Volunteering in Indonesia without the correct visa is illegal. If you are wondering how to volunteer in Indonesia, you will first need to apply for a ‘Visit Visa’ and not a ‘Tourist Visa’. With a Visit Visa in Indonesia, you will then be able to do volunteer work.
Alternatively, one way to contribute to the locals while on a ‘Tourist Visa’ in Indonesia, would be in the form of donations – you can offer school materials, clothes, food items and more to people and organisations in need.
Getting caught for volunteering on your tourist visa in Indonesia may result in getting a fine or even getting deported from Indonesia. In recent years, there have been regular police visits at orphanages to check the legal status of volunteers.
It’s also important that you remember to do thorough background checks and research on the organisation you intend on volunteering at. For instance, it has been reported that the kids at Jodie O’Shea Orphanage in Bali aren’t necessarily orphans. They’re in fact, kids from poor families who have been brought from remote parts of Indonesia in order to solicit donations for the orphanage. For such reasons, it is crucial that you ensure you’re contributing to an ethical organisation. There are also cases of children being abused and volunteers getting scammed by orphanages in Bali or around Indonesia.
Sadly, volunteering in Indonesia has now become a trend and organisations have turned it into a business opportunity. It can be pretty tricky to find reputable volunteering organisations in Indonesia as corruption in the country is on the rise and licenses are easily granted. Because of this, we would suggest you pick a well-known international NGO to volunteer at – that way, you can make sure to contribute to a cause.
There are many elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, but the big question remains “how ethical are they?”. In fact, most parks in Thailand advertise themselves as ‘sanctuaries’ but not all truly are. One good way to evaluate whether an elephant sanctuary is ethical or not is to check what they offer in terms of activities. If you’re considering visiting an elephant sanctuary in Thailand, please, never go to a park that advertises shows, unnatural behaviour, tricks or painting – and please, never ride an elephant.
In fact, most ethical sanctuaries will usually limit tourists’ contact with the elephants and only allow you to observe elephants from a distance. Elephant activists also warn about elephant bathing sessions, stating that it is not normal or natural for elephants to spend so many hours in the water while people wash them. Here are a few elephant sanctuaries to avoid when traveling around Asia and beyond. We recommend you book through a reputable tour operator to ensure you’re not contributing to elephant exploitation and abuse.
List of ethical elephant sanctuaries in Thailand
- Elephant Nature Park
- Elephant Hills
- Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary
- Elephant Valley
- Burm and Emily’s Elephant Sanctuary
- Samui Elephant Haven
Why is elephant riding cruel?
For the longest time ever, elephant riding has been a popular activity among tourists in South East Asia, but many fail to realise that the elephants are often overworked and forced to obey their keepers.
Elephant riding is cruel because it goes against the well-being of these animals – the elephants are constantly trained and beaten in order to behave around tourists. Considering riding an elephant as part of your holiday activity will only mean you’re contributing to animal abuse – although elephants are used to carry materials, carrying only one adult and without a blanket or saddle on can cause massive spinal injury to elephants. These animals might appeal big in size but their spines cannot support the weight of people and therefore they’re at risk of potential permanent spinal injuries. For these reasons, we strongly suggest you opt out of riding elephants while on holiday as they go through traumatic and stressful training for the sake of tourists’ entertainment.
Contrary to popular belief, the island nation of Mauritius is not warm and sunny all year round. Mauritius does have a combination of warm rainy season, along with a cooler rainy season. If you are on the lookout for hot weather and clear skies, then the best time to visit Mauritius will be during the peak summer season, between December, January and February.
Do be mindful however as the hottest seasons also see higher chances of tropical storms (commonly known as cyclones). For this reason, we would personally recommend beginning or mid-December if you truly want to enjoy warm temperatures and little to no chance of getting caught in a tropical storm.
Is there a rainy season in Mauritius?
As a tropical island, Mauritius has a combination of warm rainy season between January to March, along with a cooler rainy season between June and September. Surprisingly, the wettest months in Mauritius would be during the hottest summer months between December to April as this is when cyclones are more likely to strike with strong winds and heavy rainfall.
What is the coldest month in Mauritius?
July and August are the coldest months in Mauritius. This is when temperatures can go as low as 15 degrees Celsius. During these months, you might also experience strong winds on the East Coast and daily rain. However, since these are considered as the low season, they’re a great period if you want great offers and good deals on holiday packages to Mauritius.
What is the hottest month in Mauritius?
January and February are when temperatures get really high in Mauritius. During these months, you can experience up to 30-32 degrees Celsius at times, with the average temperature being 28 degrees Celsius. This is a great period to visit Mauritius if you intend on spending most of your time by the beach. That being said, do be mindful that the hottest months also mean higher probabilities of tropical cyclones!
Although this disclosure has made the news, there has been no official statement published yet to ban tourists from Amsterdam’s coffee shops. The decision is still a mere proposal as part of the plans to discourage organised crimes in the city. As part of the proposal, it is suggested that only Dutch residents would be allowed in Amsterdam’s coffee shops – a decision that will only be taken and ultimately put in place from next year (2022). So are Amsterdam coffee shops open to tourists? Well, for now they are!
Soft drugs policy in The Netherlands
Many tourists are unaware of it but cannabis is technically illegal in the Netherlands – it is only ‘tolerated’. It is a criminal offence in the Netherlands to possess, produce or deal in drugs. This applies to soft drugs as well as hard drugs. The use of drugs by persons aged 18 years or older is not a criminal offence in the Netherlands. The possession of fewer than five grams (0.18 ounces) of the drug was decriminalised in 1976 under a “tolerance policy”. While production remains illegal, coffee shops are allowed to sell it.
Can you smoke weed in public in The Netherlands? Things to avoid in Amsterdam
Legally speaking, you can’t smoke weed in public in The Netherlands. For that reason, we would recommend you to only stick to the coffee shops if you want to smoke weed in The Netherlands. Please do remember that if you’re planning to buy Marijuana in The Netherlands, you should always do so over the counter and not from street dealers. If you’re still uncertain about the rules and regulations in place with regards to smoking weed in Amsterdam, you can pay a visit to the Coffeeshop Info Centre Amsterdam when in the city (located just a few minutes walk from Central Station)!
IMPORTANT TRAVEL NOTICE!: Having said all that, do remember that whatever shape or form, Cannabis is on the list of illegal substances in the UK, it is not tolerated like in The Netherlands. Therefore, legally speaking, you are NOT allowed to bring back cannabis from Amsterdam to the UK, even if baked in cookies or brownies.
While Europe is known for its art and history, UK travelers also enjoy the beaches. However, not everyone wants to be surrounded by people when they are relaxing at the seashore. Therefore, it helps to know where you can catch some rays without having to battle a crowd.
While many beach-goers like to hang out on the northern coast of Sardinia in Italy, you can enjoy more seclusions and fewer people on the west coast. This Mediterranean oasis is best enjoyed just past the village of San Giovanni di Sinis, where it lies in the shadow of the ancient Roman citadel called Tharros.
Another beach of note sits in the coastal region of one of the best-loved beach areas in Europe, the Algarve in Portugal. If you want to spend some quiet time in this part of the world, choose to go to the east coast, which lies next to Spain’s border. Praia da Ilha de Tavira, a small isle that floats placidly off the coast at Tavira is where you want to plan your beach holiday. The sand, which is thick, stretches along a calm an placid sea. While you will not find much natural shade, you can always rent a lounger and parasol to protect yourself from the bright sun.
You can also find a pleasant beach enclave in Spain. A Spanish gem, Sa Riera is a fishing village and beach rolled into one. Many visitors visit the spot to dive or snorkel. The sandy escape is known for its ancient ruins, caves, and shipwrecks, all which promise an unexpected adventure in the northeast coastal region called Costa Brava.
Opting to sleep in a sleeper car is well worth the money and is far different than staying up or dozing off in the seat in a coach compartment. If you want to really enjoy train travel, reserving a sleeper car can really add to the excitement of a train trip.
However, before you book a car, you need to consider the car’s location. Some travelers have gotten stuck at the end of the train and had a rather jarring train ride. When booking a car, make sure you affirm it is in a quieter area. After all, you will be paying extra for the amenity.
If you choose to go on Amtrak, you will discover that the Superliner sleeping cars offer 2 levels of private accommodations while the Viewliner cars are located on 1 level. Amtrak also features a Roomette and Bedroom car.
Both cars have full length beds, but are distinctly different. If you decide to really splurge, you might consider a deluxe bedroom on Amtrak’s Superliner, which comes with a private bathroom. Otherwise, you will have to go down the hall, in other cars, to access the bathroom or shower.
Because the Viewliner cars are lower in height, they can go through tunnels easily. Sleeping cars featured on this train line are always sold out far in advance.
If you plan to travel overnight, you won’t regret reserving a sleeper car. Just make sure that the car’s location is a good one and that you prepare for train travel far in advance of your scheduled holiday.
When you are taking a tour of the sights of a city, or touring a specific attraction, you can either take a self-guided tour or join a group with an experienced travel guide.
To be the right fit for a tour guide led experience, you need to have a curiosity about a specific site and like the idea of participating in a group activity. This type of tour is not for you if you prefer to explore things on your own and are more independent-minded.
People who like guided tours like to take advantage of the educational benefits of the tours, all which makes visiting a site or city more special and interesting to them. They may feel unsure about venturing out on their own and feel this type of tour experience is safer.
If you are someone who likes to follow an itinerary when you travel and would like someone to show you the way, so to speak, you will like being part of a group tour.
Also, a group tour is a great way to get to know others from different locales who have the same interest in a city or destination.
Therefore, a group tour is right for you if you like to explore new surroundings with other people and would feel more confident about visiting a location with an experienced travel guide.
If you want to focus on enhancing your social and educational experiences when traveling, a group-led tour will appeal to you.
