Archive for April, 2009
Travel Tip - Seek Out The Least Promoted Areas
Saturday, April 25th, 2009When researching a holiday, you might notice that some areas are far more heavily promoted and visited than others. Usually it is because these places are worth visiting - but that doesn’t mean that the less popular and less advertised places have nothing to offer. On the contrary, if you have the flexibility to choose your own route, you might uncover hidden gems if you:
Identify the areas least promoted in tourist literature - then go there.
While it’s true that lack of appeal to visitors can be one reason for a lack of promotion, other common reasons include:
- The area may lack the accommodation, roads and other facilities required to support large numbers of visitors. Tour companies may bypass the area for this reason alone.
- There may not be enough businesses or commercial attractions in the area to fund the sort of advertising that can compete with the big tourist areas.
- The area may be “geographically inconvenient” and not fit easily into typical touring routes. While not preventing visitors, this may inhibit their numbers.
- The residents may not want the sort of growth that mass-market tourism brings.
The road past Great Lake is no tourist hot-spot, but it leads to some fine sights
Lack of promotion to tourists doesn’t necessarily mean there is nothing to see. If you make the effort to explore a less promoted region, any attractions you find can be enjoyed with fewer crowds, a more relaxed atmosphere, and the accommodation will probably be cheaper thanks to less demand.
The Maniototo region of New Zealand is a fine example. While this area does promote itself, such promotion is minuscule compared to that of the more popular areas, and it is not on the mainstream tourist itineraries. Because of this, I went there - and found a gorgeous region made more beautiful, in my mind, by the absence of mass tourism.
Another example is the central plateau of Tasmania around Great Lake and Arthur’s Lake, which doesn’t conveniently fit into the traditional tourist loop of Tasmania. With no significant tourist sites and limited accommodation, one travel guide described it as a bleak area with poor roads, of interest only to hardy trout fishermen. This only encouraged me to go there and see what others are missing - a landscape that is unique in Australia, with a subtle beauty defying the superficial bleakness. And because of the lack of publicity, I was able to enjoy it all without crowds.
If you’re fortunate enough to be planning a holiday, why not check a map and work out which areas are least promoted or not part of the popular touring routes. You never know what unexploited treasures may be hidden there.
Maniototo - not promoted much, but not crowded and not without charm
Note: this post has been adapted from one which first appeared on my other website
Topics: Odds and Ends | Add Your Comment »
Relaxed And Natural Stewart Island
Saturday, April 18th, 2009
Visiting some places can leave a lasting impression: one you can still feel years later without needing holiday photos to trigger memories. For me, one such place is Stewart Island, off the south end of New Zealand’s south island.
Most foreign visitors don’t make it that far south. To get to Stewart Island requires travelling to Invercargill, almost at the southernmost point of the mainland. From there it is either a one hour ferry ride from nearby Bluff, or a twenty minute flight. I’d heard the ferry crossing is notoriously rough, so I opted for the fllght, only to find the ride in the six passenger plane to also be very turbulent. However, it was worth whatever discomfort the G-forces inflicted.
As soon as the plane landed, it became apparent how unlike other tourist destinations Stewart Island is. The airport is a short strip on a hilltop, with just a couple of wind socks the only other structures. The pilot, who also issued the tickets at Invercargill, proceeded to unload luggage into the small van that drove right up to the plane. It was by far the most laid-back airport arrival I’ve experienced. A short ride in the mini-van brought us to Halfmoon Bay - comprised of just 390 people, it is the only settlement on the 60km long island, of which 85% is national park.
Halfmoon Bay, where the ferry arrives
Apart from the hotel/pub, a cafe and one shop, there is little to occupy those needing night-life and shopping. But that’s not what people come to Stewart Island for. The real drawcards are the simpler, slower lifestyle, and an unspoilt natural environment which includes lush rainforest, pristine beaches and waterways, plus an abundance of unique wildlife.
Two of my reasons for visiting Stewart Island were to hike the Rakiura Track, and view the birdlife on Ulva Island; I’ll write separately about these another time. Other people’s visits include hiking and wildlife viewing in other places, plus boating, kayaking, diving, fishing and hunting. While there are organised tours, cruises and guided walks, you can do many of these things on your own.
My third reason for visiting - one shared by most - was to simply relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Where better to do this than a place where nothing feels urgent, where ATMs and fast food don’t exist yet, where heavy traffic is impossible, and where the enchanted forest and native wildlife is much as it was before people came along.
Oban town centre
The Stewart Island website says it well: “our Island offers a special experience - a glimpse into a simpler, slower lifestyle, in rhythm with the sea and the tides, attuned to the natural world of bush and beach.” I can attest that there is no exaggeration in that statement, my delightful stay having done wonders for my mental health.
I left Stewart Island feeling refreshed, and glad that such places still exist. I was also in a dilemma - wanting to share this great treasure with other travellers, but at the same time wanting it to remain overlooked and therefore unspoiled by crowds. Fortunately the limited plane and ferry capacity, and the limited accommodation, impose strict on the numbers who can go there at any one time. Hopefully this will keep the island from being loved to death.
Golden Bay
Links:
Stewart Island - about the island, activities, facilities
Stewart Island Experience - ferry service, cruises
Stewart Island Flights - to the island, and remote parts of it
Note - Regular flights cost more than the ferry, but the extra cost of getting to Bluff to catch the ferry, as opposed to Invercargill airport, offsets some of the difference. If time permits, using standby fares can make flying cheaper. Flying one way and catching the ferry the other way is another option.
Topics: Attractions, New Zealand (south) | 2 Comments »
The Overlooked Mt King William, Tasmania
Monday, April 13th, 2009
Do you recognise the Tasmanian mountain in this photo? Most would either have no idea which it is, or else confuse it with the more famous Cradle Mountain, which is similar. If you recognised it as Mt King William 1 (without needing to read the text) … congratulations, you’re one of the few.
The first of three main peaks in the King William Range shares much with Cradle Mountain. Both are part of Tasmania’s central highlands, of comparable height, similar geology, and are regularly snowcapped in winter. Most notable is the strikingly similar shape, at least at first glance. However that’s where the similarities end. Cradle Mountain is a Tasmanian icon which every visitor travels far to get a glimpse of, whereas most of those same visitors drive right past Mt King William 1 without even stopping.
This overlooked and under-appreciated mountain is located near the middle of Tasmania - just south of the Lyell Highway which connects Hobart with the west coast. It’s only about 10km west of Derwent Bridge (the turn-off to Lake St Clair), and can be viewed from a small roadside rest area right on the divide between west- and east-flowing rivers. Being near the highway’s highest point (981m), the area can sometimes be in cloud … which could account for some not realising the mountain is there.
The rest area beside Lyell Highway
If Mt King William 1 is visible, I can recommend a rest stop to “smell the roses” and absorb the views. A little cloud can be a good thing, as varying light can quickly change the mood. Some small ponds also provide photo opportunities, and the fresh highland air can be invigorating after sitting in a car.
Virtually every visitor to Tasmania passes along this road. All it takes to enjoy a mountain which most barely notice is the decision to stop (weather permitting) and enjoy more of the journey, instead of pressing on to the destination.
Link:
Google map showing location of Mt King William 1 roadside rest area
Topics: Attractions, Tasmania | Add Your Comment »
Te Anau Wildlife Centre, NZ
Friday, April 10th, 2009
A friendly kaka
New Zealand has some great native birds you won’t find anywhere else, however many of them are rare or endangered, and hard to find out in the wild. You could pay to visit some sort of zoo or wildlife park, but a cost-free alternative is to visit the Te Anau Wildlife Centre.
This centre is run by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation, and houses native birds which are rare, endangered, injured or needing special care. It takes the form of aviaries and enclosures scattered among parklands on the edge of Lake Te Anau, about a kilometre from the town of Te Anau in the south island. Beneficiaries of this scenic sanctuary include the kereru (native pigeon), pukeko (blue flamingo), tui, kea, kakariki, kaka, takahe, and weka.
Although it can be reached by car, a more pleasant way to get there (weather permitting) is by following the path along the edge of the lake - about 15 minutes walk from the town’s visitor centre is all it takes. That’s how I accidentally found it … I went for a stroll to explore the outstanding lake views and see where the path went, and suddenly found myself among an amazing assortment of birds. You can get quite close to some of them (if they cooperate), and information panels tell you something about what you’re looking at.
Views on the walk to the centre
Most people visit Te Anau in order to see Milford Sound or Doubtful Sound, walk the Milford Track, or partake of the multitude of other well promoted excursions in the area. The Te Anau Wildlife Centre gets little publicity in comparison, but also deserves a place on any visitor’s itinerary. Seeing so many beautiful birds in one charming location, with no entry fee, is a blessing all too many visitors miss out on.
Link:
NZ Dept of Conservation - Te Anau Wildlife Centre
(more information, including map)
Topics: Alternatives, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »
Ludlow Tuart Forest, WA
Wednesday, April 1st, 2009
Once upon a time, the main road between Bunbury and Busselton in Western Australia passed right through the Ludlow Tuart Forest. The railway did too, so anyone in WA who ever went “down south” knew what a tuart tree looked like. You couldn’t miss them, the way they grew almost to the edge of the bitumen.
Times have changed. The railway is long gone, and a busy bypass takes traffic quickly around the edge of the forest. To see the tuart trees means diverting onto the overlooked old road … but it’s well worth the detour for anyone with an appreciation of Australia’s unique trees.
Tuart trees are native only to the coastal plain between Busselton and Jurien in the south west of Western Australia. They grow up to 40m high, live up to 500 years, and their stately grey trunks form an open forest different to others in the state. As with WA’s other tall forests, most have been cut down since Europeans settlement, leaving Ludlow Tuart Forest as the only surviving tuart forest anywhere.
Hiking in the forest is limited, with just a few roadside stopping places. But for anyone travelling between Bunbury and Busselton, the detour through the tuarts takes only minutes longer than following the traffic on the highway, and is a more scenic option - even if you don’t stop, or aren’t wild about trees. Tree-huggers will be rewarded with the sight of some majestic old trees you can’t see anywhere else.
Links:
WA Dept of Environment & Conservation - Tuart Forest National Park
The Wilderness Society - Campaign to save the Ludlow Tuart Forest
Google map showing location of road through Ludlow Tuart Forest
Topics: Scenic Roads, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »