{"id":151351,"date":"2023-05-31T14:35:30","date_gmt":"2023-05-31T14:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/?p=151351"},"modified":"2023-07-28T16:32:28","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T16:32:28","slug":"should-we-still-be-visiting-natural-beauty-spots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/should-we-still-be-visiting-natural-beauty-spots\/","title":{"rendered":"Should we still be visiting natural beauty spots?"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_149990\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149990\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-149990\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/kalissatravels_2019-01-15_3116490480-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/kalissatravels_2019-01-15_3116490480-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/kalissatravels_2019-01-15_3116490480-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/kalissatravels_2019-01-15_3116490480-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/kalissatravels_2019-01-15_3116490480.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149990\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">@kalissatravels<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">We\u2019ve all done it: scrolled past snapshots of dazzling waterfalls, paradisiacal beaches and jaw-dropping mountain ranges and instantly felt a burning desire to see them in person. You might follow this up by adding them to your ever-growing bucket list or, if you\u2019re anything like me, by immediately searching for flights. <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Just a few weeks ago, I went to perhaps one of Asia\u2019s most well-known natural beauty spots. Nestled on Vietnam\u2019s north coast, Ha Long Bay\u2019s craggy limestone karsts and deep blue waters have long made it the poster child of the country\u2019s tourism board (and for good reason \u2013 it is stunning). Nevertheless, due to the area\u2019s beauty and UNESCO World Heritage recognition, it\u2019s become a classic \u2018tourist trap\u2019 in recent years, with visitor numbers topping a whopping 11 million in 2022 alone.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">I can\u2019t deny that I wasn\u2019t filled with trepidation in the days leading up to my visit. After hearing stories of it being clogged up with noisy party boats and floating plastic bottles, I\u2019d been in two minds about adding it to my itinerary at all. Ultimately, though, it ended up being 100% worth it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Sure, the cruise terminal was utter chaos and there were at least 30 other boats embarking on exactly the same route at the same time \u2013 but none of that ended up spoiling the experience. What\u2019s more, I saw very little evidence of the rubbish that so many reviewers had mentioned.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">The trip did, however, get me thinking about other popular natural beauty spots and how they\u2019ve been impacted by tourism. With environmental concerns \u2013 from coral bleaching to pollution \u2013 very much in the limelight, should we <i>really <\/i>still be visiting these places?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Why we SHOULD still visit natural beauty spots<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-148952 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691-768x767.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/jackttravels_2020-03-06_3489709691.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Wonderfully vibrant plants, incredible native wildlife, stunning vistas \u2013 there\u2019s a bounty of reasons why natural beauty spots are so alluring. In a world where so many of us live in big, traffic-ladened cities, there\u2019s definitely something therapeutic about spending our free time somewhere famed for its scenery. All the better if it\u2019s warm and has great cuisine.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">For me personally, the highlight of my Ha Long Bay visit wasn\u2019t the excursions to the caves or the kayaking trip around one of the region\u2019s natural lagoons. Instead, it was simply sitting quietly up on the sundeck of the boat and soaking up the sheer gorgeousness of the bay. It\u2019s certainly a happy memory that will stay with me forever. And isn\u2019t that partly what travelling is all about?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Another obvious reason people travel is to experience different cultures. Beauty spots often form a major part of a country\u2019s identity; they can be important habitats for native species and be intrinsically linked to a community\u2019s way of life. For the most part, these communities want to share them with the world and boost their local economies in the process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Nevertheless, there\u2019s no denying that tourism can come at a cost. Many beauty spots have taken the sensible step of restricting how many people can visit at any one time \u2013 a decision that not only stops the place from becoming overcrowded but also helps to protect the landscape and all that live within them. America\u2019s national parks, including Yosemite, are brilliant examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Even Ha Long Bay has measures in place \u2013 from limits on how many cruises are allowed to operate to natural preservation projects \u2013 to help safeguard its natural beauty. You could just look at the thousands of photos of it on Instagram. However, if you have the means and the time and you\u2019re sensible about how you visit, nothing beats actually experiencing a place in person.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>Why we SHOULDN&#8217;T add natural beauty spots to our agenda<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-137966 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7TfimLS-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7TfimLS-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7TfimLS-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7TfimLS-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/7TfimLS.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Over-tourism, coral bleaching, noise pollution \u2013 these are all things that are commonly thrown around these days when describing some of the world\u2019s most famous natural beauty spots. And, as with many things, the demise of so many has been entirely down to us humans.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Whether you\u2019ve seen <i>The Beach<\/i> or not, you\u2019ll have likely read about Maya Beach. The secluded Thai cove made popular by the Leo DiCaprio film famously closed in 2018 after years of over-tourism which had led to significant coastal erosion and the destruction of most of its coral reef. While it reopened in early 2022 after some serious environmental repairs, there are now a whole bunch of restrictions in place to make it a more sustainable destination.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">There may be other natural wonders that have followed suit but there is still plenty to be done to help protect these places for the future. It\u2019s not just the damage caused to the sites themselves, either. Some have become so overwhelmed with people that it\u2019s begun to affect the local communities around them, too.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Take the tiny island of Boracay in the Philippines, for instance. It used to be a peaceful, pristine fishing enclave (and regularly voted one of the best beaches in the world) before tour boats scared away the fish from its turquoise waters and most of its authentic Filipino restaurants were replaced with soulless fast-food chains. Nowadays, many people opt to visit Palawan instead. Is it just a matter of time until that suffers the same fate, though?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">These are just two out of dozens of examples of places that have come dangerously close to being ruined by tourism. A beauty spot certainly begins to lose its appeal when you\u2019re walking past piles of rubbish and jostling through noisy crowds of people waving selfie sticks in your face.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">And then there are those natural wonders that are just downright dangerous for the majority of humans. When it comes to admiring the soaring peaks of the Himalayas, I\u2019m perfectly happy to do it via a screen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2>So, what&#8217;s the answer?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-150800 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/lee-eunsu-O3i91C0vuY0-unsplash.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1000\" height=\"563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/lee-eunsu-O3i91C0vuY0-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/lee-eunsu-O3i91C0vuY0-unsplash-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/lee-eunsu-O3i91C0vuY0-unsplash-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">At the end of the day, whether you choose to go to a natural beauty spot or not is entirely up to you. Everyone should <\/span><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif;\">have the chance to experience these places on their travels \u2013 they\u2019re there to be admired, after all. It is, however, always worth asking yourself whether you\u2019re going to truly experience the place or simply just to say that you\u2019ve been.<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">It\u2019s almost always the case that there\u2019s a brilliant, lesser-known alternative nearby that\u2019s equally as spectacular. Take Snowdon \u2013 the UK\u2019s third tallest mountain \u2013 for example. No matter what time of year or how early you wake up to climb it, you\u2019re almost guaranteed to see crowds at its summit. Why put yourself through that when you can soak up the same dramatic views in a more peaceful setting at countless other Snowdonia peaks like Moel Siabod or Rhinog Fawr?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">Social media certainly has a lot to answer for when it comes to encouraging people to visit certain photogenic locations. If you do make the trip to Ha Long Bay, Maya Bay, Boracay or similar, make sure you\u2019re conscious of what impact you might cause and act responsibly. Go off-season if you can, never <i>ever<\/i> litter, be mindful of the local communities and try to choose a sustainable method of travel and\/or tour company where possible.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"margin: 12.0pt 0cm 12.0pt 0cm;\"><strong><span style=\"font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Arial',sans-serif; color: black;\">One final thought: you don\u2019t have to go where everyone else goes. Beauty can be found everywhere and some of the best natural beauty spots are still likely yet to be discovered.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">Download the Hostelworld app to start meeting people from the moment you book<\/h4>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/hostelworld-hostels-hotels\/id348890820?mt=8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"post links\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-51103 aligncenter post links\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/App-IOS-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"203\" height=\"60\" \/><\/a><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.hostelworld.app&amp;referrer=mat_click_id%3Da7e362b8d8149e63507f7d1f7184f176-20171011-8816\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"post links\"><br \/>\n<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-51106 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/App-google-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"203\" height=\"60\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><strong>You might also like&#8230;<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/the-ultimate-ethical-travel-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"post links\">The ultimate ethical travel checklist<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hostelworld.com\/blog\/eco-warrior-hostels-hoscars-finalists-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"post links\">Eco Warrior Hostels: HOSCARs Finalists 2022\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019ve all done it: scrolled past snapshots of dazzling waterfalls, paradisiacal beaches and jaw-dropping mountain ranges and instantly felt a burning desire to see them in person. You might follow this up by adding them to your ever-growing bucket list or, if you\u2019re anything like me, by immediately searching for flights. Just a few weeks&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":171,"featured_media":148811,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9933],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-151351","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-responsible-travel","authors-jemima-forbes","wpbf-post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Should we still be visiting natural beauty spots? - Hostelworld<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With environmental concerns very much in the limelight, should we really still be visiting natural beauty spots?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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