöenstatt Shrine.
Piriápolis is located in the Department of Maldonado, only one hour away by car from the City of Montevideo. This historic town is about 40 km west of Punta del Este. Piriápolis was the first beach resort in Uruguay and one of the most popular.
The weather from November to April is pleasantly warm and dry, perfect for plenty of beach time. June to September is cooler and wetter. The active season is between December and March.
There is also a natural reserve of native and rare South America fauna.
Rocha has some of the very best beaches in Uruguay and visitors can enjoy them almost ten months of the year. This is a place with wild isolated beaches and surprising nature is yet to be fully discovered.
In recent years many visitors have discovered the great personality of this fishing village on a rocky point where the sea has sculpted to create almost perfect round shapes and strange stone seas.
The beaches are spectacular; Brava is the southwest, with waves that cut special blue-green. It is ideal for children Mansa Beach, a quiet and huge wind sheltered bay.
Tacuarembó town is fairly small and easily walkable. However, a good number of attractions lie out of town and you’ll need your own transport to reach them. It is located in the heart of the country about 200miles away from the capital.
Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha is a big event during the second weekend of March. It celebrates countryside life and customs. Accommodation is a big issue at the festival.
Some 150 sculptures and murals outdoors exhibits can be enjoyed in public and private spaces in various parts of the Tacuarembó department.
The economy of Durazno largely depends on agriculture and agrotourism. The raising of sheep, and of cattle.
The Yí and Negro Rivers and large streams and in the lakes Rincón del Bonete and Baygorria.
Attractions in Durazno include important events such as the Folklore Festival and the ‘Meeting of the Gauchos’, places like the Hispanidad Park, located a few kilometers from the city, the church of San Pedro Parish, Regional Art Museum, Casa del General Museum.
Carmelo is famous with its winemaking. Winemaking was brought to the region over a hundred years ago by European immigrants. It is one of Uruguay’s largest wine-producing area.
The very alkaline soil with fossils creates a perfect microclimate for vines.
Points of interest in this area are Punta Gorda, Zagarzazú and Colonia Estrella. Close to Colonia Estrella is the Zagarzazú beach.
Nearby places are the picturesque Colonia, historic Fray Bentos, and the spa towns of Paysandú and Salto.
Carmelo is an ideal destination for those looking for a place to relax and for wine lovers tourism due to the large variety of vineyards and wineries.
Cabo Polonio is a rocky point that stands 15 meters above the ocean, with two inhabited islands across one of the largest reserves of sea lions in the world.
There is no water or electricity in Cabo Polonio. This place is attracting many bohemians and backpackers.
You can just lay on the beach and forget about all the luxuriate.
Punta del Este is a city and resort on the Atlantic Coast in the Maldonado Department of southeastern Uruguay.
Some popular attractions in the area include the La Mano giant sculpture, the Santorini-styled complex Casapueblo, the Enjoy Punta del Este hotel and casino complex, La Barra neighborhood, the iconic Puente Garzón, Gorriti Island, Arboretum Lussich, and the Museum of the Sea. Here is also the Ralli Museum, featuring exquisite pieces of modern and contemporary Latin American art.
Paysandú is one of Uruguay’s most important cities. It is located in the northern part of Uruguay. Due to the historical events in this area, Paysandú is important tourist attraction. Just a few miles away you’l find the Guaviyú and Almirón hot spring resorts.
Some of the attractions of this beautiful historical city include the Historical Museum or the Perpetuity Monument where you can learn a part of the rich and booming history of the city.
Paysandú has many events, including Beer Week – one of the most important events celebrated in Uruguay, which attract many tourists from all over the world.
It is the last coastal resort of Uruguay and it is bordering with Brazil to the southeast. What is interesting is that the main street in Chuy is the actual border between Uruguay and Brazil.
The border is open, so you’re free to cross back and forth between the Brazilian city Chuí and Chuy.
Chuy’s residents are mostly Uruguayans and Brazilians, with almost all its residents speaking Spanish and Portuguese.
It has long beaches which makes it ideal for long walks on the beach. Some points of interest are the Santa Teresa Park, the San Miguel Fort.
“Chui” was also the name the Indians gave a yellow-breasted bird.
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, across the Río de La Plata from Buenos Aires. It’s known for its cobblestoned Barrio Histórico, lined with buildings from its time as a Portuguese settlement.
It has a long history and it was founded by the Portuguese in 1680 on the Río de la Plata, the city was of strategic importance in resisting the Spanish.
The historic Colonia del Sacramento is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995 and attracts thousands of visitors during the year from around the world. Travelers can enjoy a unique landscape with spectacular views of Río de la Plata.
Main photo credit: Wagner T. Cassimiro “Aranha” Wikipedia
