Feature Destination

Feature Destination: The Adventure in GALAPAGOS

a visual map representing the location of a trip in Galápagos Islands — The map is a visual representation of the locations included in this trip. Click over the image to zoom into the map. For more information, please refer to the itinerary for this expedition.

The Galapagos archipelago, on everyone’s bucket list, is one of the planet’s last wild and incredible places. We have chartered the S/S Mary Anne, one of the best boats operating in the national park. On this itinerary, we will visit Fernandina Island which is considered to be one of the most pristine islands anywhere in the world. We will walk on bare lava, come face to face with blue-footed boobies and display frigate birds. We will wander the highlands for giant tortoises, be amazed by hundreds of unique marine iguanas basking at our feet and get up close and personal with the endemic flightless cormorants. We will swim with penguins and sharks, interact with curious sea lions, snorkel alongside green sea turtles and be surrounded by yellow-tailed surgeonfish. To the islands that inspired Charles Darwin, we have customized this family charter to offer the fun and the educational trip of a lifetime.

TRIP DETAILS: General Information

USD $7,950.00/person sharing a cabin
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: none but limited to 4 spaces
ARRIVAL: José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, Guayaquil, Ecuador
DEPARTURE: José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport, Guayaquil, Ecuador
ARRIVAL TIME: 9 December 2022

a sea turtle swimming in the reef in Galapagos Islands

INCLUDED

Hotel in Guayaquil the night prior to departure to Galapagos.
Airport transfers.
7 nights accommodation aboard the S/S Mary Anne.
All meals, drinking water, tea and coffee aboard the vessel.
Naturalist guide plus one Pete Oxford Expeditions trip leader.
All activities, including INGALA fee and loan of snorkel gear.

NOT INCLUDED

International airfare to and from Guayaquil.
Domestic airfare between Guayaquil and Galapagos return. **Please note: For the domestic airfare Guayaquil-Galapagos-Guayaquil we will have a group block booking. DO NOT BOOK YOUR OWN FLIGHTS.
Galapagos National Park entrance fee, international or domestic departure taxes and passport expenses.
Tips to guide and crew.
Items of a personal nature include laundry, postage, shipboard bar, personal shopping and internet.
Hire wetsuits while on board.
Additional hotel nights are not mentioned in the itinerary.
Any COVID 19 tests or related costs.

INTINERY

Day 1, December 9th, 2022: Guayaquil

After arriving at the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil, we will transfer to the hotel for the night. Dinner is on your own.

Day 2, December 10th, 2022: Baltra Island, Santa Cruz Island Highlands, Santa Cruz Island, Charles Darwin Station

After breakfast in our hotel, we fly to Baltra Island, the gateway to the Galapagos. On arrival, we immediately transfer to the dock to board the S/S Mary Anne to settle in and for our introductory briefing. Our first activity begins after lunch as we travel across the island of Santa Cruz towards Puerto Ayora to visit the Charles Darwin Station. We will be making a stop along the way to find wild tortoises where we will come face to face with these 600 lb (270 kg) prehistoric giants in the lush highlands, a remarkable first encounter! Beginning tonight and until the morning of day 8, we eat and overnight aboard our vessel the S/S Mary Anne.

From the archipelago’s largest town of Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, we visit the world-renowned Charles Darwin Research Station to learn more about the history and science of the islands. Finches are easily photographed in this area as we explore the station. Returning through town, we have a chance to shop for souvenirs or continue photographing the juxtaposition of the abundant wildlife in the urban environment.

Day 3, December 11th, 2022 : Floreana Island: Punta Cormorant, Off Floreana Island ⎯ Devil’s Crown, and Post Office Bay

At Punta Cormorant, on Floreana Island, we land on a beach where the sand has a greenish tinge caused by large amounts of a volcanic mineral called olivine. Here sea lions, wading birds and Darwin’s finches all greet us on arrival. We walk through mangroves and unique vegetation, some of which grows nowhere else in the world but this island, to arrive at a saltwater lagoon where startlingly pink flamingos nest and feed.

A short repositioning of the S/S Mary Anne and some exhilarating snorkelling off the Devil’s Crown, a sunken cinder cone, is our next highlight. The coral reef in the center is perfect for attracting large schools of fish. Turtles, rays and, with luck, even some hammerhead sharks could be swimming below us on the outside of the crater. In the afternoon, at the historic Post Office Barrel, we can send a few postcards home and, in so doing, maintain a centuries-old tradition. In 1793, British navigators placed a large wooden barrel here, to leave messages and mail to be carried by homebound colleagues. The tradition has continued until the present day, with the barrel being replaced when necessary. Visiting yachts have added their calling cards, too.

Day 4, December 12th, 2022: Floreana Island: Black Beach, Navigation, and Whale Watching

Landing at Black Beach on Floreana, we learn about the most renowned human history to come out of the islands: the story of Margaret Witmer, the Baroness, the Ritters, lover affairs and murder. Floreana was the first island in the archipelago to be inhabited, as it has one of the very few freshwater sources. We visit the highland areas of this inhabited island looking for the Floreana-endemic medium tree finch.

In the afternoon, we will navigate into the rich waters of the western islands. On the way, we have a very high chance of spotting whales and dolphins. With plenty of deck space on the back of our yacht, we can spend the entire time outside birding and looking for marine mammals in comfort.

Day 5, December 13th, 2022: Isabela Island: Punta Moreno & Elizabeth Bay

We now venture into the ‘wilder’ side of the Galapagos for three days, where penguins, cormorants and marine iguanas flourish! Against an austere backdrop, we will explore the region in all its majesty. After anchoring at Punta Morena off Isabela Island, we will hike on superb pahoehoe lava flows in search of endemic plants and a brackish lagoon which is home to flamingos and pintail ducks, all the while against the backdrop of basaltic volcanoes.

Following the coast of western Isabela Island, we will depart the S/S Mary Anne in our pangas (inflatable motor boats) to explore the more hidden regions of a mangrove labyrinth. We will see Galapagos shearwaters, brown noddy terns, blue-footed boobies, Galapagos penguins and the more uncommon flightless cormorants. The quiet waters in the bay are a refuge for young sea lions, turtles and baby sharks. This is also one of the best places to see and photograph golden rays.

Day 6, December 14th, 2022: Isabela Island (Urbina Bay) and Fernandina Island (Punta Espinosa)

We will begin today with a wet landing on a black volcanic sand beach in this geologically uplifted area. On a relatively short hike, we can usually observe another species of the giant tortoise. We will also search for large, yellow, land iguanas and more of the finch species that inspired Charles Darwin. After our walk, we will go for a snorkel in the hopes of being accompanied by a few Galapagos penguins.

On Fernandina, the world’s largest, most pristine island, we land directly into the heart of Darwin’s ‘Imps of Darkness’, the marine iguana ‘capital’ of the world. As we sit or walk the shoreline, the world’s only truly marine lizard will be strewn at our feet in dense congregations. We will watch the endemic flightless cormorants in hopes of observing their courtship ritual, all the while being entertained by jovial sea lions. Turning inland, we face a dramatic and inhospitable vista of lava and pioneer vegetation of the archipelago’s youngest island. This is our favourite snorkelling area, as we will swim with turtles and myriad fish species and look for Galapagos penguins, flightless cormorants and marine iguanas feeding underwater.

Day 7, December 15th, 2022: Isabela Island(Tagus Cove) and Isabela Islan (Punta Vicente Roca)

At Tagus Cove, a hike leads us to an overview of a flooded crater, Darwin’s Lake, and onward through a stunning volcanic landscape for a true understanding of how the hot lava of the Earth’s core has moulded the Galapagos Islands – geologist heaven! Tagus Cove is also a historic hideaway from which pirates would ransack the whaling fleets hunting in the area. Even today, graffiti dating back as far as 1836, one year after Darwin’s visit, can be found carved in the rock face.

One of our top snorkelling sites, we take to the deep water in search of penguins, rays, turtles, flightless cormorants and a host of fish species, some only found in the western isles. A panga ride along the dramatic cliffs of Ecuador Volcano, straddling the equator, gives us the opportunity to photograph blue-footed boobies, brown noddies and amazing geological features.

Day 8, December 16th, 2022: Santiago Island (Espumilla Beach), Santiago Islan (Buccaneer Cove), and Santiago Island (Puerto Egas)

To the land of pirates and buccaneers! We head first to the golden sands of a turtle nesting beach and, on a forested trail, into the hinterland where pirates once hunted goats for food. The long, golden, sandy beach has a mangrove backdrop and there are several species of Darwin’s finches at this landing site.

Cruising Buccaneer Cove, we see where ships were careened (hauled out and cleaned) back in the 17th and 18th centuries. Some of the largest specimens of palo santo trees we will see are home to friendly Galapagos flycatchers, yellow warblers and Darwin’s finches.

In Puerto Egas, also on Santiago Island, after a wet landing onto another dark sand volcanic beach, we will hike to submerged lava grottos where we will commune with endemic fur seals that consider the grottos home. Along the shoreline, we can watch Sally-lightfoot crabs, herons, oystercatchers and waders. At low tide, this is an excellent site for tide pooling. After a good long walk, we’ll cool off with another great snorkel.

Day 9, December 17th, 2022: North Seymour Island and Baltra Airport

Following another fantastic snorkel, we land on North Seymour Island. Here we will enter the habitat of another kind of pirate: the frigatebird. These birds are known for stealing the meals of smaller birds and frequently even shaking boobies in mid-air to force them to regurgitate their prize. We will watch their display as the males show off their bright red pouches to attract the females. On this island, we will walk through nesting blue-footed boobies, Nazca boobies and frigatebirds, all the while encountering more land iguanas and sealions.

After our visit on North Seymour, we head back to the island of Baltra and the airport to fly back to mainland Ecuador for our onward flights home.

NB This itinerary is subject to change at the discretion of the Galapagos National Park Service. For more Info, please visit https://www.peteoxfordexpeditions.com.

[xyz-ihs snippet=”Prepared-by-PK”]

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: A Conservationist’s Reflection on Family, Biodiversity, and Restoration in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is one of the few countries I’ve returned to repeatedly over the last twenty or so years. Each visit has reinforced why this small Central American nation continues to hold a special place in my heart. As a conservationist, I’ve long admired its bold environmental policies, its ability to restore vast areas of degraded land, and the extraordinary biodiversity that thrives here. But what draws me back just as strongly is the feeling that Costa Rica gives you: the quiet assurance that another world is possible, one where people and nature can coexist with purpose and respect.

I had the chance to experience Costa Rica in a new way, traveling with three generations of my family. My husband, my sister and her family, and our aging parents all came together for what we knew would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip. My sister chose Costa Rica not only because of its beauty, but also because it felt manageable for a multigenerational vacation. It’s safe, accessible, and well set up for travelers of all ages. We also understood it would be expensive, but for the chance to travel together as a full family, the investment was worth it.

coconut tree on beach shore during daytime

We started our journey in San José, where my husband and I stayed in a homestay with a Costa Rican grandmother. She greeted us with warmth, fed us incredible meals, and gave us our first taste, quite literally, of the hospitality this country is known for. From there, we headed to Quepos on the Pacific coast, where my sister had rented an Airbnb home. It was the perfect setup with a space for all of us to gather, cook, relax, and look out over a small deck that faced what appeared to be pure jungle. The view was mesmerizing. We later learned that only a few decades ago, the entire landscape had been logged and used for farmland or extraction. But thanks to Costa Rica’s climate and commitment to restoration, nature had returned with full force. You’d never know it had once been stripped bare.

Every morning, we gathered on that deck before sunrise with coffee in hand to watch the forest awaken. Birds darted through the trees: tanagers, flycatchers, motmots, flickering colors between the leaves. For a family of nature lovers, those quiet hours became some of the most meaningful and memorable moments of the entire trip.

Quepos gave us easy access to both the coast and the rainforest. We hiked in the nearby parks, explored waterfalls, we stumbled on eco-tours of chocolate-making, coffee farming, and sustainable agriculture. The excursions were varied and accessible. Canopy walks, guided nature trails, and small boat rides. Costa Rica’s dynamic geography from the mountains, coasts, volcanoes, and rainforests means you don’t have to travel far to experience completely different ecosystems.

Although my husband and I skipped diving this time to stay together as a family, we did take a longer boat ride to a more remote patch of primary forest. I believe we were on the edge of the Osa Peninsula or near Corcovado National Park, which is known as one of the most biologically intense places on Earth. The experience reminded me again how rare it is to be able to witness truly untouched rainforest.

Every meal we ate was exceptional. With such a strong agricultural foundation, the food was consistently fresh, flavorful, and locally grown. Pineapple, avocado, coffee, papaya, rice, and beans, all vibrant and prepared with pride. Costa Rica’s commitment to sustainable agriculture shows in the taste of what ends up on your plate.

Beyond the beauty and comfort, what continues to impress me most is Costa Rica’s national commitment to conservation. Despite being only about 51,000 square kilometers in size, Costa Rica is home to more than 500,000 species, about 5% of the world’s biodiversity, thanks to its location at the intersection of North and South America. The diversity includes iconic species like the resplendent quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno), Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii), jaguars (Panthera onca), and endangered sea turtles like the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), which nests on the Caribbean coast in places like Tortuguero National Park.

gray wooden bridge in forest during daytime

Costa Rica has not only preserved what it has, it has reversed damage from generations of less sustainable development. In the 1980s, deforestation was rampant, with forest cover reduced to about 21%. But thanks to a range of government policies, including the 1997 launch of the Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program, forest cover has increased to over 50% as of the 2010s, and as of 2022 forests covered approximately 60.1% of the country’s land area, according to the World Bank. The PES program rewards landowners for keeping forests intact, recognizing the economic value of ecosystem services such as carbon capture, water filtration, and biodiversity protection. Much of this work is administered through MINAE (the Ministry of Environment and Energy), and its subsidiary agencies like SINAC, FONAFIFO, and CONAGEBIO.

gray and brown turtle on gray sand during daytime

The country has also turned its attention toward marine conservation, with over 30% of its territorial waters now designated as marine protected areas (MPAs). These include coral reefs, mangroves, and marine corridors vital for species like sharks, whales, and sea turtles. Organizations like the MarViva Foundation have been instrumental in managing these MPAs, particularly around the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Folks from Costa Rica, also called Ticos, have the reputation of being affectionately warm, proud, and deeply connected to the land. You quickly learn the phrase “Pura Vida” is more than a slogan. It’s a mindset, an expression of gratitude, resilience, and appreciation for life’s simple gifts. It’s said as a greeting, a farewell, a thank-you, and always with a smile.

Traveling here, you’ll find that Costa Rica is not only logistically easy, but emotionally and intellectually enriching. Whether you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or a multigenerational family like us, there’s something for everyone. The country is incredibly welcoming to people of all backgrounds, and it’s one of the safest places in Central America to visit.

If you’re planning a trip, the best advice is to decide what kind of experience you’re looking for. Do you want to immerse yourself in the jungle? Lounge on the beach? Explore volcanoes? Stay in a city and do day trips? Or do a bit of everything? There’s no single way to “do” Costa Rica. You can rent a car or rely on shuttle services. Stay in a city hotel, a remote eco-lodge, or a beachside Airbnb. It’s all possible.

Here are a few key regions to consider:

Central Valley (San José and surroundings): Cultural sites, museums, and access to volcanoes and cloud forests.
Pacific Coast (including Quepos and Manuel Antonio): National parks, beaches, and adventure tourism.
Caribbean Coast (like Puerto Viejo and Tortuguero): Afro-Caribbean culture, nesting turtles, and rich biodiversity.
Northern Plains (Arenal and La Fortuna): Hot springs, waterfalls, and volcanoes.
Southern Zone (Osa Peninsula and Corcovado): Pristine rainforest, rare species, and incredible biodiversity.

VisitCostaRica.com is the official tourism website and a helpful starting point for researching regions, accommodations, and activities.

For us, this trip was a chance to reconnect, not just with each other, but with the natural world. Costa Rica has a way of doing that. When you’re surrounded by howler monkeys at dawn, or listening to rain fall onto leaves the size of couch cushions, or catching a glimpse of a toucan in flight, you remember what it feels like to be part of something ancient and alive.

And in a world where conservation so often feels like a losing battle, Costa Rica shows what can be achieved when a nation decides to prioritize nature, not just in words, but through action.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination: The Most Awe-Inspiring National Parks in Latin America

The national parks in Latin America are breathtaking, with diverse landscapes ranging from towering glaciers in Chile to lush tropical rainforests in Costa Rica and jaguar conservation areas in Belize. These areas of immense natural beauty enable you to immerse yourself into the rich biodiversity and culture this continent has to offer, where you’ll explore the unique ecosystems and learn about the traditions of the indigenous people.

Here is our list for the best national parks in Latin America.

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

Located in the southern reaches of Chile, the Andes are at their most spectacular here, with jagged peaks rising from bright blue fjords and turquoise lakes (photo above)

A true Patagonia adventure awaits in Torres del Paine National Park. The hiking here is legendary, with routes varying from a few hours to a few days’ expedition across the 1,814 square kilometre wilderness. The landscapes are rewarding, with colossal glaciers, snow capped summits and roaring waterfalls juxtaposing the vast open plains.

Go kayaking on glacial lakes that sparkle or ride horses through forests and across pampas plains with the local gauchos, learning about their traditional ways of life in this unforgettable setting.

Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina

Los Glaciares National Park can be found at the heart of Argentine Patagonia. Spanning over 7,000 square kilometres, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is renowned for the sheer scale of its stunning glacial landscapes and rugged mountains.

The Perito Moreno Glacier dominates the landscape, where deep blues merge with ethereal whites, creating a symphony of hues that sparkle in the sunlight. Watch glacial calving from the boardwalk or boat as chunks of ice break off and thunder into the milky blue waters of Lake Argentino below. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even scale the ice field with crampons, appreciating the ice caves and pools along the way.

Admire with awe as you explore the landscape on foot, or even horseback, on the lookout for guanacos, Andean condors, foxes, and bird species. If you tackle the 22 km trek to Laguna de los Tres, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of Mount Fitz Roy.

Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Incredible biodiversity and tropical rainforests make up this natural park, situated on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, which is best known for its entangled ecosystem of winding rivers, canals, lagoons, and beaches.

Navigate Tortuguero by boat or canoe using the extensive network of waterways, where you’ll pass through dense foliage, alive with movement and sound. Monkeys swing overhead, their playful chatter blending with the calls of exotic birds like toucans and parrots. Observe and immerse yourself into the rich tropical haven around you, where three-toed sloths hang lazily from branches and river otters frolic in the water alongside you.

During nesting season, in July and August, hundreds of green sea and hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay eggs in the sand. Watch this process in action and learn more about the conservation efforts being made to protect these magnificent creatures.

Cahuita National Park, Costa Rica

On the south side of the Caribbean, this beautiful and ecologically rich national park in Latin America can only be described as paradise.

Follow the well maintained hiking trails through the rainforest on the lookout for monkeys and sloths with scenic coastal views before reaching the soft white sands, fringed with coconut palms. Off-shore, the vibrant coral reefs are teeming with bright tropical fish, rays, nurse sharks, and various types of sea turtles. The warm, clear waters are perfect for experiencing these creatures in their natural habitats through diving or snorkelling.

The culture and traditions in this region are rich, rooted in medicinal plants. Learn more about the indigenous Bribri culture and traditions through a hands-on course in traditional cacao cultivation, following the process from picking the pod to sampling the delicious chocolate it creates.

Iberá National Park, Argentina

Explore the world’s second largest wetland in northeast Argentina, where the tranquil waterways and scenic trails offer a peaceful escape into nature.

Trek among the rich tapestry of lakes, marshes, plains, and forests which are home to capybaras, marsh deer, and howler monkeys, as well as jaguars, tapirs, and giant anteaters which have been gradually reintroduced as part of a rewilding program.

The rewilding of Iberá National Park is a pioneering conservation effort, aiming to restore the native ecosystem by reintroducing keystone species that had vanished from the region. These efforts not only revive biodiversity but also empower local communities through ecotourism and sustainable development.

Canoe or boat down the winding rivers and try spot the 360 different bird species hidden in the foliage of the park. Some of the wildlife is better spotted in the dark, so night game drives are also an option here.

Galapagos National Park, Ecuador

The world famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, located 1,000 kilometres off the coast of Ecuador, is home to many endemic species totally unique to the archipelago, including the Galapagos giant tortoise, marine iguana, and several species of Darwin’s finches.

Explore the volcanic islands, with rugged cliffs and lava fields, where the wild beaches stretch for miles. The clear, blue waters are alive with marine life. Encounter colourful tropical fish, sea turtles, marine iguanas, rays, and even hammerhead sharks while snorkelling or diving amongst the coral reefs and underwater caves.

Weave in between the archipelago’s islets onboard your own sailboat, where you can enjoy Relais & Chateaux dining and relaxing on the sundeck, while watching sea lions and fur seals play in the turquoise ocean around you. As the skies begin to darken, gaze upwards for incredible views of the planets and constellations.

Each of the national parks in Latin America tell powerful stories of conservation, culture, and connection. Whether witnessing glacial calving in Patagonia, tracing the paths of rewilded jaguars in Iberá, or learning from indigenous communities in Costa Rica, these are experiences that stay with you.

At Journeys With Purpose, we design transformational travel experiences that deepen your understanding of the world and contribute to its protection. Every journey supports local conservation and community initiatives — with opportunities to engage first-hand along the way. Get in touch to find out more.

Contribute to Positive Impact on a Hosted Journey. Connect with Impact Partners around the world during a Private Experience. Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.

Feature Destination

Feature Destination – Journeys With Purpose: Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems in Palau

Visiting Palau has been one of the most remarkable and affirming experiences of my life. Spending hours in the ocean observing turtles, sharks, rays and a host of other marine species, including cuttlefish changing colour and form to their immediate environment, has proven to be one of the greatest joys and wonders in the world.

I grew up watching and entranced by the TV series ‘The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau’. Such was the impression Cousteau’s series made on me, as a very young child my first pet was called ‘Calypso’, after his fabled research vessel. My experiences in Palau brought back these vivid memories directly. With a particular snorkelling experience on this journey, a fellow traveller commented that this must be “the day you fell in love with sharks” – and it truly was.

Throughout the course of the last 12+ months, Journeys With Purpose has worked alongside the world-class organisations of Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in association with Re:wild, on a ‘Restoring Island-Ocean Ecosystems’ journey to champion and support the Island-Ocean Connection Challenge (IOCC).

The IOCC aims to restore at least 40 globally significant island-ocean ecosystems from ridge to reef by 2030 to benefit people, wildlife and our planet. This goal is delivering tangible action and successes, and signifying more widely the essential connection between island health and ocean health. Holistically restoring islands delivers outsized benefits for wildlife, oceans, people and climate impacts.

Key IOCC messages:

Healthy oceans need healthy islands
- island and marine ecosystem elements cycle into one another, sharing nutrients vital to the plants and animals within them. Invasive species damage these fragile ecosystems and work to remove these in order to restore balance and endemic species such as the Megapode bird is vital.
Everything is connected – Indigenous Peoples and local communities know this
- Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long understood and managed their natural resources in the context of island-to-sea connections. As Wayne Andrew, Micronesia Director of OneReef says “Community is not people alone. Community is a place, the reef. The respect of all that is so important”. This is rooted in their traditional knowledge and wisdom, including ancient oral stories such as the “Megapode Bird and Hawksbill Turtle”. It is essential to support local leadership and communities in the decisions they wish to make to protect these vital ecosystems.
Collaboration is essential
- taking a collective approach to sustainable science and the importance of collaboration with local communities to achieve more holistic results.
Emerging Science and Impact Monitoring
- global scalability of work informed by science. Emerging research shows people, wildlife and marine environments benefit when island-ocean connections are restored.
Islands are on the frontline of environmental crises
- a staggering 41% of critically threatened species are found on islands
- 27% of all languages come from island communities
- surrounding coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine life

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE IOCC

We travelled with leadership from Palau’s local communities, Island Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography and supporters of these organisations. The collective experience of our time with these communities, and snorkelling and diving, was quite remarkable – a true spirit of togetherness and bonding developed that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. And importantly to take forward into action.

My key takeaways are thus:

People make Places
- this is never more true than in Palau. There are approximately 20,000 local inhabitants on Palau’s islands, and they demonstrate an incredible bond, cohesiveness and strength together. This is brilliantly encapsulated by the local Hatohobei community, who rejected sizeable bribes to thwart a significant illegal fishing operation – “… we’re doing it for our people, for the future generations.”
Impact at Scale
- the Palau National Marine Sanctuary (PNMS), effective 1 January 2020 with support from the Palauan government and several NGOs, is one of the largest marine protected areas (MPA) in the world. It was the first MPA of its kind, protecting 80% of a country’s national waters in a fully protected no-take zone.
- the PNMS protects a vast array of marine life and unique geological features within its over 475,000 km2, an area larger than Germany, Japan, Iraq, Sweden, etc. Eight hundred marine vertebrate species call the PNMS home, including nearly 30 different marine mammals and 60 shark and ray species, though these numbers are likely underestimated, as the biodiversity of the PNMS remains understudied.
- all achieved with the spirit of just 20,000 Palauans.
Be Brave
- as above, the Palauans have been incredibly brave in their approach with their communities, natural environment and ambition. Very sadly, this is not the norm around the world, but is, however, a lesson for us all – trust our hearts and do the right thing to help deliver today a viable future. We must turn the currency of hope into the currency of action.

I have observed these three takeaways in the great conservation and rewilding endeavours around the world. It can be done. I urge us all, in the strongest possible manner, to support the work of the people of Palau, Island Conservation and Scripps Institution of Oceanography – brilliant people, doing brilliant work, in brilliant places. My eternal gratitude to our partners and supporters on this journey, and in particular to the exceptional dedication, hospitality and warmth of our local Palauan partners at Island Conservation Palau, Ebiil Society, OneReef, Koror State DCLE (Department of Conservation and Law Enforcement), Ngarchelong State Rangers and many others. Palau, officially the Republic of Palau, is an island nation in the Micronesia region of Oceania in the western Pacific, comprising an archipelago of over 350 islands. Little known to many of us, it is one of the most remarkable ecosystems and communities on Earth. Please connect here – connect@journeyswithpurpose.org – to understand how you can contribute, and visit Palau.

GET IN TOUCH TO START YOUR JOURNEY

A tribute to the people of Palau:- in memoriam to Prince LeeBoo of Palau, 1763 to 1784.

With the consent of his father King Ibedul of Koror, Prince LeeBoo departed Palau with Captain Henry Wilson and the crew of the Antelope to London, England on 12 November 1783. Whilst in London, Prince LeeBoo became Palau’s de facto ambassador of goodwill to England, and a scholar. However, LeeBoo’s plan of returning to Palau to spread knowledge and scientific discoveries to his people ended abruptly when the young prince succumbed to smallpox in the winter of 1784. The remains of Prince LeeBoo and his plans lay buried today in the courtyard of St. Mary’s church in Rotherhithe, London, England.

Despite the dilapidation of time, the spirit of Prince LeeBoo continues to live in the hearts of the people of Palau – their immense strength of community, positive impact and fortitude. His story, and purpose in life, remains widely told amongst the people of Palau today.

DISCOVER OUR HOSTED JOURNEYS

This article was retrived from Duncan’s Field Notes.

Journeys With Purpose offers immersive conservation and ethical travel experiences. Through private and hosted trips with pioneering conservationists, guests experience rewilding and restoring biodiversity in the wildest corners of the world. Our “Seven Worlds, One Planet” approach is a global curriculum focused on recovering and conserving vibrant landscapes, biodiversity, wildlife and livelihoods across all seven continents.