tribes | We go where the crowds don't.

VANUATU, THE HAPPY ISLANDS

david jules — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:24:19 +0000

Voted as the happiest place in the world, Vanuatu might be the Pacific’s best-kept secret. Here, the ocean is blue, the beaches are white and empty and the smiles of the Ni-Van are big and plentiful. The greatest plus of these 83 islands that make up Vanuatu is that it offers a mix of comfortable to even luxury lodging and an authentic and fascinating culture. After climbing active volcanoes or visiting custom villages it’s time for extreme relaxation in one of the luxury resorts. Classe Touriste’s favourite hide-away is Ratua Island near Santo. Don’t expect aircon rooms with flat screen and hot tubs. Instead you get traditional wooden Indonesian villas where the wind cools down the midday heat. The waters around the island are so pristine that the sardines and barracudas practically jump onto your plate. All this comes with plenty of smiling and kindness from the local Ni-Van staff. So if you are in need for a serious dose of happiness, Vanuatu is the place par excellence.

WWW.RATUA.COM

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OUT OF THIS WORLD AND INTO BOTSWANA

david jules — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:53:20 +0000

Pack your bags (not more than 20 kg please and no Manolo or Gucci needed anyway), hop on a plane for half a day and embark on a trip of a lifetime. Final destination is Botswana where the mighty lions roar louder, the safari camps are more comfy and the views are more va va voom. If you need a helping hand to select one or two camps out of the numerous luxury options, then follow our advice and be a happy camper. First cruise the Chobe River on the red-hot riverboat the Zambezi Queen, which offers an unbeatable river experience and ultra-luxurious surroundings (however we heard some negative comments lately). Then head off to the Okavango Delta where Nxabega Camp from &Beyond is a delightful camp-away-from-home. Make sure you are there when the crew stages their fairytale bush dinner when there’re more candles burning than wild animals circling around in search for a juicy evening snack. Enough of all that water, head for the dry and salty Makgadikgadi Pans in the enigmatic Kalahari Desert. Base to stay is legendary Jack’s Camp where the décor, thanks to the colonial furniture supply of good old Jack and the design skills of owner Catherine Raphaely, is out of this world. Your neighbours here are the San or the local Bushmen. A meet & greet with them is an enlightening experience. Get up early in the morning to see the matey meerkats and be overly enchanted. But hey, don’t consider grabbing one to take home, even when they come sitting on your safari hat. They might look cute but they don’t dig the city life, they like their daily portion of crunchy scorpions and they are not keen on travelling long haul, even when it’s Upper Class.

WWW.UNCHARTEDAFRICA.COM
WWW.ANDBEYONDAFRICA.COM
WWW.ZAMBEZIQUEEN.COM

The post OUT OF THIS WORLD AND INTO BOTSWANA first appeared on Remote Experiences.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND THE LAST FRONTIER

david jules — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:11:00 +0000

There hasn’t been a lot written in press about Papua New Guinea. Maybe for the best. It’s out of this world, a place where you have to travel to without knowing too much. The colors speak for themselves, the expressions on the people’s faces too…

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KENYA REVISITED

david jules — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:20:00 +0000

The time is now to discover Kenya. The parks and the beaches are more empty, the rates are lower and the animals are still in millions and millions there. Kenya is by far the safari expert in Africa. This expertise is reflected in how people run the lodges and hotels and how friendly and welcoming the Kenians are. Despite the political issues, new lodges are still popping up around the country. Take the fantastic Saruni Samburu lodge for example, in the wild and more unknown north of the country. Open spaces, use of natural material, huge solar energy plant and a team that knows how to run a more upmarket lodge. Another exciting lodge is Joy’s Camp on the former grounds where Joy Adamson used to live. The charismatic couple Lara and Jamie run this camp and they know that even in the wild, in hospitality it’s all about details and taking good care of the smallest one. After the dust of the wide Kenian open, head for the Indian Ocean and stay at Kinondo Kwetu. A small secret, far away from the auwfull all-inclusive resorts along Diani Beach. The Swedish Anderson couple take care of their guest as if they are all close friends. The staff is so open and friendly you almost immeditately start planning a future trip to come back to Kenya and see more of this fantastic piece of Africa.

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