TRAVEL
WITH NOE
Travel ideas and inspirations
SUMMER 2021
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Don’t forget
SUNGLASSES
for your trip!
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TRAVEL
MAGAZINE
INTRO
HELLO DEAR
Do you dream of traveling to far-of places but daunted by
the idea of charting new and unfamiliar territory? Are you the
kind of person who wants everything organized fi rst, but does
not wish to be stifl ed by a package tour that will force you to
travel with at least 20 other guests?
“Travel with Noe” might be just the perfect magazine for you!
“Travel with Noe” is one of the newest publications of the
Adventure Team. What makes it dif erent from other maga-
zines that feature new destinations is that it serves as a handy
guide for the lone traveler. Each issue features, at least, four
destinations with information on where to eat, how to get
around, and places to see.
Editor-in-chief
TRAVELLERS
SUMMER 2021
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Koh Jum
The rolling green hills of the north are an unexpected
delight. Set aside time to visit rice fi elds in Thailand, it’s
gorgeous! Far from the beaches of the south, this is a land
of lush landscape and friendly people where life moves at
a slower pace and you can really kick back and relax.
One of the best things to do in the north is to head
for some traditional rice terraces. This the Thailand of
your imagination; emerald green rows of terraced fi elds
stretching as far as the eye can see, dotted with wooden
houses and dusted with clouds. We’ve helped you out
with the hows and wheres of a trip to these gems of the
north.
OK, so a trip to these northern Thai rice terraces isn’t
exactly an adrenaline ride, but that’s not what you’re there
for anyway! Visitors tend to either come for the day or stay
for one night, and the main way to pass the time is a stroll
through the fi elds soaking up the views and taking a few
epic photos. If the sun comes out then you’re in luck; the
fi elds are such a bright green color that they glow almost
fl uorescent in the sunshine. It’s super cool!
The island Koh Jum, the northern part of
the island is also called Koh Pu, is located
on the West Coast of Thailand and is an
absolute travel highlight. Nevertheless,
most travelers and backpackers skip this
little paradise on their bucket list. What a
pity, Koh Jum is a real insider tip among
connoisseurs and it‘s really worth a visit. The
beaches are lonely and beautiful, the peo-
ple incredibly warm hearted and welcom-
ing. In addition, prices are still cheap.
One thing is for sure, a trip to Koh Jum is
defi nitely worth it! The mix of nature, lovely
people and beautiful beaches will captivate
you and not let go so quickly.
WORDS
PHOTO
CHRIS STERN
JOE MONTORE
TRAVEL ADVICE &
INSPIRATION
Pa Pong Piang
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TRAVEL
MAGAZINE
TOP GENUINE
ATTRACTIONS
IN THAILAND
Elephant Nature Park is one of the best-known elephant
conservation projects in Thailand. Set on the edge of a rain-
forest near Chiang Mai, in Thailand’s north, the sanctuary was
founded by award-winning conservationist Lek Chailert in
1995. More than 75 elephants roam free here and each has a
heart-breaking story: many have been saved from torturous
camps that exploit elephants for tourism or logging purposes
or other abusive situations.
The refuge is also home to a ragtag menagerie of adopted
cats, dogs, horses, warthogs, water buf alo and other animals.
There are a few dif erent ways to visit Elephant Nature Park,
with both single day or overnight stays available. Volunteers
help prepare fruit and vegetables for the elephants and food
for the other animals, or you can stay overnight to spend
more time with these gorgeous creatures.also available here
and must be booked well in advance.
Elephant Nature Park
SUMMER 2021
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BEST OF
NATURE
Massive glaciers, staggering mountains, plains dotted
with wild animals: We sure live in a big, beautiful
world
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TRAVEL
MAGAZINE
The Earth of ers spectacular natural
wonders that only a small percentage of
people will ever see in their lifetime. A
global popularity poll announced seven
provisional winners that outrank other
splendid sights. These 7 natural wonders of
the world include the Northern Lights, the
Grand Canyon, Paricutin, Mount Everest,
Harbor of Rio de Janeiro, Victoria Falls, and
the Great Barrier Reef.
Many of these naturally-formed displays
require an aerial view to capture the vast-
ness of each phenomenon. Avid explorers,
daredevils, backpackers, expatriates, and
tourists place these 7 natural wonders on
their bucket lists
The Northern Lights: Aurora Borealis
The Northern Lights have become a sen-
sation for tourists traveling in the Northern
Hemisphere. The Northern Lights are auro-
ras, or naturally occurring phenomena that
consist of mystifying displays of light in the
sky. The northern lights dance across the
sky and emanate a dif used glow along
the northern horizon.
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay, located in northern Vietnam
is made up of 1,600 to 2,000 islands and
islets, many of which are uninhabited. The
area became a UNESCO World Heritage
Site in 1994. To enjoy the bay you must
take a boat tour, there are also designated
areas where you are allowed to swim. But
the breathtaking limestone landforms and
fl oating fi sh villages will make up for it
Mount Everest, Nepal
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in
the world, with its peak measuring 29,029
feet above sea level. But don’t worry, you
don’t have to make it to the summit to
count as visiting, as long as you have seen
Mount Everest in the Himalayas you can
count as having visited it.
Peyto Lake, Canada
It’s hard to believe that Peyto Lake’s
turquoise water isn’t actually a fi lter but is
real! The colour comes from glacial rock
fl our, which is tiny rock particles that are
created through glacial erosion. They are
deposited into the water and create this
pristine lake with its turquoise hues.
Uluru (Ayer’s Rock), Australia
Uluru, also known as Ayer’s Rock, is located
in Australia’s Northern Territory. It’s home
to the Anangu Aboriginal people. The gi-
ant sandstone rock has a circumference of
about 5.8 miles and is a popular attraction
for tourists. However, please note that the
Anangu Aboriginal people have asked
tourists not to climb the rock as it holds
cultural signifi cance. So far there have
been 35 deaths of tourists who did not
heed this request.
Summary
Our world is full of incredible natural won-
ders to see and you’ll likely fi nd something
remarkable in every country you visit. This
article helped show you just a selection of
some of the best that we’d recommend
but there are plenty more out there.
SUMMER 2021
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FLOWER
POWER
Flowering shrubs in the spring and
leaves on the trees changing colors in
the fall make the Blue Ridge Mountains
a theater of natural beauty throughout
the year.
Because of the changes of elevation in
the mountains, peak colors and bloom-
ing depend on the region you’re in.
The peak periods of Virginia’s Blue
Ridge Mountains tend to occur earlier
in the year than those in the Blue Ridge
Mountains of North Carolina.The Flame
Azalea is at its brightest in Virginia’s
Blue Ridge in mid-May while Mountain
Laurel typically blooms during the fi rst
two weeks of June. Thickets of Catawba
Rhododendron can also be found in
the region during the fi rst part of June.
There are also various species of wild-
fl owers that bloom in the Blue Ridge
Mountains at dif erent times in the
spring and fall. Unlike other mountain
ranges in America, the Blue Ridge
Mountains of er an abundance of trees.
On Mill Mountain alone, you can expect
to fi nd varieties of oak, pine, maple,
dogwood, redwood, and other assorted
plants.
The colors on the trees during the
fall make Virginia’s Blue Ridge one of
the most beautiful destinations in the
world for a fall getaway.
BLUE RIDGE
Prices from $290
TULIPS
GALORE
South Holland’s Keukenhof is one of
the world’s largest fl ower gardens,
boasting seven million tulips, daf odils
and hyacinths and fi lling 32 hectares.
Across the border, in Belgium, lies the
National Botanic Garden of Belgium
(Meise), one of the largest in the world,
with 60 glasshouses, 18,000 dif erent
plants and, come spring, Japanese
cherry blossom trees in bloom.
River Cruise Line has a seven-day, no-fl y
cruise, Springtime in the Gardens of
Holland and Belgium, which takes in
Keukenhof, Meise, the Floralia fl ower
show at the castle of Grand Bigard,
Brussels (runs until May 7) and the
model gardens of Holland’s Appeltern
Gardens.
From £779 per person, departs April 24
and April 30.
Prices from $890
Our readers recommend the world’s most enchanting places
to watch fl owers bloom.
BY KELLY BARRETT
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TRAVEL
MAGAZINE
LEEF
PEEPING
Prices from $890
Quebec’s residents are justifi ably proud
of their homeland. This is where you’ll
fi nd some of the best autumn colours
in the country as well as historical
“cabanes à sucre” (sugar shacks) where
you can sample real-deal maple syrup.
October is the best time to catch the
colours in their full splendour and Wex-
as Travel is of ering a 10-day self-drive
trip to Quebec focusing on the colours
of autumn.
Highlights include Montreal, Quebec
City the scenery of the Laurentian
Mountains and the forested and lake-
side setting of Hotel Sacacomie.
From £1,915 per person, including
fl ights, for travel between September 15
and October 21 2017
KAWACHI
FUJIEN
Prices from $1190
Kawachi Wisteria Garden ( Kawachi
Fujien) is a private garden in the wood-
ed hills south of central Kitakyushu,
famous for its spectacularly presented,
large numbers of wisteria fl owers. The
garden is opened to the public season-
ally during the wisteria season which
usually peaks around late April to early
May and during the maple leaf season
in autumn.
The garden’s most prominent features
are two, roughly 100 meter long tun-
nels made of wisteria trees of dif ering
varieties and colors, ranging from white
to dark purple. Furthermore, there is a
collection of large wisteria trees that
together form an enormous roof of
drooping fl owers. A viewpoint at the
top of the hillside garden allows for
nice views over the sea of wisteria fl ow-
ers and the surrounding valley which is
also know for its bamboo groves.
Kawachi Wisteria Garden has grown
very popular in recent years and now
attracts large numbers of visitors.
SUMMER 2021
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10
What to Know Before You Go
Cars travel on the left side of the road
The Bahamas have heavy Spanish,
British, and African heritage, and were
once a British Crown Colony. They
retain some British culture including
driving on the left side of the road.
Unless you have experience driving on
the left side, I would recommend just
staying away from driving motorized
vehicles while you’re there. There are
plenty of taxis available to get you
wherever you need to go.
If you’re worrying about your Spanish
not being up to par, take a load of
because the of cial language of The
Bahamas is English. Many local resi-
dents speak a Bahamian Dialect, but
you shouldn’t have a problem commu-
nicating with anyone.
The of cial currency of The Bahamas is
the Bahamian Dollar. However, the Ba-
hamian Dollar is pegged to the US dol-
lar on a one-to-one basis. Because they
are equal to one another, US dollars
are widely accepted everywhere in The
Bahamas. Especially if you are sticking
to the traditionally touristy areas (such
as Nassau). Which leads perfectly into
my next point…
One of the best things about travel-
ing in Southeast Asia was that the
exchange rate on the US dollar was
amazing, making everything dirt cheap
by American standards. Because the
US dollar is equal to the Bahamian dol-
lar, things are just as expensive in The
Bahamas as it would be in a touristy
place in the US. If you’re counting on a
killer exchange rate to help lessen the
costs of your trip, trade in your fl ight to
the Caribbean for a fl ight to Thailand.
Because The Bahamas is so much like
America in their hospitality standards,
you should also tip like you would in
the States. The standard 15%-20% tip
should be used, especially in touristy
areas and at resorts.Some places auto-
matically add in a 15% gratuity to the
total of the bill. Make sure to confi rm if
the tip has been added automatically
to your bill before you shell out more
money for a tip.
Countries like The Bahamas that have
tropical climates have two seasons.
The wet or rainy reason, which runs
from June to November, and Dry
Season, which runs from December
to May. It should also be noted that
Wet season coincides with hurricane
season. If you are traveling during this
time be aware that hurricanes can de-
velop quickly and go from bad to worst
extremely fast. Hurricane season is not
a reason not to travel, but you should
always be aware if you’re traveling
during that time that it is a possibility.
Be ready to be bombarded with peo-
ple trying to sell you things
Ok, every country I’ve traveled to there
is always locals there trying to sell
you things. It’s not normally anything
to mention, but the struggle is real
in The Bahamas. There were times I
was laying on the beach at the resort,
SLEEPING. Yes, eyes shut, visibly trying
to sleep, and there were still people
coming up to me and vigorously
asking me if I wanted to buy their shell
necklace. I love supporting the local
economy, but it was so excessive and it
was annoying at times.
Don’t leave without trying local conch
Conch is the national food of The
Bahamas, and you can enjoy it in
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WORDS
PHOTO
CHRIS MILLER
KELLY BAKER
Stretching more than 190 miles in length, the An-
dros Barrier Reef in The Bahamas is one of the
biggest barrier reefs in the world
BAHAMAS
VACATIONS
AMAZING