6 wildlife experiences every traveller should try
Time-pressed travellers, take heart. When we polled our team on their most memorable travel experiences, we discovered there is a wealth of one-day wonders out there; activities that may be over in just a few hours, but that linger much longer in the memory.
1. Cruise among hippos, St Lucia, South Africa
How long? Two hours
The experience In St Lucia, a relaxed town wedged between estuary and ocean on South Africa's east coast, there are almost as many hippos as humans. Cruise among the 800 resident hippos, which hang out in family groups, on a flat-bottomed boat while keeping an eye out for Nile crocodiles and grazing Cape buffalo. Cruises depart every two hours but the late afternoon light adds a photogenic golden glow to proceeding.
2. Dive “The Bommie” on Heron Island, Australia
How long? One hour
The experience Rated by Jacques Cousteau as one of his top 10 scuba-diving sites in the world, the "Heron Bommie" is an underwater spectacle rivalled by few others. This series of six coral outcrops, about 15 metres under the ocean's surface, is home to turtles, manta rays, wobbegongs, reef sharks, eagle rays, moray eels and endless beds of branch coral. This is why the Great Barrier Reef is world famous.
3. Take a safari on horseback in Kenya
How long? Two hours
The experience Seeing wild animals from a jeep is one thing; galloping alongside them on a horse is a whole different ballgame. From its stables in the heart of Kenya's spectacular Maasai Mara Reserve, Great Plains Conservation offers horseback safaris where competent riders can roam the plains and interact with zebra, giraffes and gazelles. Open to visitors and guests at its two stunning properties, Mara Plains and Mara Expeditions Camp.
4. Watch land diving, fly past a volcano and swim with dugong, Vanuatu
How long? 10 hours
The experience You'll board a small plane and fly to Pentecost Island, where locals perform land-diving ceremonies – jumping to earth with nothing but flimsy vines tied around their ankles (it's a centuries-old yam blessing ceremony). On the way, you'll fly beside an active volcano, watching lava boil and bubble. On the return flight, you'll stop for lunch on Epi Island, swim with dugong and meet local children.
5. Do a shark dive off the Coral Coast, Fiji
How long? Two hours
The experience Sharks, more sharks than you've ever seen, bull sharks, tiger sharks, silvertips, whitetips, tawny nurses and more. They circle in front of you before dive masters pull out fish carcasses and the feasting begins. This is a shark dive in the Beqa Lagoon, just off Fiji's Coral Coast, and it's amazing. Sharks are beautiful, misunderstood creatures – but that doesn't mean they aren't scary.
6. Take the Bear Care Tour, Luang Prabang, Laos
How long? Full day
The experience With its astonishing turquoise water and family-friendly ambience, Tat Kuang Si waterfall, 30 kilometres south of Luang Prabang, is a natural lure for day-trippers, who either catch tuk-tuks or join a tour to swim in this glorious oasis. A bonus is a nearby sanctuary housing moon bears rescued from poachers and the illegal wildlife trade by Australian charity, Free the Bears. The rescue centre is about to start its own day trips, providing a behind-the-scenes tour, the opportunity to help with daily bear care and a swim at the waterfall. All profits go into the upkeep of the sanctuary.
Have you tried any of these experiences?
First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.