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Argan oil is highly prized, used both in cooking and cosmetics. Some funny legends about goats - do ask. Shops in Morocco are full of it, but stories abound about fake or diluted products. You can go directly to places where argan nuts are shelled and milled. The cooperatives - usually run by women - are everywhere on the road from Essaouira to Marrakech. On recommendation from my hotel I went quite far - to Cooperative Feminine Argan El Farah in Hanchan, a 25-minute drive from E'ra. Don't know if I needed to go that far, but they had a girl with passable English, which doesn't happen everywhere, so I could ask questions. This was the only place where I could take photos of people at work, more importantly, women at work (they're kind of invisible otherwise). Drivers at the grand-taxi station in E'ra were proposing to take me there for 450 dhrs (30 quid!), but I haggled it down to 150 round-trip and 30 mins waiting (walk away until you really get it your way is one technique). So I talked to the coop lady, took my photos and they gave me a taste of the oil for cooking and some wonderful paste made with argan oil, almonds and honey. Be prepared for a bit of shock when shopping begins. Even at producers level it ain't cheap at all - 250 ml bottle of oil - cooking or massage - is about 10 quid, the paste costs the same. I've reasoned myself with thoughts of the money going directly to the people who work and not to 100 re-sellers in the chain.
El Hanchan, on the main road from Essaouira to Marrakech or any coop closer to E'ra
I found a lovely little clothing and body care shop that sells only fair trade and organic products for all the family. I fell in love with it as I have never been in a shop selling only ethical goods. I didn't even realise at first which really added to the appeal. The staff were really helpful and informative and there wasn't a sign of any unattractive hippy clothing. And apparently they have a fan club that some of their customers have set up on facebook.
They have two shops, in Chorlton, Manchester (15 min bus ride from city centre) and Headingley, Leeds.
www.arkadash.co.uk
The fishing village of Castara is undoubtedly the best location in Tobago and renting one of the six lodges at Castara Retreats is a superb way to enjoy the best of this unspoilt Caribbean island.
The philosophy behind Castara Retreats was to create a small eco resort to reflect principles of beauty, balance and respect and to reflect these aspirations in the buildings, the gardens, in the relationships with the local people involved, and with the clients.
The principle of sustainable tourism is having a positive impact on the local economy in the village of Castara, the community and the environment.
For those tourists who are interested in responsible travel and offsetting carbon emissions from flying, staying in Castara Retreats most certainly supports conservation and the local communities.
We stayed in Coasthanger Lodge for 12 nights (not long enough) and absolutely loved everything about it.
The lodge is thoughtfully and tastefully designed, and blends in sensitively with the landscape and the surrounding area.
The moment we arrived we felt instantly relaxed and we will never forget stepping into the lodge for the first time and looking out at the stunning views towards the turquoise sea and the beach.
Coasthanger is perfect for daily living, and the deck, which is just off the bedroom, is a perfect spot to relax at any time of day. The deck has full sun throughout most of the day but also benefits from a cooling breeze from the sea, so it was very tempting to spend all day there, relaxing and reading and generally delighting in the wildlife around us.
However we didn’t, and we had some wonderful experiences in Castara and some very happy memories to bring home with us.
We left Castara Retreats thinking that we had been part of something very special and feeling very privileged to have had the opportunity to share the local culture and the life of many of the people that we met.
There is no doubt that we will return to Castara and to Castara Retreats in the near future.
Check out the website which is very extensive and you will get a wonderful picture of what you can expect.
I wanted to spend some time with elephants but felt uneasy about the usual tourist trips to see them. We found the elephant nature park and although it's more expensive we went with them. I was so glad we did, you spend a whole day with the elephants, feeding and washing them, and receive a real education on how elephants are treated elsewhere in Thailand. It was one of the highlights of our three week trip and i'd return in a second. You can visit for a day or stay overnight.
A small, friendly and ethical 'adventure holiday' company, specialising in climbing/trekking in Ecuador. Offers three tours - all out of Quito: a two/three-week trek-based holiday, a two/three-week climbing-based holiday and a week-long add-on option in the Galapagos. Nice team, genuinely love what they do - and the bonus of eco-tourism to boot. A (rare to find these days) genuine experience of a lifetime! Recommended.
www.mountainsofecuador.com
Tel. 0844 800 9679 / 01926 887688
Email: info@mountainsofecuador.com
Mountains of Ecuador Ltd
PO Box 4529
Leamington Spa
CV31 9EP
Tel. 0844 800 9679 / 01926 887688
Email: info@mountainsofecuador.com
The glaciers are retreating, the snow is falling later and more lightly and melting sooner in the spring. If you're going skiing in the alps - TAKE THE TRAIN - it's at least ten times less polluting. And you get an extra day on the slopes...
Most tourists to the Cape only stick with the tried and tested routes and experiences. !Khwa ttu is one of the very few GENUINE San Bushmen-led initiatives in southern Africa. It's set on stunning hillside overlooking the coast and Table Mountain and here you can meet the San, learn about hunting, gathering, tracking, take a trailer ride, see all of the amazing game and other animals, go on hikes, enjoy the restaurant or stay in their amazinginly peaceful accommodation (cottage or tents). There is a museum, art gallery, training centre, conference facilities and shop too.
I recommend it because I lived and worked with the San in southern Africa until recently and this is the BEST thing I have seen out there, that really, practically helps the San and teaches tourists about some of the real issues still alive in South Africa today...
What's more it's as cheap as chips if you are coming from Europe!
www.khwattu.org email - info@khwattu.org
It's just 70 km drive north of Cape Town - takes 40 minutes and just a short drive from the historic village of Darling and the beautiful beaches of Yzerfontein.
There are many beggars in Siem Reap, and they confront the tourist with a distinct ethical unease. Do we sustain this practice or ignore it? One lesson I recently learned was: if you see a group of blind musicians (sometimes near tourist spots) don't ignore them. Locals will give them donations. For a start these traditional musicians are doing something to help themselves. Second - there is no welfare infrastructure to support them. Third - after Pol Pot a lot of the traditional arts including literature and music and dance were nearly wiped out. So support these guys: a dollar or two and no ethical dilemma! (Thanks to my guides for pointing this out.)
If you want to find out what's going on in 'alternative' Manchester - go to the Basement. A space for people to meet, eat and take action on a range of social causes. There's also a shop stocking a range of ethical and vegetarian wares.
24 Lever Street, Manchester
The most incredible selection of handmade (mostly) organic chocolate bars, truffles, drinking chocolate and other wonderful things in flavour combinations that will make you weep.
And it's a local, ethical, family owned company - always great to support.
15 Duke Street;
tel: 01273 324 979;
open: Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm;
www.montezumas.co.uk
With 2,200 kilometres of protected forest, 297 species of birds, tigers, gibbons and Asiatic black bears, Luang Namtha in northern Laos has some of the most diverse wildlife in South East Asia.
And the best way to experience it, while minimising the environmental impact of your stay? Try award-winning eco-lodge The Boat Landing.
Nestled on a quiet bend on the Nam Tha River, The Boat Landing combines luxury (think private thatched lodges with verandas overlooking the river) with community-based ecotourism. Solar power, locally-sourced materials and energy and water saving devices come as standard. They also have a seasonal menu in their fabulous restaurant, and run programmes with local schools and conservation projects. But by far and away the best thing about The Boat Landing is the staff: friendly, informed, committed, they work hard to ensure that tourism development brings social and economic benefits to the local community, without harming the environment.
The Boat Landing also supports Green Discovery, who arrange tours and treks into the forest and to hilltribe villages – with much of the money you spend going directly to the local community. The Boat Landing is more expensive than other guesthouses in Luang Namtha, but it’s money well spent – and the expense is relative: a few dollars more is all.
The Boat Landing: www.theboatlanding.com;
Green Discovery: www.greendiscoverylaos.com
Forgoing air travel is the single most effective way to reduce your impact on the climate.
When i first visted the Sunshine Coast (the stretch of land just north of Brisbane with beautiful beaches and crystal clear water) with my kids I wish I had known about Possum Travel. They used local suppliers to get us pushchairs, toys, nannies for the kids and they had some great excursions for the family. The eco bush walks and bike rides had a good emphasis on learning about the aboriginal history of the places they were set in, and on preserving the flora and fauna, and were also very fun. Definitely check it out if you're travelling in the area with a family.
While most tourists coming to Vancouver go to Robson Street downtown to find clothing (where stores such as A/X and Banana Republic compete), the as yet unknown area to shop is Main Street, roughly between Broadway (9th) and 45th Street. There, such stores as Dadabase and Twigg and Hottie sell funky artsy clothing. Highly recommended for shoppers who are interested in political statements and offbeat artistic designs on their clothing. Twigg and Hottie, for instance, source all of their clothes locally so all of their clothing is made within Canada, and some of it within BC. Dadabase gets locally made clothing through its in-house Government label.
If travelling to Vancouver, these clothes reflect Vancouver's culture more uniquely than (for example) Holt Renfrew clothing which can be purchased internationally.
Main Street clothing shops are still an untapped vein of creativity.
Dadabase: 183 East Broadway;
www.dadabase.ca
Twigg and Hottie: 3671 Main Street;
www.twiggandhottie.com
I should declare a vested interest first. I work as a VSO volunteer at KOTO; we are a restaurant that take in street kids and house, pay and train them to work in the hospitality industry.
The food is fantastic, trust me. Would we have had the likes of Bill Clinton and John Prescott dine with us if it wasn't?
If you like the concept and want to find out more - ask staff and we may be able to provide you with a short guided tour of the training centre too which is near Westlake.
61 Van Mieu Street - opposite the Temple of Literature. The training centre is at 72 Thuy Khue but ask first at the restaurant if it's OK to visit.
www.streetvoices.com.au
My blog on life in Hanoi and my time as a KOTO volunteer: www.ourmaninhanoi.blogspot.com
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
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