Abundant wildlife on the Galapagos Islands makes it a Mecca for eco tourists. Picture: Flickr.
The Galapagos tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise. Picture: AFP Source: National Features
THE Doc gives advice on a visit to the archipelago of volcanic islands, travelling around Turkey and doing a dinner cruise on the Seine in Paris.
- I HAVE always wanted to visit the Galapagos Islands to see the giant tortoises. Could you please point me in the right direction to book this?
* DOC: The Galapagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed on either side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean and are 973km from the west coast of South America. The closest land mass is mainland Ecuador. The islands have been called a unique "living museum and showcase of evolution".
It is best to visit between January and April for snorkelling. The island of Santa Cruz has the largest and most developed town in the Galapagos and is also home to the Charles Darwin Research Station, a 10-minute walk from the town centre of Puerto Ayora. It is free and open to the public and here you can see the turtle-breeding area. Santa Cruz is one of the four islands in the Galapagos that welcomes overnight visitors. It is the best island to arrange extra nights or to kick off a land-based tour of the islands due to its central location.
The Galapagos tortoise is the largest living species of tortoise and 10th-heaviest living reptile, reaching weights of more than 400kg, with lifespans in the wild of more than 100 years. A captive individual lived at least 170 years.
Isabela is my favourite place to see Galapagos tortoises. The largest of the islands, Isabela is home to five distinct sub-species of Galapagos tortoise. Abercrombie and Kent (abercrombiekent.com.au) offers organised tours to the region, including some areas that few other travel companies are allowed.
Another great option is aboard the National Geographic Endeavour or National Geographic Islander. They have 10-day tours and each expedition has a diverse team of experts, from naturalists to regional specialists, who share their knowledge and insights on the wildlife, landscapes and culture.
-- The Doc says
I HAVE had a lot of letters recently asking about travelling around Turkey, so I thought I would pass on a couple of the websites that have been recommended by our readers.
A company operating in Sultanahmet, named Fez Travel (feztravel.com), has received rave reviews from Geoff and Jenni. They were greeted by an Australian who arranged a tour based on the "hop on, hop off" bus network and visited places such as Troy, Gallipoli and Cappadocia. At each location they were met by local guides. They say it was reasonably priced.
Helen and Colin used Istanbul Stopover Tours, (info@ayasofyahotel.com) which is run by another Australian. Gaye Reeves also runs a hotel in Istanbul called the Ayasofya Hotel. She organised the itinerary, internal flights, private transport, hotel bookings and gave great advice on the places to include and those to leave out.
And Scott and Joan offer this advice for those heading to Turkey. They warn of having had to pay $US50 in cash a person before they were allowed through customs. They also hired a car and driver in Istanbul but, after realising the size of the country - they would have been driving 26 hours - decided to sack him and buy flights to Cappadocia.
Even though they were out of pocket, it was too dangerous, they said, and wish to let people know that you must allow plenty of time in between tourist spots if you are getting around by car.
-- ON OUR way to San Francisco, we have a 12-hour daytime wait at Auckland International Airport. Do you have any suggestions as to how we might use this time?
* DOC: I would suggest Scenic Tours (scenicpacific.co.nz). The company has a range of day tours with various departure times. You could jump on the "Hobbiton Express" and journey through Middle-earth to the Hobbiton movie set, or perhaps head up to the Bay Of Islands, a deeply indented bay containing about 150 islands on the east coast of the North Island.
There is also a City Highlights tour that operates daily for about $50 a person, covering Auckland's waterfront and early Maori settlements. You will need to get into the city for these departures. The Airbus operates every 10 minutes for about $22 a person return, or it's about $56 one way in a taxi.
-- WE WILL be in Paris this year and want to do a dinner cruise along the Seine. Could you recommend a company we could book with?
* DOC: One of the many companies operating these cruises is Bateaux Parisiens, (bateauxparisiens.com).
They operate a dinner cruise that departs daily at 8.30pm, onboard a glass-encased boat. For about $130 a person, you will also receive an aperitif and enjoy live music.
There are a few options for the cruise depending on how much you wish to pay, and where you would like to sit.
Another company operating for more than 60 years is Bateaux Mouches (bateaux-mouches.fr/en).
It prides itself on serving dishes made from fresh products that are selected each morning and cooked to order. It offers a-la-carte menus from $130 a person up to about $330 for dinner and a show.
I think you should also compare Yachts de Paris (yachtsdeparis.fr), for something a little more different and exclusive.
The Don Juan - one of the company's vessels - is a lovely wooden boat that carries 30 people.
It is full of Italian leather furniture, antique engravings and paintings, elegant linen and porcelain. The cruise lasts about three hours.
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-- Where in the world?
Roll, father, castle. The mozzie police are on their way. Rum and ginger beer. My first industry was established in 1868. I am home to a Hall of Aviation and Botanic Gardens. Recently, 1500 people here were displaced. Where am I?
- Last week: Kuwait
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