Sustainable Travel + Holiday Tips

The World's Best Geotourism Operators

2010-02-17T02:24:00.000-08:00

You may have heard of the term geotourism but might not be sure exactly what it means and what its relationship to sustainable tourism is. Geotourism can be considered an arm of sustainable tourism that "sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents." National Geographic state that geotravellers are primarily interested in going local. "They patronise locally owned businesses and guides; they buy from local craftspeople and eat at restaurants serving regional cuisine; they seek out traditional music and dance; and, as a result, the money they spend helps local people earn a living and preserves the place's authenticity". In other words, geotourism has all the elements you would want from sustainable tourism but with a focus on "place," to emphasise the distinctiveness of different and unique places and communities around the world...as opposed to an individual eco-attraction or resort, for example.

National Geographic are strong supporters of geotourism and have helped form the Center for Sustainable Destinations to foster and promote geotourism. One of their high profile initiatives is to hold a yearly Geotourism summit and to award the most innovative and successful geotourism operators from around the world. This year there were three Geotourism Challenge winners — Nature Air (Costa Rica), PEPY (Cambodia), and Wikiloc Community Maps (Spain). National Geographic describes how these companies and the other seven finalists enhance geotourism:

• Nature Air, the 100 percent carbon-neutral airline in Costa Rica, offsets 100 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions to encourage reforestation of tropical forests in Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula.

• PEPY (“Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself”) is Cambodia’s Educational Volunteer Tourism Program, providing adventure bike tours and on-site volunteer projects, like building rainwater collection units.

• Wikiloc Community Maps, based in Girona, Spain, created by a software engineer with a passion for travel, is built on maps, photos and video submitted to offer honest impressions about numerous destinations.

• Ger to Ger Foundation, Mongolia, links visitors with genuine nomadic families.

• Evergreen Brick Works of Toronto, Canada, is an adaptive re-use of the heritage structures at the Don Valley Brick Works.

• Virgin Islands Youth Heritage Exchange Farm Excursions, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, focuses on food as the basis of youth identity and education.

• Context Travel, based in Philadelphia, offers walking seminars with Ph.D.s in major European cities, encouraging sustainable ways to visit urban destinations.

• RiverIndia.com’s Bamboo Eco-Lodge River Trips, Arunachal Pradesh, India, help protect India’s Siang River habitats through locally guided expeditions.

• Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia, a Five Green Key-designated nature retreat in Canada, has revitalized backwoods and Acadian French cultural tourism.

• Reality Tour Viagens e Turismo Ltda’s Route of Freedom, Rua Bom Jesus, Brazil, commemorates the African Diaspora in Brazil.

For more details about the innovative work of all 10 finalists, you can go to the Changemakers website.

Now that you've got a feel for what a successful geotourism operation is all about, why not then go to the fantastic Center for Sustainable Development impact map, which takes you around the world to show you where to find the Center's most highly rated sustainable destinations, many of which are considered valuable geotourism "places" as well.

How to Find Free Guilt-Free Travel

2010-02-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

About half way through writing Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I realised that many of the natural and cultural attractions I was listing around Australia are free to visit. That is the beauty of sustainable travel - much of your travel experience can be done on the cheap - whether it be visiting many of the free galleries and museums on offer, bushwalking, watching the world go by in the park, or simply window shopping or visiting a local market. Maybe I should have included an icon that provided people with an indication as to whether something was free to visit or not, because it appears that "free travel" is something that an increasing number of people are interested in doing as a way of gaining a more intimate feel of the community they are visiting (and saving some money as well, of course).

National Geographic have certainly picked up on this free-travel phenomenon by developing a series of free-city guides on their Traveler website. They have listed a variety of cities from around the US and the world that provide a plethora of free travel activities. For example, under art and music they list free concerts being held (many of these are held outdoors in summer); the days in which museums and art galleries are open for free; and any free films and talks being held in universities and libraries. Or under culture they list the many free guided tours often available for historical or culturally significant neighbourhoods, parks and buildings. And under outdoors they list all those parks and beaches that anyone can visit. Reading a site like this certainly opens up a range of travel activity opportunities that you might not have initially considered, especially if you were just relying on your standard travel guide book.

Although National Geographic's free-city guide site provides a great overview of free travel activities, I have found the popular Time Out guides provide the most detailed up-to-date listings of travel activities in the city you might be staying - many of which might be free if you look hard enough. Although their main focus has always been concert and theatre listings, they also have detailed info about anything of cultural importance, including museum and gallery information, sporting events, tourism attractions and the best places to eat and drink. I certainly recommend you pick up a Time Out guide whenever you first land in a city that sells them (check their list of cities here) - you can just about plan the whole week by sifting through all their activity and event listings. Released every week (usually Thursdays) the Guides are produced both in magazine format and online and are not only great for travellers but residents as well - there are so many free things to see and do in my local city Sydney that I just wasn't aware of until I read my local Time Out guide.

Making Tracks All Over Australia

2010-01-25T03:00:00.000-08:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I highlighted the role that Australia's rail network can play in transporting you more sustainably over longer distances, especially compared to flying. I suggested that if you build some train travel time into your itinerary, then trains not only get you to your destination with the lowest carbon impact of any of the transport modes (other than cycling and walking of course - I assume most people don't have THAT much time), it can be an enjoyable and worthwhile travel experience in its own right.

Some people that do have the time might like the idea of travelling comfortably the old fashioned way, seeing much of Australia's vast outback from the comfort of your window seat. If you are one of these people then you should check out the Great Southern Railway (GSR) Web site. The GSR connects

Australia

’s west coast (Perth) and east coast (Sydney) via the Indian Pacific service over the Nullarbor. Sydney, Adelaide and Darwin are also connected via the Ghan service and Adelaide and Melbourne are connected by The Overland. These services are now marketed and priced so as you can "travel in style". GSR have recently enhanced their reputation by announcing a new luxury rail experience called the Southern Spirit, which provides you with two touring experiences: the Grand Tour and the Coastal Epic. These tours are more than just a train trip - the Southern Spirit escorts you to several iconic attractions along the way (by bus) from Alice Springs to Brisbane via Melbourne and Sydney, including Uluru and Kata Tjuta, Kangaroo Island, Phillip Island, and the Blue Mountains.

You can also use the extensive intrastate rail and connecting rail-bus networks in Queensland, NSW, Victoria and Western Australia. Queensland might be the pick of the state rail systems as it includes the newish Tilt train between Brisbane and Cairns; the older but classic Sunlander, also between Brisbane and Cairns; the Spirit of the Outback between Brisbane and Longreach; the Westlander between Brisbane and Charleville; and the Inlander between Townsville and Mt Isa. And they've also got the beautiful old Kuranda Railway between Cairns and the hinterland town of Kuranda via Barron Gorge.

Western Australia also has some great rail journeys worth taking, including the Prospector between East Perth and Kalgoorlie; the Australind between Perth and Bunbury; and the Avon Link between East Perth and Northam.

All the state railways are supported by an extensive rail-bus network that enables you to connect from the railway to outlying rural communities (most communities were once serviced by railway lines that went just about everywhere but now are just distant memories or used purely for freight purposes). The following state rail agencies are where you'll find out where they travel and how long it will take you to get there:

* NSW CountryLink - www.countrylink.nsw.gov.au
* Victoria V/Line - www.vline.com.au
* Queensland Rail (QR) - www.traveltrain.com.au
* Western Australia Trans WA - www.transwa.wa.gov.au

All aboard!

My Top 5 Sustainable Holiday Destinations

2010-01-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

I've noticed in the last year that there have been several travel publications and websites ranking their favourite green holidays destinations. I've referred to some of these lists in my blog, including National Geographic's and Treehugger's. I thought I would also get in on the act and list my favourite sustainable holiday destinations at the moment - with a focus on those places that have provided me with the best opportunity to keep my environmental imprint low whilst exploring and supporting the local and cultural aspects of the place I am visiting. So without further or do here is my list:

1. New York, USA - I've visited New York more than any other place in the world - it is one of the world's great cities and could just be the greenest big city holiday destination you'll find because you cannot but help minimise your holiday footprint when there. If you are centrally located in Manhattan then walking is your best form of transport (the alternative is the extensive subway system) and there is a plethora of organic and fair trade eateries, markets and all manner of artistic and cultural institutions worth checking out. My favourite New York experience at the moment? Breakfast at the Organic Grill in the East Village!

2. Dominical, Costa Rica - I had an opportunity to visit Costa Rica in 2009 to check out what all the eco-tourism fuss was all about. I was able to confirm that the fuss was worth it, at least the area we visited in the Central Pacific/Osa Peninsula region on the western side of the country. We stayed at the simply beautiful Cascadas Farallas (which means waterfall villas), located 5km inland from the small beachside community of Dominical. Set within the middle of the rainforest, the villas are made of natural building materials and designed to minimise energy use. And they are set up to enable you to rest and relax (no TV, games or electronic gadgets here!) between sampling the magnificent organic and natural food delights prepared by the co-owner of the place, Fateh. Cascadas Farallas will also organise eco-tours for you to the nearby sites, especially Corcovado National Park, one of Costa Rica's great natural attractions.

3. Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Australia - one of Australia's great eco and cultural attractions, Uluru is awe-inspiring, especially when you witness it at sunset getting redder. The trek through Kata Tjuta's Valley of the Winds is the essence of solitude - it is one of the quietest and most serene environments we've encountered. It is little wonder these rocky outcrops are so spiritual for the region's indigenous population.

4. Hong Kong, China - Asia's densest city provides me with a similar urban experience to New York - a place where I can walk and public transport it everywhere, shop locally, and visit the many cultural attractions available. Surprisingly to many, Hong Kong and the surrounding islands are also great places to experience some great natural walks and to visit traditional local villages.

5. San Francisco and Yosemite National Park, USA - San Francisco is without a doubt one of the greenest communities in the world, from the local political context through to it housing one of the best public transport networks in the country. I also love to walk as much as I can in San Francisco, even though you wont find a hillier city anywhere in the world. San Francisco is only about 4 hours bus trip away from one of America's most visited natural jewels, Yosemite National Park. Some of the views within the Park have to be seen to be believed. We were lucky enough to visit it just after the winter season when the snow began to melt, creating spectacular water falls all over the Park.

See the World's Most Significant Cultural and Heritage Sites With Google

2009-12-17T17:55:00.000-08:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I wrote about how important the preservation and enhancement of Australia's culture and heritage is to the tourism industry. Throughout the book I list some of Australia's best cultural and heritage experiences, particularly Australia’s unique indigenous Aboriginal heritage. Although Australia’s indigenous population is one of the oldest civilisations in the world, it is only in recent times that it is being widely recognised and celebrated through tourism.

Although Australia’s European settlement period is still comparatively young, a surprising number of well-preserved precincts in cities and towns throughout the country also highlight the country’s colonial settlement period. And it is in Australia's biggest cities where you'll find a thriving mix of European, Asian and African communities that highlight the importance that immigration has played in Australia's economic growth.

Many of the important heritage and cultural sites I list in the book are recognised globally on the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage List, which identifies, protects and maintain sites around the world deemed to have cultural and natural heritage of outstanding value to humanity. Currently there are 890 locations worldwide which have been awarded a spot on the list, most of which are cultural sites (689), a smaller number of unique natural sites (176) and a combination of cultural and natural sites (25). There are 17 world heritage listed sites in Australia, and they are:

* Great Barrier Reef, Qld
* Kakadu National Park, Qld
* Willandra Lakes Region, NSW
* Lord Howe Island Group, off NSW coastline
* Tasmanian Wilderness, Tasmania
* Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, NSW and Qld.
* Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT
* Wet Tropics of Queensland, Qld
* Shark Bay, WA
* Fraser Island, Qld.
* Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte, SA)
* Heard and McDonald Islands (Australian territories in Southern Ocean)
* Macquarie Island, off Tasmanian coastline
* Greater Blue Mountains Area, NSW
* Purnululu National Park, NT
* Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, Victoria
* Sydney Opera House, NSW

Four of the sites have been recognised as having both cultural and natural significance: Kakadu (it is home to 40,000 years of indigenous heritage); the Willandra Lakes region (it contains fossil remains that dates human occupation back to between 40 and 65,000 years ago); the Tasmanian Wilderness (remains found in limestone caves show human habitation of some 20,000 years ago); and Uluru-Kata Tjuta (the rock domes form part of the traditional belief system of one of the oldest human societies in the world).

So what does Google have to do with all this? Well, Google and UNESCO have just signed an alliance that will allow most of their World Heritage listed sites to be explored online. In fact, at the moment, if you click on Google Maps here you will be able to check out Australia's urban-based cultural listings (the Sydney Opera House - see below - and the Royal Exhibition Building and Gardens) via Google's great Street View tool (click on Discover more World Heritage Sites and follow the directions for finding the sites listed in Australia). Or if you want to go further a field you can check out the many European and North American listed UNESCO sites, enabling you to see them as if you are actually there. This is evidently only the start - UNESCO has encouraged Google to visit additional sites, focusing on difficult-to-access natural locations that most people will never get the chance to see in person.

View Larger Map

So, if have decided on a staycation these holidays, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom - why not visit a different historically significant UNESCO site each day by using this great tool from Google! And if you are seeking even more adventure, why not fly there via their Google Earth platform - another great way to see the sites without leaving home!

Having a Green Holiday in the Australian Concrete Jungle

2009-12-09T17:21:00.000-08:00

I was just reading an article on Yale University's environment360 website about why New York, one of the densest cities in the world, is also the greenest city in the US. As I've suggested in previous blogs, densely populated cities can be considered green even though there is much more concrete than lush open spaces. It has to do with cities like New York having the lowest per capita car use, the highest public transport use, the lowest electricity use and the lowest water use in the nation.

It just so happens that densely populated cities like New York are not only great cities to live in if you want to reduce your carbon footprint but also to have a sustainable holiday. All the great museums, galleries, theatres, restaurants and whatever else tickles your fancy on a holiday are all within walking and subway distance of wherever you might be staying - no need for a hire car here. And in Manhattan precincts like the East Village, Chelsea and the Upper West Side, you'll find a plethora of organic, local, natural and fair trade shopping options to keep you occupied.

In Australia, our densest cities are also great places to have a sustainable holiday. First of all, Australian cities have first-rate public transport systems, with Melbourne’s tram, train and bus network arguably one of the best in the world. Australian cities and towns are also very walkable, with many attractions close to the city centre or close to major public transport hubs. Most cities and towns are also investing heavily in cycle paths, so you can more safely get around and take in the sights on a bicycle. Australian cities also have wonderful parks, beaches, bay reserves and natural areas within them to explore. For example, in Sydney you can trek through the bush in full view of the CBD skyline (in the Sydney Harbour National Park) and finish your walk at Manly beach. Or in Brisbane, you can traipse through inner-city subtropical gardens created on reclaimed rail yards (in the Roma Street Parkland). Australia is also one of the leading nations for producing and selling organic and natural foods, with a multitude of shops, markets and restaurants selling fresh, natural and organic food to get you through your trip.

There are enough differences between the capital cities around Australia to make them each an attraction in their own right. In fact, the two biggest, Sydney and Melbourne, are so different you’ll feel like you’re in different countries when you visit them. Whereas Sydney has glamorous Sydney Harbour, stunning coastal views, beaches, great National Parks, and some great inner-city villages full of shops ands services, Melbourne is more artistic and cultural, and is often compared to some of Europe’s grandest cities. Melbourne even has its own Mediterranean-style beaches — St Kilda beach is the most popular.

From a sustainability perspective, Melbourne’s inner city precincts are more like urban villages than suburbs, and they’re considered great places to live, work and play because they’re all within walking distance or a short public-transport ride of each other. Small businesses line the streets in these urban villages and in many areas you’ll find shops and restaurants specialising in organic produce and fair-trade goods. For this reason Melbourne is often been rated one of the most liveable cities in the world.

Half-way between Sydney and Melbourne, in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), is Canberra, a planned city with lots of open spaces and greenery that’s short on a dense city-like vibe but what Canberra lacks in size it makes up for in Australia’s best collection of museums and galleries - all within easy access of Canberra's great bus service and one of Australia's best off-road bicycle networks. Canberra is also close to Australia’s main winter playground, the Snowy Mountains.

Hobart is Australia’s most historically preserved capital city and a great place to visit before exploring Tasmania. You can walk to many of Hobart's historical attractions, especially those in and around Salamanca Place. It's also worth checking out the increasing number of Hobart eateries selling local, fair-trade and natural foods.

The City of Churches, Adelaide, has more restaurants per head of person than any other major city in Australia, with an increasing number of these serving organic and natural fare. Adelaide also has one of the most historical market buildings in Australia. With its wide boulevards, open spaces and great cycling trails, Adelaide makes a nice relaxing stop on your way to the Adelaide Hills villages that overlook the city, or to the increasing number of organic vineyards in the Barossa, about 60 kilometres to its north, and the Fleurieu Peninsula, some 70km south.

Perth is the most remote capital city in the world (Adelaide is its closest capital and still a staggering 2,692 kilometres away) but once you get there you'll find it one of the easiest big cities to get around, especially on its modern and ever expanding public transport system. Situated on the pretty Swan River, Perth has a healthy outdoors scene and some great beaches. It also contains one of Australia's best heritage precincts in Fremantle, some 12km south-west of the City Centre.

Brisbane is often overshadowed by the glitzy Gold Coast's beaches and the region's lush rainforest hinterlands. However, the city of Brisbane is becoming a great place to stay for a while as well, with many natural and urban attractions available. These include the 13-kilometre River Walk along the Brisbane River, an ever expanding cycleway network to take in the sites, the ferry trip over to wonderful North Stradbroke Island, and several trendy inner-city precincts (West End and New Farm) housing an increasing number of eateries specialising in natural and organic food.

Understanding the Relationship Between Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism

2009-12-03T15:52:00.000-08:00

I came across an article in the UK's Observer the other day that was supposed to provide good advice on eco-friendly tourism but seemed to me to only provide mixed messages and a heap of confusion. Titled "Is it possible to be an eco-friendly tourist?" the article suggests that ecotourism is the most environmentally sound tourism option (which it might just be - no argument there). But the article then goes on to state that worthwhile sustainable tourism initiatives, such as "lower-impact transport" (buses, trains etc), does not constitute ecotourism, thereby implying that this type of tourism is a form of "greenwashing". The article also states that "often holidaymakers mistake sustainable ideas – such as lower-impact transport – with ecotourism". Is it just me or is the article suggesting that low impact transport initiatives are some form of ecotourism greenwashing?

Why leave such a negative impression about non-ecotourism initiatives like low impact transport given that transport is the main environmental impact within the tourism industry? Many officially certified ecotourism operations I know of contain environmentally unfriendly transport options such as airplanes and 4-wheel drives to get you there and around, largely due to their remote location. Many ecotourism accredited options could actually benefit from taking on board some of the low impact transport initiatives that the Observer thinks are unworthy of being called ecotourism. In fact, it might surprise the Observer but many operations are now taking on board these broader non-ecotourism sustainability considerations because they have figured out that there is more to being sustainable than just developing an ecotourism product. And an increasing number of travellers are realising that you can have a sustainable holiday without needing to rely solely on ecotourism options.

Let me explain what I mean by looking at the various definitions. The original definition for ecotourism developed by The International Ecotourism Society was “Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people" (TIES, 1990). Basically, this definition sought to connect conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. But the focus definitely was about protecting and enhancing tourism in pristine natural areas.

Because of this natural area focus we have had other definitions since the ecotourism definition to describe other forms of sustainable travel focused not just on natural areas but on cities and towns as well – like ethical and responsible tourism, cultural tourism, volunteer tourism, heritage tourism, and adventure tourism. Many of these have a major focus on respecting, conserving, supporting and understanding local communities. An overall sustainable tourism definition is what I prefer as it can apply equally in natural areas, cities, towns and remote natural areas and covers the aims and objectives of not just ecotourism but all the other tourism options as well. A definition for sustainable tourism that I often use goes this way:

Sustainable tourism is:

* Making optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity;

* Respecting the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance; and

* Ensuring viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio- economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed, including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

So, the upshot of all this then is to avoid thinking that ecotourism is the only way you can travel sustainably. It is definitely one way, especially when you choose an ecotourism accredited product (in Australia, check out Ecotourism Australia's accreditation program). But it is also possible to have a successful sustainable holiday in cities and towns by adopting the following sustainable travel guidelines:

* Getting There and Getting Around: Offsetting any flying and driving miles with credible carbon offset programs; consider long distance rail and bus travel; and focus on accessing walking, cycling and public transport opportunities in cities and towns.

* The Importance of Where You Stay: choose accredited accommodation; check-out a companies energy, water and waste policies; choose an accessible location so as you can easily walk, cycle or public transport to attractions; support ethical and local businesses.

* Choosing What to do and What to see on your Sustainable Adventure: choose accredited attractions and operators who are committed to preserving nature and culture and choose operators who believe in the "leave no trace" principle.

* Eating and Shopping: choose locally owned and operated business selling natural, organic and fair-trade products.

Sustainable Destination Ratings: National Geographic's Annual List

2009-11-26T15:55:00.000-08:00

Every year, the National Geographic Society's Center for Sustainable Destinations rates many of the world's favourite travel locations (mainly natural attractions but also including cities and towns) for how well they are being managed to enhance and protect their sustainable value.

It's always worth having a look at the list published around this time every year by Traveler Magazine, not only to see if there are any new additions (most of the same attractions appear every year) but to also see how each attraction is fairing when it comes to "maintaining its environmental and ecological quality; social and cultural integrity; historic and archaeological condition; aesthetic appeal; quality of tourism management; and outlook for the future".

There are many places that could or should make the list - I mean, there are only four Australian destinations included: Kakadu; Uluru; the Great Barrier Reef and Byron Bay yet no room for the likes of Kangaroo Island; the Daintree; and the Tasmanian Wilderness area. And there is a heavy focus on North America....but I think the point of the exercise is not so much to list everyone's favourite attractions but to provide feedback on how many of the world's favourites are being protected, enhanced and managed. As Traveler Magazine states, if there is any pattern in scores for the retested destinations it is this: When people care about the condition of a place, its score tends to go up and stay there (panellists cited initiatives to protect, restore, improve facilities or a bit of each as reasons to increase each place's respective rating) but when people see a place as a tourism cash cow, scores tend to slip (panellists docked many points where places exhibited reckless development and commercialization, such as Byron Bay).

Anyway, some of the more significant findings of the list include:

* Norway's Fjords region continues its reign as top of the list after increasing its rating..."visiting this region requires a substantial investment by the international tourist, which keeps visitor levels low and allows for a low level of impact...local operators and hoteliers are highly dedicated to traditional culture and educating tourists... environmental quality is at the highest level - (the) landscape is amazing and aesthetically one of the most beautiful."

* Kakadu National Park rates highly on the global scale..."Cleverly managed, unspoiled, beautiful - cultural values are visible through local rock art and the Aboriginal presence...a wealth of information is available at visitor centers around the area, and park personnel promote the environmental message at every opportunity...seasonal floods do a good job of renewing the area each year."

* The two leading urban attractions are Ancient Kyoto in Japan and the townships of the state of Vermont, USA..."Kyoto is magnificently preserved and managed and honors the serenity and charm of ancient Japan - it showcases a rich legacy of living cultures and festivals, immaculate gardens, a variety of crafts and cuisines, all within a modern city." Vermont in the US "has worked to preserve those qualities that make it unique, such as scenic countryside, lively small towns, historic streetscapes and local businesses - a tourist magnet in summer, it nonetheless never seems overrun by visitors.

* The worst rated places are the West Bank in Israel/Palestine and the Costa de Sol in Spain. For the West Bank..."no matter what their politics, tourists here will be upset by the giant wall, the intimidating border crossing, the desolate and hopeless feeling of the city." With regard to the Costa de Sol..."a textbook example of mass tourism run amok, with high-rise hotels, crammed beaches, water shortages, pollution, and indifference to local culture."

Anyway, how is your favourite destination performing? You can check the full list here at Traveler Magazine.

Sustainable Summer Festivities

2009-11-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I provided a list of important cultural and green-themed events that showcase Australia's cultural and environmental attraction. I focused on those social, historical and particularly Australian events that give a great insight into the culture.

Although the book listed some of the larger festivals that occur during the year, it is clear that the post-Christmas summer period of January and February is prime festival time around Australia. So here is my updated list of the best of Australia's festivals and events worth checking out in the coming months.

January

* The Sydney Festival, NSW is a month long series of concerts, exhibitions and talks held in the centre of Sydney - http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/.

* Tamworth Country Music Festival, NSW (Tamworth s 459km/285 miles north-west of Sydney) is Australia’s premier country music festival that takes place in late January - http://www.tamworthcountrymusic.com.au/.

* Australia Day, Australia-wide (January 26) marks the landing of the First Fleet of convicts into Sydney Harbour in 1788 (some celebrate it as Invasion Day) - http://www.australiaday.com.au/.

* Australian Open Tennis, Melbourne, Victoria (end of January) is Australia’s contribution to the global Grand Slam of tennis - http://www.ausopen.org.au/.

* Tour Down Under, South Australia (starts the third week of January) is Australia’s answer to the Tour de France – a week long cross country cycling event starting and finishing in Adelaide and taking in the Barossa and the Adelaide Hills - http://www.tourdownunder.com.au/.

* Falls Music and Arts Festival, Lorne, Victoria, (finishes on New Years Day) is located in the beautiful Otway Forest overlooking the Great Ocean Road and showcases Australian and International acts in an environmentally concious campsite setting - http://www.fallsfestival.com.au/.

* Summadayze, national (early January), is an ever-growing national dance-music festival that had its origins in Melbourne. A highlight will be the New Year's eve event on Sydney Harbour (dubbed Summanights) - http://www.summadayze.com/

* St Jerome's Laneway Festival, national (January and February), is a unique festival that originated in Melbourne's famous city laneways that now showcases some of the world's best alternative and independent artists in other famous inner-city precincts around Australia - http://melbourne.lanewayfestival.com/

* Big Day Out, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth (end January/early February) is now Australia’s premier all-day musical event in various Australian cities - http://www.bigdayout.com/.

* Flickerfest International Short Film Festival, Bondi Beach, Sydney (early January) screens the best Australian and global short films in an outdoor beachside setting - http://www.flickerfest.com.au/

* Tasmania Taste Festival, Hobart, Tasmania (late December, early January) is a week-long festival that takes place on Hobart's historical waterfront showcases Tasmanian and Australian art, food and music - http://www.tastefestival.com.au/.

* Woodford Folk Festival, outside Woodford in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, Queensland, (finishes on January 1), takes place on land owned and managed by the not-for-profit Queensland Folk Federation. The festival is a week-long session of concerts, street theatre, writers’ panels, comedy sessions, debate and an environmental programme featuring talks, films, and art and craft workshops - http://www.woodfordfolkfestival.com/.

February

* Sustainable Living Festival, Federation Square, Melbourne (mid February) has become one of the world’s premier green events http://www.slf.org.au/

* Tropfest, The Domain, Sydney (Sunday on the third weekend of February) is the largest short film festival/competition in the world simulcast from The Domain to other Australian cities http://www.tropfest.com/.

* Good Vibrations Festival, Sydney/Perth/Gold Coast/Melbourne (mid February), showcases popular Australian and International music acts - http://www.goodvibrations.com.au/.

* Barossa Under the Stars, Tanunda, South Australia (early February) has become a highly popular outdoor concert event within the premier wine growing region of Australia - http://www.barossaunderthestars.com.au/.

* Festivale, Launceston, Tasmania is a three day celebration of Tasmanian food, wine and culture (second weekend of February) - http://www.festivale.com.au/.

* Playground Weekender, Wisemans Ferry (northern Sydney. NSW), is a 4-day music festival camp-out (mid February) that also includes food and markets stalls, yoga, an outdoor theatre and even a dress-up day! - http://www.playgroundweekender.com.au/.

* St Kilda Festival, Melbourne, Victoria, (early to mid February) is one of Australia's oldest and most famous urban festivals which hosts a variety of musical acts and showcases local businesses in and around Melbourne's most famous inner-city beachside suburb - http://stkildafestival.com.au/

* Earth Freq, Sunshine Coast hinterland, Queensland (mid February) is a full-on community minded environmental, music, arts and lifestyle wrapped into one festival - http://www.earthfreq.com/.

* Nannup Music Festival, Nannup (near Margaret River) in Western Australia's south-west (end of February), this long running festival showcases local and international folk and world music, poetry, dance and street theatre throughout the village of Nannup - http://www.nannupmusicfestival.org/

A Town Like Alice

2009-11-12T20:59:00.000-08:00

I have just arrived back from Ecotourism Australia's Global Eco Asia-Pacific Tourism Conference held in Alice Springs. One of the advantages of having the conference in The Alice was the focus it provided on the rich indigenous culture that exists there. As the conference organisers stated in their promotional material, the region surrounding Alice Springs has a strong indigenous presence, with a 60,000 year old culture and spiritual connection echoed in every rock and landmark. The Alice Springs Area is connected to the "caterpillar dreaming" (represented by the East and West McDonnell Ranges) and is part of the territory of the Aranda people. The area is also known by the local names of Arrende, Yeperenye or Mparntwe.

One of the questions I was asked in a radio interview to discuss sustainable tourism and to promote the conference was how Alice Springs rated as a place to have a sustainable holiday. I stated that it is indeed a great place to have such a holiday, especially as a base in touring the region to learn about the traditions and teachings of aboriginal culture. The Central Australian Aboriginals have survived in the unforgiving arid centre of Australia for tens of thousands of years, so observing Aboriginal culture in this part of Australia is observing the essence of sustainable living – working within the constraints of a harsh natural environment to not only survive but prosper healthily and socially (well, at least before Europeans started inhabiting the land).

Alice Springs is also a great base to explore the magnificent natural scenery that exists in this remote part of Australia, which includes the Simpson Desert; the MacDonell Ranges either side of Alice Springs (including West MacDonnell National Park, which includes the famous Simpson Gap, Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge), as well as connecting to one of the many tours that can take you to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and Kings Canyon some 450km away.

Alice Springs itself should not be ignored as an attraction in its own right. With a population of just over 27,000 people, Alice Springs is an outback town that sits at the foot of the MacDonnell Ranges either side of it. The town has grown significantly over the years to cater to the influx of tourists that use it as a base to visit the surrounding National Parks. It sits on the western banks of the usually dry Todd River to its west, the Sturt Highway to its east and Anzac Hill to its north, which provides great views over the town and the surrounding dry red land. The Town Centre’s core is Todd Mall, the pedestrian-only space where many of the Alice’s main shopping and dining choices can be found, as well as several Aboriginal-owned and operated art and craft galleries.

The two main township attractions (besides the art and craft outlets) are the Alice Springs Cultural Precinct and the Alice Springs Desert Park. The Cultural Precint, opened in 1984, mixes some of the old airport and town centre buildings with modern buildings that houses several important galleries, museums and exhibition spaces within easy walking distance of each other. The focus of the Precinct is the Araluen Arts Centre, which incorporates a large performing arts theatre and some impressive indigenous artist galleries, including the Albert Namatjira Gallery - a homage to one of Australia’s famed indigenous artists who specialised in water colour paintings.

This Ecotourism Australia accredited Desert Park brings much of the wildlife and vegetation you’d find across the Simpson Desert to the western outskirts of Alice Springs. The Park has developed walking tracks through three different desert environments in which you can see bird and wildlife in their preferred habitat. The Park also offers interpretive tours highlighting traditional use of plants and animals by the local Arrernte people.

I was also able to confirm on this trip that Alice Springs is a great place to hire a bicycle to get around to many of the town's attractions. There are three things going for cycling in Alice Springs: it is flat; there are relatively low levels of traffic; and there are some great cycling paths to connect to some of the Alice’s best attractions. One of the paths is a tourist attraction in its own right - the Simpsons Gap Bike Path in West MacDonnell National Park, a 17km sealed path that starts off Larapinta Drive on the western outskirts of Alice Springs and takes you through some great scenery on the way to Simpsons Gap, one of the many great views within the Park.

You can check out Tourism Central Australia's website for more information.

A North American Bicycle Tour: Riding the Great Divide

2009-11-03T02:37:00.000-08:00

Those with an interest in cycling may have heard of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Trail, North America's longest off-road mountain bike trail. Clocking in at 2,490 miles, the Great Divide crisscrosses down the Continental Divide (basically along the top of the Rocky Mountains) from Canada down to the US/Mexican border. As the US Adventure Cycling Association states, the route is the definition of remote but, as they say, "its remoteness equates with spectacular terrain and scenery".

I mention this great Trail because I received an email from my friend Matt McCarthy yesterday updating me on his travels. I knew he was undertaking some great cycling rides in the US but I was stunned when I visited the most recent of his online photo-journals. It turns out that Matt and his partner Nancy have just completed the whole of the Great Divide ride from Canada to the state of New Mexico. I encourage you to check out Matt's slideshow and Nancy's detailed journal of the ride - I am sure you'll be highly impressed and inspired to hop on a bike and go travelling.

I've taken the liberty to reproduce Nancy's journal introduction to their journey below. I think it provides a great insight into why long-distance cycle travel is such a great way to not only see some of the world's great natural features but to connect with like-minded people who love the thrill of conquering the many physical and mental challenges involved.

Since I was 15 my youngest brother, Alex, and I dreamed of going on an extensive bicycling tour, but we never did. It was only after I moved to DC (at the age of 29) that I got back in to biking, first as a commuter and then as a long distance weekend road cyclist. I was living with Alex during this time and he suggested that I hook up with a bike shop and do a "Sunday Ride" with them. It was on these rides that I met Matthew, an Australian living in DC. Matthew and I started going on our own long rides together and we have not been apart since. It is through Matthew and his experience as a cycling tourist that I have entered the world of cycle touring, as I had dreamed of as a teenager.

Last summer Matthew and I went on a fabulous 6 week tour in Alaska. We met so many other cyclists; saw such breathtaking sites, flora, and fauna; and survived and thrived even under some very brutal conditions (the Dalton Highway!) that we decided that we wanted to go on a much longer ride. Six weeks in Alaska was not enough-- we decided we wanted to put our jobs on hold (he is an economist/engineer and I, a high school English teacher) and do some more touring.

Click here for more of Nancy and Matt's Great Divide cycling tour journal.

Expanding Your Travel Horizons: Check Out The Public Transport System

2009-10-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

One of the messages I wanted to provide in Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies was that sustainable travel is not just about going for bushwalks and hugging trees. Well, it can be, but the term sustainable travel covers all types of travel activities that minimise the impact on the planet while enhancing your understanding and respect for the local environment, history and culture of the place you’re visiting. That is why when visiting urban areas, the public transport modes of trains, trams, buses and taxis, as well as cycling and walking, are the best ways to travel. These modes not only minimise your holiday carbon footprint but also provide you with a great opportunity to view the locals in their natural habitat!

When you visit the world's biggest and best cities you'll realise that most of them have very good public transport systems that get tourists to most of the main attractions a city has to offer. Australia is no different. The advantage of relying on Australia's urban public transport system is that you can visit interesting areas that are outside walking distance of the main city centre area and off the beaten tourist track. In fact, catching a train or a bus for the day can be an attraction in its own right.

It appears some people shy away from using public transport when they travel because it all seems a tad too confusing. It needn’t be if you arm yourself with the right information. All the public transport providers across Australia explain how to use their system much more effectively than they used to. You can get all manner of maps and timetable, route and ticket information either on their web sites or to take away from their main transport stations. This info also includes how to escape the cities and visit the regions, which is possible in most states by rail and where the rail does not go, buses will get you close to where you want to go.

Here is a run-down of some of Australia's best public transport networks:

* Brisbane has a transport network that includes trains throughout the metropolitan area and connecting down to the Gold Coast and up to the Sunshine Coast. In the Brisbane metro area, the rail network is supported by new bus-only roadways and an extensive network of cycle paths between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

* Melbourne runs Australia’s last remaining tram network and one of the most extensive tram systems in the world. Combined with a far reaching suburban rail and bus system, Melbourne is a great public transport city to visit.

* Perth has Australia’s most improved train system, with new lines and stations being been built in recent years and still being expanded. Combined with an extensive bus network, Perth is fast becoming a public transport city of some standing.

* Sydney has one of the world’s largest rail networks, serving key regions of the sprawling metropolitan area. And there’s nothing better than catching a Sydney Harbour ferry for unmatched views across the glorious Harbour.

And here are some useful links to most of Australia's urban public transport providers:

* Sydney's CityRail - http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/
* Sydney Buses - http://www.sydneybuses.nsw.gov.au/
* Sydney and NSW Transport Info - http://www.131500.com.au/
* Melbourne and Victoria Trains, Trams and Buses - http://www.metlinkmelbourne.com.au/
* Melbourne and Victoria Transport Info - http://www.viclink.com.au/
* Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast Transport Info - http://www.transinfo.qld.gov.au/
* Perth's Transperth - http://www.transperth.wa.gov.au/
* Perth and WA TransWA - http://www.transwa.wa.gov.au/
* Adelaide's Metro - http://www.adelaidemetro.com.au/
* Tasmania's Metro - http://www.metrotas.com.au/
* Darwin and Alice Springs bus services - www.nt.gov.au/transport/public/bus/index.shtml

Travel Pitfalls to Avoid: Planning For A Sustainable Holiday

2009-10-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I included a section at the end of the book about how to avoid some common sustainable travel pitfalls. I suggested that your ability to have a sustainable holiday comes down to putting some time into researching and planning the variety of companies you’ll be booking your tours, your transport, your accommodation and your holiday activities with. Thankfully, the Internet now provides you with a plethora of travel research opportunities that means you'll never have to rely on the poor advice of your travel agent ever again.

Unfortunately, there are still many companies out there whose main motivation is to be seen to be green rather than doing anything positive for the health of the Planet. And there will be certain decisions you make in planning your holiday that will trap you into unsustainable outcomes. Below are some of my tips from Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies for avoiding unsustainable travel options on your travels:

1. Don't forget your sustainable responsibilities - Having a holiday shouldn’t mean having a rest from being sustainable. Try and go with the same sustainable mindset on your travels as you do at home. The same advantages for being sustainable at home can be found on a holiday – it will be enriching, meaningful and will save you money. Whereas it was not long ago that it was nearly impossible to have a sustainable holiday unless you were willing to camp under the stars or bunk down with fellow hostellers, there's now no excuse for being unsustainable on you travels.

2. Don't assume all Eco’s are equal - Be wary of the hotel, resort or tour company that claims to be eco friendly or offers eco tours. In some cases, the only thing eco about the service is that it is located next to a natural feature – and that’s it. Just because a company uses "eco" to describe its product doesn’t mean that it is performing sustainably. However, if they claim to be "eco" and have accreditation from a reputable accreditation agency then you are on the right track. Although not foolproof, an eco-accredited travel product (accommodation, tour, attraction etc) at least provides you some comfort that the company has been audited and shown to be sustainable in certain parts of their operation. In Australia, Ecotourism Australia is the leading independent accreditation authority for ecotourism and sustainable travel products.

3. Avoid being wrapped up in chains - Shopping is an enjoyable part of any holiday but finding the right places to shop in preference to the large multi-national (and hugely unsustainable) chain shops is hard to do – they are everywhere you look in most cities and towns. If shopping for clothes and accessories, always check the label to see where it is made and what it is made out of. It is likely to be unsustainable if it is made in a developing country from a mixture of synthetic and mass produced materials, such as polyester and nylon. And the cotton used in these items is invariably mass produced using polluting chemicals and synthetic dyes. Look out for locally owed and operated businesses who sell items made from naturally produced materials such as organic cotton (no chemicals used to produce these), hemp and even bamboo. You'll also find that most sustainable shops are sourced from local manufacturers who employ workers under fair trade conditions. If any items are imported from overseas, then sustainable retailers will also sell only stock items made under fair trade conditions.

4. Avoiding bad accommodation locations - Where you stay will have a big influence on your ability to reduce your transport related greenhouse gas emissions on your holiday. Always check the location of the place that you are interested in staying on a mapping website like Google Maps, especially when visiting cities and towns, and figure out how close you are to train stations, attractions you might be interested in visiting and the best shopping and eating precincts. The more accessible you are the better ability you will have to walk or use public transport to get around. Properties to avoid are those “cookie cutter” style hotels that are located close to major motorways, highways and airports and are set up for stopover style accommodation. These properties always come up as slightly cheaper than centrally located properties on hotel websites but what you save in dollars will be more than wasted in transport fares or hire car costs and lack of amenity.

5. Getting souvenir trapped - The main trap people fall into when trying to buying arts, crafts and other souvenirs that supposedly represent the area you are visiting is to head straight to those run-of-the-mill tourist shops lining the streets of many cities and towns. These places are chock full of cheap products that are passed off as authentic to unsuspecting visitors. For example, in Australia, indigenous arts and crafts should be bought from a gallery or shop that is owned, operated or authorised by the local Aboriginal artists or community from where that artist comes from. The best bet is to buy products that are sold from retailers or representatives that are part the Australian Indigenous Art Association. Although not foolproof, this at least guarantees you’re buying a product from a company that meets ethical guidelines. Even better when the painting or craft is bought directly from the community of artists located in the region you are visiting - all of your money goes to the artist and the community they live in.

6. Packing the wrong gear - How many times have you wanted to do something adventurous or active but you couldn’t because you didn’t have the right gear to do it in. And then you go and buy something cheap and nasty to do the job from a local shop around the corner from where you are staying. As part of your research, understand exactly what activities you'll be partaking in and which gear suits best and pack it before you go. For example, pack all those clothes you have that best suit where you are going. If going camping, make sure you have all the right equipment, food, sleeping gear and tools to get you through your trip.

The Positive Influence of Nature

2009-10-07T22:27:00.000-07:00

Whenever I have the opportunity to talk to people about my book Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I suggest that there are two great outcomes from more people having a sustainable holiday: 1. the tourism industry reduces its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and environmental degradation and 2. it educates these people to the value of the pristine natural areas they visit and the cultural richness of the communities they stay with, resulting in them being more motivated to help protect the environment when they get back home.

Even though the second point seems to make sense to some people, there are others who look blankly at me, appearing not to understand the correlation. So it was nice to come across an article sent to me by Treehugger about a recent study undertaken by Rochester University titled Nature Makes Us More Caring. Results from the Study suggest that "stopping to experience our natural surroundings can have social as well as personal benefits...exposure to natural as opposed to man-made environments leads people to value community and close relationships and to be more generous with money".

Although not directly referring to the impact that viewing natural areas has on people's sustainability decision making, the authors of the Study do state that "the richness and complexity of natural environments may encourage introspection...nature in a way strips away the artifices of society that alienate us from one another". So it is not such a long bow to suggest that this introspection could include reflecting on one of the most important issues of our time: how we as individuals impact on the Planet.

So, where to get motivated? Well, it could be anything from checking out your local park, river or beach through to going on one big eco-holiday adventure. In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I provide my top 10 Australian eco-adventures to help you get up close and personal with the many natural assets Australia have to offer. Here they are:

1. Camping and Bushwalking: Hiking and camping are the best eco activities you can undertake - as long as you leave no trace of your visit. There are great nature-based bushwalking trails all over Australia, within or on the outskirts of Australia's biggest cities. Nearly all of them will have established camping sites along the way enable you to head off for several days or several weeks, either by yourself or with a tour company.

2. Into the Wild: Australia’s remoteness means that it has world-famous animal species unique to the island continent. Great destinations for seeing wildlife in the flesh in their natural habitats are Daintree National Park, Kakadu National Park, and Kangaroo Island. Although I’m not a fan of city zoos, some wildlife parks or sanctuaries with Ecotourism Australia accreditation are well worth visiting, including: Walkabout Creek Wildlife Centre, in Brisbane Forest Park, Brisbane; Healesville Sanctuary, north of Melbourne, which is as healing for animals as it sounds; the Hunter Wetlands Centre near Newcastle in New South Wales; the Alice Springs Desert Park in Australia's red centre; and for penguins on parade, the Phillip Island Nature Park just off the Victorian coastline south of Melbourne.

3. Climbing Mountains: You can tackle the extreme levels in this sport or jump in at beginner level to go rock climbing and abseiling in Australia. Different locations offer different experiences: Climbing above waterfalls in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney; summer climbing (after the snow melts) in the Snowy Mountains at Thredbo (Mount Kosciuszko) in New South Wales or in Victoria’s High Country; tackling pinnacles in the Grampians National Park, such as Mount Arapiles; spectacular sea-cliff climbing in the Margaret River region, Western Australia; and wilderness sea-cliff climbing at Coles Bay and the Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania.

4. Going Sailing: The most popular sailing destinations in Australia are regions with enclosed waters protected in some way (by land or reefs) from the open sea. This includes the Whitsunday Islands(Queensland); Sydney Harbour, and Pittwater north of Sydney; Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay; Perth’s Swan River and Rottnest Island; and South Australia’s Nepean Bay and Kangaroo Island. You can also join sailing tours that head out to the Great Barrier Reef or Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia with tour operators.

5. Canoeing and Kayaking: Fit adventure tourists (oh, I wish!) jump at the chance to canoe, kayak or raft Australia’s rivers, creeks and lakes. Sea kayaking is very popular too, in calm seas inside the Great Barrier Reef at top destinations in Queensland, and on enclosed waters in New South Wales. Australia’s top destinations for whitewater rafting are the Barron River and Tully River, near Cairns in North Queensland, and the Franklin River in Tasmania. Other destinations are the wild rivers in the Snowy Mountains, accessible from Canberra and Melbourne, the Nymboida River (Coffs Harbour, New South Wales) and the Murray River south of Perth.

6. Let's Go Surfin' Now: If you’re keen to surf but don’t know the difference between a goofy footer and a hang ten, you can book to learn at a surfing school during your holidays. Surfing Australia has over 70 affiliated surf schools operating at many beaches around Australia. The best city beaches are located in Sydney and Perth.

7. Great Train Travels: Long train journeys in Australia travel through unique landscapes. You can wrap these into tours to see the places and attractions you pass along the way. The most popular train journeys with sleeping berths are the Indian Pacific, a three-night trip from Perth to Sydney via the Nullarbor Plain; The Ghan, a two-night trip from Adelaide to Darwin through the Red Centre of Australia; the Sunlander, a two night trip from Brisbane to Cairns in Queensland’s tropical north; and the Spirit of the Outback, a one-night trip from Brisbane to Longreach in western Queensland via Rockhampton.

8. Tour de Australia: Cycling is a great way to travel, whether you simply want to ride around a town or city or go overland. If you’re interested in some very natural cycling journeys, try the awesome Mawson Bike Trail in South Australia that runs from Adelaide through the Adelaide Hills and then all the way up to the Flinders Ranges and the Tasmanian Trail in Tasmania, which is a very long multipurpose (walking and cycling) trail, extending from Devonport in the north to Dover in the south via Cradle Mountain.

9. Taking the Plunge: Diving is a dangerous activity - enough to drive you ’round the bends, actually. To dive, you need to gain certification or at the very least be escorted on an introductory dive by a certified tour guide. If you have the time and you’re cleared medically, you can incorporate a diving course on your holiday. Most courses are certified by PADI and offered by dive shops in tourist destinations. The top diving destination in Australia is the Great Barrier Reef. Nowhere else in the world has such a network of reefs, and you can get to it from different destinations in Queensland. Ningaloo Reef off the Coral Coast in Western Australia offers similar diving conditions. But most coastal regions in Australia have great diving spots, which allow you to explore reefs, shipwrecks and beautiful kelp forests, and see abundant marine animals.

10. Going Back in Time: You’re in luck if you’re interested in an adventure that takes in Australia’s indigenous heritage and colonial heritage. To experience Aboriginal culture, head to the Northern Territory, especially the Top End. Other great places you can visit to discover remote communities and see Aboriginal culture firsthand are the Red Centre around Alice Springs and Uluru-Kata Tjuta and northern Western Australia in the Kimberley region. Museums, exhibitions and art galleries in Australian cities are also a must-see if you’re keen to understand more about Australia’s history. The top centres are in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra; other museums and galleries in regional areas specialise in local people and their history.

Travelling the World For a Better Beer

2009-09-30T18:03:00.000-07:00

I came across a nice web site the other day that reminded me about the joys of sampling "local", "craft", and "boutique" beers whenever I travel. Whether it be visiting a small microbrewery in suburban Prague or ordering a locally-produced ale at one of the increasing number of organic restaurants in New York, finding places that sell locally-produced beer opens up a whole new world of better tasting beer rather than relying on those plain ol' boring commercial brands.

The web site is called SustainaBrew, which is "devoted to providing you with the latest in sustainable developments in the beer industry, from the largest commercial brewery to the smallest brewpub." So what makes a sustainable beer I hear you ask? As web site Eat. Drink. Better states "while the biggest multinational breweries are beginning to make structural changes that promote sustainability (for example, using less water and energy), most of the greenest beers are local and regional ones. Microbreweries are great agents of change because they interact with the communities that surround them." And being local means that the greenhouse gas emission impacts generated by transporting beer from large commercial breweries all over the world are less. Oh, and an increasing number of smaller local breweries are using organic locally sourced ingredients (hops and barley) to make their beers.

There are several other good web sites that show you where you can access a microbrewery or three on your travels. One of the most popular ones is the Brewtopia web site, run by renowned beer expert and judge Owen Ogletree. He has a great beer travel page, which includes links to his favourite microbreweries from some of the world's most renowned beer countries, including the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California; the Platan Brewery in Protivin, Czech Republic; the Fuller, Smith and Turner in Chiswick, London; and the De Dolle Brouwers in Esen, Belgium. Another great list for American enthusiasts is provided by Matador Trips, who list their top 20 microbreweries in the US. I notice they've included the Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, New York, which is one of my favourites as well.

Unfortunately, none of these lists have included some of the great Australian microbreweries you can access on your travels. Some of my favourites include Redoak in the heart of Sydney; the Five Islands Brewing Company in Wollongong; the famous Mildura Brewery in Mildura; the Little Creatures Brewery in Fremantle; and the Lord Nelson Brewery Hotel in the historical Rocks section of Sydney. There are many more I haven't visited but would love to one day. For a detailed list of all the great microbreweries in Australia, check out Microbrewing Australia.

Offsetting Your Flying Miles at the Airport

2009-09-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

There was quite a bit of publicity last week about the introduction of carbon kiosks at San Francisco Airport. In an article I read by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome, the world's first airport kiosks will "give people the opportunity to calculate the environmental impact of their flights and purchase carbon offsets to address that impact while at the airport."

Mayor Newsome states that "the City has conducted extensive research on each project supported by the program to ensure that all carbon offsets are sourced from a specific project that results in real, quantifiable, permanent greenhouse gas emission reductions." The specific project in this case is the San Francisco based carbon firm 3Degrees, who use carbon offset contributions to assist tree planting and re-growth efforts in the Garcia River Forest, a conservation-based forest management project located in Mendocino County, California. As the Mayor states, "huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) are absorbed and stored, and native habitats are restored and protected."

My view on carbon offsets is that if flying is your only travel option then they should be purchased. And the kiosks are probably a great idea because many people are still not being offered the option of a carbon offset when they book their travel with an agent or online. Although they may not be being offered to many travellers at the moment, there is quite a bit of information on carbon offsets on the internet and a range of programs you can choose to offset your emissions - not only for flying but any household, workplace or travel activity that involves a carbon impact.

The availability of carbon offsets dooes not mean that flying has become a carbon-neutral travel option all of a sudden. The main disadvantage with them is that the greenhouse gases generated by your flying miles are unlikely to be totally eradicated by the carbon offsets you buy. For example, it has been argued that the extra trees that are planted as a result of your carbon offset contribution might take years to fully grow by which time the damage created by flying has well and truly been done. In fact, it is argued that carbon offsets encourage continuing unsustainable travel behaviour by giving you a guilt-free out.

However, until airplane technology improves sufficiently to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (by the way, it is not just carbon emissions that a plane emits, but even more damaging nitrous oxide, a powerful greenhouse forming gas which has a three-fold greater impact than carbon dioxide), then carbon offsets go a little way to reducing your carbon impacts. Some of programs do enable people to contribute financially to a greenhouse gas reducing project that does a better and more immediate job of offseting the same amount of greenhouse gases you generate by flying (total emissions from the plane divided by number of passengers), such as a new wind turbine or solar power cell project. These projects theoretically won’t be developed without your funds so there is a direct correlation between your flight and your offset. The counter to this then is if you didn't fly, we might not even need to project in the first place.

The most effective way to reduce your flying impact is to rethink the amount of international travel you do and concentrate on domestic tourism options. And why not have a think about building some time into your travel timetable to take some of the great long distance train or bus journey options available to you. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions they emit are much lower than that of a plane for the same distance. Even renting a fuel efficient car can be more efficient than flying over the same distance as long as you fill your car up with additional passengers (it turns out that if you drive any car – including the Prius - by yourself, it produces more greenhouse gas emissions over the same distance than flying). But when the only alternative is to fly, especially internationally, then seriously consider contributing some additional money to a carbon offset scheme.

If your travel agent or airline does not offer a carbon offset scheme or you are unhappy contributing to the types of projects your preferred airline or travel agent uses then it might be worth checking out these other popular carbon offset companies (many of these are Australian) to see what projects they fund in comparison to the above examples:

* Climate Friendly: www.climatefriendly.com

* The Carbon Reduction Institute: www.noco2.com.au

* Climate Positive: www.climatepositive.com

* Carbon Planet: www.carbonplanet.com

* Neco: www.neco.com.au

* Coolplanet: www.coolplanet.com.au

* Green Pig: www.greenpig.com.au

* Landcare CarbonSMART: www.carbonsmart.com.au

The World's Best Urban Parks

2009-09-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

Most great cities and towns around the world also contain great parks and open spaces - it's hard to have a really great city without them. These green spaces are considered the lungs of a city as they provide much needed breathing space for residents, workers and visitors who might be spending much of their day in the nearby dense downtown or central business district precincts. Some of the largest open spaces also provide refuge for a wide variety of bird and animal life (including humans) and many showcase the flora that is indigenous to the local region. And in some parts of the world, especially Europe, urban parks are usually the recreational centre of the city, with playing fields, fun parks, gardens and museums all being located in the larger parks. This is why visiting the main urban park within a city is usually at the top of many tourist itineraries.

So it was with interest that I came across an article on one of my favourite websites (The Infrastructurist) listing the World's 10 Greatest Large Urban Parks. Their favourites are: 1. Central Park, New York; 2. Retiro Park, Madrid; 3. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco; 4. Tiergarten, Berlin; 5. Stanley Park, Vancouver; 6. Monsanto Forest Park, Lisbon; 7. Balboa Park, San Diego; 8. Hyde Park, London; 9. Mont Royal Park, Montreal and 10. Luxembourg Gardens, Paris. All great parks that I have been lucky enough to visit, although it did occur to me that it must have been hard coming up with such a definitive list when you consider all the great urban parks in Europe and North America, not to mention the those in South America, Australia, Africa and Asia that weren't even considered.

So it got me to thinking how many great parks were not included in the list. So, for what it is worth, here are my other favourite parks that I think could easily make a world's best parks list:

* Djurgarden, Stockholm, Sweden - not sure how this huge island park (see picture left) within walking distance of the centre of Stockholm didn't make the list but there you go. Like many European parks, it contains an amusement park and some of Sweden's finest museums and galleries, with much of the Island consisting of lush forest intersected by canals and walking paths.

* Kings Park, Perth, Australia - the largest inner-urban park in the world (even larger than Central Park), with over half the park native bushland and home to more than 2,500 species of native plants, all located on the doorstep of the Perth CBD. Also contains some spectacular views over the beautiful Swan River.

* Vienna Prater, Austria - was the site of the 1873 World Exhibition and includes a traditional European funpark and the famous Prater Museum. One of the nicest urban walking parks in Europe.

* Aberdeen Country Park, Hong Kong - not really an urban park like the others in the list because it is one of the many country (or national) parks that make up much of Hong Kong. I've included it because it is only a short yet steep climb up from crowded Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island and once you get to the top, you can take one of the walking trails around the Country Park and avail yourself to some of the most stunning city views anywhere in the world.

* Phoenix Park, Dublin - this is Europe's largest inner urban park (see picture on the right) and contains a zoo, a castle, several monuments and a beautiful horticultural garden.

* Prospect Park, Brooklyn (New York) - this huge park is nearly as impressive as Central Park, containing the types of natural and geographical elements that makes Central Park so fabulous, which isn't surprising given that the same architects designed both parks (Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux). But Prospect Park has one big advantage over its Manhattan counterpart - it is much less crowded.

Other great southern hemisphere urban parks worth mentioning include Centennial Park in Sydney, Australia; the Adelaide Parklands, Adelaide, Australia; the Auckland Domain, Auckland, New Zealand; and the humongous forest parks in Rio de Janeiro (Tijuca Forest and White Stone State Parks). I'm sure there are many more worth listing...can you think of any that you've experienced?

Cycling Around the World

2009-09-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I posted a blog titled Tour de Australia, which highlighted some of the great cycling trails available in Australia. Obviously, Australia is only one of the many countries that offers great cycling opportunities - whether they be in the densest cities or in and around some of the prettiest landscapes on the Planet.

There are two articles I've come across recently that showcase the plethora of cycling opportunities available wherever you might be in the world. The most recent was in National Geographic to promote a new book called Bicycle Diaries (Viking, 2009), which was written by famous Talking Head David Byrne. The book chronicles six months of urban bike rides Byrne took as he travelled around the world. The article lists 8 of his most satisfying rides, including New York's Staten Island green pathway; San Francisco's cycle route system (there is a great map which shows you how to avoid the severe hills); Rome, which is "the least accommodating" cycle city but because it has so much congestion, riding a bike becomes the quickest mode; and, surprisingly, between all the vacant lots in Detroit, which Byrne says "was one of the best and most memorable bike rides I’ve ever taken".

Reading this article obviously got me dreaming (once again) about all those great walking and cycling opportunities that abound whenever one goes travelling. It also reminded me of an article I read in the UK's The Guardian in 2007 describing some of the most scenic bike opportunties available. Titled Top 10 bike rides of the world, this article lists some mouth-watering (not to mention gut-busting) travel experiences, with a few of them really standing out:
* the Alpe d'Huez in France (see picture above) - one of the most famous cycling climbs in the world thanks to the Tour de France. The Alpe has been a stage finish most years and is considered one of the key climbs for the eventual winner. Oh yeah, and it's arguably the most scenic stage on the route.

* the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia - "nothing can prepare you for riding over its swathes of white salt, baked hard under a fantastically blue sky. This is a landscape just waiting for your imagination to paint it." And unlike many of the other rides in the article, this one is dead flat!

* London to Hever Castle, UK - this sounds like one of those quaint British travel experiences that takes you on the back roads through beautiful old towns and past lush rolling countryside.

Of course, this is just a snapshot - for a more comprehensive listing of cycling trails and holiday experiences you can access, why not check out Bicycling World, which lists over 1000 cycle tour options you can go on.

See Them Before They Go: Why Coral Reefs Appear Doomed

2009-09-02T18:18:00.001-07:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, my chapter on Tropical North Queensland highlighted the looming ecological disaster for one of the world's great natural wonders - the Great Barrier Reef. Not only does the Reef gobsmack you with its brilliant colour, it is one of the most important natural environments that the Planet has. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority provides some stats that give you a feel for how significant the Reef is:

* it is the largest tropical coral reef in the world at 2,300km long. The next longest is only 290km long (the Belize Barrier Reef).

* the Reef is actually a formation of approximately 2,900 separate coral reefs, which only accounts for about 6 per cent of the marine park area.

* it is the largest World Heritage listed area in the world.

* at 348,000 square kilometers it is the second largest marine park in the world behind the Northwestern Hawaiian Island National Monument.

* it is home to just over 10 per cent of the world’s marine fish species and 6 of the world’s 7 marine turtle species.

* it is home to an estimated 14,000 dugongs and 130 species of shark and rays.

The sheer size of this pristine marine environment makes it hugely significant to the health of the Planet. The marine life that inhabit the waters of the Great Barrier Reef are very reliant on the Reef and the coral it supports in providing food and shelter. The Reef itself has formed from millions of years of decaying animals and plants forming limestone deposits. Coral polyps grow on the reef and assist in maintaining reef structure by depositing dissolved limestone extracted from the water through their body. The coral reef then becomes home to millions of organisms that become a rich food supply for all manner of marine life, both animal and plants.

Climate change, in particular, is threatening this unique ecological relationship between reefs and the organisms it supports. Increasing water temperatures bought about by global warming causes bleaching events that destroy the coral, thereby effecting the health of the organisms and marine life it supports. Another of the longer term impacts of coral bleaching could be that the Reef, which creates a buffer between ocean currents and the shore, is destroyed, leaving the Queensland coastline vulnerable to an increased number of storms, larger tides and other events related to the changing ocean currents.

I wrote this chapter of the book in early 2008 and only a year and a half later I am now reading that things are looking even more dire for all reefs around the world. An article on the UK's Guardian newspaper titled Why coral reefs face a catastrophic future refers to a recent report by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority stating that "the overall outlook for the Reef is poor and catastrophic damage to the ecosystem may not be averted". This article by David Adam sums up the issues very well and suggests that coral, like many other living things on the Planet, can recover, but it requires a massive decrease in carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere - much more than what is being targetted for. Recovery can occur if the reef structure remains strong, even in the midst of coral bleaching. However, the amount of carbon dioxide we have emitted globally over the last 100 years has turned oceans very acidic, which is gradually destroying the structure of most reefs. This phenomenon is what is causing much of the pessimism in marine scientists.

If the pessimism is warranted, and there is no reason to suggest that it isn't, then it would surely have to rank as one of the first big global catastrophes caused purely by global warming and climate change. If a colourless and lifeless Great Barrier Reef becomes reality - remember it is one of the wonders of the world - then, as the Report states, "the path of a mass extinction event (begins), when most life, especially tropical marine life, goes extinct." The article also quotes another pessimistic expert: "I don't think reefs have much of a chance. And what's happening to reefs is a parable of what is going to happen to everything else."

My question then is: do people really understand how critical reefs are to the future health of the Planet? And do people realise how catastrophic climate change really is? Those that have visited and experienced reefs first hand might understand. If you get the chance, it might be worth your while experiencing an eco-tour of one of the remaining Reefs mentioned in the Guardian article, which includes those in the Florida Keys, Jamaica, Scarborough Reef in the South China Sea, the Hawaiian Islands and Indonesia's Seribu Islands. Added to this list should be Australia's own Ningaloo Reef, which is located off the Western Australian coastline - it's remoteness means that it has not been affected as much as the Great Barrier Reef has.

A Trip Back in Time: Riding San Francisco’s Cable Cars

2009-08-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

I love spending time in environmentally-friendly San Francisco, one of the world’s great cities. If you also like your city accessible and architecturally and culturally significant then San Francisco is a must. On my most recent stay in San Francisco I went a little upmarket and stayed in Nob Hill. Perched on top of one of the many lung-busting hills that characterise the city, “Snob Hill” is home to some of San Francisco’s grandest buildings. The 1906 earthquake and fires destroyed many a Nob Hill mansion but the rebuilding was still impressive, with the big four of San Francisco’s grand hotels The Stanford, The Hopkins (Intercontinental) The Huntington and The Fairmont dominating the area.

Anyone that has been to San Francisco knows that staying in Nob Hill can result in several hellish walks up streets like Powell or California to get home. The alternative is one of the city’s great tourist attractions – the famous San Francisco cable cars. It never ceases to amaze me how these old bell-ringing cars seem to give people so much joy, especially those passengers hanging off the side as the cable car moves slowly up the hill. I still haven’t worked out whether they are laughing at gasping pedestrians left behind in the cable car's wake or simply experiencing something they’ve only ever seen in old movies. Maybe a bit of both!

There are only three cable car routes left in San Francisco to get people up and over its biggest hills – the Powell Street/Hyde Street line (from Market Street to Fisherman’s Wharf, which is the most popular); the Powell Street/Mason Street Line (from Market Street to North Point near Fisherman’s Wharf) and the east-west California Line (along California Street between The Embarcadero financial district and the Van Ness district via Nob Hill). The crowds that form at the bottom of Powell Street near Market Street in the centre of San Francisco’s main retail precinct can snake back quite a long way – some days resembling the longest line for the most popular roller coaster ride at a fun park. If you get annoyed by waiting, I’d try out the California Street Line beginning at The Embarcadero – it doesn’t get you to Market Street or Fishermans Wharf but it does take you up through Nob Hill and past its magnificent buildings.

The Powell/Hyde and the Powell/Mason lines also take you past the engine room of the Cable Car system – the Cable Car Barn and Powerhouse museum. Not only is this a great place to learn how each car moves along the tracks, you also get to learn about the history of the cable car in San Francisco and the pressure the system once faced when all American cities were replacing street railways (cable cars and trams) with new low cost buses. And the best bit of all is that it is free to enter and roam around!

Many "youngsters" are surprised to learn how simple it is to operate a cable car system. You’ll notice on each car that there are "drivers" manoeuvring a giant lever – they pull down on the lever to get up the hill and let go slowly when going down the hills. That's basically it - there is no engine involved in powering the car. Although, as a bit of an "oldie" these days, I knew that the giant handle was gripping an underground cable , I wasn’t quite sure how the underground cables were being moved. You’ll find out how as soon as you enter the museum. The first thing you will see is nine giant revolving wheels of cables (the only power used on the whole system is the electrical energy required to revolve the wheels) - the same cable that leaves the museum and travels under the streets that the cable cars run on. The big wheels create enough tension on the cables for each car’s lever to grab on to so the car can be taken up and down the streets.

The Museum also shows you that the cable car system was quite extensive back in the day. Although the cable cars don’t get you everywhere anymore, the rest of San Francisco's public transport system certainly tries hard. There really is no need to drive a car in this beautiful looking city: you’ve got the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) that connects you to San Francisco’s southern parts (including a direct connection to SFO International Airport) and east across the Bay to Oakland and beautiful Berkeley and the MUNI, San Francisco’s bus and light rail system that seems to access nearly every main street in the region.

There is also a great cycleway path that runs right around the edge of the Bay between San Francisco’s two great bridges – the Golden Gate and the Oakland Bay bridges. It is not only one of the prettiest bike trails you’ll ride, it is also surprisingly flat, except if you want to actually ride over the Golden Gate – you have a bit of a steep hill to climb to get up to it. But the views from the crown of the Golden Gate Bridge back towards the City and beyond are breathtaking and well worth the heart pumping climb.

So, next time you are in San Francisco, make sure you take a ride on the cable car no matter how touristy you think it might be. Not only will you be supporting a transport system that generates next to no greenhouse gas emissions, you'll be taken for a ride back in time to the glory days of urban public transport.

Sustainable Shopping Streets - Portland, Oregon

2009-08-17T02:39:00.000-07:00

Oregon's modern, clean and now rapidly growing capital (current population is 2 million and increasing) often tops America's greenest city lists. This is because it is very well planned - it has an excellent public transport network (particularly the MAX light rail), great walking and cycling links, and many parks and gardens.

Given its green reputation, it is no shock that Portland has a large number of sustainable businesses to choose from, especially organic restaurants, bars and micro breweries. You'll find many of these in the Downtown area (between Burnside and Jefferson east of the Willamette River) and in the trendy Pearl District north of the Downtown area. You can check out the most popular sustainable Portland shopping streets here.

Where to Golf on Your Sustainable Holiday

2009-08-04T03:10:00.000-07:00

You've got to be kidding....golfing on a sustainable holiday? Golf courses around the world have historically been a real problem for the environment. Massive land clearing and earth moving to construct new courses; pollution of watercourses and ground water caused by the over use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals; massive amounts of water waste; and degredation of once natural areas and animal habitats....they are the major ones anyway. Those courses linked with humungous resort developments in once pristine natural environments exacerbate the impacts further. So how could anyone really seriously promote golf as a sustainable holiday activity?

Well, it can become more sustainable if the Audobon Green Golfer initiative, run by the not-for-profit natural environment educators Audobon International, makes an impact. It turns out that golf courses don't have to be so damaging on the environment - in fact they can provide many more positives for the environment than negatives if constructed and managed properly.

Web site Golf and the Environment provides some useful arguments for why golf courses can provide environmental and social benefits, including providing much needed open space (both passive and active) within built up open communities - for all animals, including humans; buffering and preserving adjoining natural areas within urban environments; establishing and preserving natural areas that support plants and wildlife native to the area; buffering and supporting adjoing water courses; filtering stormwater runoff through golf course wetlands and turfgrass; rehabilitating degraded landscapes (especially on flood prone land); promoting physical and mental well being; and educating golfers about working with nature and adopting environmentally-sound management practices. Most golfers know that there is potential - they have often experienced playing on courses that are rich in bird and animal life and provide a great escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. These are obviously some very good advantages - if only the negatives weren't so damn negative.

The Audobon Green Golfer thinks there is no real need for so many golf course related environmental negatives. So much so that they have set a challenge to all golf course managers, curators and superintendents to support best practice environmental stewardship practices. Some of these best practice measures include minimising irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide use by using native or naturalised vegetation on the course wherever practicable and to isolate all potential contaminants from soil and water. Golfers themselves can take the Green Golfer Pledge to play their role in good environmental stewardship practice, such as replacing divots and picking up trash along the way.

So where do you find a course adopting and promoting environmental best practice on your travels. To my amazement, there are over 600 golf courses around the world that Audobon International have certified for their good environmental practice. You can click here to find an eco-friendly golf course to play on. Although the jury is still out as to whether golf courses could be truly considered a sustainable activity, at least Audobon International are making gains in promoting a better way for golf courses to add real value to the natural environment.

Sustainable Shopping Streets - Surry Hills, Sydney

2009-07-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

Sydney's popular inner-city villages contain a smattering of sustainable businesses, including Newtown, Glebe and Darlinghurst, but the fastest growing has been Surry Hills, an easy walk east of Central Sydney between Oxford Street to its north and Cleveland Street to its south.

A walk south down Crown Street - the retail spine of Surry Hills - will take you close to all the best sustainable shops in Surry Hills. The northern end of Crown Street is where you'll find most of the trendy vintage clothes shops; the middle section contains some great organic food stores and cafes; and the southern end of Crown and on Cleveland Street is where you'll find some trendy fashion boutique stores. Check out my favourite Sustainable Surry Hills businesses here.

Tour de Australia

2009-07-12T03:33:00.000-07:00

I have just been watching some of the Tour de France cycling race on TV and was thinking how fabulous it would be to ride the route at a much more leisurly pace....much more leisurely. The scenery is just breathtaking - although I'm sure the riders, who seem to be going as fast as cars, aren't taking too much notice of their surroundings. But it reminded me how great bicycles are at giving you a personal perspective of the countryside or city/town you might be visiting, rather than seeing it through a window. Although walking is my favourite tourist activity, cycling gives you a better ability to cover greater distances and more attractions, especially those that may be beyond walking and public transport distance.

Cycling gets a quite a major focus in my book Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies. It is obviously one of the most responsible ways to travel because it generates no greenhouse gas emissions - zero, naught, nada. And if you are fit enough and can handle long distances, what better way to see the surroundings along the way by using a bike to get from one town to another.

There are basically two ways you can bike it on your travels:

* Guided-tour cycling: Cycle tours are popular for those that want to take in some sights and activities along the way with a group. You can sign up for a day to take in the sights of your favourite city, or take a couple of days to tour local wineries or historical regions. I provide an extensive list of companies that you can book a cycling tour with in my book.

* Do-it-yourself: If you’d like to use a bike as your main form of transport on your travels, how about taking your bike with you (check your airline, train or bus carrier to find out how). Or, hire a bike when you arrive at your destination.

In Australia, there are several great cycle trails and pathways you can use, which are especially handy if you are a novice and have a fear of riding on roads with other vehicles.

Here are a pick of some of Australia's best trails and bikeways:

One of the great urban bikeways is the Torrens Trail in Adelaide, which takes you from the beach on one side of Adelaide through to the edge of the Adelaide Hills via the beautiful Victoria Parklands on the edge of the city centre. There is no better way of seeing Adelaide than traversing the breath of Adelaide's urban area via the Torrens Trail. And while you are there, why not check out some of the great winery trails available to you just north of Adelaide, namely the Reisling Trail through the Clare Valley and the Kidman Trail from the Adelaide Hills to the Barossa Valley.

Another great urban bikeway is the Yarra Trail in Melbourne, a cycleway that take you from Central Melbourne to its urban outskirts along the banks of the famous Yarra River. You get to travel through and see parts of suburban Melbourne that you would never get to if you weren't on a bike.

Australia's best overall cycling city is the Nation's capital, Canberra. Canberra’s extensive network of cycle paths is well separated from the roads, especially around Lake Burley Griffin and south through the suburb of Manuka. Canberra is not a large city and is generally flat so cycling is easily the best way to get around. Because of its popularity, there are many places you can hire a bike in Canberra, especially in Civic (CBD) area near the City Interchange bus depot or in Acton near the Australian National University.

For a real long distance experience (approximately 900km long) using a mountain or trail bike, how about the awesome Mawson Bike Trail in South Australia, which takes you from Adelaide up through the Adelaide Hills and then on past the Barossa and Clare Valleys all the way to the Flinders Ranges. You'll probably need a few weeks of backpacking and camping time for this one but there are several tour companies available (listed in the book) to help you complete the feat!

Another of Australia's great long distance trails is the Tasmanian Trail (approximately 480km long), which takes you through some of Australia's most spectacular wilderness areas. It extends from Devonport on the northern coastline right down the heart of the state past Cradle Mountain and down to Dover in the south of the Island state. Again, it might be best to negotiate the trail with a tour company.

Australia's Best Festivals and Events

2009-07-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

In Sustainable Australian Travel For Dummies, I provide a list of festivals and events that are attractive for tourists, especially sustainable tourists, wanting to experience the best Australia has to offfer - from a cultural, historical, environmental, artistic and just plain good fun perspective. Here is my list (in alphabetical order - the book lists these events in calendar order):

* Alice Desert Festival, Alice Springs, Northern Territory (mid to late August) is a showcase of life in Central Australia.

* Australia Day, Australia-wide (January 26) marks the landing of the First Fleet of convicts into Sydney Harbour in 1788. Some communities around Australia celebrate ‘Survival Day’ on this day in recognition of Aboriginal survival since European settlement.

* Barossa Under the Stars (picture left), Tanunda, South Australia (early February) has become a highly popular outdoor concert event within the premier wine growing region of Australia.

* City-to-Surf Fun Run, Sydney (second Sunday of August) is Australia’s premier road-running event with more than 60,000 Sydneysiders cramming the city streets on their way to Bondi Beach.

* Clare Valley Gourmet Weekend, Clare, South Australia (early May) showcases the Clare Valleys famous wines and gourmet organic foods.

* Coober Pedy Opal Festival, Coober Pedy, South Australia (Easter weekend) to celebrate the opal capital of the world and its unique outback culture.

* National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award Exhibition, Darwin, Northern Territory (mid August) represents indigenous artists from all over the country – a great opportunity to purchase authentic Aboriginal art.

* East Coast Blues and Roots Music Festival, Byron Bay, NSW (mid to late March) is a celebration of great music, social values and environmental awareness in the “green” capital of Australia.

* Festivale, Launceston, Tasmania is a three day celebration of Tasmanian food, wine and culture (second weekend of February).

* Flickerfest International Short Film Festival, Bondi Beach, Sydney (early January) screens the best Australian and global short films in an outdoor beachside setting.

* Floriade, Commonwealth Park, Canberra, ACT (mid September to mid October) is a blooming sea of colourful flowers free to the public to enjoy.

* Freedom Day Festival, Kalkarindji Heritage Precinct, Kalkarindji, Northern Territory (late August) is a yearly festival to celebrate and honour the crucial precedence that the local Gurinji people played in attaining Aboriginal land rights and equal pay.

* Henley-on-Todd Regatta (picture right), Alice Springs, Northern Territory (late August) is a tongue-in-cheek version of Britain’s famous Henley-on-Thames regatta – except the Todd River is usually very dry at this time of the year. It got cancelled in 1993 due to too much water!

* Jazz in the Vines, Tyrells Vineyard, Pokolbin, NSW (late October) combines locally produced food, world-rated wines and a renowned jazz musicians in a relaxing and spacious out door setting.

* Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne (mid March to mid April) is one of the three largest comedy festivals in the world alongside Edinburgh and Montreal.

* Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show, Carlton Gardens, Melbourne is Australia’s biggest flower show held in the picturesque Carlton Gardens and the adjoining Royal Exhibition Building.

* Moomba Waterfest and Parade, Melbourne, Victoria (early March) is one of Australia’s longest running festivals and street parades.

* NAIDOC and Jinjinburra Didgeridoo Festival, Gin Gin, Queensland (early July) is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and traditions.

* Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach, Victoria (mid to late March) the world surfing tour for men and women hit Australia’s premier wave location this time every year.

* Sustainable Living Festival (picture left), Federation Square, Melbourne (mid February) has become one of the world’s premier green events.

* Sydney Film Festival, State Theatre, Sydney, NSW (throughout June) is Australia’s premier showcase of new and international films in the beautiful State Theatre.

* Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, Sydney (late Feb/early March) is the world’s largest celebration of gay and lesbian culture with the highlight being the world famous Mardi Gras parade on Oxford Street.

* Sydney to Gong Bike Ride, starts Sydney and finishes Wollongong (first Sunday in November) Australia’s most popular bike ride for charity. A 90km ride from Sydney to Wollongong past some stunning coastal scenery.

* Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, NSW and Tasmania (Boxing Day December 26) is not only Australia’s premier yacht race but a Boxing Day institution, with its colourful spinnaker start drawing thousands to the Sydney Harbour foreshore. It finishes on the Derwent in Hobart around two (for the winner) to five days (for the stragglers) later.

* Tamworth Country Music Festival, NSW (Tamworth s 459km/285 miles north-west of Sydney) is Australia’s premier country music festival that takes place in late January.

* The Sydney Festival, NSW, in January is a month- long series of concerts, exhibitions and talks held in the centre of Sydney.

* Tour Down Under, South Australia (starts the third week of January) is Australia’s answer to the Tour de France – a week long cross country cycling event starting and finishing in Adelaide and taking in the Barossa and the Adelaide Hills.

* Tropfest, The Domain, Sydney (Sunday on the third weekend of February) is the largest short film festival competition in the world, simulcast from The Domain to other Australian cities.

* WOMADelaide World Music Festival, Botanic Park, Adelaide (early March) is a celebration of world music, culture and food.