Meaningful Travel Articles

Building Volunteering Thailand

The Thailand volunteer building program is a 2 week group program of volunteers from all over the world to build necessary facilities in the hilltribe villages around Chiang Mai. There are several building projects that are needed in the villages for the communities and children that are still very poor and in need of help. WLS International has build various facilities in the past in the villages such as playgrounds for children, a school canteen and toilet facilities.

Nieuws over Reizen, SEO, Website

Nieuws over Reizen, SEO, Website

Citytrips of Stedentrips

Last Minute Citytrips of Stedentrips zijn heel populair geworden met verschillende last minute reis promoties en vakantie aanbiedingen naar steden zoals een goedkope citytrip naar Parijs, Londen, Berlijn, Rome of Barcelona.

Goedkope Citytrips naar Parijs, Londen, Rome of Barcelona om maar een paar fantastische bestemmingen te noemen, ziijn een goede gelegenheid om een weekend weg te gaan.

Zoek en boek een goedkope citytrip naar Parijs, Londen, Rome, Barcelona of Athene op het internet, er zijn verschillende online reis aanbiedingen te vinden voor een stedentrip.

Dagjesmensen betreffen mensen die één dag uit zijn. Deze vorm van recreatie duidt men ook wel aan als dagtoerisme. Op de een of andere manier worden dagjesmensen vooral geacht naar een attractiepark of iets vergelijkbaars te gaan of ook voor een citytrip. Toch zijn er ook veel mensen die graag een dagje iets anders doen. Zij gaan met de auto weg, een onbekende of geliefde stad bezoeken of een etappe van een lange afstandswandelpad lopen.

Voor dagtoerisme bestaan speciale faciliteiten, zoals verblijfplaatsen in bossen en aan meren waarbij de bepaling is opgenomen dat men er slechts overdag mag verblijven.

Meaningful Travel in Nepal

Nepal has been the adventure destination for quite some time with the giant Mount Everest as its main attraction. Nepal has established itself as one of the top trekking travel destinations in the world and now is also becoming one the top eco travel destinations in Asia.

Nepal is bordered to the north by the People’s Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India. With a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the 41st most populous country. Katmandu is the nations capital and the country largest metropolitan city.

Nepal is a country of highly diverse and rich geography, culture, and religions. The mountainous north contains eight of the worlds ten highest mountains, including the highest, Mount Everest. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized.

This is a very beautiful country with many great deals for your meaningful travel experience. You will find many opportunities to enjoy a great and spectacular holiday here in this great country.

Trekking is not the only activity which draws visitors, it also has some superb white water rafting opportunities, mountain biking, which is become more and more popular, and down in the jungle, safaris on elephant back into the Royal Chitwan National Park are another part of the Nepal experience.

By some measures, Hinduism is practiced by a greater majority of people in Nepal than in any other nation. A minority faith in the country, Buddhism is linked historically with Nepal as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama who, as the Buddha Gautama, gave birth to the Buddhist tradition.

Nepal had been a monarchy throughout most of its history. Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Shah dynasty king, unified the many small kingdoms in 1768. Since then, the country had been ruled by a dynasty of kings. However, a decade-long Peoples Revolution by the Communist Party of Nepal along with several weeks of mass protests by all major political parties of Nepal in 2006, culminated in a peace accord and the ensuing elections for the constituent assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of the abdication of the last Nepali monarch Gyanendra Shah and the establishment of a federal democratic republic in May 28, 2008.

What does eco travel mean ?

Ecotourism means travel that strives to be of low impact and small scale. Eco travel helps educate the traveler and provides funds for conservation of the area. It also directly benefits the economic development and political empowerment of local communities in Nepal.

Generally speaking, ecotourism focuses on volunteering, personal growth and learning new ways to live. It typically involves travel to destinations in Nepal where flora, fauna and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Ecotourism is a conceptual experience, enriching those who delve into researching and understanding the environment around them. It gives us insight into our impacts, as human beings and also a greater appreciation of our own natural habitats.

Nepal is a great destination for ecotourism because of the beauty of the country. Nepal is becoming one of the top destinations for eco travel and tours in the world. The beauty of the country, the hospitality of the people and the variety on offer make this a special place for a special holiday.

For more info Eco Travel Nepal , Eco Tour Nepal , Eco Tours Nepal.

Time to Volunteer in China

China is the economic wonder of the world leading the world in economic development. With great cities such as Beijing, China is a great destinations for your travel experience. Travelers from all over the world are getting more and more interested in getting to know China in a more meaningful way. Volunteering in China is becoming more and more popular and is a great way for a meaningful trip to China.

China is growing very strongly and is the leading country in Asia with the economy moving forward strongly not only in Asia but as one of the leaders in the world. But the country still has lots of poverty and with lots of help needed. As a volunteer in China you will be able to make your personal contribution to a child and to the country in general.

How long can you volunteer in China ?

You can do your volunteering in China from one week up to a few months or years even which makes this wonderful opportunity available for people on a short term or long term basis. You will be amazed how you can make a difference at a charity even for one week leaving a lasting impact.

Where can I volunteer in China ?

A great destination for your volunteer vacation in China is Beijing. Beijing is the heart and soul of and the capital of China. Anyone who has been to Beijing will not forget this place easily as Beijing is such an amazing experience. The big buildings of Beijing, the local street restaurants, the local culture and the industrious people of Beijing make this city one of the most exciting destinations in Asia.

What do I do for volunteer work ?

To volunteer in China means to help out and work with Chinese charities, shelters for street children in cities such as Beijing, community projects, schools, orphanages, projects for disabled children and other projects whilst on your trip abroad.

There are many great projects available in Beijing for your volunteering with many orphanages, shelters for street children, projects for children with disabilities, soup kitchens and community projects available. There are so many projects available that you are easily able to work at a project that suits you best.

Volunteering whilst on your vacation is the ultimate meaningful travel experience. You will be able to give back to the ones in need and you will also be able to get to know China and its people in a much more worthwhile way. And what you will hear again and again from volunteers after their experience is that they had the time of their life and learned so much about themselves.

Here are some volunteer opportunities in China.

Teaching in China at an orphanage or a poor school to help educate children. Be a volunteer teacher during your volunteering holiday in China and teach English to children at orphanages, schools or shelters for street children. English is very much needed in this growing country and many children can not afford English education.

Projects for Children with Disabilities: work at projects for disabled children and teach English to the children, interact with them and help in their rehabilitation.

These are some of the more popular volunteering opportunities available in China. This is the time to experience a truly meaningful and worthwhile vacation in China and see this economic miracle in a meaningful way.

Eco Travel in Thailand

Eco tourism has become popular all over the world with Thailand being one of the more popular choices. Eco travel in Thailand has been growing stronger and stronger over the past few years with many eco tours and eco lodges accommodation being offered all over Thailand from the sunny beaches in the south to the mountains in the north.

Eco Travel in Thailand is about respecting the environment, the local people and the local communities whilst enjoying your holiday. It means a way of travel with the aim to minimize the impact that tourism has on an area through cooperation and management and to encourage travelers to have a positive impact on their new surroundings.

The Kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.

The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. It is also the country’s center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Bangkok is a very big and busy city but has several worthwhile sights to be seen.

Thailand is the world’s 51st-largest country in terms of total area, roughly equal in size to Spain. About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes.

Thailand is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by more than 95% of all Thais. You will see lots of temples all over Thailand which makes this country so amazing.

Thailand has been a very popular tourist destination for many years and it is a good example of how the country is creating alternatives to the mass tourism for which it has become so well known. Eco tours, trips and accommodations are becoming very popular in different areas of Thailand.

Thailand is very popular with tourists looking for adventure because of the abundance of natural resources that Thailand has to offer its visitors. Activities such as mountain biking, whitewater rafting, trekking, scuba diving, bird watching and rock climbing have become very popular in tourist areas. All these activities are available all over Thailand.

The south of Thailand is where the beaches are. This area has many eco adventure activities available such as scuba diving, rock climbing and trekking.

Northern Thailand offers an infinite variety of hill tribe tours and natural beauty. The people in the North of Thailand are said to be the most friendly in Thailand!

If you are concerned with the conservation of natural landscapes, you should consider the impact your activities will have on them. Ecotourism is about conserving the environment and improving the well-being of local people. Eco tourism is generally understood to be responsible and sustainable travel to natural areas.

An ecotourism traveler should mean minimize the negative environmental impacts and, where possible, makes positive contributions to the conservation of biodiversity, wilderness, natural and human heritage. It also means to respect the local culture and traditions.

Wherever you go in Thailand, go the eco way!

What is Green travel ?

Have you heard about Green Travel ? No it does not mean a trekking holiday in some green areas in the world. Green Travel can mean anything from environmentally eco tours, to responsible eco-tourism options, sustainable travel or stays in ecolodges that are environmentally conscious.

Green travel means to travel in a responsible way towards nature and the environment. To leave your destination as you found it so others can enjoy it just as much as you did. Green travel is a revolution that is just starting and that will become more and more part and parcel of the travel industry.

Green Travel very important because travel is such a huge industry that it leaves a huge impact on a tourism area so that without having the green emphasis the footprint left behind by the many travelers will leave a negative impact on the environment that can develop in a disaster.

Tourism is a tremendously growth-oriented industry, and is among the world’s largest, with spending figures estimated at over five hundred billion per year in recent years. Because of the overwhelming size of the industry globally, millions of people are employed within its ranks, and are therefore of great concern when it comes to responsible, eco-conscious decisions.

Any trip starts with a traveler’s choice of where and how to travel. And this is where the impact and importance of personal decisions of travelers is so important. The travel industry listens to its customers and when travelers are asking and demanding green travel options then eventually the travel industry will comply and adapt it travel packages to green travel solutions.

The impact of global travel, when geared toward the positive impact through green travel, can be terrific, such as when tourism’s dollars go to the enhancement of local populations, or when travelers return home with a fresh take on other cultures, communities and environments, for instance. And whilst conserving the environment at the destination they visit travelers can make a huge impact on the world.

Whenever you travel, do what you can to extend the extra effort to ask questions about the businesses that service your trip: from hotels to tours to restaurants and more. Find out what you can about the impact of their businesses on the environment, in terms of both the physical and cultural aspects. No set of universal standards or guidelines currently exists to ensure that those in the travel and tourism industry world-wide operate according to environmentally conscious principles.

With a greater emphasis placed on the environment in general, travel and tourism has also felt the weight of the green revolution. The travel and tourism industry has sprung up in places where the natural environment remains in tact and available for one to experience first-hand. At its best, ecotourism is essentially nature travel of and cultivation of appreciation for the unadulterated vistas and landscapes of the planet.

Green travel is available in most popular destinations around the world for different kinds of budgets and different types of travel.

Now what can you do now that will make a difference ? Well adapt the green travel principles and look for an eco or green tour that protects the local environment by limiting the footprint left behind by the trips they organize there. There are more and more options available so do your research and travel the green way!

For more info go here Eco Travel , Eco Tours or Eco Vacations.

How about Volunteer Travel ?

Volunteer travel and volunteer vacations is a new and popular form of meaningful travel which you can do worldwide. Volunteer travel combines travel abroad and volunteering. It is a great combination. Besides doing some sightseeing, you will have the unique opportunity to get to know the local people, the culture and give back at the same time. More and more travelers are taking up the challenge to discover the places they visit in depth and to give back to people in need.

The types of volunteer vacations are diverse, from low-skill work cleaning up local wildlife areas to providing high-skill medical aid in a foreign country. There are so many kinds of volunteer activities available such as teaching English to local children, working at an orphanage, helping with conservation work or contributing to community development.

Volunteer vacations participants range from the gap-year travelers, career break professionals and those wanting to experience a meaningful holiday. The volunteer travel industry provide volunteer vacations to people from all walks of life and with any level of experience from those who have no previous volunteer experience to those with lots of relevant experience.

Where to go for your volunteer travel ?

Well the world is your oyster as they say. Volunteer travel is available around the world, from Europe to Asia, The America’s and Africa as the main destinations. Some destinations are cheaper then others off course which will influence your decision on where to go. Some destinations also have a better safety record then others which should be a major influence in deciding where to go.

What will I do during my volunteer holiday ?

There are several things you can do on a volunteer vacation. The obvious one is to teach English. There is lots and lots of language education needed in developing countries and volunteers from abroad fill this gap perfectly so that children who would otherwise have no change to receive lessons from a foreigner now can enjoy this important language education.

You can do building work in some locations, working side by side with the local people to build schools or other necessary structures to improve the lives of the local population. There is also a lot of conservation work available on your volunteer holiday. You can do conservation work for the environment or with animals.

Now how do you go about going on a volunteer vacation. If you have plenty of time you could organize it yourself. Remember that this can take lots of research time and some weeks researching on the ground plus the extra expenses such as hiring a translator.

Most people will join a volunteer organization who will organize their volunteer program abroad. The huge benefit of this is that all will be arranged for you so you just have to enjoy the experience. The downsize is that there is a price tag attached to it.

When selecting the volunteer organization check carefully what is included in the price, what projects are available and the customer recommendations the organization has received. The best combination of this at a reasonable price will be your best bet.

The feedback from people who have done a volunteer vacation mostly say that they had an experience of a lifetime, an experience that changed their life. So what are you waiting for, go out there and have a trip of a lifetime.

For more info go here volunteer vacations abroad , volunteer travel or volunteer holidays.

What is Ecotourism ?

Ecotourism, responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have become the buzz words in the tourism industry, and with the effects of global warming and climate change influencing travelers worldwide towards a more a more sustainable way of traveling Ecotourism has become one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry.

Everywhere you go you will hear the word eco. It has become very popular because people are starting to realize that a new way of living and traveling is necessary in today’s world. Not just in out day to day lives but also when we travel the eco way is the way to go and many travelers are starting to realize this and are going for ecotourism, looking out for eco tours. Eco travel is a new and exciting way of responsible travel that will enrich your travel experience and add your contribution to make the world a better place.

The general concept of ecotourism is to minimize the impact that tourism has on an area through cooperation and management and to encourage travelers to have a positive impact on their new surroundings. A commonly used definition of ecotourism says that Ecotourism is a way of travel that conserves the environment and improves the well being of local people.

The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as, Responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people.

The general idea is about respecting the environment, the local people and the local communities whilst enjoying your holiday.

Here are some great tips for Ecotourism.

Leave the place as you : Leave the place where you are traveling as you found it or even better, make it a little better then you found it. Clean up after yourself and even try to clean up what other people left behind.

Eco Friendly Hotels : Eco friendly hotels tend to be smaller operations than their counterparts and are employing local staff and are getting their food from local suppliers. Try and find out if the hotel your staying at has water & energy saving policies and what they do with their waste and recyclable items. This way you are actively supporting the local environment and economy.

Local Tour Guides : The key word here is local. Working with smaller, locally based tour operators is best way to insure a more personal understanding of the place you’re visiting and a smaller impact on the environment. In many cases the best tour guides are local villagers, and it’s these individuals who tend to know the area best anyways.

Carbon Offsetting : Some ecotourism locales and travel packages will have programs in place for carbon offsetting on a local level. Some hotels and resorts will donate some of their income into these programs, while others may take a more hands on approach by simply planting more trees for every visitor that comes through their doors.

Conserve Energy and water : As and eco traveler try to conserve water and energy as much as possible. Just because these resources might be a lot cheaper then back home, these are still vital resources for the local communities.

All in all, ecotourism is a new way of traveling whereby the traveler minimizes the impact on the local environment and local people and on top of that tries to make a positive impact as well. Have a safe journey!

For more info go here Ecotourism , Eco Tours or Eco Travel.