Category: Responsible Travel

  • The Horrible Truth About Animal Sanctuaries.

    Animal and wildlife sanctuaries are a huge part of the gap year industry now, and there are a lot of great sanctuaries that do so much good for wildlife care and conservation, but not all of these sanctuaries are what they seem and many often do far more harm than good. Read on and learn…

  • Thailand’s Cruel Tiger Temple Finally Shut Down.

    After years of false starts, impotent warnings and failed attempts, the Thai authorities have finally grown a backbone and confiscated all of the tigers in the infamous tiger temple, essentially shutting it down, and it is about damn time.

  • The Dark Truth About Orphanage Volunteering.

    Orphanage volunteering has become a serious international child protection issue in recent years despite being a popular staple of the gap year and voluntourism industries. Here is why every backpacker should avoid the orphanage volunteering traps on their gap year.

  • Slumdog Voyeur?

    As slum tours become increasingly popular in India and elsewhere around the world, travellers on their gap year have to ask themselves is it ethical to exploit the poor to assuage some privileged curiosity? Or is it supporting a poor community and providing them with much needed tourist dollars?

  • No More Tiger Selfies.

    Despite numerous attempts to shut the Tiger Temple in Thailand down, confiscate the tigers and even ban the monks from making a profit, tourists still line up to have their photo taken in a $3 million a year industry. It has to stop, and backpackers are the ones with the power to do it. Now…

  • Why Zoos Are An Important Part Of Responsible Wildlife Tourism.

    Despite being controversial, zoos are an essential part of the conservation chain. This article explains why and puts forward the argument that without zoos we wouldn’t have any wildlife conservation efforts at all.

  • Why Are People Still Visiting Thailand’s Tiger Temple?

    Despite all the allegations of abuse, all the evidence of abuse, the temple being repeatedly raided and shut down and reopened, tourists still visit the hell hole of abuse that is Thailand’s Tiger Temple! Why?

  • An Unconscionable Coffee Delicacy. Should Travellers Be Drinking Kopi Luwak?

    Kopi Luwak is a gourmet coffee, a delicacy around the world that is made from the fermented coffee beans excreted by an Asian palm civet. Essentially it is poo coffee. But as much as that divides coffee lovers into those who want the ultimate delicacy or those who are too squeamish to drink it, is…

  • Responsible Orang Utan Spotting In Semenggoh Wildlife Centre.

    Seeing orangutans in their natural habitat is a major bucket list item for many gap year travellers, and many head to Borneo and Indonesia specifically for a bit of wild orangutan spotting, but not every opertor is ethical. If you want to view orangutans in the wild then it is essential to do so in…

  • A Day With BAWA’s Street Feeding Team In Bali.

    The Bali Animal Welfare Association’s street feeding team does some amazing and under appreciated work helping the stray dogs of Bali. Find out what happened when I spent a day with them.