Tag Archive for: Southeast Asia

CONSERVING THAILAND’S MAYA BAY – ‘THE BEACH’

What’s not to love about Thailand? Beautiful beaches, amazing nightlife, friendly locals… but the more popular Thailand becomes, the more important it is for us to ensure that its natural beauty isn’t affected.

Thai Authorities Announce Indefinite Maya Bay Closure

You may have heard rumours recently about the closure of Maya Bay, in Koh Phi Phi Leh, Thailand.

The bay, made famous by Leonardo DiCaprio’s movie, The Beach, is had previously been closed for 4-months as of June 1st 2018 in order to conserve the surrounding National Park. The Bay was due to reopen in October 2018, however officials have decided to close ‘The Beach’ indefinitely to give the area more time to recover from environmental damage.

Though this may be disappointing news for those travelling to Thailand, this closure is for the greater good of Maya Bay and is a very important step towards sustainable tourism in Thailand.

What you Need to Know

  • Maya Bay’s closure is to allow regrowth and regeneration of the surrounding National Park
  • The Beach is closed indefinitely until Thai officials decide that the bay’s ecosystems have recovered
  • Our 11 day Ultimate Thailand tour will have a slight change of itinerary during this time, offering more amazing snorkel spots and island hopping

Why is Maya Bay Closing?

Seeing over 4000 visitors every single day, the marine life and surrounding nature has suffered, and needs revitalisation to remain as beautiful as it once was.

This is not unusual.

Many marine parks in Thailand are closed between May and October every year for revitalisation, however, Maya Bay has remained open due to popular tourist demand. Supporting sustainable tourism, we are happy to see the Thai government is taking steps to ensure these popular areas do not suffer due to tourism.


How Will This Affect My Trip?

If you are travelling with Ultimate Thailand, you may be disappointed to hear of Maya Bay’s closure, however, rest assured that Maya Bay is only one of the fantastic locations that we visit and your overall Thailand experience will not be affected by this closure!

You’ll still get to experience stunning Koh Phi Phi and the surrounding area, as we will be replacing our time in Maya Bay with a visit to spectacular islands in the Anderman sea, snorkelling and relaxing on a traditional longtail boat!



Have Any More Questions? 

If you have any questions about the Maya Bay closure, feel free to leave a comment down below and we will get back to you as soon as possible! Otherwise, drop us a private message on our Facebook page!

by
,

PICS THAT MAKE US WANT TO TRAVEL TO BALI NOW

Pack Your Bags For Bali!

No wonder Bali is on everyone’s bucket list – it is STUNNING! Need some travel inspiration or motivation to get your mates to join you in paradise? Here are 17 pictures and 17 reasons why you need to pack your bags and travel to Bali…ASAP!!

1. Scenic swings

Feeling adventurous? Try a one-of-a-kind experience and swing out over palm tree paradise!

2. Amazing snorkelling

A post shared by Becca Spence (@beccaspence) on

The Gili Islands have some beautiful spots to swim and snorkel. Throw on your swimmers and jump in!

3. Gili sunsets

Nothing says paradise more than a waterfront sunset! Head out to one of Gili’s famous swings at high tide for an epic picture!

4. Rice terraces

A post shared by Ultimate Travel (@ultimate.travel) on 

One of Bali’s highlights are the Tegallalang Rice Terraces in Ubud. You can walk around this beautiful area and see how the friendly locals collect the rice!

5. Colorful beaches

With crystal clear waters and plenty of sunshine, Bali’s beaches are unbeatable! You can grab a spot under one of the brightly-colored umbrellas, kick back, and relax!

6. Insta-worthy locations

Bali is a treasure trove of beaches, waterfalls, and unique spots like this artsy sign. You’re sure to find the perfect backdrop for your own Insta!

7. Epic hikes

Imagine standing here and looking out at Mt. Batur. It’s true what they say – the view from the top is worth it!

8. Perfect pools

A post shared by Becca Spence (@beccaspence) on

When you have free time in paradise, what better way to spend it than lounging poolside? (Side note: all of the accommodation on our Ultimate Bali tour have outdoor swimming pools!)

9. Breathtaking views

If one thing’s for sure, Bali has beautiful scenery! You can look at waves crashing, watch the sun set behind palm trees, or literally stand above the clouds.

10. Beautiful temples

Bali has some incredible temples, and it’s a must to explore them and admire the architecture.

11. Crazy waterfalls

A post shared by Becca Spence (@beccaspence) on

Take a hike around some of the country’s most stunning waterfalls, and you’ll wonder why you don’t do this every day!

12. Every hour is happy hour

When you’re spending your days in paradise with oceanfront views and drinks, every hour is fun!

13. Ideal lounge spots

A post shared by Becca Spence (@beccaspence) on

With those famous colorful umbrellas and lounge chairs, trendy beaches like La Plancha are the perfect spot to chill with mates and some good tunes!

14. Stunning strolls

Not into intense hikes? Not a problem! In Bali, you can find some pretty stellar walks with equally impressive views – like the Campuhan Ridge Walk.

15. Beach parties

A post shared by Ultimate Travel (@ultimate.travel) on 

Grab your mates, head to the beach, and enjoy life! Top tip: try the Bintang Radler. It’s delicious lemony goodness!

16. Incredible wildlife

Bali is home to some amazing wildlife – monkeys, elephants, etc! Wildlife wellbeing is really important to us here at Ultimate. Luckily, Bali has great places where you can get up close to some incredible animals without disrupting the local habitat, like the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary.

17. Great memories

Travel is always better with others! Go on an adventure with your best mates, or meet new ones along the way. Either way, you’ll have some great stories to tell after!

Dreaming of Bali? We’re here to help you make it a reality! Check out Ultimate Bali, our epic 10-day adventure to paradise. Register your interest and we’ll be in touch with all the info you need!

Don’t forget to follow our Instagram feed & Facebook page for more travel inspiration!

by
,

Why is 2017 the year to travel?

Why is 2017 the year to travel?

Well the simple answer to this is “because you should travel now, no questions asked”, but that wouldn’t make very good reading now would it!

With it being the new year, yes it is still the beginning of the year, I’d like to think that many peoples resolutions were to travel more. If not to travel more then to be more spontaneous (aka to travel) or maybe to save money (aka to travel with) or perhaps to get out of your comfort zone (aka to travel). Incase you can’t tell I am no.1 supporter of travelling! So there is no time like the present to be thinking about leaving the grey colours of home, get off that sofa and see the world in technicolour.

“But I can’t afford to travel!”

Travel isn’t expensive and the myth that it is needs to piss off now, please. I could be super cringey here and say something like ‘the memories you will make will be priceless’ but I don’t want to take this down that philosophical route. But flights are super cheap at the moment, especially when you think about what you get, I mean those tasty meals and tiny drinks right! 😉 But seriously I read an article recently that said it takes longer to fly anywhere now than 30-40 years ago as airlines have worked out that if they fly a little slower it’ll save them on fuel and therefore be able to keep their costs down making, good news for you and me, the flights cheaper! Yea!

Countries have realised that tourism is an amazing way to get money in and budget travel, especially, is thriving as people want to travel for longer and for as little as possible. Some places we choose to travel to are a long way away from home and to make it worth your time of sitting in that cramped plane for 14 hours you will want to spend a decent amount of time there. Hence why long term budget travel is so popular. Travel has always been a competitive industry so a price can come lower if you’re prepared to do the research and put in the time and effort to find the best price. I cannot stress more though that this should be the best price for what you want. Don’t pay $10 for a hostel room expecting a lovely 6 bed dorm with an ensuite because the reality is that you’ll get a 20 bed dorm full of smelly backpackers who can’t afford to clean their clothes and steal your three-minute noodles as they can’t buy their own.

What can become expensive about travel is when you put it off for too long, because life just kind of passes you by. If you’re saving for that new car or want to get your hair done every week then the idea of travelling is going to be pretty distant and before you know it you’re married with a mortgage, 16 kids on the way and a stubborn house cat in tow. So that idea of travelling you had once ten years ago is gone and isn’t going to be an option till you become one of those super cool 70 year olds reliving their youth!

“Avoid adult life and travel like tomorrow may never come!”

2017 is the year to travel!

Travel Now!

2017 is right now, so I guess what I’m saying is TRAVEL NOW. 2016 has been and gone, it’s in the past and whether it was a good one or a bad one surely everyone wants their next year to be better! If that means swinging in to the pools of the Erawan National Park in Kanchanaburi, Thailand or watching the sun set in Halong Bay, Vietnam it could even be sipping on a cold beer while you sail past the Opera House in Sydney then do it! There’s no time like the present and the world is constantly changing and shaping so while you can see all that you can and do all that you can do, please just, do it! That so called “adult” life is going to hit you like a tonne of bricks when it comes, so in my true mantra: “Avoid adult life and travel like tomorrow may never come!”

Come at us 2017!

Ready for an adventure? Get involved in one of our epic tours in Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Vietnam & more – perfect for backpackers aged 18-35!

by