Page 11 - Off The Tourist Trail - 1000 Unexpected Travel Alternatives (Part 2 of 2)

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NATURAL WONDERS

A golden lion tamarin on a tree in the Poco das Antas Reserve, Mata
Atlântica, Brazil
Mata Atlântica Longboats and tourists visit Clearwater Cave, Mulu National Park, in

the state of Sarawak, Malaysia
Borneo Jungle
NEED TO KNOW
LOCATION The Mata
Atlântica lies along Brazil’s
eastern coast, and extends NEED TO KNOW
inland as far as Paraguay .BOBVT
#3";*-
and Argentina LOCATION Almost the entire island of
1&36
VISITORS PER YEAR #SBTJMJB Borneo is covered by first-generation
Fewer than 10,000 #0-*7*" rain forests, all accessible from ,PUB ,JOBCBMV
."5" coastal settlements #36/&*
DAYTIME "5-§/5*$" 3JP EF
TEMPERATURES 4ÈP 1BVMP +BOFJSP VISITORS PER YEAR . "- ":4*"
Jan: 70°F (21°C); Apr: 66°F (19°C); "3(&/5*/" "UMBOUJD Fewer than 10,000 ,VDIJOH
Jul: 61°F (16°C); Oct: 73°F (23°C) 0DFBO DAYTIME
636(6": #03/&0
TEMPERATURES 1PUJBOBL 4BNBSJOEB
Jan: 79°F (26°C); Apr: 82°F
(28°C); Jul: 80°F (27°C); */%0/&4*"
Taken as a whole, Brazil’s once-gigantic Mata Oct: 80°F (27°C)
Atlântica (or Atlantic Forest) formerly represented
the world’s largest tree-covered region. This UN-
mandated World Biosphere Reserve holds within The island of Borneo is shared by three countries
more than 40 percent of the world’s known tree – Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia – and has to
species. It also boasts thousands upon thousands rank as one of the most out-of-the-way places on
of different kinds of flowers, plants, and, of course, earth. This is a truly exotic travel destination –
wildlife, many of them found nowhere else in the expensive, hot, humid, and primitive to the
ABOVE A view of the main temple at Altun Ha, a Mayan ruin in the world. However, the deforestation of much of the extreme. Yet for the adventurous, it can be a
rain forest of Belize
country and unregulated development have put paradise. The rain forests here are still amongst
this forest – now estimated to be only a tenth of the least explored anywhere, and some of the
the surroundings. But the one thing that most its original size – at great risk. Fortunately, most biodiverse on the planet. And, despite
characterizes all of these Belize ecological reforestation efforts are underway and an suffering greatly from deforestation in the 1980s
jewels is the governmental commitment to increasing number of ecologically minded and 1990s, Borneo will still reward you like no
ensure that these forests are maintained in their tourists are coming to see Mata Atlântica’s other spot on earth.
natural state – and it shows. great mangrove stands.

Practical Information
Practical Information Practical Information Getting There and Around Borneo is about as remote as it gets, so you
Getting There and Around Using Belize city as a base, it is easiest to reach Getting There and Around Most travelers drive to the Mata Atlântica, will most likely be met by your guide in Brunei or in one of Malaysia’s
the rain forests in a rented 4WD. Some can be accessed by boat. located along eastern Brazil from Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo. Alternatively, coastal cities.
When to Go The best time to visit is between Apr and Jun, although March visitors fly in from Manaus. When to Go The weather is hot and humid throughout the year, but the
is also an excellent month. Visitors wanting to spend time in the coastal When to Go Nov–Mar is the best time to visit, as the days are generally best time to visit the rain forests is between March and October when
regions arrive as early as December. warm and sunny (although it can rain in the western and southern forests). there is less rain.
Website www.travelbelize.org Website www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/atlantic_forest Website www.visitborneo.com

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