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Luxury Travel

Archives for April 2023

Charitable Traveller talks to Claudia Rodriguez, area commercial director, about Dreams Tulum Resort, and its relationship with the Tulum Foundation.

What is the Tulum Foundation?

The Tulum Foundation was launched by the owners of Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa in 2006 with the goal of supporting local children and protecting the Mayan culture throughout the local community. The Tulum Foundation provides a well-rounded array of services including scholarships for students to attend collegiate-level courses and helps support the preservation of Tulum’s surrounding ecosystem. Evolving over time, the Foundation also provides health assistance, such as basic medical and dental care, and also created a mobile library to promote literary arts throughout the community.

Who created the Tulum Foundation

Seeing a need to support the culture of the Mayan people throughout Tulum during the spike in tourism, the owner of Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa, Maria Rosa Sandretto, established the Foundation in 2006. The non-profit was developed to not only preserve the culture of the Mayan people but also promote and cultivate the skillset of colleagues and local members of the community while promoting art and culture throughout the destination. The work that the Foundation has done under Maria’s guidance has positively impacted all facets of the community. The resort is based on the edge of Tulum National Park, so the social and environmental responsibility is something the resort and the Foundation take seriously.

Alongside the good work of the Tulum Foundation, what other sustainable measures does Dreams Tulum have in place?

Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa, part of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection, is only one of two resorts in Quintana Roo to be recognised as a green hotel. The resort takes this responsibility seriously, and this prestigious recognition is a direct reflection of the efforts this resort has made to prioritise the community and the environment within its operating model.

What does this mean for guests staying at the Dreams Tulum Resort?

Reflective of Hyatt’s World of Care philosophy, guests of Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa can book with confidence knowing that every aspect of their stay has been well thought out. From the front desk to housekeeping to the food & beverage department, everyone is doing all they can to not only make sure that the guest experience is a memorable one but minimise the environmental impact as well. In addition to the efforts of Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa colleagues, guests can also take part in Foundation efforts. For example, guests have an opportunity to visit Foundation-supported schools, which provides an opportunity for guests to give back to the local community and has become increasingly popular in recent years.

How is the Tulum Foundation funded?

There are several ways colleagues, guests and members of the community can get involved. Guests can donate to the Foundation by visiting select areas throughout the resort or through the Foundation’s website, fundaciontulum.org. For those looking to bring supplies during an upcoming stay, guests can reach out to the resort directly and obtain a list of current needs, in advance of travel.
Book your stay at Dream Tulum Resort & Spa with Charitable Travel and donate 5% of the price to the charity of your choice for free!

You’re never too old for a new travel adventure!

I was inspired this week by my 93-year-old aunt who took herself off to Turkey last Monday for a holiday. Widowed four years ago and never in the best of health, she got a taxi to Stansted airport at 0330, caught her flight at 0530 and was sending me photos of her by the pool in the afternoon. She is travelling alone but has made friends at the hotel and is having a marvellous time!

All sorts of help are available for the more mature traveller, such as Meet and Greet at the airport, buggy transport through the airport, the comfort of an airport lounge and help embarking and disembarking the plane.

If you are lucky enough to afford to travel in style, it gets even better: premium economy or business class on flights makes a big difference as you have more legroom. If you are visiting relatives in far-flung places like Australia and New Zealand, it can help to break the journey and spend the night in an airport hotel in Dubai or Singapore.

Staying in an elegant hotel, even if you are no longer able to enjoy swimming in the sea or pool, means that you can experience fine dining, feel the warmth of the sun on your face and relax. You’ve worked hard all your life and you deserve it!

Obvious choices for senior luxury travellers are elegant small cruise ships, iconic train journeys and small group tours. Many older clients find themselves alone again after losing a partner, but this does not need to stop you from travelling. The chances are you will meet like-minded travellers and it is never too late to form new friendships.

Some clients of mine, now in their sixties and always great explorers, recently returned from a trip to Costa Rica, having not travelled since just before Covid. They were in raptures about their trip and vowed not to hesitate to do as much long-haul travel as they can over the next ten years or so, while they are physically able. They said they had lost their nerve a bit and thought they were getting too old for adventurous trips, but they have returned with a spring in their step and relieved that the kind of travel they have always loved and looked forward to, is far from over yet!

I think the trick is to choose your holiday carefully and to slow the pace down a little. By all means, go on excursions, but allow downtime as well. Go and see the temples, but not in the midday heat. Ride a tuk-tuk through bustling city centres, hire a local driver to show you the sights in the comfort of an air-conditioned 4×4. Take a cable car or a train to the top of the mountain.

A couple of hotels I know are very good at accommodating more mature travellers are:

Spice Island, Grenada
Jamaica Inn, Jamaica
East Winds, St Lucia (especially welcoming to singles)
The Body Holiday, St Lucia (great for spas)

So, do not mothball those suitcases, whatever you do and start planning your next big adventure!!

Feeling inspired? Book your next escape now. Get in touch with Lizzi by emailing [email protected] to book your dream trip!

The magic of travel is in exploring new destinations, learning about new cultures, and making memories with your loved ones. With our unique range of trips, tours, and itineraries you can do just that – all while making a difference with your free 5% donation!

In this issue of the Charitable Traveller Report, you’ll find unbeatable travel deals, the latest news from our charity partners and the world of travel, your guide to fantastic sustainable hotels and resorts in South Africa, and a voluntourism opportunity in Portugal you won’t want to miss!

South Africa Tourism is taking responsible tourism seriously and is trying to encourage, support and facilitate the use of eco-friendly practices. When choosing your accommodation in South Africa, there is now a good choice of “green” establishments. Tourists should ideally look for lodges that strive to promote conservation and interaction between guests and the community. We at Charitable Travel have picked out the following lodges and hotels that not only fall into this category but whose projects are outstanding and inspiring:

Lekkerwater Beach Lodge

Lekkerwater Beach Lodge is situated just over a three-hour drive from Cape Town, along the garden route. A beachfront property with just seven rooms, it is perched between land and see atop the ancient dunes of De Hoop and is situated on an exclusive concession of the De Hoop nature reserve, famous for offering land-based whale watching. Part of the Natural Selection group of hotels and lodges, it is committed to environmental conservation and the need to protect Africa’s wildlife areas for the benefit of future generations, as well as to community outreach programs in villages close to the hotel.

1.5% of the cost of every guest’s stay at Natural Selection camps is committed to regional conservation and community outreach initiatives. Over and above the 1.5% contribution, Natural Selection has also introduced a per-person per night Conservation, Community and Reserve Fee. This non-refundable fee secures funds that are crucial to their areas of operation for protecting wildlife habitats and ecosystems, supporting communities, and managing reserves and concessions.

Grootbos Private Nature Reserve

A twenty-minute drive from Hermanus, on the Garden Route, Grootbos Private Nature Reserve offers luxury eco-friendly accommodation on a 2500-hectare private reserve, nicknamed the “big bush”, one of the most biodiverse landscapes in the world. It is also the perfect place to spot Southern Right Whales from June to November. It is not only a beautiful, peaceful place to stay, but it also funds the Grootbos Foundation.

The Grootbos Foundation was founded by the owners in 2003 and is dedicated to empowering others through ecotourism, enterprise development, sports development, and education. All their projects are replicable and scalable, with many generating their own income or becoming partially self-sustaining. From coaching football, computer training, providing meals and education, to clearing alien vegetation, each programme has been carefully considered to build a brighter future for the people who live here, as well as the environment.

Beyond the community programmes, the foundation also conducts research into ecological, educational, and social issues – and then finds impactful solutions.

MalaMala Game Reserve

MalaMala is a game reserve located within the wider Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Mpumalanga province, South Africa. It is one of the best-known game reserves, also both the largest and the oldest private Big Five game reserve in South Africa. It covers around 130 km2 or 15,000 hectares of land. In Xitsonga, the name MalaMala means Kudu, it was named so because of the abundance of these animals within the game reserve. In less enlightened times, the indigenous Tsonga people were forcibly removed during the 1900s to create the game reserve.

The Nwandlamhlarhi Community successfully claimed the MalaMala game reserve and the land was restored to them in 2015. MalaMala is now one of the few genuine black economically empowered eco-tourism businesses in South Africa and is committed to the delivery of long-term, tangible benefits to the local community. The Mintirho Community Development Trust was established in 2017 and is funded by a tourist levy paid by each guest. The money helps to fund hospitality and tourism academies, technical colleges, cooking schools and conservation academies, to name a few. The qualifications gained at these institutions are essential for community-based students looking to forge a career in eco-tourism.

In addition, a dedicated group of professional photographers and friends of MalaMala have donated wildlife photographs, all captured in MalaMala Game Reserve. They will be sold as ‘limited edition’ photographs to assist in raising funds to support critical community projects and to continue the invaluable work being done by local anti-poaching teams.

Noka Camp - Lepogo Lodges

One wouldn’t necessarily expect ultra luxury lodges with every high-tech gadget, a Heston Blumenthal-trained chef who specialises in African-Asian fusion gourmet food, wonderful quirky interior design from Cape Town and even ……..a helipad, all in the middle of the African Bush! But Noka Camp has created this luxury environment while still ticking off the requirements to be included in this blog about environmentally friendly and sustainable South African lodges. Noka Camp belongs to the Lepogo Lodges group and promises to offset every international guest’s carbon footprint from when they leave their homes to when they arrive at our lodge and back again.

Different modes of transport and different styles of travel carry different levels of emissions. When you are at the lodge, their team will go through your journey with you and calculate the carbon emissions for your journey. They then convert this to a monetary figure and ask the guest to choose which of their projects they would like to use to offset their carbon footprint. These projects include reforestation, animal breeding and reintroduction programs, a reduce-reuse-recycle principal, and a community engagement, education, and investment program.

Shamwari Private Game Reserve

Shamwari Private Game Reserve has long been a favourite safari destination for families from the UK, partly because it is in a malaria-free area of Africa but also because it is an education in itself for children, the future generation, and one could argue that what they learn here cannot be learnt from textbooks! It has supported conservation and sustainability projects for over 30 years.

The Shamwari Conservation Experience welcomes participants from all walks of life. Volunteers, adventure-seeking travellers, gap-year students, adults taking work sabbaticals… Anyone with a passion for nature conservation! Shamwari Private Game Reserve is truly passionate about the conservation of nature and the animals within its borders.

One of its endeavours includes the Shamwari Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, which helps to rehabilitate and care for sick, injured, abandoned or orphaned animals under the care of its professional veterinary team. Once these animals have been nursed back to health, they are released back into their natural habitat.

Over the years the Born Free Foundation has been able to rescue several big cats from impoverished situations. Born Free focuses on promoting the conservation of species and the protection of habitat whilst maintaining a humane and compassionate approach to the welfare of animals.

The Born Free Foundation is a registered charity organisation and therefore solely relies on donations. No entry fees are charged, but a monetary donation is appreciated. The rescue and education centres home rescued lions and leopards from across the world and is an enlightening experience for all visitors.

Shamwari Private Game Reserve is also involved in Rhino conservation and educational programs for schools which aim to support local disadvantaged communities.

Oceana Beach & Wildlife Reserve

Oceana Beach & Wildlife Reserve is located on the malaria-free Sunshine Coast in the Eastern Cape. The luxurious accommodations overlook the warm Indian Ocean and are nestled in abundant greenery, making this a superbly peaceful environment. Nestled between the ocean and a wildlife reserve just south of Port Alfred on the Eastern Cape, Oceana Beach and Wildlife Reserve provides you with easy access to more than 7 km (4.5 miles) of unspoiled beach. The nearby reserve is home to 220 birds and 30 animal species including giraffes and zebra.

Oceana Beach & Wildlife Reserve belongs to the hotel group MANTIS, which provides experiences that connect guests to nature, educates them, and enhance their perspective on life. Mantis has founded an NPC which raises funds for and implements community and conservation projects. These include the procurement of sustainable products to be used and sold in all MANTIS properties. They also promote adventures that have been carefully crafted and made available without harming the natural world. MANTIS hotels are experience-centric, giving guests access to rare encounters and destinations including wildlife safaris, and community and cultural experiences in remote destinations.

For more information about these incredible hotels and how you can travel responsibly, contact Lizzi at Charitable Travel.

Feeling inspired? Book your next sustainable luxury South African escape now. Get in touch with Lizzi by emailing [email protected] to book your dream trip!

what is Songkran festival?

Songkran is a festival marking the beginning of Thai New Year and is all about making a fresh start with a splash! 

From the 13th to the 15th of April, Thailand celebrates its New Year with the world’s wettest festival, Songkran. Here’s everything you need to know about the annual national holiday… 

Songkran is the most important event in the Thai calendar. The occasion is both spiritual and fun; celebrated with paying respect to Buddha in temples to street parties with lots of music, and a fun water fight taking place on the streets of Thailand!   

Songkran is a major Buddhist holiday in Thailand. The origin of Songkran relates directly to Buddhism, and its rites and rituals remain central to modern celebrations. Every Songkran holiday period includes at least one visit to a local temple for prayers in addition to offerings of food and alms to monks.

Many Thai people believe that water is spiritually purifying, and it cleanses you of any bad luck or grievances from the past year and blesses you with fortune and happiness for the year ahead. 

Although this festival originated with locals collecting water that had been poured over Buddha statues for cleansing, it has since developed into a kingdom-wide water fight occurring in April which also happens to be Thailand’s hottest month. 

why is songkran so special?

Songkran is the ultimate fun festival.  In a nutshell: vast quantities of water are stored in whatever vessels take your fancy (squirt guns, buckets, and water balloons are all acceptable) before being used to lovingly drench your nearest and dearest. 

It’s a welcome reprieve from the heat but has a serious side too, the original focus being on enriching religious intentions and building family bonds. 

Many families wake up early during Songkran and visit Buddhist temples, where they bring offerings such as food and listen to monks as they preach. (Buddhism is a religion practiced mostly in eastern and central Asia.) Visitors sprinkle clean or scented water over statues of Buddha to represent purification and good fortune. Younger people also pour water into the hands of elderly relatives and friends to show their respect and ask for blessings in the coming year. 

Some temple visitors bring sand, which is meant to replenish the sand that’s been carried away on shoes throughout the year. They leave the sand in stupas (or mounds) on the ground, which are then decorated with colourful flags and flowers. 

how to prepare for songkran

Be sure to collect water in buckets, squirt guns, and anything else you can find, then hit the streets to playfully splash each other, as that is what the locals do! It’s a good thing April is one of the hottest months of the year in Thailand! 

what else should i do in thailand in april?

Thailand is moving from the high season into the hot season. You could head north – it’s cooler in the highlands. Alternatively, cool off on the islands and beaches in the south: dive off Ko Tao, climb in Krabi, kayak around Phuket or hang in a hammock wherever you like. 

Written by Safe Child Thailand

8 days exploring Northern thailand from £705pp!

Northern Thailand is a treasure trove filled with glittering temples, ancient ruins, exotic market places, sumptuous foods. Explore the capital of Siam’s golden age at Sukhothai, visit the bustling markets of Chiang Mai, and stay at a special homestay with local friends and enjoy a traditional khantok dinner. This tour includes return flights, accommodation throughout, experienced tour guides, selected meals, and in-destination transport from £1,805pp! See full details here.

Longer days are here and the summer vibes are intensifying, but your dose of sunshine needn’t be limited to the British summer months… we’re here to help you plan and book great getaways all year round.

In this edition of the Charitable Traveller Report, you’ll find the very hottest travel offers, fascinating articles from Charitable Traveller Magazine, another look at sustainable South Africa, and a fantastic year-round schedule of sights and attractions in Jersey.