IMAGES: GETTY
RÉUNION
The island of Réunion, 420 miles
east of Madagascar, is a jumble of
jagged, UNESCO World Heritage
Site-listed peaks, thrusting up to
10,000ft into the sky. Among them
is Piton de la Fournaise, one of
the world’s most active volcanoes.
Steppes Travel off ers bespoke
hiking and beach holidays that
explore La Réunion’s zigzagging
trails. Aft erwards, maybe head
to nearby Mauritius for a well-
earned chillout. steppestravel.comSWAHILI
Learn a little Swahili and
it will always smooth
your path in Kenya. Hotel
staff often greet guests
with a cheery ‘karibu’
(‘welcome’). The well-
known hakuna matata’
(‘no problem’) is a firm
favourite too. To break
the ice, practise saying
‘habari?’ (‘how are you?’).
magicalkenya.comA paradise idyll
in the Seychelles,
North Island is as
passionate about
the environment
as its luxury
credentials.
Ayyoub Salameh,
the general manager of North
Island, discusses the island resort’s
rehabiliation and conservation eff ortsHawksbill and green turtle numbers are
dwindling. Visitors with four weeks or more
to spare can help by working as Marine
Conservation Volunteers on North Island in
the Seychelles, assisting environmentalists
in monitoring turtles and other endangered
species as part of a long-running ecosystem
restoration project.Why do sea turtles need protecting?
They’re keystone species. For example,
green turtles keep the seagrass beds
healthy by grazing on them, and their
egg shells and the hatchlings that don’t
make it add important nutrients to the
ecosystem. By safeguarding the nesting
sites of hawksbill and green turtles for two
decades, we’ve seen a remarkable increase
in turtles nesting here.turtles
What’s the main threat to their survival?
Truthfully, fi shing gear and rubbish in the
ocean. Turtles can drown if they get caught
in debris. To tackle this, North Island is
plastic-free. We’ve banned single-use plastic
and, every morning, our beach patrols collect
rubbish carried by the trade winds and recycle
it to ensure it doesn’t re-enter the ocean.How is ecotourism in the Seychelles
aiding marine conservation?
It’s educating people, while raising funds
to enable us to do more. The non-profi t
organisation Wildlife ACT has been an
amazing partner. One of the original team,
Elliot Mokhobo, fell in love with the fl ora
and fauna of the island and decided to stay
on. He’s one of our best-loved guides.
wildlifeact.com north-island.comHell-Bourg, a small village in Réunion
BELOW: Hawksbill turtles
on a reef in the SeychellesJul/Aug 2020 103INDIAN OCEAN