Smart Traveller

High street surfwear store Fat Face is running a competition in which you could win a two week holiday to Zanzibar, which includes a visit to a turtle sanctuary. The competition is being run in conjunction with Baobab Expeditions and Virgin Atlantic.

The prize includes: return flights for two from the UK to Zanzibar with Virgin Atlantic, departing from the UK on Friday 2nd October 2009 and returning on Friday 9th October 2009; seven nights’ accommodation for two at the Zanzibar Serena Inn in Stone Town; a day-trip to a turtle sanctuary. You’ll also spend a day exploring the UNESCO World Heritage site of Stone Town.

You can enter the competition by completing the form on the Fat Face Community website. Entries must be received by Saturday 15th Agust 2009.

Image: Esculapio

In our previous post about travel and its contribution to climate change, we talked about volunteering holidays, where you can actively make a contribution towards improving the environment.

Responsible Travel, a Brighton-based ecotourism company which offers a range of green holidays from various travel operators, is currently advertising a fantastic 14-day holiday in Mauritius.

This trip offers you the best of both worlds. You can holiday in beautiful surroundings, and will have the opportunity to explore the island’s sights and relax on its beaches, but you’ll also be involved in community work during your stay.

The itinerary includes: climbing the island’s second largest mountain, Le Pouce;  visiting the Grand Basin, a Hindu temple and lake; visiting the Black River Gorges National Park; a trip to Chamarel Seven Coloured Sands; a day trip to the Southern Coast, on which you’ll see Rochester Falls, Le Gris Gris, Le Souffler and Blue Bay; climbing Lion Mountain; a boat trip to Ile Aux Cerfs; a trip to Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens; and a day in Port Louis, the island’s capital city.

You’ll also spend a day carrying out youth and community work, and you’ll be able to buy and plant a native plant in a conservation area in order to help the environment.

During the trip, you will stay in small guest houses and hotels, meaning that your stay will directly benefit the local economy. Many of these hotels and guest houses are eco-friendly, using solar powered showers and producing energy from burning waste sugar cane, for example. During the trip, food is also generally bought from independent local traders, again helping the economy.

Departure dates for 2009 are as follows: 2 May, 6 June, 4 July, 1 August, 3 October and 7 November. The trip costs £645 and the price includes accommodation and food as stated in the itinerary. You will need to pay for and arrange your own flights to Mauritius.

Image courtesy of: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Oke

BBC Wildlife Magazine has got together with Intrepid Travel to offer readers the chance to win an eight day holiday in Tanzania.

The prize consists of two places on an Intrepid Travel “Serengeti Trail” trip. This trip begins in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. You’ll travel across the Great Rift Valley to Kisii and then to Musoma, near Lake Victoria in Tanzania, before heading into the Serengeti National Park, where you will camp for a night. You’ll then head off to the Ngorongoro Crater and the Meserani Snake Park before returning to Nairobi.

Please note that the prize does not include flights, airport transfers or any other accommodation. Meals are provided on the nights when you are camping, but you will need to pay for all other meals.

You can enter the competition via the BBC Wildlife Magazine website and entries must be received by midnight on 9 March 2009. The winner must take the trip before 1 March 2010 and the following dates are not available: any dates during July and August, or between the 16 December 2009 and 6 January 2010.

Image courtesy of: © Kristian Sekulic | Dreamstime.com