But Wait—There's More
Find other great ideas in these related stories:
- The Last Wild Place ›
- 11 Hard-to-Get-to Hotels ›
- Last-Minute Escapes: Beach Vacations ›
- New Zealand's Otherworldly Landscapes ›
- World's Sexiest Fitness Retreats ›
- How to Vacation Like Indiana Jones ›
- Extreme Sports for Spectators ›
- Comeback Destinations for Experienced Travelers ›
- Choose Your Own Adventure ›
- Controversial Tourist Attractions ›
- Do-it-Yourself Olympic Winter Sports ›
Rejuvinating Sierra Leone
The thrill: Travelers with TribeWanted arrive at Sierra Leone's John Obey Beach—a pristine stretch of sand alongside a fishing village—by water taxi around midnight, and are led by flashlight to tents or bungalows beneath a star-filled sky. No more than 30 visitors are permitted at a time, meaning this is the place to escape and savor the simple life. And we do mean simple (expect bucket showers and compost toilets). It's communing with nature that draws people here, including ocean swims among the dolphins, canoeing beside the alligators, and listening to the monkeys howl. And this may be one of the best places on earth to take it all in from a hammock.
The goodwill: This trip is not all lounging and snorkeling, though. Sierra Leone is rebuilding after a decade of civil war. As the fishing industry declines, new sources of revenue are being developed, including a sustainable ecotourism village. Travelers can pitch in by constructing the Gaudí-like earth domes made primarily from local soil and clay. Other activities include assembling new solar towers, farming the on-site permaculture gardens, or cooking communal meals for workers using local recipes. The profits generated from the trips are also reinvested in the local community.
TribeWanted
Tel: 232 78 738 583
sierraleone@tribewanted.com
Trips start at $450 per person for a week
RSS Feeds