Travel World Gateway

  We've all heard about whalewatching from boats or shore, and a few companies are now offering the possibility of actually swimming and snorkeling with whales in the wild. Is this a good thing? Some whalewatching operators in the Kingdom of Tonga, South Pacific islands, advertise the possibility of swimming and snorkeling with humpback whales during the cetacean's annual migration from July to October. This activity sounds appealing, yet there are a number of things to consider. To drop clients off within snorkeling distance of a whale, the swim boats must come closer than the 30 meters laid down in Tongan government guidelines in 1997. Engine noise from a maneuvering boat can startle a whale, and repeated disturbances can lead to the animals changing their behaviour and even abandoning their traditional habitat. The nursing and resting routines of the pods can be disrupted, potentially threatening the health of the whales. This high-risk activity is not covered by most travel...

  Someone once said that scuba diving is like going back to Mother Nature’s womb albeit temporarily because every scuba diver would like to rise above deep waters no matter how cool the scene down there may be. Scuba diving is a complicated sport that requires training and endurance. Scuba diving is not for the faint of heart, or for those who would shrink at the though of being submerged in water for a long time. This is not to say that scuba diving chooses its players because almost everyone can be a scuba diver, provided they do not have the age and health limitations. Children as young as fifteen years old and in good health can train on scuba diving to prepare themselves for certification. However, all those interested to undergo training should fill up a health questionnaire and undergo medical checkups to determine their physical conditions. While scuba divers have more opportunity to admire the fishery resources of the world, divers also dive for other reasons such as for s...