National Geographic Traveller UK 03.2020

You should absolutely still go

— Venetians need you, especially

a

 er last winter’s fl oods, which

have taken a heavy fi nancial

toll. But be the kind of tourist

they need. Don’t take a cruise

ship or a day trip — that makes

you the hit-and-run tourist

Venetians have grown to despise.

Day-trippers include those who

stay on the mainland in Mestre

— if you’re going to Venice, you

need to be putting money in

Venetians’ pockets.

Pick locally owned hotels,

bars and eateries and budget to

buy something made by local

artisans, many of whom struggle

to compete with cheap, mass-

produced souvenirs. Social

enterprise Venezia Autentica

has a list of local artisans

and entrepreneurs.

You can escape the crowds

simply by avoiding the vaporetti

waterbuses and keeping a

block or two o‚ the main

drag. Prioritise lesser-known

sights, like Chorus Association

churches, or the Querini

Stampalia Foundation Museum.

And if you must visit St Mark’s

Square or the Rialto Bridge, do

it fi rst or last thing — or o‚ -

season. veneziaautentica.com

JULIA BUCKLEY

In the past decade, the Pacifi c

Crest Trail (PCT) — stretching

2,650 miles from Canada

to Mexico — has grown in

popularity. As such, there’s been

an increase in human impact

along the trail and surrounding

landscapes, meaning the very

experience people are seeking

could be forever altered. This

is a trend the Pacifi c Coast

Trail Association is working

to eliminate.

The big changes in 2020 cover

the PCT long-distance permit,

which applies to trips of 500

or more continuous miles and

allows people to travel through

areas where local wilderness

permits would otherwise be

required. Changes include: travel

in the Southern Sierra must be

continuous, with no skips or

changes in direction, and must

be completed in no more than

35 days; a daily limit of 15 people

can start their long-distance

trips at the Northern Terminus. If

permit holders skip any portion

of the Southern Sierra and wish

to return to travel through the

area, they must obtain new

permits from the local land

management agencies; and

northbound long-distance

hikers starting at the Southern

Terminus will need to secure

a permit, as they have since

2013. The e‚ ective period has
      changed to between 1 March
      and 31 May, 2020. There are 50
      permits per day, as in years past.
      The Pacifi c Crest Trail
      Association, the US Forest
      Service and other land managers
      hope people continue to fi nd
      rest and rejuvenation on the PCT
      while minimising their impact on
      the trail and the special places
      it goes through. It’s up to all of
      us to preserve our public lands.
      pcta.org MARK LARABEE

Q // Venice

seems to be in

a constant

struggle with

overtourism,

cruise ships and

rising water

levels. Is there

ever a good time

to go or should I

avoid the city

together?

Q // I want to

hike the Pacifi c

Crest Trail but

have heard

there are new

rules and

regulations.

What do I need

to know?

Q // As a UK citizen,

what do I need to

know about the recent

changes to South

Africa’s visa

requirements?

As of November 2019, it’s now

signifi cantly easier for families to

visit South Africa. Minister of

home a‚ airs, Dr Aaron

Motsoaledi, has signed a waiver

that allows foreign children to

enter the country without the

need for additional supporting

documents. This means that

children from countries where

visas aren’t required, such as the

UK and Ireland, are no longer

required to bring consent letters

or unabridged birth certifi cates

(containing information of both

biological parents or legal

guardians) to travel to and from

South Africa.

From comfortable lodges

to family-friendly safaris,

adventure tours and dining

experiences, there’s a lot on

o‚ er for families visiting the

country. The visa updates are

great news for the destination

as the relaxation of entry

requirements will undoubtedly

encourage families and more

visitors to visit the country in

2020 and beyond.

UK and Irish travellers who are

visiting South Africa for tourism

or business purposes for a period

of up to 90 days don’t require a

visa. dha.gov.za southafrica.net

KGOMOTSO RAMOTHEA

TIM HENSHALL //

KAMAGEO

JULIA BUCKLEY //

FREELANCE WRITER

MARK LARABEE // PACIFIC

COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

KGOMOTSO RAMOTHEA //

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM

THE EXPERTS

IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; GETTY

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