Responsible travel is a new way of travelling moving away from the mass tourism. Responsible travel means respecting and benefiting the local people and environment at your destination. It is about minimising your impact on the local culture and environment and maximising your connection with the local people and environment. It is about making a positive contribution during your trip and having the most rewarding and inspiring travel experiences of your life.
Responsible tourism can be defined as travel that takes into consideration the the following issues.
Environment: Responsible travel is travel that minimises the negative environmental impact and makes a positive contribution to the conservation of the natural and human heritage.
Cultural: Responsible travel is travel that respects the local culture and traditions and promotes a greater understanding between travellers and the locals.
Economic: Responsible travel is travel that has financial benefits for the local community and operates on the principles of fair trade.
This kind of travel is very popular in Asia. There are a lot of opportunities to join an eco tour and engage yourself in eco tourism in Asia. China, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam are just some of the wonderful destinations on offer in Asia.
Travelling around Asia has become very easy and cheap with many low cost airlines connecting you between many destinations around Asia. Also Asia is a very cheap travel destination so you will get a lot more for your money.
Responsible tourism starts before you even set off on your travels. Research your destination before you leave. Find out about the culture or religions and make sure you respect the local sensibilities. You will find that the local people will very much respect the fact that you make the effort to understand and respect their traditions.
Asia is overflowing with customs and little etiquettes. It is very important to try and adhere to these. Not only will local people feel respected, they will respect you in return, allowing you a fuller experience. After all you are a visitor in their country.
When you are travelling try to travel independently instead of in large group tours. This will result in low impact, helping to sustain the local culture and environment. It will also enable you to have a much more meaningful travel experience as you will get much more opportunities to meet the locals and see more of the country off the beaten track.
Always ask before taking a photo of anyone in Asia. Pointing at your camera with raised eyebrows will usually suffice. Respect their wishes if they decline your very kind offer.
Try and learn a little of the local language. Even just some basic greetings and thank you. You will find that people respond very well to this. This will give you the chance to talk to the locals even if it just to say hello or thank you.
Visitors to religious and historic sites should pay particular attention to the following: be sure to dress appropriately and follow local guidelines, be mindful of your manners and local etiquette and never remove anything from religious or historical sites.
Responsible travel in Asia is an amazing experience that will last for many years to come.
The Ukraine
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe, after Russia. The country is rather flat and includes the autonomous region of Crimea in the south.
Most of the Crimean Tatars were forcibly moved to Central Asia in 1944 to suppress their nationalist intentions.
Ukrainian
The official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian; one of the three East Slavic languages, closely related to Russian and Belorussian.
Early Ukrainian History
Tatar Mongols invaded the area in the 13th century but the western Ukrainian principality of Galicia, founded in the 12th century, suffered less from the Mongol invasion.
Annexed by Poland in the 14th century, although the Ukrainian Cossacks allied themselves with Russia.
The partitions of Poland saw much of the land handed over to Russia in 1667, while Galicia became a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1772 to 1919.
The Cave monastery, Perchersky, was founded in the early 11th century and is one of the most sacred buildings of the Russian Orthodox church.
The ruins of the Golden Gate also date from the same period and was once the main entrance to the city.
Kiev was the centre of the Rus principality in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, and it is still known as the Mother of Russian Cities.
From London travel to Ukraine by train…
Kiev, Ukraine. Easy to get there by train!
It’s easy to from London to Ukraine. It’s also safe, comfortable, affordable and (unlike yet another an adventure. Eurostar and German Railways link London with Berlin, then there are daily sleeper trains from Berlin and Warsaw to Kiev. There’s even direct sleeping-cars several times each week from Berlin to Odessa and Simferopol in the Crimea. This page will tell you train times, approximate fares, and how to book.
If you plan on holidaying in an Asian city, you might want to consider Singapore.
There may be many good reasons to make Singapore your first ever destination in Asia. First of all, the city is clean, orderly and safe for visitors to move around on their own. Then, if you are traveling to multiple Asian destinations, there is a bewildering range of full-service and budget airlines from Singapore Airport. Also, English is widely spoken here.
But above all, Singapore offers the cultures of three ethnic groups: the Chinese, the Malays and the Indians. What can be more rewarding than seeing three Asian communities in one destination?
Indeed, the descendants of Asian immigrants have made Singapore a melting pot of cultures, where age-old traditions still hold sway.
Discover these unique traditions in Singapore by visiting the so-called ‘ethnic enclaves’: Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India. Each of these lovely spots may be enjoyed on a leisurely walking tour.
Chinatown:
When Singapore’s founder Stamford Raffles set aside land for Chinatown, he dictated that the buildings should be made of permanent material. Thanks to Raffles and some conservation effort, Chinatown today remains a place to admire early-Singapore shophouse architecture.
Many of the original trades here, however, have been replaced by more upmarket activities like Chinese restaurants and tea houses. And as well. Opium dens, brothels and death houses (where the dying were condemned to) used to take up many of the shophouses here. Today, you’ll only see pictures and mock-ups of these trades in the Chinatown Heritage Center.
Nevertheless, Chinatown retains a strong sense of ‘Chinese-ness’.
Chinatown’s restaurants used to serve only local and southern Chinese food. Today, however, you’ll find many restaurants offering cuisines from other parts of China. These are run by first-generation immigrants who have come from various provinces in China. Singapore’s oldest Chinese temple – the very elaborate Thian Hock Keng Temple – is also found here. Worth a visit also are the quaint shops specializing in Chinese calligraphy, antiques and traditional costumes.
Kampong Glam:
Kampong Glam is so called because the gelam tree – a relative of the eucalyptus – used to proliferate this area.
Today, Singapore’s Malays continue to converge at Kampong Glam because the Sultan’s Mosque – Singapore’s largest mosque – is located here.
The Sultan’s Mosque has a fascinating history. It was rebuilt in 1928 after a major fund-raising project. Many of the poorer folks who donated to the building apparently raised funds from collecting and selling used bottles. If you visit the mosque, you’ll see its main dome sitting on a black rimmed structure made up entirely of glass bottles. It’s not difficult to explain why they are there.
Also worth doing here are the workshops at the Malay Heritage Center. You may spend a day molding your own pottery or creating your own batik art. Else, go to nearby Arab Street and get yourself a nice rattan laundry basket, an Afghan carpet or an exquisite piece of silk for that head-turning dress.
Little India:
The main road in Little India is Serangoon Road. Till today, it remains the focus of Singapore’s Indian community.
A nice walk starts near the Tekka Center. Here, prepare your nostrils for the overwhelming aroma of myriad spices and jasmine garlands, which the shops sell in abundance. You’ll also find a baffling assortment de-husked coconuts, limes, clay receptacles and the like, all of which are used for worship at the temples nearby.
Linger a while and admire the women in their blazingly colourful sarees as they haggle with the stall holders over the prices of groceries. This is as authentic as Singapore gets.
If you’ve never walked into a Hindu temple, the Sri Veerama Kaliamman Temple on Belilios Road is a must-see. Here, you’ll first be awed by the realistic sculptures of Hindu deities. Inside, Hindu music creates a conducive atmosphere for devotees to worship. Visitors may join the proceedings, or simply marvel at the incredibly life-like statue of Hindu goddess Kali.
Bollywood music, curries and multi-colored sarees will also not escape your attention in Little India. If you love to shop and eat, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
The Melting of Cultures:
These ethnic areas are of course not mutually exclusive and there is a lot inter-mingling among Singapore’s ethnic groups. For example, you will find a Malay-frequented mosque standing gloriously in Little India and a major Indian temple smack in the heart of Chinatown. All these make for an enchanting visit.