Sitting on my balcony in Leyte, listening to the waves gently lapping against the shore, I looked out over Sogod Bay. Somewhere out there are whale sharks. The gentle giant of the ocean and the largest fish in the world.

In the Philippines you can swim with whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu where sightings are 100% guaranteed, but as a responsible traveller, we chose to visit Southern Leyte. 

The reason? They offer the best place for whale shark watching in the Philippines in a natural, sustainable way. No feeding, no touching, no ticket numbers, no queuing up on a beach for two hours with hundreds of other people in the blazing sun waiting for your allocated slot, no man with a mega phone yelling that your 30 minute time is up. 
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Swimming and snorkelling with whale sharks in the Philippines is big tourism, and Oslob, Cebu has the most un-natural, circus style experience you can have. In contrast, Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte offered the most sustainable swimming with whale shark experience in the Philippines.

Feet Do Travel show you that it’s possible to swim with whale sharks ethically in the Philippines. 

Visiting Singapore and looking for unusual, alternative or non-touristy things to do? Join the club, because when we were in this City-State, we sought unique things to do, unusual places to visit and different places to eat.

Singapore is one of the world’s most popular cities to visit. With a low crime rate, it was voted the safest City in the World in 2018, so naturally it’s a place where tourists want to spend time. Whilst there are many things to do in Singapore, sightseeing like a local will give you a better appreciation.
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From Street Art to the Singapore Grand Prix this guide is for everyone whether you are on a budget, or happy to let the money fly. We discovered a different side to this sprawling metropolis, so let Feet Do Travel show you Singapore with a twist; 21 unusual things to do in Singapore.

Do you want to reduce your single use plastic but don’t know where to start? Have you become more aware how much plastic waste is around?  If you need tips for living with less plastic, I’m here to tell you that it’s a lot easier than you think – honestly!

If you are having these thoughts, you have made the first step – you are aware that something needs to be done. 

Recycling plastic is fantastic, but we are producing and using more than our planet can handle. The way forward is to use less plastic in our life, and stop being a single use plastic society.

I'm sure you already know about the Great Garbage Patch, but here are a few more frightening facts for you that are closer to home:

• December 2018, a global study revealed that 100% of sea turtles tested were found with plastics in their stomach.
• November 2018, a dead sperm whale washed onto a beach in Indonesia filled with 1,000 pieces of plastic in its gut.
• October 2018 - a study on human stools found nine different types of plastic in every sample tested. Studies are now being done to find out the impact this has on human health. You read that correctly – humans are eating plastic.

Scary isn’t it - but it’s not too late. Large companies all around the world are taking steps to reduce their single use plastic so you are not alone, and if we all do our bit, we can #beatplasticpollution.

If you don’t know where to start, we will break it down for you. Our aim is give simple ideas for you to switch every day products that will be the most effective. These suggestions are very important for when you travel, because not all overseas countries have effective recycling/waste management systems.

Feet Do Travel share tips for living and travelling with less plastic. 

The Kingdom of Cambodia has a complicated, dark and tragic history. 

A trip to Cambodia’s S-21 prison (the Tuol Slengh Genocide Museum) and Choeung Ek Killing Fields in Phnom Penh will show you this history in graphic detail. It’s a harrowing experience, and one you shouldn’t shy away from. But why? 

Why should you put yourself through a disturbing and emotionally difficult time? Let me be real, you won’t just be listening to horrific stories of mass torture carried out by the Khmer Rouge under Pol Pot’s command, you will see photographs of their pained, contorted faces after they died. 

Why make yourself look at photos of victims, then stare at skulls piled thousands high, as tall as a building, knowing this could be the skull of someone you saw alive in a photo? 

Why? Because the young survivors of the Cambodian genocide want their story to be told. They wish to educate the world about what happened to them, their families, and the country they love. 

Why? In the hope that these atrocities, too vile to describe in too much detail, will never happen again.
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Their suffering should never be repeated. The people of Cambodia never thought something like this could happen to them, and you need to learn so that this doesn’t happen to you. 

If you love macro then you should go scuba diving in Dauin, it’s THE place for muck diving in the Philippines’ and equivalent to Lembeh Strait in Indonesia – a muck diver’s heaven. Underwater photographers come here to capture rare and unusual critters which can be seen all along the coastline of this municipality in Negros Oriental.

Dauin also offers the biodiversity of nearby Apo Island where turtles and a plethora of schooling reef fish can be seen on every dive. The Philippines is in the heart of the coral triangle – one of the world’s most famous scuba diving regions known for its marine diversity. If you like the small stuff or the big stuff, a trip to Dauin should be on your list.
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Diving isn’t just about the dive itself, if you want a fantastic experience, it’s about the professionalism of the dive centre, a competent guide to point out all the rare and unusual creatures, and where you stay. If you like the sound of nature, sleeping in a natural environment, and enjoy a social place to fill in your log book whilst sipping on an after dive beer, Bongo Bongo Divers is the place for you.

Feet Do Travel show you muck diving in the Philippines – Scuba Diving in Dauin.

Is staying in a real Castle on your bucket list? How about a Tudor Castle in England, owned and visited by the UK’s most fascinating monarch, King Henry VIII?

Britain is blessed with many historic Castles in beautiful surroundings. Although there are many castles in England which you can visit, there are very few Castle Hotels. We discovered one close to where we lived, and we didn’t have to pay a King’s ransom to spend the night; Thornbury Castle in South Gloucestershire.

Thornbury Castle is a 500 year old luxurious Castle Hotel. Built in the 1500’s, King Henry VIII owned this castle and stayed for 10 days with his wife, the fated Anne Boleyn, on their honeymoon tour in 1535, and yes you can stay in the same room as King Henry VIII.
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We booked a night here for Sy’s birthday, but did it live up to its expectations? Did we feel like Royalty when we stayed at Thornbury Castle, and what’s it like to walk in the footsteps of Kings and Queens?

Feet Do Travel reveal what it’s like to stay in a real Tudor Castle Hotel.

Nusa Penida is the new “undiscovered gem” of Indonesia, and one of Bali’s best kept secrets. If you have wondered what Bali was like 30+ years ago before all the tourists arrived, take a trip to Nusa Penida. Its close proximity to the popular tourist island of Bali and Nusa Lembongan means it’s easy to reach, but still unspoilt and quiet.

The largest of the three Nusa Islands, Penida has a rugged coastline largely untouched by tourism. Sheer cliffs lead down to stunning beaches, and the scenery is breath-taking. Driving along winding coastal roads with many twists and turns, it looks very rural and under developed. At times you feel you are experiencing a secret paradise.

Nusa Penida is on the cusp of exploding into a massive tourist hotspot, and with many instagrammable stops such as Kelingking Beach viewpoint, Angel’s Billabong and Rumah Pohon Tree House, it won’t be long before this off-the-beaten track is discovered by the masses.
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To whet your appetite, let Feet Do Travel show you all the awesome things to do in Nusa Penida.

Palm Oil is the new bad-buzz word right now, and rightfully so. You may have seen the various campaigns about how we are killing Orangutans at an alarming rate.

Palm Oil is the new plastic. It’s a secret killer.

The Palm oil industry is contributing to the extinction of the Sumatran Tiger, Sumatran Rhino and Sumatran Elephant who are all in critical danger. If we don’t act now, these beautiful creatures could be extinct because of us.

Deforestation of Borneo’s rainforests is also escalating climate change. As humans we need trees for a healthy planet.

Palm Oil is in 50% of the products on our supermarket shelves, and in 50% of the green biodiesel in our cars. Not so “green” after all. In some parts of the world, there are no alternatives to buying products that contain palm oil. Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world.

Yes the orang-utans are losing their habitat and have been annihilated, but it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s not palm oil that is killing the Orangutans, it’s the unsustainable methods used.  

So what can we do about it? Why don’t we stop using palm oil completely? Are there sustainable methods? The keywords to remember here are sustainable palm oil, simply boycotting or cutting out palm oil completely causes other issues.

If you care about the Orangutans, if you want to be someone who makes a difference, we explain the various ways in which you can. Feet Do Travel show you palm oil free and sustainable palm oil products for men, women and for when you travel. 

The world is becoming more conscious about the environment every year, and there should be no exception at Christmas time.

Green is the colour associated with this festive time of year, but we want to show you how you can be green in an environmental way. Implementing just a few of this ideas can make a big impact, remember the saying “it’s only one straw, said eight billion people”, the same is true at Christmas, and all the wastage produced for one day.

Before you think having an eco-friendly Christmas means being “bah humbug” read on! We show you it’s actually the opposite. With just a bit of extra thought and switching to a couple of these suggestions, it will in fact mean you have more fun, and show more thoughtfulness.
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Feet Do Travel share 10 easy tips for a green, eco-friendly Christmas this year … and every year.