Wanderlust Tips Team, Author at WANDERLUST TIPS • Page 128 of 195

Top 5 famous fashion bloggers distinctive style

[Wanderlust Tips April 2018] Travelling is a time for you to comfortably do what you like, and also an opportunity to show your own fashion style. Join Wanderlust Tips to find out more about the top 5 most famous fashion bloggers in the world and discover ways to help make you look beautiful and stylish in every moment.

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1. COURTNEY SCOTT AND DISTINCTIVE BEACH OUTFITS

Living for many years in a small New York apartment, Courtney always dreamed about a life of freedom and journeys around the world. With this desire, Courtney decided to quit her stable job and move to live in Italy and became a full time blogger. Starting with a travel & fashion blog, Courtney creates video diaries of her adventures and takes photos at many famous destinations around the world. Her impromptu and personal style of storytelling has attracted many famous media channels such as Porsche, Expedia, Refinery 29, Free People, Disney, Avianca and Marriott.

She is also one of the first two people to lead the trend of travelling with close friends, and the co-owner of the social channel “Girls meet Globe” about exploring a new land. Courtney Scott’s style is very stylish and sexy; she always prefers hot bikinis at the beach, or jeans and one shoulder dresses.

2. KIARA SCHWARTZ AND UNIQUE FASHION STYLE

Kiara Schwartz is a famous fashion blogger born in Vancouver, Canada. With a mass of followers on Instagram and her experience in the fashion industry, Kiara Schwartz is currently working with major international brands such as Tiffany and Co., Lacoste, Nordstrom, GUESS, H & M and Diesel. Not only does she have a unique fashion style and the ability to mix and match, Kiara Schwartz also has a lot of experience in travelling. Her posts, videos and photos shared on social networking sites never fail to take viewers on a “never-ending road trip” to discover beautiful cities such as Bali, Mexico, New York, Los Angeles, and Cape Town. Exploring Kiara Schwartz’s TobruckAve blog, you will open your door to a world of passion, the inspiration for fashion, travelling and lifestyle of the youth today.

Visiting Kiara Schwartz’s Instagram, what impresses people the most about Kiara Schwartz’s fashion style is the vibe of a freedomloving spirit which is still full of delicacy and gentleness, like the combination of the breeziest slip dress with a choker and cozy parka, giving a feminine yet distinctive look.

3. LORNA ANDREWS – THE FASHIONISTA PURSUING STREET STYLE

Born and raised in Trafford, Manchester, after spending eight years working for Virgin Atlantic and travelling around the world, she decided to quit her job and pursue a career as a fashion blogger. Lorna Andrews is one of the most influential people in fashion in the UK.

Not only does she have a huge fan base with more than 296,000 followers on Instagram, Lorna Andrews has also successfully built the blog Lorna Luxe since 2014, which shares the latest street fashion trends with gorgeous photos taken in well-known destinations all over the world like New York, London, Marbella, Edinburgh, Maldives, and Zurich. Her style is a mix of well-cut classics in which youthful denim trousers are skillfully combined with flamboyant accessories. With Lorna, gold accessories and jewelry are always a great choice for every girl in the spring and summer.

4. RUMI NEELY – A DEVOTEE OF VINTAGE FASHION

Being of Japanese, Dutch, and Scottish descent, the talented young girl Rumi Neely is a famous fashion blogger, fashion designer, model and photographer living and working in San Francisco, the USA. As a vintage fashion lover, Rumi’s outfits always feature classic and feminine style. Referring to Rumi, people will remember a girl with a feminine, romantic but still very impressive clothes and stylish dip-dye hairstyle.

Rumi Neely created the “Fashion Toast” blog and an online vintage store called “Treasure Chest Vintage” on eBay in 2008. By 2009, it received over 35,000 views per day, and currently, the blog receives 5.5 million views per month.

Not only has she been named one of the world’s top fashion bloggers with 700,000 followers on Instagram and over 35,000 blog views per day, Rumi was also invited to become a representative of Next Model Management based in Los Angeles, and a fashion designer for RVCA fashion brand. She was honored on Bloglovin’s Awards with two prizes, which were Best Personal Style Blog Award and Blogger of the Year in 2011.

5. ALANNA DURKOVICH – THE PLAYFUL STYLE OF A BLUE-HAIRED GIRL

Alanna Durkovich, 27 years old, is a famous blogger from Vancouver, Canada. With an open-minded style, her blue immediately impresses people with hair and purple highlights. Formerly known as a fashion blogger pursuing vintage style, Alanna Durkovich is always outstanding with a daring and unique mix. Usually choosing neutral colors such as black, white and pastel, Alanna always pays attention to details and select dresses that match her hair color.

Founded in 2013, Xander Vintage blog is a look into the sexy, dynamic yet extremely feminine world of the bold blue-haired girl, and the source of inspiration for fashion and travelling to the youth. Xander Vintage shares not only latest fashion trends but also the journey journal of Alanna Durkovich with her handsome husband and two little angels while exploring the world together, such as their wedding in Dubrovnik, family vacations in Puerto Vallarta, Los Angeles, etc.

Phuong Chi | Wanderlust Tips

Thanakha lingers on the cheek

[Wanderlust Tips April 2018] While burmese men have dozens of ways to tie longyi to express their personality, there are many messages hidden in every painting line when burmese women make up with Thanakha.

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What do you want to bring back from your trip to Myanmar – the surprisingly pure and beautiful land? You may want to take some photographs of the magical moment when the thin mist lingers around thousands of temples at dawn or sunset in Bagan, the Longyi which becomes so familiar to you though being the traditional clothing of another country, the greeting “Mingalabar” still echoing in your ears, a gemstone bracelet, or thoughts of life after a train ride around Yangon. Perhaps, there will be different answers as everyone feels nostalgia for Burma and love for different things in the land which is not far away but so strange. As for me, I brought back the nostalgic memory of Thanakha which still remained on my cheeks.

There is nowhere else in the world where the Longyi – a traditional clothing of a country – becomes so familiar and friendly to tourists like in Myanmar. And perhaps, there is no cosmetic that is as ordinary yet carry so many stories like the yellow powder, ground from the tree of the same name, Thanakha.

In dusty Bagan, there is also a unique Thanakha Museum, the only one in the world. Thanakha is a kind of powder applied on the face that the indigenous people of South America always use for make-up, and with just a little rain or cleanser, there will be no trace left.

For me, after leaving Burma, the Thanakha on my cheeks is what remains in my mind. It is round and rich yellow, which reminds me of friendly smiles from the girl working as an immigration controller at the airport.

Burmese people are as ordinary as life in this country, being gentle, slightly blue yet full of emotions. That may be the reason why their greeting is so simple – “Mingalabar”. Mingalabar can be used for any time of the day, regardless of morning and afternoon as in English. Mingalabar expresses the magical friendliness and openness; it is the smile of both the speaker and the listener. In the same way, Thanakha is filled with the pride of those who grind the powder to apply on your face, and a bit of curiosity of those who apply it on their cheeks.In the small museum amidst Bagan, there are hundreds of stories revolving around Thanakha from its history, habitat, plantation, varieties, to a series of souvenirs made from branches and stalks.

However, when the locals grill the powder and apply it on your cheek with their big smile, it will become your most memorable moment on the journey. This cosmetic has been used for more than 2,000 years and is believed to have a protective and nourishing effect on the skin, prevent wrinkles, and make the skin fresh. At first glance, Thanakha reminds Indigenous people from South America, but once you get used to it, you will find it so beautiful on the young honey-coloured skin without a bit of acne, under the dark eyes and curved eyelashes, on the passionate cheeks of the Myanmar woman. Thanakha is processed in a very simple way and has not changed for centuries.

This national cosmetic is also extremely cheap and can be bought anywhere in Myanmar for only 1,000- 2,000kyats (about VND16,000- VND30,000) for a branch of about 15-20centimetres. You will rarely find a woman who does not apply Thanakha on the streets of Myanmar.

Myanmar’s women will grind the branches on a small rock with a little water to make the viscous yellow liquid, then apply this liquid on their faces without adding any other additives. People use fingers to paint the Thanakha on their faces, two cheeks, nostrils, foreheads, chins, and even arms. More stylish people will draw Thanakha in round shapes, leaf shapes and patterns to look more beautiful and outstanding.

Nowadays, there is also the ready-made Thanakha powder, which means you do not have to grind it from the tree trunk anymore, but the majority of Myanmar people still grind it every day.

Not only is Thanakha used every day, it is also present in religious ceremonies or was used to show social status in the past. The imperial maid often had to prepare Thanakha in bright and light brown colour with gold dust for royal ladies. The princess used Thanakha mixed with gold dust, while citizens used Thanakha mixed with a very fragrant and attractive pollen.

At the Mahamuni Buddha Temple, the most sacred temple in Mandalay, every morning, people hold a ritual for washing Buddhas face with towels coated in Thanakha or in Rakhine, on Songkrans Eve, young girls begin to crush the bark of Thanakha to make a smooth cream, while the boys dance and play instruments.

On a ferry from Yangon to Dala, I kept looking at a 6-7 year old girl drawing funny shapes on her face with Thanakha powder. In that moment late afternoon, when the whole river was covered by the golden colour of sunset, the flock of birds still gathered around the ferry waiting for food from the passengers, some crows were shouting, the stream of people who were on their way home. The little girl sat in the corner of the ferry, drawing hearts, balls, and rhombus shapes on her face. Those amazing moments at the Shwedagon Pagoda when seeing a young Myanmar lady sitting and praying in the light of thousands of candles with her face full of Thanakha painted artfully made me feel that life was so pure and pellucid.

While Burmese men have dozens of ways to tie Longyi to show their personality, there are many messages hidden in every painting line when Burmese women make up their face with Thanakha. In the poorest village on the other side of the river, in contrast to this busy Yangon, both little boys and girls laughing and playing in the fields as well as the man driving us through the dirt roads of Bagan to watch the temples all have Thanakha painted on their healthy dark brown skin. In the dawn of Bagan, a Burmese girl gently pours water into a bottle by the roadside for the travellers to relieve their thirst, her gentle shining smile seems to dispel the thin mist and welcome a new day. Students go to school, public servants go to work, a woman goes to the market. All of them are so attached to the magic Thanakha on the face.

Burmese people are so gentle, they impress you by the simplest things like the smiles at the airport, the Longyi appearing everywhere on the streets, taxis without metres overcharging, the kids in the poor riverside village or the cheerful police officers, the colorful Yangon capital, the fancy Bagan, the crowded Mandalay and the picturesque Inle Lake. From the scent of sweetsmelling Thanakha to the soft smooth fingers that apply the national cosmetic on your cheek, Burmese people make you forget the past, forget the future and just live for the present. A present where people give each other good things and loving moments. And the future for them is probably the children who grow up in the embrace of Longyi and the scent of Thanakha which has been there for thousands of years in a prosperous Myanmar.

Tran Giap | Wanderlust Tips

Journeys to define chic fashion styles

[Wanderlust Tips April 2018] You have two great passions: travelling and fashion, do not miss trips to the fashion capitals of the world to have the opportunity to participate in events such as New York Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week. This is a chance for you to not only explore a new land, but also show your fashion style.

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2018 TREND

Starting in 2018, the trend of travel combined with watching international fashion shows becomes increasingly popular. Fashion capital cities attract fashion devotees from around the world to come and be immersed in the space of passion and fashion, the places for them to express their personality through fashionable outfits and explore the unique culture and landscape of the destination, and enjoy shopping time.

Every year, the world’s major fashion weeks take place respectively: New York Fashion Week (USA), London Fashion Week (England), Milan Fashion Week (Italy) and Paris Fashion Week (France). Each fashion week takes place twice a year in two main seasons, from January to April, the designers launch Autumn-Winter collections, and from September to November, they lauch the Spring – Summer collections. The fashion week for each season of the year will be held many months preceding that season to help the media and consumers predict the fashion designs of that season.

DESTINATIONS FOR FASHION

New York, London, Milan, Paris are home to four greatest events of the fashion industry, so these are the four most interesting destinations for travel.

1. New York, USA

Many designers choose New York City as a place to work and develop their career. The fashion industry chooses this city to hold many famous fashion events, and the most significant one is the New York Fashion Week.

New York Fashion Week was established in 1943 in New York. This fashion week is held annually in February and September and lasts for 7-9 days. This is the time when international collections will be presented to customers, the press and the public.

However, major names in the fashion industry such as Chanel, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci do not appear in the New York Fashion Week. They only showcase their latest haute couture collection at the Fashion Weeks in Milan, London and Paris. Meanwhile, New York Fashion Week is home to more affordable ready-to-wear brands. In 2018, New York Fashion Week launched its Autumn-Winter collections from 8th-16th February and will release the Spring-Summer collections from 6th-14th September. This would be a great time for fashion enthusiasts to make a trip to New York.

New York is a convergence center of cultures, arts, architecture, history and entertainment. The “Big Apple” is best known for its iconic Freedom Statue or the soaring Empire State Building as a testament to the enormous historic and appealing beauty to its visitors. You can also visit the zoo or lie on the green lawns of Central Park.The weather and climate in New York are divided into four seasons like in Vietnam: Spring (March – June), Summer (June – September), Autumn (September – December), and Winter (December – March next year). Each season features its own beauty that no other season has. Therefore, New York is a great destination for you to visit at any time of the year.

The United States is a great nation, so the transportation is strongly developed. There are a lot of means of public transportation for you to choose from during your trip. This helps you to easily get to famous tourist attractions in New York. Some kinds of popular modes of transportation in New York are subways, buses, taxis, and bicycles.The must-try delicious traditional foods in New York are sausage sandwiches, donuts, and New York cheeseburgers. Besides the tasty cuisine, egg cream is a favorite and popular amongst many New Yorkers. It helps cool you down in the heat of the day, and the fatty taste of milk, syrups, eggs, and cream will make you remember the flavor of this city.

2. London, England

London is one of the most attractive tourist cities in the world. If you have a chance to travel to this beautiful city of England, you will almost reach the whole Europe because it seems that this city owns all of the characteristics of Europe, which are ancient, modest, dreamy, romantic, simple yet vibrant and bustling.

Not only does it attract visitors by Leicester Square, Westminster Palace, London Tower Bridge and many other attractions, London has also enthralled visitors by being one of the world’s most developed fashion industries.

The fashion style here is nostalgic, elegant yet trendy. And when refering to London fashion, we surely should not miss the London Fashion Week. The annual event was established in 1984 by the British Fashion Council. This is the fashion week of the sponsors, and it’s a great trade event that draws great attention from the press. In 2018, London Fashion Week performed its impressive autumn – winter collections in February and will launch its Spring-Summer Collection on 14 th- 18 th September.

After satisfying yourself with the impressive fashion shows of London Fashion Week, it is recommended to take time to explore every corner of London. The King’s Road is known as the centre of London fashion with countless shops selling state-of-the-art outfits, or Brick Lane serves excellent traditional food at affordable prices as well as fish and chips which are relatively cheap.

3. Milan, Italy

The next one is Milan, Milan is famous and considered as the trendiest city. In particular, this city is also known as “the shopping paradise” with countless shops, markets, shopping malls, exhibition fairs and the world’s most prestigious galleries. Therefore, it is undeniable that this place is the “cradle” of the fashion industry, creating a lot of prominent trends in the world. The fashion style here is different from New York and London’s with new and unique outfits featuring the breath of the modern world.

Travelling to Milan, you will see many fashionistas wearing rebellious yet fashionable clothes characterizing Italian culture. The annual greatest Fashion Week in Milan – Milan Fashion Week was established in 1958 by the National Chamber for Italian Fashion. This annual event features more than 40 fashion shows in each season, it is a major fashion event in Milan, making Milan a famous city with tourists from all over the world. In 2018, visitors can visit Milan to attend Milan Fashion Week 2018 on 19th- 25th September.

Coming to Milan, you definitely should not miss the opportunity to visit timeless icons such as the Duomo and one of the world’s largest shopping malls Vittorio Emanuele or Milan Cathedral built in Gothic architecture, with 35 towers. It took more than five centuries to build this church.

Like other cities in Italy, the transportation system in Milan is very modern with a lot of transport options for you such as cars, motorbikes, buses, trains, and bicycles. However, visitors coming here often choose buses and trains for travelling due to their cheap fares, convenient routes and safety. For an easier journey, you should get yourself a map of public transportation at train and bus stations to know the timetable.Do not miss the chance to enjoy Milanese dishes like Pizza, Gelato, Lasagna, Spaghetti and Risotto – the most delicious dish in Milan.

4. Paris, France

Paris – the city of love and nostalgia. Many poets, writers, and journalists have written about their love for this city, and it is hard not to love Paris. This land appears to be alluring in its culture, elegance, class and style. Hemingway said: “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.”Paris is large, and it takes a lifetime to discover the beauty of this city.

The most famous tourist attractions here are the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Champs Élysées, and Notre Dame Cathedral. Many fashion designers were born in this beautiful capital such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and even Christian Dior. And if you want to admire the latest designs of these brands, you should attend Paris Fashion Week. Paris Fashion Week was established in 1973 and takes place annually at various venues in the city.

In 2018, Paris Fashion Week has two main events: the Autumn-Winter collection from 27th February to 6th March and Spring-Summer collections from 25th September to 3rd October.To choose the best time to visit Paris and attend fashion events, visitors should also note that Paris has hot and cold seasons which are much differentiated. In the summer, it is sunny but not too hot but you will have to face crowded tourists flocking to the capital of France. In winter, it is cold and cloudy.

The best time to visit Paris is at the end of April or May when it is still cold but pleasant, or in the autumn when the weather is very nice. From April to November is the low season; you can save maximum travel costs when traveling to Paris during this time.French cuisine is quite sophisticated and delicate; some must-try dishes are Macarons, Crepe, and Clafoutis. They are not only delicious and attractive but their forms are very diverse and beautiful.

FASHION TOURISM IN VIETNAM

In addition to the four major fashion centers mentioned above, today, fashion weeks also take place in many other cities in the world such as Berlin (Germany), Madrid (Spain), Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Shanghai (China), and Tokyo (Japan). In Vietnam, in recent years, the Vietnam International Fashion Week (VIFW) often take place in Autumn – Winter and Spring – Summer.

Besides, throughout the years, there are many fashion events of famous Vietnamese designers to release their new collections. For example, in 2017, with the aim of marking the 10th anniversary of his career, designer Adrian Anh Tuan held an anniversary show with his collection “Her Legend” at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort (Da Nang.) In the luxurious space of the InterContinental resort, Adrian Anh Tuan’s exquisite and elegant dresses seem to show off their most impressive features, highlighting the seductive beauty of women.

Designer Do Manh Cuong also often chooses impressive locations to launch his new collections. In 2017, he chose to launch the “Life in Color” collection at JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort on the beautiful beach of Phu Quoc island. And in May, designer Do Manh Cuong will continue to choose an outdoor venue on a golf course at Laguna Lagoon Resort (Hue), to hold the 2018 Spring – Summer show, promising to bring surprises for fashion devotees. These fashion shows are all held at popular tourist destinations, offering tourists both amazing fashionable parties and a great time to enjoy the wonderful nature.

The domestic and international fashion weeks or events are a playground for fashion devotees to comfortably express their own style. For anyone who has the passion for both travel and fashion, the trend of travel combined with watching international fashion shows would be the first choice. This journey will bring you an unforgettable experience as you can not only discover a new land but also indulge yourself in the flow of the fashion industry.

Kim Oanh – Vân Ly | Wanderlust Tips

Responsible tourism: Significant numbers of tourism industry

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] The tourism industry is growing strongly and playing an important role in the economic and social development of Vietnam, and responsible tourism should be considered as a top priority.

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More than 4/10 say the industry performs better than average on greenhouse gas.
75% of the industry & 1/3 of UK holidaymakers say sustainability has improved over the last decade.
7/10 say sustainability is important to their organization.
More than 7 in 10 see sustainability as important when choosing a holiday.
3/4 holidaymakers do not offset carbon emissions when they fly.
31% of companies have a carbon emissions reduction policy…only a quarter implement it.

Wanderlust Tips

Share the love: Responsible tourism

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] The four travellers will share about the exciting community-based travel experiences and unforgettable voluntary journeys.

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NGUYEN DAC HOA, TOUR GUIDE – EXPERIENCE THE UNIQUE CULTURE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE

In many places I have travelled to, northern mountainous provinces such as Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang, Hoa Binh, Son La have their community-based tourism performed very well by ethnic minority people. One of my most memorable experiences is the trip to Doi Village (Tan Lap, Moc Chau) of Dao people. This is an interesting destination which is less known to Vietnamese but has attracted many foreign visitors.

Doi Village has clean and tidy houses in the midst of its charming natural scenery, and people here are very hospitable. There are also villages of the Tai Dam people, Tai Dón people and H’Mong nearby, so visitors can learn about the culture and the differences between these ethnic groups. If you are looking for adventures, you can explore Hang Ma (Ghost Cave), which is associated with the story of territorial disputes of ancient people, the birth of boat graves, along with the unique ancient burial custom in caves in this area.

Another interesting experience is naked bathing in Tu Le. It may sound weird, but some ethnic groups actually practice this custom and find it normal as it is passed down from their grandparents and their parents. Travelling to Tu Le and Yen Bai of Tai Dam people, visitors can enjoy bathing with ethnic people without any hesitation. At night, by the fire, people can eat together and enjoy the stem wine and local dances.

NGUYEN THI PHU, RETIREE – LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE MADE ME FALL IN LOVE AND WANT TO BACK

As a travel enthusiast, I often spend time exploring new places with my family and friends. Being middle aged, my friends and I all prefer natural and quiet places for relaxation or spirituality rather than crowded and noisy cities. Therefore, in recent years, I have often chosen destinations like Ha Giang, Mai Chau (Hoa Binh), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Lang Son, Quang Tri, and my most recent trip is to the Central Highlands to visit Dak Lak, Kon Tum and Gia Lai.

On those trips, besides admiring the majestic nature, visiting the temples, pagodas, and famous relics, I also had a chance to explore the lives of local people. In Sa Pa, I visited ethnic people’s houses to enjoy the specialties cooked by them. In Ha Giang, I sat on the motorbike of local people to visit places; although the road was quite sloping and scary, they still could handle it skillyfully.

In the Central Highlands, I followed the tourist guide to visit communal houses,attended a very impressive and special campfire night, experienced gong arts, and cultural exchanges with the Central Highlands. Local people also left me with good impressions, which has made me fall in love and desire to return to this land.I think that if local people are guided with the right tourism orientation, they will not only attract and get the tourists to return but also improve their living standard.

VU DUC CUONG, PROGRAMMER – AN UNFORGETTABLE MEMORY FROM A VOLUNTEER TRIP WITH FRIENDS

Referring to Ha Giang, people may immediately think about some famous tourist sites such as Dong Van Stone Plateau, Lung Cu Flag Tower, and Ma Phi Leng Pass. However, I came to a little-known place which is less than 10 kilometers from Ha Giang City (Ha Giang province).

It was Ha Thanh village – a village of Tay people. My volunteer group had more than 10 people from 3 regions: the North, Central, and South of Vietnam. We did not know each other, but the trip miraculously brought us together. And we all had a common goal, not to live on the Internet or to experience adventure, but to experience the lives of indigenous people and help them with our own effort.

During those days, our team had countless wonderful memories such as looking at majestic mountain ranges and natural scenery, admiring the impressive panoramic view of Ha Giang city, playing and singing together, having the opportunity to grow closer to the indigenous people, better understanding their cultural beauty, and doing volunteering for the village (unblocking the stream, organizing a Christmas program for the children in the village). Goodbye Ha Thanh, goodbye friendly people. See you again one day!

LE THI TRA LY, STUDENT – EMOTIONAL VOLUNTEER TRAVEL

At the end of January this year, I had the opportunity to participate in a volunteer trip organized by The Dreamers fund. The journey to Xe Dang village in EaKuêh commune, CưMgar district, Dak Lak province was filled with the sunshine and the wind of Central Highlands.

We passed through gardens of white coffee flowers, hundreds of strong pepper pillars amidst rolling hills and mountains, clear streams of water, the basalt soil becoming shinier in the sunshine. All of them marked a typical majestic and enchanting beauty of the Central Highlands. Xie Dang is a destitute village, so the children here lack many things. Our team spent time giving presents to students at local elementary schools and then visited some poor children’s homes. The talk was really harmonious; we were welcomed by everyone.

And we appreciated that despite the difficult circumstances, the students here did not stop going to school and still pursued their learning path. In the idyllic house, it was so touching when listening to people telling their stories, looking at the optimistic eyes on the face of the parents as well as the innocent and happy smiles of the children when they received gifts. Beautiful mountains of Dak Lak and hospitable people have brought precious memories that I will never forget.

Van Ly | Wanderlust Tips

4 prominent businesses for responsible tourism

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] 2017 is chosen as the year of sustainable tourism. A series of tourism projects around the world have turned toward the standards of environmental friendliness and social responsiblity. Wanderlust Tips introduces a number of prominent business models for responsible tourism in Vietnam and the world that bring economic benefits for the local communities and protect natural resources and the environment.

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SONEVA FUSHI, MALDIVES GOLD AWARD OF BEACH TOURISM AWARD – WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS 2015

When nearly seventy people from the tiny island communities around Soneva Fushi’s Kunfunadhoo island resort are taught to swim, it has a perfect ripple effect. Because teaching local people to swim is just a tiny part of Soneva Fushi’s, in the Maldives, vision. Helping people, living like a local, and understanding the value of their natural heritage is a fundamental part of Soneva’s raison d’etre.

Built in 1995 by Soneva founders Sonu Shivdasani, on the deserted island of Kunfunadhoo in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi was the first in a collection of environmentally friendly, luxury hotels, resorts and spas, all with the back to nature ethos. Connecting people with water while also preventing people’s abuse water is always an issue for them, but something they embrace all the time. The environmental impacts of the BAARU organization, for example, a collaborative platform between the Baa Atoll resorts which was founded by Soneva, are far reaching.

Such as lobbying to have the atoll protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2011 and also to ban shark fishing throughout the Maldives, with an ensuing law being passed in 2010. Waste is always a pertinent issue on an island too, and Soneva Fushi recycles over 80% of waste through their state-of-the-art Eco Centro Waste-to-Wealth programme. In addition, 100% of food waste is composted and used on their vegetable gardens.

Soneva Fushi also imposes a 2% environmental levy on each room, which goes directly to carbon reduction programmes managed by Soneva›s own SLOW LIFE Foundation. And with 80% of staff coming from local islands, and all being educated in the ‹slow› ethos, they are gaining a much deeper understanding of how they can sustain these island idylls.

ULLSWATER STEAMERS UNITED KINGDOM GOLD AWARD OF BEST SEA OR RIVER CRUISE AWARDS – WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS 2015

When you want to get your head around sustainability or ethical practices, it is sometimes best to talk to people who have been around for a long time. Because they often have a greater understanding of a need to protect the environment. And Ullswater Steamers is one of those oldies, a business that dates as far back as 1859, the current owners taking it over in the early 1950’s leading cruises in the Lake District›s Ullswater Valley.

Ullswater Steamers take 280,000 visitors per annum up and down the eponymous valley. As well as protecting one of the largest heritage passenger vessel fleets in the UK, including the oldest working passenger vessel in the world, Lady of the Lake, originally commissioned in 1877, it protects Ullswater and the surrounding national park environs.

Consequently, they were highly commended for Responsible Tourism Awards in 2008 and 2011. But they keep striving to do more, never shutting the door on sustainability, such as linking with some of the most popular hiking trails, thus providing a viable sustainable transport link in the park. They also play an important role in the national parks, such as investing in bridge and pier infrastructure. They monitor their reduction in carbon footprint and recyclable waste, and share their environmental impact in a transparent manner.

Ullswater Steamers also keeps carbon consumption to a minimum, with a minibus to transport staff and a sustainable refit of their Glenridding Pier House. But it is work within the community, sourcing produce locally, creating job oppertunities and also as an influential voice within the local environmental network, that Ullswater Steamers excels at.

SAM VEASNA (SVC), CAMPUCHIAGOLD AWARD OF WILDLIFE CONVERSATION AWARDS – WORLD RESPONSIBLE TOURISM AWARDS 2016

One of the most highly respected wildlife watching tour operators in Cambodia, bird lovers flock to SVC to be taken on ornithological odysseys of a lifetime. Many of these are birders who may be au fait with every exquisite detail of an endemic living in this area and yet not know anything about the colourful and extraordinary journey of this company.

Regarding the history of Sam Veasna Centre, it associates with a local naturalist, Sam. He was much celebrated for discovering and mapping the country’s most important sites in terms of conservation and particularly bird protection. He died of malaria aged just 33 during an expedition to the Northern Plains to seek out the wild ox, known as a kouvray, now thought to be extinct. Sam’s legacy lives on, however, through this centre, a non profit organisation founded in Siem Riep in his memory, which not only takes visitors into the wild, but also trains local people as expert naturalist guides.

Founded in 2006, it has spent over 10 years bringing guests into remote rural communities which have slowly but now ever so surely come on board to a sustainable wildlife watching approach to tourism. Starting off with one village at Tmatboey, the model has now been replicated at seven other sites. In these communities, wildlife sightings are consistently high and critically endangered bird populations are seeing higher numbers again.

This is thanks to the fact that participating communities are asked to sign a’no hunting and land use agreement’, monitored by Ministries of Environment and Forestry patrol teams. In return, village development funds receive money tied to the number of sightings. And these holidays also provide vital stream of income to local communities as well as an ever flowing stream of inspiring wildlife guides and naturalists, all following in Mr Veasna’s footsteps.

SENS ASIA TRAVEL VIETNAM DOING BUSINESS ON A FOUNDATION OF PEOPLE, CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION

Sens Asia Travel is a young enterprise set up in Hanoi and a member of HG Holdings. It is not only one of the leading Tour Operators in the region, but also highly appreciated for its social activities, products and business resting on a foundation of the protection of people, culture and environment in Asia.

Sens Asia Travel has worked with the HG Foundation to organize the “planting fruit trees” campaign in remote areas. This is an activity of the program “reduce carbon emissions caused by business activities” to promote sustainable tourism and create a macroeconomic environment in destinations where social and economic development is still limited, with the goal of achievingcarbon equilibrium by 2020 and carrying out community responsibility in 20subregions in Southeast Asia.

Sens Asia Travel introduced visitors to responsible tourism experiences with local communities based on creativity and knowledge about the destination. It has cooperated with Ngoc Son – Ngo Luong Nature Reserve (Hoa Binh) to organize tours in order to develop community-based ecotourism in association with nature conservation. This tour not only brings new experiences to tourists, but also aims to preserve local culture, support natural conservation, improve the lives of poor people and empower the local community.

Wanderlust Tips

3 responsible tourism wildlife tourism attractions visitors should never do

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] It is very important to balance between tourism development and nature conservation. We must raise awareness of visitors, promote sustainable tourism, as well as understand our own responsibilities and the importance of the environment for wild animals. Wanderlust Tips has highlighted 3 wildlife tourism attractions that visitors should think twice before doing.

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We must always remember that wild animals should always be in the wild and not made to do our bidding. It is our responsibility to protect wild animals and the environment even during our journeys.

RIDING ELEPHANTS

Riding elephants, as harmless as it may seem, may probably be the most harmful act you can do to an elephant. Elephants are not meant for riding, so in order to crush an elephant’s spirit, they are tortured until they forget their instinct. This process is referred to as “Phajaan”. Baby elephants are taken away from their mothers, confining them in small spaces with limited ability to move and then beaten into submission. They are also pierced with sharp hooks as well as starved and deprived of sleep for days on end.

The elephant’s plight does not end there. Once its spirit is crushed, it spends its days giving rides to tourist while being prodded with hooks by its handlers as a way to control it. Keeping in mind that elephants have an excellent memory, capable of remembering what happened to them for years, means that this agony is embedded in its memory for a lifetime. Elephant rides are very common in Southeast Asia and particularly in Thailand where captive Asian elephants are trained to carry tourists.

W. TIPS:
Instead of riding elephants, encounter them in the wild on a safari. There, you can witness these gentle giant’s true nature in their habitat. You can find Asian elephants in small elephant sanctuaries in Southeast Asia and African elephants in many parks in Africa. Keep in mind that wild elephants are not meant to be touched either, so keep a proper distance from them and take along a good camera, if you’d like a nice picture.

WATCH DOLPHIN SHOWS

Watching dolphins performing tricks and getting up close and personal with them may be a dream come true for many, but it isn’t for the dolphin. This beautiful large sea creature is not meant to be caged in a tank. Wild dolphins swim up to 100 miles a day, a great distance that cannot be recreated within a small tank. The constant shows and training that these intelligent creatures undergo as well as the stress of living in a small tank have shortened captive dolphin’s life span by half. Remember also that dolphins are social animals with complicated social structure. Reducing them to living in a tank prevents them from communicating and socializing with one another, missing out on important connections that they would have made in the wild.

W. TIPS:
Dolphins are extremely friendly, so chances of encountering them in the wild are high. Instead of paying to watch dolphins perform tricks, invest on a dolphin-watching tour where boats will take you out to the sea in search of dolphins and allow you the chance to watch them swimming with joyfulness in their habitat. If you’re lucky, they might even interact with you!

TAKING TIGER SELFIES

There is no doubt about the attractiveness of a tiger. The beautiful stripes on its back and mesmerizing eyes coupled with its somewhat mysterious presence have long made it a tourist attraction all over the world. So valuable is a tiger that many so-called tiger sanctuaries have popped up where tigers are bred for the purpose of commercial tourism and will never see the wild in their lifetime.

Tigers in tiger sanctuaries are usually sedated to allow tourists to come up close to take a picture with them. For an extra fee, you are even allowed to sit or lie on the tigers while they are chained so close to the ground that they have difficulty standing up. To ensure the safety of tourists, it has been revealed that some operators remove the tiger’s claws and teeth.

W. TIPS:
Instead of visiting questionable tiger sanctuaries, opt to go to reserves and National parks. The Kanha National Park in India is an example of a park that you can visit to potentially get a close encounter with tigers. As tigers are solitary and elusive animals, your trip to the park may not garner you an audience with a tiger, but you may still be able to witness great wildlife.

Wanderlust Tips

The future of the world tourism

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] Tourism is playing a crucial role in the economic and social development of countries around the world. when material needs are satisfied, people then want to fulfill their spiritual needs and one of the most favourite ways is to travel. From the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) data, wanderlust tips summerizes and makes a list of 5 biggest trends that we think will shape the future of tourism.

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1. THE EXPERIENCE – ORIENTED TOURISM

Tourism has changed from being a service industry offering you a flight, a room and some food to offering true experiences. Travel is now more about wellness, adventure, learning new skills and ‘being more of who you are’ than just ticking off places and things and flopping in the sun on the beach as before. This represents a big challenge for legacy tour operators and online travel agents offering flight and hotel packages and all inclusive resorts. Customers now want to experience more like mountain biking or off-shore whale watching.

Journeys help us to explore other country’s cultures, ways of life, food and natural beauty. It is believed that these things are only possible when local people buy into this idea, and benefit fairly from tourism. We believe Responsible travel is more experiential or authentic than other forms of tourism. This trend explains why Airbnb is keen to try to position itself as about ‘belonging’ and experiencing a place ‘like a local’. In the luxury sector we see wealthy people who are more likely to spend money on experiences than objects – jewellery, watches etc. This is a further demonstration of the experience economy and there is a sense that people value memories more than some physical possessions.

2. OVERTOURISM

For decades, most tourism destinations have tried to attract as many tourists as possible, without any thought that there could be limits beyond which local people’s lives and tourists experiences start to suffer. The lesson here is that tourism is no panacea; as many other industries, it always brings negative impacts as well as positive ones. With global tourist numbers set to accelerate at an even faster rate ‘overtourism’ will become a growing issue.
From now on efforts will be made to attract the ‘right type of tourist’ and where necessary numbers controlled through reducing bed night capacity, charging for entry, pre booking with fixed numbers, subsidising less flights, restricting cruise ship numbers and reducing promotion programmes for well known areas. More often than not the ‘right type’ of tourist will be the responsible tourist – creating the maximum benefit to local economies with the least possible social and environmental impact.

3. THE INDUSTRY’S OBSESSION WITH MARKETING ‘PARADISE’ WILL HAVE TO END

One of the great marketing ideas developed and exploited by the tourism industry was to encourage people to think about a ‘paradise’. The classic photo of the deserted white sandy beach, gently lapping waves and solitary palm tree is a representation of paradise. To sustain the myth that paradise exists on earth the industry decided not to reveal the truth about many of these destinations. Although they are stunningly beautiful, and you will have a wonderful time, local people and environments face some serious challenges around tourism development and nature conservation.
The industry felt it was better to hide these issues from tourists, as they might detract from a sale, rather than present environmental problems and social issues which local people are facing. By remaining in denial about this for so many decades the industry both failed to tell tourists the whole truth (which they soon discovered when they arrived anyway) and it limited the tourism industries commitment and ability to do much to help solve these problems. In the future, travel companies have to be more honest with their clients and publish destination guides with sections on local issues and trip by trip responsible tourism information.

4. AIR POLLUTION AND GLOBAL WARMING

Aviation has been hammered in the press for more than a decade for its contribution to global warming – but it will become even more of a pariah unless it starts to do more to address this. We live in a world where the majority of some developed countries’ energy needs come from renewable sources and where it’s thought that in 5-10 years time 80% of the production of the world’s cars will be electric. All of the cars sold in India in 2030 will be electric.And yet we still have no cleaner, greener alternative to aviation fuel – kerosene. Pope Francis – the current Pope of the Catholic Church – has denounced the CO2 compensation for air travel as hypocritical. He said: “The planes pollute the atmosphere, but with a fraction of the sum of the ticket price trees are planted to compensate for the damage inflicted.” If this logic were extended, one day it would come to a point where armaments companies set up hospitals for those children who fell victim to their bombs. Efforts and investments made in seeking renewable aviation fuels are small – certainly compared to what we’ve seen in renewable energy and electric cars. This is even more galling as aviation fuel is heavily subsided – it’s the only untaxed fuel in the world. Experts estimate that the subsidy is as big as EUR10billion. With these heavy subsidies in place the aviation industry must invest more in finding solutions to reduce global warming. If it doesn’t then taxes will inevitably follow.

5. GLOBALIZATION

Perhaps the travel industries greatest achievement over the past 70 years has been about how it brings together strangers – honest local people and travellers from far away – harmoniously.While the UN, Governments and other bodies work hard on policy the tourism industry does something they cannot do – it brings people from different cultures together face to face. However in some parts of the world there seems to be growing fear of people different to ourselves, including people with different religious beliefs. This, and restrictions of freedom of movement of some isolated and secretive countries represents some of the biggest challenges to the tourism industry in accomplishing its mission.

Wanderlust Tips

Saturday sparkling lunch at Hilton Hanoi Opera

The lavish buffet destination every Saturday in town will offer an all-new look and taste, starting from 28th April.

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The new menu features an exciting combination of traditional and modern cuisine, internationally-sourced dishes and local specialties, offering everything from charcuterie, homemade gravlax, French and Vietnamese cheese, Caesar salad, freshly shucked Canadian oysters, grilled Nha Trang lobsters, California temaki, freshly sliced salmon sashimi, lemon and thyme baked Norwegian salmon, slow roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and garlic, slow roasted Australian sirloin of beef, roasted bone marrow, baked ratatouille, pasta, French baguette, crepes to homemade rice spring rolls with minced pork and vegetables, steam sea bass, Vietnamese poached sticky rice balls, myriad pastries, chocolate fountain and the kids’ station.

“The idea is to satisfy each guest’s craving as they go through their gastronomic journey during the Sparkling Lunch. Hence creating stations that are familiar, with a mix of local and international flavors to tickle their senses. We also wanted to give homage to our local cheese artisans, fruit and vegetable growers that as a foreigner is privileged to have access to,” shared executive chef Roxanne Castillo.

While keeping the same wide range of offerings, there will be surprising twists in the menu every Saturday, dedicating a delightful refreshment to the frequent guests. These changes result from the kitchen’s two years of serving while taking the guests’ feedbacks to heart and three months of experimenting different setups and items.

The buffet is available at VND750,000 nett per person. The guests can also indulge in the free flow of sparkling wine, house wine, beer, and soft drinks at an extra of VND250,000 nett per person or go a bit extravagant with a free flow of champagne Marquis de Pomereuil at an extra of VND1,250,000 nett per person. The lunch is free of charge for children under 18 years old. Maximum of two kids accompanied per one paying adult.

HILTON HANOI OPERA

Address: 1 Le Thanh Tong street, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Tel: +84-24-39330500
Fax: +84-24-39330530

Wanderlust Tips | Cinet

Driving at night safety tips

[Wanderlust Tips March 2018] When the night comes down, you do not have to stay indoors and wait until dawn to visit attractions, as this is the perfect time for exciting and unique journeys. In order to have great memories forever, keep in mind the following tips for a safe and relaxing drive through the night.

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1. Keep headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows clean.
2. Check to be sure headlights are properly aimed, even in a new car.
3. Dim instrument panel and dash lights.
4. Turn headlights during early twilight.
5. Keep proper speed and distance with distance from the vehicles
6. Make sure your speed would allow you to come to a complete stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights.
7. Do not use high beams when following or approaching another vehicle.
8. Use the right edge of the road as a visual guide if blinded by oncoming lights.
9. Watch for the flash of headlights; they may indicate approaching hills or hairpin curves.
10. Adjust the rearview mirrior to eliminate bright reflection from following cars.
11. Periodically stop for light snacks, exercise or a nap
12. Wear glasses with anti-reflective lenses, even with perfect vision.
13. Keep your eyes moving rather than focusing on one area.
14. Never drink and drive.

Wanderlust Tips