Monthly Archives: December 2012

Recap – Building Your Eco-Tourism Adventure

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Over the past couple of weeks, I have shown you the different elements to consider when building your customized ecotourism adventure and how to facilitate it with miles and points so you have more to spend on the eco-lodges and supporting the local economies.  During the course of this blog, I will be adding MANY destinations that are ideal for birders and eco-travelers in general but this is a good start!

 

1.  Identify the goal of your trip.  What bird species are you most interested in?  Are birds the only focus or do you want other animals too?  Use the right guidebooks and resources to help you plan.  Use the maps in the book to help you locate the best places to see your target species.

2.  Be familiar with airline alliances.  There are 3 alliances:  Star Alliance, One World and Sky Team.  Know which one can get you to your destination as easily and cheaply as possible.  Check this example of using miles to get to Lima, Peru.  Know how to use airline partners such as credit cards, online shopping malls and services you already use such as phone companies, internet providers, supermarkets and insurance companies to get free miles for paying for things you already use.  Don’t shop more, shop smarter!  Check the resources tab at the top of this blog for advice on this.

3.  Know how to save money by using hotel points for free nights at the gateway city before you head off into the bush.  Depending on your flight schedule, you may need a gateway hotel in your home country before the flight and/or the destination country between your international connection and domestic flight to the staging point.  See this example of Lima, Peru.

4.  Research how exactly you get to your main destination.  Can you fly?  Drive?  Take a bus or riverboat?  Or maybe a combination?  What do you have to pay for and what is included in the cost of your eco-lodge’s package.  See this example of Tambopata National Reserve for ideas on how to do this.

5.  Know how to choose an eco-lodge in an area where there are many options available.  How do you find the various options?  See this example of Tambopata National Reserve’s lodges and how I analyzed an area where there are a lot of choices and sorted them out by my priorities.

6.  Read as many reviews as possible of the lodges and try to get a feel of the people who posted them.  For example, one lodge may get a bad review because they were too remote and hard to get to by someone who likes more of a bar/social scene.  Or one lodge may get a bad review because there were or were not facilities for kids.  Trip Advisor, Fat Birder and Surfbirds all have lodge reviews or trip reports from people of all walks of life so try to find reviews by people who are similar to you.  Here is a review I did for Tambopata Research Center.  My priorities were sustainable, helping conservation efforts, abundance of parrots and other birds and preferably adults or at least teens only(no small kids).  Remoteness, social life not an issue but I did need to keep in a budget.  They have packages of various sizes to suit most anyone.

7.  If you don’t know, don’t be afraid to ask questions!  Use the comments on any of my posts if you have a specific question or want to request advice on a specific location.

Refugio Amazonas And Tambopata Research Center Lodge Reviews

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Last week, I did a comprehensive post on all the lodges that are available in Tambopata National Reserve.   I have only been to two lodges so in the other post, I was only able to assess the lodges by their websites and what other had said about them on Trip Advisor.  Now I can give a more personal review.  I am reviewing these two lodges together as they are part of the same group and if you visit Tambopata Research Center (TRC), you will have one night at either Refugio Amazonas or Posada Amazonas before and after the TRC trip because it is a LONG way down the river!

Refugio Amazonas

The journey to get there is half the fun and the birding begins right away!  I have a full account on my main website Feathered and Free which actually reads more like a blog post so I won’t copy everything again.  The service was amazing from the moment we were picked up at the airport in Puerto Maldonado, given our safety gear and leaf lunches to the nature walks and birding.  Our guide, William was well trained, knew all the species and had a good eye for spotting them.

Refugio Amazonas Room

The lodges were both beautifully laid out and in harmony with the rain forest.  What I really love is how the rooms are open to the jungle and you can see and hear everything that goes on 24 hours a day!  Mosquito nets are provided and we found the beds very comfortable.  People are warned not to leave personal effects and food out as macaws and monkeys can and will take anything they find. Meals are done buffet style and the food was excellent!  We were amazed at how they could cook the variety of dishes they did out in the middle of the rainforest!  There is a well-stocked bar and library where you could take a book and relax in a hammock during the siesta time.

TRC Room

Macaws can and do come into the rooms!

At TRC, there are several semi-tame Scarlet Macaws that were rescued from nests in cases where the parents weren’t feeding them.  This often happens with a 2nd chick, the parents sometimes neglect the younger in favor of the elder one.  These semi-tame macaws are called “Chicos”, and they would not be alive today if they hadn’t beed rescued and fed by researchers.  Although they are totally wild and free, they have come to realize that free food is a good thing, so they usually come around at breakfast time hoping to steal as much from the buffet and people’s plates left unattended as possible.  It’s quite hilarious as they are experts at faking out the lodge staff and work in teams to distract the staff while their mate swoops in to steal something!

 

VIDEO CLIPS!

Macaws Casing the Joint

Pancake Thieves

 

TRC will give you a lifetime of memories and if you do stay here, the only thing you will regret is that you didn’t stay longer!

OTHER POSTS IN THIS SERIES

Getting to Peru

Gateway Lima

Getting to Tambopata

Choosing an Eco-Lodge

Tambopata Eco-Lodges

Review of Refugio Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center

United Airlines Donates 10 Million Miles To Charity (Incl. Conservation International)

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Don’t you just love when big corporations such as United Airlines want to give something back?  They have 38 charities listed HERE and you can vote once per day who you want to win.  They are all very worthy causes but since this blog is about conservation and eco-travel, I want to draw your attention to Conservation International.

Conservation International (CI) empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature, global biodiversity, and the long-term wellness of humanity by using a foundation of science, partnership, and field demonstration. Founded in 1987, CI has over 900 biologists, social scientists, economists, policy experts, communicators, educators, and other professionals working in more than 40 countries on 4 continents with over 1,000 international partners.

Winning a large number of frequent flyer miles would allow them to send more biologists and researchers to projects to help conserve the local wildlife.

Even if you find yourself drawn to one of the other charities, just please vote!  It feels good to help worthy causes!

Animal Of The Week – Howler Monkey

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You’ll hear them long before you see them.

It’s a creepy sound and a little scary as you walk through the rainforest in search of that special bird.  Or maybe you are searching for mammals too.  Then all of a sudden, there they are scrambling through the trees.  Let’s learn a little more about them as you are sure to see them if you visit most rainforests in Central and South America.  You Tube Link (sorry, can’t embed this one)

Howler Monkey

There are several different species of Howler Monkeys, so check with your lodge as to which one you are most likely to see.  And don’t be surprised if they keep you up all night with that growl!

  • A. palliatagroup
    • Coiba Island howler, Alouatta coibensis
      • Alouatta coibensis coibensis
      • Azuero howler, Alouatta coibensis trabeata
    • Mantled howler, Alouatta palliata
      • Ecuadorian mantled howler, Alouatta palliata aequatorialis
      • Golden-mantled howler, Alouatta palliata palliata
      • Mexican howler monkey, Alouatta palliata mexicana
    • Guatemalan black howler, Alouatta pigra de simipidopoo pigoo”
  • A. seniculusgroup
    • Ursine howler, Alouatta arctoidea
    • Red-handed howler, Alouatta belzebul
    • Spix’s red-handed howler, Alouatta discolor
    • Brown howler, Alouatta guariba
      • Northern brown howler, Alouatta guariba guariba
      • Southern brown howler, Alouatta guariba clamitans
    • Juruá red howler, Alouatta juara
    • Guyanan red howler, Alouatta macconnelli
    • Amazon black howler, Alouatta nigerrima
    • Purus red howler, Alouatta puruensis
    • Bolivian red howler, Alouatta sara
    • Venezuelan red howler, Alouatta seniculus
    • Maranhão red-handed howler, Alouatta ululata
  • A. carayagroup
    • Black howler, Alouatta caraya

New Club Carlson Visa Gets 2 – 3 Free Nights Near Panama’s Soberania National Park

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Panama is a fantastic place for birders!  Soberania National Park is less than an hour’s drive from the airport and there is even the Metropolitan National Park right in the city of Panama City!   The bird lists are very impressive!   Birders on a budget can stay at the Radisson Summit on points and drive over to the Canopy Tower for a day visit.  Birders with more to spend can also stay overnight.

There is a special way to get up to 3 nights FREE at the Radisson Summit or any of their other hotels with the Club Carlson Visa.  They currently have only a USA version of this card but they do say they will introduce cards in other countries.  ***Disclaimer, this is not an affiliate link, these links go direct  to Club Carlson’s site.  Just sharing an awesome deal!

The USA one with US Bank comes in 3 varieties:

Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature card Highlights

  • 10 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels3
  • 5 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else3
  • Up to 85,000 Bonus Gold Points – receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days1
  • 40,000 renewal bonus points each year when you renew your card4
  • Bonus Award Nights – When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.2Exclusively for cardmembers!
  • Your upgrade is automatic5 – Your Club Carlson membership will be upgraded to Gold Elite Status after you activate and use your card
  • Already reached Gold or Concierge Elite Status? You will receive 15 qualifying nights toward obtaining or maintaining Concierge Elite status after you activate and use your new card6
  • Enjoy all of these benefits for $75 Annual Fee

Club Carlson Rewards Visa Signature card Highlights

  • 6 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels3
  • 3 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else3
  • Up to 60,000 Bonus Gold Points – receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase plus 10,000 points once you spend $1,500 on your card within the first 90 days1
  • 25,000 renewal bonus points each year when you renew your card4
  • Bonus Award Nights – When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.2Exclusively for cardmembers!
  • Your upgrade is automatic5 – Your Club Carlson membership will be upgraded to Silver Elite Status after you activate and use your card
  • Already reached Silver, Gold or Concierge Elite Status? You will receive 10 qualifying nights toward obtaining or maintaining Gold or Concierge Elite status after you activate and use your new card.6
  • Enjoy all of these benefits for $50 Annual Fee

Club Carlson Business Rewards Visa card Highlights

  • 10 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases at participating Carlson Rezidor hotels3
  • 5 points per $1 spent in eligible net purchases everywhere else3
  • Up to 85,000 Bonus Gold Points – receive 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days1
  • 40,000 renewal bonus pointseach year when you renew your card4
  • Bonus Award Nights – When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.2Exclusively for business owners!
  • Your upgrade is automatic5 – Your Club Carlson membership will be upgraded to Gold Elite Status after you activate and use your card
  • Already reached Gold or Concierge Elite Status? You will receive 15 qualifying nights toward obtaining or maintaining Concierge Elite status after you activate and use your new card6
  • Enjoy all of these benefits for $60 Annual Fee

Remember, I am not a financial advisor so it is up to you to make sure you should have this credit card.

Club Carlson is a great program for non-frequent travelers as they have several promos throughout the year where you can earn points, so even if you don’t want the credit card, still join Club Carlson and be on their mailing list for promos.  Usually chain hotels suit eco-travelers best as gateway hotels but we are lucky that Club Carlson has a great option right near the Soberania National Park.

Depending on which card you get, you will have 1 or 2 free nights right off the bat!  But these cards have a little something extra!  Did you notice this part?

Bonus Award Nights – When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free.

This means that to get this (or any other Carlson hotel), you would redeem 38,000 points and get the last night free!  This effectively reduces rewards to half price, a fantastic deal any way you look at it!  I would recommend staying here 2 nights, birding along Pipeline Road and into Soberania National Park, then move to one of the other hotels in the city, go birding at the Metropolitan National Park and check out the Panama Canal, Panama Viejo or any of the markets, redeem one night and get the second night free.  This makes for 4 nights all up in Panama free!

Bird In Flight Photography

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The beauty of birds has intrigued humans for many years.  What better way to take home the memories of your birding adventure than a photograph?  I know I have been trying for a couple years now with my DSLR to get that perfect flight shot but it just never seems to happen.  The camera and lens is just so heavy I can’t hold it still and it isn’t always practical to take a tripod on the kind of trips I do.  I went searching online and found this excellent advice from a fellow blogger, Glenn Bartley.

How to Photograph Birds in Flight

He recommends ditching the tripod and shooting hand-held which I do try to do with little success.  The quality of his shots shows his control over the camera, even hand-held!  The shot below is one of my better ones but it’s clear I have a LOT to learn when compared with Glenn’s superb shots!

Priority Club Pointbreaks – Gems For Eco-Travelers

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Once you get into the miles and points games, you begin to get more familiar with the deals that come out periodically and how to best take advantage of them.  One of the best is the Priority Club Point Breaks.   These come out roughly every second month and allow you to redeem only 5000 points for any of the designated hotels.  While most of the hotels are in cities and may appeal more to business travelers, there are often bargains to be had in resorts and more exotic destinations.  Priority Club is a great program for non-frequent travelers as they have many promos throughout the year to get points.  I will be sharing these opportunities as they come up.  If you are in a hurry and have no points at all, you can buy Priority Club points or get their Chase credit card.  More details HERE.

Here’s a few from the current list that can benefit eco-travelers and are valid through 31 January 2013.

Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria – You will pass through here if you are headed to Palawan to see the endangered Philippine Red-vented Cockatoo.  I did this trip in 2012, you can read my article.

Intercontinental Jakarta Midplaza – Although Aussies will usually access the birder’s paradises of Seram and West Papua via Bali, people coming from Europe and North America are more likely to connect in Jakarta to an Indonesian domestic flight.  Seram has the Moluccan Cockatoo and more!  West Papua is full of fascinating birds including many species of Birds of Paradise, Palm Cockatoos, Eclectus Parrots, several Lorikeets, Pesquet’s Parrots and more!  I will be there next year!

Holiday Inn Suva – You would be passing through here several times if you are using the domestic flights or ferries to get to Taveuni to see Red-throated Lorikeets or Red Shining Parrots; or Viti Levu to see Masked Shining Parrots.

Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum Costa Rica – Useful if you are traveling to Costa Rica to head out to Carara National Park for Scarlet Macaws, Selva Biological Reserve to see Great Green Macaws or Savegre to see Resplendant Quetzals.

Remember, whenever you economize on gateway hotels, you have more money to spend on staying in nice eco-lodges and supporting the local economy!

Tambopata Eco Lodges

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When deciding on an eco-lodge, there are many things to consider as I wrote HERE.  Once you decide on your priorities, Tambopata National Reserve has something for just about everyone!  When reading Trip Advisor reviews, I tend to ignore anything written by someone who has only one review as they may not be completely objective.  Pay attention to what species people report seeing at the lodges.   Some people who seem to be ill-prepared will complain about mosquitoes and other bugs but hey, it’s a jungle out there!  What do you expect?  All the lodges will have bird species lists but they are accumulated over time so you want an idea what to expect from a shorter visit of 3-7 days.

Tambopata Research Center

In Alphabetical Order

ECO AMAZONIA LODGE

EcoAmazonia

This is one of the cheapest lodges in Tambopata so a good choice for budget travellers and backpackers.      Not near a clay lick.  This is not a place for serious birders but they seem to provide a nice jungle experience at a great price and the few reviews on Trip Advisor are positive.

EXPLORER’S INN

Explorers Inn

You can’t go past a recommendation from National Geographic!     Located in a national park that is the meeting of three major ecosystems: lowland Amazon forest, Andean foothills, and savanna. The rainforest retreat, built in part from certified forest wood, relies on solar panels and candles for light. It is a short walk from an oxbow lake, home to giant river otters, tiny tamarind monkeys, and hundreds of bird species. The lodge and its surroundings are pure Amazon, basic in design with fauna all around. Resident naturalists provide fine insight. 30 rooms; from $230, two-night minimum, all-inclusive.

They have a very impressive research and conservation program!    From its inception in 1976, the Explorer’s Inn has played a central role in the effort to preserve the stunning natural environment of Peru’s Madre de Dios province and to support research in the field of tropical rainforest conservation biology. Our company was among the first to adopt the practice of ecotourism in the region and promote the concept of conservation to its communities. Indeed, it is largely thanks to the efforts of many people at the Explorer’s Inn, including the staff and numerous scientists who have conducted groundbreaking fieldwork from here, that Tambopata National Reserve and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park were established by the Peruvian government, protecting more than 1.3 million hectares of Amazonian rainforest.   The Explorer’s Inn donates on average one quarter of its bed/nights to our Resident Naturalist Programme, allowing researchers at the Masters level and above to carry out fieldwork in the life sciences, including botany, ecology, entomology, herpetology, primatology, and ornithology. In addition to their academic research, our Resident Naturalists have also become involved in conservation work including through the Tambopata Reserve Society (TreeS), a NGO founded by former Resident Naturalists in the UK, raising funds and providing expert advice to local communities on sustainable development within the rainforest.

The 7 day birding tour looks really good although you don’t get guided walks with the naturalists every day, some days are on your own to explore.    The prices are some of the lowest for this area so you are getting a bargain!     This blog has a great report of a trip there in August 2012 with lovely photos but they did have some complaints about not having access to the top of the canopy tower.   I would email Explorer’s Inn and make sure that you would have full access to the Canopy Tower before booking.    With rave reviews on Trip Advisor, I’d say you can’t go wrong here, especially for the price!

INKANATURA

They have two lodges in the Tambopata area:  Sandoval Lake Lodge (SLL) and the Heath River Wildlife Center (HRWC).  The location makes it ideal for a shorter trip, they even have a one-night trip; but in my opinion if you are going  to fly all the way to Peru, stay at least 4 nights to see more wildlife!  The Heath River features the world’s most accessible large macaw lick, which has registered up to 260 large macaws in one day, making it one of the five largest recorded macaw licks in the world.

Though all five of these licks are spectacular, the Heath Lick is by far the most economical to visit, making it ideal for a short Amazon itinerary to combine with the Inca sites of Cusco and Machu Picchu. The Heath lick is the only one of the five that can be reached the same day that you fly by jet from Cusco, thus saving one or two nights over other licks.   They have special birding tours led by some of Peru’s top ornithologists.  Although we didn’t get to visit HRWC on our last trip, this is definitely one I would consider in conjunction with TRC to get a wider perspective of Tambopata.  People on Trip Advisor speak highly of both Heath River Wildlife Center and Sandoval Lake Lodge.

INKATERRA RESERVA AMAZONICA

Inkaterra Treehouse

The most expensive and luxurious of the Tambopata eco-lodges, Inkaterra even has a spa package!    This probably won’t sway the more dedicated birders unless you have a spouse who is reluctant to visit the rainforest and needs some persuading.  This place would suit honeymooners who want  a romantic rainforest retreat and aren’t too fussed about what wildlife they see.   They also accept families and cater to children from 5 years and up.     The canopy treehouse is beautiful!      This is one of three lodges recommended by National Geographic.

They have a wide range of guides who seem well qualified but you should request one who specializes in parrots as not all of them do.     Based on the location they don’t seem to be near any macaw clay lick.   “From Puerto Maldonado Airport, check-in at the Inkaterra Butterfly House, then 10 minute transfer to the Jetty Port for a 45-minute boat transfer along the river to the Lodge.”    I would recommend this lodge for honeymooners and soft adventure but not for serious birders.  Reviews on Trip Advisor are mixed, some love it, some don’t.

RAINFOREST EXPEDITIONS

Refugio Amazonas

This was my choice for the trip we did in 2007 and I couldn’t have been happier!  They have 3 wonderful lodges (which I will write separate reviews for):  Refugio Amazonas, Posada Amazonas and the world-famous Tambopata Research Center which is located near the largest known macaw clay-lick in the Amazon.  They have a wide variety of packages at surprisingly reasonable costs, including one especially for parrot lovers!  We did the 5 day 4 night package in 2007 but if we went back, I would want the Parrot Lover’s package for sure.  The one drawback to the shorter packages is you may get people with only a passing interest in birdlife and would rather chatter amongst themselves than stay silent and listen for bird calls.  We did have a problem with a chatty couple in our group so next time, I would want to be with people who are focused on the birds.  Recommended by National Geographic!

Tambopata Research Centre

Sustainability is a top priority here.   Because the locals are co-owners of the lodges, they are highly motivated to preserve and protect their wildlife.  TRC is home to the Tambopata Macaw Project which has researchers and field biologists studying the birds.  Many of the in-house guides will be volunteers with the project who have been there a few months and had intensive training on the local wildlife.     Since we stayed here, I will go into more detail in the individual lodge reviews. (link to follow)   I am not the only one who loves these lodges as you can see on Trip Advisor’s reviews of Refugio Amazonas, Posada Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center.

TAMBOPATA ECO LODGE

Tambopata Lodge Map

Founded back in 1991, the Tambopata Eco Lodge is one of the most established eco-tourism lodges on the banks of the Tambopata River. There are now a total of nine rainforest lodges in the Puerto Maldonado area, reinforcing the status of the region as one of the major rainforest eco-tourism destinations in South America.

With a capacity of 59 it is also one of the smallest lodges, which is how we intend to keep it. Smaller groups, we believe, contribute to a more fulfilling visit and reduce the impact on the many species of fauna that abound in the surrounding forest.

Tambopata Lodge

The lodge employs around twenty Peruvian staff, the majority of whom are resident in Puerto Maldonado. In addition, there are a number of naturalist guides, both from Peru and abroad, who are at your service throughout your stay. As well as guiding and introducing visitors to the many marvels of the forest, a number are undertaking research projects, thereby contributing to a greater ecological understanding of the area.  The package rates are comparable to other lodges in the area.    I can’t see where they have any special research programs going on or where their naturalist guides are from.  They do get excellent reviews on Trip Advisor but seem more suitable for a general rainforest experience than for people who are interested in macaws and other parrots.

WASAI

Wasai

They have excellent last-minute bookings at very good prices which will appeal to backpackers who don’t like to book things in advance.    One thing that stands out is that there is a 4km hike to the lodge but they provide porters.  They do include a visit to Macaw Clay Lick “El Chuncho” in the Bahuaja-Sonene National Park in their 3 night 4 day program.  They also offer educational programs and accept volunteers.    Very positive reviews on Trip Advisor and several people recommend the guide Jorge.

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There are probably other lodges that I didn’t get a chance to cover.  As you can see, some lodges will appeal to budget travelers or backpackers who just want a rainforest experience and don’t have their hearts set on seeing any species in particular.  Other lodges cater to more serious birders and will do all they can to help you find the species you want to see.  Of course no wildlife is guaranteed but the macaw clay licks are a pretty sure bet to see LOTS of macaws and other parrots!

If you find any other lodges and would like my advice about it based on how they present themselves online, please give the link in the comments.  My pick if we were to go back—hands down Tambopata Research Center!  We loved it the last time and I love that they are so committed to conservation.   Heath River Wildlife Center and Explorer’s Inn also are stand-outs by my priorities of conservation efforts, birding and macaw clay lick.  None of these are the cheapest lodges, nor are they the most expensive but I don’t think for a serious birder Tambopata is a good place to economize.

OTHER POSTS IN THIS SERIES

Getting to Peru

Gateway Lima

Getting to Tambopata

Choosing an Eco-Lodge

Tambopata Eco-Lodges

Review of Refugio Amazonas and Tambopata Research Center

Frequent Flyer Miles Earning Credit Cards – Australian Edition 1

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I am sure that many Aussies have looked with envy at the huge credit card signing bonuses available to Americans and the free trips they brag about in forums such as Flyertalk,  Milepoint and some blogs.  Amex Bluebird, Vanilla Reloads, Green Dots, Chase Sapphire Preferred and similar are out of  reach for most Aussies but cheer up!  While Australia doesn’t have nearly the amount of affiliate cards as the USA, there are still a few good options.  Disclaimer:  I do not have any affiliate relationships with any of these banks.  The links below take you directly to the bank’s website or the airline’s website.  I am not a qualified financial advisor and the links are only to let you know what is available.  It is up to you to analyze your own financial situation.  I personally RARELY carry a balance on my credit cards and if I do, it’s only for a month.  Interest charges can be very high, please be aware of these charges on the bank’s website.  The invitation I offer in the red text below is available to most people once they have a similar American Express card.

AMERICAN EXPRESS

These come in various types with different mileage earning partners.  Click HERE and let’s compare the options, scroll through the different options and take some time to read the T&Cs of each card.   There are two types of cards that will get you miles.  Travel cards are affiliated with a particular airline such as Qantas or Virgin Australia and will automatically sweep into the airline’s program each month.  Rewards cards will earn Membership Rewards points which you can transfer manually to your choice of programs.

When you click on each card in turn, the details of that particular card will show on the right.  For example we can see that the Velocity card has no annual fee and a 7500 sign up bonus.  You have to apply and be approved by 28 February 2013 and spend $300 on your Card within the first 3 months.  The Qantas version of this card is much the same so you would choose which program you want to earn points in first.

Now let’s look at the Rewards card which comes in several varieties.  The most expensive one, the Platinum Card has a $900 annual fee and you receive 45,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $500 on your Card within the first 2 months of receiving it.  While the fee may seem high, it does come with other benefits, so have a read through and see if they appeal to you.

Much cheaper is the Platinum Edge card with a $149 annual fee, a free flight on Virgin to your choice of several selected destinations.   These are short haul domestic trips.  The sign up bonus is 10,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $500 on your Card within the first 2 months.

And then there is the Platinum Reserve card with a $395 annual fee.  Some Aussies got grandfathered into this card when Amex discontinued the Gold Rewards Maximizer so we have a lower annual fee but no free domestic flight.  This is the currently offered version of the card.  There is no publicly available sign up bonus at present but I can refer you for a limited time special until 31 Dec.  You will get a large bonus and I will get a smaller bonus for referring you.  These bonuses come up throughout the year so once you have a card, you can then refer your friends and family and get bonuses for yourself!  The included flight with this card is much more generous and depending on your city of origin, you can even go to Bali or New Zealand!  For example if you live in Brisbane, you can go to Perth, Darwin, several cities in New Zealand- all flights which compensate for the annual fee.  Plus you get other benefits such as free lounge access via Priority Pass, travel insurance and more-you really need to read the whole description on the Amex site.

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The special offer is:

You will receive 40,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend $500 within the first two months of Cardmembership. If you have already applied for The Platinum Reserve Credit Card without using this recommendation, you will not be eligible for the bonus Membership Rewards points. If you already have an American Express Card, you will not be eligible for the bonus Membership Rewards points as this offer is not valid for upgrading Cardmembers. Please allow 8 to 10 weeks for the Bonus Points to be awarded once approval is made. Offer expires 31 December 2013. Subject to the Terms & Conditions of the Membership Rewards Program.  The email invitation you get will have the T&Cs and more details. 

UPDATE FOR 2013:  I can give referrals for the following American Express products:

PLATINUM CARD – You get 60,000 points

PLATINUM RESERVE CREDIT CARD – You get 40,000 points

PLATINUM EDGE CREDIT CARD – You get 15,000 points

GOLD CARD – You get 30,000 points

AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD – You get 10,000 points

If you would like a referral, please use this contact form.  I will need you email address to send you an invitation.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS OFFER, PLEASE USE THE CONTACT FORM AND GIVE ME YOUR EMAIL AND I WILL SEND YOU AN INVITATION!

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WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH MEMBERSHIP REWARDS POINTS?

You can either spend them directly with online shops or transfer them to airline partners.  Obviously, the biggest value is in transferring them to airline partners for free or greatly reduced flights.  In most cases, you will have to pay some taxes but if you transfer to Virgin Velocity there are options for using points to pay the taxes and even the checked bag fees!  Here is an overview of the Membership Rewards Program.  The participating airlines and transfer ratios are HERE and the participating hotel programs and transfer ratios are HERE.

OK, I AM CONFUSED!  HOW DO I MAXIMIZE THIS FOR ECOTOURISM?

I will tell you how I use my Membership Rewards points to best advantage having been a member for 7 years.  I use 3 transfer partners.  Virgin Velocity (usually to top off what I get from my NAB card), Singapore Krisflyer for cheap awards to Pacific Islands and SPG to use on either hotels or transfer to airlines in blocks of 20,000 to get a free bonus of 5000 miles.  Transferring SPG to American AAdvantage works best for me.  If you have a 40,000 sign up bonus and you use the card for your everyday expenses like groceries, phone bills, fuel, etc; you should have 50,000 within 6 months to a year.  Here’s some ideas!

Keas, Kakarikis, Kakas and maybe Kakapo if Sirocco is doing one of his tours in New Zealand.  Remember, you get one trip included with the card so use the points to take a friend!  45,400 with no additional taxes!   Here is an example.

Or how about the Pacific Islands?  Rimatara Lorikeets and Tahitian Blue Lorikeets in the Cook Islands?  Ultramarine Lorikeets in French Polynesia?  Shining Parrots in Fiji?  Although you will need some domestic flights at additional cost, you can get from Australia to the main airports of Rarotonga, Papeete or Nadi using a Star Alliance award with Singapore’s Krisflyer.    Awards within South West Pacific are the greatest bargains in this region!

I think I’ve probably overloaded you now with information and lots of studying to do, so I will continue next week with other mileage earning credit cards in Australia.  I have seen on Flyertalk how most people dislike seeing credit card posts all the time so I am not going to do that.  I will do one edition each week until I have most of the world covered, then just link them all on a master list.  If you have any specific questions, please ask in the comments.

***** PART 2 IS AVAILABLE HERE *****

Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta Spixii)

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Spix’s Macaw

Believe me, there is nothing I would love more than to be able to post my usual map of where you can see the enigmatic Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii) flying free in the wild and tell you how to get there.  Unfortunately, they are extinct in the wild and the species survives only to this day due to a handful of conservation efforts.  They had a very small range in the Brazilian state of Bahia near Curaca.  This map show the rough idea of where they were last seen in the wild back in October, 2000.

A single survivor, the last of his species tried to pair with an Illiger’s Macaw out of loneliness.  No one knows exactly what happened to him, whether he died of natural causes or was trapped and sold to the highest bidder.  The heartbreaking story is told in the excellent book by Tony Juniper,  “Spix’s Macaw, The Race To Save The World’s Rarest Bird”.

As of Nov 2012, there are around 93 Spix’s Macaws in the entire world, all in captivity.  The majority are in the Al Wabra Wildlife Preserve (60).  There are 7 in Loro Parque’s breeding centre in Tenerife, Spain, 7 in Germany and 5 in Brazil.  The others are probably in private collections.

Opportunities to see a Spix’s Macaw in person are very limited.  Unlike most conservation projects, Al Wabra is privately owned and financed by Sheikh Saoud Bin Mohammed Bin Ali Al Thani so they do not require fundraising via ecotourism.  I was lucky enough to pay them a visit in April, 2009; but this was a rare privilege afforded to me through private contacts.  Their website states:

Located on a 2.5 square kilometer large area close to the town of Al Shahaniyah in central Qatar. The farm is not open to the public.

The easiest way to see Spix’s Macaws is to attend the World Parrot Congress held every 4 years at Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain.  Delegates who join the Loro Parque Fundación are given a tour of La Vera and a chance to see the Spix’s Macaws along with other rare parrot species.

The next conference is scheduled for 22-25 Sept, 2014 and you better believe I have miles earmarked to get there!  The exact details aren’t available yet but I will be blogging about it once they are.  In the meanwhile, you have almost 2 years to collect enough miles to get yourselves from your home to Spain!

Last year, the animated feature film “Rio” was based on the plight of the highly endangered Spix’s Macaw and would make a great gift for anyone in the family!

Although at present, the only Spix’s Macaws are in captivity, there is hope yet that they may once again fly freely in Brazil,  in the land of their ancestors.  AWWP has purchased the Concordia Farm in Curaca, where the last wild Spix’s Macaw was seen in hopes of restoring the land and implementing a release program in the not-too-distant future!