Sustainable Tourism

Releasing Seals into the Wadden Sea & Travel Tips for Friesland

June 26, 2017 by Karen Turner 17 Comments

Our weekend trip to Friesland was magical as it included releasing seals back into the wild (technically starting in Groningen, but we sailed into Frisian water), taking a boat tour to the UNESCO world heritage site of the Wadden Sea, enjoying the sandbanks/views of the Frisian islands, and exploring the traditional polder landscape of Friesland as well as the cute cities of Friesland.

For those seeking an ethical animal experience to add to their travel bucket list, releasing wild seals back in the wild is a must. If you’re looking for the best activities to do in the Netherlands, I definitely rank this responsible tourism do as one of my favorite memories.

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Two weeks in Borneo: Your adventurous Borneo itinerary for the best things to do in Borneo

March 1, 2018 by Karen Turner 9 Comments

Visiting Borneo was a dream of mine ever since I was a child watching National Geographic video series about the biodiversity in Borneo. Planning my trip to Borneo took quite a bit of time as Borneo is one of the world’s largest islands with three countries.

As I only had two weeks for Borneo, I had to choose carefully what to do in Borneo. This was my itinerary for two weeks in Borneo, focusing on Malaysia and Brunei. I tried to include the best things to do in Borneo, which makes it easy to stretch this Borneo itinerary to four weeks in Borneo depending on your interests.

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Secret Malta: A local’s guide to the most beautiful places in Malta

May 31, 2018 by Karen Turner 1 Comment

Malta is one of those countries that makes you fall in love with Europe, but how do you avoid all the crowds in Malta? Today, a Maltese local is here to tell you about the off the beaten path side to Malta that most tourists don’t see with some secret places in Malta that you won’t want to miss on your trip to Malta. Keep reading for Lenise’s insider tips for the most beautiful places in Malta that you may not already know!

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Vlaggetjesdag, Hollandse Nieuwe Haring, and herring in the Netherlands

August 30, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

Is there anything more Dutch than herring? This favorite fish is a staple of the Dutch diet, yet many foreigners know little about it. Ever since moving to the Hague, I was lucky enough to experience Vlaggetjesdag, an amazing yearly celebration of herring season in the Netherlands. I’ll be discussing Vlaggetjesdag, Dutch herring, and the amazing cultural legacy of Hollandse Nieuwe Haring.

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Ransdorp: A taste of the Dutch countryside within Amsterdam

January 22, 2019 by Karen Turner 3 Comments

For those looking for an easy bike ride from Amsterdam, I recommend visiting Ransdorp. Although you might not believe it, this scenic village is actually part of Amsterdam although you’ll feel a world’s away when you visit. This tiny village of about 300 residents will give you a nice taste of the Dutch countryside without leaving Amsterdam proper over a scenic bike ride that should take up part of an afternoon. Keep reading for more information about visiting Randsdorp and the best things to do in Ransdorp.

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Sustainable Borneo Travel: Cruising on the Kinabatangan River

February 11, 2017 by Karen Turner 21 Comments

I loved the National Geographic movies about the ecosystems of the world as a child, so I always dreamed of visiting Borneo. However, Borneo is a huge island composed of three countries, so you need to decide where you’re going to go. I chose the amazing Malaysian province of Sabah due to its accessibility by budget airlines (AirAsia) and the Kinabatangan river for its amazing wildlife.

A square inch of land in Borneo is supposed to be more biodiverse than ANY other place on the planet. This Borneo travel guide covers my experience visiting the beautiful Kinabatangan river, advice about the Kinabatangan river packages you’ll find, the Borneo ecotour that I chose, and information about the animals you’ll see in Borneo!

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46 beautiful photos of Kosovo that will inspire you to visit Kosovo

October 15, 2017 by Karen Turner 12 Comments

Kosovo was one of those countries that made me wish that I had all the time in the world to experience every country. With on time buses, ridiculously friendly locals who spoke great English who occasionally gave us free dessert, beautiful mountains, amazing architecture, a fascinating history, small distances between its major cities, and low prices, Kosovo is the perfect country for travelers interested in diving into Balkan culture and history. Ready to see 40+ beautiful Kosovo photos?

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50 beautiful photos of Albania that will inspire you to visit Albania

December 27, 2017 by Karen Turner 6 Comments

After visiting Kosovo last year, I was told that I needed to visit Albania. I started looking up photos–and I was sold instantly. I visited Albania this summer and it was my favorite trip of 2017 hands down. Why? The beautiful nature, incredible hiking, historic cities, warm weather, delicious byrek, and decent prices… What else could one ask for in a vacation? Keep scrolling for beautiful photos of Albania, including photos of the most beautiful places in Albania that we visited. I truly hope this post inspires you to visit Albania.

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8 reasons why your hotel maid hates you and how to be a better hotel guest by a hotel maid

June 15, 2018 by Karen Turner 10 Comments

As someone who has worked has worked in the service industry, I believe that it’s so important to treat the people who work at the restaurants, hotels, and businesses that you visit while traveling well. Today, a friend of mine who worked as a hotel maid (or housekeeper) is here to dish why your hotel maid might hate you—and how to be a better hotel guest. …

2 glimpse: The new way to meet locals abroad

August 31, 2018 by Karen Turner Leave a Comment

One of the hardest things to do is to meet locals in a new place. I write this as someone who has traveled extensively, but not always found someone that I’ve clicked with. I recently tried out a new website called 2 glimpse. I’ll be discussing how I made a friend while traveling using this great alternative to Couchsurfing! This is a review of the 2 glimpse website.

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